Connecticut Technology Council

Tech Trends - article picks from SSTI staff, Week of 04/02/12

U.S. Manufacturing Office Seeks Input on Program Design for $1B Initiative 
The U.S. Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office will hold its first workshop to help design a national network of regional manufacturing innovation hubs on April 25 at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. The event will be the first in a series of meetings to gather ideas from industry, academia and government participants on how to best structure the proposed National Network for Manufacturing Innovation. The president's FY13 budget requests $1 billion for the initiative to create up to 15 regional institutes, which will help develop industry-relevant manufacturing technologies. Read the announcement...

Obama Administration Announces $200M in Data-Driven R&D 
Six federal departments and agencies today announced a total of $200 million in commitments to support R&D related to the manipulation of large data sets. The Big Data Research and Development Initiative will invest in efforts to improve our ability to extract knowledge from large collections of digital data. The announcement comes in response to recommendations issued last year by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which found that the federal government was under-investing in data science. Learn more...

New SBA Online Portal to Connect Small Businesses with Corporate Supply Chains 
The SBA announced Supplier Connection, a private-public collaboration intended to help small businesses strengthen their revenue streams by gaining access to more than $300 billion in combined supply chain spending by a consortium of 15 of America's largest corporations. Supplier Connection, a free online portal created by the IBM Foundation, allows small businesses to send information about their products and services to 15 large private sector companies. The Obama administration hopes it will help bridge the gap between small, nimble businesses looking for new opportunities and large corporations looking for innovative new ideas and diversity in their supply chains. Visit the Supplier Connection website...

Inside Higher ED: Stem Cells Revisted 
State level threats to stem cell research are on the rise as the policy debate at public universities heats up in Michigan and Nebraska. At the same time, the issue remains absent on the presidential campaign trail.Read more ...

New Book Explores Methods to Foster Innovation in the Workplace 
Science writer Jonah Lehrer explores where innovative thoughts originate and how some companies are creating environments where they are more likely to occur. Read more ...

Five Trends Shaping Workforce of Advanced Economies 
A growing skills mismatch and geographic imbalance are highlighted in the McKinsey Global Institute's latest discussion paper, which explores the forces shaping new jobs created, who fills them, where they are located, and what they pay. Read more ...

Nominations Open for Excellent K-6 Math and Science Teachers 
The nation's highest honor for math and science teachers recognizes the most inspiring teachers. Awardees receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation, professional development opportunities and more. Nominations are due April 1. Read more ...

Benefits to Public Workers Cut by 43 States over Three Years 
NCSL highlights major changes in state retirement plans to address long-term funding issues from 43 states in 2009-2011. Read more ...

Consumer Survey Reports U.S. Economic Model Broken 
A recent consumer survey found working Americans feel as worried about their financial situation today as they did a year and one-half ago. A striking 63 percent of respondents think the U.S. economic model no longer works for most Americans. Read more ...

BLS Reports 3.1M U.S. Jobs Were Green in 2010 
California had the largest number of green jobs and Vermont had the highest percentage of employment in green goods and services at 4.4 percent. Read more ...

Patent Decision Could Be Setback for Life Sciences Industry 
A recent Supreme Court ruling could affect the patentability of life-sciences inventions developed at universities and other research institutions. Read more ...

Minority Biomedical Entrepreneurship Conference in Cleveland 
The America21 Project and BioEnterprise are hosting the first annual event May 21-22. Attendees can connect with capital investment resources and learn about trends. Read more ...

Tech Trends - article picks from SSTI staff, Week of 03/12/12

FedDev Ontario Investment Connecting STEM Grads with Businesses 
A contribution of $4.2 million CAN ($4.2 million USD) by FedDev Ontario will be used to place 320 recent graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields with businesses in a competitive six-month internship and mentorship program. The idea is to provide graduates with real world opportunities to develop business skills and experience. The grads will be matched with small- and medium-sized enterprises in southern Ontario. Read the press release

#FixYoungAmerica to Overcome Youth Unemployment 
The movement has begun a crowd funding initiative and hopes to encourage and promote entrepreneurial education and share ideas through Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. Read more ...

Tech Advances Helping Spur Interest in Entrepreneurship 
College students are embracing an entrepreneurial culture on campuses nationwide possibly due to advances in technology making it easier than ever before to start a business. Read more ...

Patent Office Contest Rewards Humanitarian Work with Faster Processing 
Patent owners who use their technology for humanitarian purposes will be rewarded with an acceleration certificate to speed up processing for any other patent matters at the USPTO. Read more ...

Commerce Department Swears in New Patent Judges to Help with Backlog 
Nine new patent judges were sworn in last week with the goal of reducing patent backlogs and helping entrepreneurs get ideas to the market faster. Read more ...

NLC: Innovation and Cities: Reframing the Dialogue 
Worried about the overuse of the term "innovation" in our national dialogue, this blog posting suggests ways to reframe conversations and debates about issues involving cities. Read more ...

Some States Going Non-Traditional Route for Job Creation 
Requiring matching commitments from private companies to rebuild highways and selling off future income tax from the state lottery and other more "obscure" sources are highlighted as creative ways states are looking to boost job growth. Read more ...

Attributed to: SSTI (State Science and Technology Institute)

Gov. Dan Malloy's Proposal on Changes to the Connecticut Technical High School System (CTHSS)

Gov. Dan Malloy earlier this month proposed legislation making changes to the Connecticut Technical High School System (CTHSS) in order to tailor programming to the needs of employers. In addition to programmatic changes, the governor wants to change the governance of CTHSS to an independent, 11-member board whose members are made by appointment, removing oversight from the State Board of Education. The process would be led by the Department of Education in collaboration with the Board of Regents, Department of Labor and Department of Economic and Community Development.

The governor hopes to put in place reforms that will position the 20-school system to provide programs relevant for high-tech jobs available in Connecticut. Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman singled out fields like precision manufacturing, bioscience and fuel cells in a press release. To help the efforts and increase the training and resources available for students, Gov. Malloy would allocate $500,000 in additional funding.

The governor's bill is available at: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/TOB/s/pdf/2012SB-00024-R00-SB.pdf.

Attributed to: SSTI (State Science and Technology Institute)

Technology-Based Overview of President Barack Obama's FY13 Budget Request

via SSTI, Federal Budget Special Issue...

"Each year, SSTI provides Digest readers with a comprehensive review of technology-based economic development spending in the the president's federal budget request. The year's edition includes proposed FY13 spending on R&D, STEM education, manufacturing, broadband, small business support, technology transfer, entrepreneurship, innovation workforce initiatives and more. The full report is available for download in pdf format (561 kb).

President Barack Obama's FY13 budget request includes few major changes from FY12 due to the spending cap agreed upon in the Budget Control Act. Funding for most, but not all, TBED-related programs would maintain nearly level funding. The White House is accentuating the budget's generous support for advanced manufacturing, clean energy and STEM education, and again is asking that the R&D tax credit be made permanent. ..."

Click Here for the Full Report

Attributed to: SSTI (State Science and Technology Institute)

State Science Education Standards Hurt U.S. Competitiveness, According to Report

Seventy-five percent of states (38 states) received grades of "C" or lower for their science education curriculum and instructions, according to a new report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. In contrast, only seven states received an "A-" or an "A." California and the District of Columbia were the only "As." Indiana, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Virginia received "A-s" for their excellent state science standards. New York was the only state to receive a "B+." Another six states were able to achieve a "B" — Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio and Utah.

In The State of State Science Standards 2012, researchers reviewed and analyzed the guidelines that inform K-12 science curriculum and instruction in every state and the District of Columbia. States were evaluated on the clarity, content, completeness and scientific correctness of their standards. However, researchers did not investigate whether science standards are properly assessed with state tests, effectively implemented in the schools or whether they are driving improvements in student achievement.

The results indicate that most states lack rigorous, content-rich science standards for K-12 students in most states. The report found four common areas where state science standards were flawed, including:

• Anti-evolutionary pressures continue to threaten and weaken science standards in many jurisdictions;
• Many standards are extremely vague;
• Science educators, curriculum developers and standards writers have focused excessive attention on "inquiry-based learning" instead of direct instruction of specific content; and,
• Few states make essential link between math and science clear and many seem to go to great lengths to avoid mathematical formulae and equations altogether.

According to the report, these poor results and common trends place America's national competitiveness, technological prowess and scientific leadership in grave jeopardy. Read the report and individual state report cards...

Attributed to: SSTI (State Science and Technology Institute)

President Announces $80M STEM Teacher Training Initiative

This week at the second annual White House Science Fair, President Obama announced a new $80 million Department of Education competition to support STEM teacher preparation programs. The investment will support innovative programs, such as those that allow prospective teachers to simultaneously earn a STEM degree and a teaching certificate. Another $22 million from philanthropic and private sources, including the Carnegie Foundation, Google and Dell, will complement the administration's STEM effort. A separate $60 million Department of Education/National Science Foundation initiative also was announced to reform U.S. mathematics education. Read the White House release...

Attributed to: SSTI (State Science and Technology Institute)

Tech Trends - article picks from SSTI staff

TBED Community Represented at SOTU 
In this blog post, Hiroyuki "Hiro" Fujita, a technology entrepreneur invited to sit in the First Lady's box, talks about how TBED programs helped his company grow and expand in the international market.

Can Governors Create Jobs? 
The debate over government's role in job creation is examined in this Stateline article, which discusses the deep philosophical differences demonstrated in the policies of governors across the country. Read more ...

St. Louis Business Leaders Entice Entrepreneurs with Grants, Mentorship 
With about $2 million in funding, a local group is awarding $50,000 each to entrepreneurs who start companies in the downtown area. Read more ...

Clinical Research Center Supported by Tax Revenue Opens in Kansas 
A sales tax approved by voters in 2008 will help pay for development of new research and educational facilities at the University of Kansas clinical research center. Read more ...

ND 20-Year Development Plan due this Fall 
The plan will build on the state's 10-year strategic plan with recommendations for further growth and is expected to result in several legislative initiatives next session. Read more ...

The Chronicle: A Disrupted Higher-Ed System 
Applying a "people-centered" vision to higher ed, this article examines the rising trend of nontraditional students and its effect on how they are educated and prepared for the workforce. Read more ...

States Receive Disappointing Grades in K-12 Science Performance 
A majority of states received D's or F's for science course standards in K-12 education. Individual profiles are provided for each state. Read more ...

Attributed to: SSTI (State Science and Technology Institute)

Google Science Fair - What's your Question?

Submit your question to Google Science Fair 2012. This is the largest global online science competition, that celebrates the curiosity and investigations of young scientists everywhere! If you're 13 to 18 years old, submit an entry by April 1st 2012 for your chance to win fantastic prizes.

Every year, more than 15,000 students in Connecticut and several bordering New York state towns compete for the 500 spaces at the state science fair, learn more at: www.ctsciencefair.org/



SSTI's Staff Picks 1/31/12 (Collection of Articles on Tech Trends)

GAO Report Finds Overlap in Federal STEM Programs 
To avoid potential duplication, the GAO recommends government STEM programs need to be guided by a robust strategic plan. Read more ...

Survey Finds Youth Unlikely to Enter STEM Fields 
At the same time as the reported government overlap, a recent study finds 60 percent of young people surveyed named at least one factor preventing them from pursing work in this field. Read more ...

State Funding for Higher Ed Continues to Decline 
Inside Higher Ed reports on the annual Grapevine study, which finds state funding for higher education fell 7.6 percent in 2011-12. The report offers a good comparative chart for states' spending on higher education.Read more ...

Private Donation Establishes Tech Commercialization Fund 
A University at Buffalo faculty member has donated anonymously $1 million to establish a fund that supports commercializing the discoveries and inventions of his colleagues. Read more ...

FedDev Ontario Investing $5M for Advanced Manufacturing 
The funding will expand a program already in place to provide manufacturers with more advanced software and help in implementing new processes or materials. Read more ...

Attributed to: SSTI (State Science and Technology Institute)

STEM SHOWCASE in New Britain on Oct. 30

Here is an invite to the Connecticut Technology Community - companies and organizations interested in STEM, to present and exhibitor at the STEM SHOWCASE on Oct. 30: 

All information on this program is now available at: http://www.csdnb.org/#stem-showcase-home"
Download NEW BRITAIN INVITE LETTER - 1 PAGE 10610
Download New Brit pitch letter 101510

ALL ORGANIZATIONS MUST BE THERE – WE CAN HELP YOU!

Dear friends in the public and private sectors:

The Consolidated New Britain, Conn.  Public School District, with the backing of New Britain Mayor Timothy Stewart, the New Britain School Committee and School Superintendent Dr. Doris Kurtz, is eagerly inviting you to be a presenter and exhibitor at the STEM SHOWCASE on Oct. 30.

This program is now growing into one of the most important showcases of student accomplishments produced for this district in many years. Non-profit STEM ED organizations and corporations that have worked for many years to back STEM ED funding and programming are signing up in large numbers to offer workshops and back the schools with tax-deductible donations in the form of very reasonable payment for table-top exhibit space.

All information on this program is now available on the school home page:

http://www.csdnb.org/#stem-showcase-home

ONLINE REGISTRATION AND ATTENDEE FORMS

Exhibitor and attendee online registration forms* are posted as part of the STEM SHOWCASE advertisement. Approval for online payment is pending. Notices will go out by Tuesday if the district

A WOW EVENT THAT CANNOT BE MISSED!

Top scientists, academics, Academy Award Winners, corporate scientists, toy makers, educators, entertainers – AND OUR STARS … THE CHILDREN OF NEW BRITAIN, Conn.  -- and many more will be there

The STEM Showcase for the New Britain Consolidated Schools on October 30 is going to be an event like no other, and we really want you to be a part of it.  Among those who will be attending and making presentations are the following:

KEYNOTER:  Michael Brennan, oceanographer and chief scientist for Bob Ballard’s Nautilus expedition. Ballard found the sunken Titanic.

OTHER NOTABLES AND COMPANIES DONATING THEIR TIME:

• Legos, the company that makes those great plastic building blocks, is running a contest for  young kids who will be building spaceships.

 

• NASA will represented by Don Lubowich, director of Astronomy Outreach for Hofstra University and developer of his  Astronomy and Music Under the Stars and Edible Astronomy programs that take place at parks and music venues throughout the Northeast, will be helping kids, teachers and parents get engaged in space exploration.

 

• Eugene Mamut, Academy Award winner in 1986 for Special Effects with a team from a NY City Studio, will conduct claymation workshops and in the afternoon will present his fabulous lecture with film clips that promotes the technology that support the amazing number of feature films technology produced right here in the Knowledge Corridor.

 

• Amy Zuckerman, author with James Daly of 2030: A Day in the Life of Tomorrow’s Kids will show kids of all ages how we can zoom into a green future.   2030 book has been endorsed by Mr. Star Wars, himself, George Lucas; folk music  luminary Pete Seeger, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont; was listed as No. 1 in the United States by Booklist Online in 2009 for childern’s fiction/science, and was the only children’s book recommended by the Sierra Club for Earth Day 2009. *

 

• Caryl Rivers and Roz Barnett, authors of Same Difference:  How Gender Myths are Hurting our Relationships, Our Children and Our Jobs will be represented by Amy Zuckerman.  Their premise is that girls have the same aptitude to learn STEM subjects and pursue STEM careers ass boys.  Attendees to the STEM SHOWCASE will see Caryl and Roz’ work on live display with the many brilliant girls who have been encouraged by the New Britain educators to pursue STEM ED and careers.

 

• Many teachers, faculty from area Colleges, members of industry and government officials will be on hand to discuss Nature, Science and Technology.  There are now over 70 workshops scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. at New Britain High School, Mill Street.

YOU MUST BE WITH US ON OCTOBER 30.  WE CAN HELP!

Here are three reasons:

1.       The kids win.  They are our future and there is nothing more important than insuring their success in the STEM disciplines.

2.       Your company wins financially by promoting the schools.  You do not have a healthy economy without strong schools.

3.      We are showcasing not only the New Britain schools, but the city, the state of Connecticut and the entire Knowledge Corridor as the leader of STEM ED and innovation in the country.

THIS SHOWCASE HAS TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC VALUE FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. MEDIA OUTREACH IS EXTENDING FROM LOCAL TO NATIONAL

YOU CAN ATTEND BOTH THE STEM SHOWCASE AND THE Connecticut Science Teachers Convention

We can help you.  The Connecticut Science Teachers convention ends at 4 p.m.  Our Showcase continues throughout the day until 8 p.m.  If you want to have your materials placed at the Showcase, all you need to do is ship them to Tom Menditto.  You can participate under the following terms:

• If you simply want to have your materials placed on a table, the cost is $110 (Half Price)
• If you want to staff your own table throughout the day, the cost is $220.
• If you would like us to staff your table with a volunteer for the day the cost is $330.
• ALL PRESENTERS RECEIVE ONE FREE TABLE. WE HAVE ROOM FOR OVER 100.

NOTE: If you participate in New Britain, we are offering you a free table at the upcoming FOOD IS HOT! expo on Dec. 5 at Holyoke (Mass.) Community College.  This showcase is to benefit Holyoke Community College and all the state-funded schools in the Knowledge Corridor.

• THOSE WHO PUBLICIZE BECOME “PR PATRONS” and receive one free table.
• All PUBLIC SCHOOLS receive half price tables. Schools are allowed to fundraise within the confines of their tables.

**************

No matter how you participate it’s a win-win situation for our kids, our schools and for the cities and towns in the Knowledge Corridor.

Tom Menditto, District Coordinator of Science, Technology and Applied Education
Consolidated School District of New Britain, and I agree that this has grown beyond our wildest dreams.  We are so excited to invite you to participate in any way you can!

Best regards,

Amy Zuckerman
Principal, A-Z International Associates
Owner, Valleywood (r) Productions
www.a-zinternational.com
4 Eaton Court
Amherst, MA 01002
Tel:  413-253-4124

* About the Rt. 91 Knowledge Corridor: The brainchild of a business community alliance between Springfield, Mass. and Hartford, Conn., the corridor runs from New Haven to Brattleboro, Vt. and encompasses all of western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, central Massachusetts Albany, N.Y. and environs, and southern New Hampshire