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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DIGEST TAKES A VACATION
During the month of August, the SSTI Weekly Digest will be published every other week. The Digest will be published August 14 and August 28. It will resume weekly publication September 4.
NSF RELEASES 1998 SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING INDICATORS
The most comprehensive source of statistical information on science and engineering issues has been released by the National Science Board. "Science and Engineering Indicators: 1998" is the 13th report in a biennial series.
The 800-page report contains a wealth of information on a variety of topics, including four cross-cutting themes:
- increasing globalization of science, technology, and the economy
- greater emphasis throughout the world on science and engineering education and training
- structural and priority changes in the science and engineering enterprise
- increasing impact of science and technology on our daily lives.
Among the findings reported in Indicators are:
- R&D funding patterns have changed substantially with most of the R&D increases occurring in the industrial sector, which is now providing two-thirds of the nation's R&D funds.
- Academic institutions undertook 12 percent of the nation's R&D activity with two-thirds of its activity focused on basic research.
- Links are increasing between industry and academia. Industrial support to academic R&D has grown more rapidly than support from all other sources during the last two decades, but it is still only 7 percent of the total.
- On the overall science and engineering (S&E) workforce, minorities, except for Asians, are still a very small proportion of employed scientists and engineers in the United States. African-Americans and Hispanics were 3.4 percent and 2.8 percent of the S&E workforce in 1995, well below their shares of the U.S. population (12 percent and 9 percent respectively).
- In the U.S. software companies attracted more venture capital than any other technology area. In 1995, venture capital firms disbursed a total of $3.9 billion, of which 20 percent went to firms developing computer software or providing software services. Medical and health-related companies were second with 14 percent. By comparison, computer-related companies received just 7 percent of the venture capital distributed in Europe in 1995 and 5 percent in 1996, and European biotech firms received even less.
- In 1996, 85 percent of all schools had access to multimedia computers, 65 percent had Internet access, and 19 percent had a satellite dish, but only 14 percent of instructional rooms had an Internet hookup.
Indicators is prepared for the National Science Board by the National Science Foundation's Division of Science Resources Studies.
Individual copies of Indicators can be obtained by: 1) completing an order form available at www.nsf.gov/home/orderpub.htm, 2) e-mailing a request to paperpubs@nsf.gov, or 3) phoning 301/947-2722. The request should note the title of the publication and its publication number, NSB 98-1. Multiple copies can be purchased through the Government Printing Office.
CALL MADE FOR $250M FUND FOR STATE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION CHALLENGE GRANTS
A Washington, D.C.-based think tank has issued a call for the creation of a $250 million fund to be directed to the states for Technology Innovation Challenge Grants. The fund would be used by the states to invest in university- industry and other technology and innovation network programs.
Under the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) proposal, states would be required to match the federal funds at a ratio of at least one-to-one with industry required to match all public funds one-to-one. The net effect would be to leverage the federal money into at least $1 billion in funding.
The proposal is contained in a PPI Policy Briefing, "Innovation, Social Capital, and the New Economy: New Federal Policies to Support Collaborative Research," which asserts that investment in innovation is critical and the federal government must develop a targeted and expanded investment program for R&D of scientific and technological advances.
PPI contends that the federal government should modify and restructure its existing technology policy tools to promote the use of networks and consortia in order to connect firms to universities, national labs, and state and federal partnership programs. To achieve this, PPI recommends, in addition to the state fund, that:
- Congress expand the existing research and experimentation tax credit to provide a flat, 20 percent credit for industry expenditures in research consortia and partnerships between industry and universities or federal laboratories.
- Congress establish an Industry Research Alliances Challenge Grant initiative to co-invest with industry-led research alliances. Industry members would establish technology "roadmaps" and on the basis of these invest in research conducted at universities or federal laboratories.
It is unclear at this point if any member of Congress will introduce a bill to implement PPI's recommendations. Copies of the Policy Briefing can be obtained by contacting PPI at 202/547-0001.
R&D TAX CREDIT EXPIRES
The Research and Experimentation Tax Credit expired on June 30, and there is concern that it may not be renewed this year. Reports indicate that the most likely vehicle for the tax credit would be a general tax bill, but according to the American Institute of Physics, the chances of a tax bill being agreed to by Congress and signed by President Clinton before the end of the session are considered slim.
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