HR Partnership | February 27, 2010

The Small Business Administration and the Office of the Secretary of Defense sponsored a workshop on January 25^th and 26^th at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel for a recently announced Robotics Technology Cluster initiative. Hampton Roads is one of three regions participating in the pilot initiative. Southeastern Michigan and Hawaii are the other two. The Michigan cluster focuses on ground robotics, Hawaii’s on undersea robotics. The Hampton Roads cluster focuses on port and harbor security.

This cluster aligns with the strategic vision of the Hampton Roads Chapter of Autonomous and Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI) professional group and the regional Robot Venture initiative sponsored by the Hampton Roads Military & Federal Facilities Alliance (HRMFFA).

Over 240 participants heard key note talks from Congressmen Glenn Nye and Randy Forbes. The workshop included several panel discussions on resources available to the small business and robotics communities both on a local and a national level. Presenters represented the Department of Defense (DoD), the Small Business Administration, NASA, the Department of Homeland Security and other regional stakeholders. After listening and questioning the presenters and panel members, attendees participated in group breakout sessions where ideas and strategies were gathered to identify port and harbor security focus requirements.

The six breakout topics covered: Comprehensive port and harbor security, emergency management, sensors fusion, alternative energy, manned and unmanned systems integration, and workforce development through a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics focused education approach. Discussions were facilitated by subject matter experts in each topic area, and the majority of participants attended up to four different topic sessions over the two day workshop. Feedback from the workshops will be used to create a framework of action for the robotics cluster going forward.

Presentations from the workshop are available on the Robot Venture website: www.robotventure.org/rvinformation.html. More information as the cluster activity progresses will be posted as well.

by Program Managers Bill Piersol, Robot Venture, and Andrew Sinclair, Hampton Roads Partnership; Photo credit: U.S. Navy

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Tags: Hampton Roads, HRMFFA, Military Bastion, Navy, Port

HR Partnership | February 23, 2010

Kimon Jackson, a Nuclear Medicine Supervisor at Riverside Diagnostic & Breast Center, a nationally recognized “Breast Imaging Center of Excellence” and part of Riverside Health System, uses the Dilon technology. Riverside sees between 20-25 patients a month for imaging procedures on the Dilon 6800.

BSGI—Breast Specific Gamma Imaging. If Dilon Technologies Inc. has its way, the abbreviation will soon be as common as MRI. Based in Newport News, Dilon Technologies is poised for such success. Not only is this company changing the face of nuclear imaging in the medical industry, it’s improving the quality of and access to women’s health care.

Read more from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Virginia Commerce Quarterly, Winter 2010….

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Category: Economy, Research & Technology | No Comments »
Tags: Health, Manufacturing, Riverside

HR Partnership | February 18, 2010

High-res display wall prototype for showing medical images. Click on photo for larger image. Photo credit: Brian W. Tobin on Flickr

by Andrew Sinclair, Hampton Roads Partnership M & S Program Manger

Several hundred modeling and simulation professionals from around the country braved unusual-for-the-region snowy conditions to meet at the Virginia Beach Hilton on February 1st. The meeting was organized by the National Training & Simulation Association on behalf of the Congressional M&S Caucus which was founded and is co-chaired by Congressman Randy Forbes.

In its fifth year to be held in Hampton Roads, the M&S Leadership Summit was a great opportunity to showcase the region’s assets and capabilities to elected officials and businesses from outside of the area. In 2008, the Summit recommended that M&S be declared a national critical technology which was accomplished through the passage of House Resolution 487. This 2010 summit was focused on how to best use that designation to further grow the industry.

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Tags: Hampton Roads, Military Bastion, Modeling, Research, Simlation, Technology

HR Partnership | February 16, 2010

by Andrew Sinclair, Hampton Roads Partnership’s M & S Program Manger

On January 29^th, nearly 100 people gathered at the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC) in Suffolk for the first of a series of quarterly breakfasts. This breakfast focused on the recently launched regional modeling and simulation strategy: Hampton Roads M&S Vision 2020. Under Thomas Reese, VMASC’s Director of Business Development and Technology Transfer, the center has renewed its efforts to engage the M&S industry, and these breakfasts will be a key element of that work. VMASC and its industry membership act as the de facto association for the M&S industry in Hampton Roads. In fact, it was from the efforts of the industry association that the regional M&S strategy first developed.

The breakfast was designed as an opportunity to continue to reach out to the broader community to create engagement on the implementation of the M&S strategy. Learn more…

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Category: Education & Workforce, Military Bastion, Research & Technology | No Comments »
Tags: Education, Hampton Roads, M&S, Modeling, Research, Simulation, Technology, VMASC

HR Partnership | February 15, 2010

A Federal Green Jobs Legislative Conference will be presented in Hampton Roads on March 2nd by the Green Economic Alliance and Green Jobs Alliance featuring federal officials from the Department of Energy (DoE) and Department of Labor (DoL) and other key national and state “green jobs” policy makers. These officials will brief the region’s business, labor, government and community leaders and citizens on recent and pending federal legislation directly impacting green economic growth, green workforce training and green job creation.

The conference will be held as three events across Hampton Roads on March 2, 2010.

Two invitation-only events will be held:

• Peninsula Breakfast ($25/person) at Thomas Nelson Community College-Mary T. Christian Auditorium, 7:30am-10:00am
• Southside Luncheon ($25/person) at Tidewater Community College-Portsmouth Campus, 11:30am-2:00pm

One Evening Public Event will be held at no charge. This event is driven in large part by community organizations that interact most with the public such as community colleges, Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), career and technical schools, workforce development boards, faith and community groups. DoE, DoL and their state and local counterparts will explain how these green legislative policies translate into reality in their lives including possible jobs, training, certifications and where to find and access the information they need.

For more information:

• Brian Sullivan (804) 929-4102 or bsullivan@greenjobsalliance.org
• Randy Gilliland (757) 814-0001 or rgilliland@greenjobsalliance.org

Green Jobs Alliance (GJA) is a federally registered 501c3 nonprofit.

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Category: Education & Workforce, Government & Citizens, Research & Technology | 1 Comment »
Tags: Economy, Green, Workforce

HR Partnership | February 6, 2010

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Hampton University an $8 million stimulus grant to construct a Biomedical Research Center (BRC).

The interdisciplinary biomedical research facility will be home to research activities such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, adolescent health, HIV/AIDS, biomolecular cancer imagining, medicinal chemistry, Alzheimer’s and other projects from the Hampton University Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, and Science. Compelling scientific questions will be assailed from multiple fronts in the BRC. This will create a dynamic environment where researchers will look beyond their focused areas to incorporate strategic information from other disciplines as well.

“The Hampton University Biomedical Center illustrates the extraordinary progress Hampton has made in expanding our research agenda,” said HU President Dr. William R. Harvey. “We have made great strides in conducting scientific research and developing technologies that address major health issues which affect our society today.”

The BRC will be an economic resource for the community as well. Professional and technical jobs will be created. The BRC will develop minority scientists and create skilled professionals and a diverse workforce. Also about 400 construction jobs will be created to build this world-class research facility.

One of the projects housed in the BRC will be the existing HU Center for Advanced Medical Instrumentation. Devices developed by this center have been successfully used for breast cancer localization and treatment in clinical trials. Additionally, the cancer imaging technology clustered within the proposed center will be established to utilize this unique research environment. This will serve as a magnet to attract talented researchers, particularly minority researchers, to Hampton University.

from Hampton University Department of University Relations

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Category: Education & Workforce, Research & Technology | No Comments »
Tags: Education, Hampton University, Health, Research

HR Partnership | January 22, 2010

Its called Vision Hampton Roads. On this edition of What Matters, the weekly public affairs talk show on WHRO TV, we take a look at a roadmap that’s taking shape to diversify and strengthen the region’s economy.

Its goal: Hampton Roads will be recognized as a region for centers of excellence fueled by innovation, intellectual and human capital, infrastructure and a sense of place.

Right now (until February 5th), the plan is seeking public comment, and you are invited to take an online survey at http://VisionHamptonRoads.com.

Joining host Cathy Lewis for the discussion: Dana Dickens, President of the Hampton Roads Partnership; Doug Smith with Kaufman & Canoles, and Dwight Farmer, Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.

Click on the graphic to see the video on YouTube, visit iTunes and download or watch at http://WhatMatters.tv.

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Tags: Hampton Roads, Military Bastion, Port, Tourism, Transportation, Virginia

HR Partnership | January 11, 2010

by Philip Newswanger, Inside Business

Here’s your chance to comment on the region’s first comprehensive economic development strategy.

Go to VisionHamptonRoads.com and fill in the questionnaire. The comment period lasts until Feb. 5.

The strategy will make the region eligible for grants from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, to which the plan will be submitted. And the strategy will serve as a blueprint for the future economic growth of the region.

Spearheaded by the Hampton Roads Partnership, the strategy took six months to compile and involved 150 community leaders in four committees.

“We all got real excited and said this is what Hampton Roads needs to align our organizations, our municipalities, our industries – to align the region under some common goals and objectives,” said Dana Dickens, President and CEO of the Partnership.

Two-thirds of the region’s economy is based on federal spending, the port and tourism, Dickens said.

“We are blessed in one sense,” Dickens said. “But it makes us more vulnerable in another sense.”

Dickens said that the loss of an aircraft carrier or the closure of NAS Oceana would take a tremendous toll on the region’s economy.

So the region needs to diversify its economic base, he said.

The concept was to formulate a strategy around maintaining and growing the three pillars of the economy while adding a fourth one, which Dickens called opportunities to grow the economy.

“We took those four categories and developed committees,” Dickens said. “We got 150 of the best and brightest [individuals] in the region” on the committees.

Larry Filer, associate professor of economics at Old Dominion University, completed a SWOT (strength, weaknesses opportunities, threats) analysis for the group, Dickens said.

“We put the SWOT analysis in front of the four committees and took notes,” Dickens said.

To give the plan a brand, it was named Vision Hampton Roads.

“The focus is to align the economic units, the organizations, the people who are engaged in the economy of Hampton Roads,” Dickens said.

The plan will be submitted to the federal government in February after the public comment period.

The committees began meeting during the summer. Each committee has met five times.

Dickens said the plan is transformational in two areas.

“For the Hampton Roads Partnership, this will be our work plan,” Dickens said. “I hope it’s going to be transformational for the region in the fact that we align around this common vision.

“I hope we develop these economies of scale that everyone knows are important for the region. We need to get in the mode of thinking, acting and living in one region. We’re all regional citizens, and we hope this will be a step toward that.

“We are competitive as a regional economy,” Dickens said. “We are less competitive when we compete as individual localities. If we are working for the same goals and objectives, it will help diversify our economy.

“There’s no effort here to change what cities and counties are doing,” Dickens said. “What’s good for one city or county is good for all of us.”

The committees were led by the following individuals: J. Robert Bray, Kaufman & Canoles Consulting LLC; Arthur L. Collins, former executive director of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission; Rob Cross, Virginia Arts Festival; Russell Held, Virginia Port Authority; and Roy Whitney, Jefferson Lab.

Article originally posted on Inside Business, Januray 8, 2010: http://www.insidebiz.com/news/thinking-acting-living-one

Others, thus far, who are helping to spread the word to enlist Public Comment are:

• City of Chesapeake http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/
• City of Newport News http://nngov.com/
• City of Williamsburg http://www.ci.williamsburg.va.us/
• College of William & Mary http://swem.wm.edu/
• County of James City http://www.jccegov.com/
• Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement http://hrcce.org
• Hampton Roads Performs http://hamptonroadsperforms.org/
• Hampton Roads Planning District Commission http://www.hrpdc.org/Public_Notices.asp
• Hampton Roads Research Partnership http://hamptonroadsrp.org/
• Hampton Roads Technology Council http://hrtc.org
• My Hampton Roads Blog http://myhamptonroads.blogspot.com/
• Patchwork Nation http://www.pbs.org/newshour/patchworknation/
• Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily http://www.wydaily.com/local-news/3671-regional-group-has-plan-now-wants-public-feedback.html

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Tags: Economy, Hampton Roads, Military Bastion, Sense of Place

HR Partnership | January 6, 2010

Cluster Workshop: Focus on Unmanned Systems & Port Security

January 25th & 26th

8am-5pm

Portsmouth Renaissance Hotel

Aligning government, small business, industry and academia to develop next generation technology-based capabilities

This is a national collaboration between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Key note speaker: Karen G. Mills, Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration

Guest speaker: Mr. Victor Gavin, Executive Director for the Navy’s Program, Executive Officer, Littoral and Mine Warfare

Workshop Kickoff: Congressmen Glenn Nye, Chair, Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology

To Register, click here

cost: $35 for both days

For more information on Robot Venture.

Tracks:

1. Sensor Fusion – Integrating sensors to provide focused or broad area security capability.
2. Comprehensive Approach to Port Security – Identifying & understanding interdependencies of port security components with implementation of new technologies.
3. Manned/Unmanned Interoperability – Integrating manned & unmanned sensor capability to improve situational awareness.
4. Emergency Management – Developing preparedness and the ability to manage disasters that affect port security & commerce.
5. Alternative Energy Sources – Coordinating energy efficient ideas and products that promote persistent sensor operations.
6. Workforce Development / STEM – Developing the workforce to fuel technology innovation.

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Category: Military Bastion, Research & Technology | 4 Comments »
Tags: Energy, Hampton Roads, Military Bastion, NASA, STEM, Technology, Workforce

HR Partnership | January 5, 2010

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
January 5 – February 5, 2010

The Vision Hampton Roads document (draft) was released on January 5, 2010.

This will begin the 30-day public comment period required by the Economic Development Administration (EDA). You can view/download the document, i.e., our regional roadmap, at http://VisionHamptonRoads.com. We encourage you to take the Public Comment Survey and pass this link along to your friends, neighbors and colleagues.

During the next 30 days, the plan’s link will appear on the websites of many regional organizations. We are encouraging the 17 local governments, 3 planning partner organizations (i.e., Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, and Hampton Roads Research Partnership) and others to post and pass along the link as well. We’re depending on your word-of-mouth (and email) to help create meaningful public participation in order to promote democracy and civic engagement, build public trust in government and enhance credibility within the community.

The Vision document is the product of over eight months of work, involving over 150 community volunteers who served on one or more of the 5 committees/sub-committees established to develop or oversee the plan. Presentations have been and will continue to be made during this period to organizations and local government leaders. News media outlets have already and will continue to post editorials and articles or air interviews focused on Vision Hampton Roads.

A Public Responsiveness Summary will follow the 30-day comment period, showing respondents how their feedback impacts the plan. In early February, the final document will be developed for final review, approval and submission to the EDA.

Vision planning has placed Hampton Roads on a path to regional transformation by embedding a working process in all that we do…
to think, live and act regionally.

Thank you,

E. Dana Dickens, III
President & CEO, Hampton Roads Partnership (HRP)

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Category: About Hampton Roads, Arts & Culture, Business Community, Economy, Education & Workforce, Government & Citizens, HR History, Military Bastion, Research & Technology, Transportation, Visit HR | 3 Comments »
Tags: Economy, Government, Hampton Roads, Military Bastion, Port, Tourism