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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Mar 4, 2014 |
"I think it's an absolute must for everyone to give back to what made them successful. I had a lot of help from MSU and Winifred. I can't repay those who helped me, for they're gone. But I can give to the next generation. I think everyone should balance the books and thank those people and institutions who helped them and also give to the next generation. It's a responsibility we all have." Norm Asbjornson on giving $50 Million to Montana State University http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Startup Weekend Missoula - No Talk, All Action, 3/7-3/9, Missoula http://www.matr.net/ev ... =4898
Montana Data Focused Business Cluster
Montana Department of Commerce
- Academe responds to Big Data wave
Over 75 percent of employers surveyed said they preferred to hire students with formal business analytics degrees or majors.
- Stanford engineers create a software tool to reduce the cost of cloud computing
We hear a lot about the future of computing in the cloud, but not much about the efficiency of the data centers that make the cloud possible.
Visit Montana - Montana Dept. of Tourism
- Made in Montana Tradeshow Gearing up for March Event in Helena
The annual show moved to Helena this year and promises to be the biggest ever with over 120 exhibitors hoping to get their products on store shelves next season.
Inteneo Systems
- Philipsburg, Montana a winter destination, too
You'll find plenty to do near Philipsburg during the winter months.
- How Wolves Change Rivers
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." ~John Muir
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Wells Fargo Creates Chief Data Officer Role
The organization--the total organization--has to make someone responsible for what the corporate strategy around information is, because you cannot afford to ignore it.
- A Little Neighborly Competition Can Help Reduce Water Usage - Open data is key
New software that may entice drought-hardened Californians to close the spigot a little tighter by letting them compare their own water consumption with that of their neighbors.
Montana Business
- Young professional groups in Helena, Montana offer chance to network in informal setting
Helena boasts two such groups that host regular meetups where members mingle with fellow professionals.
Montana Economic Development
- National parks brought 4.5M visitors, $400M to Montana in 2012
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell used the annual report's unveiling to encourage people in national park gateway communities to emphasize the importance of national parks on local economies to their congressional delegations.
Careers
- Missoula looks to define its economic identity
"We need to get the bloody carcass on the table, get the facts on the table. We've got to get in a room and have a town summit with the collective leadership. If we don't find the common denominator, the common ground, we'll continue to be more reactive in our approach to our future than we are proactive." Alex Philp
- New group touts economic impact of cyclists in Bitterroot Valley
The state of Oregon recently completed a study, concluding that two-wheeled tourists contributed $400 million to the Oregon economy, annually.
- MEDA March News - Save the date for MEDA Spring Conference May 6th - 7th
The theme will focus on addressing the needs identified in the Main Street Project Report.
Government
- We need a moon shot to propel women into computer science careers
We need a window-rattling, world-beating blastoff that represents a giant leap -- and which ensures that every girl in America takes a high-quality computer science course before she graduates from high school.
- The Way We Pay Primary-Care Doctors Is Insane
The fact that a primary-care doctor in the U.S. earns less than half of what a radiologist or dermatologist earns is insane.
- 'Lone Eagle' Cities: Where The Most People Work From Home
In an era of high unemployment and limited opportunity, more Americans are taking matters into their own hands and going to work for themselves out of their homes.
Regional Economic Development
- Montana Tax News You Can Use
An e-newsletter for tax preparers and those interested in the state's tax system
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Today's TED Talk Annette Heuser: The 3 agencies with the power to make or break economies
Annette Heuser proposes critical reforms to loosen the iron grip of rating agencies on national credit scores.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Code rocks as Butte girls learn to write computer codes at boot camp
"For this age group it's huge that we're getting them interested," said Lee Miller, library director. "They have nothing to fear."
- You think you know what teachers do. Right? Wrong.
Teaching as a profession has no mystery. It has no mystique. It has no respect.
- Elected Officials Embrace Preschool, But Funding Is the Catch
"Let's invest early and reap huge dividends not only for the child and the family but to the city as a whole."
- New All-Digital Curriculums Hope to Ride High-Tech Push in Schoolrooms
"What we try to do is classroom orchestration and choreography," Mr. Berger said, "but not classroom scripting."
Community
- MSU alumnus Norm Asbjornson pledges $50 million to MSU for its College of Engineering
Asbjornson, 78, is the founder and president of AAON, a NASDAQ-traded heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) manufacturer based Tulsa, Okla., with annual revenues in excess of $300 million and more than 1,400 employees.
Funding and Building your Business
- ACLU: Treatment of mentally ill prisoners lacking in Montana
According to Conley and the report, the ACLU and Disability Rights Montana http://www.disabilityrightsmt.org , an advocacy group for the mentally ill and the disabled, hope to work with the state on addressing problems identified in the report.
Energy and Climate Change
- 'Auto-pilot' cars next up for Tesla's Elon Musk
Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk may be a billionaire several times over but he also personifies the rather precarious nature of success in Silicon Valley, where the line between goat and genius often blurs.
- What to Do if You Don't Trust Your Business Partner
Entrepreneurs often compare a business partnership to a high-powered marriage, with each individual bringing certain assets to the table. But if there are trust issues even before the wedding, the union isn't likely to last long.
- When Start-Ups Don't Lock the Doors
"For many companies, a security breach would almost be a nice problem to have in some cases. It means you have enough customers for someone to care."
Connectivity & Communications
- Newly discovered catalyst could lead to the low-cost, clean production of methanol, scientists say
An international research team has discovered a potentially clean, low-cost way to convert carbon dioxide into methanol, a key ingredient in the production of plastics, adhesives and solvents, and a promising fuel for transportation.
Government Technology
- AT&T is testing its next-gen phone network on rural areas and retirees
Industry experts call this the "IP transition," and it's already happening on its own in parts of the country.
- Google's Eric Schmidt talks about power and limits of Internet
Schmidt and Cohen note that the book acknowledges some downsides to "big data," but they argue it's better to focus on ways to protect individual privacy rather than "bemoaning the inevitable increase in the size and reach of the technology sector."
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Tips for saving the government money, time and effort - start by following the data
It is crucial to identify key performance indicators from the start, to rely on data for decision-making and to regularly evaluate outcomes and make adjustments as necessary.
Transportation
- Secretive lab test ( 30 common laboratory tests within hours using just a few drops of blood ) startup Theranos has everyone talking but isn't saying much
The story is compelling: A 19-year-old interested in microfluidics and nanotechnology drops out of Stanford to start her own company, which goes on to raise at least $45 million in venture capital and ink a deal with one of the largest pharmacy chains in the U.S.
- Brynjolfsson Says Self-Driving Cars Developing Faster Than Expected
"I think we agree something big will happen. We just don't agree on what will happen."
- Delta to add nonstop flights between Boise and L.A.
The Boise airport has been working to increase direct flights to nearby cities.
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