SSTI Digest

Following on the Summit on Minnesota’s Economy, a 21-member group appointed by the president of the University of Minnesota has unveiled its recommendations to strengthen the state’s economy. The recommendations in Report to the People of Minnesota: Building a Knowledge Economy for Minnesota’s 21st Century are divided among five strategies:



Recommendations in the new report are divided among five strategies:

Minnesota Technology Inc. (MTI), the leading technology-based economic development organization in the state of Minnesota, is seeking a Deputy Director to serve as the right hand to the CEO. This critical position will be responsible for the following:

The McKnight Foundation has committed $44.5 million over ten years to support scientific research in neuroscience/memory and brain disorders. The McKnight Endowment Fund will support three national fellowship programs: 1) Scholar Awards, which link basic researchers and clinical scientists or physicians who are in the early stages of their careers; awardees receive $75,000 per year for up to three years; 2) Memory and Brain Disorders Awards, which encourage novel applications of neuroscience research to clinical problems related to memory and brain disorders; and 3) Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Awards of up to $100,000 per year for two years to encourage multidisciplinary research and technical innovations. The Endowment Fund is also the sponsor of the annual McKnight Conference on Neuroscience in Aspen, Colorado, organized to share research developments and foster interaction among all the awardees. 

Minnesota Technology, Inc. seeks candidates to fill the position of Technology Transfer Specialist. The incumbent will help bring Federal Technology Transfer activities to Minnesota companies by developing partnerships with federal labs, identifying opportunities for tech transfer activities in Minnesota companies, and assisting companies with the development of proposals, agreements and licenses. 

An Executive Director is sought to manage the Ohio Environmental Technology Incubator located at Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio.  This Incubator is in the initial stages of development, and the Executive Director will be responsible for initiating, planning, organizing, and directing all activities of the Incubator under the supervision of an Advisory Board. 

Legislation to be reconciled by a conference committee of the Minnesota State Legislature next week includes language creating a $15 million fund to support industry-university research collaborations. The North Star Research Coalition, a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation, would be established by the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to administer the one-time appropriation. 

The Education Omnibus Bill, SF 3801, defines the duties ofthe Coalition to include: