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.
Subscription to the SSTI Weekly Digest is free. If you are reading a forwarded copy of this issue and would like to receive your own copy each week directly, please subscribe at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/digform.htm Requests to unsubscribe should be sent to sstiwd@ssti.org
SSTI SPONSORS SECOND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The State Science and Technology Institute is sponsoring its second annual conference "Science and Technology Programs: Catalysts for Economic Growth" on September 23 and 24.
The conference will explore best practices, trends, and new developments in technology-based economic development programs.
The conference program includes the following sessions:
- The Evolution of a Successful S&T Program will address how two programs have adjusted through the last decade, as the science and technology base and political climate have changed dramatically.
- Introduction to State S&T Programs will present an overview of the types of science and technology programs offered by the states.
- Conducting an Industry Cluster Analysis will offer a toolkit that explains exactly what industry cluster analyses are and the steps required in conducting this type of analysis.
- The Role of State S&T Programs in SBIR will examine methods of leveraging the SBIR program to meet state economic development goals and the latest trends in state SBIR programs.
- Marketing Your S&T Program will look at creative methods of strategically marketing S&T initiatives to a variety of audiences, including industry and legislators.
- Economic Development in the University will discuss lessons learned in bringing the economic development community and their academic counterparts together to spark economic growth.
- Commercialization Programs: The Practitioners' Perspective will look at options, challenges and achievements of various types of commercialization programs from the perspective of the practitioner.
- Trends in S&T Programs will examine the latest developments in state programs, the implications for program managers and policymakers, and where those trends may lead.
- New S&T Alliances will examine the role of industry councils and trade associations, ways in which state programs can work with them, and the implications for technology-based economic development programs.
- An optional pre-conference, half-day workshop, "Performance Measurement: Measuring for Success," will examine performance measurement concepts and their application to technology-based economic development programs.
"Science and Technology Programs: Catalysts for Economic Growth" will be held in Columbus, Ohio at the Adam's Mark Columbus. For more information, contact SSTI at 614/421-SSTI (7784) or visit SSTI homepage at http://www.ssti.org
NASA SELECTS THREE NEW BUSINESS INCUBATORS
NASA announced the award of cooperative agreements to establish new technology business incubators at three NASA Centers: the Goddard Space Flight Center (MD), the Langley Research Center (VA), and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), combined with the Dryden Flight Research Center, (CA).
The incubators will provide U.S. start-up or small existing technology firms and U.S. educational institutions with a wide array of critical business development support services for the primary purpose of commercially applying NASA technology.
Each new business incubator will receive funding from NASA in the amount of $400,000 per year for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and will in turn match (or exceed) NASA's contribution through cash or in-kind funding from non-federal sources.
The awards were made to Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), California State Polytechnic University, and a team led by the Maryland Economic Development Corporation.
Catherine Renault, managing director of CIT, indicated they would begin an immediate search for an incubator manager. Interested candidates may contact her at 703/689-3000 for more details.
In addition to the establishment of these three new business incubators at NASA centers, funds also were provided to the six existing NASA incubators to enhance services to incubator firms.
The existing NASA-sponsored incubators are at the Ames Research Center (CA), the Johnson Space Center (TX), the Kennedy Space Center (FL), the Lewis Research Center (OH), the Marshall Space Flight Center (AL), and the Stennis Space Center (MS).
UPDATES ON U.S. INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP AVAILABLE
Updates on activities the United States Innovation Partnership (USIP) are now available through an e-mail distribution list. To subscribe, send an e-mail to USIP@asme.org
USIP establishes a new working relationship between the states and the federal government as an integral part of enhancing a National Innovation System to promote economic growth.
USIP strategies include: building strategic partnerships among federal and state governments, universities and industry; strengthening the national S&T system; defining the role of states in the S&T system; maximizing the return on investment from technology; creating mechanisms to promote innovation; building national excellence in manufacturing; and supporting product development and commercialization.
USIP is embodied in a memorandum of understanding between the National Governors' Association, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
INDUSTRIAL R&D UP — TURNAROUND IN MANUFACTURING CITED
Industrial research and development spending totaled approximately $145 billion in 1996, a 10 percent increase for the second year in a row. More than 83 percent of that funding came from industry itself with the federal government providing the remaining funds, according to a new Data Brief prepared by the National Science Foundation. Small businesses, those with 500 or less employees, spent slightly more than $20.2 billion or 14 percent of the total industrial R&D spending in 1996. This represented a 21 percent increase over 1995's total.
The increase in total industrial R&D spending was highlighted by a rebound in R&D spending among manufacturers. Following eight years in which nonmanufacturing R&D rose about 15 percent each year in current dollars, while manufacturing increases were approximately three percent, the figures almost reversed themselves in a single year.
During the 1995-96 period covered by the NSF survey, manufacturing R&D rose by 12 percent — and just as dramatically — nonmanufacturing R&D slowed to a modest two percent increase for the year.
NSF anticipates that 1997 statistics will help determine if the continued healthy economy is resulting in a higher performance of R&D by manufacturers.
The largest industrial R&D increases in manufacturing were in the machinery industries, especially in those which produced computers and other office machines.
The biggest decline in the nonmanufacturing sector was in trade. Transportation and utilities also showed sharp declines in R&D investments.
NSF has tracked industrial R&D spending through its surveys since 1953. The data brief is available on the Internet at: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/stats.htm
State Science & Technology Institute
5015 Pine Creek Drive
Westerville, OH 43081
Phone: (614) 901-1690
Fax: (614) 901-1696
Email: ssti@ssti.org© 2002 State Science and Technology Institute. All rights reserved.