In the January 28, 2000 Issue:

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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Tackling the Digital Divide. . .
Activities to address the digital divide and the S&T workforce shortage have increased recently. The following are a sampling of efforts underway to understand and address the growing inequalities in technology access and assimilation.

Washington Governor Gary Locke has proposed a legislative package that would speed the placement of advanced telecommunications services in rural areas by streamlining regulation, promoting infrastructure investment, and encouraging competition. The five-part package would:

For more information, contact Governor Locke’s communications office at 360-902-4136

The Delaware Department of Economic Development is sponsoring a conference to identify, educate and equip interested community members on skill, techniques and strategies to address the Digital Divide. The Bridge Builders Conference…Over the Digital Divide will be held in Wilmington, Delaware on February 17-18. Visit http://www.bridgingthedivide.org for more information.

PBS will air a two-part series on the Digital Divide, exploring the role computers play in widening social gaps particularly among young people.   The first episode premieres nationwide on Friday, January 28 (consult local listings for viewing time and date in your area) For more information, visit: http://www.pbs.org/digitaldivide/

Even in Silicon Valley, the Digital Divide exists, according to the 2000 Index of Silicon Valley. The index reports that a digital divide has emerged between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white residents. The report, published by Joint Venture:Silicon Valley, indicates that job growth in the Valley has slowed, with a 1.7 percent increase versus 5.2 percent in 1997. The index may be viewed and downloaded at http://www.jointventure.org 

. . . and S&T Worker Preparedness
The National Academy Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit organization, and President Clinton have announced the selection of 12 public high schools to pilot the Academy of Information Technology program. The program is intended to prepare predominantly at-risk high school students for careers in information technology fields. The program will provide a ninth-through-twelfth-grade curriculum with opportunities to partner with community colleges, universities, and businesses. The 12 schools were selected from among nearly 100 applicants. The pilot sites were chosen for demonstrating leadership and flexibility; a commitment to career education; an ability to secure mentors, internships, and teacher training from local business partners; and a baseline of technological capabilities that will be enhanced through NAF program grants. The schools are located in: Yonkers, New York; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Prince George's County, Maryland; Baltimore, Maryland; Waco, Texas; San Jose, California; Chula Vista, California; Broward County, Florida; Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Omaha, Nebraska; Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Seattle, Washington. More information may be found at: http://www.naf-education.org/clinton.html

Legislation has been introduced in Nebraska to provide $1 million in matching funds for a school-to-career program and $500,000 for a mentoring initiative. The mentoring initiative would be run through the Nebraska Education Department while the school-to-career program would be administered by the Department of Economic Development. Governor Mike Johanns said the programs were a preventative investment to help children avoid entering the juvenile justice system. Copies of the mentoring and school-to-career bills (LB 1160 and LB 1162, respectively) may be viewed at: http://www.unicam.state.ne.us/newbill.htm

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has created the Gates Millennium Scholarships, a pledge to commit $1 billion toward full college scholarships for minority students in the fields of education, math, science, and engineering. The United Negro College Fund administers the program in partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the American Indian College Fund. More information is available at: http://www.gmsp.org/ 

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E-Commerce Technology Plan Unveiled in Maryland
Governor Parris Glendening, the Speaker of the Maryland House, and the President of the Maryland Senate have proposed a 12-point technology plan with the goal of making “Maryland the leading e-commerce and digital state in the nation.” The proposals include:

Additional points include regulating unsolicited e-mail, expanding anti-child pornography laws to the Internet, enabling law enforcement to seize child pornography materials, prohibiting unauthorized access to computers, and protecting citizens from computer crimes.

For more details on the proposal, visit: http://www.techmd.state.md.us 

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Federal R&D Funding Opportunities

Department of Commerce 
Eligibility for the following two solicitations is open to academic institutions, non-federal agencies, independent and industrial laboratories, and research organizations. Proposals for both programs are due by September 30, 2000.

The agency will accept proposals for the Materials Science and Engineering Grants Program to support projects to supplement research activities in the ceramics, polymers, metallurgy (process control and intelligent processing systems) divisions and the NIST center for neutron research. Total available funding for FY 2000 is $750,000. More information may be obtained from Patty Salpino at: patty.salpino@nist.gov

Commerce is soliciting proposals under the Fire Research Grants Program to support research projects on fire dynamics, large fire research, fire safety systems, advanced fire measurement, materials fire research, and fire sensing and extinguishment. Because of the multi-year nature of funded projects, an undetermined portion of the program’s $1.34 million budget will be available to support new projects in FY 2000. More information may be obtained from Sheilda Bryner at: sheilda.bryner@nist.gov 

Department of Education
The Office of Educational Research and Improvement is inviting applications for new awards for the Telecommunications Demonstration Project for Mathematics. The purpose of the program is to support a nonprofit telecommunications entity, or partnership of those entities, to carry out a national telecommunications-based demonstration project to improve the teaching of mathematics. Applications are due on or before March 10, 2000. Total funding available for 1-3 new awards is $8.5 million. More information may be found at http://www.ed.gov/funding.html 

Department of Energy
DOE is accepting applications for Testing and Evaluation of Promising Mercury Control Technologies for Coal-Based Power Systems. Eligibility is considered to be full and open, according to the Federal Register notice. The solicitation will be released on or about January 28, 2000. Proposals are due March 20, 2000. Total funding available is $7.4 million. The solicitation is to be posted on: http://www.netl.doe.gov/business/solicit

DOE has released an open solicitation for Energy and Environmental Solutions in the following areas: biomass and/or biosolids or the environmental management program. Environmental management subtopics include: inner layer confinement reduction, technology deployment assistance, technology acceptance, technology evaluation, international technology studies, and long-term stewardship. Proposals may be submitted by February 2, May 3, or August 30. The solicitation is available at: http://www.netl.doe.gov/business/solicit

Environmental Protection Agency 
The EPA is requesting proposals for the Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) Program. Grants will establish pilot projects in a limited number of eligible cities to utilize advanced and innovative technologies to monitor environmental conditions and to effectively communicate environmental information to citizens. Local governments and tribal governments located in one of the EMPACT metropolitan areas and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply. The agency will have $3.4 million to award through the competition. The closing date is April 10, 2000. For more information, visit:
http://es.epa.gov/ncerqa/rfa/2000empact.html

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Utah Sees Impact from Centers of Excellence
Spawning 132 new companies over thirteen years is just one of the impressive statistics cited in the latest annual report for the Utah Centers of Excellence Program (COEP). The 1998-1999 report highlights the program’s accomplishments and economic impact since its inception in 1986. Each year, COEP staff document the program’s contributions to the Utah economy through statistical data and anecdotal success stories.

Since 1986, COEP has awarded $30.7 million in state funding to Utah universities and colleges for applied R&D focused on the development of technologies which have the potential for economic development in the state.  That funding has generated cumulative matching funds from private and federal sources of $332.7 million, resulting in a matching fund ratio of 10.8 to 1. 

Additional accomplishments include:

In 1999, COEP provided nearly $2 million in funding for 12 continuing and four new centers of excellence. Centers normally may receive state funding for a maximum of five years. While the matching requirement is 2:1, these 16 centers received private and federal contributions of $11.77 million, almost 6:1. The match was split almost evenly between private and federal sources. During the 1998-1999 fiscal year, the 16 active centers filed for 52 patents (15 already received) and negotiated 21 license agreements with businesses.

For more information on the Utah Centers of Excellence Program, visit its website at: http://www.dced.state.ut.us/techdev/coe.html  

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NASA Selects STTR Phase II Winners
NASA has selected eight research proposals for negotiation of Phase II contract awards for the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. Each project may receive up to $500,000 for a two-year performance period. The program requires small businesses to conduct cooperative research and development by partnering with a research institution. A total of 23 Phase II proposals were submitted by the 1998 class of NASA STTR Phase I recipients.

Companies in the following states received NASA Phase II STTR awards: Alaska, California (3 awards), Colorado, Florida, Montana and Tennessee.   Research institutions for the eight projects were located in Colorado (2), Florida, New York, Ohio, Virginia (2), and Wyoming.

Complete information on the NASA STTR and SBIR programs, including awardee information may be found at: http://sbir.hq.nasa.gov/ .

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Air Force and NIH Inventions Offered for License 
The Air Force and the National Institutes of Health have announced the availability of five government-owned inventions for licensing in the United States. Abstracts and/or contact information for each invention may be viewed on the following SSTI web page: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/012800t.htm  

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People in S&T
New York Governor Pataki has nominated Dr. Russell Bessette to serve as the Executive Director of the New York Office of Science and Technology (NYSTAR). His appointment is subject to confirmation of the New York State Senate. Dr. Russell Bessette is a clinical professor at the SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine's Department of Surgery, the Executive Director of Research at the Buffalo Technology Transfer Center at Sisters Hospital in Buffalo and a reconstructive plastic surgeon at the Head and Neck Center at Sisters Hospital.

Governor Pataki appointed Dr. Roland Schmitt, president emeritus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as chairman of the NYSTAR advisory board.

Dr. Paul Hale has been named the Executive Director of the Vermont Technology Council. Among other tasks, Dr. Hale is working on the state’s EPSCoT award in cooperation with the Vermont EPSCoR Program.

SSTI bids a warm farewell to Deb Tharp, who has accepted a full-time position with Battelle Memorial Institute in the Technology Partnership Practice group.

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