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Maine Issues S&T Report Card

The Maine Science & Technology Foundation (MSTF) has released the 1998 Maine Science and Technology Report Card, a first look at the state’s performance across twenty science and technology related indicators. MSTF will use the report’s findings to develop benchmarks for the next revision of the state’s biennial strategic science and technology plan, due out this fall.

The 20 indicators used in the Report Card are divided among four categories characterizing the state: financial capacity, human capacity, infra-structure capacity, and innovation.

Two indicators of economic growth measuring change in employment and in workers’ wages are used to reflect the effectiveness or outcomes of the four capacity categories.

Major findings include:

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MAINE RESIDENTS TO VOTE ON BOND ISSUE

Mainers will vote on Election Day on a research and development bond issue that if passed would allocate $20 million to improve the Maine economy by supporting innovative research and development in the fields of biotechnology, computers and other information technology, aquiculture and marine technology, forestry and agriculture, and advanced materials.

If passed, funding from the bond issue would be allocated to the following:

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MAINE AND NAVY CREATE PARTNERSHIP TO USE REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGY

The State of Maine, the University of Maine, the US Navy, and the Maine Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF) have signed an agreement that initiates a partnership to improve the stewardship of the state's natural resources.

The partners will work together under a memorandum of agreement to gather and exchange environmental information using the Navy's remote sensing technology. This technology can be used to monitor erosion, pollution, sea level rise, fishery stocks, and the conditions that would be ripe for algae blooms which kill countless fish and shellfish each year.

Remote sensing is a process in which extremely clear pictures are taken from distant equipment, such as a satellite, an airplane, or radar. Scientists match these crystal clear photographs with the information known about landscape and topography to obtain nearly perfect descriptions of the environment. This matching process is called "ground truthing."

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Maine Legislators Pass R&D Initiatives

Maine lawmakers have passed an R&D investment package to increase the state's research and development capacity. The package includes a $20 million bond issue that must be approved by the voters in November.

The bond initiative would provide:

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President of MSTF Named

Joel B. Russ was recently named the new president of the Maine Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF). Prior to accepting this position, Russ served as the President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Greater Portland Region, as well as serving as a member of the MSTF's Board of Directors. MSTF is a state-chartered, non-profit organization whose mission is to stimulate science and technology-driven economic growth in Maine.

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Position Available

The Maine Science and Technology Foundation seeks a high energy President and CEO who will work with a diverse, gubernatorially appointed Board of Directors and provide leadership to the staff in the areas of strategic planning, policy development, program oversight, finance and administration, and public outreach. MSTF is a state chartered, industry-led not-for-profit organization that stimulates science and technology-driven economic growth in the state of Maine.

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