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SSTI Digest
Geography: Virginia
Five NSF S&T Centers Funded
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has committed almost $94 million over the next five years in matching funds for five new Science & Technology Centers (STC). The new centers join 23 existing centers that were selected in 1989 and 1991. (Two more original STCs cease to exist.)
The STC program funds academic-industry-government partnerships in specific technology areas for fundamental research activities that create educational opportunities. The centers also encourage technology transfer and innovative approaches to interdisciplinary research projects.
The five new centers are:
Science and Technology Center on Nanobiotechnology (Lead institution: Cornell University)
EPSCoR Evaluation Released
The National Science Foundation's Directorate for Education and Human Resources has released A Report on the Evaluation of the National Science Foundation's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. The report (NSF 99-115) was prepared under contract by the COSMOS Corporation.
Among the report's findings are:
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The EPSCoR states increased their aggregate share of federal academic R&D awards from 0.25 percent per state in 1980 of total awards to 0.40 percent per state in 1994. In contrast, the non-EPSCoR states' share declined modestly over the same period. A "per state" unit of analysis was used to assess changes in R&D because the number of states participating in the program changed over time as new cohorts of states were added to the program. (See accompanying table)
NSF Releases MRSEC Solicitation
The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences Division of Materials Research has announced that approximately $22 million will be awarded in FY 2000 for grants to support 10-15 Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs).
Awards are expected to range from $500,000 to $5 million per year and last for up to five years. Proposals from existing centers will compete against new proposals. Selections will be made in September, 2000.
The MSRECs are intended to support interdisiplinary and multidisciplinary materials research and education of the highest quality while addressing fundamental problems in science and engineering that are important to society. They are expected to have strong links to industry and other sectors and to develop a national network of university-based centers in materials research.
Positions Available
Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology is seeking a new President and Chief Executive Officer. The CIT president's primary responsibility will be to assist the Secretary of Technology in implementing the Commonwealth's technology strategy by developing and directing CIT's key role in the strategy. Applications are due by June 22, 1999.
The Maine Science and Technology Foundation is seeking a Director of Policy Analysis to manage the development and implementation of the state's science and technology policy and the measurement of the impact of science and technology on the state's economy. Applications are due by June 15, 1999.
Full position descriptions for both can be found on the SSTI home page at www.ssti.org
NSF, EPA Looking for Sustainable Environment Technology
The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Science Foundation have announced approximately $5 million will be awarded in FY 2000 for grants to support research toward "Technology for a Sustainable Environment."
Entities eligible to submit proposals include universities and not-for-profit institutions. The agencies anticipate making 20 grant awards for the solicitation in January 2000. Proposals are due July 26, 1999.
The competition is designed to address pollution avoidance/prevention processes, methodologies, and technology research. Research proposals are invited that advance the development and use of innovative technologies and approaches directed at avoiding or minimizing the generation of pollutants at the source.
People
Robert Templin, president of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), has resigned. Wolfgang Tolle, managing director, has been named acting president. Patsy Brown, CIT's director of public affairs, also has left CIT.
People
Kate Latta Hoffher, senior public affairs specialist with the National Science Foundation's Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, is on detail to NSF's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) until the end of July.
PRESIDENTIAL MENTORING AWARD NOMINEES SOUGHT
The National Science Foundation has issued a call for nominations for the 1999 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). Each award is accompanied by a $10,000 grant.
Awards will be made to individuals or institutions. The award recognizes individuals who have "demonstrated outstanding and sustained mentoring and effective guidance to a significant number of students at the K-12, undergraduate or graduate education level."
Institutions will be recognized for programming that enables "a substantial number of students underrepresented in science, mathematics and engineering to successfully pursue and complete relevant degree programs." Post-secondary institutions must demonstrate students have been mentored successfully to either the baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral levels.
BORDOGNA NAMED NSF DEPUTY DIRECTOR
The President announced his intent to nominate Dr. Joseph Bordogna as Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). Dr. Bordogna has served as Acting Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the National Science Foundation since 1996. For the four years prior to this service, he was the Assistant Director for Engineering at the National Science Foundation. He has served at the University of Pennsylvania in a variety of teaching and research positions, as a professor of engineering and director of the Moore School of Electrical Engineering and as dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
NSF 1998 SBIR PHASE I AWARDS BY STATE
The accompanying table on the SSTI website http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/NSFfy98_SBIR1.htm presents the results of the 1998 SBIR Phase I competition held by the National Science Foundation in rank order by total dollars awards in each state. The award figures were compiled from the NSF Fast Lane website. (There were no Phase I awards reported within the 13 states omitted from the table.
Details on each specific award may be obtained from the NSF FastLane website at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov
NSF Invests $10 Million in New Engineering Research Centers
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has invested $10 million to fund the first year of new Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) in Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, South Carolina and Virginia. Each of the five centers will receive $2 million in the first year from the NSF, leveraged by support from industry, state governments and partnering universities. NSF will support the centers for five years, after which the support agreement is subject to renewal.
The NSF has established 34 ERCs nationwide since 1985. NSF created the ERC program to foster partner-ships between government, industry and universities in research and engineering. ERC partnerships work to solve crucial research issues that could hinder advances in emerging technologies. As the ERCs develop advanced technologies, they also prepare the next generation of engineers with practical experience in leadership and team-building skills.
VIRGINIA SELECTS THREE NEW CENTERS
Innovative manufacturing, plasma and photon processing, and Internet technology will be the focus of three new Centers of Excellence in Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia and Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) recently announced the selection of these three new Centers as the second-generation of CIT’s Technology Development Centers program. The new centers will host research and development efforts focused on existing and emerging technologies of importance to the growth of Virginia’s technology industry. The centers will develop technology, apply and commercialize the technology with industry partners and provide a rapid response capability to assist technology-based companies with short-term needs. Thirteen Technology Development Centers (TDCs) have been funded at Virginia state-supported universities since 1986. The TDCs have focused on such areas as fiber optics, composite materials, advanced computer technology, biotechnology and wireless communications. In