SSTI Digest

After declines in 2016 and 2017, the number of graduate students and postdoctoral appointees at the nation’s institutions of higher education increased nationally from 2018 to 2020, according to National Science Foundation (NSF) data from its Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering (GSS) survey. However, this SSTI analysis shows considerable variation among the states over the five-year period from 2016 to 2020. Evaluating long-term trends in S&E graduate students and postdocs can help policymakers and program designers identify potential issues, enabling the development of more effective policies and programs.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito are urging Massachusetts legislators to act on their proposed  legislation  that includes $3.5 billion in clean energy and economic development initiatives. The bill includes $2.3 billion in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and over $1.256 billion in capital bond authorizations to support projects to strengthen state infrastructure, create jobs and invest in all 351 cities and towns in the state. The legislation, called An Act Investing in Future Opportunities for Resiliency, Workforce, and Revitalized Downtowns (FORWARD), includes $1.2 billion in ARPA funds for climate resiliency and preservation efforts, with more than half of that designated for the commonwealth’s clean energy industry.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced today that five states — Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan and West Virginia — have had their State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) capital programs approved by the agency. Not all programs to be run by these states have been announced at this time, but they include: HI-CAP Invest program, which will support impact funds; GROWKS Angel Capital Support Program; Maryland’s Neighborhood Business Works Venture Debt Program; and, West Virginia’s seed capital co-investment fund.

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center recently released the third report in its Some College, No Credentials (SCNC) series investigating the educational trajectory of U.S. adults who have left postsecondary education without receiving any credentials. This report addresses concerns about low student success rates across the nation and intends to identify opportunities where SCNC students can be encouraged to continue postsecondary programs and earn credentials. This edition features three new metrics for tracking SCNC students: re-enrollment, completion of the first credential, and perseverance indicated by continued enrollment after the first re-enrollment.

Two recent studies explored public perceptions of science and technology and higher education in the United States. The first study from the NSF National Science Board explores public perceptions and awareness of science and technology among American adults, and a separate report from New America analyzes attitudes on higher education, with a particular interest in the transition to online instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NSF National Science Board study explores three dimensions of public perceptions of science and technology, including Americans’ perceptions of science and technology, how well Americans understand scientific logic and research processes, and where Americans encounter science and get scientific information. The study found that public confidence in science generally remains high, and trust in medical scientists has increased since 2016. In 2020, about 43 percent of Americans expressed great confidence in medical scientists, a 19 percent increase from the 24 percent reported in 2016.

To expand the innovation capacity in the nation, the United States needs to leverage resources, creativity, and ingenuity from across all geographic regions. The National Science Foundation this week announced a new program in support of these efforts: the NSF Regional Innovation Engines, or NSF Engines program. This program encourages the creation of regional coalitions of industry, academia, government, nonprofits, civil society, and communities of practice to form partnerships that boost scientific and technological innovation and benefit the economy in a geographic region. Specifically, the NSF Engines program targets geographic areas in the U.S. that lack well-established innovation ecosystems. Awards of up to $160 million for up to 10 years ultimately will be provided. At SSTI’s Annual Conference this week, attendees learned more about this program from NSF representatives.

The NSF Engines program describes the growth of an innovation ecosystem with a five-phase model:

With practitioners, policymakers and leaders in the innovation field from more than 40 states, the SSTI Annual Conference dove deep into discussions on federal funding, income and geographical inequality, climate and water challenges, workforce issues and more this week. Members and new attendees were welcomed to Little Rock, with support from host partner, the Arkansas Research Alliance, and national and local sponsors.

The SSTI Annual Conference is known as the place for information sharing and making new connection in the innovation economy. University Research Corridor Executive Director Britany Affolter-Caine called participants the “best networked partner people on the planet.”

Thank you to all the speakers, sponsors and attendees, and stay tuned as we build out those discussions through future activities.

Discussion groups at the SSTI Annual Conference contribute to the shared understanding of the issues affecting regions across the country.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator intends to provide solutions with nationwide social impact at an accelerated pace. Recently, NSF announced the addition of three new research tracks for the 2022 cohort: Track H, Track I, and Track J. The latest research track topics for the NSF Convergence Accelerator include:

Track H: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Track I: Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges Track J: Food & Nutrition Security

These tracks highlight current societal issues like enhancing the quality of life and employment access for persons with disabilities, encouraging environmental considerations in advancements for material science, and addressing nutritional needs for vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. Selected teams will participate in Phase 1, an accelerated 12-month planning period with up to $750,000 in grant funding. Following Phase 1, teams will conduct a formal NSF pitch and proposal evaluation, and selected groups will advance to Phase 2 to continue development. During Phase 2, teams may be eligible to receive up to $5 million in funding.

In response to an executive order signed last year by President Biden to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the federal workforce, many federal organizations are evaluating the resources and opportunities available to minority groups. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) are taking steps to grow strong relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to provide more opportunities for students and faculty members and promote diversity in the federal workforce.

This edition of Useful Stats presents an SSTI analysis for the number of SBIR/STTR awards from 2011 to 2020 (the most recently available complete data), examining which agencies make the most awards in each state and how each state’s composition of awards compares to the national profile.

Two federal agencies made the greatest number of SBIR/STTR awards in nearly every state. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) accounted for the greatest number of SBIR/STTR awards in 35 states (including the District of Columbia), growing from 29 states as identified in a previous SSTI analysis for the 10-year period from 2009-2018. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made the most awards in 15 states over the 10-years from 2011 to 2020, decreasing from the 22 states for the previously examined 10-year period, while the National Science Foundation made the most total awards in two states/territories for the combined 10-year period from 2011 to 2020.

A new working paper by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia used loan-level data from two fintech lenders, Funding Circle and LendingClub, to assess how the companies’ pre-pandemic lending patterns differed from those of traditional banks. The report finds fintechs contribute to a “more inclusive” financial system, expanding credit to more companies and at a lower cost.

The paper’s conclusions rely heavily on data from Funding Circle’s loans from 2016-2019. While the Fed describes LendingClub’s loans, the company had a smaller overall level of activity (about $540 million in loan volume), and so was not included in the empirical analyses.

Earlier today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury released information on the $500 million pool of technical assistance (TA) funds authorized as part of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). The agency is allocating $200 million to the states, transferring $100 million to the U.S. Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and retaining $200 million at this time. According to guidance released by Treasury, states can use their TA funds for legal, accounting and financial services.

The guidance defines these types of TA services somewhat broadly. In addition to covering licenses, financial statements and financial management, Treasury’s list of example eligible services names several activities that would particularly benefit innovation-focused companies. For example, permissible TA could include assisting with business formation, developing term sheets, or preparing presentations to investors.