Although it is unusual for DOT to have more than one SBIR phase I solicitation per year, they just opened a second phase I solicitation July 18, 2008.  This is a smaller (3 topic) solicitation that will close September 5, 2008.  DOT's previous FY-2008 solicitation was released on April 15, 2008 and closed on June 3, 2008.

The DOT solicitation is contracts based, so it is available on FedBizOpps, but the best place to get it is on DOT's SBIR site at www.volpe.dot.gov/sbir  It's available in Word, PDF or html. 

There are opportunities for SBIR funding of environmental technologies in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) SBIR Phase I Solicitation closing on September 4, 2008. There are at least three possible areas of collaboration between USDA’s SBIR topics and EPA’s technology needs. EPA technology needs are described in the last Phase I Solicitation that is still posted on the EPA SBIR Website. The linkages between the EPA technology needs and USDA topics are summarized below:  

     EPA TECHNOLOGY NEEDS (TOPICS)                    Corresponding USDA TOPICS

     Water and Water Monitoring                                     USDA Topic 8.4 

     Biofuels and Biobased Products                                USDA Topic 8.8

     Animal Waste Management                                      USDA Topic 8.11

Today’s innovation is not your father’s—or your grandfather’s---innovation. The way that new products, services, and technologies emerge has changed, and innovation policies need to change in response to this transformed innovation ecosystem. A new study sponsored by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation analyzes forty years of data from R&D Magazine, which has annually ranked its top 100 innovations since 1976. This historical perspective yields some interesting insights. One major finding is that the role of Federal investments in supporting innovations has grown rapidly. Also, collaboration is more important. In the 1970s, a large portion (80%) of innovations came from large corporations acting alone. Today, a similar portion of innovations—roughly 2/3--results from inter-organizational partnerships and collaborations. American firms and government agencies are quite effective in building partnerships, and this collaborative mindset is something of a competitive advantage for the US. The author contends Federal innovation policies need to respond to these trends with more funding and better collaboration across government agencies. Both of these moves will ensure that Federal support for R&D has greater impact as well as greater efficiency.

University Center, 3801 Old Seward Highway, Room 119.  No fee.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a specialized grant program that funds the Research & Development of products or services for the government.  The projects are designed to address the nation's scientific and engineering needs and span the technology spectrum from aviation and agriculture to medicine and manufacturing. Topics to be discussed include:

The Alliance for Science & Technology Research in America (ASTRA) has created state-specific R&D sheets to help illustrate the importance of scientific research to state and local economies, job growth, innovation, the U.S. standard of living, and national security. The downloadable documents represent comprehensive data from a variety of science and technology indicators. See Alaska indicators at: http://www.usinnovation.org/files/CVD08AlaskaRD.pdf

Access all the documents at: www.aboutastra.org/toolkit/state.asp

It seems like another new story emerges about Web 2.0 nearly every day, but how much of the buzz is real and how much is hype? A new special issue of Technology Review takes a closer look at “the business of social networks.” The issue contains a number of interesting stories, including a listing of “ten start-ups to watch.” The articles note that social networking is the web’s fastest growing application, yet few firms are making money in the process---at least not yet. Even popular sites like Facebook and MySpace continue to lose money. The issue’s lead article, “Social Networking is Not a Business,” asks some hard questions about the industry’s future. It suggests that social networking sites might capture some of online advertising market but remains somewhat skeptical. In the end, it suggests that leading social networking sites might have a future that looks less like the next Google, and more like struggling or defunct early Internet firms like CompuServe, Netscape or AOL.

Access the July/August 2008 issue of Technology Review at www.technologyreview.com.

A prototype robot that can help monitor climate change will be tested on the Juneau Icefield the week of June 7-13. The “snowmote” is a small two-foot long robot like a snowmobile. It is autonomous (not remote-controlled) and outfitted with sensors, gauges and cameras.

Georgia Tech associate professor Ayanna Howard, who developed the prototype, is scheduled to arrive in Juneau on June 7.  “In order to say with certainty how climate change affects the world’s ice, scientists need accurate data points to validate their climate models,” said Howard.  “Our goal was to create rovers that could gather more accurate data to help scientists create better climate models. It’s definitely science-driven robotics.”

The Juneau visit marks the first time the robot will be put to the test in Alaska.  Howard envisions SnoMotes roving Antarctica collecting important data. Simulations so far have proved effective.

Howard is being hosted by UAS Environmental Science professor Matt Heavner.  “The NASA funded SEAMONSTER project at UAS is serving as a sensor web test bed, and we have been able to collaborate with two different research groups through the NASA funding:  Dr. Ayanna Howard's Snowmote Robot project from Georgia Tech and Dr. Dipa Sura's sensor web control software project from Lockheed Marting/VanderbiltUniversity.  Several UAS faculty and students are interacting with both of these groups,” said Heavner. SEAMONSTER stands for Southeast Alaska Monitoring Network for Science Telecommunications Education and Research.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks announced the creation of the Susan Butcher Institute, dedicated to cultivating public service and leadership skills for Alaska's residents.  The institute will provide Alaskans with opportunities to learn and grow, both personally and professionally, through a wide variety of workshops and seminars.

Butcher’s husband, David Monson, will serve as the institute’s first executive director. Monson will develop a range of programs intended to inspire people, especially youths and emerging leaders, to improve their own communities through public service, volunteerism and taking on new challenges. The institute expects to offer the programs on a regular basis starting in fall 2010.  Butcher was a longtime Alaskan and accomplished outdoorswoman who once summited Mount McKinley by dog team with Iditarod co-founder Joe Redington Sr. She died of acute myelogenous leukemia in 2006. 

A new report from the Massachusetts-based American Academy of Arts and Sciences identifies investment in early-career scientists and encouragement of high-risk, high-reward research as important priorities in preserving U.S. leadership in science and engineering.
Full story at: http://nationalacademies.org/headlines/20080603.html

If you’ve got a good idea for a new product or technology, you might want to check out some interesting grant programs sponsored by the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA). Funded by the Lemelson Foundation, NCIIA now operates three separate grant programs that provide up to $50,000 to support efforts that move innovative products or technologies from the idea stage to prototype. They can also provide grants for innovative education programs focused on the same goal of moving ideas to commercialization. This is a great opportunity for colleges, universities, research institutions, and their students. A new round of funds has just been announced with deadlines in the Fall and Winter of 2008.

Learn more about the grants programs of the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance.