In This Week's Issue
SSTI News and Analysis
Tech Talkin' Govs, Part IV
The fourth installment of SSTI's Tech
Talkin' Govs series includes
excerpts from speeches delivered in Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland,
Michigan, Nevada, and Oklahoma. The first three installments are
available in the Jan 13,
Jan. 20
and Jan.
27 Digests.
Alaska
Gov. Sean Parnell,
State of the State Address, Jan. 20, 2010
"We will create even more jobs by funding
construction of two new statewide buildings, the Anchorage crime
lab I mentioned earlier and we will construct the Life Sciences
building at [the University of Alaska, Fairbanks]. …
"… Where energy is
concerned, we will continue reducing dependency on diesel across
Alaska. And we are putting $25 million toward more in-state
renewable energy projects. …
"… With the
Governor's Performance Scholarship proposal, all
Alaskan high school students can earn tuition for an in-state
university or job-training program. They must complete a more
rigorous curriculum than what's now required to
graduate from high school. Four years each of math, science, and
English and three years of social studies. But for students who
take this curriculum, better grades will mean greater tuition
awards. …
"… To responsibly pay for
these scholarships, I propose saving $400 million, setting it aside
and using the interest and investment earnings from this savings
account to pay for these yearly scholarships."
Connecticut
Gov. Jodi Rell, State
of the State Address, Feb. 3, 2010
"I am calling for the creation of the new
Connecticut Credit Consortium - a $500 million partnership between
the state and Connecticut banks to
substantially boost credit availability. I propose canceling $100
million in old bond authorizations and instead use the funds for
the Consortium. Our $100 million dollars will leverage
at least $400 million dollars from banks all across our state.
…
"… I am proposing that we
expand our sales tax exemption to include machines, equipment,
tools, materials, supplies and fuels used in the renewable energy
and green technology. …
"… And our companies will
only succeed if they have the qualified, trained employees they
need. That is why I am proposing a new loan forgiveness
program for students who stay and work in Connecticut after they
graduate from college with a degree or certificate in green
technology, renewable energy, life sciences or health information
technology. They will receive a $2,500 annual forgiveness for each
of four years if they have a baccalaureate or higher degree or
$2,500 a year for two years with an associate
degree."
Maryland
Gov. Martin O'Malley, State of
the State Address, Feb. 2, 2010
"We need to leverage the enormous job-creating
potential of more than 50 federal facilities in Maryland, which
along with our businesses and institutions of science, discovery,
and higher learning, are the backbone of
Maryland's Innovation Economy: life sciences,
bio-tech, high-tech, clean-tech, green tech, and cyber security.
Our work is to leverage these innovation assets to create more jobs
and more opportunities for more Maryland families."
Michigan
Gov. Jennifer Granholm, State
of the State Address, Feb. 3, 2010
"Tonight, I am announcing that my budget for
the year ahead will restore the Michigan Promise Scholarship,
identify a creative way to pay for it, and give it a new focus
- keeping our young people in Michigan where they
earn their degrees. …
"… So this year, the
Michigan Economic Development Corporation will make a nationally
recognized training program available to 1,000 prospective
entrepreneurs in 12 small business assistance centers across the
state. …
"… Tonight, I will also ask
you to create more opportunities for entrepreneurs by creating a
new tax credit for investors who make venture capital available to
the Michigan businesses that need it to expand and create new jobs.
…
"… In the year ahead, we
will also expand opportunities for high-quality job-training
through our No Worker Left Behind initiative. We set a goal three
years ago to enroll 100,000 displaced workers in training that
would allow them to fill the in-demand jobs of the new
economy."
Nevada
Gov. Jim Gibbons,
State of the State Address, Feb. 8, 2010
"We are looking not only to expand our
manufacturing base, but also to bring new green energy jobs to
Nevada. In addition to building facilities to generate solar, wind
and geothermal power, we also are working to establish research and
development facilities for newer, better green technologies. This
will not only help our environment, it will create new, long-term
jobs in Nevada. …
Oklahoma
Gov. Brad Henry, State of the
State Address, Feb. 1, 2010
"The EDGE Endowment is our greatest tool for
diversifying our economy and creating jobs for our children and
grandchildren. Turning our backs on EDGE would send exactly the
wrong message at the wrong time. I challenge you to think beyond
the present and find a permanent funding source for this critical
job-creating economic development tool. …
"… We also began funding an
endowed chairs program that doubles our money and attracts the best
professors to Oklahoma. This session, we have an opportunity to
endow more than 900 new professorships at 21 of our colleges and
universities without any new appropriations. I urge you to enact
this critical proposal quickly so our students can reap the
benefits."
Pennsylvania
Gov. Ed Rendell,
Budget Address, Feb. 9, 2010
"We have much more to do to bring jobs to
Pennsylvania and create a more prosperous economic future for our
state. One important area where we can achieve this goal is
alternative energy, and once again I call on you to enact new
legislation that will allow Pennsylvania to maintain its position
as a national leader in the field of alternative
energy."
Wyoming
Gov. Dave Freudenthal,
State of the State Address, Feb. 8, 2010
"… There's $45 million in
the University of Wyoming budget for carbon capture sequestration
research. If it is out of [Abandoned Mine Land fund], I know
there's been some discussion about whether or not we should divert
that to other ends. Do not divert that. We have made a commitment
that that will be matched by private money. …
"… We need to be on the
forefront. We need to demonstrate through the School of Energy
Resources carbon capture sequestration works. …
Let the technologies developed at the University of Wyoming support
this effort and make sure that we are the ones who are selling
those technologies overseas instead of buying
them."
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Florida Gov. Wants $100M for Innovation Incentive, $32.6M for
Space Florida
Replenishing the Innovation Incentive Fund and investing in
space industry, public research, and green energy technologies are
among Gov. Charlie Crist's FY11 budget
recommendations to grow the state's innovation
economy and establish Florida as a pre-eminent global hub. The
governor's budget includes $100 million for the
Innovation Incentive Fund, which was established in 2006 to attract
R&D companies and create high-wage jobs. The fund was depleted
in 2008 (see the May 7,
2008 issue of the Digest).
Space Florida would receive a total $32.6 million, of which $20
million is slated for business recruitment activities in order to
provide the necessary resources that align with a new national
approach to space exploration, according to budget documents. To
provide financing for new and expanding space businesses, the
governor recommends $10 million. Another $3.8 million is set aside
for general operations, $3.2 million for workforce development, and
$3 million to fund targeted projects for business development and
recruitment.
The remaining $12.6 million is slated for development and
management of facilities for space industry businesses. This
funding would be used for investment in Exploration Park, a 60-acre
technology and commerce park, to refurbish Launch Complex 46, a
multi-use commercial launch facility, and to provide for the
renovation of facilities for use by entities fulfilling NASA and
Air Force contracts.
The governor's budget also includes funding
to support technology commercialization through Florida Biomedical
Research Programs and the Florida Institute for Commercialization
of Public Research. The budget recommendation includes $50 million
total ($25 million apiece) in recurring budget authority in the
Biomedical Research Trust Fund for the James and Esther King
Biomedical Research Program and the William G. Bankhead and David
Coley Cancer Research Program. Awards from these grant programs are
based on scientific merit determined by open competitiveness peer
review. This restores $50 million in budget authority that was
appropriated in FY10 on a nonrecurring basis, according to budget
documents.
The Florida Institute for Commercialization of Public Research
would receive $15 million in FY11. Established in 2007, the
institute serves as a one-stop-shop for investors, entrepreneurs,
and corporate partners seeking to develop new ventures based on
research performed in Florida. No funding for the institute is
reflected in the current year budget.
Enterprise Florida, a public-private partnership serving as the
state's primary organization devoted to
statewide economic development, would receive $6.95 million in
FY11, an increase of $450,000. Other economic development
incentives include:
- $25 million for the Quick Action Closing Fund ($11.5 million
increase) to help the state attract new and expanded existing
high-impact businesses; and,
- $21.4 million, including $17.1 million in nonrecurring general
revenue and $4.3 million from the Economic Development Trust Fund,
to support the Qualified Target Industries Tax Refund Incentive,
and the Qualified Defense Contractors Tax Refund Incentive. This is
a cumulative decrease of $230,500 from last fiscal year.
To continue the Economic Gardening pilot program implemented in
FY09, the governor recommends $3 million. The goal of the program
is to identify companies with up to 50 employees and help them
expand by offering services such as market information, leadership
development, and assistance in digital media applications. FY11
funding would be directed to helping local communities create their
own programs. The University of Central Florida would receive
$250,000 for administration of the grant program and training for
grant awardees.
Funding for the State University System would increase by $100
million in FY11 with the funds aimed at building research and
education capacity in science, technology, engineering, mathematics
and medicine. Dubbed the "New Florida
Initiative," the goal is to increase the number of
state university graduates and researchers in these fields to
address critical workforce and economic development needs.
The governor's FY11 environmental budget
dedicates a portion of federal funding received last fiscal year to
developing green energy technologies. Specifically, $126 million is
slated for the State Energy Program to deploy renewable energy and
energy-efficient technologies. Another $36 million is slated for
the Florida Energy Opportunity Fund and $10 million would be used
for Florida Clean Energy Grants.
The FY11 executive budget is available at: http://www.ebudget.state.fl.us/.
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Oklahoma Governor's Budget Consolidates OCAST and
Commerce
The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and
Technology (OCAST) is among a list of 16 state agencies slated for
consolidation in Gov. Brad Henry's budget
proposal, which he says will result in cost savings of $5.3
million. Under the proposal, OCAST would be moved to the Department
of Commerce, along with Aeronautics, Indian Affairs and the
Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority. Funding for OCAST
would be reduced by 3 percent, for a total $19.8 million in FY11.
OCAST provides funding and resources to help businesses develop and
commercialize technologies.
The Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority would receive
$442,538 in FY11, also a 3 percent reduction. In partnership with
the private sector, the Authority establishes new aerospace
industries and enhances existing aerospace industries to retain
high-tech jobs.
In his State of the
State Address last week, Gov. Henry urged lawmakers to provide
a permanent funding source for the Economic Development Generating
Excellence (EDGE) initiative, a proposal that has failed to garner
legislative support the past two years (see the Aug. 12,
2009 issue of the Digest). Established in 2003, the
endowment was envisioned as a $1 billion fund to support research
and commercialization activities in the state. On Feb. 2, a bill
(HB 3036) was introduced to eliminate the EDGE fund, directing its
$150 million endowment toward solving the
state's budget issues. The bill has been
referred to the Appropriations Committee.
The 2011 Executive Budget is available at: http://www.ok.gov/OSF/documents/bud11.pdf.
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Connecticut Gov. Proposes Economic Recovery Initiatives,
Cuts TBED
Gov. Jodi Rell last week unveiled her FY11 midterm budget
adjustments, eliminating or reducing funding for several TBED
initiatives in the second year of the biennium. At the same time,
the governor proposed an economic recovery package that includes a
lending program for small businesses, a student loan forgiveness
program to retain green collar workers, and a sales tax exemption
for green energy industries.
The governor's proposal includes the
following eliminations and reductions in the second year of the
biennium within the Department of Economic and Community
Development (DCED):
- Eliminate FY11 funding for CCAT Manufacturing Supply Chain
($400,000).
- Eliminate FY11 funding for Hydrogen/Fuel Cell Economy
($237,500).
- Eliminate FY11 funding for Entrepreneurial Centers
($135,375).
- Eliminate FY11 funding for CCAT Energy Application Research
($100,000).
- Reduce FY11 funding for CONNSTEP ($40,000 decrease).
In total, the adjustments decrease funding for DECD by $4.1
million in the coming year.
Within the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, the governor
recommends a $60,000 reduction for the Nanotechnology Study and a
$37,500 reduction for SBIR matching grants.
The governor's budget proposal also outlines
an economic recovery package that targets renewable and clean
energy industries for job growth and provides access to capital for
businesses.
To open access to credit for small businesses, the governor is
proposing a $500 million public-private loan pool, which would be
established using $100 million in bond funds. Two funds would be
created: one for businesses with 250 or fewer employees and the
other for businesses with 100 or fewer employees.
The $6 million student loan forgiveness program proposed by Gov.
Rell would apply to recent college graduates in renewable energy,
manufacturing, R&D, life sciences, and information technology
fields who spend at least five years working in the state.
Individuals receiving a Bachelor's degree would be
eligible for up to $10,000 and those earning an
Associate's degree could receive up to $5,000.
The program would be operated by the Department of Higher
Education.
Finally, to encourage research and production of equipment used
in the renewable energy and clean technology industries, the
governor proposed a sales tax exemption that would apply
specifically to technologies to produce, improve or develop solar
power, passive or active solar water or space heating systems,
geothermal systems, and wind power.
Gov. Rell issued five rounds of rescissions and proposed four
separate deficit mitigation packages during FY09. The General
Assembly adopted four mitigation packages totaling $481.7 million,
leaving a FY09 deficit in the General Fund of $948 million. The
governor's proposed modifications to the adopted
2009-11 biennial budget would result in an all funds budget for
FY11 of $18.9 billion, a decrease of $27.7 million.
The FY11 Midterm Budget Adjustments are available at:
http://www.ct.gov/opm/lib/opm/budget/2010_2011_midterm_budget/budgetdocuments/201011govmidtermadjustmentsentirebook.pdf.
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Still #1, U.S. Patenting Falls 11.4% in 2009; China Jumps to #5 With
29.7% Growth
International patent filings fell by 4.5 percent in 2009 with
sharper than average declines experienced by some industrialized
countries and growth in a number of East Asian countries, according
to the World Intellectual Property Organization. With 45,790
applications, the U.S. filing rate dropped 11.4 percent in 2009,
but maintained its top ranking by filing just under a third of all
international applications.
Rounding out the top 10 nations are: Japan (+3.6%, 29,827
applications), Germany (-11.2% or 16,736 applications), Republic of
Korea (+2.1%, 8,066 applications), China (29.7%, 7,946
applications), France (+1.6%, 7,166 applications), United Kingdom
(-3.5% or 5,320 applications), the Netherlands (+3.0% or 4,471
applications), Switzerland (-1.6% or 3,688 applications) and Sweden
(-11.3% or 3,667 applications).
Declines also were experienced in the Australia (-7.5%), Canada
(-11.7%), Finland (-2.2%), Israel (-17.2%), Italy (-5.8%). More:
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2010/article_0003.html.
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NSF: U.S. R&D Spending Continued to Grow in 2008
Despite the depth of the economic recession, preliminary estimates by the National Science Foundation indicate that U.S. R&D expenditures totaled $397.6 billion in 2008, up from $372.5 billion in 2007. This increase in overall national R&D performance represented growth in 2008 of 6.7 percent over the 2007 level. It also substantially exceeded the pace of growth in U.S. gross domestic product over the same year, which was 3.3 percent. Read more at:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf10312/?WT.mc_id=USNSF_179.
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Obama Administration Announces Plan for Biofuel and Clean
Coal
On the heels of his State of the Union announcement that the
administration would push aggressively to drive clean energy
innovation, President Barack Obama unveiled a three-part action
plan to accelerate the development of biofuels and clean coal
technology. The plan includes new rules concerning the national
renewable fuel standard, incentives for biomass production and the
creation of an interagency group to devise a federal strategy on
carbon capture and storage. Clean coal and corn-based ethanol are
at the center of the president's strategy, which is intended to
create new jobs, diversify the country's energy portfolio and reduce
dependence on foreign oil.
Among the more contentious of the action items is the Environments
Protection Agency's (EPA) final set of rules for the national
renewable fuel standard (RFS). The RFS provisions within the 2007
energy bill set a target for 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel
to be consumed by 2022, including 21 billion gallons from advanced
biofuels. Under the regulations set by the EPA in 2008, however,
neither corn-based ethanol nor soy-based biodiesel met the carbon
emission limits to qualify as renewable fuels. In fact, the
original study found that greenhouse gas emission from ethanol
production was equivalent or higher than petroleum production.
After a year of debate, the EPA revised its
analysis, reducing the amount of emissions that could be attributed
to biofuel production through indirect land use. The EPA now
concedes that corn ethanol produced through energy-efficient
processes can produce 20 percent less emissions than gasoline,
though this would be calculated on a case-by-case basis under the
new rules. Pro-ethanol groups continue to object to the use of
indirect land use in calculations of emission levels, but the
changes have found support within the industry.
The president also announced that USDA's Biomass Crop Assistance
program, which began on an interim basis last summer, would become
permanent. The program provides financial assistance to
producers or entities that deliver eligible biomass material to
designated biomass conversion facilities. Though the cost of the
program was originally estimated at $70 million over five years, new
administration estimates put the cost at $269 million this year and
$479 million in FY11.
Finally, a presidential memorandum was issued to establish an
Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage. This group
will have 180 days to release a comprehensive and coordinated
federal strategy to speed the development and deployment of clean
coal technologies. The plan is intended to help overcome the
barriers to clean coal technology adoption within ten years and to
bring five to ten commercial demonstration projects online by
2016.
An accompanying report, Growing America's Fuel: An Innovative
Approach to Achieving the President's Biofuels Target, provides
guidelines for federal agencies that can further support biofuel
business and technology. Recommendations include coordinating
efforts through the federal Biomass Board, expanding government use
of biofuels, assigning lead agencies to oversee the development of
industry segments, and targeted support of high-potential biofuel
supply chain technologies.
Read the report at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/growing_americas_fuels.PDF.
Read President Obama's announcement at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/02/03/moving-america-s-clean-energy-economy-forward-boost-biofuels-clean-coal.
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NSF Director Leaving for Purdue Position
Arden Bement, head of the National Science Foundation since his appointment as acting director in early 2004 and permanent director in November of that year, will become director of the new Global Policy Research Institute at Purdue University, effective June 1. Bement served as director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology from 2001 to 2004.
NSF directorships are Presidential appointments with six-year terms. Bement's term would have expired in November, 2010. The White House has yet to name Bement's successor.
Bement returns to Purdue where he was a nuclear engineering professor and department head and retained tenure at Purdue during his stints in senior science policy posts in Washington, D.C. While at Purdue, Bement was the David A. Ross Distinguished Professor of Nuclear Engineering and former head of Purdue's School of Nuclear Engineering. He also held appointments in the School of Materials Engineering and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He joined the Purdue faculty in 1992 after a 39-year career in industry, government and academia.
Read the announcement at: http://nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=116338&org=OLPA&from=news.
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TBED People and Job Opportunities
Job Corner
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking
qualified applicants for the director of the Technology Innovation Program
(TIP). The director will serve as the executive responsible for
managing and leading this critical program for NIST. The TIP
was established as part of the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69)
to assist United States businesses and institutions of higher
education or other organizations, such as national laboratories and
nonprofit research institutions, to support, promote, and
accelerate innovation in the United States through high-risk,
high-reward research in areas of critical national need. This
position is perfect for you if you are ready for a challenge and
are committed to making significant improvements in the operations
of one of the world's premier research and science
organizations.
The University of Dayton
Research Institute is seeking an Aerospace Hub of Innovation
director who is a motivated person with strong communications
skills and development experience. The state of Ohio has recently
designated Dayton the first Ohio Hub of Innovation and Opportunity
in recognition of the area's strong economic
development efforts around aerospace technology companies. The
successful candidate will possess the ability to develop or grasp a
big picture vision of what is to be accomplished and organize and
prioritize activities necessary to achieve the vision.
Read more job postings
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TBED People
Sandy Baruah has been selected to become the president
and CEO of the Detroit
Regional Chamber, effective March 15.
John Collar, the chief executive officer and president of
the Colorado BioScience
Association, resigned this week to pursue other business
opportunities. Denise Brown has been selected serve as the
organization's interim executive director while a search is
conducted for Collar's replacement.
Ruth Cox has been named the executive director of the
U.S. Fuel Cell Council.
Josh Lerner has been selected as the 2010 recipient of
the Global Award for
Entrepreneurship Research.
Marc Stanley is retiring as acting deputy director of
National Institute of Standards and Technology. Stanley has served
as director of the Technology
Innovation Program (TIP) at the National Institute of Standards
and Technology since December 31, 2007.
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Staff Picks
Google's Eric Schmidt Weighs In on
Innovation
With an op-ed in the Washington Post, Google Chairman and CEO
Eric Schmidt calls for five things the federal government should do
to encourage innovation.
Read more...
USC Vice Provost Pushes for IMPACT
Krisztina Holly, meanwhile, recommended in a CNN Opinion piece
that the federal government fund 10 pilot programs at $2 million
each to encourage commercialization of university research.
Read more...
Addressing the Dearth of Female Entrepreneurs
Vivek Wadhwa has an interesting piece in Business Week that says
there are too few women running high-tech companies, and that's too
bad because evidence shows female-led businesses outperform those
run by men.
Read more...
China Leading Global Race to Make Clean Energy
The New York Times reports on China jumping last year to become
the world's largest maker of wind turbines and
is also now the largest manufacturer of solar panels.
Read more...
Clean Energy Jobs Have a Way to Go
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reported on the pace of green
job creation in the U.S., indicating stimulus funding saved jobs
but questions about federal energy policy are blocking growth.
Read more...
International Partnership Focusing on Photonics for
Cleantech
Berlin, Ottawa and Tucson announced last week a multi-city
partnership to focus collective photonics research and
commercialization resources at opportunities in cleantech,
including solar photovoltaics and LED lighting applications.
Read more...
Tracking the Economy
CNN has a cool interactive map of the U.S. where state-by-state
differences are shown for unemployment, jobs by industry,
foreclosures, and stimulus funds.
Read more...
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