In This Week's Issue
SSTI News and Analysis
President Obama Launches Four-Year, Nationwide STEM Initiative
President Barack Obama recently launched Educate to Innovate, a campaign to partner with nonprofits and private companies to encourage K-12 students to pursue careers in science and technology. Initial partners include the MacArthur Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Time Warner Cable, Xerox, Kodak and Discovery Communications. The campaign will focus on involving students in STEM education opportunities outside of school.
Read more at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/11/23/next-generation-innovators.
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Virginia Governor Announces $25 Million in Possible Funding for Medical Research Institute
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine announced the creation of The Ignite Institute, a nonprofit medical research institute to be housed initially at the Center for Innovative Technology. The state will provide $3 million from the Governor's Opportunity Fund and $22 million in incentive grants, subject to General Assembly approval. The institute expects to draw $200 million in initial financing and create 415 jobs.
Read more at: http://www.ignitehealth.org/.
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North Carolina Governor Establishes Innovation Council
To foster strategic investments and policies in the knowledge and innovation economy, Gov. Bev Perdue recently signed an executive order establishing the North Carolina Innovation Council. The council is responsible for advising the governor on public and private investments and polices to promote innovation, move innovative ideas from the lab to the marketplace more efficiently, and strengthen collaboration among business, academia, and local government. A press release is available from the governor’s office at: http://www.governor.state.nc.us/NewsItems/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?newsItemID=773.
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U.S. Entrepreneurs See Opportunities Despite Troubled Economy, Says Report
Entrepreneurial activity in the U.S. increased from 9.6 percent in 2007 to 10.8 percent in 2008, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2008 U.S. Entrepreneurial Assessment. Though the report found that fear of failure was on the rise among potential entrepreneurs, survey respondents indicated that they still believe there were ample opportunities for new businesses. Read the full report at: http://www.gemconsortium.org/article.aspx?id=131.
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Biomedical Initiatives Face Cuts As Governors Seek to Erase
Deficits
Governors across the nation are trying to find ways to prevent
their state finances from falling further in the red as revenues
continue to fall while costs for Medicare and unemployment remain
high. Deficit-reduction plans announced in two states seek to delay
payments and cut funding to biomedical research initiatives that
were established to expand the states’ research capacity and
generate wealth.
Connecticut
Aiming to close a deficit of nearly $470 million in the current
fiscal year, Gov. Jodi Rell announced a deficit-mitigation plan
that includes delaying payments of $10 million to the state’s
Stem Cell Research Fund and $6 million to the Biomedical Research
Trust Fund. The Stem Cell Fund was established in 2005 with a
budget surplus of $20 million to be used in fiscal years 2006 and
2007 and supplemented with $10 million per year from the Tobacco
Settlement Fund through 2015 (see the May 30,
2005 issue of the Digest).
The Biomedical Research Trust Fund was created in 2000 to
provide grants to eligible institutions for biomedical research in
the fields of heart disease, cancer, and other tobacco related
diseases with disbursements from the Tobacco Settlement Fund. Gov.
Rell will call the General Assembly into special session on Dec. 15
to consider the deficit-reduction plan, which also proposes cuts to
state agency budgets and more than $116 million in program
reductions that require legislative approval.
More information is available at:
http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/lib/governorrell/defmit_plan_24nov09.pdf.
Kansas
Gov. Mark Parkinson recently outlined budget reductions and
adjustments of more than $258 million, including a $5 million
reduction to the Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) from the
state’s general fund. This leaves a remaining transfer of $35
million, the governor’s office notes. KBA is a $581 million
initiative created by the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 to
expand the state’s research capacity by offering support
services and capital to bioscience companies.
More information is available at:
http://governor.ks.gov/media-room/45-press-releases/470-11232009-parkinson-cuts-spending-balances-budget.
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Funding for TBED Programs Cut in Mississippi Governor’s
Budget Proposal
Calling for shared sacrifice among all state agencies, Gov.
Haley Barbour outlined his FY11 budget recommendations reducing
most agencies by 12 percent below the FY10 appropriation, excluding
the Mississippi Development Authority, which would be cut only 5
percent because of its role in job creation. Tech-based economic
development programs funded by the Authority are zeroed out in the
governor’s proposal, however.
Gov. Barbour recommends $22.6 million in state funds for the
Mississippi Development Authority in FY11, $1.2 million less than
the FY10 appropriation, which included federal recovery funds. No
funding is recommended for the Mississippi Technology Alliance
(MTA) or the Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions, which
received a combined $1.4 million last year. MTA is a nonprofit
organization that assists emerging companies across the state
through access to capital and entrepreneurial support, and the
Enterprise for Geospatial Solutions works with industry and
university research programs to support geospatial business
development and research.
Gov. Barbour also announced a merger plan that would cut the
state’s publicly funded universities from eight to five as a
cost-savings measure. Under the plan, Mississippi University for
Women would be merged with Mississippi State University and
Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State – both Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) – would be placed
under the Jackson State University umbrella, which is the
state’s only other HBCU.
The legislature will consider the governor’s
recommendations when the 2010 legislative session convenes early
next year. Gov. Barbour’s FY11 budget proposal is available
at:
http://www.governorbarbour.com/news/2009/nov/2011ExecutiveBudget.pdf.
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Funds to Public Universities in Danger as State Revenues
Sour
The current downswing in the economy is impacting appropriation
levels to public institutes of higher education, requiring
universities and colleges to pursue both short-term and long-term
solutions to improve their revenues. In a recent survey to its
membership, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
(APLU) found 85 percent of schools experienced a reduction this
year in state appropriations compared to the previous year. For
almost half of responding public universities, the cut exceeded 10
percent.
In Coping Strategies of Public Universities During the
Recession of 2009, the APLU found 70 percent of its membership
used federal stimulus funds to manage costs and close existing
budget gaps.
Continued future decreases in state revenues may remain a problem
for several fiscal periods. According to state-by-state information
posted at the website for the National Conference of State
Legislatures (NCSL), new budget gaps have opened in at least 31
states since their 2010 fiscal years began.
The APLU survey found a variety of short-term strategies public
universities have implemented at various degrees to manage costs.
More than three out of four universities reduced permanent staff
positions, 63 percent deferred maintenance, 47 percent adjusted
heating and cooling levels, 31 percent eliminated courses, 17
percent eliminated departments, and 9 percent laid off tenured or
tenure-track faculty. The most cited long-term strategies included
investing in energy-saving infrastructure, increasing enrollment in
targeted groups, and reviewing administrative structures.
More recently, several states have implemented an old standby to
solving revenue gaps at universities: raising tuition.
Gaining national attention, the Board of Regents for the
University of California approved a plan on Nov 19 to increase
undergraduate tuition at the state's universities by 32 percent, as
the system experienced a $600 million cut in funding.
Last Monday, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson announced a $2 million reduction to higher education, adding to a $100 million cut
from earlier this year. Overall, Kansas state funds to higher
education have been reduced by 13 percent this year as the state is
facing a deficit last pegged at $260 million. Just across the state
line, Missouri is attempting to freeze tuition and academic fees
for the second straight year at their public colleges and
universities. To reach this stabilization on costs to students,
Gov. Jay Nixon has offered Missouri universities 95 percent of
last year's state funding if they kept tuition flat.
Coping Strategies of Public Universities During the Recession
of 2009, produced by the APLU, is available at: http://www.aplu.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1393.
NCSL’s website dedicated to “FY 2010 Post-Enactment
Budget Gaps & Budget Cuts” is available at:http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=18690.
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WIPO Expands Searchable Patent Application Database
The United Nation’s World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) in Geneva recently announced an expansion of
its online free searchable patent application database. In addition
to containing an existing 1.65 million international patents filed
for protection under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) from 30
countries, the database now includes digital information for 1.49
million additional records from the Republic of Korea, Mexico,
Israel, South Africa, Singapore, Vietnam, the African Regional
Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), and Cuba. The database
is available at: http://www.wipo.int/patentscope/search/en/search.jsf.
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TBED People and Job Opportunities
Job Corner
NorTech, the Northeast
Ohio Technology Coalition, seeks applications for a Vice President.
Reporting to the president and CEO, and serving as an integral
member of the senior management team, the VP will be responsible
for the development of several NorTech initiatives including
technology commercialization, flexible electronics cluster
building, and support on government engagement. It will be
important to strategically manage these initiatives and build
relationships with key stakeholders, including regional business
leaders, board members, chambers, universities, elected officials,
and policy makers in order to execute the goals.
Read more job postings
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TBED People
Eric Abelquist has been named executive vice president of
Oak Ridge Associated
Universities and deputy director of the
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
Arn Boezaart, who has been interim executive director of
the Michigan Alternative and
Renewable Energy Center the past six months, will take over the
position permanently.
Melanie Brandt has been hired as chief operating officer
for the Technology Association
of Georgia.
President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate
Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale to serve as assistant secretary of
commerce for manufacturing and services within the International Trade Administration.
James Maher, provost and senior vice chancellor at the
University of Pittsburgh,
announced his intention to leave that position and return to the
faculty at the beginning of the next academic year or as soon after
that as his successor can be in place.
Steve Martin has been named head of Mississippi State University’s
Delta Research and Extension Center.
Maine Gov. John Baldacci swore in Thaxter Trafton as the
new acting commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community
Development. Trafton replaces John Richardson, who
resigned to run for Governor.
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Staff Picks
France Unveils $52B Plan
France unveiled a 35 billion Euro ($52 billion) plan to make its
economy more competitive. The authors of the 'Big Loan' plan say
massive new investments in France's universities, R&D labs and
renewable energy sources will pay for themselves by lifting the
country's long-term growth. Higher education and research will receive the largest share, euro16 billion, with some of this to be
used to set up endowments to create five to ten "world class"
campuses. Other priorities include support for innovative small
businesses, life sciences and renewable energies.
Read more...
Milken Institute: Best-Performing Cities 2009
Austin, TX; Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX; Salt Lake City, UT;
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX; and, Houston, TX led the Milken
Institute’s list of this year’s Best-Performing Cities.
The Best Performing Cities Index includes both long-term (five
years) and short-term (one year) measurements of employment and
salary growth.
Read more...
New Website Launched to Tell Science Stimulus Story
ScienceWorksForUS, an initiative that highlights the
scientific research and related activities made
possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
(ARRA), was launched. The centerpiece of the initiative is a
website that highlights Recovery Act-sponsored research in all 50
states, telling the stories of the research and the researchers
contributing to America's recovery:
www.ScienceWorksForUS.org
An Animated View of the Recession
A cool, if depressing, way of looking at the recession. The
animation shows the unemployment rate by county for the whole U.S. from the beginning
of the recession to September 2009:
Read more...
Other Picks
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