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Schwarzenegger to Ask for Calit2
Operating Funds in Research and Innovation Initiative
Doug Ramsey | January 8, 2006
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he will
propose nearly $95 million in the state budget to
create the Governor's Research and Innovation Initiative,
including $19.8 million in operating-budget support
from California's General Fund for Calit2 and three
other California Institutes for Science and Innovation
(CISI).
According to a news release from the governor's office,
"this initiative provides funding for major projects
that will grow California's economic strength in key
innovation sectors, including cleantech, biotech and
nanotech. The proposal also reaffirms California's
position as a world leader in advanced research and
innovation that creates jobs while preserving the
environment."
"With some of the world's finest universities and research institutions, the Golden State has more scientists, engineers and researchers and invests more on research and development than any other state," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "As a leader in developing new technologies, California will reap tremendous rewards for our economy and environment from this investment in our innovation infrastructure."
Calit2 director Larry Smarr was the only CISI leader
quoted in today's release. "California is home to
20 percent of the technology jobs in the country,
with Californians producing 25 percent of all U.S.
patents," said Smarr. "California receives the
most venture capital dollars in the world, makes the
biggest investments in clean energy technology, and
produces the most biotechnology revenues — all
a result of the strong innovation partnership between
universities, the private sector, and our state. This
unique combination has given birth to Silicon Valley
in Northern California, Wireless Valley in Southern
California, and is beginning to create new industries
of solar power, bio-fuels, broadband, and nanotechnology
throughout the state. I believe Governor Schwarzenegger's
investment in the University of California and its
Institutes for Science and Innovation shows the leadership
we need to maintain our state's economic growth, while
improving our citizens' quality of life."
In announcing the support for CISI, the governor's
office noted that "these pioneering institutes
bring the world's finest researchers together to find
solutions to our greatest medical and technological
challenges and position California at the forefront
of research, innovation and jobs. Since inception,
they have generated more than $1 billion from private
and federal sources, dwarfing the state's $400 million
initial investment." The news release also quoted
Charles M. Vest, president emeritus of the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology and president-elect of the
National Academy of Engineering, as saying that Calit2 "has
collected the best team of research professionals
anywhere in the country." Vest recently was part
of a committee of experts who undertook a five-year
review of Calit2 activities on behalf of the University
of California Office of the President, the first such
review of a CISI.
"It's clear that Governor Schwarzenegger supports
research and innovation as the source of this competitiveness
and will do what it takes to ensure California remains
center-stage in our increasingly complex global marketplace,"
said Robert C. Dynes, president of the University
of California. "When the governor included funding
in this coming year's budget to support the multidisciplinary
research efforts of the Institutes for Science
and Innovation at the University of California, he
sent the strong message that the best and the brightest
should work, study, and create here in California."
Apart from the operating funds for CISI institutes, which will be part of his proposed budget that will be unveiled in January, other major components of the Governor's Research and Innovation Initiative include:
Helios Project
The Governor's budget provides $30 million in lease revenue bonds for the Helios Project, a groundbreaking initiative by the University of California's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to create sustainable, carbon-neutral sources of energy. The Helios Project will produce the next generation of super-efficient solar energy technology that will help reduce greenhouse gases and our oil dependency. The Helios Project's four goals are 1) generate clean sustainable alternatives to hydrocarbon fuels; 2) develop new energy sources; 3) improve energy conservation; and 4) reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The $30 million will be used to build a new energy/nanotechnology research building for the Helios Project.
Energy Biosciences Institute
The governor's budget provides $40 million in lease
revenue bonds to the University of California for
UC Berkeley or UC San Diego in the event that either
wins a global competition for the British Petroleum
(BP) Energy Biosciences Institute grant. (The UCSD
Division of Calit2 is participating in UCSD's bid
to bring the BP institute to San Diego.) These campuses
were among only five universities in the world that
were invited to compete for this $500 million grant
to build and operate an Energy Biosciences Institute,
which will be dedicated to long-term research into
the production of alternative fuels. The Institute
will focus on converting biomass materials into fuels,
converting fossil fuels to energy with less environmental
damage and maximizing oil extraction from existing
wells in environmentally sensitive ways. To accelerate
California's movement towards a clean fuel future,
the University of California will dovetail the Institute's
work with the Helios Project.
Petascale Supercomputer
The University of California leads the world in high-speed
computer technology and is poised to debut the next
generation of supercomputers. The governor's budget
provides the first $5 million increment in state matching
funds to enhance the University of California's bid
to build a $200 million Petascale computer. Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory and UC San Diego are in the running for
the Petascale computer. The Petascale computer, named
for the speed at which it can process information,
will be the most powerful computer in the world. It
will provide an enormous competitive advantage to
California businesses and universities, helping to
attract the best students and faculty from around
the world. The governor's commitment of these funds
will significantly enhance the University of California's
bid for this groundbreaking project.
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