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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Jan 23, 2015 |
"Employers are saying I don't care about all the knowledge you learned because it's going to be out of date two minutes after you graduate ... I care about whether you can continue to learn over time and solve complex problems," Debra Humphreys, vice president for policy and public engagement at AAC&U "Test Finds College Graduates Lack Skills for White-Collar Jobs" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
TODAY!!! - Frozen-themed Rally To Support Montana Public Preschool, 1/23 - 11:00AM, Helena, Montana http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
2014 Montana Politics & 2015 Legislature
Early Edge Montana
- Bozeman's Niles Hushka, president and CEO of KLJ Solutions pushes governor's preschool plan
"I believe preschool education is more of a workforce issue."
- Frozen-themed Rally To Support Montana Public Preschool, 1/23 - 11:00AM, Helena, Montana
The rally correlates with the program's first hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, which begins at 8:30 a.m. in room 475.
- Rep. Nancy Wilson, D-Missoula wants to raise gas tax by 5 cents a gallon
"State highways are relatively well-funded," Wilson said. "Local roads and streets don't do as well."
Montana Data Focused Business Cluster
- Playbook for Becoming an Early Learning Community
By giving children the strong start they need for success in school and life, families and communities -- the very building blocks of a productive society -- can be strengthened for generations to come
- To help kids later, send new parents to class
A prenatal program designed to improve couples' co-parenting relationship pays off for their children seven years later
- Early Edge initiative important for Montana families - Rally at 11AM this Friday 1/23 at the Capital in Helena
If there is one thing I am proud of, it is the childhood my children are having — our public school experiences are a cornerstone of this experience, as is the wonder of growing up in a state like Montana.
- Bullock touts pre-K benefits in Great Falls
On Friday, the joint appropriations subcommittee on education will take up the portion of House Bill 2 where Bullock is proposing the increased spending to add optional pre-kindergarten programs with certified teachers and curriculum across the state.
- Early Education is One Tool Massachusetts Can Use to Make Progress on Education Reform
"When the education reform bill was enacted in the early 1990s, its main goal was to educate all students to high levels. And all meant all."
Sustainable Business Council
- Want to Cure Cancer? Think Small Data, not Big Data
Why think 'Big Data' when you've already got lots of 'Small Data'?
The Frontier Medicine Better Health Partnership
- Plan now for "Moving Missoula Toward Zero Waste" Month
"Waste is a bit of a mess in Missoula," according to Jenny Mish, Executive Director of the Sustainable Business Council. "Visitors and new residents are often appalled by the scarcity of recycling options here," she said.
- Sustainable Business Council to host social sustainability event series in Missoula
The three events will each focus on a different topic, and each will feature local businesses that have successfully implemented the idea, insights from best practices around the country and a checklist with actionable items.
Visit Montana - Montana Dept. of Tourism
- Tweets can better predict heart disease rates than income, smoking and diabetes, study finds
Is Twitter becoming a new public health database?
Great Falls Development Authority
- Montana's Big Hole National Battlefield looking for cultural demonstrators
It is seeking interested participants for Coyote Camp (May 18-22) and the Summer Speaker Series (weekends June 27-Aug. 16). Housing, mileage, per diem and honorarium will be provided.
TechLink
- Great Falls Development Authority Top 16 for 1/22/15
Here's the GFDA Top 16 for last week, celebrating great things happening to move Great Falls Forward! Sorry for the delay in getting this out -- it's been crazy busy which is great for Great Falls!
Inteneo Systems
- Feds Eye Expanded Tech Commercialization
Federal legislation could soon speed up the process of commercializing state-of-the-art technology developed at national laboratories.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Panera Baking Data-Driven Delicacies
"We know everything sold in every one of our company stores," says Bufano, adding decision makers receive a snapshot of sales and operations on a daily basis. Weekly, they receive a detailed analysis of what is driving the average $50,000 in sales for each company store.
- Blow Up The Architecture Break Down the Silos: How To Turn Corporations Into Innovation Machines
Author and entrepreneur Steve Blank talks about strategies for turning large corporations into innovation machines
- The Morning Download: Ford's Big Data Plan Spans Marketing, Telematics, Supply Chain
"I think Big Data will be much bigger than telematics."
Leadership Montana
- Businesspeople, Educators Seek Ways to Teach Students Entrepreneurship
Some believe that high schools and other institutions can do a better job preparing students for the challenges of starting and running their own businesses.
Montana Business
- Leadership Montana Is Proud To Present Former Navy Seal Rob O'Neill, 3/20, Helena, Montana
O’Neill will be the first speaker in the group’s Lessons in Leadership series, which will feature presentations from inspiring individuals focusing on their personal experience and growth as leaders.
Careers
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), v8, In-Person Class (Helena), 1/26-1/30
This class will immerse the student into an interactive environment where they will be shown how to scan, test, hack and secure their own systems.
- Certified ScrumMaster, In-Person Training (Helena), 2/23
Taking a CSM course, passing the CSM test, and accepting the license agreement designates you as a Certified ScrumMaster, which indicates that you have been introduced to and understand the basic concepts you need to perform as a ScrumMaster or team member on a Scrum team.
- Certified Scrum Product Owner, In-Person Training (Helena), 2/25
This class will allow your organization to enjoy the many advantages Scrum has to offer. Hands-on exercises demonstrate key concepts and let you experience the benefits of Scrum firsthand.
- Economic report shows "two Montanas" in state's rural counties
While places like Bozeman, Missoula and Billings are tapping into the so-called "knowledge" industries, so far that hasn't happened in Montana's small towns.
Next Generation Broadband in Missoula
- 7 sneaky ways to snag an internship
Hackathons present students with the opportunity to showcase their work and code for large prizes from technology companies.
- On Leadership The women who 'make it' in tech
If we can't claim our contribution, how do we expect anyone else to acknowledge it? It's well past time to change "Will it work for your mom?" from a question we ask about the ease of a product's use to one we ask about an industry and how well it mentors, attracts and retains the talented women in its midst.
- Paid Missoula High School Summer Internships Available at MPG Ranch
Application deadline is this Friday (Jan 23rd) so don't miss out!
- A Key Issue in President Obama's State of the Union: Advocating for Women at Work
Many of the President's proposals involved improving the lives of women, particularly in the workplace, something he believes will be critical to ensuring the country's economic strength.
Business Plan Forums
- Portland, Maine, Mayor Announces Goal of Citywide Broadband
"By wiring the city it will ensure our economic and social future," Brennan said. "We talk about building roads and building highways and building housing, but one of the key pieces of infrastructure for the city moving forward is high-speed Internet."
Government
- 2015 Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest accepting entries online
Since its inception in 2004, more than 2,900 entries have been received across four categories - advanced manufacturing, business services, information technology and life sciences. The contest has led to cash and in-kind prizes (such as legal, accounting, office space and marketing) valued at about $1.8 million. More important: Finalists have collectively raised $160 million in angel, venture, grants and venture debt over time.
Incubators and R&D
- Here's what I learned when I helped Stephen Colbert set up his Super PAC
Super PACs aren't something to be laughed at.
Regional Business
- President Obama gets immersed in Boise State's New Product Development Lab and comes away impressed.
"If I was allowed to invest, I'd invest in you. You guys are gonna figure this out."
Utah Business
- The secret world of the Dunkin' Donuts franchise kings
"you have to make four million bucks on four-dollar tickets."
- Community Medical Center gets $109K grant for heart attack care
"Timely treatment can mean the difference between returning to work, and becoming permanently disabled," he said. "It can mean the difference between life and death."
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Utah has fourth largest gender wage gap, new study says
"I want to be able to live this life with as little regret as possible, and I know if I focused everything on work and school and not spend time with Roslyn, I would regret that sooner or later," Havens said. "It's hard ... to just leave your baby at home. That just comes along with being a mom."
Education
- Changing 1 thing increases students' fruit, vegetable consumption by 50 percent
"We found that moving recess to before lunch increases the amount of fruit and vegetable consumption by about 50 percent, and it also broadens the base because it increase the fraction of kids eating vegetables by about 45 percent," said Joe Price, who is an Associate Professor of Economics at Brigham Young University.
- Education Analytics: Why schools should care about Business Intelligence
Higher education institutions (universities and colleges) are increasingly adopting BI to reduce management complexity and discover the facts about their businesses that matter. A competency, which can boost academic, administrative and workforce related outcomes and help publicize those achievements.
- 3 Ways Schools Can Stretch Their Technology Dollars
New York City schools take a look at staffing, the type of equipment they purchase and ways to extend the life of technology.
Montana Education Excellence
- 15 state community colleges get OK to offer bachelor's degrees
Jubilant education officials chose 15 community colleges to be California's first to offer bachelor's degrees in high-need fields as part of a pilot program meant to boost the economy and help students avoid costly for-profit programs.
- MSU-based study finds underrepresented students study science if they believe it helps their community
"Everyone benefits from seeing the altruistic benefits of their work."
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- University of Montana creates new energy-efficient data center
"It's the type of thing that just demonstrates the progress that were making here at UM." UM's Chief Information Officer, Matt Riley
- Army veteran, Les Craig with strong ties to national service selected as director of MSU Blackstone LaunchPad
Craig has co-founded two successful companies, is an active member of two non-profits that help veterans transition to the private sector and is a former U.S. Army Ranger.
Universities and Economic Development
- University of Montana Project Management Class seeking Technology Projects for Students
Teams of students in the class work to create information systems solutions to help businesses or non-profits to solve problems.
Community
- President Obama's visit puts Boise State tech lab in spotlight
"It's Idaho's best-kept secret."
Energy and Climate Change
- Missoula County Public Schools Board Meeting Notes Available Weekly - Subscribe Now
I encourage everyone who has an interest in our community and schools to subscribe to both of these outstanding citizen information efforts.
- Should a Residential Street Ever Lack Sidewalks?
"Pedestrian crashes are more than twice as likely to occur in places without sidewalks; streets with sidewalks on both sides have the fewest crashes."
Connectivity & Communications
- Utah Governor leads as business leaders launch electric vehicle initiative
"We all have to do our part to improve our air quality, and Utah's business community is stepping up with a new initiative to move the ball forward," Gov. Gary Herbert
- Perovskites provide nearly 50% boost to silicon solar cells, Stanford study finds
"With tandem solar cells, you don't need a billion-dollar capital expenditure to build a new factory. Instead, you can start with a silicon module and add a layer of perovskite at relatively low cost."
- Seize the day! - The fall in the price of oil and gas provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix bad energy policies
Clean up a dirty business
- United States Senate rejects link between human activity and climate change
Two other amendments attributing climate change to human activity failed to achieve the 60 votes needed to advance.
Government Technology
- Cory Booker's introducing a bill to help cities build their own, public Internet services
The New Jersey Democrat will introduce a bill that would help local towns set up public alternatives to big Internet providers such as Comcast or Verizon.
- Missoula YouTube star Hank Green interviews President Obama
Obama said he's proud of what Green is doing and thanked him for all the "great stuff" he's putting on the web.
Non-Profit News
- New Montana Department of Labor & Industry labor market website is newsy and fun
The Montana Department of Labor & Industry launched a new Labor Market Information Web site in response to private sector demands for easy access to hard data for business planning
- Los Angeles County Supervisors OK Creation of Open-Data Website
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors took a large step Tuesday toward joining the growing "open data" movement of making government statistics readily available to anyone with a computer and Internet connection.
- Hardware problem took Montana state computer system offline
The state is working with NetApp to determine the cause of the problem, but there's no evidence of any security breach, he added.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Charitable techies can now donate their skills to nonprofits in need
The platform #charity enables IT professionals to donate their time and tech skills to nonprofits, saving those organizations much needed funds.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Montana's MPG Ranch strives to preserve the natural communities that make this area beautiful and focuses on research to restore and protect native diversity.
This site presents live wildlife footage captured with high definition cameras, describes our research on topics from microbes to large mammals, and documents field activities through weekly field notes.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Microsoft doesn't just want you to use Windows 10. It wants you to love it.
"We want to move people from needing Windows, to choosing Windows to loving Windows."
Transportation
- Book review: Peter Diamandis's 'Bold: How to Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World' a reminder of how entrepreneurs will control the world's fate
Just as an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs that ruled the Earth and made way for small furry mammals, a new wave of planetary disruptions is about to occur. The new asteroid is called "exponential technology." It is going to wipe out industries in a similar manner to the rock which fell on Earth during the Cretaceous Period.
- Google to sell wireless service
The technology giant is looking to push the wireless industry to cut prices and increase data speeds to make sure its services such as Gmail and YouTube can be easily accessed.
- This Startup Helps Companies Persuade You to Buy Anything - Persado
...it's all about the messaging.
- Wireless Charging System on Cusp of Commercialization
Imagine a world where you don't have to plug in your smartphone, tablet or laptop, or even lay it on one of the Duracell charging mats that Starbucks is rolling out nationwide. Instead, your refrigerator sends them power from across the room via a WiFi-like radio signal.
- A new wearable airbag protects which body part for the elderly?
The device is worn around the waist and fastened like a seatbelt
- HoloLens: The first hands-on experience virtual-reality device
It may be the first virtual-reality device to truly blend the virtual and the real in one seamless, head-mounted experience.
- BMW, VW team up with ChargePoint to build 100 CCS fast-charging sites for electric cars
Growing sales of U.S. and German plug-in models that use a different standard have led their owners to complain about the lack of sites to fast-charge their new cars. That's about to change.
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