SSTI Digest

Bill Eads, the Tennessee governor's science and technology advisor, has announced his retirement.

Continuing to solicit input for the National Science Policy Study, Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) held an April 22 House Science Committee hearing on "The Irreplaceable Federal Role in Funding Basic Research." This was the fifth hearing Ehlers has held as he gathers information to complete the National Science Policy Study. Rep. Ehlers was appointed by House Speaker Newt Gingrich to head up the Science Committee's effort to design a new science and technology policy that can be used to plan for the future, set priorities for research, and build sustainable support for scientific research. (See the 11/14/97 issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest at www.ssti.org for related information.) The purpose of the hearing was to examine ways to strike a funding balance among researchers in government, academia, and industry. The hearing explored the nature of basic research today and the economic rationale for making it a priority of the federal government. House Science Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI) offered the criteria by which he believes scientific programs should be…

The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) has announced the launch of the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center (Tech Center).   The purpose of the Tech Center is to grow high-wage, high-growth technology sectors in Oklahoma by actively contributing to the start-up and development of new companies and spurring innovation across existing companies. The Center assesses companies' needs, guides them through the technology commercialization process, and provides directly, or by referrals, specialized business development services, access to early stage risk financing, and help in transferring technology. OCAST has contracted with the Oklahoma Technology Development Corporation (OTDC) to start-up and manage the Tech Center. OTDC is now seeking qualified candidates for the position of Executive Director of the Tech Center. The Executive Director will have overall leadership and management responsibility for the Tech Center and its branch offices. Candidates must have a minimum of 15 years progressive management experience with 10 years experience as a seasoned professional operating in an advanced technology…

Northwestern University invites nominations and applications for the new position of Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives. The person who fills this position will develop and implement initiatives that will enhance the University=s research enterprise. Reporting to the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, the Associate VP will: Coordinate overall strategy and management of faculty initiated start-ups; Develop cross-campus, inter-school initiatives for university investment; Provide leadership for the development, implementation, and communication of policies and programs affecting research and commercialization; and, Work closely with faculty and directors of University Research Centers in shaping research priorities. A more detailed job description and instructions for applying can be viewed on SSTI's webpage at www.ssti.org.

When the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program was reauthorized in 1982, Congress mandated that the General Accounting Office (GAO) report on certain aspects of the program. GAO has now issued the final report, Federal Research: Observations on the Small Business Innovation Research Program, under that charge. A major finding of the report was that agencies are using different interpretations of the extramural budget definition which may lead to incorrect calculations of the amount to be set aside for SBIR projects. Only two of the five agencies reviewed by GAO had conducted audits of their extramural research budgets to determine appropriate levels. To ensure that SBIR funding levels are correct, GAO recommends that SBA provide additional guidance to the participating agencies on how to calculate their extramural budgets. Other findings include: There was an increase in the number of multiple award winners from 10 companies in 1989 to 17 companies in FY 1996 (where multiple award winners was defined as Phase I award recipients that also received 15 or more…

Texas' Science and Technology Council recently released a science and technology strategic plan. The Council's vision is to make Texas the nation's leader in science and technology in the 21st century. The plan's premise is that technology is the economic force driving much of the state's current wealth and job creation. The report develops a series of recommendations with the intent of developing the research capacity and human resources Texas will need to ensure economic prosperity in the next century. Much of the plan's focus is on human resources. However, two of the Council's recommendations would make significant changes to the state's technology-based economic development activities. The Council recommends in the report that the Advanced Research Program and Advanced Technology Program (ARP/ATP) receive an increase in funding. The current funding level of $60 million per biennium was established in 1985 when the program was created. The Council recommends the program be appropriated $90 million per biennium to foster the continued promotion of advanced research in Texas' universities.…

Wyoming has begun the process of restructuring its economic development programs. Nine state programs and boards will be transferred to the Wyoming Business Council by July 1. The Council, created by the legislature earlier this year, is a 15-member private sector board of directors that will direct economic development activities in Wyoming. Governor Jim Geringer announced the board appointments earlier this month. Programs and boards designated to be transferred to the Council by July 1 include: Science, Technology and Energy Authority Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center's Industrial Advisory Board and Partner Steering Committee Agriculture promotion and marketing division of WY Dept. of Agriculture Division of Economic and Community Development in Dept. of Commerce Tourism and state marketing of Department of Commerce Economic and Development Stabilization Board Travel Commission Investment Fund Committee Small Business Development Centers Advisory Board   The Council's CEO and staff will operate a central office and several regional offices,…

College tuition rates and a state's success at retaining its high school graduates for college attendance — both of which can be affected by state policy makers and university administrators — are strong predictors of a state's success in keeping its own recent college science and engineering graduates and in attracting graduates from other states, according to a study from the Southern Technology Council (STC). The report, entitled Where Have All the Students Gone? Interstate Migration of Recent Science and Engineering Graduates, focuses on the role of those graduates in state economic development and, in particular, what factors may predict their migration patterns and put certain states or regions at a disadvantage. As competition for high-tech personnel becomes increasingly fierce, corporations and governments alike are looking for answers to a complex question: How do we stop the "brain drain?" Recent science and engineering graduates can make huge contributions to state and national economies, both in terms of human resources for existing high-tech businesses and often as…

The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) is sponsoring a workshop entitled "Building University Engines for Academic Excellence, Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship." The workshop will he held on May 30, 1998 in Philadelphia, PA. The keynote speaker will be Michael Hooker, chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Among the programs featured are Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Northwestern University, University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Maryland. More information on the workshop is available on NBIA's website at www.nbia.org/ conf/conf.htm or by calling 740/593-4331.

A recently released data brief from the National Science Foundation, entitled Six States Account for Half of the Nation's R&D, analyzed the distribution of research and development activity by state and found most of the activity is concentrated in a small number of states. As the data brief reports, six states—California, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Texas (in decreasing order of magnitude)— account for half of the nation's R&D. California's level of R&D expenditures was $36 billion and represented approximately one-fifth of the $177 billion U.S. total. The top ten states (adding, in descending order, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Ohio) accounted for nearly two-thirds of the national effort. The 20 highest-ranking states in R&D expenditures accounted for approximately 85 percent of the U.S. total. The lowest 20 states accounted for five percent. NSF also examined the states' R&D activity in relation to the size of their economies as measured by the Gross State Product. The proportion of their economies devoted to R&D activities…

The grand opening on April 9 of a new technology education center in the Seattle area marked a milestone for the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program. The new Northwest Center for Emerging Technologies (NWCET) is the second major ATE center NSF has supported in the fields of information technology and telecommunications. NSF has funded 10 other such ATE programs on a smaller scale around the United States. NSF initiated the ATE Program in 1994 in an effort to meet the education needs of the high- performance workplace through education programs at two-year and community colleges. The ATE program supports projects in instructional materials and curriculum development; laboratory development and enhancement; faculty and teacher enhancement and preparation; and technical experiences for students. The awards cover a wide range of advanced technological education fields including biotechnology, environmental technology, computer and information systems technology, chemical technology, manufacturing technology, electronics, geographic information systems…

The Illinois 1997 High Tech Yearbook is a first-ever annual report documenting the people, organizations and infrastructure driving the high technology industry in Illinois. The report was recently released by the Illinois Coalition and KPMG Peat Marwick, in cooperation with the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago. The Yearbook is the latest addition to a growing number of states or regions that are developing technology indexes. The state's science and technology strengths are highlighted in the yearbook through a series of indicators tracked by the Illinois Coalition. The indicators identify and explain the ingredients and dynamics of Illinois' technology economy. According to the report, in 1984 Illinois was tenth in the U.S. for the size of its technology economy. Today, it is fourth. The following outline some of the key indicators the report highlights: Level of R&D spending by industry, universities, federal laboratories and non-profit research centers Illinois' share of federal R&D funding Number of patents issued Venture capital investment…