Initiatives Aim to Close Digital Divide Among Low-Income Households
Two initiatives aimed at closing the digital divide, particularly among low-income Americans, were announced earlier this month.
New TBED Ideas Surfacing: Will They Endure?
Policymakers and practitioners continually seek new ideas to integrate into their overall TBED strategies in order to capitalize on innovative approaches and remain a competitive force in the global marketplace. Over the last few months, two new concepts in TBED aimed at supporting higher education have surfaced in New York and Wisconsin with two distinct goals: achieving the status of a world-renowned research capital and increasing college graduates to raise per capita income.
People & TBED Organizations
Jeffrey Boyce was named the assistant vice president of the Research Foundation of the State University of New York. Boyce had been the deputy commissioner for manufacturing services at Empire State Development.
People & TBED Organizations
Helene Schember became the first executive director of the Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future Dec. 3, joining the center as its first full-time staff member.
People
The Center for Economic Growth has selected F. Michael Tucker as its new president and CEO. Tucker replaces Kelly Lovell, who left the position in December to become president and CEO of International Business Development Group.
NYSTAR Completes First Strategic Plan
With significant emphasis on academic research and commercialization, the New York Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research (NYSTAR) has provided Governor George Pataki its first strategic plan. The $130 million NYSTAR, which absorbed the functions of the NY State Science and Technology Foundation, was formed in 1999 as a result of the state’s Jobs 2000 legislation (see the 12/3/99 issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest).
Maine Issues Guide for the Creative Economy
Maine Gov. Mark Baldacci has unveiled a new handbook intended to help communities to capitalize upon their cultural resources to spur economic growth. Maine's Creative Economy Community Handbook: Maine State Government Resources for Communities offers advice for community leaders interested in building a creative and dynamic workforce. The guidelines it gives for designing a strategic plan could benefit communities across the country interested in similar initiatives.
Maine Continues $41M Laptop Program
It caught the attention of quite a few people when it was first proposed in early 2001, but Maine's investment in 2002 to provide every seventh and eighth grader with a new laptop - approximately 32,000 students and 4,000 teachers - continues to provide a useful example of the size and type of commitment and risk that elected leaders have to be willing to make to transform the outlook for a state or regional economy. It took strong leadership and determination from then-Gov.
NBIA, NYSTAR Release Incubator Resources
There are a number of reasons why developing a business incubation program may be appropriate for your organization or community. Whether it is creating new jobs or developing and commercializing new technologies, business incubators can provide a variety of resources to help ensure that companies succeed. Two new handbooks document some of the best practices and successful business incubation models across the country.
Developing a Business Incubation Program
People
James Hayward, CEO of a biotech materials supply company, has been named the first chairman of the Long Island Life Sciences Initiative. Joseph Scaduto is serving part-time as the new executive director for the group.
Index Has Maine Achieving 'Modest Progress'
Describing Maine as making "modest progress" in strengthening its capacity for innovation-driven economic growth, the Maine Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF) released on Tuesday The Maine Innovation Index 2002, a report on Maine's performance in the new economy.
Maine Legislature Approves More than $69 Million for Science and Technology
The Second Session of the 119th Maine Legislature proved to be another watershed event for the state's science and technology sector. More than 20 percent of Maine's appropriated surplus budget was dedicated to increased monies for existing science and technology programs as well as substantial investment in new initiatives. The programs that the Legislature voted to fund include:
People
Anne Conroy was named president of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corp., a nonprofit agency in New York.
MAINE RESIDENTS TO VOTE ON BOND ISSUE
Mainers will vote on Election Day on a research and development bond issue that if passed would allocate $20 million to improve the Maine economy by supporting innovative research and development in the fields of biotechnology, computers and other information technology, aquiculture and marine technology, forestry and agriculture, and advanced materials.
If passed, funding from the bond issue would be allocated to the following:
MAINE AND NAVY CREATE PARTNERSHIP TO USE REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGY
The State of Maine, the University of Maine, the US Navy, and the Maine Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF) have signed an agreement that initiates a partnership to improve the stewardship of the state's natural resources.
Maine Legislators Pass R&D Initiatives
Maine lawmakers have passed an R&D investment package to increase the state's research and development capacity. The package includes a $20 million bond issue that must be approved by the voters in November.
The bond initiative would provide:
President of MSTF Named
Joel B. Russ was recently named the new president of the Maine Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF). Prior to accepting this position, Russ served as the President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Greater Portland Region, as well as serving as a member of the MSTF's Board of Directors. MSTF is a state-chartered, non-profit organization whose mission is to stimulate science and technology-driven economic growth in Maine.
People
Joseph Magno, the executive director of the New York State Science and Technology Foundation, has resigned his position. He has accepted a position with the State University of New York Research Foundation.
Maine Issues S&T Report Card
The Maine Science & Technology Foundation (MSTF) has released the 1998 Maine Science and Technology Report Card, a first look at the state’s performance across twenty science and technology related indicators. MSTF will use the report’s findings to develop benchmarks for the next revision of the state’s biennial strategic science and technology plan, due out this fall.
Maine 7th Graders to Get Laptops
To strengthen Maine’s ability to compete in a knowledge-based economy, Governor Angus King proposed last year that the state create a $65 million endowment that would annually purchase and place a laptop in the hands of every seventh grade student in the state. A one-time $50 million state appropriation was to be matched by $15 million in private contributions. Interest off the endowment would have allowed every 7th-12th grader to own a laptop PC by 2007.
People
The Center for Environmental Enterprise (CEE) in South Portland, Maine announced the hiring of a new executive director. John Ferland assumed leadership of CEE in late April.
Matching VC to Local ED Goals Expanding Rapidly
With so much attention given to increasing private seed and venture capital activity as a means of growing tech-based economies, one might expect that encouraging and attracting community development venture capital (CDVC) – that is, equity investments and entrepreneurial assistance to meet both profit targets and community development goals – would be a common element of a state or local community’s portfolio of economic development tools.
$130.6 Million NYSTAR Created
Most of New York’s science and technology initiatives have been consolidated into the New York Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research (NYSTAR), which has received an annual budget of $130.6 million as a result of the Jobs 2000 Plan or “J2K” signed by Governor George Pataki in mid-November.
People
Maine Governor Angus King appointed Dr. Janet Yancey-Warona to serve as the Director for the new Maine Technology Institute.