SSTI Digest

Peter McPherson, president emeritus of Michigan State University, is the next president of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges.

If the innovation powerhouse that represents the U.S. economy for the past century were a cinder block foundation of a house, then China and India would present two of the more significant cracks. These two great nations may grab the headlines, but the improved innovation and research capacities of any country provide new challenges for continued U.S. domination of the world's economy. As this week's article on the Czech Republic and Singapore reveals, these are just two more blocks in the U.S. wall to show stress fractures.

"Now, hold on SSTI," you may be saying to yourself. "You want me to lose sleep over the smaller economies, too?" Worry and lose sleep? No. But we do want more people to wake up to what's going on in the basement.

A comprehensive survey of 12,000 departments within 591 institutions of higher education in the U.S. reveals that, in 2003, graduate student enrollment in S&E programs increased by 4 percent over the previous year and 9 percent over the past decade. Foreign student enrollment, however, decreased 8 percent in 2003 after falling 6 percent the year before.

While the U.S. commitment to science is threatened by flattening federal R&D investments, two more countries demonstrate their shared belief that the way to economic prosperity is through science and innovation.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has outlined a five-year economic development plan that calls for doubling R&D's share of the gross domestic product by 2010. To achieve that goal requires increasing government spending for science and innovation by 20-25 percent annually, according to Martin Jahn, deputy prime minister for the economy.

Should policymakers focus on urban core centers as keys to economic growth or seek greater economic equity in the less developed periphery? A new study on regional policy and economic geography suggest policies should be directed toward core growth.

In New Economic Geography, Empirics, and Regional Policy, the authors examine historic development patterns in Europe and test a new geographic model with time series data. Authors Steven Brakman, Harry Garretsen, Joeri Gorter, Albert van der Horst, and Marc Schramm conclude that economic activity quickly balances in favor of existing central clusters regardless of policies. In fact, policies focused on building regional infrastructure, as a way to pull commerce into less developed regions, often results in drawing activity back to core areas over time.

The study highlights the following policy-related conclusions:

Arizona State University professor James Collins is the new assistant director for biological sciences at the National Science Foundation.

Larry Cox is the new director of the Ball State University Entrepreneurship Program, effective Aug. 22.

Louisiana Department of Economic Development announced Robert Fudickar will be the technology industry director for the state agency.

Russel Hancock is the new president and CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley.

Arizona State University professor James Collins is the new assistant director for biological sciences at the National Science Foundation.

Larry Cox is the new director of the Ball State University Entrepreneurship Program, effective Aug. 22.

Louisiana Department of Economic Development announced Robert Fudickar will be the technology industry director for the state agency.

Russel Hancock is the new president and CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley.

The U.S. Department of Commerce is promoting Chris Israel to serve as coordinator for international intellectual property enforcement. The new position will coordinate interagency protection efforts to combat international IP piracy.

William "Bill" Mahoney is the new president and CEO of the South Carolina Research Authority.