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Volume 6, Issue 28
Aug. 4, 2006

Circulation: 20,096
Editor: Beth Keithly

Friday FYI

Newsletter from the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development- U. T. Dallas

Upcoming Events

IEEE Consumer Electronics Society Meeting (August 8)

The next IEEE Consumer Electronics Society meeting will be at 11:45am Tuesday, August 8th, at the Holiday Inn Select in Richardson. Dr. Jim Carlo, Former Chair of the IEEE 802 standards committee, will present "IEEE 802 Standards Committee."

The IEEE 802 standards committee will be meeting this year in Dallas from 13-Nov 13-17. This talk will describe the details of events at an IEEE 802 meeting, how to participate effectively, how to register, what to expect.  The organization of the IEEE 802 standards committee will be described. Specific areas of new technology in development for LANs and WANs will be detailed to enable attendees to determine which meetings of IEEE 802 they would like to attend.

For additional information, please visit the Dallas CES website.

[ FYI Index ]

State of The North Texas Technology Industry (Aug 10)

The Richardson Chamber of Commerce is hosting a presentation by Rusty Cone, president of Alliance Systems and chairman of the board of the Metroplex Technology Business Council at 11:45am on Thursday, August 10 at The Richardson Hotel located at 701 E. Campbell Road in Richardson.

The Metroplex is truly the technology hub of Texas with nearly 500,000 high-tech employees – the second highest figure of any region in the U.S. – and nearly one-half of the total tech workforce in Texas. One of the region's foremost high-tech spokesmen will discuss the key factors and latest trends of an industry that plays a powerful role in shaping the region's economy in this state of the industry address.  For more information or to register, see www.telecomcorridor.com.

[ FYI Index ]

The Sixth Annual Emerging Information Technology Conference (EITC-06) (August 10-12)

Besides discussing the cutting-edge topics that will dominate the Global intellectual and economic landscapes will be the theme of this conference for Tech-Titans, the sixth annual Emerging Information Technology Conference (EITC-06) will also feature Mark Ellison from Texas Governor Rick Perry's office of economic development and presidents from some outstanding research universities in the Pacific Rim.

The conference will be held from August 10-12 on The University of Texas at Dallas campus.

Mark Ellison is the Director of the $300 Million Texas Emerging Technology Fund, which was recently approved by Governor Perry and the Texas Legislature to assist the development and commercialization of technologies important to the future of Texas. The Emerging Technology Fund aims to improve university research, expedite the launch of technology firms, and speed transition of inventions from the lab into the hands of consumers.

This year is also the first time for EITC to host a research university presidents forum.  For the past two decades, with significant economic growth, research universities in Asia are also seeing unprecedented growth, both in student population as well as research quality and output. The participants so far are from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Paul C. W. Chu), National Taiwan University (S. C. Lee), National Tsinghua University (W. T. Chen) and National Chiao-Tung University (Vice President W. Hwang).  Topics that will be discussed include responsibilities of research universities in the landscape of globalization, recruiting world class scholars, educating versus training the best young minds, and last but not least, promotion and interactions with the corporate worlds and commercialization. Dr. Da Hsuan Feng, Vice President of Research and Economic Development of University of Texas at Dallas will moderate the forum.

The conference will include programs on

  1. Nanotechnology,
  2. MEMS,
  3. SoC (Systems-on-Chip),
  4. Bioinformatics,
  5. C4I (Content, Computer, Communications, Consumer Electronics, and Integration),
  6. EET (Emerging Energy Technology), and
  7. VC (Venture Capital).

For more conference details, please contact the Executive Secretary Office of the EITC team at: 713-963-9433. Information is also available by visiting the EITC website.

[ FYI Index ]

IEEE Consultants Network Meeting: Business Protocol - Social Savvy Strategies for a Polished Professional (Aug. 14)

The IEEE Consultants Network group will have a meeting at 6:15pm on Monday August 14 at the Holiday Inn Select at 1655 North Central Expressway.  Andy Stewart will be speaking on "Business Protocol - Social Savvy Strategies for a Polished Professional." The image you present will determine the impression you make.  It's not final nor is it unchangeable, but it is an immediate judgment. Then it becomes an attitude, a willingness to be receptive, or an inclination to be negative.  Your behavior, appearance, ability to entertain and engage with others is a reflection of your way of life.   There is a $5 charge for IEEE members and a $15 charge for non-members which includes a buffet.  For more information, see www.ieeedallascn.org.

[ FYI Index ]

Former Surgeon General to Speak at UTD (Aug. 24)

The Sickle Cell Disease Research Center at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) will host a talk by Dr. David Satcher, the 16th Surgeon General of the United States and a former Assistant Secretary for Health, on Thursday, Aug. 24 to help kick off the center's Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month activities. The talk, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 4 p.m. in the TI Auditorium of UTD's Engineering and Computer Science South Building.

Satcher, who most recently served as interim president of the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, will discuss the challenging issue of diversity in biomedical research.

As Surgeon General and Assistant Secretary for Health, Satcher led the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' effort to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health, an initiative that was incorporated as one of the two major goals of Healthy People 2010, the nation's health agenda for the next ten years. He also released reports about crucial health care issues, including tobacco and health, mental health, children's mental health, suicide prevention, youth violence and obesity. Satcher served as Surgeon General from 1998 to 2002 and as Assistant Secretary for Health from 1998 to 2001, making him only the second person in history to have held both positions simultaneously.

A former Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar and Macy Faculty Fellow, Satcher has been the recipient of numerous distinguished awards, including from the American Medical Association and the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. He also has served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and president of eharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn.

“Dr. Satcher has devoted his entire career to alleviating inequities in the fields of healthcare, science and research,” said Dr. Betty Pace, director of UTD's Sickle Cell Disease Research Center. “The need for a diverse work force permeates all aspects of the health-related research efforts of our nation and we are excited that Dr. Satcher has consented to update us on the progress made to increase diversity in biomedical research.”

Members of the public are invited to participate in the Sickle Cell Disease Research Center's efforts to “Discover the Cure” by attending the following events on Aug. 24:

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder. People with the disease have red blood cells that contain mostly hemoglobin S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin. Sometimes these red blood cells become crescent shaped and have difficulty passing through small blood vessels, leading to a decrease or loss of blood flow. This may lead to tissue damage recurrent pain and other complications. Bone marrow transplantation offers a cure for a limited number of individuals, but there currently is no universal cure. September is National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.

For more information about the seminar or to purchase dinner tickets, contact Rosie Peterson at (972) 883-4159.

[ FYI Index ]

AeA Texas Council Hosts Summit Emphasizing U.S. and Global Competitiveness (Aug. 30)

Competition in the technology industry has risen to become one of the nation's top economic and cultural issues during the past few years. United States production in several of the high-technology markets has declined since 2001, with the nation falling behind developing technology powerhouses such as France and Germany in some markets.

The issue has already garnered national attention in the form of Sen. John Cornyn's Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership (SKIL) bill, which aims to retain highly skilled workers who are educated in the United States, promoting competitiveness through a market-based approach.

As part of nationwide effort to raise awareness of this problem, the Texas Council of AeA, a nationwide trade association that represents all segments of the technology industry, will be hosting the Texas Competitiveness Summit, Aug. 30, beginning at 8am at the University of Texas at Dallas School of Management. The summit is intended to raise visibility of the issue, allow participants to discuss how it is affecting the region and how Texas, specifically, is combating the problem. Sen. Cornyn will serve as honorary chair and keynote speaker of the summit.

In addition to Sen. Cornyn, the summit will have a number of distinguished speakers, including UTD President Dr. David Daniel; UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson; SMU Dean of the School of Engineering Dr. Geoffrey Orsak; UTD Dean of the School of Engineering Dr. Robert Helms; UNT Dean of the School of Engineering Dr. Oscar Garcia; Phil Wilson, Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Rick Perry as well as leaders from the technology industry, elected officials and K-12 educators.  For more information, see the AeA website.

[ FYI Index ]

Ross Perot to Open Major Nanotechnology Event in Dallas (Sept. 27)

H. Ross Perot of Dallas, internationally renowned business leader and two time Presidential candidate, will deliver the opening remarks at nanoTX'06 September 27, a world scale nanotechnology conference and expo held at the Dallas Convention Center. Chosen in 2004 as one of history's 10 greatest entrepreneurs, Mr. Perot is known to have followed advances in nanotechnology since 1999. Today Perot is heavily invested in nanotechnology firms with undervalued intellectual property rights, including trademarks, trade secrets, patents and copyrightable material. His opening message on the business of nanotechnology will be riveting, bringing new insights in his most quotable style.

nanoTX'06 will be held on September 27-28 at the Dallas Convention Center.

Perot has a history of betting on promising technology and made the bulk of his $3.7 billion fortune by starting the data-processing company Electronic Data Systems (EDS).

Over the years Perot has received numerous awards for his business success and community service, including the Eisenhower Award for support of the nation's Armed Forces, the Winston Churchill Award, the Horatio Alger Award, the National Business Hall of Fame Award, the Smithsonian Computerworld Award (first recipient; given for contributions to the computer industry), the Sarnoff Award (for contributions to the electronics industry), Medal for Distinguished Public Service (highest civilian award presented by the Department of Defense; given for his efforts supporting U.S. prisoners of war), the Raoul Wallenberg Award (first recipient; given for lifetime service reminiscent of the Swedish diplomat), the Jefferson Award for Public Service, the Patrick Henry Award (first recipient; given to a U.S. citizen for outstanding service to his country). As a noted author, his several books include Preparing Our Country for the 21st Century.

In the evening of the 27 th sponsors, exhibitors, and chosen guests will gather in the atrium of the Business Hall for the Exhibitor's Cocktail Reception where the Foresight Institute's Feynman Award winners will be announced. The following day two winners will present their work as the conference continues.

The Foresight Institute Feynman Prizes of $10,000 are given in two categories, one for experimental and the other for theory advances in nanotechnology. The prize is named after Dr. Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics, whose original goal for nanotechnology — systems of molecular machines building with atomic precision, is the guiding vision of long-term nanotechnology.

Established in 1993, the Foresight Feynman Prizes in nanotechnology are given to researchers whose recent work have most advanced the achievement of Feynman's goal for nanotechnology: the construction of atomically-precise products through the use of molecular machine systems.

Presented by the Texas Nanotechnology Initiative, the event carries the theme: The Promise of Tomorrow—The Business of Nanotechnology. Sponsors include Lockheed Martin, Applied Materials, Texas Instruments, the Japanese Consulate, Winstead, Zyvex, BioForce Nanosciences, Raymor Industries of Quebec, among other big firms and organizations in nanotechnology.

Also expected at nanoTX'06 are Madam Congressman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-30 th Dist.) on the House Science Committee and Madam Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) who, as chairman of the Department of Defense Appropriations Committee, included $15 million in new funding for Research in Nanotechnology (SPRING). The program is a consortium comprised of the University of Texas (UT) at Arlington, UT- Austin, UT-Brownsville, UT-Dallas, UT-Pan American, Rice University and University of Houston, that are participating in nanoTX'06, September 27-28, 2006. Also part of the event is Texas State Technical College.

This funding will build on that effort and continue the consortium's work to establish a collaborative network of well-equipped research centers to rapidly develop and promote nanotechnology.

[ FYI Index ]

Call For Papers: The 6th International Triple Helix Conference on University-Government-Industry Links (Conference Date: May 16-18, 2007)

The 6th Biennial  International Triple Helix Conference on University-Industry Government-Links will be held in Singapore from May16-18 , 2007 with the theme "Emerging Models for the Entrepreneurial University: Regional Diversities or Global Convergence". The conference will be organized by National University of Singapore (NUS) Enterprise in Singapore.

Organized for the first time in Asia, Triple Helix VI 2007 will provide a global forum for academic scholars from different disciplinary perspectives as well as policy makers, university administrators and private sector leaders from different countries to exchange and share new learning about the diverse emerging models of the entrepreneurial university, the changing dynamics of University-Industry-Government interactions around the world and the complex roles of the university in local, regional and national economic development.

Scholarly paper contributions are being called for that seek to advance over understanding of the dynamics of University-Industry-Government interactions in general and the emerging entrepreneurial university models in particular.  Also welcome are practitioner-oriented contributions that provide insights on new policy innovations and share knowledge on practices, as well as proposals for workshops and poster presentations that contribute to promoting exchange and dialogues on how universities in the 21 st century can better cope with the challenges of globalizations while serving local and regional goals.
Submissions of extended abstracts are welcome in the following categories:

Papers and poster presentations will be selected based on abstract submissions which should be of a maximum length of two pages including figures and references.

Authors of accepted abstract will be required to submit their full papers / poster abstracts according to the submission guidelines which are available in the conference website.  Authors of the best papers presented at the conference will be invited to submit their contributions to a number of special issues of relevant international journals.

For more details on the conference sub-themes and paper submission procedures and guidelines, please visit The 6th International Triple Helix Conference. Any logistics-related query you may have about the conference to organizing chair. Queries related to abstract/paper submissions and the conference theme can be directed to the organizing chair.

[ FYI Index ]

IEEE Emerging Technologies Conference (September 15)

From the heart of the "Telecom Corridor", the Dallas Section IEEE brings together international experts, educators and colleagues in a one-day conference of workshops and technical sessions to address emerging technologies and their applications.

This year's conference will be held on Friday September 15th. A reception sponsored by local companies and universities will be held on Friday evening following the conference program. This year's focus areas include consumer electronics, mobility and the digital home.

Please note: the deadline for paper submission is August 25. Please see more information on the IEEE website.