SSTI Digest

The latest semi-annual state fiscal survey, released jointly this week by the National Association of State Budget Officers and the National Governors' Association, reconfirms the increasing pressure on state coffers found six months ago. Slowing revenues and increasing Medicare and health care costs have resulted in 16 states reducing expenditures in the current fiscal year by $1.6 billion. Eleven states also are reducing their FY 2002 revenue projections. An average of only 1.3 percent growth in state revenues is estimated from 2001 to 2002. Budget officials in seven states are preparing for declining expenditures in FY 2002. The survey can be downloaded at http://www.nasbo.org/Publications/PDFs/FSJUN2001.pdf

On June 25, President Bush named John H. Marburger, III, as Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Marburger, 60, currently is the Director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and President of Brookhaven Science Associates. Presently, however, he is on a leave of absence from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he served as President and Professor from 1980 to 1994 and as a University Professor of Physics and Electrical Engineering from 1994 to 1997. Among Marburger's tasks will be to review the nation's energy efficiency. As President Bush's science advisor, he will make recommendations on numerous issues including stem cell research, the human genome, nuclear weapons, bioterrorism, space, endangered species, the Internet and the training of scientists. Marburger also will assist the President in filling roughly 75 high-level scientific jobs in the federal government.

After nearly two years of discussion between the state legislature and the Governor’s office, Pennsylvania has enacted a plan for its $11 billion share of the national tobacco settlement. The final plan includes $160 million in one-time outlays for research and commercialization of life science technologies and a formula ensuring research gets nearly one-fifth of the total money received over the 25-year span of the settlement agreement. Highlights include:

To strengthen Maine’s ability to compete in a knowledge-based economy, Governor Angus King proposed last year that the state create a $65 million endowment that would annually purchase and place a laptop in the hands of every seventh grade student in the state. A one-time $50 million state appropriation was to be matched by $15 million in private contributions. Interest off the endowment would have allowed every 7th-12th grader to own a laptop PC by 2007. Sixteen months later, and after considerable revision of the concept by a specially-called Task Force on the Maine Learning Technology Endowment (see February 9, 2001 SSTI Weekly Digest story), the state legislature has authorized a $30 million program to begin. The Governor still plans to pursue $15 million in private and foundation support for the endowment.

Representing ten percent of U.S. manufacturers and accounting for the largest trade surpluses of the non-defense sectors, the chemical industry remains an important contributor to the U.S. economy. Despite substantial growth in R&D investments by chemical companies during the past decade – R&D investment as a percentage of sales grew from 2.47 percent in 1980 to 4.70 percent in 1999 – the industry remains below the national average for several indicators of R&D expenditures. Measuring Up: Research and Development Counts in the Chemical Industry, a new study commissioned by 27 chemical companies, laboratories, and government agencies and released by the Council for Chemical Research, reveals the importance and benefit of increased private and public R&D investment for the sector. The study includes econometric, bibliometric and historical analyses of chemical research investment. Major findings include:

Atlanta, Georgia The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported on June 20 that the  Robert W. Woodruff Foundation is donating $5 million toward the acquisition of land for Midtown Park, a 15-acre development project to anchor the Atlanta Technology Corridor. The article reports Midtown Park will soon house the Advanced Technology Development Center, a state-funded technology incubator, and the Yamacraw Design Center, the state’s $200 million research/economic development initiative.  Coordination of the Midtown Park project is being handled by the University Financing Foundation, a nonprofit organization that assists Georgia colleges and universities to obtain research equipment and facilities. Buffalo, New York

Comment Period on the Policy Directive Extended In response to Congressional requests, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has reopened the comment period on the draft policy directive to guide agencies’ administration of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. Interested parties may now submit their comments to the SBA Office of Technology through July 23, 2001. SSTI has made the SBA’s draft policy directive available at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/051801t2.htm

Three perspectives on the proposed draft are included on the following web page: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/060801t2.htm

The Technology Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce is accepting nominations for the National Medal of Technology program. The Medal, established by Congress in 1980 as part of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act, is presented annually by the President as the highest honor for technological achievement. While its primary purpose is to recognize the contributions people have made to strengthening America's economy and improving the standard of living, the Medal highlights the creation of new or significantly improved products, processes or services. Nominations for the 2002 Medal are being accepted in such areas as product and process innovation, technology transfer, advanced manufacturing technology, technology management, human resources development and environmental technology. All nominations should meet the following criteria:

58 Inventions Also Offered by Health, Navy In today's online edition of the Federal Register, the Technology Administration of the Department of Commerce issued the final rule for changes regarding licensing government-owned inventions. SSTI has republished the new rule for our readers at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/062901t2.htm

Additionally, during the past ten days, the Department of Health & Human Services and the Department of the Navy have published 20 and 38 inventions, respectively, that are available for brief or exclusive licensing. SSTI has collected the announcements on the following web page for review: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/062901t.htm

With the establishment of a $1 million trust fund to serve as seed money, the new Oklahoma Institute of Technology intends to position the state as a national leader in information technology, engineering, and biotechnology. Governor Frank Keating signed Senate Bill 694 into law June 8, creating the public-private collaboration. Tulsa World news reports indicate supporters of the institute anticipate raising a $100 million endowment for the project and securing additional state support.

Several objectives are laid out in the legislation for the institute to pursue, including: 

Editor’s Note: Results of the 2000 Census indicate that the U.S. population is aging. The median age, at 35.3 years, is the highest ever, and those 62 years and older total almost 10 percent more than they did in 1990. In every state except West Virginia, the census shows an increase of at least 20 percent in the 35 to 54 age group. Twenty-seven states saw a more than 30 percent increase in that age cohort.  This aging of the populace is affecting some areas more than others. For example, greater Cleveland–an area comprised of seven counties–saw 45- to 54-year-olds increase by about 40 percent between 1990 and 2000 while 25- to 34-year-olds decreased by 19 percent. Pennsylvania, second only to Florida in its population of senior citizens, also grew older during the last decade. The state’s median age increased by three years, and the number of children, age 4 and younger, dropped by almost 9 percent. 

SSTI has prepared a 50-state table presenting the 1990 and 2000 figures and percent change for selected age cohorts: 25-34, 35-54, and 55 & over. The table can be accessed on-line at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/061501t2.htm