The Montana science and technology policy and plan

48 Pages·1991·3.9 MB·English

by  Montana Science and Technology Advisory Council

Montana Science
S
600 and Technology
C.18mstp Advisory Council
1991 The Montana
science and
technology policy
and plan
The Montana
Science and Technology
Policy and Plan
Montana Science and Technology Advisory Council
JUNE
19
9 1
MONTANASTATE LIBRARY
S600C18mstp1991c.1
TheMontanascienceandtechnologypolic
3 0864 00073843 8
The Montana
Science and Technology
Policy and Plan
STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECTION
SEP 11 1991
MONTANA ITATE LIBRARY
1515 E- 6th AVE.
HELENA, MONTANA 59620
Montana Science and Technology Advisory Council
JUNE 1991
&
Science
Montana Technology
Alliance
Department of Commerce
46 North Last Chance Gulch, Suite 2B, Helena, Montana 59620
406-449-2778
FRONTCOVER PHOTO:
Close-up ofan unmachinedmetallicsilicon crystalgrown byLatticeMaterials
Corporation ofBozeman. Thefinishedcrystals are used in infraredlaserand
imagingsystems.
1
Montana Science and Technology Alliance
Montana Science Robert E. Ivy, Chairman David Toppen, Ph.D.
and Technology Ribi ImmunoChem Research, Inc. Montana University System
Hamilton, Montana Helena, Montana
Advisory Council
John C. Brower, Ph.D. Larry G. Twidwell, Ph.D.
Montana College of Mineral Science and Montana College ofMineral Science and
Technology Technology
Butte, Montana Butte, Montana
Walter E. Hill, Ph.D. Gerald Wheeler, Ph.D.
University of Montana Montana State University
Missoula, Montana Bozeman, Montana
Richard K. Quisenberry, Ph.D. William R. Wiley, Ph.D.
The DuPont Company Battelle Memorial Institute and Pacific
Wilmington, Delaware Northwest Laboratories
Carl E. Russell Richland, Washington
Montana Science and Technology Alliance Bud Wonsiewicz, Ph.D.
Helena, Montana U S WEST Advanced Technologies, Inc.
Clarence A. Speer, Ph.D. Englewood, Colorado
Montana State University
Bozeman, Montana
Board of Directors Ray V. Tilman, Chairman Rick A. Hill
Montana Resources, Inc. Flynn Insurance
Butte, Montana Helena, Montana
W. Lloyd Allen, Ph.D. Rebecca W. Mahurin, Ph.D.
Transbass, Inc. Skyland Scientific Services, Inc.
Billings, Montana Bozeman, Montana
Annie M. Bartos Ken Thuerbach
Attorney at Law Alpine Log Homes
Helena, Montana Victor, Montana
Tom Breum Kirk G. Wilson
Champion International Corporation Montana Deaconess Medical Center
Bonner, Montana Great Falls, Montana
John C. Brower, Ph.D.
Montana College ofMineral Science and
Technology
Butte, Montana
Staff Carl E. Russell Mary Ann Murray
Executive Director Finance Officer
David P. Desch Cassey Parriman
Senior Investments Manager Program Assistant
Elinor W. Edmunds
Investments Manager
Consultants Paul R. Brockman and Paul B. Phelps
Advanced Development Distribution, Inc.
Alexandria, Virginia
2
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
June 17, 1991
My
fellow Montanans,
This Montana Science and Technology Policy and
Plan belongs to all of us.
The Plan outlines a number of actions, not that we
should take, but that we will take to prepare ourselves and
our State for the twenty-first century. The policy provides
a guide for those actions. The Plan builds on Montana's
existing resources-human, institutional and material-
and provides opportunity for individual initiative.
am my
I adopting the Plan as it concerns responsibili-
ties as your Governor. Join me in making its vision a
reality by taking the opportunities it presents you.
Sincerely,
STAN STEPHENS
Governor
3
Letter of Transmittal
June 17, 1991
The Honorable Stan Stephens
Governor of Montana
State Capitol Building
Helena, Montana 59620
Dear Governor Stephens:
It is our pleasure to provide you, in response to Executive Order 13-90, the Montana
Science and Technology Policy and Plan. The Policy and Plan were developed by the
Montana Science and Technology Advisory Council and represent the unanimous
consensus of its membership. It was reviewed by the Montana Board of Science and
Technology Development, whose observations are incorporated in the document.
The plan and its background analysis incorporate information gleaned from a wide
range of reports and analyses concerning Montana and its place in today's national and
international economies. It also reflects, in addition to those of the advisory council
members, the opinions and suggestions of a variety of Montanans gathered through
extensive interviews and three public hearings.
We would like to stress that this document is a plan for action, not a report. It
outlines processes through which Montanans, working together, can prepare themselves
and their State for the twenty-first century. Responsible parties have indicated their
willingness to undertake the various action items, most of which can be undertaken
within existing resources and organizations. In some cases, in fact, the action items
make resources of what have previously been perceived as drawbacks.
There are some new exciting challenges as well as fresh perspectives on many
familiar opportunities addressed in the plan and background analysis. We trust that you,
Governor, will find this action plan a useful tool towards accomplishing your goals and
responsibilities.
Sincerely,
Robert E. Ivy Ray V. Tilman
Chairman Chairman
Montana Science and Montana Board of Science and
Technology Advisory Council Technology Development
4
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Table of Contents
Page
POLICY 6
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 8
THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PLAN 10
Charting the Plan 12
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS FOR THE PLAN
1
Montana in the New Technological Economy 16
Economic Change and Its Driving Forces 16
Consequences for Organizations and Operations 18
Implications for Individuals and Those Who Serve Them 19
Montana's Assets and Deficiencies 20
Material Resources 20
Human Resources 24
Institutional Resources 27
Challenges and Opportunities 32
Materials 32
Human 34
WILLIAMR.SALLAZ
Forestr)'seedlingfacilityofChampion Institutional 35
International Corporation.
Summary 39
APPENDIX A: BIBLIOGRAPHY 40
APPENDIX B: EXECUTIVE ORDER 13-90 44
Forestry andwoodproducts focus
group established under theplan will
help ensure the economic viability of
this industry in Montana.
5
Policy
The State of Montana is committed to the develop-
ment and application of science for the betterment of
the people of Montana. By fostering cooperation among
government, universities, and the private sector, the
State can utilize existing and potential strengths to
expand expertise in science and technology. The ulti-
mate purpose of this Policy is to maximize our opportu-
nities to develop jobs, add value to existing resources,
increase our educational opportunities, expand entrepre-
neurship, improve the scientific infrastructure, and
encourage discovery.
Laboratoryresearch
facilityatMontana
State University.
Tlte ultimate
purpose ofthe
plan is, inpart,
to improve the
scientific
infrastructure
American Indian high
schoolstudent
participates in a
summerresearch
program atMontana
State University.
Efforts such as
theAmerican
Indian Research
Opportunities
program, a
consortium of
the seven Tribal
Colleges and
MSU, improve
the quality and
snaringof
resources for
andamong the
Tribal Colleges
andMSU
to
develop a critical
mass oftalent
in science and
technologyfields
thatrelate to
the needs of
industry.
7
Summary
Executive
Montana is part of what has been necessary if the continuing information
called the "new technological economy." explosion is to be put to work for
Its major features are continuing advances Montana's benefit. The principal chal-
in information processes and materials, lenge is to improve the coordination of
leading to descriptions of this era as the the efforts of existing organizations.
"information society" or as the "materials Underlying the new technological
economy." In practical, day-to-day terms,
this new economy involves new pro- economy is the need to create a climate in
which science and technology research
cesses, changes of scale, and greater room
can be fostered and expanded. The
for personal initiative. It is markedly
different from the centralized, mass- challenge is to direct State resources to
production industrial economy of the last attract third-party resources that will be
used to develop research expertise in
100 years. This report shows some of the
identified areas important to the State.
ways in which Montana can build the
material, human, and institutional Analysis has identified specific oppor-
resources to participate and succeed in the tunities that are presently available and
new technological economy. The chal- can be developed as components or
lenge is to mobilize these resources in actions items in this Montana Science and
relation to the new economy. Technology Plan:
The industries that explo—it the State's 1. Strengthen and extend existing
wealth of material resources agriculture, research capabilities.
—
mining, forestry are primarily extractive, 2. Recruit people who produce indus-
with relatively little value added. World- tries; don't chase smokestacks."
wide, the initial processing of raw materi-
als is moving closer to the point of extrac- 3. Pursue appropriate high-profile
tion, but little of this has happened in scientific projects.
Montana. The challenge is to develop a 4. Prepare the public to participate in the
new way of looking at Montana's new technological economy.
economy and to develop the technologies 5. Convene statewide "focus groups" to
and industries that will move the State set the agenda for cooperation among
further along the "value-added spectrum." sectors, including the development of
Montana's human resources include a research agendas.
generally well-educated workforce and a 6. Establish networks to allow Montan-
significant number of entrepreneurs. ans to access resources such as scientific
However, too many of its best students expertise, technology, and related finan-
leave the State, while technological cial and management assistance.
entrepreneurship is constrained by 7. Improve and expand the existing
shortages of capital, technical support, telecommunications infrastructure as
and skilled workers in key areas. Intellec- necessary.
— —
tual capital workforce "know-how" is 8. Develop a Montana high tech business
the most critical resource in the new council to strengthen cooperation and
technological economy, and its develop- growth and to provide a forum for com-
ment is a key dimension of this Plan. mon concerns.
Montana has in place much of the 9. Legitimize and facilitate cooperation
necessary institutional framework for between industry and Montana universi-
education, research, and development. ties.
However, these organizations are not
10. Encourage and coordinate technol-
mature or well networked. Furthermore, ogy development, transfer, and imple-
the existing resources are not always mentation.
accessible or utilized. Networking is
11 Develop third-party revenue streams
.
to assist the financing of the Montana
Science and Technology Plan.
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