Idaho Governor’s technology council prepares a new state strategy

New recommendations on how to bolster Idaho’s science and technology industry will be delivered to Gov. Dirk Kempthorne by September, just in time for him to include policy changes in his next budget.

The Governor’s advisory council on science and technology met this week for the first time since Kempthorne established the state’s first Office of Science and Technology in January. The council over the next four months will hash out exactly what those recommendations will be.

Julie Howard
The Idaho Statesman

http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040430/NEWS0202/404300306/1029/NEWS02

"We now have a managing organization, which we’ve never had," said Bill Shipp, chairman of the council and the Governor’s science and technology adviser. "Instead of relying on luck, we need to manage our successes."

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Science and Technology Advisory Council

Dr. Bill Shipp, council chair, retired president and general manger of Bechtel BWXT, the private company that manages the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory in Idaho Falls

Roger Madsen, acting director of state Commerce Department

Megan Reinschmidt, representative from the Office of the Governor

Gary Stivers, executive director of the Office of the State Board of Education

Admiral Archie Clemins (ret.), president of Caribou Technologies, Inc.

Mark Durcan, chief technical officer for Micron Technology

Dr. Richard Bowen, president of Idaho State University

Tom Loutzenheiser, managing partner of Akers Capital venture firm

George Mulhern, senior vice president at Hewlett-Packard Co.

Jim Schmit, president of Qwest Idaho operations

Dr. Paul Kearns, vice president and acting lab director at INEEL

Dr. J. Kirk Sullivan, Veritas Advisors

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The science and technology council was first established in 1999 and in late 2000 came out with six strategies to drive the state’s technology industry forward. The slide in the technology economy, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the long recession put all plans on hold and the council didn’t meet for several years.

The recovering economy and the establishment of the state Office of Science and Technology led to the recent reconvening of the council, which now will update its earlier strategies.

"The original report was unconstrained by dollars and by political reality," said Shipp. "Now we will put that layer of reality on the plan."

Roger Madsen, director of the state Labor Department and acting director of the state Department of Commerce, said the planning will not be in vain.

"The governor will listen and the Legislature will as well," said Madsen, a member of the council. "This is not just strategy, this is real."

No decisions were made at this week’s session, but these were areas of general consensus and interest by the council:

• The updated recommendations must have specific, detailed goals that can be measured over time for success.

• The state needs to pay attention to its K-12 science and technology curriculum to ensure a pipeline for future technology workers.

• The updated plan needs to point out specific areas of technology where Idaho can best compete.

"It’s good to make sure the whole state is going in the same direction," said Mark Durcan, vice president of research and development for Micron Technology and a member of the council. "Micron is interested because we’re a corporate citizen of the state of Idaho and we’re interested in the vibrancy of the economy and that there’s a community here with a strong technology component."

The day-long session was well attended by numerous representatives from the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. Jerry Wright, who works with licensing and technology development at INEEL, said achieving the council’s goals would help the entire state.

"What’s good for INEEL is good for the state and vice versa," he said.

The council agreed the current strategies are still valid, but that they need to be fleshed out with more details and steps to accomplish each goal. Here are the six strategies developed in 2000:

1. Build, attract and retain a highly skilled technical workforce.

2. Invest in creating research and development excellence and promoting industry-university collaboration.

3. Facilitate commercialization of technology developed in Idaho

4. Build an entrepreneurial culture that supports and nurtures new firm formation.

5. Invest in the infrastructure needed to support a technology-based economy.

6. Establish a national and international image for Idaho as a leading technology center.

Shipp said the full 12-member council will meet twice a year, with the next meeting to be in September.