SSTI Digest

The Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recently announced that they are restructuring the funding process for the broadband programs introduced in the Recovery Act earlier this year. Both the Broadband Initiatives Program and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program will make their investments through a single round of awards, instead of the planned two rounds, in order to streamline the process.The change was made in response to the overwhelming number of applications received by these programs during the first solicitation.

The first round of the grant and loan programs drew 2,200 applications from across the country, seeking almost $28 billion for regional projects, about seven-times more than the $4 billion that was to be awarded. By combining the second and third round of awards, the agencies will both reduce their administrative burden and save applicants the trouble of possibly applying twice for a chance and the remaining funds.

To attract additional federal funds and boost job creation, Michigan legislators passed a bill authorizing the state to spend another $30 million on a program to create alternative energy clusters and support technology commercialization.

The Centers of Energy Excellence program was enacted last year as part of Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s overall job creation and economic stimulus package proposed during her 2008 state of the state address (see the July 7, 2008 issue of the Digest). The Centers, which are administered through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, match base companies with universities, national labs and training centers to accelerate next-generation research, workforce development and technology commercialization. Lawmakers capitalized the program with $45 million for FY 2008-09.

A recent survey found 78 percent of Americans believe innovation will be more important to the U.S. economy in the next thirty years than the previous thirty years. While the importance of innovation is recognized, 81 percent of Americans believe the quality of K-12 math and science education lags behind other countries. The survey of 1,200 U.S. respondents, commissioned by the Intel Corporation and Newsweek magazine, found that 33 percent of Americans said the U.S. will be the global leader in technology innovation during the next 30 years, while 30 percent said Japan, and 22 percent said China. More information on the survey is available at: http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/innovation/survey/

Gov. Donald Carcieri signed legislation last week expanding the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (EDC) board and allowing the state to offer the incoming EDC director a three-year contract that extends past the governor’s term, which ends next January. The changes are expected to boost the agency’s effectiveness and attract better candidates for the state’s top economic development position.

Under the new law, the governor will serve as chairperson of the board and will appoint four additional board members for a total of 12. The measure also includes new requirements that the “membership of the board shall reflect the geographic diversity of the state,” and include one member that represents higher education.

Legislation to overhaul the agency was introduced earlier this year by Senate President M. Teresa Paiva- Weed following a report criticizing the agency’s effectiveness and calling for fresh leadership, according to The Providence Journal. Initial plans called for the creation of an oversight committee to monitor EDC’s work. That provision was not included in the final bill.

Underrepresented minorities were awarded 79,097 bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering related fields in 2006, an 18 percent increase from 2002, according to data released this month by the National Science Foundation. In 2006, 14,099 S&E master’s degrees and 1,661 S&E doctoral degrees were awarded to underrepresented minorities, a 32 percent and 12 percent increase, respectively, compared to five years earlier. Out of all science and engineering bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2006, 16.7 percent went to underrepresented minorities, compared to 11.7 percent of all S&E master’s degrees awarded and 5.6 percent of all S&E doctoral degree awarded. Science and Engineering Degrees, by Race/Ethnicity 1997-2006 can be accessed at: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf10300/

Since the 1990s, Maine has done an excellent job investing in R&D to establish a robust research capacity, but little has been done in terms of building a capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, according to the 2010 Science and Technology Action Plan. The report identifies three main strategies to position the state as a global competitor and create high-paying jobs and economic prosperity.

The roots of Maine’s investment in science and technology are traced back to a $20 million bond approved by voters in 1998 for R&D, which established the Maine Technology Institute, the Maine Economic Improvement Fund, the Advanced Technology Development Centers, and the Maine Patent Program. This support was continued with additional bond investments in 2003, 2005 and 2008. And while those investments have paid off in total R&D performance, the research is not being commercialized or connected to industry in a way that maximizes economic impact to the state, the report finds.

Three main strategies and several actions steps are described in the plan, which calls for $32 million annually to implement the recommendations, including:

The total number of international students at colleges and universities in the U.S. reached an all-time high of 671,616 in the 2008/09 school year, rising 8 percent from the previous year and representing the largest percentage increase in 28 years. The Institute of International Education (IIE) reports in its annual Open Doors report that 15.4 percent of international students in the U.S. came from India, 14.6 percent from China, and 11.2 percent from South Korea. A record number of U.S. students studied abroad as well, with the UK, Italy, Spain, France, and China as the top destinations during the 2007/08 school year. More information on the Open Doors 2009 report is available at: http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/

Nov 16-22 marks the second annual Global Entrepreneurship Week, a celebration of fostering innovation and ambition in people under 30 years of age and encouraging them to start new businesses. Founded by the U.S.-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the UK-based Make Your Mark campaign, the Global Entrepreneur Week website maintains an interactive calendar of entrepreneur-focused events in 87 countries and all 50 states. According to the site, Tennessee leads the U.S. with 52 scheduled events, followed by California (41 events), Michigan (40 events), Florida (37 events), and New Jersey (31 events). More information regarding Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009 is available at: http://www.unleashingideas.org/

NorTech, the Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition, seeks applications for a Vice President of Strategic Outreach. Reporting to the president and CEO, and serving as an integral member of the senior management team, the VP of Strategic Outreach will be responsible for the development of NorTech’s overall communication strategy and building relationships with key stakeholders. The VP of Strategic Outreach will be responsible for the development, integration, and implementation of a broad range of marketing communications and public relations activities relative to the strategic direction and positioning of the organization and its leadership.

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Mayors from across the nation anticipate their cities will be in worse financial shape next year as sales tax revenue, revenue from service fees, and property tax revenues all are expected to decline. Findings from the U.S. Conference of Mayors survey indicate that while two out of three mayors expect budget shortfalls this year, four out of five are projecting shortfalls in their next fiscal year and those shortfalls are expected to be the same or larger than this year’s experiences.

More than half of the 158 mayors surveyed say that despite the funding provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the current budget situation has affected their ability to engage in job-creating projects. Moreover, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and IHS Global Insight project job losses will continue into 2010 and will not regain their 2007 peak until late 2012. The most common actions being taken by cities to avoid budget shortfalls this year include postponing projects or initiatives (81 percent), eliminating city positions through attrition (75 percent), and reducing purchasing and procurement (73 percent).

Exactly six weeks into the federal government's fiscal year which commenced on Oct 1, five of the 12 appropriations bills for FY10 have been signed into law by President Obama. The remaining seven bills are at various places in the appropriations process, none of which have emerged from conference committee for a final vote by each chamber.

This means the final appropriations for departments such as Defense, Commerce, Labor, Education, HHS and the NIH, and agencies such as NSF and NASA still need to be resolved. However, the budget bills that have become law, including the Energy and Water bill, the Interior and Environment bill, and the Agriculture bill, contain specific line-items which can be reported for various research, development, and TBED content.

All eyes are on New Jersey and Virginia as newly elected governors soon will unveil action plans and proposals for their first year in office. During the recent gubernatorial campaigns, Governors-elect Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell both outlined plans to transform their respective states’ economies and create high-paying jobs through targeted investments in renewable energy. The following is an overview of the energy proposals outlined during the campaigns.

New Jersey
Gov.-elect Chris Christie’s Energy as Industry plan focuses on re-branding New Jersey to promote the state’s resources to energy producers and providing incentives for renewable energy manufacturers to locate in the state and create high-paying jobs.