SSTI Digest

The lazy days of summer may be the most challenging time to keep students and teachers motivated and engaged in academics. Fortunately, several programs across the country have risen to the challenge. And, with the Obama Administration's pledge to make math and science education a national priority, now may be an opportune time for collaboration among federal and state agencies, private foundations, and industry to reverse the U.S. decline in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Gov. John Baldacci signed two major bills this session supporting renewable energy R&D and creating a path for building private sector jobs in clean energy businesses. Lawmakers also passed a $150 million bond package, which includes funding for ocean and wind energy demonstration projects and support for Maine technology entrepreneurs. Voters will have the final say on the bond package in three separate ballot measures presented over the next two years.

In a period of tightening budgets, it is important for stakeholders to know that the investments they are making in tech-based economic development are yielding positive economic results - and returning revenue to the state. Recent impact assessments to examine comprehensive TBED programs in three states show how smart these investments have been. More telling, different evaluation models were used in all three states and they each reached similar conclusions: strategic TBED investments can stimulate economic growth.

State governments are poised to play a vital role in the economic recovery through their use of federally-appropriated funds and through their internal policy responses to the global crisis. Several states are focusing on innovation as a means of recovery. Massachusetts and Maine both recently released the latest editions of their annual innovation indices. These annual publications have long helped to clarify trends in the innovation economy and provided assessment of their performance relative to other states. This year these indices take on new significance as state governments search for potential paths out of the economic crisis.

Steve Bazinet has been hired as executive director of the Maine Center for Enterprise Development.

Rahindra Bose is Ohio University's new vice president for research and creative activity and dean of the graduate college.

David Fouts was selected as the next president and chief executive of MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network. Fouts replaces Fatima Weathers, who served for a year as acting president.

Denichiro Otsuga was named the first director of technology transfer at South Dakota State University.

Harris Pastides was selected to replace Andrew Sorensen as University of South Carolina system president. Sorenson retired after six years at the helm.

Although the U.S. broadband infrastructure has expanded rapidly over the past decade, 45 percent of rural areas still lack access to high-speed Internet services. A recent issue brief from the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices provides a number of strategies that have proven effective in expanding broadband access, particularly in underserved rural areas.   The brief highlights a number of state efforts that have been successful in expanding and improving service in recent years. These include the California Broadband Initiative, ConnectKentucky, Maine's ConnectME Authority and the New York State Council for Universal Broadband. Together, these profiles offer an overview of how states are approaching the digital divide.   NGA also presents a number of specific strategies that can be implemented in states with high-speed Internet gaps to create a comprehensive broadband access initiative. For example, the report provides a guide to 14 state tax credit programs that have been used to increase demand for broadband services or to encourage the development of new broadband infrastructure.  

“I recognize the importance of attracting venture capital and new investments to Maine,” Gov. John E. Baldacci said. The governor later added, “However, as it is currently written the bill carries enormous risk. This bill would guarantee a rate of return for venture capital investors while Maine would shoulder all the risk. The potential liability for the State is too great for me to sign this bill.”   By not signing the bill, Gov. Baldacci pocket vetoed LD 2320, entitled "An Act To Stimulate Capital Investment for Innovative Businesses in Maine.” The act would have created a Maine Fund of Funds program within the state’s Small Enterprise Growth Board to increase availability of venture capital.  

A recent study prepared for the Maine Technology Institute and the Office of Innovation within Maine’s Department of Economic and Community Development examines and ranks 16 identified technology clusters in Maine - defining eight as sustainable clusters, five as potential clusters, and three as emerging clusters. These labels are based upon an extended view of clusters, namely that successful clusters depend on knowledge generation and knowledge spillovers and not just specification within certain industries. Along with measures of entrepreneurship and product production and distribution, Maine’s Technology Sectors and Clusters: Status and Strategy examines 7,300 records of patents, grants and publications in the state to determine potential research strengths and opportunities within the state’s clusters.

A growing number of state governments face revenue uncertainties in the near future. More than half now expect budget deficits and shortfalls in the upcoming fiscal year and beyond. Despite the bleak outlook, however, legislators nationwide are continuing to invest in science and technology with many lawmakers projecting high returns to their state in the coming years. Following are highlights of TBED investments and reductions in recently approved budgets in Kentucky, Maine and Nebraska.   Kentucky Recognizing the statewide economic benefits of strategic investments in university research, Kentucky legislators concurred with Gov. Steve Beshear’s proposal to continue support for the Bucks for Brains initiative. Lawmakers approved $60 million in bonds under the fiscal year 2008-10 biennial budget agreement to expand the state’s endowment matching program used to attract high-quality researchers.   

Measuring the strength of a state or region’s economy, particularly the elements related to tech-based economic development, is a tricky but vital tool for developing and updating TBED policies. Several challenges present themselves when deciding what information to present on the elements of the innovation system and assessing the region’s health and performance relative to appropriate surrogates.   Fortunately for the field, two states that have been leaders in using an index as a policy development tool, released reports last week which display an array of methods to analyze their own state’s relative TBED performance. Each report provides a unique perspective and can provide models for emulation and customization by other states.   Massachusetts

A complete description of this opportunity and others is available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) is seeking someone to serve as manager of cluster and commercialization support programs. This position is primarily responsible for managing MTI's programs supporting the development of vibrant technology-intensive clusters and its activities supporting awardee commercialization and capital access.

Sally Bilancia was selected to replace Sally Bates as the development director in the City of Bangor, Maine.