Tri-Cities Tech Business Update

January 2010 Issue

Tech News and Notes

New patent law office opens

Rainier Patents has opened a branch in Kennewick, Wash. The company represents technology companies and emerging companies with technological assets and specializes in protecting intellectual property and managing clients' patent, copyright, and trademark needs. The company also has an office in Spokane, Wash. Contact Paul Mitchell at 509-735-1542.

Procurement Technical Assistance Center opens

A Washington State Procurement Technical Assistance Center has opened in Kennewick, Wash. The center is located at the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce office on Grandridge Boulevard. The center provides small business owners with information, services, and seminars on government contracting. Contact Heather Mayfield at 509-736-0510.

ScienceWorksForUS initiative

An initiative funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has funded a new initiative designed to demonstrate the impact of Recovery Act-funded research. ScienceWorksForUS is a joint venture between the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, and The Science Coalition. The three organizations represent more than 200 of the nation's leading academic research institutions. The website includes information about research in all 50 states. Register for email updates.

Meier Architecture Engineering expands capabilities

Meier Architecture Engineering has added a new structural project engineer and another staff member has passed the civil professional engineer exam. Meier hired Eric Anderson to provide structural engineering support to Meier and its clients. Anderson has a degree in civil engineering and more than 13 years experience. Julie Xinge Yin is now a state-licensed civil professional engineer. She has more that eight years field experience.

Contact Denise Sweeden at 509-737-6932.

Tech Opportunities and Resources

ARPA-E grant funding available

The Department of Energy has announced that a second round of funding opportunities for transformational energy research projects will be made available through the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced that $100 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding will be made available to accelerate innovation in green technology, increase America's competitiveness and create jobs. The agency's first solicitation in 2009 was highly competitive and resulted in funding 37 projects aimed at transformational innovations in energy storage, biofuels, carbon capture, renewable power, building efficiency, vehicles, and other areas. The new round of funding opportunities is focused specifically on three areas of technology that represent new approaches for electrofuels, carbon capture, and batteries for electric vehicles. The deadline to submit concept papers is January 15. View complete funding opportunity announcement and requirements.

Global Venture Challenge competition

Applications are being accepted for the Global Venture Challenge that will be held in March in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The event brings together teams of graduate students from around the world to compete for prizes by addressing the world's future needs in energy and security. The winning team will receive $25,000. The two tracks in the competition are "Advanced Materials for a Sustainable Energy Future" and "Community Resilience and Homeland Security." Applications are due January 18. Travel assistance will be available for all teams selected to participate in the semi-final rounds. Apply online.

Life Science Development Fund grant funding

The Life Sciences Discovery Fund will provide grant funding through four grant competitions in 2010. Three of the grant funding opportunities were featured last year-a project competition, a program competition, and a commercialization competition. The fourth grant competition that will be offered in 2010 is new-an opportunity competition. The organization will release Requests for Proposals for the first three competitions on January 6. The deadline for commercialization grant pre-proposals is February 3. The Request for Proposal for the fourth competition will be issued in May. More information.

Boeing seeks heat pack technology

Boeing needs a non-electrical portable heat pack that will cure a repair patch at 180° (F) for durations ranging from 30 minutes to four hours. The requirements for aerospace application include maintaining the heat distribution consistency across the entire patch and during the entire duration of use, as well as consistency of operation outdoors in extreme weather conditions. The company is looking for a technology that has at least been demonstrated at bench scale. Contact Elaine Kong of the Washington Technology Center at 206-616-1078.

Environmental research and development proposals requested

The Department of Defense is accepting environmental research and development proposals for funding under the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program. The program is a joint venture with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. The program invests in research focused on solving the country's most intractable environmental problems. Pre-proposals are due January 7 from non-federal entities and on March 11 from federal agencies. More information and online application.

Resources online

1) The column "Tri-Cities consistently ranked among the best" was published in the Tri-City Herald on November 29. The article discusses the region's high ranking on lists of best places to live and work. 2) The column "Tri-Cities Research District a place to live, work and play" was published in the Tri-City Herald on December 27.  The article highlights the residential, business, and recreational advantages offered within the Research District. 3) The ScienceWorksForUS website was launched in conjunction with the launch of the initiative. The website includes information about Recovery Act-funded research being conducted in all 50 states. (See story in Tech News & Notes section.)

Tech Dates and Deadlines

Going Green, Making Green seminar

JANUARY 20. REGISTER BY JANUARY 12. Dennis Wilde will be the next speaker in the Tri-Cities Research District Speaker Series. Wilde will give the presentation "Going Green, Making Green: A real estate developer's perspective on what customers and tenants want in sustainable buildings ... and what they'll pay for" on January 20 beginning at 4 pm. The session will be held in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory Auditorium located on the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory campus in Richland, Wash. Wilde is a partner at Gerding Edlen Development and helped launch Gerding Edlen Sustainable Solutions, a new business unit dedicated to creating sustainable strategies. Gerding Edlen has developed more LEED-certified buildings (over 40) than anyone in the U.S. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Mission Support Alliance are teaming to host the Speaker Series dedicated to educating stakeholders, the community, and other interested individuals and organizations on what it takes to successfully develop a research park. There is no charge to attend this event; however, you must pre-register by Tuesday, January 12. A light reception sponsored by Mission Support Alliance will follow. Register online.

Regional Economic Outlook event

JANUARY 27. The Tri-Cities Development Council will host the 11^th Annual Regional Economic Outlook at the Trade Recreation and Agriculture Center in Pasco, Wash. in January. This event brings together nationally renowned economists and regional industry experts for a comprehensive economic forecast of the Tri-Cities region. The featured keynote luncheon speaker will be Brian Wesbury, chief economist for First Trust Advisors. In another presentation, Dr. Michael Scott will debut a new report by PNNL that shows how the Tri-Cities economy and the Hanford economy have diverged over the last 15 years. Additionally, a plated breakfast event has been added to the agenda and feature Dr. Ines Triay, the U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management. Kadlec Regional Medical Center is title sponsor for the event. Contact Kayla Pratt at 509-735-1000.

Harvesting Clean Energy 2010

FEBRUARY 7-9. The 10^th annual Harvesting Clean Energy Conference will be held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash., in February. The event focuses on advancing rural economic development through clean energy production. The conference features a variety of tracks that emphasize opportunities for rural landowners, the latest in renewable energy technologies, where the new clean energy jobs and training programs are, and the new clean energy economy. Senator Maria Cantwell and Boeing's Director of Geopolitical and Policy Analysis, Richard Wynne, are confirmed speakers. Register online.

Entrepreneurial Awards luncheon

FEBRUARY 16. The Richland Rotary and Tri-Cities Development Council will hold the annual Entrepreneurial Awards luncheon on February 16 at the Red Lion in Richland, Wash. The event recognizes local companies for entrepreneurial success. Contact Kayla Pratt at 509-735-1000.

Global Venture Challenge conference

MARCH 24-26. The 4^th Annual Global Venture Challenge will be held in March in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The event brings together teams of graduate students from around the world to compete for prizes by addressing the world's future needs in energy and security. The event will also feature a Venture Showcase highlighting companies with energy efficient products and services. Register online.

Life Science Innovation Northwest Conference

MARCH 16-17. The Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association will hold the first Life Science Innovation Northwest Conference in Seattle in March. The new conference will replace the organization's Invest Northwest event and will focus on the innovation that is driving the life science industry by bringing together public and private life sciences companies, research institutions, scientists, entrepreneurs and the global health community to tell their stories to potential investors and prospective partners. Keynote speakers will include Rajiv Shah, from the U.S. Agency for International Development; and Travis Sullivan, from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Register online.

Washington's Innovation Summit 2010

APRIL 9. REGISTER BY MARCH 5 FOR DISCOUNTED RATE. The Washington Technology Center will hold Washington's Innovation Summit 2010 in April in Tacoma, Wash. The event focuses on sustaining a world-class economy through innovation and industry development by bringing together the region's leading companies and thought leaders. Former NASA astronaut and Sunnyside, Wash. native Dr. Bonnie Dunbar will be a featured speaker. Other speakers include Mike Davis, Associate Laboratory Director of the Energy and Environment Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Steve Ashby, Deputy Director for Science and Technology at PNNL; as well as Rogers Weed, director of the state Department of Commerce. The cost is $50 for the luncheon only and $190 for the full event if you register by March 5. Register online.

PNNL This Month

Six PNNL scientists elected AAAS Fellows

Six scientists from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for their exceptional efforts to advance science or its applications. The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world. The PNNL honorees and the AAAS sections that elected them are: Scott Chambers, physics; Moe Khaleel, engineering; Yuehe Lin, chemistry; Philip Rasch, atmospheric and hydrospheric sciences; John Wacker, chemistry; and Sotiris Xantheas, chemistry. The Association will honor its new fellows at its annual meeting in San Diego, Calif., in February 2010. Read the complete news release.

PNNL scientist to lead Smart Grid panel

A researcher at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been appointed as the plenary chair of the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel. Steve Widergren was appointed by the panel's governing board in December. Widergren will organize and chair panel meetings and appoint chairs to the panel's two standing committees. The panel is a unique public-private partnership with more than 400 member organizations that was launched in November as a collaborative method for stakeholders to provide input toward building a secure, interoperable smart electric grid. Read the complete news release.

Advanced water power technology research

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are part of a team being funded to develop advanced water power technologies. The Department of Energy awarded $9 million for three years for fundamental research to develop and advance the science and tools needed to bring new water power technologies into use, as well as to evaluate methods to improve performance at existing hydropower facilities. The research team is headed by Sandia National Laboratory, and includes staff from PNNL as well as Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Former PNNL researcher wins E.O. Lawrence Award

A former researcher at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is one of six winners of the Department's prestigious 2009 E.O. Lawrence Award. Dr. Sunney Xie of Harvard University received the chemistry award. The Lawrence Award was established in 1959 to honor the memory of Dr. Ernest Orlando Lawrence, inventor of the cyclotron (a particle accelerator). There are also two national laboratories named in his honor. Each award winner receives $50,000 and a gold medal and will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. this year.

Young scientist places first in national research competition

A recent intern at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory earned top honors at a national undergraduate competition for research that could help scientists use fungi to make chemicals used in plastic and fuels. Kristen Meyer, of West Richland, Wash., placed first in the life sciences division of the 2009 Science and Energy Research Challenge Poster Competition, which took place Nov. 8-9 in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The award included a $3,000 scholarship. Now a junior studying chemistry at Washington State University Tri-Cities, Meyer spent the past summer working with PNNL molecular biologist Kenneth Bruno. She developed a new, time-saving method to test specific genes in a black mold commonly found in soil, Aspergillus niger. The work could provide a way to use mold to make plastics and other chemicals from broken-down plant matter, called biomass. Read the PNNL news release. Read the Washington State University news release.

Got News?

We invite your contributions! We will consider items that fit the mission of this publication, including your tech-related news, awards, and notices of upcoming events. Please send text and photos to Andrea McMakin or call (509) 372-6013.

Tri-Cities Tech Business Update is published by the Economic Development Office at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Each month, we send you an e-mail message, giving you the link of news, tips, awards, upcoming events, and other information about local technology-based businesses and organizations that support them. With business and community partners, our goal is to build and diversify the Tri-Cities economy—adding skilled jobs in primary-sector industries that bring in outside dollars. Currently, more than 1,100 tech-related businesses, investors, and economic development stakeholders subscribe to the newsletter, mostly in the Mid-Columbia area and the rest of the Pacific Northwest. This newsletter (RL-P00-009) supports DOE-Richland's vision for the future of the Hanford Site and surrounding area through the creation of research opportunities, new industries, and new business clusters