SSTI Digest

We are sad to report that Matt Filner, a Policy Analyst with SSTI, has submitted his resignation effective October 18 to pursue his academic studies full-time. In addition to being a valued staff member of SSTI, Matt was a key participant in organizing the Colloquium at Airlie House and a vital contributor to Partnerships: A Compendium of State and Federal Cooperative Technology Programs. His dedication, persistence, and creativity will be sorely missed. We wish him well as he works toward his Ph.D. at Indiana University. Matt's departure leaves us with a position to fill. Please distribute this description to anyone that you think might be interested. The State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) is seeking a Policy Analyst. This position is with a small, dynamic non-profit organization located in Columbus, Ohio. The Institute serves as a clearinghouse and resource center for government initiatives in all 50 states that encourage industry to use science and technology for economic growth. Responsibilities include: responding to requests for information…

Dr. Elbert L. Marsh has been named to head the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Engineering. Dr. Marsh will now assume responsibility for all engineering funding at the federal agency--in excess of $300 million in 1995. Dr. Marsh has served as deputy assistant director for engineering since 1991. Before joining NSF, he worked as an engineer at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He holds a B.S. for the University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. from the University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University.

The House of Representative has passed the Space Commercialization Act (H.R. 3936). The bill, sponsored by Rep. Robert Walker (R-PA), is designed to make it easier for private companies to participate in space operations. The major provisions of the bill include: the NASA Administrator would be directed to prepare a market study that would examine the role commercial ventures may play in the International Space Station; NASA would be required, to the maximum extent possible, to acquire earth remote sensing data, services, distribution and applications, where cost effective, from the U.S. private sector; and, the government would be required to procure launch service from U.S. commercial providers, and to the maximum extent possible, plan missions to accommodate the space transportation capabilities of U.S. commercial providers. The future of the bill is uncertain in the Senate. There is currently no Senate version of the bill, but it may be attached to the space authorization bill that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is currently drafting. A section-by-section analysis…

The U.S. Department of Commerce has published a compendium of federal departments and agencies and private sector organizations that "monitor, collect, disseminate, or conduct analysis of information involving foreign science and technology." The compendium provides the only comprehensive listing of U.S. resources, both public and private, that maintain vital information on foreign S&T efforts. For the first time in a single comprehensive document, the compendium details the U.S.-based resources on foreign S&T programs. It contains information on some 80 organizations, including nine U.S. Cabinet departments such as the Departments of Agriculture, State, and Commerce, six U.S. government agencies including EPA, NASA, and NSF, seven U.S. military service organizations, and six select private sector organizations including SEMATECH. The compendium provides an overview of the "mandate, functions, and key contacts" of relevant U.S. federal and select private sector organizations. The compendium, jointly funded by the Departments of Commerce and State, seeks to "improve private sector…

A report highlighting the role that technology plays in the U.S. economy and the challenges of competing in a global economy has been released by the National Science and Technology Council. Technology in the National Interest describes federal technology initiatives, traces the evolution of U.S. technology policy, and identifies milestones and major legislation that have promoted technological progress. For copies of the report, contact the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Technology Policy's publication request line at 202/482-3037.

The Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (COSEPUP) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and Institute of Medicine (IOM) has completed a review of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Science and Technology Centers (STC) program. COSEPUP recently released its conclusions which call for the continuation of the STC program, with some modifications. The Committee concluded that most STCs are producing high quality, world class research that would not have been produced without the center structure. It found that the design of the STC program has been effective overall and fits well within NSF's strategic plan. Strengths of the STC program design include the open competition across NSF research directorates and the focus on long term commitment to complex research projects. However, COSEPUP recommended that NSF consider a shorter maximum term for the centers. The STCs were designed to have an 11-year lifespan, including a two-year phase-out period, and COSEPUP argued that many centers will have accomplished their goals before the…

The Space Commercialization Promotion Act of 1996 (H.R. 3639) was introduced in the House last month. Rep. Robert Walker (R-PA), Chair of the House Science Committee, has maintained efforts over the last six years to pass this legislation. Walker says the legislation seeks to advance U.S. national space goals and encourage the private sector to participate in many space-related efforts now carried out by the U.S. government. Major Provisions in H.R. 3936: The NASA Administrator would be directed to prepare a market study that would: -examine the role commercial ventures may play in supplying, using, servicing or augmenting the International Space Station; review specific policies and initiative underway at NASA to encourage such commercial opportunities; and, consider the cost of savings that might be realized by the international partnership from applying commercial approaches to cost-shared operations and by the U.S. government from cost reimbursements by commercial users. NASA would be required, to the maximum extent possible, to acquire…

The Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology yesterday announced 18 awards for new or expanded manufacturing extension programs. The addition of these programs expands MEP services to all 50 states and Puerto Rico, with MEP services available at 300 sites nationwide. A total of $19.6 million will be provided by the federal government to support the first year funding for these centers, with an additional $21 million being provided by states and other organizations.   Of the new centers announced, three - the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Hawaii Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and the Nevada Manufacturing Extension Partnership - will be managed by the Industry Network Corporation, a private non-profit corporation which presently manages programs in Arizona and New Mexico.Several of the centers will initially focus on specific industries, forest products in Alaska, apparel and food processing industries in Hawaii, and secondary wood products in Kentucky. The National Center for Printing, Publishing, and Imaging (CIMSPrint), located at the Rochester Institute of Technology will help printing companies…

The Technology Transfer Society presented its 1996 Justin Morrill Award to the Colorado Advanced Technology Institute (CATI). The Justin Morrill Award is presented to organizations that have an exemplary record in technology transfer and have made outstanding contributions to technology transfer theory and practice. CATI was recognized "for its wide array of activities that demonstrate what can be done by a state agency to promote and support effective technology transfer by providing resources, leadership, consultation and cooperation." The Technology Transfer Society is a professional society whose members set policy, develop partnerships and support research and development on methods and tools in the technology transfer field.

Prior to leaving for the August recess, the House of Representatives completed work on the 13 appropriations bills funding discretionary programs for FY 97, including all federal support for R&D. The Senate must still pass five bills. Of the eight bills that provide support for science and technology, only the Agriculture bill has been cleared by both houses and signed by the President. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) calculates that the House bills would provide $73.9 billion for total R&D in the coming fiscal year. That amount is $2.6 billion or 3.7 percent more than the current FY 96 level. The overall increase, however, is due to large increases for just two agencies: the Department of Defense, which would have $2.4 billion more for its R&D activities, for a total of $38.3 billion (up 6.7 percent); and the National Institutes of Health, which would receive a $785 million (or 6.8 percent increase) to $12.8 billion for its support of R&D. Most other agencies' R&D budgets would either increase by a few million dollars at best, or fall sharply. …

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through its Laboratory Operations Board has begun a comprehensive review of the Department's research and development activities. The first phase of the activity has resulted in a report with descriptive material about DOE's activities. The Strategic Laboratory Missions Plan - Phase I, a two-volume report, provides information on the department's missions and describes how the missions are carried out through its laboratories, academic partners, and industry. Strategic Laboratory Missions Plan - Phase 1 Volume I: an overview of how DOE uses its laboratories, plus mission profiles for each laboratory. Volume II: an outline of the department's R&D programs by more than 166 budget functions. Phase Two of the plan will consist of a series of reviews of the DOE national laboratories. The reviews will assess how DOE research and development is conducted, the roles of its laboratories, and ways in which administrative costs can be reduced. DOE's initial focus will be on how program managers…

The materials research and development programs of nine federal departments and agencies are available in a new report, The Federal Research and Development Program in Materials Science and Technology 1995. The report was developed as a guide for materials researchers in industry, government, and universities. The emphasis in the report is on R&D directly linked to industrial applications, particularly in the areas of aeronautics, automotive technology, electronics, environmental technology, and infrastructure. The organizations listed are: the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Interior, and Transportation; and NASA and the National Science Foundation. The report is available on the NIST Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory's homepage at http://www.msel.nist.gov. Click on the report's title in the "Technology Policy and Assessment Reports" section. The report is also available in printed form and on CD-ROM. For additional information, contact Samuel Schneider, B309 Materials Building, NIST, Gaithersburg MD 20899-0001 or phone 301/975-5655.