SSTI Digest

Spawning 132 new companies over thirteen years is just one of the impressive statistics cited in the latest annual report for the Utah Centers of Excellence Program (COEP). The 1998-1999 report highlights the program’s accomplishments and economic impact since its inception in 1986. Each year, COEP staff document the program’s contributions to the Utah economy through statistical data and anecdotal success stories. Since 1986, COEP has awarded $30.7 million in state funding to Utah universities and colleges for applied R&D focused on the development of technologies which have the potential for economic development in the state.  That funding has generated cumulative matching funds from private and federal sources of $332.7 million, resulting in a matching fund ratio of 10.8 to 1.  Additional accomplishments include: Faculty at the participating Centers of Excellence have filed for 101 patents, resulting in 175 licensing agreements with businesses; 985 companies have been assisted through the centers;  The 132 technology companies created through…

NASA has selected eight research proposals for negotiation of Phase II contract awards for the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. Each project may receive up to $500,000 for a two-year performance period. The program requires small businesses to conduct cooperative research and development by partnering with a research institution. A total of 23 Phase II proposals were submitted by the 1998 class of NASA STTR Phase I recipients. Companies in the following states received NASA Phase II STTR awards: Alaska, California (3 awards), Colorado, Florida, Montana and Tennessee. Research institutions for the eight projects were located in Colorado (2), Florida, New York, Ohio, Virginia (2), and Wyoming. Complete information on the NASA STTR and SBIR programs, including awardee information may be found at: http://sbir.hq.nasa.gov/ .

The Air Force and the National Institutes of Health have announced the availability of five government-owned inventions for licensing in the United States. Abstracts and/or contact information for each invention may be viewed on the following SSTI web page: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/012800t.htm  

New York Governor Pataki has nominated Dr. Russell Bessette to serve as the Executive Director of the New York Office of Science and Technology (NYSTAR). His appointment is subject to confirmation of the New York State Senate. Dr. Russell Bessette is a clinical professor at the SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine's Department of Surgery, the Executive Director of Research at the Buffalo Technology Transfer Center at Sisters Hospital in Buffalo and a reconstructive plastic surgeon at the Head and Neck Center at Sisters Hospital. Governor Pataki appointed Dr. Roland Schmitt, president emeritus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as chairman of the NYSTAR advisory board. Dr. Paul Hale has been named the Executive Director of the Vermont Technology Council. Among other tasks, Dr. Hale is working on the state’s EPSCoT award in cooperation with the Vermont EPSCoR Program. SSTI bids a warm farewell to Deb Tharp, who has accepted a full-time position with Battelle Memorial Institute in the Technology Partnership Practice group.

New York Governor Pataki has nominated Dr. Russell Bessette to serve as the Executive Director of the New York Office of Science and Technology (NYSTAR). His appointment is subject to confirmation of the New York State Senate. Dr. Russell Bessette is a clinical professor at the SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine's Department of Surgery, the Executive Director of Research at the Buffalo Technology Transfer Center at Sisters Hospital in Buffalo and a reconstructive plastic surgeon at the Head and Neck Center at Sisters Hospital.

Governor Pataki appointed Dr. Roland Schmitt, president emeritus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as chairman of the NYSTAR advisory board.

Dr. Paul Hale has been named the Executive Director of the Vermont Technology Council. Among other tasks, Dr. Hale is working on the state’s EPSCoT award in cooperation with the Vermont EPSCoR Program.

SSTI bids a warm farewell to Deb Tharp, who has accepted a full-time position with Battelle Memorial Institute in the Technology Partnership Practice group.

Governor Christie Whitman has announced New Jersey Jobs for a New Economy, a multi-million dollar package of technology-related initiatives to make New Jersey more competitive in the creation of high technology jobs.  Among the plan's proposals are the following technology-related investments:  $15 million for excellence grants to enable New Jersey's colleges and universities to develop nationally recognized programs of technology in the following fields: computer science and information technology; physical life and health sciences; engineering and engineering technology; and, science and math teacher education. $10 million for matching challenge grants to the universities to attract federal research projects in the same four areas listed above. According to Governor Whitman, New Jersey currently ranks 44th in securing federal R&D funding. $10 million in state matching funds to leverage $30 million from private sources for venture capital investments in high technology firms. $3 million in funds from the WorkFirst New Jersey program to provide computer…

Effective Monday, January 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin accepting funding applications under the new Rural Business Opportunity Grants Program (RBOG). The program was authorized in the 1996 Farm Bill to fund sustainable economic development in rural communities with exceptional needs. RBOG funding may be used to support the following types of technical assistance for business development and economic development planning: Identify and analyze business opportunities that use local materials or human resources; Identify, train and provide technical assistance to existing or prospective rural entrepreneurs and managers; Establish business support centers to provide business assistance such as counseling, business planning, training, management assistance, marketing information, and locating financing for business operations. The centers may be located outside rural areas, but must provide assistance to rural businesses; Conduct local community or multi-county economic development planning; Establish centers for training, technology, and trade that will…

With the start of the new year, a number of state legislatures are reconvening. Quite a few states have significant research, science, and technology issues on their legislative calendar, including the following: Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns has proposed the creation of a tax credit for a variety of industries, including R&D firms, to encourage job creation, higher wages and investment in rural Nebraska. The plan would offer an income tax credit equal to five percent of the compensation paid for new employment and an additional income tax credit equal to ten percent of the new investment. While development projects in the entire state are eligible, those projects in the most distressed areas would have to meet lower investment or job creation thresholds to receive the credit. New York Governor George Pataki has proposed the establishment of Upstate High Technology Enterprise Zones to encourage technology-based economic development in those areas where job growth is below the state average. The plan includes a series of tax credits for research and development…

One year ago this month, in the midst of a booming economy, Georgia Governor Roy Barnes announced a new $100 million, five-year initiative to advance the state’s position in the research and production of key components of the global economy. The Yamacraw Mission, named after one of the state’s first colonial settlements, focuses on research, education, and economic development in microchip design and high-bandwidth communications. The Mission coordinates the activities of three usually disparate approaches -- a large state center of excellence, an education and training program, and an industrial inducement program -- under a single, unified technology-based economic development strategy and office. On a smaller scale, the Pittsburgh Digital Greenhouse, a $13.2 million initiative focusing on high definition video and systems-on-a-chip technology, represents another example of this new model for state science and technology policy (see the 7/23/99 issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/1999/072399.htm) Research Five Georgia institutions currently…