Total annual research and development (R&D) expenditures — expected to pass $247 billion in 1999 — have grown 7.2 percent over 1998 levels (adjusted for inflation), according to a recent Data Brief from the National Science Foundation. Growth in R&D expenditures has been accelerating since 1995. The annual real R&D growth for 1995-99 is expected to average 6.1 percent. Almost all of the growth is attributed to a resurgence in industrial R&D.
As more states settle into their 2003 legislative sessions, fewer Governors are giving Inaugural or State-of-the-State addresses. During the past 10 days, the Governors of Alaska, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont and Wisconsin offered outlines of their priorities for the coming year(s). The following excerpts are directly relevant to building a technology-based economy.
Georgia
The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced selections for the second — and perhaps final — round of funding for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology (EPSCoT). Nearly two million dollars will be distributed among eleven projects selected from 29 proposals submitted last spring. The program is designed to assist state and local efforts to initiate technology-based economic development efforts in areas historically lacking federal research funding.
Dr. Lura Powell, Director of the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) since 1995, has decided to take early retirement from the National Institute of Standards & Technology and pursue career opportunities in the private sector. Because of the voluntary early retirement option deadline, Dr. Powell’s retirement was effective September 30.
While many states are adding multi-million programs to their science and technology portfolio, state-led S&T efforts in much of the North Central United States are still suffering. The latest example was the elimination of North Dakota’s two largest programs this summer.
The SSTI Offices will be closed Wednesday, October 6 - Monday, October 11 due to the SSTI conference and in observance of the Columbus Day holiday.
Due to SSTI’s 3rd Annual Conference next week, the SSTI Weekly Digest will not be published on October 8.
With last week’s release of “The Maryland Innovation and Technology Index 1999,” Maryland became the latest state to release an “S&T report card” as they are also sometimes called. Indices have become popular tools for benchmarking a state’s or region’s comparative position across several technological, economic, and social
On September 9, the Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC) released a Request for Proposals entitled "Research and Development of Technologies for the Management of Greenhouse Gases" (Program Solicitation DE-PS26-99FT40613). Deadlines of January 3, 2000 and May 1, 2000 have been set for two separate evaluation periods.
The Undersecretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Defense (DOD) recently released A Review of the Technology Reinvestment Project, a study of 112 of the 133 technology development projects funded through the Technology Reinvestment Program (TRP). TRP projects funded under the Technology Deployment and Manufacturing Education and Training components were not included in the study.
The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking to fill two positions at its Gaithersburg headquarters. Both positions — an Evaluation Program Leader and an Evaluation Specialist — will work on MEP program evaluation, economic impact measurement, and data interpretation efforts. Resumes will be accepted until the positions are filled.
The following people in the S&T field have announced or made career changes recently:
Anne Armstrong has been named CEO for the Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology.
Joe Blanco has been appointed the Hawaii Technology Advisor.
Anne Armstrong has been named CEO for the Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology.
Joe Blanco has been appointed the Hawaii Technology Advisor.
Christopher Hagen is serving as Nevada’s Science & Technology Advisor for the next 18 months. The position will be completely funded by Bechtel Nevada, Mr. Hagen’s employer of 22 years.
Chris Hedrick has announced his resignation as the Executive Science & Technology Policy Advisor in the Washington Governor’s Office to join an Internet education company.
Tom Thornton is resigning his position as President of the Illinois Coalition to join a Midwest Venture Capital firm.
Despite, or because of, the continuing fiscal crises facing nearly every state, technology-based economic development remains high on the agendas of most governors, as demonstrated in their recent speeches. Those excerpts pertaining to state efforts to build tech-based economies are provided below.
The State of Arkansas has enacted several initiatives this year to assist science, technology, and research within the state. The two largest efforts are a $10 million research fund and a loan forgiveness program.
Arkansas Research Matching Fund
In an effort to improve the state’s national ranking of 49th place in research performance, the Arkansas General Assembly created the Arkansas Research Matching Fund. The $10 million fund will be administered by the
President Clinton has declared September 19 through September 25 Small Manufacturing Week to recognize the economic contributions and national importance of America’s 385,000 small and medium-sized manufacturers.
In the coming days, Congress will be acting on appropriations bills for the coming fiscal year. The consequences for science and technology are profound.
America is on a roll. We’re balancing the federal budget, reforming welfare and making retirement secure. Sound like a breakthrough in fiscal management? Not exactly. Our awesome economic success can be traced directly to our past investments in science. The problem is, this year’s federal budget for science is a disaster,
and it compromises our nation’s economic and social progress.
....This morning, I'd like to explain why we believe that continued federal investments in research and development are so important, and why we're so troubled by the Republican attack on our science and technology budgets. We should all be working toward bipartisan progress -- not playing politics with an issue so fundamentally crucial to our nation's future.
I am encouraged by the Administration’s sudden interest in science funding. Over the last seven years, overall science budgets, which include both defense and civilian R&D, when indexed for inflation, have been flat or decreasing. Science needs a boost.
Buoyed by a strong national economy, venture capital firms have invested at an all-time during the 2nd quarter of 1999, according to the latest quarterly survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers. At $7.61 billion for the quarter, venture capital investments were more than double the total reported only one year ago. The current survey reflects the investment activity of 684 venture capital firms.
Last week, Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon named the Board of Directors to oversee the design and administration of the new 21st Century Research & Technology Fund. By law, the Lieutenant Governor serves as chairman for the board.