Pittsburgh Mayor to Lead 'Tech City' Tour for SSTI Conference
Tom Murphy says when he first took office as Mayor of Pittsburgh in January 1994, the city was suffering from one of the worst inferiority complexes in its history. To be sure, Pittsburgh once was known first and foremost as being the capital of steelmaking in the U.S. By 1994, the devolution of U.S. steelmakers during the past 25 years had taken its toll on the steel city, physically, economically and psychologically.
Southeastern PA To Map Nanotechnology Assets
The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania has issued a Request for Proposals to develop an asset-mapping study of the nanotechnology sector in the four-state Philadelphia Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Gov. Ridge to Keynote SSTI’s Fifth Annual Conference
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge will deliver the keynote address at Creating Opportunity: Tools for Building Tech-Based Economies, SSTI’s Fifth Annual Conference, which will be held September 19-21, 2001 at the Omni William Penn in Pittsburgh.
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Dennis J. Sysko is serving as interim president of the Anne Arundel County High Technology Council, following the resignation of president John G. Rice. Mr. Sysko, who is currently serving as the group's treasurer, will perform both roles until a replacement president is elected in January.
$10 Million Gift Opens Tech Center at Wharton
The William and Phyllis Mack Center for Technological Innovation was founded last month at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The center is the product of a $10 million gift from William L. Mack, the president and senior managing partner of the Mack Organization — a national owner, investor and developer of warehouse facilities.
Life Sciences Wins Big in PA Tobacco Settlement Plan
After nearly two years of discussion between the state legislature and the Governor’s office, Pennsylvania has enacted a plan for its $11 billion share of the national tobacco settlement. The final plan includes $160 million in one-time outlays for research and commercialization of life science technologies and a formula ensuring research gets nearly one-fifth of the total money received over the 25-year span of the settlement agreement.
Highlights include:
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Ann Lansinger, the director of the Baltimore's Emerging Technology Center, has been named the first president of the Maryland Business Incubation Association, a new organization representing the state's eight publicly funded incubators in the state.
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The Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development has hired Lawrence C. Mahan to serve as the state's senior biotech executive.
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Mark Lang, CEO of the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania for the past 14 years, has announced his resignation.
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Anita Balachandra, formerly in charge of the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology (EPSCoT) in the U.S. Department of Commerce, is now working with the Maryland Technology Development Corp.
Pennsylvania Works Toward $90 Million Life Sciences Initiative
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.
Senate Says Community Tech Centers Should Stay in Education
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.
Pennsylvania to Hold Summit to Create Commonwealth's Future
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, in concert with the Pennsylvania State University, are presenting the inaugural Creating Pennsylvania’s Future: A Higher Education, Economic and Community Development Summit, aimed at energizing institutions of higher education, busi
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Dennis "Mickey" Flynn is the new president of Pennsylvania BIO.
Maryland Creates Loan Program for Incubator Tenants
Maryland has a new program to provide loans to early stage technology-oriented companies that are affiliated with the incubation network, Governor Robert Ehrlich announced earlier this month. The $500,000 Working Capital Loan Fund, administered by the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), will offer low-interest, flexible term loans of between $15,000 and $50,000 to companies in underserved parts of Maryland.
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Phillip Singerman resigned as executive director of the Maryland Technology Development Corp.. Renee Winsky will serve as interim executive director until a permanent replacement is named.
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The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development appointed Benjamin Wu as the assistant secretary for the Capital Region and senior advisor for technology policy.
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Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge has promoted Tim McNulty to the new position of Deputy Chief of Staff for Technology Initiatives.
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The NIST Advanced Technology Program recently announced several staffing changes and additions:
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Alan Balutis, director of the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), is leaving the agency at the end of the month to take over leadership of the Federation of Government Information Processing Councils
Pennsylvania Budget Includes $208 Million for Tech-based ED, Research
Pennsylvania has been a leader in tech-based economic development for more than two decades. With more than $208 million for tech-based economic development initiatives, the 2001-02 Budget Request submitted by Governor Tom Ridge this week shows why the state remains at the forefront of the field.
Competitions Open for 13 Research Funding Opportunities at NIST
NIST has opened the fiscal year 2001 competitions for funding under 13 different research grant programs: Precision Measurement Grants; the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (known as SURF) in six NIST laboratories (Building and Fire Research, Chemical Science and Technology, Information Technology, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Physics); the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grants Program; the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; the Fir
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Wes Blakeslee is the new acting director of the Office of Licensing and Technology Development at Johns Hopkins University. Blakeslee replaces Jill Sorensen, who resigned last month.
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Ray Dizon is the new managing director of the Maryland Venture Fund, replacing Elizabeth Good.
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The Supercentenarian Research Foundation, a new nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, has selected outgoing Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse CEO Doros Platika as its chaiman.