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In the April 24, 1998 Issue:

DOE REVISES PROGRAMS; PROPOSALS SOUGHT

The Department of Energy anticipates a May 1 release for the solicitation of proposals for the Inventions and Innovation (I&I) Program.

The newly-revised program was formerly comprised of two separate initiatives: the Energy-Related Inventions Program (ERIP) and the Innovative Concepts Program (InnCon). Proposals for each program were submitted through an unsolicited application process to DOE. Applications for ERIP came to DOE through the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), while applications for InnCon went directly to DOE's Office of Technology.

DOE is now combining these two programs under one competitive solicitation process. DOE plans to issue annual solicitations for the program.

The new I&I Program will support ideas that have a significant energy savings impact and future commercial market potential. Of particular interest to DOE are projects that improve energy efficiency in the following focus industries: aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, metal-casting, and steel.

DOE has announced the availability of up to $3 million for FY 1999. The program will provide financial assistance at two levels, up to $40,000 or up to $100,000 (depending on the stage of development.) In addition to financial assistance, the program offers technical guidance and commercialization support to successful applicants.

A copy of the solicitation will be available on or around May 1 and may be obtained from the Golden (Colorado) field office home page at www.eren.doe.gov/golden/solicitations.html or by faxing a request to Jennifer Squire in the Golden field office at 303/275- 4788.

GERINGER APPOINTS WYOMING BUSINESS COUNCIL

Wyoming has begun the process of restructuring its economic development programs. Nine state programs and boards will be transferred to the Wyoming Business Council by July 1. The Council, created by the legislature earlier this year, is a 15-member private sector board of directors that will direct economic development activities in Wyoming. Governor Jim Geringer announced the board appointments earlier this month.

Programs and boards designated to be transferred to the Council by July 1 include:

The Council's CEO and staff will operate a central office and several regional offices, and deliver economic and business development services at a local level across the state. The Council will focus on regional economies. In doing so, the Council will meet with local private and public leaders so that the regional offices will be tailored to the requirements and resources of the individual regions.

For more information, visit www.state.wy.us/ governor/press_releases/1998/april_1998/appbiz.html

STC RELEASES STUDY OF STUDENT MIGRATION PATTERNS

College tuition rates and a state's success at retaining its high school graduates for college attendance — both of which can be affected by state policy makers and university administrators — are strong predictors of a state's success in keeping its own recent college science and engineering graduates and in attracting graduates from other states, according to a study from the Southern Technology Council (STC).

The report, entitled Where Have All the Students Gone? Interstate Migration of Recent Science and Engineering Graduates, focuses on the role of those graduates in state economic development and, in particular, what factors may predict their migration patterns and put certain states or regions at a disadvantage.

As competition for high-tech personnel becomes increasingly fierce, corporations and governments alike are looking for answers to a complex question: How do we stop the "brain drain?" Recent science and engineering graduates can make huge contributions to state and national economies, both in terms of human resources for existing high-tech businesses and often as entrepreneurs creating new businesses and new jobs in the economy.

Funded in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the study is a state level analysis of data from a national survey. The study is based on data from the National Survey of Recent College Graduates by NSF's Division of Science Resources Studies. The report indexes states in retention and net interstate migration of recent science and engineering graduates, then analyzes how geographic, economic, and policy variables factor into those indices. Some of the key findings are:

Lower tuition at public universities — both for in-state and out-of-state students — predicts that the state will have higher success in attracting science and engineering graduates from other states.

States that are successful at retaining their high school graduates for college in-state are also successful at keeping their college graduates for employment in state.

State economic indicators, such as higher wages and in particular higher wages in the technology sector, seem to be positively related to the state's ability to attract college graduates from other states.

The report recommends actions states and universities can take to increase their knowledge of this issue and their likelihood of keeping and attracting recent science and engineering graduates. The recommendations include:

States and/or universities should benchmark measures of retention and net migration on an ongoing basis.

States which are losing graduates should give serious consideration to lowering, or at least stabilizing, tuition levels at public universities. In addition, the expansion of financial assistance in key science and engineering disciplines might be considered.

States should accelerate their efforts to build high-wage technology based economies if they wish to retain their own best and brightest students and attract highly skilled people from elsewhere.

The report's executive summary is available at www.southern.org/migrate.htm. The full report can be ordered for $10 for a single copy or $7 each for multiple copies from the on-line site or by contacting Connie Hansen of the STC via telephone 919/941- 5145 or e-mail chansen@southern.org.

UNIVERSITIES AS CATALYSTS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH WORKSHOP

The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) is sponsoring a workshop entitled "Building University Engines for Academic Excellence, Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship." The workshop will he held on May 30, 1998 in Philadelphia, PA.

The keynote speaker will be Michael Hooker, chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Among the programs featured are Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Northwestern University, University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Maryland. More information on the workshop is available on NBIA's website at www.nbia.org/ conf/conf.htm or by calling 740/593-4331.

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