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| INSIDE FLORIDA'S HIGH TECH
CORRIDOR |
| Via Email |
March 2007 |
Top Universities Visit Florida High Tech Corridor
to Explore Opportunities for their Graduates
Career center directors (CCDs) from more than 50 of the nation’s
top universities visited the Florida High Tech Corridor Feb. 26-27
to explore high tech job opportunities available for their students
within the
23-county region.
A full 10 of U.S. News & World Report’s top 35
universities participated in the event, titled Career Expo ’07,
including Princeton, NYU, Northwestern, Penn, Cornell, Carnegie
Mellon and Notre Dame. The CCDs met individually with 55
high tech companies from throughout the Corridor.
“The willingness of so many world-renowned universities
to participate in visiting the Florida High Tech Corridor clearly
demonstrates the emergence of this region as a cluster of high
tech activity,” said Randy Berridge, president of the sponsoring
Florida High Tech Corridor Council (FHTCC). “Dozens of
Corridor employers were on-hand to talk to these university career
center directors about their growing needs for well-educated
personnel.”
The attending CCDs, who combined provide career advice to tens
of thousands of highly skilled graduates each year, are an audience
that is uniquely positioned to assist FHTCC in its efforts to
develop the workforce to support high tech industry in the 23-county
Corridor.
“By showing career center directors the tremendous opportunities
the Corridor provides, our hope is that the Corridor will be
one of the first places they recommend to students looking to
start high tech careers,” said Berridge.
The demand to hold Career Expo ’07 arose from the growth
of the Corridor’s high tech industry and the resulting
companies’ needs to fill technology positions in the coming
years.
“The three Corridor universities – the University
of Central Florida (UCF), the University of South Florida (USF)
and the University of Florida (UF) – together produce
some of the finest applicants for entry into our workforce, yet
the industry demand in certain skill areas still exceeds our
supply,” said Tom Patton, executive director of the Central
Florida Development Council and chair of FHTCC’s marketing
committee.
“Providing job opportunities to graduates from other universities
allows us to fill our voids, gain diversity in workforce and
showcase our technology opportunities to other areas of the country.”
The influx of new workers can further the expansion of the industry
and stimulate the diversification of Florida’s innovation-driven
economy. As well, once these graduates have relocated to the
Corridor, they become prime candidates for graduate educational
opportunities at the three Corridor universities, UCF, USF and
UF.
For more information, visit http://www.floridahightech.com. |
UCF Technology Incubator Entrepreneur
Returns with New Startup
Sanjay Patel, who graduated a high-end wireless data tech support
company from the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Technology
Incubator five years ago, has returned to the incubator with a
new startup. Armed with the experience of turning a budding enterprise
into a multi-million dollar operation and successfully selling
it, Patel is looking to the UCF Technology Incubator to help him
create another successful business.
Patel’s newest company, Datanautix, provides consulting
that improves customer service for companies employing offshore
call centers. Datanautix utilizes a strategic approach to
drive efficiency and increase customer satisfaction while
drastically reducing operational costs.
In addition to operating Datanautix, Patel is developing a Small
Business Innovative Research (SBIR) project with a UCF researcher
to take advantage of the Matching Grants Research Program offered
by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.
For more information, visit http://www.datanautix.com or http://www.floridahightech.com/initiatives/matchingGrants.html. |
USF Professor Leads $309 Million Project
to Create Ocean Observatories
University of South Florida College of Marine Science Professor
Kendra Daly is heading up a national effort to study underwater
environments. The project is funded by Congress through the National
Science Foundation.
As director of the Ocean Research Interactive Observatory
Networks (ORION) program, Daly oversees the Ocean Observatories
Initiative (OOI) meant to monitor the health of the world’s
oceans and seas. Granted $309 million to implement a network
of ocean observatories, the OOI project involves placing
measuring equipment in different regions of the globe from
the water’s surface to the ocean floor. These sensors
will record data such as water temperatures, currents and
salinity to discover how different underwater ecosystems
interact with each other and their role in climate change.
For more information, visit http://www.orionprogram.org. |
Cancer Researchers
at UF Receive
More Than $2 Million in State Funding
The Florida Department of Health’s Bankhead-Coley Cancer
Research Program is funding a University of Florida (UF) study
to determine different approaches for preventing, treating and
curing cancer-related diseases. The nearly $2.1 million grant,
split up among nine researchers representing nine academic departments
and the UF Shands Cancer Center, is studying causes and suppressors
of certain cancers in the body.
The UF scientists are researching proteins and radiation
therapies for lung cancer, acute leukemia, breast cancer,
tumors and esophageal cancer. In addition to funding research,
the money will also be used to purchase state-of-the-art
microscopes and scanners to view and record living populations
of different types of cancer cells.
For more information, visit http://news.ufl.edu/
2007/02/15/cancer-research-funding. |
State of Florida Awards Grants for Renewable Energy
Technologies
Several companies and research foundations throughout the state
of Florida will benefit from a $15 million grant appropriated by
the Florida Legislature’s 2006 Florida Energy Act. The institutions
will receive nearly $2.5 million each to construct facilities in
the Florida High Tech Corridor that produce renewable energy technologies,
such as hydrogen and ethanol biofuels.
Losonoco Inc. of South Florida will use the funding to refurbish
a fuel ethanol production facility in the city of Mulberry
in Polk County. Through their advanced technology and new
developments in fuel production efficiencies, Losonoco intends
to reopen the facility as a 12 million gallon-per-year plant,
nearly doubling its original capacity.
The University of Florida will construct a small-scale demonstration
plant in its Energy Research Park, which is home to its Fuel
Cell Research and Solar Research groups. Using the university’s
patented PoWER technology, the system allows ultra-clean, efficient
operation on a wide variety of biomass fuels, hydrogen or conventional
fuels.
For more information, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/
secretary/news/2007/02/0222_01.htm. |
USF Professor Presents to Congress
University of South Florida (USF) Engineering and Computer Science
Professor Robin Murphy recently represented the National Science
Foundation (NSF) before Congress as she demonstrated the value
of robots in today’s society.
USF’s team, representing the CISE (Computer and Information
Science & Engineering) directorate of the NSF, included
Murphy, USF researcher Jennifer Burke and other graduate
students.
Attendees learned hands-on about the value of robots and the
challenges in designing and programming intelligent systems by
controlling two ground search and rescue robots – one at
NSF and one 800 miles away in Tampa via the Internet – that
were used at the World Trade Center and Hurricane Katrina.
For more information, visit http://usfweb3.usf.edu/
absolutenm/templates/?a=117&z=10. |
Xenerga to Bring Biodiesel Plant
to Orlando
Orlando’s thriving tourism and hospitality industry will
play a key role in the development of a new environmentally friendly
technology: the production of biodiesel. Producing the alternative
fuel is Xenerga, a turnkey investment opportunity that provides
franchisees the means for converting waste cooking oil used in
restaurant fryers into clean burning biodiesel.
Xenerga’s Orlando plant, set to open in April, will
serve as the prototype for factories set up by franchisees
across the country. With a $1.95 million investment to construct
and install the facility, each plant will produce 5 million
gallons of biodiesel a year and return net profits in excess
of $2.5 million.
For more information, visit http://www.xenerga.com. |
DRS Technologies
Secures More Than $200 Million in Contracts
DRS Technologies’ operations in Palm Bay and Melbourne have
been awarded U.S. Army work contracts totaling more than $200 million.
The Army’s orders include several sighting technologies ranging
from infrared night vision systems for combat vehicles, Beacon
Tracker Assemblies for its Improved Target Acquisition System,
and mounted sights for attack helicopters.
For more information, visit http://www.drs.com/press/index.cfm. |
Accolades
UF Researcher Awarded $300,000 Grant
University of Florida zoology professor Brian Silliman was
awarded a $300,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
to continue fieldwork related to the devastating impact
tiny snails have on the plant life in marine ecosystems.
FIT Student Car Wins Honors
The Florida Electric Auto Association awarded “Best Design” to
a Florida Institute of Technology student team’s Racing
Electric Vehicle at the organization’s international conference.
Ten teams from as far away as Oregon and Canada vied for top
honors.
University Incubator Company Merger
Celunol Corporation, a company focused on commercializing cellulosic
ethanol with a research and operations facility in the Sid
Martin Biotechnology Incubator at the University of Florida,
has announced a merger with Diversa Corporation, headquartered
in San Diego, Calif. The resulting company will feature integrated
end-to-end capabilities in pretreatment, novel enzyme development,
fermentation, engineering and project development. |
Did You Know?
The laser system that guards the Hope diamond was developed in
Metro Orlando, home to more than 80 photonics companies, employing
16,000 people and generating annual revenue of $2.2 billion. |
Calendar of Events
The following events are taking place across the Corridor’s
23-county region or in the surrounding area:
Trends in Executive Compensation
Presented by: Holland & Knight, Bowne, and Larson Allen
Thursday, March 8, 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel
700 S. Florida Avenue, Tampa
For event information, visit http://guest.cvent.com
/EVENTS/ Info/Summary.aspx?i=c7577841-b800-
4c10-af48-b0ae718cd065.
Doing Business in China and India
Presented by: Asian Chambers of Commerce of Tampa Bay and
the Small Business Development Center at USF
Saturday, March 17, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bayanihan Arts Center, 14301 Nine Eagles Drive, Tampa
For event information, visit http://www.sbdc.usf.edu/
calendareventdetails.asp?eventid=58.
Masters of Innovation: The SRI Story
Presented by: Tampa Bay Technology Forum; Squires, Sanders,
Dempsey; USF St. Petersburg; USF College of Marine Sciences;
Pinellas County Economic Development; City of St Petersburg
Tuesday, March 20, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
USF St. Petersburg
140 Seventh Avenue South, St. Petersburg
For event information, visit http://guest.cvent.com/
EVENTS/ Info/Summary.aspx?e=f3501d6d-2d8a-
454a-a9d5-ba63574e903b.
Aligning People & Passions
for Enhanced Leadership Effectiveness
Presented by: Rollins College
Crummer Graduate School of Business
Wednesday, March 21, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Rollins College, Bush Executive Center
1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park
For event information, visit http://www.rollins.edu/
execed/CorporateU/Passions.shtml.
Metro Orlando EDC New Investor Reception
Presented by: Orlando Economic Development Commission
Thursday, March 22, 8:30 to 9:45 a.m.
EDC-Capital Plaza II, 301 E. Pine Street, Suite 900, Orlando
For event information, visit http://www.orlandoedc.com/EDC%20Events/
calendar.shtml?portalProcess_1=show
Event&user_assignment_id=10910.
Sound, Radiation and Magnetism:
A Workshop for Science Teachers
Presented by: The American Society
for Nondestructive Testing
Monday, March 26, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wyndham Orlando Resort, 8001 International Drive, Orlando
For event information, contact Paul Conley at pconley@asnt.org,
or visit http://www.asnt.org/
events/conferences/rs07/rs07.htm.
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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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