Copyright State Science & Technology Institute 2002. Information in this issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest was prepared under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration. Redistribution to all others interested in tech-based economic development is strongly encouraged — please cite the State Science & Technology Institute whenever portions are reproduced or redirected. Any opinions expressed in the Digest do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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ADAPTIVE LEARNING SYSTEMS COMPETITION OPEN
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has opened a competition for adaptive learning systems under its Advanced Technology Program (ATP). According to NIST, this competition will support research to accelerate the development of World Wide Web-based instructional systems. ATP-sponsored projects will concentrate on systems for the development, production, and delivery of interactive, multimedia instruction.
Research funded through this program is expected to yield significant advances in authoring systems, multi-sensory interfaces, search technologies, instructional system frameworks, and network middleware. Adaptive learning systems is one of seven focused-program competitions still open for FY 1998. (See the 12/19/97 issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest.).
Proposals for this competition are due May 13. Additional information on this and other ATP competitions is available at www.atp.nist.gov.
NSF ANNOUNCES COMPETITION FOR NEW ERC
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is accepting proposals from U.S. academic institutions to establish an Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Bioengineering Educational Technology in FY 1999. This new type of ERC focuses on the goal of integrating research and education to advance next-generation educational technology for bioengineering education, spanning undergraduate to graduate education.
The ERC is not designed to conduct research in bioengineering; rather, it should draw upon this body of research to define a comprehensive bioengineering discipline from its fundamental principles to its biological and engineered systems. Pathways for education in this bioengineering discipline should result from the ERC's long-term fundamental research in bioengineering educational technology.
U.S. academic institutions may submit proposals as either a single institution ERC or as a multi-institution ERC. The ERC will begin operation under a cooperative agreement for a total base level of support of up to $2 million per year for five years. The ERC has a potential duration of eight years, determined by in-depth interim renewal reviews during the third and fifth years of the ERC.
A statement of intent is due to NSF by May 1, 1998. Submission of this statement of intent is a prerequisite, but does not commit the sender to submit a proposal. The proposal deadline is July 28, 1998, and the award announcement will be made in March of 1999. This special program announcement to establish one ERC for Bioengineering Educational Technology does not replace the regularERC competition. The next regular ERC competition is anticipated to be announced later in 1998. When available, the program announcement will be posted on the NSF home page at www.eng.nsf.gov/eec/erc.htm.
For more information regarding this solicitation, visit the NSF publications website at www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf9868/ nsf9868.txt, or contact Dr. Joy Pauschke at 703/306-1380 or via e-mail at jpauschk@nsf.gov.
DOE OFFERING NICE3 PRESOLICITATION SCREENING
The Department of Energy anticipates that up to $6 million will be available for the annual NICE3 competition to be announced in June. NICE3 (National Industrial Competitiveness through Energy, Environment, and Economics) is a cost- sharing program that promotes energy efficiency, clean production processes, and economic competitiveness. Grants are awarded to state/industry partnerships that are expected to commercialize the funded process or technology.
Prior to the formal issuance of the FY 1999 solicitation, DOE is offering potential applicants an opportunity to submit for review a brief description of their proposed project. DOE technical staff will evaluate these abstracts and provide comments to the potential applicant within a two-week period. Project descriptions, not to exceed two pages, must be submitted through a state agency. The preproposal format and program information may be obtained through the DOE Office of Industrial Technologies website at www.oit.doe.gov/Access/nice3.
EPA RELEASES COMMERCIALIZATION ASSISTANCE PUBLICATION
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and Development has produced a publication entitled Guide to Technology Commercialization Assistance for EPA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Awardees. Although designed to assist EPA SBIR award winners, most of the information is relevant to small technology businesses and entrepreneurs.
The commercialization assistance guide presents information on various programs and organizations that offer technical and financial assistance, as well as information and other resources, to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Some of the programs are specific to SBIR awardees, while others are open to any company that qualifies for the assistance.
The programs, organizations, and sources described in the guide fall into the following four categories:
- Programs sponsored by the federal government;
- Programs/organizations that are organized at the state or local level and targeted toward companies in that state or area (these programs are not necessarily funded by the state);
- Private programs/organization that are not limited to a particular state or city; and,
- Resources available on the Internet that may provide useful information for companies interested in commercializing a technology.
- For each of the programs and organization included in the guide, there is a brief description of:
- The purpose and mission of the program/organization;
- The types of technical and financial assistance offered;
- Whether there is a fee charged for the services; and,
- Information on how to contact the program/ organization for assistance.
The guide can be downloaded from the Internet at es.epa.gov/ncerqa/sbir/commercial.html. Limited hard copies are available by contacting Marshall Dick at 202/564-6828.
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