Agency Mission

The New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) administers programs previously administered by the Science and Technology Foundation and is responsible for identifying, promoting, and investing in enterprises with the potential to create and retain high-technology jobs. NYSTAR is responsible for the Capital Facility Program, the Faculty Development Program, the Centers for Advanced Technology Development Program and the Technology Transfer Incentive Program. In addition, NYSTAR will direct the State's University based high-technology economic development programs previously performed by the Science and Technology Foundation.

Year-to-Year Change

The Executive recommends Aid to Localities appropriations of $49,270,000, reflecting a $22,605,000 decrease from State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2000-01. This decrease results primarily from the elimination of $11,005,000 in Community Projects funds as well as the elimination of $11,600,000 in funding for non-recurring high technology initiatives.

Legislative Changes

Elimination of new funding for the CAT Development Fund.

$(10,000,000)   ATL/GEN

The Assembly recommends the elimination of new funding for the Centers for Advanced Technology Development Fund, resulting from the lack of identified projects.

Elimination of new funding for the Faculty Development Program.

$(7,500,000)   ATL/GEN

The Assembly recommends the elimination of new funding for the Faculty Development Program, resulting from the lack of identified projects.

Elimination of new funding for the Incentive Program.

$(4,650,000)   ATL/GEN

The Assembly recommends the elimination of funding for the Incentive Program, resulting from the lack of identified projects.

Elimination of new funding for the New York Institute for Entrepreneurship.

$(500,000)   ATL/GEN

The Assembly recommends the elimination of new funding for the New York Institute for Entrepreneurship, resulting from the lack of identified projects.

Elimination of new funding for the Science and Technology Law Center.

$(350,000)   ATL/GEN

The Assembly recommends the elimination of new funding for the Science and Technology Law Center, resulting from the lack of identified projects.

Legislative Proposals

The Assembly proposes the New York State Economic Development Commission which will oversee economic development activities in New York State, including high technology initiatives currently being administered by the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR).

The Assembly maintains support for the following initiatives:

-- Centers for Advanced Technology -- UB-Roswell Park Cancer Institute -- Technology Development Organizations -- Industrial Technology Extension Service -- State Matching Funds for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program -- Syracuse University SAID Center -- Buffalo Technology Transfer Center -- RPI Focus Research Center -- Cornell NSF-Nanobiotechnology -- Cornell NSF-Materials Research -- Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program

$14,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $320,000 $500,000 $5,000,000 $300,000 $400,000 $5,000,000

The Assembly Jobs Agenda includes $27,350,000 in funding for the following programs:

1)    CUNY Photonics Research Center

$850,000

The Assembly recommends $850,000 in state support be provided to the City University of New York (CUNY) Photonics Research Center to hire top faculty researchers; renovate unused space for additional research laboratories; purchase equipment; hire technical support staff; and ultimately, construct a dedicated Compact Photonic Device Center at City College. This effort would build on influential medical photonics research already underway at the Institute for Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Lasers at City College, and at the CUNY-wide Center for Advanced Technology in Photonics.

2)    Regional Venture Capital

$2,500,000

The Assembly recommends $2,500,000 in state funding be directed toward the creation of ten regional early-stage venture capital funds to provide support for the conceptual design and prototype development of products that currently have difficulty receiving support from other sources.

3)    Technology Transfer Grants

$1,500,000

The Assembly recommends $1,500,000 be provided for Technology Transfer Grants to support the transfer of new ideas and technologies from the research labs to the marketplace.

4)    High Technology Industry Clusters

$1,000,000

The Assembly recommends $1,000,000 to support the development of industry clusters aimed at creating the climate necessary for high-tech job creation and ensure the growth of emerging high-tech industries.

5)    CUNY Software Institute

$1,600,000

The Assembly recommends $1,600,00 for the creation of a University-wide consortium with a mission to spur development and commercialization of advanced software technologies and software engineering methods in the downstate New York region.

6)    Long Island Millennium Center

$5,000,000

The Assembly recommends $5,000,000 for the Long Island Millennium Technology Research Center to further efforts to make Long Island a leader in "convergence industries" such as bioscience, electronics, and software development, connecting and coordinating research at institutions such as Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and North Shore-LIJ Health Systems, while working in partnership with local businesses.

7)    Orphan Technologies

$100,000

The Assembly recommends $100,000 to support the commercialization of discoveries developed in the laboratories of academic research institutions that have not yet been commercialized. Funding would support the establishment of a clearinghouse to identify and market these technologies to high tech companies which would greatly enhance technology transfer and commercialization efforts.

8)    New York State Institute for Energy Technologies

$3,000,000

The Assembly recommends $3,000,000 for the development of a university-based consortia including the University of Albany and the State University at Stony Brook that will establish an energy applications research center charged with the development of technology "roadmaps" and commercialization "pathways" in partnership with industry and government for the purpose of accelerating technology into the energy marketplace.

9)    Industrial Retention Network/Move Smart Program

$4,300,000

The Assembly recommends $4,300,000 for the Industrial Retention Network which would provide critical business assistance to manufacturing firms to help companies identify appropriate space, obtain financing and other services, as well as help companies expand and make capital improvements to their existing facilities.

The Move Smart Program would establish an electronic database of real estate listings and manufacturers seeking space. It would help companies define their future space needs, plan their relocations, create new plant layouts, and provide technical support throughout the moving process.

10)    Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation at the University of Buffalo

$2,500,000

The Assembly recommends $2,500,000 for the University of Buffalo Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation to provide industrial outreach, training and education, and basic research in the fields of engineering design and high-end visualization.

11)    International Trade

$500,000

The Assembly recommends $500,00 to support the coordination of Federal, State, and local officials to promote a seamless system of assistance for international trade. In addition, it would provide State assistance to Federal Foreign Trade Zones at or adjacent to ports of entry in New York State currently without this designation to significantly increase international trade.

12)    Centers for Remanufacturing

$1,000,000

The Assembly recommends $1,000,000 to support the Centers for Remanufacturing. This is the process of recovering the component parts of end-of-life products, restoring them to a "like-new" condition, and returning those parts or products to service.

13)    National Science Foundation Grants

$3,000,000

The Assembly recommends $3,000,000 to enhance New York State's ability to match and secure Federal National Science Foundation grants.

14)    Energy and Environmental Technology Application Center

$500,000

The Assembly recommends $500,000 for the former Fuel Cell Institute. Funding will accelerate the commercialization of fuel cell research and development through a collaboration of universities, laboratories and the private sector.