People
Julia Wilson is the new Executive Director of the San Diego Telecom Council. She formerly was director of corporate and foundation relations for San Diego State University.
People
Mark Lang, CEO of the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania for the past 14 years, has announced his resignation.
People
Lewis Attardo is the first director of the new Sacramento Regional Technology Alliance. Attardo formerly was a Florida-based private business and economic development consultant.
Fuel Cells Increasingly on States' Radar
Ohio Proposes to Join Race With the growing need to identify cleaner sources of power, coupled with recent advances in alternative energy technologies, many states are targeting science and technology investments toward fuel cells. California, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York all have made investments in fuel cell research demonstration or commercialization projects through energy related research funds.
California's Best TBED Programs Identified
With a large land mass and a population surpassing the 21 least populated states and the District of Columbia combined, California has scores of public programs and nonprofit organizations dedicated to encouraging technology-based economic development on the state, regional, local and sub-local levels. Best practices in the field, then, could have applications in a number of other states and communities.
People
Sacramento's economic development director, Andy Plescia, is moving on to become a private development consultant.
People
Marguerite Wilbur has been named president and CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley.
Organizational Updates
The Lehigh Valley Technology Network was launched mid-April in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Organizing efforts were led by the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. One of the Network's potential roles, according to The Morning Call, may be to serve as a liaison between high-tech entrepreneurs and a new angel capital group, the Northeast Pennsylvania Angel Network.
University of Pennsylvania Science Center Plans $600M Expansion Project
To further accommodate and cater to fledgling biotechnology, high-tech and start-up companies, the University of Pennsylvania Science Center in Philadelphia recently announced plans to add 1.85 million sq. ft. through the construction of six new buildings with retail and parking components.
Symposium to Reveal 'Patterns' Shape the Network Society
More than 60 presentations on patterns, or solutions to problems in a given context, figure to be the highlight of CPSR's 8th biannual Directions and Implications of Advanced Computing (DIAC) symposium, "Shaping the Network Society: Patterns for Participation, Action, and Change," being held May 16-19 in Seattle.
Pennsylvania Governor Announces $100 Million to Seed Biotech Initiatives
On Wednesday, Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker officially launched Pennsylvania's Life Sciences Greenhouse, an historic initiative to be spread among three regions of the state — Southeast, Southwest and Central Pennsylvania.
SSTI Analysis: Tech Councils Adapt with Economic Times
[Note: SSTI defines a technology council as a regional entity that is membership-based and independently funded with science and technology-based economic development as one of its primary goals. National trade associations and government-created technology councils which serve in an advisory or policy role are excluded from this discussion.]
Biotech Plan for Southwestern Pennsylvania Released
To shed light on the strengths and weaknesses of the region's biotechnology cluster, Carnegie Mellon University's Center for Economic Development (CED) has published A Biotechnology Action Plan for Southwestern Pennsylvania. The CED report says the Pittsburgh biotechnology cluster largely depends on the amount of available venture capital and the development of new technologies and that total funding levels must be increased to continue biotech development.
People
San Diego Community College Chancellor Augie Gallego has been selected as the new chairman of the American Council of Education, only the second community college executive to hold the position since the organization's founding more than 80 years ago.
People
Don Smith has been appointed Vice President for Economic Development at the new Mellon Pitt Carnegie Corporation. MPC, a joint venture of the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, is intended to coordinate the economic development and tech commercialization activities of both schools.
San Francisco's After-School Science Workshops Expanding Nationwide
Community Science Workshops (CSW) are spreading nationwide, due to a second $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that will enable San Francisco State University (SFSU) and its partners to create CSWs across the U.S.
Indices Provide Insight into State Economies
Innovation indices or S&T report cards can be useful tools for assessing the health and direction of a region or state's economy. The results can be helpful for determining appropriate policies and programs to affect change and measuring progress. Evolving over the past five years, many states, localities and national organizations have prepared indices.
State and Local Tech-based ED RoundUp
Fresno, California
State and Local Tech-based ED RoundUp
Atlanta, Georgia
New Guide to Federal Tech Funding Available
larta has issued its 2002 Federal Technology Funding Guide, a survey of federal funding sources for technology firms. The sixth edition of the guide provides information on more than 90 regularly scheduled programs, hundreds of links to resources on the Web, and a special section funding for technologies to fight terrorism. An index identifies program by technology area or funding emphasis.
Foundations as Partners in TBED Strategies
Philanthropic individuals and foundations are increasingly vital contributors for tech-based economic development, particularly for "big-ticket" initiatives. Most gifts, such as that covered in the second item below, are tied to a specific relationship with a university or field of research, working independently of the strategies or programs developed by state or local tech-based economic development organizations.
Technology Sector is Strong, Pittsburgh Tech Council Report Shows
The Pittsburgh Technology Council's State of the Industry Report shows the region's technology sector, while continuing its growth, has become a significant driver of southwestern Pennsylvania's overall economy.
State and Local Tech-based ED RoundUp
Jefferson County, Missouri
SSTI Conference Update
SSTI's fifth annual conference, Creating Opportunity: Tools for Building Tech-based Economies, will take place December 3-4, 2001, at the Omni William Penn in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The conference agenda remains intact from the original mid-September dates with almost all speakers reconfirmed. (see the conference agenda on SSTI's webpage: http://www.ssti.org/Conf01/agenda.htm [expired] )