SSTI Digest

Ohio's Edison Technology Centers generated a direct economic impact for Ohio of more than $730 million from 1992 to 1995, according to a new study prepared by Battelle Memorial Institute for the Edison Centers. The seven Edison Centers are non-profit organizations that combine state, industry and academic resources to solve industrial problems and develop new technologies. When the impacts were traced through the economy and a multiplier was applied, the total impact on the gross state product was $1.27 billion. Battelle arrived at its results by applying its proprietary econometric model of the Ohio economy to economic data collected by the Edison Centers. State funding during that time for the Edison Centers totaled approximately $70 million. Along with estimating the total economic impact of the Edison Centers, the Battelle study found that the Edison Centers have: Enhanced the financial performance and competitive position of Ohio companies by saving them an estimated $168 million Provided assistance that enabled Ohio companies to create or retain 5,600 jobs,…

The first recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers were announced earlier this week. The 60 winners will receive up to $500,000 over a five year period to further their research. "The Presidential Awards are intended to recognize some of the finest scientists and engineers who, while early in their research careers, show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of scientific knowledge during the 21st century. The Awards will foster innovative and far-reaching developments in science and technology, increase awareness of careers in science and engineering, give recognition to the scientific missions of participating agencies, enhance connections between fundamental research and national goals, and highlight the importance of science and technology for the nation's future," according to the National Science and Technology Council. Awards follow recommendations from the nine participating federal agencies (National Science Foundation, NASA, EPA, Department of Veterans' Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Energy,…

Criteria used by one of the largest funders of basic research to evaluate research proposals is slated to change in 1997. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is revising the criteria used to evaluate approximately 30,000 proposals per year and is seeking comments on the proposed criteria. NSF has undertaken the process to revise the criteria because "an examination...is prudent from time to time. The current criteria have not changed since 1981, and the proposed changes are intended to make the criteria clearer to the community and to bring them more in line with the 1994 NSF Strategic Plan." The current criteria ask reviewers to evaluate a proposal for: 1) research performance competence, 2) intrinsic merit of the research, 3) utility or relevance of the research, and 4) the effect on the infrastructure of science and engineering. The proposed criteria ask reviewers to determine: 1) what is the intellectual merit and quality of the proposed activity? and, 2) what are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? Background and an e-mail form to comment on the changes can be…

A panel of external evaluators has concluded that the National Science Foundation's State/Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (S/I/UCRC) Program supports NSF's strategic goals. The panel also found that "the development of cooperative research centers involving states, industries and NSF can be an important contributing element to maintaining and developing a competitive US industry." The S/I/UCRC program was established in 1991 as the result of discussions between NSF and the National Governors' Association's Science and Technology Council of the States (STCS). There have been three competitions for awards and a total of 13 awards have been made. This is the first time a Committee of Visitors (COV) has evaluated the program. The COV found that a critical issue in the program is the difficulty in obtaining initial state funding commitments and then assuring the commitments over the duration of the program. The three-part funding requirement (state, industry and NSF) "represents a significant challenge..." and the COV recommended that the funding aspect of the S/I/UCRC…

U.S. Representative Robert Walker (R-PA), the retiring chairman of the House Science Committee, was recently awarded NASA's Distinguished Service Medal. The Medal was established in 1959 and is awarded to any person in the federal service who, by distinguished service, ability, or courage, has personally made a contribution representing substantial progress to the NASA mission in the interests of the United States. The contribution must be so extraordinary that other forms of recognition by NASA would be inadequate. Past recipients include astronauts Alan Shepherd and John Glenn.

The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) has released a report examining the role of the federal government in economic development activities and proposing a new approach to meet economic development needs. NAPA urges the federal government to help states and localities learn through better information, leverage all available resources, and link multiple federal initiatives to assist local communities. Among the report's recommendations, NAPA encourages the federal government to: Help states and communities learn about state-of-the-art economic development practices Act to reduce the economic losses resulting from unrestrained bidding wars by states and localities to recruit or retain businesses Substantially reduce the fragmentation of the federal economic development effort. Give special assistance to states and communities seeking to create economic opportunities in distressed communities The project was led by a panel, chaired by former Governor Richard L. Thornburgh, who is also chairman of SSTI's Board of Trustees. The report was prepared with…

According to a new report released by the Council on Competitiveness, Competitive Index 1996: A Ten-Year Strategic Assessment, the U.S. has sharply boosted its economic competitiveness over the past decade. The Council attributed the gains to a variety of factors including corporate restructuring, reduction in the budget deficit, a weaker dollar and broadened international markets. The report warns, however, that the U.S. remains vulnerable in several key areas: Wage stagnation and inequality Shortfalls in national savings Weak investment in manufacturing plant and equipment Diminishing edge in R&D outlays Poor returns on educational spending Low productivity growth To compile this year's Competitiveness Index, the Council examined various statistics and surveyed its members -- 123 chief executives from industry, academia and labor. All members were asked a core set of questions regarding national economic competitiveness. They were also questioned about their particular sector (industry/labor or academia). In addition, the…

The Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence, Inc. will receive $1.5 million from the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). The Alliance, a program of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, is an MEP affiliate that received its initial federal funding through the Technology Reinvestment Project.

The Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), a non-profit start-up organization, seeks an Executive Director to build and operate a successful manufacturing services organization. The Executive Director will guide AME in its mission of assisting smaller manufacturers to adopt more advanced manufacturing technologies and management techniques. AME's head office will be located in the greater Seattle area with field staff located in offices throughout the state. Field services begin in the spring of 1997. At full operational levels--anticipated in the third year of operations-- the Director will command a budget of approximately $6 million and a staff of 18 field engineers in addition to technical specialists and management and administrative staff. Requirements include a master's degree/or equivalent and ten years or more of management experience in a manufacturing environment. For application instructions and additional materials please contact: Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence, c/o CTED, Attention: Ariona, P.O. Box 48300, Olympia, WA 98504-8300, (360) 586-0873 or e-…

The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) has issued a Program Guide to Federally Funded Environment and Natural Resources R&D. The guide describes the types of environment and natural resources R&D currently supported by federal agencies, potential opportunities for funding, the mechanisms used to award funding, and points of contact. Agencies listed in the Program Guide as having major R&D programs in environment and natural resources include the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Department of the Interior (DoI), the Department of Energy (DoE), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Department of Defense (DoD). Although many of the deadlines for submitting FY96 proposals have passed, the dates have been left in for informational purposes. Many of the research areas noted for 1996 will continue in 1997…

Applications and nominations are invited for the position of Executive Director of the Vermont Technology Council. The Council is a voluntary association of community leaders from the public and private sectors who are concerned with the economic vitality of Vermont and believe that the state's prosperity depends on the successful commercialization within the state of scientific and technological advances and innovations. The Council promotes cooperation between the R&D resources of Vermont's colleges and universities and its industrial and commercial sectors. The end objectives are new, free-standing commercial businesses evolving from this cooperation. The Executive Director will be responsible for all activities of the Council, assuring progress towards the fulfillment of its mission, including: securing public and private support for the establishment and enlargement of scientific and technological R&D centers; creating and fostering linkages between research facilities, governmental bodies and the business sector; providing policy guidance to Vermont EPSCoR; generating plans for the…

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has developed the Angel Capital Electronic Network (ACE-Net) to link small companies and investors through the Internet. Entrepreneurs will be able to put their prospectus on a secure database that can be searched by approved individual or "angel" investors. The goal of the network is to improve access to equity capital for small companies that need capital in the $250,000 to $5 million range. All offering listings will be available by an on-line search engine that will permit the "angels" to identify companies in which they want to invest. The investors can look for a specific type of company, technology or market, investment size, geographic location, and minority-/women owned status. ACE-Net will also permit investors to place specific search criteria on the network and it will send an e-mail when a company is listed that meets their interests. Info on ACE-Net is available on the World Wide Web at <http://www.sbaonline. sba.gov> and <http://ace-net.unh.edu&gt; More information is also available by…