Recent NSF Reports and Statistics
During the past few weeks, the National Science Foundation has released more than a dozen reports, issue briefs, and early release statistical tables of potential interest to the S&T community. Due to limited space in this week's Digest, we are offering brief descriptions and links for more information.
Federal Funds for Research and Development: Detailed Historical Tables: Fiscal Years 1951-2000 [nsf01308]
People
Chris Copenhaver, an employee of the Department of Economic Development in Roanoke, Va., was named the city's first entrepreneurial specialist.
Despite Budget Woes, Virginia Governor Proposes Major Investments in University R&D
Facing a projected budget deficit of more than $600 million, Gov. Tim Kaine told lawmakers the state must invest more money in research and commercialization efforts to accelerate Virginia’s progress in key areas.
SSTI Job Corner
A complete description of this opportunity and others is available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
The Science & Psychology of Innovation
Browsing the business section of a bookstore may yield dozens of titles purporting to explain the process of innovation. This newsletter and most others serving the nation’s policymakers and science and technology communities have covered reports calling for a national innovation strategy. Unfortunately, most meetings on the subject have to begin by developing a working definition of the term innovation that most can accept.
People
Frank Dinucci announced he will step down in April 2007 as president of Connecticut Innovations.
People
Peter Scott was named the director of Kettering University's new Fuel Cell and Advanced Technology Incubator.
Tech-talkin' Govs: State of the State and Budget Addresses
This is the fifth installment in the "Tech-talkin' Govs" series which provides highlights of programs, policies, and issues included in the Governors' addresses related to tech-based economic development.
Connecticut
John G. Rowland, Budget Address, February 6, 2002
NSF Releases $160M Math & Science Partnership RFP
With the goal of supporting partnerships that unite the efforts of local school districts with science, mathematics, engineering and education faculties of colleges and universities, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has released the first request for proposals (RFP) for the $160 million Math & Science Partnerships (MSP) initiative. Involvement of additional stakeholders, especially states, is highly encouraged, according to the RFP.
BMDO End-run Costs SBIR $73.8M
While 2002 marks the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, it also may be remembered as the first time an agency successfully finagled its way out of SBIR's requirement that 2.5 percent of extramural R&D be awarded to small technology companies.
$24 Million Available for Materials Research Centers
People
After seven years of serving as the first president of the Connecticut Technology Council, Laura Kent is resigning her position at the end of June. The Council now boasts over 400 members.
Connecticut Releases Draft Plan for IT Workforce Development
With 26 percent more of its workforce involved in information technology (IT) than the national average and with IT-producing industries growing faster in the state than the national average, Connecticut has possibly felt the pinch of the IT worker shortage more than other parts of the country. Add to that the fact that the number of IT-related graduates from the state’s universities and community colleges declined during the late 1990s.
NSF Finds Nonprofit R&D Holding its Own
Research and development activity in the nonprofit sector share of total U.S. R&D held steady at 3 percent from 1973 to 1997, according to a February 15 Data Brief prepared by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Data Brief reports on the first survey of nonprofit R&D activity since 1973.
Partnerships for Innovation Opens
Partnerships for Innovation (PFI), a National Science Foundation (NSF) program started just last year, has released its Program Solicitation for FY 2001. The program will support 10-15 new government-university-industry partnerships that explore new approaches to support and sustain innovation. An academic institution must be the lead for the partnership
The program was designed to:
People
The following were named recipients of the 2005 National Medal of Technology:
Legislative Updates: Connecticut, New Hampshire, Ohio
In keeping with the July 1 fiscal year deadlines, several states passed their budgets last month. The following states passed budgets that include funding for alternative energy, R&D tax credits, and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiatives.
Connecticut
As NSF Moves Closer to Historic Budget Increases, South Dakota Site Chosen for Underground National Lab
The deepest mine in the U.S. has been selected by the National Science Foundation as site of its Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory. Also known as the “Homestake” in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the site contains 375 miles of tunnels, some extending more than 8,000 feet into the earth.
People
Connecticut Innovations has named John Mengacci interim president while it conducts a broad search to fill the position permanently.
NSF: 2006 R&D Spending Up, But Growth Rate Slows
The National Science Foundation (NSF) projects U.S. spending for R&D in 2006 will be 6 percent higher than it was in 2005, once all figures are compiled for all sources of funds surveyed: industry, the federal government, universities, colleges and other nonprofit institutions.
Useful Stats: Federal R&D Spending by State, Per Capita, 2000-2004
The National Science Foundation has released the 2004 results of its annual survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development series. The report provides a breakdown of federal R&D obligations by R&D and R&D plant for federal agency, type of performer, character of work, field of science and engineering, and geography.
TBED People
Gov. Jodi Rell nominated Joan McDonald to succeed James Abromaitis as Connecticut's commissioner of economic and community development. McDonald had been a senior vice president with the New York City Economic Development Corp.
People
The Virginia Institute for Defense and Homeland Security has named Hugh Montgomery, Jr. as the consortium's first director, effective July 1.
Draft NSF Strategic Plan Open for Comment
Meeting short-term budget demands are consuming more and more of state, local and academic tech-based economic development practitioners' time. However, keeping an eye on the long-range funding picture is critical for sustained success. One of the most important federal sources for supporting the research enterprise is the National Science Foundation (NSF).
TBED Comings and Goings
The new executive director of the Virginia Piedmont Technology Council is Gail Milligan.