SSTI Digest

The latest Fiscal Survey of States reveals that many states still face tough budget challenges, despite the fact that extreme revenue shortfalls of the past have subsided. The survey, which measures the fiscal health of states, is conducted semi-annually by the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) and the National Governors Association (NGA).

Forty-two states saw revenues exceed original budget obligations in fiscal year 2005. Five - Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Rhode Island - fell below budget projections and made mid- or end-year corrections.

Ten are projecting negative growth in FY 2006: Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Research continues to point to universities and public research organizations as the engines of innovation. But how does one build bridges between academics and industry that result in formal research agreements and specific problem-solving approaches? Two French studies suggest academic research with links to industry and across disciplines enhance the transfer of knowledge, focusing on directly applicable outcomes.

Factors Affecting University-Industry R&D Collaboration

In Factors Affecting University-Industry R&D Collaboration: The importance of screening and signalling, authors Roberto Fontana, Aldo Geuna, and Mirelle Matt identify common characteristics of industrial firms with formal R&D agreements and successful collaborations with universities and other public research organizations. Their findings include:

Recently released U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data show Nevada outpaced all other states in the percent growth of its real gross state product (GSP) over the period 2000-2004. The western state's real GSP grew from nearly $74.8 billion in 2000 to more than $90 billion in 2004, a 20.8 percent change, based on 2004 estimates.

BEA, which indicates it will provide further detail in its next Survey of Current Business issue, derives 2004 estimates from a "prototype methodology" used to speed up the release of reference year data from past release schedules. The 2004 estimates arrived six months after the reference year, or 12 months ahead of prior schedules. Estimates for 2003 and earlier are based on BEA's regular GSP methodology.

Building high-quality communities is the underpinning of long-term economic development, suggests new Southern Growth Policies Board research. A report published by Southern Growth, The New Architecture of Rural Prosperity, states that although measurable progress has been made in the past several decades, the rural South continues to lag the nation in educational achievement, health care and economic performance.

The inclusiveness in the development of the report's recommendations is a credit to Southern Growth. More than 2,200 southerners participated in focus groups, forums and surveys to provide input. Participants indicated that lack of job opportunities for educated young people and quality of education are the biggest barriers to economic prosperity in their communities.

Gov. Tom Vilsack announced that Mary Lawyer will serve as acting director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Mike Blouin resigned from the position last week to launch his campaign to become the state's next governor.

After nine years as deputy director of the National Science Foundation, Dr. Joseph Bordogna is resigning. He will return to the University of Pennsylvania as Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Engineering.

Gov. Tom Vilsack announced that Mary Lawyer will serve as acting director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Mike Blouin resigned from the position last week to launch his campaign to become the state's next governor.

After nine years as deputy director of the National Science Foundation, Dr. Joseph Bordogna is resigning. He will return to the University of Pennsylvania as Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Engineering.

Pauli Jacobi, director of the Louisiana State University System Research and Technology Foundation, is resigning her position but will remain an LSU employee.

Darrell Kelley, CEO of Enterprise Florida for the past three years, will retire on Aug. 1.

Technology specialist David Levine, hired by Gov. Joe Manchin in March, is leaving the governor's office to become executive director of the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center.

Ed Morrison, formerly with the Weatherhead School of Management in Cleveland, opened the Institute for Open Source Economic Development. He will continue to maintain the EDPro weblog.

Richard Overmoyer, deputy secretary for technology investment at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, is leaving to join the lobbying group, GSP Consulting.