SSTI Digest

The Louisiana Recovery Authority and the Louisiana Board of Regents recently unveiled a $28.5 million Research Commercialization and Educational Enhancement Program to stimulate economic development within the portions of the state severely impacted by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Funds for this program originate from the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) appropriated by the federal government.

 

State officials report how Louisiana suffered $400 million in damage to research facilities and infrastructure after the hurricanes. Furthermore, officials report the aggressive recruitment of key research faculty by out-of-state institutions as another threat to future development and economic recovery. While Louisiana had a strong pre-hurricane research capacity, it lacked a coordinated and focused strategy to drive new company creation, market development, and marketing opportunities, according to an action plan developed by the state.

 

The highlights of the RC/EEP program include the following components:

Early registration has ended and the conference hotel is full, but you still have the opportunity to join representatives from more than 40 states, provinces and three continents at the nations premier gathering of the technology-based economic development field. This is one conference you do not want to miss!



Transforming Regional Economies, SSTI's 10th Annual Conference is only three weeks away. The event, built around 22 timely breakout sessions, engaging plenary sessions, and a gala opening reception, will be held in Oklahoma City on Nov. 1-2, 2006. Four intensive pre-conference options, including a hands-on look at the transformation of Oklahoma City, are offered on Oct. 31.



The Renaissance Hotel graciously expanded SSTI's room block several times before the place was sold out. Don't despair! Rooms are available in two nearby hotels. Both had rooms available as of Oct. 11:



Courtyard Oklahoma City Downtown

2 West Reno Avenue

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102

Phone: (405) 232-2290

An assessment of patent activity for 3,200 faculty who were awarded patents at 54 U.S. research universities concluded that 33 percent were assigned outside of the university and its technology licensing offices (TLOs). Furthermore, 42 percent of the faculty members who were awarded patents from 1989 to 2003 bypassed their university and TLO at least one time to attain a patent.



In their paper, Full-Time Faculty or Part-Time Entrepreneurs?, Gideon Markman of the University of Georgia, Peter Gianiodis of Clemson University, and Phillip Phan of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute investigate the occurrence of university scientists to privately sell or license their discoveries separate from their university's technology licensing program. This is of particular interest to the TBED community because of the fiscal benefits that universities may collect from patent licensing, especially considering that many universities provide equipment, space, and additional infrastructure that is necessary for successful research.

 

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a total of $76 million over the next five years to fund multi-university collaborations to support four cross-disciplinary centers to address fundamental questions in the areas of next-generation polymers, climate modeling, microbial oceanography and coastal environments.



With the new awards, NSF currently supports 17 Science and Technology Centers that involve nearly 100 academic institutions, national laboratories, industrial organizations or other entities. The centers build intellectual and physical infrastructures within and between disciplines, and bring together the creation, integration, and transfer of new knowledge to the mainstream and industrial communities.



Centers offer the research and engineering community an effective mechanism to undertake long-term scientific and technological research and education activities, to explore better and more effective ways to educate students and to develop mechanisms to ensure the timely transition of research and education advances into service in society.

The recently released Economic Development Strategic Plan for the Commonwealth of Virginia includes measurable benchmarks to gauge the building blocks for economic development. As required by legislation, each of Virginia's governors must establish an Economic Development Strategic Plan within his first year in office. The 2006 version is the result of collaboration between the cabinet of Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, business leaders, economic development professionals, and private citizens.

 

The report details nine broad goals, which include such topics as: encouraging workforce development, emphasizing regional cooperation, supporting research and development, and strengthening tourism.

 

To accomplish many of these goals, several strategies are listed. Some of these strategies include benchmarks that may be of interest to the tech-based economic development community. By the year 2010, Virginia intends to: