For three decades, the SSTI Digest has been the source for news, insights, and analysis about technology-based economic development. We bring together stories on federal and state policy, funding opportunities, program models, and research that matter to people working to strengthen regional innovation economies.

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SSTI Job Corner

A complete description of this opportunity and others is available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. Griffin Analytical Technologies, a high-tech, high-growth chemical detection company focused on identifying chemical warfare agents and explosives and environmental monitoring applications, is seeking someone for the position of research scientist. This position is responsible, in part, for performing R&D in the chemical, explosives and bio detection areas and helping to identify funding opportunities. A Ph.D. or M.S. degree in chemistry is preferred; a B.S. degree with five-plus years of experience will be considered.

Incubator RoundUp: New Incubators Help Grow Specialized High-Tech Companies

Over the past several months, universities, city and state governments, and private companies alike have announced the creation of high-tech incubators that will serve as springboards for developing specialized companies to help grow the regional economy. Following is a sampling of recent incubator news from across the nation.   In September, U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) announced a $50,000 Rural Business Opportunity Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be used toward the creation of a high-technology incubator in Grant County. In partnership with Taylor University’s Center for Research & Innovation, Grant County Economic Growth Council will receive the bulk of the money to develop the Grant County Innovators Network Center, providing space for one anchor tenant and up to 20 incubator clients.  

People

Frank Sabatine has been appointed to the newly created position of associate vice president of economic development and community engagement at Ball State University.

Community Colleges Growing Providers of TBED Programs and Services

Announced last week, Ivy Tech Community College will receive a $3.18 million grant for training individuals from a 14-county region in North Central Indiana in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The grant, a component of the $15 million Indiana Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, will establish the New Pathways to STEM-based Careers program. The New Pathways program will be concentrated into three distinct areas:

People & TBED Organizations

Martin Donnelly has been named the regional director of the South Central Indiana Small Business Development Corp. Former Region Director Brian Kleber resigned earlier this year to take a job in the private sector.

People & TBED Organizations

William Stephan has been appointed vice president of engagement for Indiana University, a new position aimed at furthing economic development and related outcomes.

People & TBED Organizations

David Boncosky will become the director of Indiana Economic Development Corporation's life sciences initiative Aug. 6.

People & TBED Organizations

Conexus Indiana, a new initiative focused on the state’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries, will be led by President and CEO Carol D’Amico, former executive vice president and chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College.

People & TBED Organizations

Charles Sparks was named business development director of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

People & TBED Organizations

Indiana University announced that William Stephan will be the university's new vice president of engagement, a newly created position that becomes effective in September.

Indiana Initiative Targets Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics

A new initiative to target and promote Indiana's manufacturing and logistics sector will do so in a similar manner to the 2002 BioCrossroads initiative that aided in transforming the region’s life sciences industry, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) recently announced.   Conexus Indiana, the new initiative launched by CICP, will address three key priorities: developing a highly-skilled manufacturing workforce; creating industry collaborations to explore new business opportunities; and aggressively marketing Indiana’s manufacturing and logistics strengths to the business community, potential workers and the general public.    CICP anticipates a total budget of $6.5 million through 2009 with a $3 million grant by the Lilly Endowment and additional pledges by leading companies and institutions. The funds will be used to support the following planned and ongoing efforts:

SSTI Job Corner

Complete descriptions of the position openings described below are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. The Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC), a collaborative technology development organization, is seeking an assistant director for the Southwest Central Ohio Procurement Technical Assistance Center (SWCO PTAC). The assistant director is responsible for providing counseling effort to the PTAC office in the Columbus region. Other duties include in-depth, one-to-one client government procurement counseling, conducting training events, preparing reports and budgets for funding agencies, maintaining client counseling records, and networking with various commercial and government agencies, as necessary. A bachelor's degree in science or arts is required.