We're not sure how useful these stats really are, but given the political proclivity of so many of our readers and the upcoming gubernatorial elections this fall in 36 states, we thought we'd share a link from SurveyUSA.com presenting the current approval ratings for all 50 governors.

With all appropriations bills signed into law as of November 26 and the exercise of the final line item veto on December 2, the FY 1998 appropriations picture is coming into focus.

A preliminary analysis by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) of the FY98 appropriations shows that total federal funding allocated to R&D increased to $76.3 billion, 4.1 percent more than FY97.

Price Waterhouse recently announced that venture capital investments hit an all time record in the third quarter of 1997. Total investments exceeded $3.5 billion, eclipsing the previous high of $3.2 billion reported in the second quarter of 1997. Compared to the third quarter of 1996, investments increased 75%, the largest percentage increase measured by the survey.

Research and development expenditures in 1997 are expected to reach $205.7 billion, a 6.5 percent increase over 1996's $193.2 billion in spending. Since 1994, R&D spending has been increasing at a rate of more than 5 percent a year, according to a recent National Science Foundation Data Brief.

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) report, Transportation Science and Technology Strategy, has been released. The Strategy was written to aid Congress, the White House, and federal Agencies in establishing national transportation R&D priorities and coordinating research activities. The report highlights ongoing federal research efforts in transportation science and technology and identifies areas of new opportunity and gaps for federal support.

The State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) recently released State Science and Technology Strategic Planning: Creating Economic Opportunity. This report is the first comprehensive study of state science and technology strategic planning processes.

The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) has released a new report that confirms that business incubators are helping to build healthy, long lasting businesses, and they are doing it at minimal cost with a good return on investment to supporters.

Raymond Kammer was sworn in as eleventh director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on November 12. Kammer had been NIST's deputy director since 1993. Robert Hebner had been acting director of the agency since the position was vacated by Arati Prabhakar in March.

A new industry association, the Small Business Technology Coalition (SBTC), has been organized to represent the interests of small, high technology firms in Washington, D.C. and in individual states. Since its creation, SBTCs membership has grown to 300, with members from 30 different states.

Former Ohio Governor Richard F. Celeste was sworn in as the United States Ambassador to India last week. Celeste has been a leader in the field of technology-based economic development for the last 15 years. While governor, Celeste established Ohio's Thomas Edison Program.

The House Committee on Science has begun a year-long study of the nation's science and technology policy in order to determine funding priorities for federal support of research. The study will be the first attempt by the House to systematically assess the nation's research and development needs since the end of the Cold War.

The General Accounting Office (GAO) recently testified before a Congressional committee on the changing missions of the Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories and perceived weaknesses in the management of the labs. According to GAO, DOE's efforts to meet the requirements of Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) offer an opportunity to achieve fundamental change in the way in which the department manages the national labs.

The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Office of Science and Technology Infrastructure (OSTI) has announced that funds will be available for additional Science and Technology Centers (STC). NSF is currently soliciting proposals from qualified candidates for the Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships Program.

Sixty young researchers have been selected for the second annual Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on outstanding scientists and engineers beginning their careers.

The awards recognize young scholars, their research contributions, their promise, and their commitment to broader societal goals.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Advanced Technology Program (ATP) is having a significant impact in accelerating the pace of technology development, according to a new study of 28 early ATP award winners.

[Publisher's note: In last week's Digest, we prepared a table showing what I thought was per capita federal R&D spending by state for 2003. Some readers who are more astute than I questioned the data, and in reviewing how I used the NSF data, I discovered that I had done so incorrectly. My apologies to all for this error. We have removed the incorrect table from our website.

John Cronin was named state director of the new Rhode Island Small Business Development Center at Johnson and Wales University in Providence. Cronin is CEO of the Rhode Island Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

John Cronin was named state director of the new Rhode Island Small Business Development Center at Johnson and Wales University in Providence. Cronin is CEO of the Rhode Island Manufacturing Extension Partnership.