SSTI Digest

Information technology (IT) permeates almost all aspects of the economy and is what really drives economic growth, according to a report released this month by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). The report’s authors, Robert Atkinson and Andrew McKay, believe the diffusion of information technology increases worker productivity 3-5 times more than non-IT capital. In Digital Prosperity: Understanding the Economic Benefits of the Information Technology Revolution, they collect and synthesize various reports citing the influence of IT, separated into five key measures: productivity, employment, efficiency of markets, quality of goods and services, and the innovation of new products and services.   Atkinson and McKay offer guiding principles for policymakers to help sustain IT-based growth, including:

The federal government distributed $23.8 billion in R&D obligations to universities and colleges in fiscal year 2004 — a 4.4 percent increase from the FY 2003 total of $22.8 billion, according to new National Science Foundation (NSF) data. In its report, Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: Fiscal Year 2004, NSF details all categories of direct federal science and engineering support to institutions of higher education in the U.S.   Single-year snapshots can be misleading, so SSTI has prepared a table using the NSF data that shows the state rankings for total federal academic R&D obligations and percent change over the five-year period of 2000-2004. Nationally, federal R&D obligations grew by 37.7 percent over the period but some states saw much larger changes. Among these states, Hawaii showed the largest increase in federal R&D obligations at 108.3 percent, followed by Nebraska (85.2 percent), North Dakota (81.5 percent), Tennessee (73.9 percent) and Kentucky (60.9 percent).  

Eric Cromwell announced he is resigning as director of technology development for the State of Tennessee. Frank Dinucci announced he will step down in April 2007 as president of Connecticut Innovations. C. Robert Eaton is resigning as president of MdBio, effective March 31, 2007, to pursue other opportunities in the private sector. Bill Goetz, chief of staff in the North Dakota Office of the Governor, has been selected to be chancellor of the North Dakota University System, beginning July 1, 2007. Oleg Kaganovich will resign as CEO of the Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance (SARTA) in June 2007, but remain a member of SARTA's board of directors.

Eric Cromwell announced he is resigning as director of technology development for the State of Tennessee.

Frank Dinucci announced he will step down in April 2007 as president of Connecticut Innovations.

C. Robert Eaton is resigning as president of MdBio, effective March 31, 2007, to pursue other opportunities in the private sector.

Bill Goetz, chief of staff in the North Dakota Office of the Governor, has been selected to be chancellor of the North Dakota University System, beginning July 1, 2007.

Oleg Kaganovich will resign as CEO of the Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance (SARTA) in June 2007, but remain a member of SARTA's board of directors.

Robert Santy is the new president and CEO of CERC, the Connecticut Economic Resource Center Inc., filling the position left vacant due to the retirement of Marty Hunt.

Peter Scott was named the director of Kettering University's new Fuel Cell and Advanced Technology Incubator.

The New York Biotechnology Association has named Nathan Tinker its executive director, replacing Karin Duncker, who resigned in 2006.

The Center for Economic Growth has selected F. Michael Tucker as its new president and CEO. Tucker replaces Kelly Lovell, who left the position in December to become president and CEO of International Business Development Group.