SSTI Digest

The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences Division of Materials Research has announced that approximately $22 million will be awarded in FY 2000 for grants to support 10-15 Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs). Awards are expected to range from $500,000 to $5 million per year and last for up to five years. Proposals from existing centers will compete against new proposals. Selections will be made in September, 2000. The MSRECs are intended to support interdisiplinary and multidisciplinary materials research and education of the highest quality while addressing fundamental problems in science and engineering that are important to society. They are expected to have strong links to industry and other sectors and to develop a national network of university-based centers in materials research. MRSECs are supported by NSF to undertake materials research of a scope and complexity that would not be feasible under traditional funding of individual research projects. An MRSEC may encompass one or more interdisciplinary…

Adjusted for inflation, state R&D expenditures grew at an average annual rate of 3.3 percent between 1965 and 1995, compared with the nationwide R&D spending growth of 2.5 percent per year for the same period, according to What is the State Government Role in the R&D Enterprise? This report was issued by the Research and Development Statistics Program of the National Science Foundation's Division of Science Resource Studies. Several R&D indicators included in the report, however, indicate that while total state R&D spending has grown, the states' share of US R&D spending and US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has declined. The report is based on data collected by NSF or through NSF-sponsored research on periodic surveys of state R&D expenditures and annual academic R&D surveys. The report states that while total state R&D expenditures increased by $240 million (constant 1992 dollars) between 1987 and 1995, state R&D as a percentage of US R&D activity in 1995 remained at the 1987 level of 1.37 percent. While never a large portion of…

The Ninth Annual Great Midwest Venture Capital Conference will be held November 8-9, 1999 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indiana Business Modernization & Technology Corp. (BMT) is seeking applications from emerging technology businesses to present their business profiles and capital needs to a variety of potential investors at the event. Presenter participation is limited to 30 companies. Each selected participant is allotted 12 minutes of presentation time and a display booth in the exhibit hall to facilitate further discussions with prospective investors. A wide variety of industries have been represented in the past with technology-related businesses, particularly software developers and Internet firms, tending to dominate. Half of the presenter positions are already filled, although the deadline for presenter registration is August 27, 1999. Participation is not limited to Midwest companies: firms from Utah and New Mexico are among the presenters who have secured positions on the conference agenda. Presenter registration, presenter profiles, and additional…

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Industrial Technologies has issued the solicitation for the Inventions and Innovations Program (IIP). The competitive program provides financial assistance for establishing technical performance and conducting early development of innovative ideas and inventions. Selected projects must have significant energy savings and future commercial market potential. Total grant funding available is anticipated to be $2.3 million. Two levels of funding are available: Category 1 Applications may receive up to $40,000 for conceptual or technical feasibility. Projects may last no more than two years. Category 2 Applications may receive up to $200,000 for projects in the last two stages of development (development and commercial validation or demonstration). Projects may last no more than three years. Larger projects involving commercial demonstration are directed to apply for National Industrial Competitiveness through Efficiency, Economics and (NICE3) funding (see related article). Individual inventors, small businesses, universities,…

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is seeking nominations for the fourth annual Tibbetts Awards. Named after Rowland Tibbetts, who established the first Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program at the National Science Foundation more than 20 years ago, the award recognizes outstanding contributions of small firms, projects, organizations and individuals involved in SBIR. More than 200 people and companies have received the award since it was first initiated in 1996. Awardees are recognized at an event in Washington each fall. The SBA attempts to make at least one Tibbetts Award in every state each year. Nominations are due July 15, 1999. Nomination forms may be obtained from the SBA SBIR website: http://www.sba.gov/sbir/

The Global Venture Forum is a business development event sponsored by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce to help Japanese and foreign firms find Japanese partners for investment, trade, distribution, and global business. Since the Global Venture Forum started in 1995, 44 percent of the participants have found business partners. Approximately 35 firms will be selected to join 15 Japanese businesses as presenters. Selected firms pay a registration fee of $950 which covers meals, one-night hotel accommodations, all AV equipment, a professional interpreter for two days, simultaneous translation, and translated summaries distributed to Japanese organizations, media and businesses. There is no cost to submit an application to present. Two-page applications are due by June 15. Washington International Business Ventures (WIBV) is serving as the North American office for the Global Venture Forum. To apply or for more information, visit the WIBV website at http://www.wibv.com or contact Peter Drabble at (202) 467-4403. Return to the top of this page…

The State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) is seeking a Policy Analyst. The Institute serves as a resource center for initiatives in all 50 states that encourage technology-based economic development. The Analyst's responsibilities include: conducting research on policy issues; interacting with state and federal practitioners and policy makers; writing and producing issue papers and project reports; contributing to a weekly newsletter; responding to requests for information; and working with staff, board members, and sponsors on a variety of projects. Candidates should have excellent written and verbal skills; strong research and organization capability; the ability to work independently and as part of a team; and, a dedication to creating a quality product. Compensation is commensurate with experience. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled. To apply, mail cover letter and resume to: Personnel, SSTI, 5039 Pine Creek Drive, Westerville, OH 43081; or via e-mail to personnel@ssti.org  A copy of this description can also be found on the SSTI…

As Wall Street waited for the Dow to top 10,000, venture capital investments were also reaching a new high, according to the latest PricewaterhouseCoopers Money Tree Survey. Venture-backed investments rose to a record $4.286 billion during the first quarter of 1999, a 41 percent increase over the first quarter of 1998. The survey's previous record of $3.77 billion was set during the third quarter of last year. The survey results for the first quarter of 1999 reflect venture capital investors' growing concentration on technology-based companies. Technology firms -- defined as companies involved in biotechnology, communications, computers & peripherals, electronics, environment, medical devices, semiconductors, software and information -- and Internet-based firms captured 84 percent of the first quarter's total venture capital investments and rose 63 percent over the technology sector's results for the first quarter of last year. Investments in non-technology decreased by 18 percent compared to 12 months ago. The $1.84 billion invested in Internet-related companies, which cut across all…

Washington's technology boom hasn't been enjoyed equally by most communities outside of the Seattle or Spokane urban areas. Two laws recently passed by the Washington legislature are intended to provide tax credits, infrastructure financing, and other incentives to spread the economic benefits of technology into the state's most rural counties. House Bill 2260 grants 100 percent, seven-year Business & Occupation (B&O) tax credits to businesses in rural counties engaged in providing "help desk" technologies to other businesses. After the seventh year, the credit is reduced to 68 percent. The bill also gives a $1,000 B&O credit for each new software manufacturing or software develop-ment job created by any business in rural counties. The credit may be applied each year for up to six years provided the job is maintained. Final provisions of the bill provide a 50 percent utility tax credit for rural telecommunications and water facility projects, and allows rural counties to retain more of the state sales tax revenues collected to use for infrastructure projects, including…

The Department of Energy has announced 16 awards under the 1999 solicitation for the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. The following table presents states with companies and academic institutions or federal labs selected in the competition. Only five of the awards were made to projects in which the company and university are located in the same state. Award information is posted at http://sttr.er.doe.gov/sttr/  State Companies Institutions or Labs AR 1 -- CA 4 1 CO -- 1 IL -- 1 IN 1 -- LA -- 1 MA 2 -- MN 1 -- MO -- 1 MT 1 -- NV -- 1 NM -- 3 NC -- 1 ND -- 1 OH 1 1 OR 1 -- PA 1…

Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology is seeking a new President and Chief Executive Officer. The CIT president's primary responsibility will be to assist the Secretary of Technology in implementing the Commonwealth's technology strategy by developing and directing CIT's key role in the strategy. Applications are due by June 22, 1999. The Maine Science and Technology Foundation is seeking a Director of Policy Analysis to manage the development and implementation of the state's science and technology policy and the measurement of the impact of science and technology on the state's economy. Applications are due by June 15, 1999. Full position descriptions for both can be found on the SSTI home page at www.ssti.org 

The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Science Foundation have announced approximately $5 million will be awarded in FY 2000 for grants to support research toward "Technology for a Sustainable Environment." Entities eligible to submit proposals include universities and not-for-profit institutions. The agencies anticipate making 20 grant awards for the solicitation in January 2000. Proposals are due July 26, 1999. The competition is designed to address pollution avoidance/prevention processes, methodologies, and technology research. Research proposals are invited that advance the development and use of innovative technologies and approaches directed at avoiding or minimizing the generation of pollutants at the source. Research projects are possible in the general areas of: chemistry for pollution avoidance or prevention; engineering for pollution avoidance and prevention; chemical processes and reaction engineering; simulations, modeling, sensors, and feedback techniques for pollution avoidance and prevention; and industrial ecology. The competition is not…