February 14, 2019 | Volume 23, Issue 7
SSTI

Tech Talkin’ Govs, part 6: Education, workforce, climate change top TBED agendas

Educating the next generation of workers, ensuring they will have the skills necessary for the jobs of the future and paying attention to the actions that will affect the climate are all on the agendas of the latest round of governors giving their state of the state and budget addresses. A focus on skills can be seen in addresses from governors in California, Maine, Michigan, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. States are also continuing with initiatives to forward attention on climate change, as reflected in Maine’s climate agenda and Michigan joining other states in the Climate Alliance. Read more  | 

DOD already sees adverse effects from climate change at priority installations

Could climate change negatively impact the defense installations important to companies and communities in your state? Chances are good that it already does. A new Department of Defense report to Congress reveals all but six of 79 mission assurance priority installations within DOD are experiencing negative climate change effects such as recurrent flooding, drought, desertification, wildfires, or thawing permafrost. Some of the installations are experiencing multiple effects.  Additionally, four of the final six are expected to see negative climate change impacts within the next 20 years, or, as the report states in “only” 20 years.  Read more 

SSTI Commentary:

Economic development and the tipping point

As the number of weather-related news stories increase, more Americans are recognizing the world’s climate is changing (see here and here, for instance). Cold temperatures and large amounts of precipitation may hold our immediate attention (we are, after all, a culture increasingly obsessed with the short-term, instant or immediate), but a larger story is unfolding that has the scientists who have studied various aspects of climate-related issues for decades increasingly using a two-word phrase that could have terrifyingly significant repercussions if, and when, we can look back to see it is truly happening. The phrase is tipping point – that moment when certain aspects fueling climate change will fuel themselves, creating feedback loops independent of our own future behavior.  Read more

Ideas for expanding economic opportunity focus of Aspen report

Shifts in the American economy have resulted in a myriad of challenges including workers without the necessary skills for today’s jobs, lack of wage increases for low- and middle-income worker and a shrinking labor force participation rate. With an aim of identifying bipartisan policy solutions to such challenges, the Aspen Economic Strategy Group (AESG) spent a year collecting ideas to address these challenges and have released their findings in a new report. While the authors of the report caution that there is no silver bullet solution to the challenges outlined in the report, they go on to say, “Evidence-based, bipartisan solutions rarely capture headlines, but they do exist, and should be embraced by those who are serious about solving our long-term economic challenges.” The report outlines several proposed solutions. Read more 

Recent Research

Exposure to innovation more important than financial incentives in increasing the number of inventors, researchers find

Recent research revealed that exposure to innovation (e.g., mentorship program and immersive K-12 STEM education experience) during childhood and young adulthood has a greater effect on the decision to pursue careers in innovation than financial incentives. Researchers Alexander M. Bell, Raj Chetty, and their co-authors developed a model to analyze the impact of several factors on inventor career choices. After conducting an analysis using the model, the authors predict that financial incentives, such as top income tax reductions, have limited potential to increase aggregate innovation because they only affect individuals who are exposed to innovation and have no impact on the decisions of star inventors, who matter the most for aggregate innovation. Read more 

$24M Foundation gift to U. Arkansas transforms commercialization, economic development

Late last year, the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation announced a $23.7 million investment to strengthen technology-based economic development efforts at the University of Arkansas. Additional details on this investment became clearer this week, as the university announced three subsets of its Chancellor’s Fund, which invests in strategic initiatives under the direction of the vice chancellor for research and innovation.  Read more 

State News


With a tech boom driven by Microsoft, Amazon and others, Microsoft recently pledged to spend $500 million to help build affordable housing in Seattle. The investment, to be spent over the next three years, targets not only the city's persistent homeless population, but also seeks to address middle-income housing needs for the city's teachers, nurses, police officers, and others.

Texas' rainy day fund is poised to hit $15 billion over its next two-year budget, raising concerns among state economists that such an oversized reserve fund will start to lose value and become a drag on the Texas economy. Lawmakers are questioning how much they should spend.

This month, New Jersey joined the national movement to raise the state's minimum wage, and enacted a timeline to start the process of raising New Jersey's minimum wage to $15 an hour, with the first increase set to take effect this July and full implementation by 2024.

People in the News:

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) named Carolyn Kirk its next CEO.

Hope Hopkins is leaving Commerce RI to become program director of MassChallenge Rhode Island.

Stony Brook University’s 18-year VP for economic development, Yacov Shamash, is stepping down, and the university is reorganizing to place the office under the VP for research, Richard Reeder.

Brian Somers has stepped down as executive director of USTAR; Barbara Araneo is now the acting head of the organization.

Brian Darmody has been named CEO of the Association of University Research Parks.

Join SSTI as a member 

 
Join your peers and lend your voice to the efforts building a better future through science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. Become an SSTI member and receive first notice of dozens of funding opportunities directly to your in-box every week; take advantage of reduced rates for our annual conference; learn from experts in the community; and, network with those most closely involved in technology-based economic development. Learn more about SSTI membership here.

Job Corner

Senior Policy Analyst, Clean Energy Innovation - ITIF

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) seeks a senior policy analyst for its clean energy innovation program. The successful candidate will analyze a wide range of policies that have the potential to influence the national and global transition to a low-carbon energy system, such as research, development, and demonstration funding, taxation, and regulation. The duties will include original and secondary research as well as written and oral communication of research findings to the policy analysis and advocacy community in Washington, D.C., and beyond. The analyst will be expected to engage actively with members of this community at events and through personal networking. The position is funded for one year with the support of the Spitzer Trust and may be renewed contingent on future funding.

More information can be found here.

Read more job postings


This week's Staff Picks:

America at Work: A national mosaic and roadmap for tomorrow
This report by Walmart and McKinsey & Co. examines more than 3,000 counties in the U.S. with the goal of helping communities plan for their individual situations and develop responses that will position them to survive and thrive in a changing economy. Read more

EIG: The use, abuse, and enforceability of non-compete agreements
A research brief by the Economic Innovation Group looks at two employment practices under increased scrutiny because they curtail individual freedom to pursue better job opportunities: non-competes and no-poach agreements. Read more

NewScientist: Universal income study finds money for nothing will not make us work less
Preliminary results from the Finnish government’s guaranteed no-strings-attached payment to 2,000 people each month seem to dispel some of the doubts about the policy’s negative impacts. Read more

National Geographic: Nat. Geo, Sky Ocean Ventures launch Ocean Plastic Innovation Challenge
A new innovation challenge looks for ideas on how to solve different parts of the plastics pollution problem, with prizes up to $500,000. Read more

Siemens Foundation: STEM middle-skill initiative
The Siemens Foundation has launched a workforce development program to help close the opportunity gap for young adults in STEM middle-skill careers. Read more

Science Daily: Shrinking population in more than a third of rural U.S. counties
Nearly 35 percent of rural counties in the U.S., home to 6.2 million total residents, are experiencing protracted and significant population loss, according to new research. Read more

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