SSTI Digest

Ed Linsenmeyer, with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, has been elected to serve as the Chair of the Federal Laboratories Consortium for Technology Transfer at the FLC's recent annual meeting. Larry Dickens, with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was elected Vice Chair.

Bill Madia is leaving his position as director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory to oversee all Department of Energy business for Battelle Memorial Institute.

Larry Moolenaar is the new Executive Director of the Eastern Carolina Council of Governments.

Noreen Scott, former economic development division director for the New Mexico Department of Economic Development, is the executive director for the Rio Rancho Economic Development Corp.

The Greenville Spartanburg Anderson Technology Council has named Philip Yanov executive director.

Research released this week by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) suggests that, failing a dramatic turnaround in the national economy, a recovery in the IT sector in 2003 will most likely continue to be a “jobless” one.

A telephone survey of 400 hiring managers from IT and non-IT companies nationwide found that predicted demand for hiring IT workers has reached an historic low of only 493,000 positions over the next 12 months — down from 1.6 million at the start of 2000 and less than one-half of the predicted 1.1 million positions needed at the start of 2002. Sixty-seven percent of those interviewed said they thought hiring demand would stay the same or decline over the next 12 months.

In the final week of its 2003 Legislative Session, the North Dakota State Legislature passed sweeping legislation that favors tech-based economic development in the state. The Greater North Dakota Association (GNDA), serving as the state's Chamber of Commerce, subsequently issued a summary of those bills targeted toward job growth. Some highlights of GNDA's summary are presented below:

To spur technology development in the state, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) has entered a collaborative agreement with the nation's cryptologic organization, the National Security Agency (NSA). TEDCO’s mission is to help foster a technology economy that will create and sustain businesses throughout Maryland. NSA coordinates, directs and performs highly specialized activities to protect U.S. information systems and produce foreign intelligence information.

The agreement establishes that TEDCO and NSA will focus on tech transfer by identifying federally funded NSA research results ready for industrial transfer; identifying technologies in the industrial sector that merit transfer into NSA; and identifying technology-based business opportunities that benefit both Maryland and NSA.

Given the proportionately small amount of money invested in transportation research and development (R&D), significant gaps exist in ensuring that the more than $120 billion in annual transportation funding is being spent wisely, witnesses have told a House Science Subcommittee. The testimony came at a hearing in April exploring the needs of transportation R&D as Congress considers the renewal of a massive transportation bill.

"Considering that we won't have the ability to simply build more roads to keep pace with our growth due especially to urban population density, we must look at new ways to improve the overall system, to make it safer and more efficient," Environment, Technology, and Standards Subcommittee Chairman Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) said.

As states and communities consider how to build a tech-based economy, the prospects of centering efforts around hydrogen fuel cell technology has become an increasingly appealing option. Fuel cells may have huge implications for the future, and the technology already is the focus of some states' multi-billion economic development strategies. California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and Ohio offer a few examples (see May 17, 2002 issue of the Digest). In all, approximately 20 states are believed to be in various stages of hydrogen development.

Nonprofits looking for financial assistance, technology assistance or assistance in general may not need to look much further than one browser window. Two online resources, TechSoup and Gifts In Kind, offer a wide variety of tools that can help nonprofit organizations stretch tight budgets.

TechSoup is a comprehensive source of technology information just for nonprofit organizations. Powered by CompuMentor, one of the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit technology assistance agencies, TechSoup.org offers nonprofits one-stop shopping for their technology needs. While TechSoup is aimed at the 650,000 small to midsize nonprofits, larger nonprofits also may find useful information.

During a legislative season that was marked by heated discussions in most statehouses on what to cut or save, Indiana is one of a handful of states so far that focused considerable debate on planting the seeds for a stronger future through technology-based economic development. The compromise crafted between Democratic Governor Frank O'Bannon – who started the discussion when he outlined his Energize Indiana initiative in his State of the State Address – a Republican controlled Senate with a countering JOBZ proposal, and an independent minded House (controlled by the Democrats) positions the Hoosier State among the leaders for promoting a technology-based economy.

The state's research and technology community, catalyzed by recissions and cuts in the FY 2003 budget, played a significant and vocal role in pushing for a more comprehensive portfolio of programs and credits for the next biennium.