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your E-mail has trouble displaying this newsletter, click here
for an on-line version. This newsletter is published by The Centre for Innovation Studies in partnership with Calgary Technologies Inc. Its purpose is to
communicate news and information of interest to individuals involved with innovation in
Alberta active in industry, government or university.
Special Notice: InnoWest 2004,
the first western Canadian innovation Conference, is now open for registration - Calgary,
November 17/18 2004. This Conference will give you lots of ideas to make your organization
more innovative. Check www.innowest.com
Please forward this Newsletter to your colleagues and ask them to subscribe. It's free.
To add your name to the distribution list, or to remove it, please contact info@thecis.ca We invite you to participate in this
newsletter by forwarding items you feel would be of interest to Newsletter recipients.
Visit our web site at http://www.thecis.ca/ to join
the Innovation Club.
RESEARCH
Science,
Innovation and Electronic Information Division Working Papers
These
working papers put together by Statistics Canada show the results of various initiatives
within a new project, the "Information System for Science and Technology
Project". Key areas of focus in the papers include: innovation, technology diffusion,
human resources in S&T and interrelations between different actors involved in
S&T.
Russia's New Entrepreneurs
This paper from Insead Knowledge entitled,
"Mother Russia's Entrepreneurial Children: The New Global Russian Business Leaders,
Lessons from a Decade of Transition" identifies this new group of entrepreneurs as
important catalysts of change in Russian organizations. These individuals have shown to be
quite adept at selecting the best from Western practices and transforming them to fit a
Russian context.
CFIB
Western Cities Report Card
CFIB Research has produced a report which compiles data on local governments in seven
Western Canada cities, including Calgary and Edmonton. In order to compare local
governments in terms of issues that are relevant to local economies and the SME sector,
various "indicators" and data were compiled directly from city administrations.
Reinventing Innovation and
Commercialization Policy in Ontario
The Institute for Competitiveness &
Prosperity has concentrated two years of research on Ontario's competitiveness and
prosperity, culminating with this paper which outlines four factors that drive the
capacity for innovation and upgrading in Ontario: attitudes towards competitiveness,
investments in human and physical capacity, motivations for hiring, working and upgrading,
and structures of markets and institutions that encourage innovation.
How
Can Canada Prosper in Tomorrow's World?
The Conference Board of Canada has produced
this paper, which is the 9th annual assessment of Canada's socio-economic performance and
potential. The assessment examines the major developments that will be affecting our
performance in the coming years with a specific comparison of productivity to that of the
United States.
Spurring
Performance in China's State-Owned Enterprises
This paper is from MacKinsey Quarterly and
looks at the task of managing performance at state-owned enterprises in China. The paper
essentially argues that the time is now for focusing on improving performance and that the
government must provide space for a performance based system to take hold.
Technical Change and a Lack
of Predictability
This paper is from the SPRU working paper
series and is entitled, "Technical Capabilities, Invisible Infrastructure & the
Unsocial Construction of Predictability: The overlooked fixed costs of useful
research". Author Paul Nightingale explains the necessary requirements for
economically important interactions between scientific explanations and technology.
Is Academic Patenting
Detrimental to High Quality Research?
This paper is an empirical analysis of the relationship
between scientific careers and patent applications. Authors Mario Calderni and Chiara
Franzoni examine some of the main arguments for and against academic patenting, explaining
that, traditionally, there has been little evidence provided to support either view and
that new evidence shows a positive correlation between patenting and quality and quantity
of scientific publications.
CONNECTIONS
WCWWA
56th Annual Conference and Trade Show
Calgary, Alberta, October 17-20, 2004
The Western Canada Water & Wastewater Association will
be presenting papers, offering tours and hosting workshops at the 56th annual WCWWA
conference at the new TELUS Convention Centre in downtown Calgary. The WCWWA trade show
will also be a feature on the agenda.
5th
Annual Biomedical Engineering Conference
Banff, Alberta, October 22-24, 2004
This conference is offered to staff and students from the
University of Calgary and the University of Alberta. There are 10 awards available for
undergraduate engineering students which cover the expenses of the conference.
ICT Opportunities in
Healthcare
Calgary, Alberta, October 26, 2004
Edmonton, Alberta, October 27, 2004
Edmonton's ICT Cluster is holding a one-day connector event
for the healthcare industry, focusing on ICT business opportunities in health care.
Information will be provided on funding, partnership and channel opportunities.
The Face of the
Future: Techno Sapiens? Phase II Beyond Bio-Nanotech, Cybernetics and the Future of the
Human Race
Washington, DC, October 28-29, 2004
The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network and the
Institute on Biotechnology and the Human Future present this two-day workshop to
"encourage understanding of the potential significance of these technologies, and to
ensure the primacy of human dignity in their development".
Commercialization: What's Working, What's Not
Ottawa, Ontario, November 9, 2004
Re$earch Money presents an opportunity to explore the
accomplishments and defeats within research communication and take an inside look at the
innovation agenda of the federal government.
Complexity
and Systems Thinking One Day workshop
Calgary, November 12 2004
The Alliance for Capitalizing on Change is holding a one day workshop led by Dr Brian
Woodward. THECIS members get a 25% discount.To register contact miriam@capitalizingonchange.org
InnoWest
2004: Western Canadian Innovation Conference
register now!
Calgary, Alberta, November 17 & 18, 2004
This conference provides a forum for the innovation community in western Canada to
network, review the latest developments and work to find solutions to common problems. Day
1 has eight sessions, and Day 2 has four Workshops, on BioProducts, Energy, ICT, and
Manufacturing. More information at the Conference web site, http://www.innowest.ca/
BioAlberta's Fifth Anniversary and Awards Gala
Edmonton, Alberta, November 23, 2004
G. Steven Burrill, CEO of Burrill & Company has been
invited as the guest speaker for this evening of dinner, program and awards ceremony at
the University of Alberta. For more information please contact sherry@bioalberta.com.
National Genomics and
Proteomics Symposium
Vancouver, BC, November 24-25, 2004
Genome Canada presents this two-day scientific symposium
focused on advances in genomics science. Topics to be covered include: Biohealth Genomics,
Environmental Genomics, Cancer Genomics, Forestry, Proteomics, Natural Resources,
GE3LS Discussions, and much more.
26th
McMaster World Conference
Hamilton, Ontario, January 19-21, 2005
This cutting edge business conference is geared towards the
innovative thinking, proactive, passionate business academic and professional. Three key
areas that will be addressed in terms of how they fuel innovation and success are:
Corporate Governance, eBusiness, and Intellectual Capital and Innovation.
Innovation and
New Ventures 2005
Vancouver, BC, January 21-22, 2005
This event will draw representatives from industry,
universities, colleges, and government to share strategies and best practices in the areas
of innovation, new ventures and entrepreneurship. Important issues regarding support
and funding of new initiatives at the levels of community and nation-wide will be
addressed.
The 5th Triple
Helix Conference: The Capitalization of Knowledge: Cognitive, Economic, Social &
Cultural Aspects
Turin, Italy, May 18-21, 2005
The program for the event will cover 11 main themes, such
as "The Governance of Scientific & Innovation Policies", and will be
structured around paper sessions, workshops, panels and plenary sessions.
INFORMATION
Powerful New Processor Helps
Genomic Researchers find the Needle in the Haystack
U of C microbiologist Gerrit Voordouw, PhD,
used the Faculty of Medicine's powerful computer processor, Paracel Genematcher 2, to
unlock the secrets of an iron-eating bacteria, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, which can
eat its way through a pipeline in just a few months. The processor accomplished for
Voordouw overnight what would have normally taken months.
Community Employment Innovation
Project
Human Resources Development Canada is
funding a research demonstration project which aims to test a new approach to the income
security system for individuals on Employment Insurance (EI) or Income Assistance (IA).
The project is expected to take 8 years to complete.
Eric Newell
Recognized with Conference Board's 2004 Honorary Associate Award
Eric Newell, former chairman and CEO of
Syncrude Canada Ltd. and Chancellor of the University of Alberta, received the Conference
Board's highest honor on October 7th in recognition of a stellar career in business and
service to the community. Recipients of the award become voting members of the
corporation.
Image Sharing
Technology Takes Banff Venture Forum Prize
How2Share Technologies Inc. was recently
awarded "Best Growth Stage Presentation" at the Banff Venture Forum. The
company's feature product allows the user to instantly share digital photos without
selecting, resizing, or uploading images.
A More Open Canada is Needed
to Improve Quality of Life
Findings from the 9th annual Performance
and Potential 2004-05 indicate that in order to increase our productivity, thereby
improving our standard of living and quality of life, Canadians need to be more open to
experiences and practices of other countries. Restrictions on foreign ownership and
comparatively small markets in Canada are seen to be hindrances to competition in Canada.
U.S. National Innovation
Initiative Heads Expected Recommendations to Set Agenda
Regardless of U.S. election results,
leaders who have developed recommendations for the national agenda for fostering
innovation feel that their recommendations will be drawn upon. Nicholas Donofio said that
both Bush and Kerry campaigns "understand that an enormous amount of political will
must exist" to bring change encouraging greater innovation.
Opening of New
Industry Partnership Facility in Halifax
The National Research Council (NRC) has
just announced the official opening of the NRC Institute for Marine Biosciences (NRC-IMB)
Industry Partnership Facility (IPF) in Halifax, a branch able to support 10-12 life
sciences firms. The new facility will provide a substantial boost to the Halifax
technology cluster.
The
Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance Partners with Branham
The Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance
(CATA) and Branham, one of Canada's leading international consulting firms have joined
forces to conduct a study that will benefit Canada's health care technology strategy. The
study will be used both as a model for efficient use of technology expenditures and as a
tool for future company growth.
Bigger and Better Manchester Business
School
The Institute of Innovation Research, the
existing Manchester Business School, the School of Accounting and Finance, and the
Manchester School of Management have joined to form the new Manchester Business
School, which opened the 1st of October to some 2,000 students and a teaching staff of
190.
JOBS
Industry Canada Job Site
The Industry Canada Job Site provides links
to hundreds of general employment positions, public service positions, and several student
and internship programs.
CareerBuilder.com
This site provides links to jobs under
specific categories including Information Technology, Science & Biotech, Human
Resources, Manufacturing, and more.
QUOTE
"Thinking causes things to happen.
Action, the movement
of energy, flows from thoughts. Conditions are the effect of thinking. Thus new thoughts
create new conditions.
--Andrew Papageorge
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here.
THECIS Newsletter
Editor -- Erika Kneeland (ekkneela@ucalgary.ca)
Publisher -- Peter Josty (p.josty@thecis.ca)
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