Letter from the Regional Coordinator This is my final letter as Regional Coordinator. Since I took over the position, I believe that we have come a long way toward reinvigorating the Region, and I hope you agree. During my terms of office, we have held three successful meetings, kept our points of contact lists updated, revamped the website, obtained our own domain name, and produced two volumes of DVD training—among many other accomplishments. Read more Integrated Fuel Technologies Gets Worldwide License for Argonne-developed Diesel DeNOx Catalyst A new, patented catalyst developed by scientists at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory to reliably and economically reduce 95 to 100 percent of the nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel-fueled engines has been licensed to Integrated Fuel Technologies, Inc. (IFT), a startup company based in Kirkland, Washington. Read more Argonne Researchers Win 2 R&D 100 Awards Researchers at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and their industrial partners have won two R&D 100 Awards for innovative fluid sealing and lithium-ion battery technologies. Read more NSWC Crane and Next Wave Partner to Commercialize Surveillance Technology Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) has partnered with Next Wave Systems, LLC, to facilitate the commercial sale of surveillance systems developed at NSWC Crane. This partnership has made possible the successful sale of these systems to a variety of customers, including NATO military forces deployed to Afghanistan. Read more Understanding the Evolving Role of the Federal Government in U.S. Innovation Collaborative research, particularly federally funded R&D, is playing an increasingly significant role in producing the top innovations each year, according to a new analysis released by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). Where Do Innovations Come From? Transformations in U.S. National Innovation System, 1970-2006, shows a dramatically diminishing role for the largest firms acting independently to fuel future technological advances. Read more Michigan Universities Join Forces for $75M Entrepreneurship Initiative A consortium of Michigan's 15 public universities recently announced a decade-long initiative to launch 200 new businesses in the state. The Michigan Initiative for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIIE) plans to raise and distribute $75 million over the next seven years through grants for commercialization projects, university-industry partnerships, and entrepreneurship education. Read more
NASA Developing Fission Surface Power Technology When NASA astronauts return to the Moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost, they will need power sources on the lunar surface. Engineers at NASA's Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland have been exploring the possibility of nuclear fission to provide the necessary power and have taken the initial steps toward a non-nuclear system-level technology demonstration of this type of power system. Read more Development of a Handwipe Method for Removal of Toxic Metals A team of researchers (Kevin Ashley, Mark Boeniger, and Eric Esswein) from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed and commercialized a new type of handwipe that effectively removes toxic metals from skin and other surfaces. This handwipe has the potential to provide a large public health benefit by significantly reducing workers' exposure to toxic metals, particularly lead. Read more Occupational Safety and Health at Xavier University In August, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Xavier University's Williams College of Business, Cincinnati, to help advance the safety and health of workers by raising awareness of the business case for preventing worker injury and illness. As a result of this agreement, the first effort by NIOSH and Xavier University will be the development of an MBA course entitled "Business Value of Safety and Health," that is focused on improving safety and health in the workplace to increase productivity and profit. This effort, in collaboration with the National Safety Council, will integrate safety and health material into the business school curriculum. The course is scheduled for spring 2009. Further information about the agreement is available from DeLon Hull, director of the NIOSH Office of Research and Technology Transfer, DHull@cdc.gov Sustainable Approaches to Analyzing Chemical Toxicity Each year many new chemicals join the thousands already in existence in the marketplace. Determining their potential hazard to humans and the environment is an ongoing challenge for the EPA's mission of sustainability in support of economic growth. Read more Roadmap to Bio-based Economy Proposed in Journal Article Four research scientists from the Forest Products Laboratory have proposed an approach to meeting global energy needs and creating a sustainable, bio-based economy that would reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, reduce dependence on oil and other fossil fuels, and enhance the health of the world's forests. Writing in the current issue of Forest Products Journal, they propose an approach called "integrated biomass technologies," or IBT, that provides a roadmap to a bio-based economy founded on the systematic use of renewable forest-based and agricultural resources, including residues, to produce high value products, including energy, liquid biofuels, chemical feedstocks, advanced biocomposites, and advanced structures. The article can be viewed at www.forestprod.org/features.html. Russian Delegation Explores Potential for Joint Research A Russian delegation from the Kirov region of Russia (including the Dean of Biology at Vyatka State University, the Deputy Leader of the Kirov Region Assembly, and several CEOs of companies in the region) recently visited the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison, Wisconsin. The delegates met with FPL Director Chris Risbrudt and microbiologist Dr. Thomas Jeffries to discuss biofuels research; Kirov is resource-rich in timber and forestry, and is very interested in biofuels research. The delegation visited Madison as part of a trip sponsored by the State Department, with the goal of finding opportunities for joint research collaborations between Kirov and the U.S. Dr. Jeffries will likely be visiting Kirov in August to further discuss possible partnership opportunities. Soldiers Select Two TARDEC Projects for 2007 Army Greatest Inventions Two U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC)-led projects—the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) Egress Assistance Trainer (HEAT) and the Improvised Explosive Device Mine Roller Self Protective Adaptive Roller Kit (SPARK)—were honored as two of the top 10 2007 Army Greatest Inventions (AGIs) for their life-saving features and soldier survivability enhancements. Read more U.S. Defense Transportation, Distribution Expertise Aids Georgian Refugees It's a scene played out in the background of the larger, more dramatic stage of the humanitarian crisis in the Republic of Georgia. In a quieter sense, the global U.S. defense transportation system worked to help get more than 22,000 humanitarian daily rations to a relief organization in the area to feed a growing number of Georgian refugees. Read more USTRANSCOM, Numerex Join Forces for Improved Cargo Tracking The United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) recently signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Numerex Corp., to work on a unique joint research project to determine the military utility of satellite tracking devices for monitoring military cargo. Read more Upcoming T2 Conferences and Events
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