SSTI Digest

SSTI welcomes Anulet Jones to our team as a Research Assistant. Ms. Jones has an engineering degree from Georgia Tech and is working on her MBA at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

The National Journal’s Technology Daily reported Wednesday that the Senate has approved an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization bill (S.1) that would authorize up to $100 million for the Community Technology Centers program. The amendment, introduced by Senator Barbara Miluski of Maryland and passed by a 50-49 vote, also keeps the popular program within the Department of Education.



President Bush’s FY 2002 budget had requested the program be moved to the Department of Housing and Urban Development which has a series of computer access centers in its public housing projects.



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With the National Conference of State Legislatures saying 23 states already feel the pinch of a slowing economy and large state tax cuts made during the late 1990s, at least one group says the situation will only worsen with the pending federal tax cut. Basing its analysis of the President's original tax cut proposal, Citizens for Tax Justice estimates states stand to lose potentially $35 billion dollars a year in revenues by 2012.



As much as $15.2 billion would be lost through the repeal of the federal estate tax. Currently, according to the group, each state gets almost 26 cents of each dollar the federal government receives from estate taxes paid by residents of that state. The revenue sharing accounts for 1-3 percent of states' total tax revenues.



The group points out as well that, according to the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation, another effect of the estate tax repeal is an additional $16 billion in lost state income tax revenues annually by 2012.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: Fiscal Year 1999 (NSF 01-323). The data presented in the 33 tables cover all categories of direct federal science and engineering (S&E) support to institutions of higher education in the United States. The 18 agencies listed in these tables provide virtually all of the Federal funding for S&E research and development (R&D) at U.S. universities and colleges. Data also are reported on these agencies' obligations to nonprofit institutions.



In FY 1999, the 18 agencies reported obligations to 1,088 universities and colleges, 35 academic system offices, and 1,038 independent nonprofit institutions.



Statistical tables presenting the information by state include:

Arkansas

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that Fayetteville city officals are looking at alternative locations to create the Arkansas Research and Technology Park since a wetlands has grown to consume 80 of the 289 acres originally purchased for the park in 1994. A possible front-runner site, according to the paper, is an area that would closely link the park to the University of Arkansas Engineering Research Center, the Genesis Technology Incubator, and the High Density Electronics Center. State, federal, and private funding sources currently are being investigated for the technology cluster-based economic development project.



Georgia 

Between 10 and 15 Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) will be funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in early 2002. In a recently released request for proposals, NSF indicates that it has $24 million available for the centers. The MRSEC program supports interdisciplinary, university-based group research and education in the areas of materials science and engineering, condensed matter physics, solid state and materials chemistry, and related areas. Each of the 24 existing MRSECs encompass one or more interdisciplinary research groups.



The request for proposals is toward making between 10 and 15 awards to universities for the establishment of new MRSECs or continuation of existing centers. Existing MRSECs will be in open competition with new proposals. If an existing MRSEC is unsuccessful, phase out funding may be provided at a reduced level for up to two years.

Lewis Branscomb, one of the leading voices in science and technology policy, and Harold E. Varmus, former director of the National Institutes of Health and a Nobel prize holder for contributions to understanding the mechanisms of cancer, will receive the Vannevar Bush Award for lifetime achievement in science and public service from the National Science Board (NSB) on May 23.



Joseph Hammang, currently vice president for science, technology and business development at the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp., has accepted a position with the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council to run the Samuel Slater Technology Fund and six Slater Centers. Mr. Hammang will remain the Governor's Advisor for Science and Technology.



In March, the North Dakota Department of Economic Development and Finance (ED&F) named Jim Hirsch director of workforce development.

Lewis Branscomb, one of the leading voices in science and technology policy, and Harold E. Varmus, former director of the National Institutes of Health and a Nobel prize holder for contributions to understanding the mechanisms of cancer, will receive the Vannevar Bush Award for lifetime achievement in science and public service from the National Science Board (NSB) on May 23.