03/11/2004

Mnutes:February 24, 2004 UAEDI Entrepreneurial discussion group

March 1, 2004

To: Entrepreneurial Discussion Group Members
From: Otto Loewer
RE: Minutes of Entrepreneurial DG Meeting

The following are the minutes are for the February 24, 2004 UAEDI Entrepreneurial discussion group. I will be sending out additional commentary on this meeting at a later time.

I do wish you to consider being part of the Entrepreneurial database. Please note the following:

The consensus of those at the Entrepreneurial Discussion group was that the Entrepreneurial Database’s name was misleading. It should be called something like:

“A database of various types of resources available to assist in promoting and enhancing entrepreneurial education and activities in Arkansas”

If you possess some of these resources (physical, intellectual, financial, etc.), please submit your entry to this Arkansas database. Thanks!

Otto

Meeting Notes
UAEDI - Entrepreneurship Discussion Group
February 24, 2004

Attendees

Otto Loewer, Christina Scarlat, Carolyne Garcia, Ada Hollingsworth, Janet Parsch, Barry Goode, Leslie Belden, Phil Stafford, Scott Hancock, Preston LaFerney, Bob Friedman, Bill Millager, Jack Buffington, Will Miller, Carol Reeves, Steve Seideman

Databases

Meeting began with a discussion of the Entrepreneurship (ENT) database. Christina demonstrated the ENT and UA Capabilities databases. Otto noted that response to the invitation to be in the STEM database has been very limited. Why aren’t people participating and what could/should we do about it?

It was agreed that there may be some confusion about who should participate and why. It was suggested that the name be changed to the Entrepreneurial Resources Database (ERD) to make it clearer. Leslie suggested that some people might assume that because they are already in the Capabilities database, they do not need to be added to the ERD. Otto will send another mailing to clarify who can/should participate and ask for suggestions of other people and organizations that should be included. Bob Friedman noted that all of the GENESIS clients should be in the database and said he will provide that information to Christina.

Special Initiatives

Two special initiatives were discussed: a PhD program that focuses on entrepreneurship and a SIG on nanotechnology. Otto explained that as a result of the discussion at the previous Entrepreneurship Discussion Group, Dean Saxena of the College of Engineering and Dean Williams of the College of Business were discussing creation of a PhD program in entrepreneurship.

Barry Goode spoke briefly about nanotechnology and its importance as a workforce development issue for Arkansas. Everyone agreed that it was important for Arkansas to try to get ahead of the curve in this area. Bob Friedman noted that the bottom-up approach of nanotechnology would make present manufacturing, which is moving offshore, obsolete, and provide many new opportunities for the workers that have been abandoned here.

The discussion turned to the question of critical mass. Otto and others noted that the U of A has the basic infrastructure for the R&D needs of nanotechnology companies. Phil noted that he had surveyed the state of nanotechnology-related initiatives in Arkansas, and there were very few. He suggested that a Fundamentals Workshop might be a way to draw people together to build a critical mass.

Preston agreed that would probably be a necessary first step and noted the need to focus on niches that were appropriate for Arkansas. He cautioned that the risk was still high and gave as a case-in-point distance education, where many major universities had rushed to throw millions of dollars into programs that they were now eliminating.

Barry noted that he had obtained model programs for workforce development from other schools that were working in the field. He noted that all of them involved a program with 2-year colleges partnering with the state flagship university, so that the last semester of the 2-year program was spent on the university campus. He agreed that defining appropriate niches would be critical to the success of the project.

The group was enthusiastic about the nanotechnology SIG and several projects were proposed. Phil will work with Carolyne to assemble a team to develop the Fundamentals Workshop. June was tentatively indicated for the workshop. Barry will work with a team on the workforce development program.

A third project was suggested to bring nanotechnology into the K-12 arena. A center modeled on the Bessie Moore Center for Economic Education was suggested. This would be a resource for public school teachers and could sponsor in-service workshops to teach teachers the basics of nanotechnology and help develop curriculum projects and materials that teachers (including those without a science background) could use to introduce Arkansas students to nanotechnology.

Mnutes:February 24, 2004 UAEDI Entrepreneurial discussion group