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| INSIDE FLORIDA'S HIGH TECH CORRIDOR |
| Via Email |
April 2006
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USF and NASA Sign Cooperation Agreement
The Safety Security Rescue Research Center (SSR-RC) at the University of South
Florida and NASA’s California-based Ames Research Center have signed
an agreement to share equipment and facilities as well as conduct joint
research.
The SSR-RC conducts integrative, multi-disciplinary research on independent
systems aimed at improving homeland security through partnerships among academia,
business and the public-sector. NASA and the SSR-RC have an established history
of conducting field exercises together; however, both believe that the new
connection between the east coast and west coast will create better coverage
and liaison for scientific support during disasters and data collecting opportunities.
For more information, visit
http://usfnews.usf.edu/page.cfm?link=article&aid=1237. |
State Board
of Governors Approves UCF Medical School
The University of Central Florida (UCF) has been approved by the Board of Governors
of the state university system to create a medical college. The launch of the
medial college – which is pending approval by the Florida Legislature
and governor – is expected to boost the state’s economy while increasing
opportunities for medical education.
An economic impact study conducted by the Milken Institute and Arduin, Laffer & Moore
Econometrics shows that the medical college alone could generate $1.4 billion
a year in economic activity and more than 6,400 jobs by year 10. The impact
could be as much as $6.4 billion and nearly 26,000 jobs if a life-science
cluster of related research and business develops around the med school,
similar to the clusters that have formed in other cities.
UCF’s medical degree program is projected to consist of a four-year
curriculum that could begin clinical education as early as 2008. The college
is expected to eventually produce 120 medical graduates each year.
In related news, a joint cooperation agreement to collaborate on photonics
and biomedical research has been signed between UCF and The Scripps Research
Institute.
While UCF and Scripps share common research initiatives, UCF researchers
also can provide technology in areas such as body imaging that can help Scripps’ drug
discovery efforts. Additionally, this contract will allow the two organizations
to compete as partners for grants and share in life science research with
the potential to diversify and boost the state’s economy.
For additional information, visit
http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=
002400410774959e30109f4453599007871&mode=news. |
UF Discovers Better Tool to
Study
Role of Iron in Alzheimer’s,
Parkinson’s
Engineers at the University of Florida have found a way to locate and recognize
the tiny iron particles associated with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative
diseases.
Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases affect
millions of Americans and cost billions of dollars annually for patient treatment
and care. This technique is likely to accelerate research on the cause of
the diseases and could lead to the first diagnostic procedure for patients
with Alzheimer’s while they are alive.
For additional information, visit
http://news.ufl.edu/2006/02/23/iron-detector. |
The Prism Project
In 2005, O-Force President John Koenig launched The Prism Project, a 10 year
initiative to improve math and science education in Central Florida schools.
The campaign consists of three main goals: to recruit, retain and reward
more highly qualified math and science teachers; to encourage more competitive
academic events for middle-school children, providing grants for participant
and host schools; and, to establish a prestigious PRISM diploma for high
school students who succeed in rigorous classes in an effort to give recipients
special consideration when applying to universities.
The overall objective in this education initiative is to better equip Central
Florida students for the competitive workforce. The economic health of the
Space Coast is dependent on efforts like PRISM because business owners today
seek areas in which schools excel in producing workers highly proficient
in math, science and technical skills.
The Florida High Tech Corridor Council is a proud sponsor of the Prism Project,
investing $50,000 annually to the program.
For additional information, visit http://www.theprismproject.org. |
SAIC Opens New Production Center
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) has opened its new Advanced
Radar Research and Development and Production Center in Melbourne.
The radar center was created to help satisfy the increasing demand for advanced
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) products, which can provide critical, time-sensitive
information on difficult problems faced by tactical commanders and senior
decision-makers in the military.
Geospatial data allows decision-makers to visualize events from a geographic
perspective and can facilitate assessments made before, during and after
military operation.
For additional information, visit http://www.saic.com/news/2006/mar/21.html. |
UTEK and NAVTEQ Announce Strategic Alliance
UTEK Corporation, an innovative technology transfer company, signed a strategic
alliance agreement with NAVTEQ Corporation. The agreement states that UTEK
will aim to enhance NAVTEQ’s new product pipeline with the acquisition
of proprietary intellectual resources from universities and laboratory
research centers.
For additional information, visit http://www.utekcorp.com/pressrelease/Navteq%202-27-06.pdf. |
Florida Tech Chem-E-Car Earns
First Place
The Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) topped 14 other colleges and universities
to win the American Institute of Chemical Engineering’s (AlChE) Southern
Regional Conference Chem-E-Car event.
The challenge was to design and build a shoebox-sized vehicle, self-powered
by a chemical energy source, to perform a specified mission. The vehicle
executed its task of carrying a 250 milliliter water bottle 68 feet. This
presentation and performance earned FIT the right to compete against 36 teams
from all AlChE regions in the 2006 AlChE Student National Conference, taking
place in San Francisco this November.
For additional information, visit http://www.fit.edu/newsroom/news/March2006.html#chemecar. |
Coalescent Technologies Receives
$39M
Under the Navy’s nationwide Seaport-E Contract, Coalescent Technologies
Corporation was awarded a four-year $39 million Task Order. Under this Task
Order, the Coalescent Team will provide modeling, simulation and training support
to the Army National Guard as well as several Joint Program Offices and other
Department of Defense activities.
The Seaport-E Contract has a base period of five years with two additional
five-year options. Coalescent has been awarded a nationwide ceiling of $7.9
billion in revenue in the first five-year period.
For additional information, visit http://www.ctcorp.com/news56.html. |
Tampa Bay Technology Forum
Partners with CitationSoft
The Tampa Bay Technology Forum (TBTF) has selected CitationSoft to join its
Preferred Provider Network.
Under this agreement, the company will offer a 5 percent discount on BitDefender
antivirus solution purchases made through the TBTF Web site to CitationSoft’s
online store.
For additional information, visit http://www.tbtf.org. |
Volunteers Needed for 2006
Summer Tech Jam
In August, Tampa Bay Technology Forum will host its fifth annual Summer Tech
Jam in an effort to raise funds for the CompuTer-rific Program, which secures
equipment and software donations, provides free labor, and raises funds for
the installation of computer labs in Boys & Girls Clubs in Tampa Bay. Last
year this party, featuring beer, bands and barbeque, netted nearly $50,000
in cash for the cause.
TBTF is looking for enthusiastic and capable volunteers to plan this summer’s
blockbuster event.
For additional information, contact Program Director Amy Norman at anorman@tbtf.org. |
2006 Florida SBIR Conference Series
The Florida Small Business Development Center Network is presenting the 2006
Florida SBIR Conference Series: SBIR/STTR R&D for Life Sciences and
Advanced Technology.
The conference will provide guidance to small businesses, economic development
professionals and other business service providers. The conference will educate
attendees on the preparation of SBIR proposals, and provide assistance on
how to identify research and development opportunities in the federal government
and at university and federal labs, to name a few.
There are two remaining conferences in the series, one in Orlando (May 8-9)
and one in Jupiter (June 8-9).
For additional information, visit http://www.floridasbdc.com/Events/SBIR/SBIRconference.asp. |
Accolades
Tribridge, Inc., Attains Gold Certified Partner Status
in Microsoft Partner
Program
Congratulations to Tribridge, Inc., a Microsoft consulting firm with offices
located in Tampa and Orlando, for attaining Gold Certified status in the
Microsoft Partner Program for their expertise and total impact in the technology
marketplace.
UCF Awarded Research Funds from NASA
The University of Central Florida (UCF) has been awarded $7.4 million from
NASA for additional research into ways to use hydrogen as fuel, bringing
UCF’s total funding for the research to $30.4 million.
Gold Standard Named Exclusive Reseller
of Select MedKeeper Products
Gold Standard, Inc., a Tampa-based developer of drug information databases,
software and clinical information solutions, and MedKeeper, a leading provider
of software solutions for pharmacy, have entered into a strategic partnership.
Under the seven-year agreement, Gold Standard will be the exclusive reseller
of MedKeeper’s products in the United States and to most health care
markets.
Nancy Howe
Congratulations to Nancy Howe, publisher of The Maddux Report and the Florida
High Tech Corridor Council’s partner in publishing its annual directory
florida.HIGH.TECH, who won the 2006 Business Woman of the Year award from
the Women’s Council of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.
Mike Callinan
Mike Callinan, former senior manager of Lockheed Martin’s Simulation,
Training and Support Division, has been named president of Orlando-based
Productivity Apex, a modeling and simulation solutions provider.
Thomas Connolly
Embry-Riddle’s first presidential endowed chair in aviation has been
named chancellor at the Daytona Beach university.
Kathy Ann Perry
Congratulations are extended to Kathy Ann Perry who has joined ACS Connect,
Inc., a Brandon-based Information Technology company, as regional sales
director.
Master Angler Jane Patton
Jane Patton, executive director of the Haines City Chamber of Commerce, caught
a whopping 6-½ pound bass while fishing with her husband, Tom, executive
director of the county’s Central Florida Development Council. As
many of their counterparts in economic development will attest – along
with the bass – it isn’t surprising that this power duo would
be good at landing the big one. |
Did You Know?
Did you know that there are over $2 billion in SBIR grants and contracts available
to innovative small businesses?
To learn how to tap into these business resources, visit http://www.floridasbdc.com/Events/SBIR/SBIRconference.asp,
and register for the 2006 Florida SBIR Conference nearest you. |
Calendar of Events
The following events are taking place across the Corridor’s 23-county
region or in the surrounding area:
The Joust™ – UCF’s
3rd Annual Business Plan Tournament
Presented by: University of Central Florida Technological Entrepreneurship
Center
Thursday, April 13 and Friday, April 14
The University of Central Florida – Student Union
For event information, visit
http://www.tec.ucf.edu.
Blast Off to Business Success:
What Florida’s Space Industry Means to
Your Bottom Line
Presented by: The Joint Hi-Tech Councils of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber
of Commerce and the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday, April 18, 8 – 10 a.m.
Catalina Marketing, St. Petersburg
For event information, visit http://www.clearwaterflorida.org.
Florida Small Business Innovation Research Conference
Presented by: Small Business Development Center at the University of Central
Florida
Monday, May 8 and Tuesday, May 9
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 5555 Hazeltine Drive, Orlando, Fla.
For event information, visit http://www.floridasbdc.com/SpecialPrograms/Technology/2006
FL SBIR Conference Tampa/FLSBIRTampa.asp.
Second Annual I2Forum
Presented by: UCF’s Interdisciplinary Information Science and Technology
Laboratory
of the College of Engineering
Thursday, May 11
University of Central Florida
For event information, visit:
http://www.i2lab.ucf.edu or contact Dr. Hassan Foroosh at foroosh@cs.ucf.edu.
Florida Tech Transfer Conference
Presented by: The Tampa Bay Technology Forum and the Florida Research Consortium
Monday, May 22 through Tuesday, May 23
Ritz Carlton in Sarasota, Fla.
For event information or to register, visit http://www.flatechtransfer.org.
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Events Outside the Corridor
EDC Bioscience Conference
Presented by: The Enterprise Development Corporation
Wednesday, May 17
Nova Southeastern University
For event information, visit
http://edc-tech.org/news/newsreader.asp?id=62.
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Inside Florida’s
High Tech Corridor is published by the Florida High Tech Corridor
Council, Inc. (FHTCC) and its economic development partners.
The FHTCC is an initiative of the University of Central Florida
(http://www.ucf.edu), the University of South Florida (http://www.usf.edu)
and the University of Florida (http://www.ufl.edu). For more information
visit our Web site at (http://www.floridahightech.com), or contact
one of the region’s economic development partners listed
at http://www.floridahightech.com/linkslibrary/economic_dev_org.htm. |
Florida High Tech Corridor Link Library
For a comprehensive list of FHTCC University Partners;
Community Colleges; Economic Development Organizations; Technology
Groups & Programs; Workforce Boards & Organizations;
Technology Incubators & Venture Capital Organizations; and,
Industry Organizations visit the Florida High Tech Corridor
link library at http://www.floridahightech.com/linkslibrary/. |
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