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Southern Growth Policies Board, a regional public policy think tank, is accepting nominations for its 2007 Innovator Awards.



These awards are presented annually to recognize innovative southern initiatives that improve the quality of life in the organization's 13-state region - Ala., Ark., Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia - and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Convergence Group Formed in Silicon Valley

Two new posting were added to SSTI's online Job Corner this week. Brief descriptions are provided below. More information is available at: http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm

Former Michigan Governor John Engler, also chairman of SSTI's Board of Directors, has been chosen to serve as president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers. He will assume his new position on Oct. 1, 2004.

Former Michigan Governor John Engler, also chairman of SSTI's Board of Directors, has been chosen to serve as president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers. He will assume his new position on Oct. 1, 2004.

Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism commissioner W. Glenn Cornell has announced his retirement, effective June 30. Craig Lesser is Gov. Sonny Perdue's recommendation as Cornell's successor.

Brian Mefford will assume the position of president and CEO of Kentucky's Center for Information Technology Enterprise.

The NanoBusiness Alliance has named Sean Murdock to serve as its new executive director.

Baiju Shah is the new president of the Cleveland's BioEnterprise Corp., succeeding Matt Jennings.

The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology has named Sheri Stickley interim executive director, following the resignation of William Sibley.

Pete Tartline has resigned his position as president and CEO of the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania.

Tina Van Camp has been named the director of the South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development.

Former president and CEO of the Columbus Technology Council William "Sandy" White is the new CEO of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Research Foundation.

The board of directors of Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center (MAMTC) has appointed Lavon Winkler as its new president and CEO.

The Louisiana Recovery Authority and the Louisiana Board of Regents recently unveiled a $28.5 million Research Commercialization and Educational Enhancement Program to stimulate economic development within the portions of the state severely impacted by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Funds for this program originate from the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) appropriated by the federal government.

 

Early registration has ended and the conference hotel is full, but you still have the opportunity to join representatives from more than 40 states, provinces and three continents at the nations premier gathering of the technology-based economic development field. This is one conference you do not want to miss!

An assessment of patent activity for 3,200 faculty who were awarded patents at 54 U.S. research universities concluded that 33 percent were assigned outside of the university and its technology licensing offices (TLOs). Furthermore, 42 percent of the faculty members who were awarded patents from 1989 to 2003 bypassed their university and TLO at least one time to attain a patent.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a total of $76 million over the next five years to fund multi-university collaborations to support four cross-disciplinary centers to address fundamental questions in the areas of next-generation polymers, climate modeling, microbial oceanography and coastal environments.

The recently released Economic Development Strategic Plan for the Commonwealth of Virginia includes measurable benchmarks to gauge the building blocks for economic development. As required by legislation, each of Virginia's governors must establish an Economic Development Strategic Plan within his first year in office. The 2006 version is the result of collaboration between the cabinet of Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, business leaders, economic development professionals, and private citizens.

 

If the most important jobs of the future will be connected to science and engineering disciplines, then, the current thinking goes, the U.S. needs to have more scientists and engineers in its future workforce. To achieve this, more emphasis needs to be placed on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula, beginning with math and science education in the K-12 experience.

According to a recently released report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), investment in research and development accounted for 4.5 percent of the growth of inflation-adjusted U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) between 1959 and 2002. This value has increased in recent years, with R&D contributing to 6.5 percent of GDP growth from 1995 to 2002.

 

Joe James, director of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, has resigned his position with the S.C. Department of Commerce.

Joe James, director of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, has resigned his position with the S.C. Department of Commerce.

The new deputy undersecretary for the Technology Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce is Michelle O'Neill. O'Neill formerly served as deputy assistant secretary for the International Trade Agency.

SSTI congratulates Tom Persons, president and CEO of the South Carolina Technology Alliance, for receiving the Individual Achievement Award from the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.