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Governor Tom Ridge’s $90 million plan to create a series of life science research/commercialization centers would be the largest, single technology initiative ever proposed in Pennsylvania, according to a recent press release from the Governor's office. The Life Sciences Greenhouse Initiative would be a network of innovation centers in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg closely connected to university research activities.

The National Journal’s Technology Daily reported Wednesday that the Senate has approved an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization bill (S.1) that would authorize up to $100 million for the Community Technology Centers program. The amendment, introduced by Senator Barbara Miluski of Maryland and passed by a 50-49 vote, also keeps the popular program within the Department of Education.

With the National Conference of State Legislatures saying 23 states already feel the pinch of a slowing economy and large state tax cuts made during the late 1990s, at least one group says the situation will only worsen with the pending federal tax cut. Basing its analysis of the President's original tax cut proposal, Citizens for Tax Justice estimates states stand to lose potentially $35 billion dollars a year in revenues by 2012.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: Fiscal Year 1999 (NSF 01-323). The data presented in the 33 tables cover all categories of direct federal science and engineering (S&E) support to institutions of higher education in the United States. The 18 agencies listed in these tables provide virtually all of the Federal funding for S&E research and development (R&D) at U.S.

Industrial research expenditures in the U.S. had a record single-year decline in 2002, according to the latest National Science Foundation (NSF) Survey of Industrial Research and Development. An inflation-adjusted decline of $8.6 billion was the largest-ever reported since the survey began in 1953. The 2002 tally, when measured in current dollars, also wins the ignoble distinction of reflecting the largest single-year absolute and percentage reduction at $7.7 billion and 3.9 percent, respectively.

One of the most critical elements needed for a tech-based economy is a strong higher education system that supplies a source of research ideas, new technologies and a skilled workforce. Studies have shown that individuals with college degrees earn more money, obtain better jobs, pay more taxes, and are more apt to perform volunteer work. Given higher education's important role, several states have been re-examining how higher education can play a larger role in their economy.

To encourage innovation in health care and speed the development of new medical technologies, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week it is forming an internal task force to weigh new ideas and promote new solutions.

Advocates for deregulating Kentucky's broadband industry argued doing so would result in increased rural access to high speed Internet services. They'll have the chance to prove it with Gov. Ernie Fletcher's signature this week on deregulation legislation, HB 627.

Financial success for any start-up tech firm more often depends on adequate financing and proper management than the specific technology, experts say. Two tech-based economic development organizations in Pittsburgh have formed a new alliance to offer entrepreneurial life science firms with an eye toward greater sustainability and profitability.

Concerns for wheat and organic markets remain, however

While state governments across the country are overwhelmingly in favor of health-related biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology has received a somewhat less enthusiastic reception. That may be changing - however slowly - according to new information released last week by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology.

Defense 2003 SBIR Phase II Awards

The Department of Defense (DoD) distributed $766.9 million in awards under fiscal year 2003 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program competition. A total of 1,080 awards averaging more than $710,000 were made.

A wide range of research and tech-based economic development bills were approved by the Arkansas legislature, which ended its legislative session in mid-April. With proposals and support coming both from Republican Governor Huckabee and the heavily Democratic legislature, Arkansas is the latest state to demonstrate broad bipartisan support for investing in science and technology.

U.S. companies originally backed by venture capital created 4.3 million new jobs last year according to a new economic impact study released this week by the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). Those companies generated $736 billion in revenues in the year 2000 and, according to the study, venture capital-backed businesses represented 3.3% of the nation's total jobs and 7.4% of Gross Domestic Product in 2000.

With ten firms, Chicago leaders win bragging rights for being called home by the greatest number of Inc. magazine's "Inner City 100," the fastest growing urban businesses. In fact, six of the top 50 companies were from the Windy City.



Five businesses from Buffalo won inclusion in the magazine's list, earning the New York city the unofficial title as the second most popular home. Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Oakland, CA each had four companies on the list.

Using survey responses and a weighted index for caliber of students, curriculum, faculty, support for students, and overall program, Success Magazine has identified what it believes are the best 50 business schools for entrepreneurial education. The top honors are not necessarily the business schools that immediately jump to mind for most people.

Sixty-two organizations in 44 states and the District of Columbia will receive a total of $3.5 billion in tax credit allocations through the second competitive round of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program, the Treasury Department recently announced. Several of the selected organizations have a national market perspective.

A new economic development council formed in South Carolina has been charged with two objectives: help reshape the state’s economy and raise its per-capita income. Members of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, a group of business, academia, government and economic development leaders, were announced earlier this month.

A new report from the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), A Toolkit for Evaluating Public R&D Investment, provides useful information to anyone interested in evaluating publicly-sponsored research and development (R&D) programs. While the report focuses on more than 40 evaluations that have been performed for ATP, it offers one of the most comprehensive and understandable overviews of evaluation methods and applying those approaches.

Community colleges can play an important part in shaping the workforce in the science and technology (S&T) sector. For example, with the growth in biotech, there is an increasing need for technicians in the biotech field and workers are finding that they can prepare for these jobs rather quickly in community colleges. Technicians in biotech manufacturing facilities generally have two-year specialized training or an associate degree from a technical or community college, according to the U.S.

The Department of Defense (DoD) distributed $152.9 million in awards under its fiscal year 2003 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program competitions. A total of 1,882 awards were selected from a pool of more than 15,000 proposals across all states and the District of Columbia.

Earlier this month Governor Jeanne Shaheen released New Hampshire in the New Economy: A Vision for Expanded Prosperity, the first-ever comprehensive economic development plan for the State of New Hampshire. The plan calls for New Hampshire state government to focus its activities toward encouraging innovation, strengthening education and workforce development, retaining and protecting the quality of life, and extending economic opportunity to every citizen in every part of the state.

Legislation for the Technology Education and Training Act, introduced earlier this week by a bipartisan group of six Senators, calls for the creation of a income tax credit for businesses to offset information technology training expenses of their workers and trainees. The credit would be equal to 100 percent of the first $1,500 a business spends to train an individual worker.

Long-held opinions are hard to change. The state of the US manufacturing sector is a good example. Many people, particularly those in the Northeast and Midwest, hold tightly to memories of mass layoffs and factory closings nearly 20 years ago.

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