Tri-Cities Tech Business Update

March 2010 Issue

Tech News and Notes

Dade Moeller staff member elected to board of national organization

Richland, Wash.-based Dade Moeller & Associates, Inc. announced that a member of its staff has been named to the board for the Health Physics Society. Barbara Hamrick will serve as the secretary-elect for the non-profit scientific organization, whose mission is to promote the practice of radiation safety. Hamrick will begin her term in June at the society's annual meeting. Hamrick is the manager of training operations for Dade Moeller's Las Vegas Division training center and also manages the company's new office in Pomona, Calif. Dade Moeller is a professional consulting firm specializing in radiological and nuclear safety, public and environmental health protection, occupational safety and health, and radiation and safety training.

Contact Paula Tumlinson at 509-946-0410, ext. 283.

Extra points for early-bird small business intent to nominate forms

Businesses that submit Intent to Nominate forms by March 19 for the Mid-Columbia Small Business Awards will receive an additional five points toward the nomination score. The Mid-Columbia Small Business Awards Committee, coordinated by the Three Rivers Alliance of Chambers, is accepting the nominations to recognize small businesses in Benton and Franklin Counties for exceptional customer service, outstanding commitment to employees, and superior community relations. The awards are presented to small businesses that best exemplify the qualities of honesty, fairness, ethical business practices, and concern for employees and customers. Applications are reviewed and scored by the Small Business Awards Judging Committee. Nomination forms are available at any local Chamber of Commerce and TRIDEC, or by calling ImagineThat!. The application deadline is Thursday, April 1. The awards will be presented in May. Contact Tracy Hill at 509-967-1063.

Entrepreneurial Awards announced

The Richland Rotary Club announced the winners of the 14^th annual Entrepreneurial Awards. nGenuity Information Services, based in Kennewick, Wash., and Elevate and ApresVin Enterprises, both based in Richland, Wash., were among those recognized at a ceremony in February. The awards program showcases businesses that are not fully mature but show promise for the future. The awards program was co-sponsored by the Tri-Cities Development Council, the Port of Benton, and Battelle.

Tech Opportunities and Resources

Apply for Research and Technology Development grants

The Washington Technology Center is accepting applications for its next round of research grants aimed at transitioning great ideas out of the laboratory and into the marketplace. Washington technology businesses can apply for a Research and Technology Development grant that can pay up to 80% of the cost of a research project. Project teams are eligible to receive up to $100,000 for initial proof-of-concept projects and up to $300,000 total for multi-phase projects. The deadline to submit a notice of intent is March 18 and applications are due April 22. Contact Russell Paez at 206-616-3102.

Environmental technology funding opportunities

The Department of Defense is accepting pre-proposals for funding under its Environmental Security Technology Certification Program for environmental technology demonstrations aimed at addressing the agency's top priority challenges. The agency is accepting pre-proposals from non-Defense federal agencies and the private sector in four areas: protection and remediation of contaminated groundwater; military munitions detection, discrimination, and remediation; ecosystem methods and tools for Defense installations; and energy efficiency and renewable energy for Defense installations. Pre-proposals are due March 4. More information.

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. Proposals are due March 11. More information and online application.

Video contest for small businesses

Microsoft and the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring the "It's Time for Business with Office 2010 Video Contest." The grand prize is $10,000. Small businesses located in Washington State with seven or fewer full-time employees are eligible to enter. To enter, download a free trial version of Office 2010 and then create a video about using it in your business. Videos must be at least 30 seconds and no longer than two minutes. The deadline is April 22. More information and submission form.

Resources online

1) The column "Sustainability can be integral part of building developments" was published in the Tri-City Herald on February 7. The article discusses how sustainable building practices can be incorporated into the construction of new developments. 2) The Washington Department of Commerce has launched the re-designed ChooseWashington website. The new site focuses on the agency's efforts to showcase Washington's competitiveness and industry sector strengths and retain, expand and recruit companies to Washington. 3) A new research report that show how, over the last 15 years, the Tri-Cities economy has largely de-coupled from the "Hanford economy" is available online. Download "Hanford and the Tri-Cities Economy: Historical Trends 1970-2008." 4) Presentations from the 10^th Annual Harvesting Clean Energy conference are now available. Download the presentations.

Tech Dates and Deadlines

SIGN executive to speak

MARCH 2. The Columbia Basin Chapter of the American Society for Quality's March meeting will feature the chief executive officer of the Richland, Wash.-based Surgical Implant Generation Network. Jeanne Dillner's talk "Leaving Behind a Lasting Legacy" will focus on the company's activities, which include coordinating training of surgeons in poor countries, designing and manufacturing FDA-cleared surgical implants and instruments, and donating them to under-resourced hospitals in developing countries. The meeting will be held at the Shilo Inn in Richland, Wash., with check-in and networking beginning at 5:30 pm, chapter business and buffet dinner at 6 pm, followed by the presentation at 7 pm. The cost is $17 for members and $20 for non-members or $5 for the presentation only. To register, contact Alvin Langstaff at (509) 371-2221 with your name, phone number, and company affiliation.

Three Rivers Entrepreneur Network meeting

MARCH 9. REGISTER BY MARCH 4. The Three Rivers Entrepreneur Network will hold its March seminar "How Green is our Valley: Strategies for Creating a Sustainable New World" on March 9 beginning at 7:15 am at the Richland Community Center in Richland, Wash. The speaker will be former U.S. Representative George Nethercutt. Nethercutt will discuss issues and share insights pertaining to the creation of a sustainable clean energy future in the United States. The event will take place from 7:15-8:30 am. There is no charge to attend, but you must pre-register by March 4 and space is limited. A continental breakfast will be provided. To register, contact Teresa Claar at (509) 375-2068 with the name, company/organization affiliation, phone number, and e-mail for each attendee.

Tri-Cities Research District Speaker Series

MARCH 9. REGISTER BY MARCH 5. Richard Sheehy and Nathan Monosoff will be the next speakers in the Tri-Cities Research District Speaker Series. They will give the presentation "Renewable energy economic development: Taking stock of your community's strengths to pursue the right opportunity at the right time" on March 9 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. Sheehy and Monosoff are from CH2M HILL in Portland, Ore. They will discuss the importance of renewable energy, focusing on wind and solar power, and how renewable technology manufacturing vs. energy generation opportunities are best-suited for different regions. 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 Friday, March 5. A light reception sponsored by Mission Support Alliance will follow. Register online.

Invention to Venture seminar

MARCH 12. A one-day workshop on the basics of technology entrepreneurship will be held in Pullman, Wash. on March 12 beginning at 8 am. The "Invention to Venture: Washington State University" is sponsored by the WSU Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship Program and the WSU College of Business Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. Presentations will focus on venture capital, marketing, intellectual property, business plans, and related topics. Guest speakers are experts drawn from the region. Invention to Venture workshops are held in cooperation with the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance. Registration is open to students and the public. The event will be held at the Fireside Grille located at 1095 SE Bishop Boulevard in Pullman. The cost is $20 and a participant guide and lunch are included. A limited number of scholarships are available for students. Register online. For scholarship information contact Helen Thompson.

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. Speakers will include Steve Burill presenting the "State of Life Sciences" report; as well as Rajiv Shah, from the U.S. Agency for International Development; and Travis Sullivan, from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Register online.

Enhance Your Global Competitiveness

MARCH 18. The Washington Department of Commerce, the International Trade Alliance, and Sirti are co-sponsoring the seminar "Enhance Your Global Competitiveness" on March 18 in Spokane, Wash. The event will feature opportunities for Eastern Washington-based technology companies to learn about developing or expanding international sales, collaborating internationally to develop technologies or products, optimizing global supply chains, and attracting foreign investors. The keynote speakers will be Edmund Schweitzer, president of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. The event will take place from 2-6 pm at the Sirti Technology Center located at 120 N. Pine St. in Spokane, and the fee is $10. Register online.

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.

TRIDEC annual membership meeting

MARCH 31. The Tri-Cities Development Council will hold its 46^th Annual Meeting on March 31 at the Red Lion Hotel in Pasco, Wash. from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. TRIDEC president and chief executive officer Carl Adrian will present a year-end review of 2009 and recognize incoming and outgoing board members. The keynote speaker will be Rogers Weed, director of the Washington State Department of Commerce. The cost is $35 for TRIDEC members and $45 for non-members before March 24. Registration after March 24 or at the door will be $50. Download registration form. Contact Kayla Pratt at 509-735-1000.

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

Smart grid could reduce emissions by 12 percent

A smart electrical power grid could decrease annual electric energy use and utility sector carbon emissions at least 12 percent by 2030, according to a new report from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The report, The Smart Grid: An Estimation of the Energy and CO₂ Benefits, shows a direct link between the smart grid and carbon emissions. It evaluates how different functions of the smart grid could provide substantial reduction in energy use and carbon emissions - both directly by using new technology and indirectly by making renewable energy and efficiency programs more affordable and potentially larger. That means by fully utilizing a smart grid, the nation could prevent the equivalent of 442 million metric tons, or 66 typical coal power plants' worth, of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere each year. Those 66 power plants produce the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power 70 million of today's homes. "By making the grid smart, we make it more efficient and more accommodating of renewables, and we're able to cut down on the amount of carbon we emit to generate the electricity we need," said Rob Pratt, PNNL research scientist. "This report suggests that we could substantially reduce emissions by deploying a smart grid." Read the complete news release.

PNNL engineer named institute co-director

Ward TeGrotenhuis, a chief engineer at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been named co-director of the Microproducts Breakthrough Institute in Corvallis, Ore. The Institute is a joint effort between PNNL and Oregon State University to develop and commercialize microchannel technologies for energy applications. By using channels that are the width of a few human hairs, microchannel technologies can speed up or improve processes such as those used to make nanoparticles. The Institute is co-directed by one representative each from PNNL and OSU. PNNL scientists at the Institute are currently focused on reducing solar cell manufacturing costs and developing cooling systems powered by waste heat. Eight PNNL employees work at the institute. TeGrotenhuis will work from PNNL's Richland, Wash., campus. In addition to his co-director responsibilities, he will continue to lead PNNL's thermal and reaction systems research team. TeGrotenhuis has been employed with PNNL since 1993.

Geoengineering takes a ride in shipping lanes

Ships blowing off steam are helping researchers understand how manmade particles might be useful against global warming. New results from modeling clouds like those seen in shipping lanes reveal the complex interplay between aerosols, the prevailing weather and even the time of day the aerosol particles hit the air, according to research presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting in San Diego, Calif. in February. "We've seen ship tracks affect the reflectivity of clouds," said Phil Rasch, chief climate scientist at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash. "We want to know if we can do the same thing when we want to, on purpose, and how that might be helpful in countering some of the effects of global warming. We decided to see how the reflectivity of clouds is influenced by particles in a very detailed model that treats clouds much more realistically than we are able to do in a typical climate model." Reflecting sunlight back into space prevents that energy from hitting Earth's surface. So brighter clouds could have an overall cooling effect compared to darker ones. A handful of research groups in the US are exploring geoengineering, or the intentional modification of Earth's climate, in hopes of developing tools that might be used to lower global temperatures if atmospheric greenhouse gases reach levels that might produce disastrous climate change. Read the complete news release.

Alternative futures of a warming world

An international team of climate scientists will take a new approach to modeling the Earth's climate future. According to the paper published in the February 11 edition of Nature, the next set of models will include, for the first time, tightly linked analyses of greenhouse gas emissions, projections of the Earth's climate, impacts of climate change, and human decision-making. This approach will influence the next international scientific assessment undertaken by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It will provide the framework for thousands of individual scientific studies on climate impacts and adaptation, climate modeling, and changes in the way societies generate and use energy. "This is an open-ended approach that enables us to compare the environmental and socio-economic effects of different potential responses to climate change," said lead author Richard Moss, a scientist with the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory who performs climate change impacts research at the Joint Global Change Research Institute in College Park, Md. Moss has been a long-time contributor to the IPCC, previously directed the office of the US Global Change Research Program, and served as vice president for climate programs at the World Wildlife Fund. "This comparative evaluation is extremely important to determine the technical, policy, and economic requirements for reaching whatever society decides is a safe level of climate change. We hope to provide decision-makers with better tools to help people deal with a shifting climate," he said. Read the complete 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