NSB Releases Action Plan on STEM Education
Many Digest stories in recent years have described the actions of states and regions to build a stronger educational foundation in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The National Science Board (NSB), the policy-making body of the National Science Foundation, released its recommendations to improve the ability of all American students to receive the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully participate in the workforce of the future.
Recent Research: New Report Offers Advice for Emerging Tech Transfer Universities
While discussions of successful university technology transfer programs tend to revolve around a select set of high-achieving institutions, a number of less-recognized institutions are now being proposed as national models for their approaches to entrepreneurial support and regional outreach.
Equity Investment and Fundraising Reach Post-Tech Boom High, though Gaps Persist
The U.S. venture and angel markets appear to have fully recovered from their slump earlier this decade. Pricewaterhouse Coopers' Moneytree Survey reports that as of the third quarter, 2007 is on track to become the most active year for venture investment since 2001. Three years after hitting a tech bust low of just under $20 billion in 2003, venture firms investment surpassed $26 billion last year. Venture fundraising has been even stronger, as funds recovered from a low of less than $5 billion in 2001 to more than $30 billion in 2006.
Southern Growth Launches Two New Online Tools
Southern Growth Policies Board recently announced the launch of two new, searchable web-based tools and the redesign of its website.
SSTI Job Corner
Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
2007 Election Results: New Governors Promote TBED Strategies; Ballot Items Reveal Mixed Results
The 2007 state elections resulted in two newly elected governors, both promoting TBED strategies as a means to grow the states’ economies. In both cases, the new governorships reflect a change in party affiliation. A third gubernatorial race resulted in the re-election of Gov. Haley Barbour to a second term in Mississippi.
Kentucky
Michigan Lawmakers Approve Budget: 21st Century Jobs Fund Spared, Three Universities Receive Special Status
For the better part of the year, lawmakers in Michigan have faced the daunting task of balancing both a budget shortfall for fiscal year 2007 and a nearly $1.6 billion deficit for FY 2008. An agreement between Gov. Jennifer Granholm and lawmakers was reached in the early morning hours of Oct. 31, following a one-month extension of the deadline and a brief government shutdown.
Brookings Launches Blueprint for Prosperity – One Year before ‘08 Presidential Election
On Tuesday, exactly one year before the U.S. goes to the polls to choose its next president, the Brookings Institution launched a national competitiveness initiative titled Blueprint for American Prosperity: Unleashing the Potential of a Metropolitan Nation. The central premise of the Blueprint is that the “health, vitality, and prosperity” of the major cities and metropolitan areas in the U.S. will be the drivers of the country’s ability to compete globally and meet future economic, social, and environmental challenges.
Arizona Governor Unveils New Economic Development Structure
In an effort to streamline economic development strategies and market the state as a globally competitive place to pursue new business ventures, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano recently announced the creation of a new model for economic development last month.
Useful Stats: 2005 Federal R&D Obligations to Universities and Colleges by State
The federal government made obligations of $25 billion in R&D to colleges and universities in fiscal year 2005 - a 4.8 percent increase from the FY 2004 total of $23.8 billion, according to new National Science Foundation (NSF) data. In its report, Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: Fiscal Year 2005, NSF details all categories of direct federal science and engineering support to institutions of higher education in the U.S.
SSTI Job Corner
A complete description of this opportunity and others is available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
People
Sally Bilancia was selected to replace Sally Bates as the development director in the City of Bangor, Maine.
Jeff Coney was named Northwestern University's first director of economic development.
People
Sally Bilancia was selected to replace Sally Bates as the development director in the City of Bangor, Maine.
People
Jeff Coney was named Northwestern University's first director of economic development.
People
Dr. Paul Kedrosky has joined the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation as a senior fellow.
People
Peter Longo was appointed president and executive director of Connecticut Innovations. Longo previously served as the organization's deputy director and acting executive director.
People
Hamid Ghandehari and Marc Porter, two prominent scientists in the field of nanotechnology, recently were hired by the University of Utah as part of the state's new Utah Science Technology and Research initiative. Ghandehari comes from the University of Maryland, while Porter comes from Arizona State University.
People
Carlos Romero, a University of New Mexico employee who previously oversaw the university's governmental affairs office, is now its associate vice president for research administration.
People
Frank Sabatine has been appointed to the newly created position of associate vice president of economic development and community engagement at Ball State University.
People
John Wilkinson was promoted to minister of research and innovation in the Ontario cabinet.
Toronto Regional Innovation Gauge Released along with Other Competitiveness Reports
A handful of competitiveness reports have been released in the past two weeks, each comparing various geographic locations and incorporating a range of innovation metrics. Perhaps the publication garnering the most international press has been The Global Competitiveness Report 2007-2008 by the World Economic Forum.
Colorado Governor Unveils Climate Action Plan
In support of his New Energy Economy Initiative, Gov. Bill Ritter introduced last week a statewide action plan to expand renewable energy opportunities and reduce the impact of climate change.
Hawaii's Controversial Tax Credit Generates $821M in Investment
Hawaii's research and investment tax credits for high-tech companies have been a issue of debate for nearly a decade. In a survey conducted earlier this year, 45 percent of a sample of high-tech business owners said these credits played a "major influence" in their decision to grow and expand in Hawaii.
Broadband Programs Transform Rural Economies
Despite pioneering the development of the Internet and the World Wide Web, the U.S. for years has lagged behind other industrialized countries in offering broadband services to its citizens. The U.S. ranks 16th in per capita broadband subscribers, and even when Americans do receive high-speed Internet services, they frequently pay more for lower speeds that their counterparts in Asia and Europe. A new report from the Alliance for Public Technology, the third in a series of reports on U.S.
Incubator RoundUp: New Incubators Help Grow Specialized High-Tech Companies
Over the past several months, universities, city and state governments, and private companies alike have announced the creation of high-tech incubators that will serve as springboards for developing specialized companies to help grow the regional economy. Following is a sampling of recent incubator news from across the nation.