Innovation NJ Weekly Update

August 2017

NJ Economic Development Authority Headquarters Renamed in Honor of Caren Franzini

Trenton, NJ - Emily Bader reports in NJBIZ that Governor Chris Christie yesterday signed legislation - Assembly 4713, Burzichelli, D-3, /Prieto, D-32 - to rename the New Jersey Economic Development Authority headquarters at 36 W. State St. in Trenton to the Caren Franzini Memorial Building. Franzini, who died last January 25, led the EDA for nearly two decades and has made significant contributions toward improving the Garden State's business climate, the New Jersey Business & Industry Association said.

Gov. Christie Signs Law that Will Boost Collaboration Between Businesses and Higher Ed

Trenton, NJ - The New Jersey Business & Industry Association's (NJBIA)efforts to promote collaboration between businesses and higher education received a boost yesterday when Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation expanding eligibility for businesses under the Grow NJ program. Sponsored by Senator Sandra Cunningham (D-31), and Assembly members Gary Schaer (D-36) and Pamela Lampitt (D-6), the new law provides base and job-creation tax credits for a business partnering with a higher education institution located within three miles of each other.

Brookings Report: Building Productive Partnerships Between Community Colleges and Industry
Westerville, OH - The State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI) blogs

that there are numerous opportunities for leaders at community colleges to collaborate with the private sector around combatting the skills gap and making workforce development programs more effective for students, according to a new report by Elizabeth Mann of Brookings' Brown Center for Education Policy. Although financial and cultural challenges may present initial barriers to collaboration between community colleges and industry, overcoming these differences can make a big impact on local efforts to boost workforce development.

Center for Data Innovation Report: New Jersey Ranked 23rd in Data and Technology Availability, Usage

Trenton, NJ - Colleen O'Dea reports on NJ Spotlight that New Jersey barely made it into the top half of the states doing a good job encouraging and enabling data-driven innovation, according to a new report. "The Best States for Data Innovation," an 85-page report issued on August 4 by the nonpartisan Center for Data Innovation, based in Washington, D.C., ranked New Jersey 23rd based on 25 indicators related to data and new technology availability and usage, as well as the digital infrastructure, technology-related education, and open data-related jobs and companies.

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Scientists Study How Worm Infections Can Weaken Immune Systems - And Life-Saving Vaccinations

New Brunswick, NJ - Why are malaria, tuberculosis and hepatitis so prevalent in developing nations? And why are most vaccines against these pathogens so ineffective? Two Rutgers New Jersey Medical School scientists believe they may have found an answer in parasitic intestinal worms - which infect more than 1.5 billion people worldwide and can weaken the immune system's ability to fend off disease, rendering vaccines less effective.

New Jersey Consumer Affairs Director Steve Lee to Step Down for Private Sector Position

Trenton, NJ - Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced yesterday that Steve Lee, Director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, is leaving his post to take a job in the private sector. Lee, who has led the state's consumer protection agency since April 2014, will be going to work for Comcast Corporation as a Deputy General Counsel. Lee began talks with the global media and technology company several months ago. His resignation is effective September 5.

Monmouth University School of Science Hosts 2017 Summer Research Symposium; Showcases Faculty-Student Collaborations
West Long Branch, NJ - The Monmouth University School of Science on

August 10 hosted a symposium to present findings from its 2017 Summer Research Program (SRP). Each year, Monmouth's School of Science invites students to participate in a 12-week research experience in which they work on collaborative research projects with faculty and staff. The program is open to both graduate and undergraduate students.

BioNJ to Host Annual CEO Summit on October 27; C-Suite Leaders to Focus on Opportunities, Challenges of Bringing Innovative Meds to Market
Trenton, NJ - BioNJ will host its Fifth Annual CEO Summit on Friday, O

ctober 27, 2017 at the Bridgewater Marriott. BioNJ's daylong CEO Summit, once again, will bring together more than 300 life sciences C-suite leaders and their teams, representing a wide breadth of companies from early to late stage, as well as public, private, revenue and pre-revenue enterprises.

Upcoming Events

TLD Industry Summit by New Jersey Institute of Technology & Essex County College
When: Thu, August 17, 12pm - 4pm
Where: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark

NJ Health Care Talent Network's 2017 'Health IT Summit'

When: Mon, August 21, 9:30am - 3:00pm
Where: Rutgers College Avenue Student Center in New Brunswick

2017 ManufactureNJ Industry Summit -- Save the Date!

When: Wednesday, Aug 23, 2017
Where: NJIT, Newark

Chemistry Council of NJ's Inaugural Hal Bozarth Memorial Golf Outing benefiting STEM Education
When: Mon, October 2, 9am - 6pm
Where: Old York Country Club, 228 Old York Rd, Chesterfield

NJ Innovation Institute and Columbia University's "Biopharmaceutical Product Development & Data Science Symposium"
When: Tue, October 10, 8am - 5pm
Where: NJIT, Campus Center Atrium, 150 Bleeker St., Newark

BioNJ's Fifth Annual CEO Summit
When: Fri, October 27, 7am - 4pm
Where: Bridgewater Marriott, 700 Commons Way, Bridgewater

Spurring innovation through the collaboration of academia, government and industry