SSTI Digest

With Earth Day just around the corner, SSTI is taking a closer look at environmental science research spending in the states.  Even as climate change emerged as a key political topic during the first decade of the millennium, spending on environmental research at American colleges and universities declined as a percentage of all R&D, according to data from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey. Between 2003-12, environmental science expenditures fell from 5.3 percent of all R&D expenditures to 4.8 percent. California universities spent the most in FY12, but Wyoming and Nevada devoted the highest percentage of their R&D spending on environmental science.  The District of Columbia and Maryland spent the most per capita. During the FY2003-12 period, environmental science academic R&D expenditures grew about 45 percent, but did not keep pace with overall growth in expenditures. Total R&D expenditures grew by about 59 percent in those years. All of the subfields of environmental science increased their spending levels, but only the earth sciences increased their share of all academic…

Telling your story helps generate buzz about the value of investing in science, technology and innovation to create vibrant regional economies and improve our nation's competitiveness. SSTI is accepting applications for the 2014 Excellence in TBED awards. This is a great opportunity to share with the country how your efforts to improve economic competitiveness are succeeding in your state or region. Eligibility includes: venture development organizations, tech transfer offices, tech councils, accelerators, venture funds, statewide tech-based initiatives, university-industry partnerships, and others. Applications due June 17. Learn more: http://www.sstiawards.org/.

The FY15 budget bill passed by Maryland lawmakers increases funding for three of the state’s high-tech tax credits and provides level funding for continued innovation-focused investments. Lawmakers also passed bills to fund endowed chairs, create zones to incentivize businesses, and establish a statewide internship program connecting students to small, technology businesses. Under the approved budget, $12 million is available for investors claiming the Biotech Tax Credit, a $2 million increase over last year. The program provides refundable income tax credits equal to 50 percent of an eligible investment in seed and early stage biotechnology companies. Lawmakers increased by $1 million each funding for the Cyber Tax Credit ($4 million total) and R&D Tax Credit ($9 million total). Level funding of $18.6 million was approved for the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), which includes $10.4 million for the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund. Lawmakers also approved a bill establishing a new Cybersecurity Investment Fund to provide early stage seed funding for emerging companies focused on cybersecurity and technology product development. TEDCO…

Inconsistent federal support for clean energy research and infrastructure projects in recent years has hampered the blossoming of an industry that has long been touted as a key part of the new American economy. As a result, states and local governments have stepped into the fray with clean energy funds, green banks and other tools to finance the development of the clean energy economy. A paper from the Brookings Institution explores another underutilized tool available to local governments, the bond market. Bond financing is a common source of capital for large-scale, state and local infrastructure projects, but one that has often been underappreciated as a potential financing tool for projects related to clean energy, advanced manufacturing and the high-tech economy in general.  In recent years, however, a number of states and local governments have begun to experiment with the issuance of bonds to bring new capital into the clean energy sector.  The authors compile a number of examples of organizations in the economic development and technology-based economic development communities that have issued bonds to support clean energy projects. The New York…

Two proposals announced by Gov. Peter Shumlin would provide additional lending tools and incentives to attract and retain technology companies using revenue surpluses for the current fiscal year. The first proposal would establish the Vermont Enterprise Incentive Fund and authorize the governor to offer an incentive package not exceeding $4.5 million to businesses that have a substantial statewide or regional economic or employment impact. The second part adds $500,000 in state general funds to the $1 million in federal funds available to the Vermont Economic Development Authority’s Entrepreneurial Lending program. The program will create a loan loss reserve to reduce the risk of lending to the startup tech sector, according to the governor’s press office. Read the announcement.

Aligning industry needs with workforce training has gained renewed focus in states and emerged as a national priority. This week, President Obama announced two grant programs totaling $600 million in existing funds that challenge academic institutions and businesses to design job training for the globalized economy and set industry-recognized standards. The grant programs fall into two categories. The first challenge is part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance and Community College and Career Training competitive grant program that supports community colleges in preparing dislocated workers. Under the new initiative, the Department of Labor invites applications for training programs that respond to employer demand and create pathways from entry-level positions to more advanced positions. Funding for the $500 million competition is prioritized toward partnerships that include industry associations that help in designing the program and implementing industry-recognized credentials. The second competition provides $100 million in existing H-1B funds to expand apprenticeship opportunities across the country. The new program, to be launched this fall, will focus on…

Tennessee legislators overwhelmingly approved Gov. Bill Haslam's cornerstone proposal for addressing affordability and accessibility issues plaguing higher education while at the same time making a substantial commitment toward future workforce preparedness: free community/technical college tuition. First unveiled in his February State of the State address, "Tennessee Promise" guarantees every graduating high school student may enjoy tuition-free attendance at any institution within the state's system of community colleges and colleges of applied technology. The program, slated to start in the fall of 2015, will be designed to allow students to earn an associate's degree at the community and technical colleges or, if they choose, transfer to one of the state's public universities as juniors to complete a full-four year degree — effectively cutting the cost of college in half for participating students. Transferring credits from two-year to four-year schools, often a stumbling block in many states, is ensured through the Tennessee Transfer Pathways Guarantee, created by the governor and legislature in 2010. To help further…

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has unveiled an economic development package intended to bolster the state’s role in the global tech economy through multi-year investments totaling an estimated $100 million. More details will be available soon, but the package includes a new Global Entrepreneur in Residence Program that will help entrepreneurial foreign students remain in the country even without H-1B visas, an expansion of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s internship and mentoring program, recapitalization of the MassVentures public venture fund, an expanded R&D tax credit program, and a new Middle Skills Job Training Grant Fund. The governor also is proposing to eliminate non-compete clauses for tech businesses, a move modeled on policies in California. More details…

Registration is now open for the Excellence in TBED awards informational call. The purpose of the call is to share tips on writing a better proposal, explain the program in greater detail, and answer questions. Advice from past judges of the awards program also will be highlighted. Learn more and register at: http://www.sstiawards.org/. 

On the first anniversary of President Obama's BRAIN Initiative (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) announcement, the National Science Foundation (NSF) unveiled a new online portal that allows visitors to find NSF brain-related information in one place. The Understanding the Brian Portal will be a centralized source for the latest funding for brain related research, event announcements and federal resources that support neuroscience research. The portal also hosts public-facing articles and videos about new findings. Read the announcement…

Montana’s new business plan commissioned by Gov. Steve Bullock outlines five overarching themes, described as pillars, with specific goals, objectives and tasks for diversifying the state’s economy. Encouraging innovation and supporting emerging industries is the focus of one pillar, with recommendations for strengthening the role of universities, establishing funding streams for entrepreneurs, and developing a network of statewide business mentors. The Main Street Montana Project was lead by two top business leaders in the state to ensure private sector buy-in, according to the governor. The team convened seven roundtables in each of the state’s five geographic locations and tribal communities to gather information about challenges and opportunities facing businesses and workers. Participants included representatives from business, labor, education, local government, nonprofit, and other interest groups. They also visited surrounding states to look at best practices and analyze Montana’s regional competitiveness. In general, Montanans recognized the importance of their quality of life, but wanted the economy to become more diversified with…

A progress report from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) provides a useful overview of the Obama administration’s ongoing STEM efforts and the roster of STEM initiatives included in the president’s FY15 budget request. Under the proposed budget, federal spending on STEM education would reach $2.9 billion in FY15, a 3.7 percent increase over FY14 funding as enacted. The largest agency increases would come from the Department of Education, which would receive $658 million (35.7 percent increase) with support for a new STEM Innovation Networks program, and the Department of Transportation, which would receive $100 million with funding for a University Transportation Centers Program (16.3 percent increase).  Read the report…