AAU, APLU Urge FY14 Budget Conferees to Help Close Innovation Deficit (The Association of American Universities) The Association of American Universities and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities submitted a letter to the House and Senate budget committees urging them to reach a budget agreement that ends the sequester so that the U.S. can move toward closing the innovation deficit and remain a global leader in research and higher education.
CHPPE to allow research into more effective power electronics, semiconductors (The Ohio State University) The Center for High Performance Power Electronics will allow Ohio State researchers explore the advantages of silicon carbide-based power devices. It is funded through an Ohio Third Frontier Grant and partnerships with multiple private businesses such as GE Aviation, Wright-Patterson Research Lab, and Ford.
Duncan Addresses Rural Education Forum In Ohio, Promotes Request For Broadband Expansion Funds (Gongwer) Secretary of Education Arne Duncan addressed the Rural Education National Forum in Columbus, Ohio last week. Mr. Duncan spoke about the need for expansion and overhaul of the federal E-Rate program to bring broadband access to all schools, and the need for schools to more quickly integrate technology into their curricula.
Oh-Penn creating a Pathway to a better area workforce (Sharon Herald) The Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition and the Manufacturing Industry Partnership of Lawrence and Mercer Counties formed the Oh-Penn Manufacturing Collaborative to provide a unified front for their workforce efforts. Oh-Penn Interstate Region covers three Workforce Investment areas and has created “Pathways to Competitiveness Training Resources,” which is designed to upgrade workers’ talents and create a workforce suited to the needs of local manufacturers.
Once Sideshows, Colleges' Mobile Apps Move to Center Stage (The Chronicle) 79% of higher education institutions have created a mobile app for their students and that number is on the rise. Apps for students are becoming more complex, moving away from simple bus schedules and maps, and toward platforms that allow students to choose their schedule and participate in class exercises.
Senators push to close skills gap (The Chillicothe Gazette) Ohio faces a huge skills gap that leaves employers unable to hire many Ohioans seeking work. Senator Sherrod Brown introduced legislation to create a three-year grant program to spur the formation of partnerships between colleges, industry, organized labor, and other entities, focused on creating “new workforce pipelines” for industries facing a skills gap. Senator Rob Portman introduced a competing measure which would restructure existing federal programs to create a more streamlined system, while requiring federal agencies to prioritize funding for programs aimed at teaching workers skills that are “in-demand” and regionally relevant.
