SSTI Digest

Making the single largest TBED related investment in its history, the Arizona legislature approved and Gov. Janet Napolitano signed the state's FY 2006-07 budget, which includes $35 million for the new Arizona 21st Century Competitive Initiative Fund. HB 2477 is the successor in concept to the Innovation Arizona fund proposed by Gov. Napolitano during her State-of-the-State Address earlier this year. The new fund will support scientific, medical and engineering research programs and infrastructure in targeted fields, particularly biosciences.

Ireland, a country the geographic size of West Virginia and with only four million citizens, about the same as Kentucky, is launching a comprehensive strategy to significantly strengthen the nation's position in the knowledge economy by 2013. And it is investing 2.7 billion Euros by 2008 - or $3.4 billion U.S. - toward implementing more than 75 specific action items. Released June 25 by Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation presents the reasons for making such a sizable commitment as well as the areas to receive the targeted investment. For instance, in the area of delivering world class research, the island nation will expand its recent expenditures for its university research infrastructure with the goal of doubling the number of Ph.D. graduates by 2013. Public research activities, those carried out or supported by the national government, will be expanded in research thrusts of: agriculture and food; health; environment; marine sciences; and energy.

Summer is road construction season for much of the country. A necessary inconvenience for maintaining our transportation system because connectivity is a fundamental requirement for commerce. For two parties to exchange goods, services or knowledge, they have to be able to find each other. The location and capacity of transportation infrastructures - sea ports, railways and interstate highways - very much determines the opportunity for and extent of economic growth. In a knowledge-based global economy, fiber connectivity is increasingly critical for supporting a regional innovation structure.

A new National Science Foundation (NSF) report shows graduate enrollment in S&E increased by 4.2 percent from 2002, reaching a record high of 474,203 students in fall 2003. Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 2003 presents the distribution of graduate students in science and engineering (S&E) by academic fields, demographics, institution and state. Data contained in the report represent estimates of S&E enrollment from 12,261 graduate departments at 591 institutions in the U.S. and outlying areas. Using the report and NSF's data on 2003 federal R&D obligations to academic institutions, SSTI has prepared a table ranking federal R&D obligations per S&E graduate student by state. Results show Vermont led the nation in federal R&D obligations at $137.89 per student in 2003. Maryland ranked second with federal R&D obligations per student at $121.37, followed by Alaska ($97.57), New Hampshire ($96.01) and Washington ($93.93).

SSTI, a growing nonprofit organization serving the nation's tech-based economic development (TBED) community, seeks a policy analyst to research and prepare reports, articles and papers on TBED and assist with SSTI events. Excellent research abilities, strong writing and verbal skills and solid understanding of government are required. Candidates must have ability to work independently or as part of a committed team and be dedicated to creating a quality product. Those with a passion for economic development and/or government will have an edge. Salary commensurate with experience. Position located in Westerville, OH. Send cover letter, resume, and list of references to: SSTI, Human Resources; 5015 Pine Creek Dr., Westerville, OH 43081 http://www.ssti.org or via e-mail to hr@ssti.org.

George Burrell is the new president and CEO of Innovation Philadelphia. Randy Goldsmith, is the new president and CEO of the Mississippi Technology Alliance. Goldsmith formerly was Assistant Vice President for Technology Transfer and Economic Development at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. Krista Paternostro is the new vice president of operations at the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

George Burrell is the new president and CEO of Innovation Philadelphia.

Randy Goldsmith, is the new president and CEO of the Mississippi Technology Alliance. Goldsmith formerly was Assistant Vice President for Technology Transfer and Economic Development at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.

Krista Paternostro is the new vice president of operations at the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

This week's Funding Supplement will be sent on Thursday, June 29. With the Fourth of July holiday, neither the SSTI Weekly Digest or Funding Supplement will be published next week.

The fifth installment to Walkin' the Tech Talkin' Gov Walk (see the April 17, May 8, June 5 and June 12 issues of the Digest) covers the outcome of the 2006 Massachusetts legislative sessions. Following is a synopsis of bills passed and budget appropriations relevant to tech-based economic development and the priorities outlined in respective gubernatorial addresses at the beginning of 2006. Massachusetts

Four short years ago, 37 states were in fiscal crisis, many making several rounds of deep spending cuts to cope with the most dramatic reduction in revenues in 20 years. In all, more than $15 billion were shaved from state budgets. Twenty-one states experienced negative revenue growth in FY 2003, forcing even deeper cuts. The fiscal winter of '02-'03 slowed many states' strategies for supporting growth in their knowledge-based economies. In contrast, the latest June 2006 Fiscal Survey of the States, prepared by the National Association of State Budget Officers and the National Governors Association, reveals only four states were forced to reduce enacted budgets during FY 2006 because of revenues falling short of projections when budgets were enacted. The four were Indiana, Louisiana (post-Katrina), New Jersey and Rhode Island.