North Dakota Legislature Commits $50M for Centers of Excellence
With the recent passage of the state's biennial budget, North Dakota's universities and colleges can now compete for a share of $20 million in matching funds to create Centers of Excellence. The money is the first installment of the state legislature's $50 million commitment to the Centers program, which is the centerpiece of Gov. John Hoeven's initiatives to transform the state's economy toward science and technology.
Ohio's Third Frontier to Make Second Pass on Quasi-Transportation/Economic Development Ballot Initiative
A ballot initiative designed to bolster the Ohio economy and create jobs by continuing the state’s public works infrastructure program and supporting the commercialization of science and technology-based research was announced last week by Gov. Bob Taft and other legislative leaders. The initiative, to appear on the Nov.
Rhode Island Gov. Establishes S&T Advisory Council and Manufacturing Partnership
Gov. Donald Carcieri last month announced two new initiatives targeting Rhode Island's science and technology (S&T) and manufacturing industries. On April 12, Gov. Carcieri signed an Executive Order creating the Science & Technology Advisory Council.
$120M Investment Fund Fails in Hawaii Legislature
Efforts to capitalize Hawaii's $120 million State Private Investment Fund (SPIF) collapsed Friday as a joint conference committee of the state legislature could not reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of the measure. Passage of Senate Bill 1695 was one of Gov. Linda Lingle's top economic development priorities for this legislative session.
OCAST Report Measures Success in TBED Efforts
States such as Oklahoma must leverage scarce resources if they hope to attract top scientists, stimulate development, and achieve measurable economic impact, says the latest impact report from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST).
Index Reveals South Lags Overall U.S. Workforce
As low-skill, labor intensive jobs are increasingly replaced by technology or outsourced in the emerging knowledge-based economy, a two-tiered labor market has emerged, thus presenting a challenge for workers to either work cheaper or work smarter, says a new report from the Southern Growth Policies Board. Only one of those options is appealing for those trying to improve your standard of living.
People
Phil Bond, Under Secretary for Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce, announced his resignation, effective May 13. A strong supporter of NIST and tech-based economic development, Bond will be missed as he becomes Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at Monster Worldwide.
People
Phil Bond, Under Secretary for Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce, announced his resignation, effective May 13. A strong supporter of NIST and tech-based economic development, Bond will be missed as he becomes Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at Monster Worldwide.
People
Diane Duff, former director of economic development and commerce for the National Governors Association, is the new executive director of the Southern Governors' Association.
People
Gov. Bill Richardson appointed William Enloe, CEO of Los Alamos National Bank, to serve as chairman of the New Mexico Economic Development Partnership.
People
Randa Hayes is the new director of the business development and trade division of the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
People
The new Vice President for Business Ventures at the Mississippi Technology Alliance is Jim Lowery.
People
TechNet named Lezlee Westine, White House Director of Public Liaison, to serve as its new director.
Publisher's Note
During the months of May and June, the SSTI Weekly Digest and Funding Supplement will be published every other week. SSTI staff over the next two months will be completing work on two major projects that require focused concentration. We look forward to resuming the Digest and Funding Supplement on a weekly basis in July. The next issue of the Digest will be May 16.
Stem Cell Research Update: A State-by-State Analysis
While the topic of embryonic stem cell research has been at the forefront of S&T policy since 2001, attention has shifted to the states in the last six months. Last fall, California voters overwhelmingly approved a $3 billion bond issue to support embryonic stem cell research over the next decade.
$20 Million Gift Targets Women in S&E
The majority of an anonymous gift of $26.5 million to the University of Southern California (USC) will be used to increase the representation of women in the hard sciences and engineering faculty and encourage middle school girls to choose a science pathway in education. Money also will be used to create new faculty positions in the sciences, upgrade laboratories, increase scholarship aid for undergraduates, create new fellowships for graduates and fund child care.
People
Dr. Angeline Dvorak has been named as the first full-time president of Mississippi Technology, Inc. She will also serve as chief executive office of the Institute for Technology Development.
The Maine Science & Technology Foundation has appointed Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones as statewide director of the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
People
Dr. Angeline Dvorak has been named as the first full-time president of Mississippi Technology, Inc. She will also serve as chief executive office of the Institute for Technology Development.
People
The Maine Science & Technology Foundation has appointed Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones as statewide director of the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
People
SSTI is sad to report the October death of Gloria Timmer, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO). Ms. Timmer was very helpful to SSTI on several projects in her capacity at NASBO and previously as the Kansas state budget director.
The States, Science & Technology, and Election 2000
With what’s shaping up to be the closest presidential election in the last 40 years and control of the U.S. House and Senate up in the air, little press attention has been focused on the other elections occurring throughout the country. Today’s issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest provides an overview of some of the other races affecting S&T. On Thursday we’ll report on the results.
Job Opportunity in Tech-based Economic Development
Minnesota Technology Inc. (MTI), the leading technology-based economic development organization in the state of Minnesota, is seeking a Deputy Director to serve as the right hand to the CEO. This critical position will be responsible for the following:
South Takes on Digital Divide
In an economy driven increasingly by computer literacy and connectivity, leading the nation in the percentage of households not connected to the Internet is a distinction many in the South are working to eliminate. One South, Digitally Divided, the second annual TelecomSouth conference of the Southern Technology Council (STC), and its accompanying report Creating the CyberSouth are efforts in that direction.
NASA Courts More University Involvement in R&D
After surpassing $1 billion in university-based R&D for the first time ever in FY 2000, and receiving a budget increase of $633 million for FY 2001, NASA has kicked off a major effort to further strengthen its relationship with universities and colleges.
Southern California Technology Innovation Index Released
With the goal of developing a common technology agenda among the region’s leaders, the Los Angeles Regional Technology Alliance (larta) has compiled its first regional innovation index benchmarking the area’s strengths and weaknesses in S&T. The Southern California Technology Innovation Index compares the five-county Los Angeles consolidated metropolitan statistical area with the California Bay Area (San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose), Austin, Texas, and Massachusetts.