Idaho Office of Science & Technology May 2005

In this issue:

# TechLaunch 2.0 to Help Entrepreneurs Pitch Ideas to Investors

# Idaho’s High-Tech Jobs Saw Robust Growth 1998-2003

# ECO Research LLC Launches Water Savings Device

# Technology License Plate Contest Deadline Nears

# Science & Tech Council to Meet June 15 in Moscow

# Call Goes Out for Presenters at Idaho Industry Forums

# Firm Builds Technology Curriculum for Kindergarten

# AMIS Pay in Pocatello Rises 42 Percent 2002-2004

# EnVenture Northwest Forum Puts Energy Firms With Investors

# UI Provides Pipeline of Interns to NASA

# EmergeCore Signs $10 Million Contract in Dubai

# ProClarity Expands Business with Veterans Health Administration

# Idaho Schools Win $25K for Innovative Technology Usage

# HP Technology for Teaching Grants Help Idaho Schools

# Kempthorne Honors Idaho Teachers for Science Focus

# TechHelp Clients Report $53 Million in Economic Impact

# Sawtooth Science Institute Offers 21 Field Study Courses

# BSU President Unique for Radio Show

TechLaunch 2.0 to Help Entrepreneurs Pitch Ideas to Investors

(Statewide) Idaho innovators will compete for more than $25,000 in start-up funds at the second annual TechLaunch event June 29-30 in Sun Valley. TechLaunch 2.0 will feature a competition where judges will listen to presentations from eight companies. The goal of this forum is to help entrepreneurs be ready to present to investors and financial institutions.

New this year is a student level competition with scholarships for prizes. Students from Idaho universities, including Boise State University, Idaho State University and Brigham Young University-Idaho, are expected to compete.

The competition is presented by Idaho TechConnect offices and partners include the Idaho National Lab, the Idaho Office of Science & Technology, and
the Idaho Economic Development Association.
The cost to attend is $95.

Visit http://www.ieda.biz/techinfo.cfm for details.

Idaho’s High-Tech Jobs Saw Robust Growth 1998-2003

Statewide) Idaho tech jobs grew 33 percent between 1998-2003, faster than any other state in the Intermountain region, according to a new American Electronics Association report.
The report, Cyberstates 2005: A State-by-State Overview of the High-Technology Industry, reports Idaho is one of just three states where the average high-tech wage is more than twice the state average wage. The other states are California and Washington.

According to the report said that there were 34,052 high-tech jobs in Idaho (2003 data), 1,571 high-tech businesses, and an annual payroll of $2 billion.

Other facts included in this report:

– Idaho ranks second in the nation for its technology export concentration, with 67 percent of exports (in this report) attributable to technology goods.

– Idaho is among the top 10 states in the nation for its concentration of high-tech workers, with 73 high-tech workers per 1,000 private sector workers.

– Idaho ranks sixth in the nation for semiconductor manufacturing employment.

– Idaho’s high-tech export growth rose 148 percent between 1998-2003, the fifth highest growth rate in the nation.
Visit http://www.aeanet.org for more information.

ECO Research LLC Launches Water Savings Device

(Nampa, Idaho) A Nampa company has released an automatic sprinkler product that monitors the weather.
ECO Research LLC recently launched its first product, an electronic unit that connects to an existing sprinkler timer. The 300 ECO 100 Sprinkler Optimizer determines when atmospheric conditions warrant the sprinkler turning on.
The electronic unit uses software loaded with data from local weather stations to determine how much water is needed for optimal results. The unit shuts off the water when the computer determines it’s raining or enough water has been used.

The product enables systems to use 20-40 percent less water, especially important in areas that experience drought conditions.
Learn more at ecoresearch.com.

Technology License Plate Contest Deadline Nears

(Statewide) May 10 is the deadline for submitting designs in the Idaho Technology License Plate Contest.
Students and professional graphic designers are being asked to help create a new specialty license plate for the technology industry. To help the creative process, state officials launched the contest last month.

The contest is sponsored by the Idaho Office of Science & Technology and the Idaho National Lab. Cash prizes range between $100 and $500, depending on the category.
The best design may be featured on the new license plate, which goes on sale in January 2006.
Kearn more about the contest at technology.idaho.gov/license.

Science & Tech Council to Meet June 15 in Moscow

(Statewide) The Governor’s Science & Technology Advisory Council is scheduled to meet June 15 in Moscow.
The agenda will include an update on science and technology programs throughout the state as well as a policy discussion about Idaho’s strategic plan for furthering Idaho’s science and technology industries.

The Council includes university presidents, government representatives and industry leaders.
Contact Karen Lewis at (208) 334-2650 ext. 2101 or email [email protected] for an agenda and meeting details.

Call Goes Out for Presenters at Idaho Industry Forum

(Statewide) The Idaho Office of Science & Technology is seeking technical presentations from industry and universities for the Second Annual Industry Forum, scheduled for June 8-9 at hte Holiday Inn Airport in Boise.
Presentations need to be in one of the areas of the state’s core competencies: Imaging, Power and Energy, Ag/Bioscience, and Nanoscience and New Materials. Presenters are encouraged to discuss the creation of a new product or any technical obstacles to growth and development of their company.
Those interested in making a presentation or for more information about the forum contact Rachel Hall at [email protected] by May 10.

The forum is open to all who are interested. There is no charge for attendance but RSVPs are requested.

Firm Builds Technology Curriculum for Kindergarten

(Boise, Idaho) Boise-based PCS Edventures has launched a learning lab for kindergarteners that encourages young minds to explore science and technology.
PCS creates learning labs that emphasize technology basics to advanced engineering and robotics competence.
BrickLab Kindergarten includes an extensive set of lessons where students work as individuals, small groups and as a whole class on projects that reflect the context of their everyday experiences.

"BrickLab for Kindergarten provides the basis of the science and technological skills required for successful learning experiences in later grades," said Richard Mussler-Wright, director of curriculum development at PCS Edventures. "Kindergarten students are very receptive to new influences and their capacity to learn and absorb new information at this stage is remarkable."

Learn more at http://www.edventures.com.

AMIS Pay in Pocatello Rises 42 percent 2002-2004

(Pocatello, Idaho) AMI Semiconductor boosted the total compensation to employees at its world headquarters in Pocatello 42 percent between 2002-2004.
The company employs about 1,000 workers in Pocatello, and the firm’s economic impact on the local economy exceeds $100 million, said Ray Burstedt, Bannock Development Corporation’s executive director.

AMI Semiconductor increased its total compensation from about $60 million in 2002 to about $85 million in 2004.
"Having AMI here shows other companies we’re trying to attract that high tech works in Idaho," said Burstedt.
Visit http://www.amis.com for more information.

EnVenture Northwest Forum Puts Energy Firms With Investors

(Statewide) Energy technology companies seeking investment have an opportunity to pitch directly to investors at the EnVenture Northwest Venture Forum in Oregon this summer.
The event allows a selected group of emerging Northwest energy technology companies to present business plans to the region’s leading energy venture and angel communities.

A "boot camp" to prepare and select companies for this event will be held in Nampa on June 6. For information about the boot camp, which will include coaching and training, contact Rick Ritter at the Nampa TECenter at (208) 426-6613 or email [email protected].

Companies must attend a training session to be eligible to present at the forum.

For more information about the EnVenture Northwest Venture Forum, being held Aug. 22 in Portland, Ore., go to http://www.nwetc.com or contact Karen Grieser at [email protected].

The event is part of the Northwest Energy Symposium held Aug. 22-23. The symposium is an energy technology event bringing together entrepreneurs, utilities, investors, research organizations, academia, and government involved with the region’s emerging energy sector.

UI Provides Pipeline of Interns to NASA

(Moscow, Idaho) The University of Idaho’s College of Engineering has more of its students accepted to a summer internship program with NASA than any other school in the country.

Students attend NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. for the paid internship program. The UI internship program was awarded $80,000 from NASA last summer and is fully funded again this summer.

Students last year worked on everything from the Cassini-Huygens probe in orbit around Saturn to searching out what happened to the vanished Mars Polar Lander.
Contact Gary Hagen for details, (208) 885-2258.

EmergeCore Signs $10 Million Contract in Dubai

(Boise, Idaho) EmergeCore Networks has signed a $9.9 million distribution contract with a partner in the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai-based Almasa Network Solutions will distribute EmergeCore’s all-in-one network appliance to small and medium businesses, Internet Service Providers, and branch offices over a three-year period.

"With EmergeCore’s integrated solutions, we are focused on bringing state-of-the-art IT functionality to small organizations everywhere, at a fraction of the cost of traditional IT services," said Mike Thompson, VP of sales and marketing at EmergeCore.

Visit http://www.emergecore.com for more information.

ProClarity Expands Business with Veterans Health Administration

(Boise) The Veterans Health Administration has expanded its use of ProClarity Corp. software.
The agreement allows for the Boise firm’s full suite of analytic products and services to be deployed to more than 196,500 VHA employees in more than 150 medical centers.
The VHA is one of the largest healthcare providers in the world, with a medical care budget of about $30 billion.
The VHA has used ProClarity software since 1997. The transaction between VHA and ProClarity is part of the VA’s Procurement of Computer Hardare and Software-2 contract and was placed through MPC Computers, a prime contractor to the VA and another Treasure Valley area business.

More information about ProClarity is at http://www.proclarity.com.

Idaho Schools Win Technology Innovation Awards

(Statewide) Ten Idaho schools were recognized nationally for creative integration of interactive technology into the classrooms.

The program, created by retail chain Best Buy, rewards each school with $2,500. Winners applied interactive technology to a broad span of subject matters including social studies, science and English.
"We believe we can help build stronger communities by supporting kids and learning," said Paula Prahl, a Best Buy vice president.

Idaho schools that won include Horseshoe Bend Elementary (Horseshoe Bend), Jerome High School (Jerome), Kimberly High School (Kimberly), Lowell Scott Middle School (Boise), Melba Middle School (Melba), Middleton High School (Middleton), Skyview High School (Nampa).

Another round of applications will be accepted for more awards starting July 5. The deadline for applications is Sept. 30. For information, go to http://communications.bestbuy.com/communityrelations/teach.asp.

HP Technology for Teaching Grants Help Idaho Schools

(Statewide) Several Idaho schools are beneficiaries of HP Technology for Teaching grants, which aim to improve learning in the classroom through innovative uses of technology.
Idaho schools that received grants include: Caldwell High School (Caldwell), Indian Creek Elementary School (Kuna), Kuna Middle School (Kuna) and Marsing Middle School (Marsing).
The grant program prepares students for leadership in the competitive, digital workforce and ignites interest in careers in science, technology and engineering.

Learn more about this grant program is at http://www.hp.com/go/hpteach. Other HP education initiatives are at http://grants.hp.com/us/education/index.html.

Kempthorne Honors Teachers for Science Focus

(Statewide) The 2005 recipients of the Governor’s Industry Award for Notable Teaching in Science (GIANTS) will be announced at a May 10 ceremony at the State Capitol.
Gov. Dirk Kempthorne will present the awards to this year’s winners, one teacher each from elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools from throughout the state.
The program honors teachers for their efforts to link industry and the economic future of Idaho to the classroom through the enhancement of science and technology education.

The program is supported by Hewlett-Packard Co., the Idaho National Lab, the Micron Foundation, Washington Group International, the Idaho State Board of Education and the Idaho Office of Science & Technology.

Teachers are nominated for the award by students, student organizations and school administrators

TechHelp Clients Report $53 Million in Economic Impact
(Boise, Idaho) The TechHelp program, a partnership of Idaho’s three state universities and based at Boise State University, has helped Idaho’s manufacturers add more than $53 million to the state’s economy and has earned high marks from the clients it serves.

The program’s federal sponsor, the Manufacturers Extension Partnership (MEP) at the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), recently announced 2004 impact results for the Idaho Manufacturing Extension Center. TechHelp clients served from January through December 2004 reported a positive economic impact of $53,241,500, and indicated that due to TechHelp services they:

• Improved bottom line performance by $32,517,000.

• Invested $16,974,500 in plant and equipment, information systems, and workforce training.

• Created or retained 150 jobs with a $3,750,000 economic impact (The number of jobs is multiplied by $25,000 average annual salary, then multiplied by 2.3 to show the full economic impact on the local economy).
Gary Thompson, TechHelp executive director, said that TechHelp is seeing an increased demand for services and recently added a new product development specialist at the BSU based NPD Lab and a manufacturing specialist in Twin Falls.

TechHelp manufacturing specialists are based in Boise, Twin Falls, Idaho Falls and Post Falls. The specialists provide technical and professional assistance, training and information to Idaho manufacturers and food processors to strengthen their global competitiveness through product and process improvements.

MEP is a network of not-for-profit centers in nearly 350 locations nationwide, whose sole purpose is to provide small- and medium-sized manufacturers with the help they need to succeed.

Sawtooth Science Institute Offers 21 Field Study Courses

(Pocatello, Idaho) The Idaho State University Sawtooth Science Institute has launched its 16th summer program.
The program offers 21 field study courses throughout the summer, with most courses lasting two to four days. Workshops offer an opportunity to learn about geology, botany, paleontology and ornithology in places such as Craters of the Moon National Monument, Island Park and Ketchum.
The Sawtooth Science Institute is dedicated to the study of the natural and cultural history of Idaho and the intermountain region.

For information on the programs, go to http://imnh.isu.edu/ssi or email [email protected].

BSU President Unique for Radio Show

(Boise, Idaho) What do world-renowned biologist E.O. Wilson, former major league baseball star Bill Buckner, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, University of Idaho counterterrorism expert Rand Lewis and jazz and gospel singer Cherie Buckner have in common?

Along with more than 70 educators, researchers, civic and business leaders, authors, activists, government officials and other newsmakers, they have all been guests on Boise State President Bob Kustra’s award-winning radio show "New Horizons in Education," which is believed to be the only show of its kind in the nation.

Kustra began his weekly, 30-minute interview show on NPR News 91, Boise State’s National Public Radio affiliate, near two years ago.

Since then Kustra has interviewed a blend of Boise State scholars (Alzheimer’s researcher Troy Rohn, DNA authority Greg Hampikian, biomechanics expert Michelle Sabick); researchers from other institutions (the University of Idaho’s Lewis and Mike Laskowski and Idaho State’s Laura Woodworth Ney); political figures (Crapo, U.S. Reps. Butch Otter and Mike Simpson and Boise Mayor Dave Bieter); and many others.
An experienced broadcaster, Kustra hosted his own program when he was president at Eastern Kentucky University. Prior to that, he declined an offer to host a daily talk show on WLS in Chicago while serving as Illinois lieutenant governor.
Last month the show was awarded a Silver award for 2004 in the radio programming category of competition sponsored by the Northwest district of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.

The program also is unique in that it is believed to be the only radio interview show currently hosted by a university president on a public radio station. In fact, NPR President Kevin Klose believes "New Horizons in Education" is currently the only show if its kind.

"Having a president of a university licensee host a radio show of this nature is very rare," Klose said during a visit to the Boise State Radio studios earlier this month. "The kind of show that Dr. Kustra is doing is what NPR and a university are supposed to be about.

Kustra’s show airs on NPR News 91 in the Treasure Valley at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays.

Idaho Tech Fact

Did you know?

Boise part of Post-It Notes history
Did you know Boiseans helped launch Post-It Notes, a staple of office life for 25 years?

According to the folks at 3M, the makers of Post-Its, the little stickie-notes were a flop when they were first test-marketed in 1977 as "Press and Peel." Apparently, consumers didn’t understand how they could be used.
But 3M executives later went on the road – to Boise and Richmond, Va. — to show people how to use them. As a result of that roadshow, the product was relaunched in 1980 as Post-It Notes and the rest is history.

Today, the brand includes 1,000 products in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colors and there is now even a digital version that can be used on computers.

Have an Idea/Submission for this Newsletter?

Contact Julie Howard at the Idaho Office of Science & Technology at (208) 334-2650, ext. 2147, or at [email protected]

2005 Events Calendar
May 5
Stream Ecology Symposium
ISU – Pocatello
Symposium to feature presentations on new developments in theory and practice of stream ecology. Symposium is free, but registration is required. $25 fee includes refreshments, lunch and a social hour. Dinner is $20.
More information is at http://www.isu.edu/departments/bios/mins-symp.pdf.

May 8-12
Nanotech Conference and Trade Show
Anaheim, Calif.
For more information, click here

June 7-9
SCP Global Technologies International Symposium
Boise Centre on the Grove
Event features presentations, panel discussions, the annual Werner Kern Award, a poster session and more.
For more information on this event, click here

June 8-9
2nd Annual Industry Forum
Holiday Inn Boise
Industry technical presentations and collaboration. RSVP to Rachel Hall at [email protected].

June 15
Governor’s Science & Technology Council Meeting
Moscow
Council meets to discuss statewide science and technology policies and strategies. For information or to RSVP, contact Karen Lewis, [email protected].

June 19-22
Biotechnology Industry Organization Convention
Philadelphia
Worldwide BIO show brings together the latest in the biosciences. For information, go to http://www.bio.org/events/2005/

June 29-30
TechLaunch 2.0
Sun Valley
Program trains emerging entrepreneurs to present before investors. More information at http://www.ieda.biz/techinfo.cfm.

August 22-23
Northwest Energy Symposium
Portland, Ore.
The symposium is an energy technology event bringing together entrepreneurs, utilities, investors, research organizations, academia, and government involved with the region’s emerging energy sector.
For more information, go to http://www.nwetc.com

For more calendar information, visit Conferences and Events at cl.idaho.gov

"We Create Jobs, Strengthen Communities and Market Idaho."

IDAHO COMMERCE & LABOR
PO Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0093
Tel: 208-334-2470; Fax: 208-334-2631
Web: cl.idaho.gov
05-62000-250

DIRK KEMPTHORNE, GOVERNOR
ROGER MADSEN, DIRECTOR
KARL TUELLER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR & OST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Idaho Commerce & Labor is an equal opportunity employer.
This document is available upon request in alternative formats for individuals with disabilities.
[email protected] • Idaho Commerce & Labor