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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Feb 29, 2008 |
"Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want." - Anon
Montanan's and those who love Montana have the opportunity to support a great initiative to bring more science and math to our most important resource - our kids. This is your chance to make a difference: "“A World in Motion” in Montana. An incredible, exciting science, technology, engineering and math education program for the students of Montana" http://matr.net/articl ... .html
Come Home Montana
Come Home Washington
- Plenty of Room for Big Ideas in Montana
Here in the West, ranchers have been operating in a commodity environment for decades. Those that have been most successful aren't the ones that cast their lot with big shots. They're the ones that differentiate. They looked for ideas -- from anywhere. So I'm going to take my inspiration from them. If we just keep churning out our grass-fed, free-range, organic, Montana ideas, we might even end up ahead of the curve. Especially if we supplement that diet with a little venison.
- Montana Business & Technology - Competing Through Innovation
Montana provides an unbeatable setting for pro-business opportunities of all kinds and sizes. Whether you’re starting a new venture, or relocating or expanding your existing business, Montana has what you are looking for.
Come Home Idaho
- International Research Star Joins Washington State University as Director of Bioproducts Center in Tri-Cities
“This is another example of Washington leading the way on clean energy and scientific research,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire. “Dr. Ahring’s scientific expertise will help our state develop bioproduct technologies that will drive innovation globally and job growth locally.”
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Idaho State University names new head of research - Pamela Crowell
“Her success,” continued Vailas, “in receiving funding from federal grants and commercialization of biotechnology will be valuable to the ongoing efforts of Idaho State University’s medical and energy research portfolio.
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Stanford's job fair for budding entrepreneurs
This year there wasn't room for every company that wanted to come.
Funding and Building your Business
- Vermont Calls Residents to Come Home
Vermont has launched a program called "Pursue Vermont," which it hopes to stem the tide of almost 1,000 college-age youth who leave the state each year.
Education
- B2B Online Marketing Strategies Discussed
“It’s all about marketing to a particular audience, putting out the right message and knowing your goals.”
- Dell/NFIB $50,000 Small Business Excellence Award program for companies with less than 100 employees
The global and national awards honor small businesses that represent the spirit of innovation in applying information technology in their business practices to improve the customer experience.
- Five Common Mistakes People Make When Starting Up a Small Business And How to Steer Clear of Them
Whether you’ve established a small business, are in the midst of launching one, or simply considering it for the future, it’s certain you want at least one thing out of this investment: success.
- Why Startups Fail: Run Out Of Cash, Run Out Of Commitment
A definitive failure is when the startup simply stops trying.
- Inside Entrepreneurship: Angel investment clubs abound and they stay close to their home(s)
From an entrepreneur's perspective, presenting to angel clubs can speed the fundraising process, plus introduce entrepreneurs to a broader network of professional advisers, executives and possibly new customers.
University TechTransfer
- High school dropouts cost state billions
Each annual wave of dropouts costs the state $46.4 billion over their lifetimes because people without a high school diploma are the most likely to be unemployed, turn to crime, need state-funded medical care, get welfare and pay no taxes, according to the report.
- Colleges Tightening Bonds With Cities
Universities, increasingly, are extending their reach to off-campus development in an effort to give their surrounding areas and town centers a vibrant and modern feel. In the process, they are becoming major drivers of economic development after concluding that their fortunes are directly tied to those of their cities.
- A Gaping Hole in Americans' Education
We must also clearly recognize that our citizens will not be financially literate without first learning basic math.
Connectivity & Communications
- The University of Utah is No. 2 school in U.S. for spawning startup companies
"Such a task requires the efforts of many individuals both internal and external to the university. We have all the ingredients to make the U. a leader in business development and technology commercialization among American universities," said Brian Cummings, director of the U.'s 35-employee Technology Commercialization Office. "The state has established an extremely friendly climate for entrepreneurs."
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Apple: Unlocked iPhones a good sign
The number of unlocked iPhones is "significant," Cook said, but "very few" iPhone customers have hacked the device in the U.S., where AT&T is Apple's exclusive wireless partner.
- Google gets into the website-building business
The Mountain View-based company is taking its first step toward that goal Thursday with the debut of a free service designed for high-tech neophytes looking for a simple way to share information with other people working in the same company or attending the same class in school.
- College students slow to embrace text alerts. Texting to be used in University of Montana alert system
While hundreds of campuses have adopted text alerts, most students are not embracing the system — even in an age when they consider their mobile phones indispensable.
Incubators and R&D
- Bloodless Diabetes Monitoring
A new noninvasive tool uses electromagnetic waves to measure glucose levels.
Regional Business
- Feds pick up pace on energy ideas. VC's picked to work with National Laboratories to turn concepts into companies.
The firm will choose an experienced entrepreneur to spend several months at that lab, examining the facility's research into alternative energy or energy efficiency. The entrepreneur will then take the most promising idea and, with the help of the venture capital firm, spin off that idea into a new company.
- Montana State University professor David Sands' research on bacteria's role in precipitation cycle published by "Science"
These research findings could potentially supply knowledge that could help reduce drought from Montana to Africa.
Montana Business
- Best and Worst States for Jobs. Best - #1-South Dakota, #2-Wyoming, #3-Idaho, #7-North Dakota, #9-Montana
If you’re looking for a job, you want to be in a state that has an unemployment rate lower than the national average, which is 5 percent according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
- Rural Communities On the Short End of the Doctor Shortage
Robert Davis's report focusses on a major miscalculation by national medical school authorities. From the late 1970s until the mid '90s, experts in medical education urged medical schools to hold enrollments steady, forseeing a surplus of doctors (as if too many would somehow be perilous). With hindsight it's hard to understand the reasoning behind their forecast. Now baby boomers are aging -- becoming more doctor-needy -- and boomer-cohort physicians are retiring by the tens of thousands, and there have not been enough new physicians trained to fill their shoes.
Montana Economic Development
- saltStudio of Missoula, Montana Wins Big at Montana ADDY Awards
saltStudio of Missoula, MT was awarded a Special Judges’ Commendation and Gold ADDYs in 10 different categories by the Montana Advertising Federation at its annual competition held in Great Falls on Saturday, February 9.
Regional Economic Development
- Montana should lead by example on climate change. What do you think? Take the survey
Those who have time should check out the online survey and register their thoughts.
- Masters project misses out on TIFID funds in Butte
” The office supply manufacturer, based in London, previously signed a draft memorandum of understanding, Byrnes said. That document wasn’t valid, and the company didn’t sign or return several final contracts Byrnes sent.
Government Technology
- Economic Incentives Are Often Just Putting Lipstick on a Pig
Most economic development incentives are really just a way to balance out factors that would otherwise make a particular site economically uncompetitive.
- America's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs - Education and Training Requirements in the Next Decade and Beyond
Nearly half (about 45 percent) of all job openings through 2014 will be in middle-skill occupations.
- Support local startups, don't import them, study advises
"Strong universities can stimulate growth by cultivating enterprising faculty, educating students who become entrepreneurs … and transferring ideas that are commercialized."
Idaho Business
- Using Technology to count "Cows" (You're gonna love this one...)
"If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?"
Oregon Economic Development
- TechIdaho: Don't worry, Boise still has Forbes' favor
It looks as if Boise will make the top 5 of this year's list.
Government
- For startups, Portland area getting better. More programs are offering funds, advice to help new companies get off the ground
"We have a lot of potential, but without some successes we are just not going to attract venture capital money."
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Montana climate change survey not ready for public input
The survey is wonkish, written in the technical language of the climate change report. To comprehend its content and complete it thoughtfully requires familiarity with a 453-page document. For EQC members, who have received the report and heard from experts, it’s a useful tool. For John and Jane Montanan, who don’t have the same intimacy with an arcane study, it’s something best left to, well, the people they elected to deal with such matters.
Careers
- “A World in Motion” in Montana. An incredible, exciting science, technology, engineering and math education program for the students of Montana
The task is to raise an additional $500,000 to bring it up to $1 million to provide an Endowment Fund that will support this program in Montana and other rural western states. All funds raised in Montana will stay in Montana.
Non-Profit News
- A New Workforce is Brewing
Who needs an office when you've got a cafe? A new wave of employees and entrepreneurs are using Wi-Fi to re-invent what it means to go to work
Energy
- Fourth-grade classmates compete in the 20th annual World Elk Calling Championships in Reno, NV hosted by The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation of Missoula
Elk calling is not for the faint of ear.
Making the Most of the American Prairie
- PG&E to fund forest projects
Last year, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. gave its customers the option of going carbon neutral, voluntarily paying a little extra on their monthly bills to fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas levels.
- CO2-Absorbing Crystals Just the Tip of Iceberg for UCLA Lab
Yahgi’s lab employs automation techniques frequently found in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry to rapidly test crystal samples on a scale not previously possible, which has led to an avalanche of new discoveries.
- Biofuel conference at University of Idaho considers how to meet demand
When it comes to making enough biofuel to satisfy the country's demand, the biofuel industry's reach exceeds its grasp.
Montana Education Excellence
- BLM completes first phase of land exchange to develop 20,578 acre public use area near Miles City, Montana
“Having this large block of public land close to Miles City will be an asset to the community that will be enjoyed for generations to come.”
Leadership Montana
- Montana Superintendent Linda McCulloch Recognizes School for High Student Achievement
"These schools deserve this recognition as they are not only showing major progress, but have to overcome significant barriers to improve student achievement," said Superintendent Linda McCulloch.
- Montana University System mill levy is crucial
It is important to remind voters that approving Referendum 118 won’t raise anybody’s taxes. We’ve been paying the six-mill university system levy every year for nearly six decades now. And it will remain every bit as crucial for every year of the next decade as well.
- Montana Congressman Rehberg criticizes education funding
Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, on Tuesday blasted Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spelling over funding levels in the president’s budget for rural education programs during a House Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.
- Former boy soldier from Sierra Leone tells MSU crowd to think beyond Montana
"Think beyond Montana, and beyond the United States," he said. "Be curious...think beyond yourself."
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