In This Week's Issue
Publisher's Note
New Look for the Digest
This issue of the Digest unveils a new format and look for the Digest. Shorter but containing more material at the same time, we think this new format will permit you to get the most important news of the week for the TBED community in a format that works best for you. We consider literally hundreds of items each week for the Digest, so we’re particularly excited to introduce the Staff Picks section that will provide you with links to stories, videos, blog posts, etc. that we think you should be aware of. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at digest@ssti.org.
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SSTI News and Analysis
Feds Streamline Funding Process for Broadband Grant and Loan Programs
The Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recently announced that they are restructuring the funding process for the broadband programs introduced in the Recovery Act earlier this year. Both the Broadband Initiatives Program and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program will make their investments through a single round of awards, instead of the planned two rounds, in order to streamline the process.The change was made in
response to the overwhelming number of applications received by
these programs during the first solicitation.
The first round of the grant and loan programs drew 2,200
applications from across the country, seeking almost $28 billion
for regional projects, about seven-times more than the $4 billion
that was to be awarded. By combining the second and third round of
awards, the agencies will both reduce their administrative burden
and save applicants the trouble of possibly applying twice for a
chance and the remaining funds.
RUS and NTIA have also issued a request for information inviting
feedback on the broadband development programs. The agencies are
seeking input about how to further streamline the application
process, ensure transparency, and target the remaining funds.
During the first round, both agencies allocated portions of
their funding to achieve specific broadband policy goals. Of the
$2.4 billion available through RUS, up to $1.2 billion was
allocated for last-mile projects delivering high-speed access to
rural consumers. Another $800 million was available for middle-mile
projects to create facilities between anchor institutions that help
communities tap into health, medical and education resources that
might not otherwise be accessible. The remaining $325 million would
be dedicated to a national reserve. NTIA allocated up to $1.2
billion for broadband infrastructure projects, $50 million for
public computer center projects, $150 million for sustainable
broadband adoption projects, and $200 million for a national
reserve. The request for information encourages comments on whether
the current allocations are satisfactory and maximize the impact of
the nation’s broadband investment.
Another portion of the request for information seeks input on
whether a portion of the remaining funds should be used to promote
a regional economic development approach to broadband deployment.
This option would focus the federal investment on communities that
have worked together on a regional basis to develop an economic
development plan. Using this option, NTIA and RUS could target
funding toward both the short term stimulus of project construction
and the region’s longer-term development of sustainable
growth and quality jobs.
Read the announcement at:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/11/0560.xml.
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Michigan Legislature Authorizes $30M for Centers of Energy Excellence
To attract additional federal funds and boost job creation,
Michigan legislators passed a bill authorizing the state to spend
another $30 million on a program to create alternative energy
clusters and support technology commercialization.
The Centers of Energy Excellence program was enacted last year
as part of Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s overall job creation and
economic stimulus package proposed during her 2008 state of the
state address (see the July 7,
2008 issue of the Digest). The Centers, which are
administered through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation,
match base companies with universities, national labs and training
centers to accelerate next-generation research, workforce
development and technology commercialization. Lawmakers capitalized
the program with $45 million for FY 2008-09.
SB 418 authorizes the Michigan Strategic Fund to spend up to
$30 million through FY11 out of the appropriations received from
the 21st Century Jobs Fund, reports Crain’s
Detroit Business. The bill stipulates that all funds allocated
to the program are required to be used to match federal funding. A
previous requirement mandated that grants be used to match funding
for projects that include federal, foundation or international
investments.
The grants are only available to for-profit companies with
participation from at least one qualified business and one
institution of higher education. Initial projects supported under
the program include a center to manufacture rechargeable lithium
batteries, a biorefinery at a hardwood plant, and a cellulosic
ethanol center that will produce fuel from wood.
More information regarding the Centers of Energy Excellence
Program is available at: http://www.michiganadvantage.org.
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3 out of 4 Americans: Innovation More Important for Future than in Past; U.S. Education is Lagging
A recent survey found 78 percent of Americans believe innovation will be more important to the U.S. economy in the next thirty years than the previous thirty years. While the importance of innovation is recognized, 81 percent of Americans believe the quality of K-12 math and science education lags behind other countries. The survey of 1,200 U.S. respondents, commissioned by the Intel Corporation and Newsweek magazine, found that 33 percent of Americans said the U.S. will be the global leader in technology innovation during the next 30 years, while 30 percent said Japan, and 22 percent said China. More information on the survey is available at: http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/innovation/survey/.
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Changes to RIEDC Board, Leadership Signed into Law
Gov. Donald Carcieri signed legislation last week expanding the
Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (EDC) board and
allowing the state to offer the incoming EDC director a three-year
contract that extends past the governor’s term, which ends
next January. The changes are expected to boost the agency’s
effectiveness and attract better candidates for the state’s
top economic development position.
Under the new law, the governor will serve as chairperson of the
board and will appoint four additional board members for a total of
12. The measure also includes new requirements that the
“membership of the board shall reflect the geographic
diversity of the state,” and include one member that
represents higher education.
Legislation to overhaul the agency was introduced earlier this
year by Senate President M. Teresa Paiva- Weed following a report
criticizing the agency’s effectiveness and calling for fresh
leadership, according to The Providence Journal. Initial
plans called for the creation of an oversight committee to monitor
EDC’s work. That provision was not included in the final
bill.
S 0945 is available at: http://www.rilin.state.ri.us//BillText09/SenateText09/S0945A.pdf.
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Minorities Receiving S&E Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhDs Reach All-Time Highs in 2006
Underrepresented minorities were awarded 79,097 bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering related fields in 2006, an 18 percent increase from 2002, according to data released this month by the National Science Foundation. In 2006, 14,099 S&E master’s degrees and 1,661 S&E doctoral degrees were awarded to underrepresented minorities, a 32 percent and 12 percent increase, respectively, compared to five years earlier. Out of all science and engineering bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2006, 16.7 percent went to underrepresented minorities, compared to 11.7 percent of all S&E master’s degrees awarded and 5.6 percent of all S&E doctoral degree awarded. Science and Engineering Degrees, by Race/Ethnicity 1997-2006 can be accessed at: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf10300/.
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Maine S&T Action Plan Outlines Goals for Capitalizing on Research
Since the 1990s, Maine has done an excellent job investing in R&D to establish a robust research capacity, but little has been done in terms of building a capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, according to the 2010 Science and Technology Action Plan. The report identifies three main strategies to position the state as a global competitor and create high-paying jobs and economic prosperity.
The roots of Maine’s investment in science and technology
are traced back to a $20 million bond approved by voters in 1998
for R&D, which established the Maine Technology Institute, the
Maine Economic Improvement Fund, the Advanced Technology
Development Centers, and the Maine Patent Program. This support was
continued with additional bond investments in 2003, 2005 and 2008.
And while those investments have paid off in total R&D
performance, the research is not being commercialized or connected
to industry in a way that maximizes economic impact to the state,
the report finds.
Three main strategies and several actions steps are described in
the plan, which calls for $32 million annually to implement the
recommendations, including:
- Increasing Maine’s total R&D by increasing
R&D in the academic, nonprofit and private sectors.
Recommendations include providing incentives to increase private
R&D and increasing R&D performed at the state’s
colleges, universities and nonprofit research institutions.
- Increasing employment by building innovation capacity.
The report recommends aligning and integrating Maine’s
innovation-based strategy with the state’s overall economic
development strategy, recognizing that innovation has a critical
role to play in making all enterprises more productive, efficient
and competitive.
- Increasing per capita income by increasing the skills of
Maine’s workers. Recommendations include increasing the
supply of knowledgeable entrepreneurs who can successfully take
products and processes to market through training and
recruitment.
The plan, presented by the Department of Economic and Community
Development Office of Innovation, was developed over the course of
the last eight months and will be presented to the legislature and
governor’s office in January.
A draft version is available at:
http://www.maineinnovation.com/r&e/pdfs/October_28_Final_Draft_S&T_Plan.pdf.
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International Students in U.S. Up by 8 Percent in 2008/09 to Highest Levels Ever
The total number of international students at colleges and universities in the U.S. reached an all-time high of 671,616 in the 2008/09 school year, rising 8 percent from the previous year and representing the largest percentage increase in 28 years. The Institute of International Education (IIE) reports in its annual Open Doors report that 15.4 percent of international students in the U.S. came from India, 14.6 percent from China, and 11.2 percent from South Korea. A record number of U.S. students studied abroad as well, with the UK, Italy, Spain, France, and China as the top destinations during the 2007/08 school year. More information on the Open Doors 2009 report is available at: http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/.
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Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009 Underway: 87 Countries Participating
Nov 16-22 marks the second annual Global Entrepreneurship Week, a celebration of fostering innovation and ambition in people under 30 years of age and encouraging them to start new businesses. Founded by the U.S.-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the UK-based Make Your Mark campaign, the Global Entrepreneur Week website maintains an interactive calendar of entrepreneur-focused events in 87 countries and all 50 states. According to the site, Tennessee leads the U.S. with 52 scheduled events, followed by California (41 events), Michigan (40 events), Florida (37 events), and New Jersey (31 events). More information regarding Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009 is available at: http://www.unleashingideas.org/.
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TBED People and Job Opportunities
SSTI Job Corner
NorTech, the Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition, seeks applications for a Vice President of Strategic Outreach. Reporting to the president and CEO, and serving as an integral member of the senior management team, the VP of Strategic Outreach will be responsible for the development of NorTech’s overall communication strategy and building relationships with key stakeholders. The VP of Strategic Outreach will be responsible for the development, integration, and implementation of a broad range of marketing communications and public relations activities relative to the strategic direction and positioning of the organization and its leadership.
Read more job postings
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Staff Picks
CQ Politics: House Democratic Leaders Want to Pass Jobs Bill by Year’s End
House Democratic leaders are asking committee chairmen to offer proposals for creating jobs that can be wrapped into a bill and enacted by year’s end, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer said. CQ Politics reports: Read more...
Politico: After Spending Binge, White House Says it Will Focus on Deficits
President Barack Obama plans to announce in next year's State of the Union address that he wants to focus extensively on cutting the federal deficit in 2010 – and will downplay other new domestic spending beyond jobs programs, according to top aides involved in the planning, according to Politico: Read more...
Pew Identifies States, Like California, in Fiscal Peril
The Pew Center on the States says that some of the same pressures that have pushed California toward economic disaster are wreaking havoc in a number of other states, with potentially damaging consequences for the entire country. Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Wisconsin join California as the 10 most troubled states, according to "Beyond California: States in Fiscal Peril".
NGA, NASBO Say States Will Continue to Face Fiscal Difficulties in Coming Years
Preliminary findings from The Fiscal Survey of the States show that fiscal conditions will continue to deteriorate: Read more...
Other Picks
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