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| INSIDE FLORIDA'S HIGH TECH
CORRIDOR |
| Via Email |
June 2007 |
UCF Dedicates New Center of Excellence to Laser’s
Founding Father
The University of Central Florida (UCF) honored Nobel laureate
Dr. Charles Townes by naming its new Center of Excellence in advanced
laser technology after the optics innovator. Funded by a $4.5 million
state grant, the Townes Laser Institute will concentrate on the
application of laser technology in medicine, manufacturing tools
and defense strategies.
The Townes Laser Institute joins internationally the recognized
Florida Photonics Center of Excellence and the Center for
Research and Education in Optics and Lasers as part of UCF’s
College of Optics and Photonics, the nation’s first
full college in its field.
For more information, visit
http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=
article&id=
0024004102c4c1d99011146fc1c320067dc&mode=news. |
Advances in Robotic Design Displayed
at USF Robotics Conference
The 20th annual Conference on Recent Advances in Robotics, held
for the first time ever at the University of South Florida May
31 to June 1, showcased cutting-edge projects to robotics professionals
from around the world.
The projects and papers displayed at the conference reflect
research development in robotics taking place in Florida
in partnership with national and international researchers.
Projects focused on areas such as mobile and humanoid robots,
biomedical, software development and robot design and modeling.
For more information, visit
http://usfweb3.usf.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=217&z=10. |
UF Tech Transfer Recognized as Among the Nation’s
Best
In a recent BusinessWeek article, the University of Florida’s
(UF) Office of Technology Licensing was noted as one of the top
in the country. Pulling in a yearly income of $40.3 million in
technology licenses, the University ranked fourth among more than
225 colleges included in the survey, only behind the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology and
the 10-campus University of California system.
Helping to turn more technological innovations into profitable
companies is a 19-person team in the Office of Technology
Licensing whose experience with finding venture backing has
created 13 spin-off companies. In September 2006, Milken
Institute ranked UF fifth in the nation for commercializing
technology in higher education.
For more information, visit
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_21/
b4035085.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_top+stories. |
Reality Check Tampa
Bay Brings New Insight to Corridor
The Tampa Bay Partnership working together with various research
and other community organizations carried out a new initiative
to examine the region’s projected growth in 50 years.
Titled “Reality Check,” the presentation and
exercises emphasized the projected growth, residential and
commercial, and how to handle the population influx on a
regional scale by educating participants about the interrelationships
among regional land use, transportation systems and natural
resources.
Already conducted in four other major metropolitan areas of
the country, Tampa Bay’s Reality Check brought together
more than 300 business and civic leaders to plan for the impact
of future growth of the seven-county region surrounding Tampa
Bay.
For more information, visit http://www.realitychecktampabay.org. |
Florida’s First Hydrogen Demonstration Station
Opens
The Boggy Creek Hydrogen Fueling Station, located in the metro-Orlando
area, opened recently as a test platform to demonstrate the production,
storage and distribution of hydrogen fuel.
The station, one of the first in the Southern United States,
will test the commercial feasibility of using hydrogen as
a transportation fuel and is the foundation to Central Florida’s
potential “hydrogen hub.”
The station was a collaborative initiative by the State of Florida,
Ford Motor Company, Chevron Technology Ventures and Progress
Energy.
For more information, visit http://www.flgov.com/release/9016. |
Legislature Passes Plan to Encourage
Florida to “Go Green”
A plan encouraging Florida to increase alternative fuel research,
availability and use was recently passed by unanimous vote in both
the Florida house and senate.
The bill will give consumers incentives – such as
deductions on property and vehicle sales taxes and a sales
tax holiday on energy efficient appliances – to use
energy efficient products. Additionally, $60 million in matching
grants will be used by private entities and the University
of Florida, a leader in ethanol development, to encourage
innovative productivity.
For more information, visit
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/Adhoc/MajorityWhipOffice/
PolicyBriefDocuments/Archive/April%2024,%202007%20-%20HB%207123.pdf. |
UCF ORBIT Hosts Tech Innovation
Executive Briefing
UCF ORBIT – Continuing Education recently hosted an executive
briefing entitled “Leadership in New Technology, Innovation
and Collaboration and UCF’s Next Generation of Leaders,” the
14th in the series.
Presenters included Dr. J. Greg Hanson, Assistant Sergeant
at Arms & Chief Information Officer for the United
States Senate, Dr. Lisa Dieker, UCF Associate Professor,
Dr. Neal Gallagher, Dean of UCF College of Engineering & Computer
Science and Florida High Tech Corridor Council President
Randy Berridge.
The Executive Briefing is an opportunity to address issues impacting
the Florida High Tech Corridor, as well as national and international
markets. UCF ORBIT – Continuing Education is a culmination
of partnerships with businesses and IT companies in the Corridor.
For more information, visit http://www.orbit.ucf.edu/EBupcoming.asp. |
bioOrlando launching
June 20
bioOrlando, a council that focuses on the development of the life
science and biotechnology industry in Central Florida will launch
later this month. bioOrlando, whose purpose is to further grow
the possibilities and initiatives for the biotechnology industry,
is a council of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission.
bioOrlando will become the Central Florida Chapter of BioFlorida,
an independent statewide organization which fosters the growth
and potential of the bioscience industry.
The group representing bioOrlando debuted at the 2007 BIO International
convention in Boston, the world’s largest event for the
biotechnology industry, with more than 22,000 attendees.
For more information, visit http://www.bioorlando.com. |
USF Represented at 2007 EWRI
World Congress
During the Environmental Water Resources Institute (EWRI) World
Congress held May 15 to 19 in downtown Tampa, attendees participated
in the first-ever outreach program to inspire an interest in engineering
for local students. Partnered with USF civil and environmental
engineering professors, the EWRI Congress interacted with Tampa
Bay area students to demonstrate the applications of water treatment
and water management processes.
Using the Florida Aquarium as a live laboratory, the students
participated in activities involving restoration and monitoring
of live marine environments. With the help of 35 mentoring
volunteers throughout the country, this event was able to
impact more than 1,000 participants worldwide.
For more information, visit
http://usfweb3.usf.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=208&z=10. |
UF Researchers
Discover Genes Targeted By Rare Cancer
University of Florida researchers are the first to isolate the
human genes targeted by a rare form of cancer known as Kaposi’s
sarcoma.
Kaposi’s sarcoma, a rare form of cancer associated
with AIDS and organ transplants, afflicts about 25% of men
with AIDS and one out of every 200 transplant patients in
the nation.
Research conducted at the UF Shands Cancer Center, one of the
most comprehensive hospitals and one of the leading referral
medical centers in the Southeast, supported the discoveries,
partnered with the Bankhead-Coley Florida Biomedical Research
Program and the National Cancer Institute.
For more information, visit http://news.ufl.edu/2007/05/10/sarcoma. |
OiWare Provides Solutions for Corporate
Governance
In response to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, OiWare, a Tampa
Bay area software company, is the first to offer a unique GRC (governance,
risk and compliance) and SOX compliance solution specifically for
small-to-mid-sized businesses. iNTENTcheck® provides a cost-sensitive,
simple and intuitive program that allows businesses to use current
staff and the information they already have to document management
intent.
For more information, visit http://www.oiware.com. |
Accolades
UCF Engineering Professor Earns National Science Foundation
Grant
University of Central Florida Assistant Professor Yan Wang
of the College of Engineering and Computer Science was awarded
$400,000 from the National Science Foundation. With the grant,
Wang will create new modeling and simulation devices for
nano-scale materials and systems.
FIT Professors Earn Air Force Grant to Develop Launch Technology
Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) professors Hector Gutierrez
and Daniel Kirk earned a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Air Force
Office of Scientific Research to develop electromagnetic launch
technology. In conjunction with the Advanced Magnet Lab, a
private research facility partnered with FIT, the professors
will continue their research on propulsion applications.
Florida Colleges Compete in Formula Hybrid Races
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University took home the silver medal
in the first annual Formula Hybrid International Competition
hosted by Dartmouth College. The student-built hybrid car beat
out seven other teams including entries from Yale University
and Illinois Institute of Technology. Florida Institute of
Technology’s car earned the honor of Best Hybrid in Progress. |
Did You Know?
Gainesville is listed as the best place to live in America according
to the 2007 edition of Cities
Ranked & Rated. The publication weighs more than
400 metropolitan areas on certain criteria including economy,
workforce, and cost of living. |
Calendar of Events
The following events are taking place in or around the Corridor’s
23-county region:
Global Community Summit
Presented by: RosettaNet
Sunday, June 3rd to Thursday, June 7th
Gaylord Palms Resort, 6000 W. Osceola Parkway
For event information, visit http://portal.rosettanet.org/cms/sites/RosettaNet/
News/Events/modules/rn_event/upcoming/rn_event_0001.html.
The Next Level:
What Insiders Know About Executive Success
Presented by: The UCF Global Leadership Series
Tuesday, June 5th, 10:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Adaptec Building, Research Parkway, Orlando
For event information, visit http://www.orbit.ucf.edu/learningC.asp.
Vision: Trends in Service Innovation & Design
Presented by: Maddux Business Report and
Ringling College of Art & Design
Tuesday, June 5th, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel,
4200 Jim Walter Blvd., Tampa
For event information, visit http://www.maddux.com/2007/April/insights_register.asp.
“How I Made Thousands for My Business Using VoIP”
Presented by: Telovations
Thursday, June 14th, 7:30 to 9 a.m.
Jaguar of Tampa, 320 East Fletcher Ave., Tampa
For event information, visit
http://telovationsmayevent.eventbrite.com.
Fast and Furious Partnering Conference
Presented by: The Florida High Tech Corridor Council and
Tampa Bay Technology Forum
Thursday, June 14th, 3 to 7 p.m.
Mahaffey Theater, 400 First Street South, St. Petersburg
For event information, visit http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/
Summary.aspx?i=f344cb14-002b-482c-8a94-5a984017bfc6.
2007 Economic Outlook
Presented by: The Metro Orlando EDC and UCF
Wednesday, June 20th, 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Embassy Suites Hotel, 191 East Pine St., Downtown Orlando
For event information, visit
http://www.orlandoedc.com/EDC%20Events/
calendar.shtml?portalProcess_1=showEvent&user
_assignment_id=11274.
PCI Compliance: Your Customers Trust You
With Their Sensitive Data… Should They?
Presented by: Watson SCS
Wednesday, June 20th, 8:30 to 11 a.m.
IBM, 3031 N. Rocky Point Drive West, Room 539, Tampa
For event information, visit http://www.watsonscs.com/events.
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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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