The South Carolina Technology Alliance has released South Carolina Technology Initiative 2000, a science and technology strategic plan outlining six specific recommendations for strengthening the state’s position in a knowledge-based economy.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is accepting applications to support projects designed to alleviate conditions of substantial and persistent unemployment and underemployment in economically distressed areas and regions of the nation, and to address economic dislocations resulting from sudden and severe job losses.

The Department of Commerce, on behalf of the Subgroup on Legal Barriers to Electronic Commerce (``Legal Barriers Subgroup'') of the U.S. Government Working Group on Electronic Commerce, requests public comments and suggestions concerning policies, laws or regulations that need to be adapted in order to eliminate barriers to and promote electronic commerce, electronic services, and electronic transactions.

SSTI thanks Chris Busch, Director of the Wyoming SBIR Initiative, for forwarding the NIH information to us, and to BRTRC's Christine Villa for providing the Defense stats.

Cincinnati and St. Louis are partnering to hold a three-day symposium to examine best practices in biotechnology-based economic development. Growing the Life Science Industry will be held March 1-3 at the Kingsgate Conference Center on the University of Cincinnati Medical Campus. Speakers from a dozen states will share their regions' approaches for life science economic development.

Activities to address the digital divide and the S&T workforce shortage have increased recently. The following are a sampling of efforts underway to understand and address the growing inequalities in technology access and assimilation.

The National Academy Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit organization, and President Clinton have announced the selection of 12 public high schools to pilot the Academy of Information Technology program. The program is intended to prepare predominantly at-risk high school students for careers in information technology fields. The program will provide a ninth-through-twelfth-grade curriculum with opportunities to partner with community colleges, universities, and businesses.

Governor Parris Glendening, the Speaker of the Maryland House, and the President of the Maryland Senate have proposed a 12-point technology plan with the goal of making “Maryland the leading e-commerce and digital state in the nation.” The proposals include:

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.

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.

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