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This issue of the Digest unveils a new format and look for the Digest. Shorter but containing more material at the same time, we think this new format will permit you to get the most important news of the week for the TBED community in a format that works best for you. We consider literally hundreds of items each week for the Digest, so we’re particularly excited to introduce the Staff Picks section that will provide you with links to stories, videos, blog posts, etc. that we think you should be aware of.

The Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recently announced that they are restructuring the funding process for the broadband programs introduced in the Recovery Act earlier this year.

To attract additional federal funds and boost job creation, Michigan legislators passed a bill authorizing the state to spend another $30 million on a program to create alternative energy clusters and support technology commercialization.

A recent survey found 78 percent of Americans believe innovation will be more important to the U.S. economy in the next thirty years than the previous thirty years. While the importance of innovation is recognized, 81 percent of Americans believe the quality of K-12 math and science education lags behind other countries. The survey of 1,200 U.S. respondents, commissioned by the Intel Corporation and Newsweek magazine, found that 33 percent of Americans said the U.S.

Underrepresented minorities were awarded 79,097 bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering related fields in 2006, an 18 percent increase from 2002, according to data released this month by the National Science Foundation. In 2006, 14,099 S&E master’s degrees and 1,661 S&E doctoral degrees were awarded to underrepresented minorities, a 32 percent and 12 percent increase, respectively, compared to five years earlier.

The total number of international students at colleges and universities in the U.S. reached an all-time high of 671,616 in the 2008/09 school year, rising 8 percent from the previous year and representing the largest percentage increase in 28 years. The Institute of International Education (IIE) reports in its annual Open Doors report that 15.4 percent of international students in the U.S. came from India, 14.6 percent from China, and 11.2 percent from South Korea. A record number of U.S.

Nov 16-22 marks the second annual Global Entrepreneurship Week, a celebration of fostering innovation and ambition in people under 30 years of age and encouraging them to start new businesses. Founded by the U.S.-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the UK-based Make Your Mark campaign, the Global Entrepreneur Week website maintains an interactive calendar of entrepreneur-focused events in 87 countries and all 50 states. According to the site, Tennessee leads the U.S.

NorTech, the Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition, seeks applications for a Vice President of Strategic Outreach. Reporting to the president and CEO, and serving as an integral member of the senior management team, the VP of Strategic Outreach will be responsible for the development of NorTech’s overall communication strategy and building relationships with key stakeholders.

Mayors from across the nation anticipate their cities will be in worse financial shape next year as sales tax revenue, revenue from service fees, and property tax revenues all are expected to decline. Findings from the U.S. Conference of Mayors survey indicate that while two out of three mayors expect budget shortfalls this year, four out of five are projecting shortfalls in their next fiscal year and those shortfalls are expected to be the same or larger than this year’s experiences.

Exactly six weeks into the federal government's fiscal year which commenced on Oct 1, five of the 12 appropriations bills for FY10 have been signed into law by President Obama. The remaining seven bills are at various places in the appropriations process, none of which have emerged from conference committee for a final vote by each chamber.

Angel investors are reducing the average size of their investments, according to the latest report from the University of New Hampshire Center for Venture Research. In the first half of this year, total angel investment dollars fell by 27 percent from the same period in 2008, but the number of angel deals increased by six percent. As a result, the average deal size has fallen by 31 percent since early 2008.

Being located within an incubator can provide tech startups help beyond low-rent space. Networking opportunities and direct counseling and technical assistance can play important roles toward the firms' success. Or do they? A recent study published in the journal Technovation finds the interactions incubator managers have with their tenant firms may not be as helpful as the metrics would suggest.

The University of Texas at Austin recently announced the formation of a university-wide initative to support technology commercialization, entrepreneurship and innovation. Venture Labs Texas will assist new ventures at the university and broker deals with sources of capital, including venture funds, angel investors and Texas' Emerging Technology Fund. Read more about Venture Labs at the University of Texas at Austin at: http://texasventurelabs.net/

A recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) survey found that 78 percent of U.S. adults are regular Internet users, but only 65 percent use broadband connections at home. Affordability, lack of knowledge of computers and the Internet and lack of interest were cited as reasons by those who said that they do not use home high-speed Internet. The results will be used by the FCC in crafting a strategy to increase broadband adoption rates and improve the cost and quality of high-speed services.

Recognizing Ohio's metropolitan regions as key to the state's future prosperity, a new report outlines 39 policy recommendations aimed at growing Ohio's economy and transforming old strengths, such as manufacturing, into new products and opportunities aligned with federal goals. The report foresees Ohio as an export-oriented, lower carbon, innovation-led economy capable of building on assets of its metropolitan regions such as innovation, human capital, infrastructure, and quality places.

Last week, many states, universities and groups in the U.S. observed the fourth annual National Entrepreneurship Week. The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education sponsored activities around the country and Canada, including educational events, competitions and entrepreneurship summits.

Arizona State University invites applications for the position of director, High Performance Computing Initiative (HPCI). Some of the responsibilities include leadership and management of the HPCI, developing the HPCI mission and strategy, growth of the HPCI computing systems and infrastructure, building a strong technical staff to support researchers, and training in HPC for graduate and undergraduate students.

Karina Edmonds will join the Department of Energy as its new technology transfer coordinator starting in April. This is the first time that the Department has appointed a full-time person to fill this role.

Cathy McGonigle has been named executive vice president of the Flinn Foundation. Previously, she held management positions for the city of Chandler, Arizona Department of Revenue and Arizona Department of Administration.

A bill recently introduced in the U.S. Senate would allow immigrant entrepreneurs to obtain a two-year visa if they have secured the support of a qualified U.S. investor. Supporters, including bill sponsors Senators John Kerry and Richard Lugar, argue that the measure would help ensure American competitiveness by drawing on global entrepreneurial talent. The bill would also help create new investment opportunities for U.S. venture capitalists.

Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty last week presented a budget plan for the upcoming year that includes $19 billion in new federal stimulus funds as part of Canada's two-year, $62 billion Economic Action Plan.

The Obama administration recently released a national plan to secure public and private sector networks. The Comprehensive National Cybersecuirty Initiative consists of 12 priority areas, including improved coordination of cybersecurity research, commercialization assistance for strategic technologies and expanded cyber education. Read the complete strategic plan at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/cybersecurity/comprehensive-national-cybersecurity-initiative

MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning is researching how economic development organizations are working with small businesses to address market opportunities or needs related to global climate change and the "green economy." The department currently is looking for economic development organizations to complete a brief, voluntary survey (10 minutes) relating to "green" programs and activities. Results will be shared with the economic development community and be made publicly available.

Silicon Valley, a region often looked to for trends in the technology field, is expected to see a rise in the number of new high-tech incubators and the expansion of existing incubators in the coming months. A recent Wall Street Journal article points to these openings as a sign of revival for technology startup companies amid a relatively slow period last year as startup investment plunged during the recession.

Chris Atkinson is the new director of West Virginia University's Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines, and Emissions (CAFEE).

On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a national plan to expand broadband access and competition over the next decade. The plan calls for the establishment of new competition policies, ensuring the efficient allocation of spectrum and physical infrastructure, incentives and subsidies to expand access, and support for state and local initiatives. It also sets the ambitious goal of providing 100 million U.S. homes with affordable access to download speeds of 100 megabits per second (mbps), up from the current average of 2-3 mbps.