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SSTI Digest
$1 M from AT&T to Support Tech Capacity at Historically Black Colleges
AT&T has made a $1 million grant to support the development of technological expertise in 13 institutions of higher education in Virginia, North Carolina, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia.
The grant was made to the Virtual Institute for Technology Advancement in Education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (VITAE- HBCU). The VITAE-HBCU program is a partnership to foster collaboration between Virginia Tech and the HBCUs.
Specifically, the grant will be used to improve teaching and learning through the effective use of technology. The initiative will be funded for three years and will support faculty training for the use of information technology and the development of technology-based curricula. It will also support outreach activities by VITAE-HBCU to communities with limited technological resources.
Digest Goes Digital
Beginning January 7, the SSTI Weekly Digest will be distributed only by electronic mail. Fax delivery service will end with the December 31 edition.
Because the Digest is available to its readers through subscription revenues, we ask that redistribution be limited to your immediate, internal staff. Forwarding or redistributing of the Digest outside the offices of our subscribers is considered a breach of our copyright.
We retain the right to cancel any subscription when this request is violated. We are open to negotiating rights for greater redistribution.
Defense R&D Opportunities
Recent issues of the Federal Register and Commerce Business Daily (CBD) have had a number of research and technology funding announcements. Highlights for the Department of Defense include (date of publication in the CBD is provided in parentheses):
The Air Force has issued a Broad Agency Announcement for Air Base & Environmental Technology. Research proposals addressing the extensive list of topics identified in the announcement may be submitted until September 30, 2000. Projects may last up to two years. (11/17/99, CBD)
The Air Force Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab (AEFB) seeks ideas from industry and academia to demonstrate the benefits of using common interchangeable Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cells in place of diesel and JP-8 fueled engines. More info can be found at: http://www.mountainhome.af.mil/aefb/contract/contract.htm (11/15/99 CBD)
People
The following people in the science and technology community have made or announced career changes recently.
Jack Haenichen has been promoted to Deputy Director for the Arizona Department of Commerce.
Shaye Mandle is the new President of the Illinois Coalition.
Bill Sibley has been named as President of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. Mike Irby, who has been serving as Acting President for OCAST, will be retiring at the end of the year.
Bill Todd, President of the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), has announced he will leave GRA early in 2000 to join a new technology seed investment fund.
People
Jack Haenichen has been promoted to Deputy Director for the Arizona Department of Commerce.
People
Bill Sibley has been named as President of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. Mike Irby, who has been serving as Acting President for OCAST, will be retiring at the end of the year.
People
Bill Todd, President of the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), has announced he will leave GRA early in 2000 to join a new technology seed investment fund.
People
In addition, a couple of new faces have been added to the SSTI team. We warmly welcome Shannon Burnett as our newest Policy Analyst and Ruth Carr as our Executive Assistant.
Clinton Creates Federal E-Commerce Working Group
In a move to facilitate electronic commerce, President Clinton issued a memorandum this week creating the United States Government Working Group on Electronic Commerce. The Working Group will review current laws and regulations governing, impeding or hindering e-commerce, and will recommend revisions that facilitate e-commerce while ensuring consumer and public protection.
Impediments may include regulatory or licensing requirements and technical standards and other policies that may hinder electronic commerce in particular goods or services. While some of these legal restrictions are the subject of pending legislation, other potential barriers are outside the scope of those legislative proposals.
$130.6 Million NYSTAR Created
Most of New York’s science and technology initiatives have been consolidated into the New York Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research (NYSTAR), which has received an annual budget of $130.6 million as a result of the Jobs 2000 Plan or “J2K” signed by Governor George Pataki in mid-November.
The new office incorporates the programs, functions, and staff of the NY State Science & Technology Foundation. The foundation, established in 1961, was one of the oldest continuously running state S&T programs. The Foundation had been part of Empire State Development Corp. since 1995; NYSTAR will be a separate entity.
With a total price tag of $522 million, J2K provides funding for projects ranging from NYSTAR and public venture capital to local water development projects.
Coleman Foundation Offers Entrepreneurship Grants
The Coleman Foundation has allocated up to $1,000,000 for this year's Entrepreneurship Awareness and Education Grant program. The program will award a one-time grant of up to $25,000 to any university, college, community college or community-based nonprofit organization to establish or significantly expand an entrepreneurship initiative that focuses on any of the following areas: