SSTI Digest

With a large land mass and a population surpassing the 21 least populated states and the District of Columbia combined, California has scores of public programs and nonprofit organizations dedicated to encouraging technology-based economic development on the state, regional, local and sub-local levels. Best practices in the field, then, could have applications in a number of other states and communities.

Sacramento's economic development director, Andy Plescia, is moving on to become a private development consultant.

Marguerite Wilbur has been named president and CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley.

More than 60 presentations on patterns, or solutions to problems in a given context, figure to be the highlight of CPSR's 8th biannual Directions and Implications of Advanced Computing (DIAC) symposium, "Shaping the Network Society: Patterns for Participation, Action, and Change," being held May 16-19 in Seattle. CPSR (Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility) describes patterns as observable actions, empirical findings, hypotheses, theories or best practices that exist at all levels. Patterns can be global or local and theoretical or practical, according to CPSR. Some of the presentations at the DIAC-02 symposium have particular relevance to state and local tech-based economic development affects, including:

[Note: SSTI defines a technology council as a regional entity that is membership-based and independently funded with science and technology-based economic development as one of its primary goals. National trade associations and government-created technology councils which serve in an advisory or policy role are excluded from this discussion.]

San Diego Community College Chancellor Augie Gallego has been selected as the new chairman of the American Council of Education, only the second community college executive to hold the position since the organization's founding more than 80 years ago.

Last week, Governor Gray Davis announced the award of three grants to support the creation of new Regional Technology Alliances (RTA) for the Inland Empire, San Joaquin Valley, and Sacramento/Capital regions. The three new non-profit organizations join existing RTAs in Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay area to provide decentralized business support services for innovative, California-based technology firms. Because the RTAs are designed by the tech community within the particular service area, each RTA offers regionally-customized approaches to technical assistance, securing financing, and other business support. The three new RTAs, expected to open by May, will receive $200,000 in state matching grants from the California Technology Investment Partnership (CalTIP). The RTA and CalTIP programs are administered by the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation.

While Silicon Valley lost jobs last year — the first decline since 1992 — value added per employee, a measure of productivity, increased 4.6 percent to $170,000 compared to $56,000 nationally, according to the Index of Silicon Valley 2002 released in January by Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network. The above figures and other economic data contained in the Index measure annual progress toward the long-term goals of an innovative economy, livable environment, inclusive society and regional stewardship established by Joint Venture in Silicon Valley 2010. The Index suggests that while the Valley faces short-term economic challenges, its long-term prospects remain strong, given continuing innovation and productivity gains. Important progress also is being made on long-term goals.

The San Diego Work Force Partnership recently released four strategic plans as a blueprint to prepare San Diego's workforce to compete in the changing global economy. Initiated as part of a broader Regional Workforce Development Strategic Planning Initiative, the plans reflect the concerns of area businesses for developing and maintaining skilled workers. San Diego Regional Technology Alliance, a nonprofit organization, and San Diego State University completed the plans, which evaluated workforce development trends in four local industry clusters — biosciences, computer and electronics, software and computer services, and visitor services. To study and formulate recommendations for the clusters, the plans' focus was to identify cluster employers' current training needs, data needs for educators and employers, and strategies to improve ongoing communication between educators and employers.

The third part in a series, "Tech-talkin Govs" highlights programs, policies and issues in tech-based economic development that were considered in the following governors' State of the State and Budget addresses. California Gray Davis, 2002-2003 Budget proposal, January 2002 http://www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/Budget02-03/00_toc.htm

Community Science Workshops (CSW) are spreading nationwide, due to a second $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that will enable San Francisco State University (SFSU) and its partners to create CSWs across the U.S.

CSWs, or informal drop-in science centers, were first given life four years ago when SFSU received its initial $3 million grant from NSF. Being self-supported through community partnerships, CSWs spread in 10 underserved California communities in Fresno, San Jose, Los Angeles, Watsonville and Oakland and led to satellite workshops in neighboring communities.

Eight of 15 new sites will be launched in cities including Tucson, Miami, Houston, New Orleans, Detroit, Seattle, New York, and Washington, D.C., with at least one workshop located on or near a Native American reservation. These sites will serve as hubs for developing spinoff sites.

Innovation indices or S&T report cards can be useful tools for assessing the health and direction of a region or state's economy. The results can be helpful for determining appropriate policies and programs to affect change and measuring progress. Evolving over the past five years, many states, localities and national organizations have prepared indices. Links to past Digest articles covering these reports are massed on the following web page: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Indices/indices.htm