Tech Garden partners with ESF to offer no cost training!

SUNY-ESF Leads National Initiative to Provide Workforce Training in Radiation Curing 

Employees at Central New York businesses that use or plan to use radiation curing in their manufacturing processes are eligible for free online courses

A new online program offered through the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) will provide specialized training to address workforce shortages in the field of radiation curing, also known as energy curing. Radiation curing is a manufacturing technique that uses ultraviolet light (UV) or electron beam (EB) processing to cure coatings, inks, adhesives, composites and other materials.

The workforce shortage in radiation curing exists despite the fact that nearly 1,000 chemists with bachelor’s degrees were seeking employment in New York state, according to recent New York State Department of Labor statistics. The Radiation Curing Program (RCP) at SUNY-ESF aims to address this disconnect by providing specific job skills for individuals seeking careers in related fields, practicing industry professionals, upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, and recent graduates.

The RCP is a response to nationwide demand for training and education related to radiation curing. In Central New York, the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CEO) Clean Tech Center is funding an incentive program to enable employees at Central New York businesses that use radiation or energy curing in their manufacturing processes to take one or more RCP courses at no cost.
The program comprises three online courses and an Advanced Certificate, with curriculum jointly developed by a team of academic and experienced industry practitioners to reflect current and emerging applications. It is a collaboration among SUNY-ESF; RadTech International North America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of ultraviolet and electron beam technologies; CenterState CEO; the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY); and other organizations. It is supported in part by a U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant.
The online approach is designed to be user-friendly, flexible and convenient. Support and facilitation are provided by an experienced team of instructors and support staff. Central New York participants will have additional opportunities for course-related demonstrations and site visits to the UV/EB Process Curing Systems Technology Center on the SUNY-ESF campus and the laboratory at Rapid Cure Technologies, a formulator and manufacturer of environmentally friendly rapid-cure chemistries and processes based in Syracuse.
UV and EB curing refer to the special ways in which coatings, inks, adhesives, composites and other materials may be cured as an alternative to traditional energy-intensive methods that create harmful emissions. In short, these processes entail using ultraviolet energy from a UV lamp or focused beams of electrons to instantly cure or cross-link specially formulated chemistries, using less energy and costing less than conventional methods.
Energy-cured applications include everyday products like cereal boxes, CDs and DVDs, magazines, credit cards, cell phones, contact lenses and keyboards, along with an increasing range of consumer and high-tech products. The advantages of UV and EB are well-documented, particularly when used with manufactured products that require fast processing or on substrates that are sensitive to heat. In addition, UV and EB are considered environmentally responsible since most or all of the solvents in traditional processes may be eliminated. Radiation curing is a sector of the sustainable materials and manufacturing industry that has a market size in North America of $1 billion and growing.

The three RCP course offerings in Spring 2014 are:

•  Introduction to Polymer Coatings (February 3 - April 18)
• Radiation Curing of Polymer Technologies (February 17 - May 2)
• Radiation Curing Equipment, Instrumentation and Safety (February 17 - April 18)

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  Registration is now open. For more information, visit www.esf.edu/outreach/radcuring or contact Chuck Spuches, associate provost for Outreach at SUNY-ESF, at 315-470-6810.

  
  
  
  
  
  Robert M. Simpson, President and Chief Executive Officer, CenterState CEO; Dr. Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr., president, SUNY-ESF; Governor Andrew M. Cuomo; and Dan Montoney, Chief Technology Officer/Owner, Rapid Cure Technologies, view a radiation curing application of a UV coating system. 

Syracuse Hosts e200/Emerging Leaders Executive-Level Training Initiative for 2012

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has kicked off its 2012 e200 Emerging Leaders executive-level training initiative in 27 cities and communities, including Syracuse, New York. After a successful e200 program was implemented in Syracuse in 2011, the SBA has selected the city for the second consecutive year as an Urban Market to host the program.

Since 2008, the e200/Emerging Leaders initiative has helped approximately 1,000 promising small business owners in underserved communities across the country sustain and grow their businesses. In 2011, thirteen small companies in the Syracuse area completed over 40 hours of advanced management training, transforming them into potential companies for rapid expansion and job creation.

According to a SBA news release, SBA Administrator Karen Mills said, “Graduates of the program have increased their revenue, created jobs and helped drive local economic growth in their communities. Continuing with this year’s lineup of new classes builds on this success and provides even more entrepreneurs in underserved communities with the support, resources and skills to succeed.”

This year’s e200 initiative will kick off at the end of February. Small companies that have been in business for three plus years and looking to grow are encouraged to apply for the program. Eighteen participants will be accepted. Sessions, which will be held at The Tech Garden, are scheduled to start in April and end in October with a November graduation date.

Eligible businesses must meet the following criteria:

• In business for at least three (3) years. (This curriculum is not for start-up companies.)
• Annual revenue between $400,000 and $10 million per year.
• Must have employees
• Must be a C-level manager and the key decision maker in the business.

For more information about e200 Emerging Leaders, or to contact the respective local SBA District office in the area go to www.sba.gov/e200. 

Calling All Entrepreneurs!

The 2012 Venture Forum, a partnership between the Center for Economic Growth's (CEG SmartStart UNYTECH and Western New York’s Bright Forum, is reaching out to venture-ready companies and early-stage university start-ups to present to potential investors  at a Buffalo, NY event scheduled for May 16-17.

Early-stage, high-tech companies are of particular interest for the event. Presenting companies will have the opportunity to pitch their business plans to more than 70 Angel and VC investors from the Northeast, New England, Mid-Atlanta, Niagara-Canadian, Boston and NYC corridors.

For the full release and complete description of eligible companies, view here

Discussion of Nanochip Plant Opening In Central New York

There is recent discussion about opening a nano manufacturing plant at Electronics Park in Salina, the second chip manufacturing plant to open in New York State. According to a news article, APIC Corp., a Los Angeles company that has pioneered the integration of photonics technology with electronics, hopes to open the chip fabrication plat by the end of the year. The new plant is projected to create about 200 high-tech jobs.

Partnered with the Department of Defense and SUNY Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, APIC intends to make a new generation of chips for the U.S. Navy to use in the avionics for ships, submarines and planes. The chips will be lighter, use less power, take up less space and require less updates. 

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is on board with the construction of the plant which is investing more than $1 billion to become a global center of nanotechnology. According to a Post-Standard news article, Sen. Schumer described his vision for Central New York to be a hub for manufacturing nanochips and cutting edge research. “Securing a new high-tech chip manufacturing operation could be a game-changer for Syracuse and would bring a brand new industry home to Central New York,” stated Schumer. 

For the full article view here

Lockheed Martin Wins Contract to Support U.S. Antarctic Program

Lockheed Martin recently won a contract valued at approximately $2 billion to work with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to operate and maintain support infrastructure for the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). The program enables universities, research institutions and federal agencies to conduct scientific research in the region.

Lockheed Martin has been contracted to work with the NSF to implement cost-effective, streamlined infrastructure for managing work stations and medical facilities, research vessels, construction projects and remote sites in and around Antarctica. Additionally, they will modernize technologies to transport scientists, staff and supplies to and from the Antarctic region.

According to a Lockheed Martin press release, Linda Goodmen, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS) business said, “Lockheed Martin is proud to work with more than 3,000 program participants involved in valuable research in Antarctica. We have a longstanding history of supporting customers in remote locations and logistically challenging environments and are committed to fostering scientific and technological innovations that will benefit the world.”

View the full press release

Cornell and Technion Win Bid to Build Groundbreaking New Campus in NYC

Cornell and partner  Technion -- Israel Institute of Technology was announced the winner of a bid to build a groundbreaking new campus in New York City December 9. The creation of an applied sciences and technology campus will spur economic growth, job creation and high-tech entrepreneurship.

According to a Cornell news article, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg congratulated the winners at a press conference at Weill Cornell Medical College. Bloomberg expressed, “We believe this new land grant can help dreamers and entrepreneurs from around the world come to New York and help us become the world’s leading city for technological innovation.”

The Cornell-Technion proposal was impressive. It included an enrollment of 2,500 students, 300 faculty and 2 million square feet of state-of-the-art classroom and research space. According to Bloomberg, the campus is expected to generate $23 billion in economic activity over the next three decades as well as $1.4 billion in tax revenue. Additionally, building the campus will create 20,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent jobs to operate it. 

For the full article, view the Cornell Chronicle

Put Your Business Card on the Web!

Web application firm, We Are Mobile, has launched their newest product, Bitpress.me.

Bitpress.me enables users to create individual virtual business cards as well as virtual business cards for employees. The new product is similar to a mobile optimized website, with all of your professional details perfectly organized for clients and sales prospects to easily interact with on the go. As part of the service, customers receive a QR code. This code can be placed on a physical business card, providing a direct link to their Bitpress.me profile.

Additionally, Bitpress.me allows users to expand their social network by directing people to their Linkedin page, become more social by allowing users to easily add Twitter and Facebook accounts, and create lasting relationships by making it possible for clients to quickly add your contact information to their phone. 

For more info visit Bitpress.me