the voice of technology - NVTC Foundation CDMerrick@ ... The Voice of Technology is published ten...
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the voice of technology April 2004 NVTC northern virginia technology council magazine The Voice of Technology is a monthly publication of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. www.nvtc.org Nanotechnology
Transcript of the voice of technology - NVTC Foundation CDMerrick@ ... The Voice of Technology is published ten...
the voice of technology
April 2004
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Nanotechnology
April 2004 Page 3The Voice of Technology
April 2004Vol. 14 No. 3
features
council business
Message from Senator George Allen (R-VA) p. 5
Bits-n-Bytes p. 6
NVTC Launches eCommunities p. 13
NVTC Calendar of Events p. 16
NewsLink p. 24
Business Partner Profile: Nextel Communications, Inc. p 25
New Members p. 26
NVTC Business Partners
Molecular Lasagna p. 8A recipe for understanding nanotech
Nanotechnology in the Potomac Region p. 10How this industry will affect our region
Commercial Applications for Nanotech p. 12
The NVTC Nanotechnology Committee p. 15
NVTC’s Groundhog Job Shadow Day p. 20A great day for volunteers and shadows alike
How to Build Effective Email Marketing p. 23
Cover design by Margy Holder
s a U.S. Senator, I have becomeinvolved with some very interest-ing initiatives over the past several
years. Perhaps none more exciting than the21st Century Nanotechnology Research andDevelopment Act, which was signed into lawby the President on December 3, 2003.Together with my hardworking friend andcolleague, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), wewere successful in launching the singlelargest federally funded, multi-agency scien-tific research since the space program in the1960s, allocating $3.63 billion over fouryears.
The goal of this legislation is to pro-vide a structured, organized andcoordinated approach to nanotech-nology research and development.Our new law will catalyze synergis-tic interdisciplinary science andengineering research throughresearch grants to individuals andinterdisciplinary teams of investi-gators. Additionally, the law estab-lishes a network of advanced tech-nology user facilities and collabora-tive research centers by acceleratingnanotechnology research anddevelopment in the private sector,
including start-up companies and byencouraging participation from U.S. collegesand universities. Finally, as the leadRepublican sponsor, I am confident it willposition this country's international leader-ship in the development and application ofnanotechnology.
The fields of nanoscience, nanoengineeringand nanotechnology have the real potential
to transform almost every aspect of our livesand commerce. Presently, nanotechnology issignificantly improving our quality of life.Whether it’s related to electronic devices,biotechnology, the health sciences, agricul-ture, transportation or national defense, nan-otechnology will form the foundation ofmany new applications and revolutionarydiscoveries in the decades to come, and willsoon occupy a major portion of our econo-my. In fact, the annual global impact ofproducts where nanotechnology will play akey role is expected to exceed $1 trillion by2015 and employ almost 2 million people innanotech fields.
The United States has been the leader of vir-tually every important and transformativetechnology since the Industrial Revolution,and to remain competitive in the global mar-ketplace we must commit ourselves to ensur-ing that this Nation and Virginia maintains acompetitive edge in this new and importantfield of nanotechnology.
For my part, I am committed to ensuring theCommonwealth plays a leadership role in thenanotechnology revolution. Virginia isbecoming one of the leading hot-spots fornanotechnology development in the UnitedStates. Working with the Northern VirginiaTechnology Council and utilizing Virginia'snumerous sources of innovation, like ourfederal labs, private companies and our uni-versities, we can all take active roles ensuringVirginia is a leading state in this importantnew frontier in technology.
U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA)
April 2004 Page 5The Voice of Technology
AMESSAGE FROM SENATOR ALLEN
OFFICERSChairmanSudhakar ShenoyInformation Management [email protected]
Vice ChairmanJohn C. Lee, IV, Lee [email protected]
Vice ChairmanDendy Young, GTSI, [email protected]
PresidentBobbie G. Kilberg, Northern Virginia Technology [email protected]
SecretaryLisa Martin, LeapFrog Solutions [email protected]
TreasurerJonathan Shames, Ernst & [email protected]
General CounselJ. Scott Hommer, III, Venable [email protected]
Public Relations AdvisorDoug Poretz, Qorvis [email protected]
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Panos Anastassiadis, [email protected]
Greg Baroni, [email protected]
Gabe Battista,Talk [email protected]
Paul Broome, [email protected]
John Burton, Updata [email protected]
Craig Chason, Shaw Pittman [email protected]
Paul Cofoni, CSC, [email protected]
John Engler, [email protected]
Raul Fernandez, [email protected]
C. Michael FerraroTRAINING SOLUTIONS, [email protected]
Dan Gonzalez, Scheer [email protected]
Deepak Hathiramani, Vistronix, [email protected]
Bob Johnson, Nextel [email protected]
L. Kenneth Johnson, [email protected]
Bob KahnCorporation for National ResearchInitiatives, [email protected]
David Karlgaard, PEC [email protected]
Carol Kline, America Online, [email protected]
Bob Korzeniewski, [email protected]
Jim LeBlanc, S&H/LeBlanc International [email protected]
Jim Leto, [email protected]
John Love, AH&T Technology [email protected]
Duffy Mazan, [email protected]
Gary McCollum, Cox [email protected]
TiTi McNeill, [email protected]
John Mendonca, KPMG [email protected]
Caren DeWitt MerrickwebMethods [email protected]
Alan Merten, George Mason [email protected]
Linda Mills, Northrop [email protected]
Donna Morea, [email protected]
Gary Nakamoto, Base [email protected]
Gary Pan, Panacea [email protected]
Alex Pinchev, Red [email protected]
Leslie PlattFoundation for Genetic [email protected]
Todd Rowley, [email protected]
Chris SchroederThe Washington Post [email protected]
Todd Stottlemyer, ITS [email protected]
Lydia Thomas, Mitretek [email protected]
Chairman Emeritus
John Backus, Draper [email protected]
Dan Bannister, [email protected]
Ed H. Bersoff, Greenwich [email protected]
Kathy Clark, [email protected]
Mike A. Daniels, [email protected]
David C. [email protected]
Honorary Members
Peter Jobse, CIT, [email protected]
Senior Advisory
Tom Hicks, Business [email protected]
Stu Johnson, [email protected]
Paul Lombardi, INpower [email protected]
Mario Morino, Morino [email protected]
Len Pomata, [email protected]
Wayne Shelton, [email protected]
Knox Singleton, Inova Health [email protected]
Esther T. SmithQorvis [email protected]
Bob G. TemplinNorthern Virginia Community [email protected]
John Toups, [email protected]
Earle Williams, [email protected]
Bob Wright, Dimensions International [email protected]
Armfield, Harrison & Thomas'(AH&T) overall 2003 D&O practicehas been ranked as the 6th largestin the nation by the long-running,well-respected Tillinghast-TowersPerrin Directors and OfficersLiability Survey. This marks the 11thconsecutive year that AH&T hasbeen identified as a "top ten" D&Obroker; a significant achievementthat reflects the agency's high qual-ity of services and products in D&Ocoverage. The 2003 TillinghastSurvey also named AH&T amongthe top 5 leading brokers servicingthe technology, governmental andnon-profits business classes. TheTillinghast-Towers Perrin 2003Directors and Officers LiabilitySurvey is the 26th in a series of stud-ies on D&O liability claims and insur-ance purchasing patterns. Therewere 2,068 U.S. participants, repre-senting all major industrial groupswith a majority being publicly trad-ed corporations. Armfield, Harrison& Thomas is an insurance brokerage,risk management, bond, and benefitprofessional services organizationwith areas of specialization in tech-nology/life sciences, non-profits,manufacturing, construction, andf a r m / e q u i n e .http://www.ahtins.com. CoreCapital Partners, a $170 million pri-vate equity fund that invests inearly-stage technology venturesand provides expansion capital togrowth companies and KodiakVenture Partners announced thatthey have closed a $6.7 millionseries B round in Burlington, Mass.-based RulesPower, a developer ofrules-driven Business ProcessManagement (BPM) software. CoreCapital led the round, joiningreturning investor Kodiak VenturePartners. Jonathan Silver, managingdirector at Core Capital Partners willjoin RulesPower's board of directors.www.core-capital.com. GlobalInternetworking, Inc., a wholesaleprovider of data transport and net-work provisioning solutions for tele-com carriers, government agencies,ISP's, other service providers andenterprise customers, recently intro-duced Wireless Rapid Response, anintegrated network design and pro-visioning solution that simplifiesand streamlines how wireless carri-ers can obtain back-haul and accessconnectivity to their backbone orthe public switched network. Thenew service uses GlobalInternetworking's proprietary data-base of network facilities, pricing,capacity and points-of-presence, inconjunction with a dedicated team
Page 6 April 2004The Voice of Technology
BITS + BYTES
April 2004 Page 7The Voice of Technology
Bobbie Greene KilbergPresident, NVTC
Susan BakerVice President for Workforce
Christine KallivokasVice President of Operations
Pamela C. DudleyPresident, NVTC Foundation
Josh LeviVice President for Policy
Nancy RollmanVice President of Communications
Randy CislerController
Kristin SeitzExecutive CoordinatorSpecial Assistant to the
Lori Ann Cook SuazoDirector of
Programs and [email protected]
Tia GibbsDirector of Production
Windy HoneycuttDirector of Committee
and Corporate [email protected]
Jennifer WilliamsDirector of Membership
Christina AraujoRegistration Coordinator
David BakerFoundation Assistant
Mike BlackMembership Assistant
Mildred Cooper ElderMarketing and
CommunicationsConsultant
Tarin HeilmanEvents [email protected]
Sandra HendersonWeb Communicationsand Technical [email protected]
Margy HolderGraphic Design
Barbara JohnsonReceptionist /
Administrative [email protected]
Nancy JohnstonEducation-Workforce
Cameron KilbergProject [email protected]
Michele MasonMember Services
Michelle SenglaubTechtopia Marketing &Project Management
Zuzana K. SteenHead of International
Relations Assistant Director of
Workforce [email protected]
Nicole StoneMembership Manager
Linda WilleverAccounting Assistant
The Northern Virginia Technology Council2214 Rock Hill Road, Suite 300, Herndon, VA 20170
(703) 904-7878 / fax: (703) 904-8008www.nvtc.org • hosted by PatriotNet
MissionThe Northern Virginia Technology Council is the membership association for thetechnology community in Northern Virginia. NVTC has more than 1300 membercompanies representing over 170,000 employees. Our membership includes compa-nies from all sectors of the technology industry including information technology,software, Internet, ISPs, telecommunications, biotechnology, bioinformatics, aero-space and nanotechnology, as well as the service providers that support these com-panies. NVTC provides its members with: (1) over 110 networking and educationalevents per year; (2) comprehensive member benefit services; (3) promotion ofNorthern Virginia as a global technology center; (4) public policy advocacy on abroad range of technology issues at the state and regional levels, with involvementin federal issues as they relate to workforce and education concerns; and (5) commu-nity service opportunities through active involvement in community projects andphilanthropy through the NVTC Foundation.
The Voice of Technology is published ten times per year by the Northern VirginiaTechnology Council. It is the official magazine of NVTC. ©Copyright 2003 by NVTC. Allrights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in part or whole with-out the express written consent of NVTC. For reprint information, contact The Voice ofTechnology, 2214 Rock Hill Road, Suite 300, Herndon, VA 20170 fax: (703) 904-8008.With the help of the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, the Voice of Technology isnow available in Braille.The Voice of Technology publishes articles authored by indus-try professionals.The opinions and/or positions expressed in these articles are notnecessarily those of NVTC. NVTC encourages its members to submit story ideas andcomments to: [email protected].
BITS + BYTESof provisioning experts, to allow wireless carriers to design andimplement high capacity access and back- haul connectivity in everyU.S. market faster and more cost-effectively. http://www.globalinter-netorking.com. GTSI (R) Corp., an information technology (IT)solutions leader focusing exclusively on federal, state, and local gov-ernment customers worldwide, has announced that Scot T. Edwardshas joined GTSI as Chief Marketing Officer. Edwards will report toJohn Spotila, GTSI's President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior tojoining GTSI, Edwards was Executive Vice President ofReturnBuy/Jabil Global Services, an asset management, supply chainmanagement and direct marketing technology company. He hasheld key senior management roles at Epson America, LexmarkInternational, Peak Technologies, Altec Lansing Technologies, andXyan.com. Edwards has a two-decade long history of successfullyintroducing new products, lines of business, developing marketingstrategies, and increasing sales Edwards holds a BS in IndustrialManagement/Marketing from Purdue University. GTSI Corp.www.GTSI.com. Virtual IT, Inc., a Roanoke, Virginia-based IT con-sulting firm recently opened March 1st a branch office in Richmondto serve its growing numbers of state and federal clients, signed ateaming agreement with one of the world's largest consulting firms,and received a five-year federal contract. Virtual IT specializes inenterprise architecture, information security and business and tech-nology strategy. As a result of these opportunities, the firm plans tohire enterprise architects and senior IT consultants to provide servic-es in the areas of business process improvement and strategic tech-nology planning. www.virtualit.com. WebSurveyorCorporation, a provider of do-it-yourself online survey solutions,announced that American Cellars Wine Club (ACWC), one of thelargest wine clubs in the country, has selected WebSurveyor for itsonline customer satisfaction surveys. Prior to WebSurveyor, ACWCconducted paper-based surveys and hired an external analyst toaggregate and analyze the data. The company moved its surveyefforts online because it wanted a quicker, more affordable means tocapture vital feedback from its customers. www.websurveyor.com.
Our Professionals
Page 8 April 2004The Voice of Technology
molecular lasagna
by Lynn Nystrom, College of Engineering,Virginia Tech
Building "molecular lasagna" – that'show one researcher describes the latestscientific work in nanostructured
materials research. The image is intriguing.
Picture a chef in a kitchen using ground beef,noodle and cheese to build the finishedentree. If the chef changes the type of cheesefrom cottage to ricotta, or the beef to turkey orto a vegetarian product, the properties of thelasagna can be suited to different tastes. Thesame thing happens when a researcher buildsa material from the nanoparticle stage.
Engineers and chemists have been playingwith advanced synthetic materials known aspolymers and composites for several decadesnow. In the 1980s, a new buzz word for mate-rial scientists became intelligent or "smartmaterials." In the mid-1990s, the avant-gardebecame the creation of nanostructured mate-rials.
Nanostructured materials – in the form of analloy such as a metal or a ceramic – "are madeof the same atoms as their more commonforms. But the atoms are arranged innanometer-size clusters which become thebuilding blocks of the new materials," accord-ing to Richard Siegel, a materials engineer atRennselaer Polytechnic Institute, a pioneer ofthese substances who wrote about them in a1996 Scientific American publication.
These new small particles "have remarkableelectronic, optical, mechanical and otherproperties in comparison to larger bulk mate-rials of the same molecular composition,"says Rick Claus, Virginia's OutstandingScientist for 2001 and a professor of electricaland computer engineering at Virginia Tech.The trick in making them useful is to collectvery large numbers of the nanoclusters and
then be able to form them into larger physicalsystems, with control at the molecular level.
"The idea is that we are making things fromthe ground up, not the top down. As we buildup from the molecular level, we can makethings that are smaller, cheaper, and withmultiple functions.At the nano level, particlesare more energetic," Claus explains.
Nanotechnology blends the fields of chem-istry, physics, biology, and engineering.Through the synthesized layering process ofmanufacturing these materials, designers areable to achieve desired properties such aselectrical conductivity, mechanical hardness,or magnetic permeability.
In one popular way to make a nanophasematerial, evaporated atoms are "captured"from a material that is heated beyond itsmelting point. These atoms are then exposed
to an inert gas, such as helium, to cool them.The helium takes away the energy of theevaporated atoms and causes them to con-dense into clusters of anywhere from one to100 nanometers.
Another method is chemical processing tosynthesize both ultrasmall metal oxide and"noble metal nanomeatballs," Claus says, con-tinuing his analogy to lasagna. By coatingthem with thin polymer passivation layers it"works like a meat sauce to keep the particlesseparated." Agglomeration of the particlesreduces the small particle-dominated proper-ties of the material, and makes for the analo-gy of the nonuniform lasagna taste. Claus'research group has fabricated multiple ultra-small molecular clusters with tight size distri-bution, allowing good engineering design andcontrol over fabricated material properties.
A ceramic made from nanoparticles resistsbreaking and can be manufactured at roomtemperature. So, where a jet engine ceramicfan blade once needed to be sintered in a hugeoven at the very high temperature of greaterthan 1500oF, a nanophase material could belayered in an ordinary room such as in yourown home and heated to much lower temper-atures.
These new building blocks can be developedinto structures. By using new electrostaticself-assembly (ESA) processing methods,ultra-small inorganic particles and ultra-thinhigh-performance buffer layers are formedinto near perfect thin-films. Researchers canbuild up the thickness of the total thin-film,layer by layer.
To the folks who inhabit Silicon Valley, thismeans that the already tiny microelectroniccircuits available today will become even
smaller. The impact over the long term is thatelectronic things will become much, muchsmaller. Currently, microelectronic circuitsare micron-size and nanoparticle is 1000times smaller than a micro. On the nanoscale, transistors on a microchip would be puttogether at the molecular level, possibly by theself-assembly methods.
Lynn Nystrom is News Director at the College ofEngineering, Virginia Tech. www.vt.edu
April 2004 Page 9The Voice of Technology
Picture a chef in a kitchen using ground beef, noodle and cheese tobuild the finished entree. If the chef changes the type of cheese from
cottage to ricotta, or the beef to turkey or to a vegetarian product, theproperties of the lasagna can be suited to different tastes. The same
thing happens when a researcher builds a material from thenanoparticle stage.
Page 10 April 2004The Voice of Technology
Nanotechnology, the ability to control or manipulate on theatomic scale, for the purpose of creating beneficial tools formankind, has become a powerful economic and technologi-
cal force in the Potomac Region, and promises to achieve the NVTCNanotechnology Committee's Vision, "The Nanoplex on thePotomac."
Establishing the NVTC Nanotechnology Committee
Recognizing this growing force, in March 2003 the Northern VirginiaTechnology Council established its Nanotechnology Committee toserve the Council's growing membership of nanotechnology-basedcompanies, and to give recognition to the emergence of nanotechnol-ogy in the federal and academic sectors in the region. The Potomacregion offers a critical mass of resources to attract the continuedgrowth of nanotechnology: the federal government, academia, andan entrepreneurial-friendly environment.
Strengths of the Region
The Potomac Region is geographically and literally at the doorstep ofthe federal government and its nanotechnology-invested agencies.Virtually all of the agencies of the federal government are involved inand have committed budgetary resources to the research and devel-opment of nanotechnology applications. Notably among them is theDepartment of Defense and its laboratories in the area: the ArmyResearch Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory, and the DefenseAdvanced Projects Agency (DARPA). NASA, The National ScienceFoundation, the Department of Energy, National Institutes of Health,National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department ofAgriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, Department ofHomeland Security, and the Department of Justice all have activeresearch and development in nanotechnology.
What this Means to the Potomac Region
It means that nanotechnology businesses coming into the regionhave a decided advantage: Proximity to the federal marketplacemeans the ability to tailor and customize research, development, andprototyping in response to rapidly changing discoveries in the sci-ence.
But there are other significant strengths for nanotech businesses tolocate in the Potomac Region. Perhaps the most important of these isthe professional and educated workforce here. Forbes Magazinerecently ranked this area's workforce among the most highly educat-ed in the United States. This fact, along with schools and universities,superb health care facilities, and cultural and metropolitan attrac-tions, are strong magnets to draw the interdisciplinary science andtechnology talents that are demanded in the nanotechnology arena.
Also of significant value to nanotech businesses coming into the areais the proximity of some of the country's premier universities.Immediately in Northern Virginia are George Mason University andthe extension campuses of the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech,Old Dominion University, and the Northern Virginia CommunityCollege. In Washington D. C., Howard University and GeorgetownUniversity are involved in nanotechnology research and offeradvanced science and engineering programs in this exciting field ofstudy. The University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University arealso close by and offer study programs in this science and engineer-ing field.
Emerging Nanotechnology Business and Commerce
The Potomac Region is attracting a presence of nanotechnology busi-nesses. At once there are pillars of federal contracting, such as BAE,Lockheed Martin, MITRE, Northrop Grumman, and SAIC. But thereare also a host of small, entrepreneurial businesses which are makingtheir presence in the area's nanotechnology community felt. Theseinclude Biomimetics Products, ISTN, Luna Innovations, MaterialsModifications, CNRI, Nano Interface, NanoSonic, nanoTITAN, andNanoverse.
Of course no business enterprise is a stand-alone endeavor.Businesses rely on support organizations and institutions to becomeestablished, and to operate profitably, legally and ethically. ThePotomac Region is rich in these resources as well, noted for being thehome of some of the leading accounting, consulting, financial, legal,and real estate service providers in the country. Additionally, it canbe said that this area is the gateway to the world economy, with itsproximity to the foreign delegations and trade missions.
Nanotechnology in TheRegionby Vic Peña, NanoTITAN, Inc.
e Potomac
The Future
The future of nanotechnology business in the Potomac Region isindeed bright. The region is rich in resources, business acumen andscientific curiosity. Working as a team, academia, government, andindustry, can achieve the NVTC's Nanotechnology Committeevision of "The Nanoplex on the Potomac.”
A. Victor Peña is Co-Founder and CEO, nanoTITAN, Inc., and co-chair ofthe NVTC Nanotech Committee. nanoTITAN, Inc., develops and produces
design and engineering software for nanotechnology applications. www.nanotitan.com
April 2004 Page 11The Voice of Technology
Page 12 April 2004The Voice of Technology
by Frank Yang, ISTN
What do BASF sunscreen, Dockers pants and Wilson tennisballs have in common? The answer is all three productsrepresent early commercial applications of nanotechnolo-
gy. This diverse range of well-known products illustrates nanotech-nology's broad and immense commercial potential. Whether com-pletely accurate or not, the most commonly cited market estimate of$1 trillion by 2015 (National Science Foundation) serves as impres-sive quantification of its expected economic impact.
Contrary to misconceptions fed by science fiction such as MichaelCrichton's novel Prey, products employing nanotechnology are notdecades away. The aforementioned examples demonstrate how nan-otechnology already improves our lives. For instance, the NANO-
PELTM
(fabric protection coating with superior liquid and stain repel-
lency) and NANO-TOUCHTM (
fabric that utilizes molecular bonding toenhance comfort, durability and strength) products in Dockers arejust two of four products carried by Nano-Tex, which uses proprietarynanotechnology to develop "intelligent fabrics for better living." Infact, many other well-known brands also use Nano-Tex products,including Eddie Bauer, Gap, L.L. Bean, Nike, Old Navy and Perry Ellis.
The Economics of Nanotechnology
One trend which will drive rapid commercialization of nanotechnol-ogy products is win-win economic propositions. The WilsonDoubleCore tennis ball, which has double the life of other balls (butnot double the cost) because of the Inmat Air D-FenseTM coating thatreduces air flow by 200%, also creates improved margins for manu-facturers and distributors. (Source: eXsellSPORTS.com)
Both private and public funds are flowing into nanotechnology, withhype playing a major role. Since 2002, $500 million in venture capi-tal has been invested. In that same time, the "Nanosphere" index cre-ated by the Forbes “Wolfe Nanotech Report” has outperformed theNASDAQ and S&P 500 despite a general lack of tangible valuationbenchmarks. (Source: Forbes Wolfe Nanotech Report)
In addition to incremental improvements to products such as cloth-ing and cosmetics, nanotechnology will alter our lives by revolution-izing high-tech industries such as electronics and health care.Moore's Law, an axiom which states that processing power, specifical-ly the number of transistors on a chip, should double every 18months, has driven a quest for miniaturization that has brought thesemiconductor industry to the nanoscale. Intel recently launched thefour-gigahertz Prescott chip which operates at 90 nanometers. In
addition to this "top-down" example, various nanomaterials populatedevices such as light-emitting diodes and liquid crystal displays.
The industry where nanotechnology may have the biggest impact ishealth care. A recent study by the Centers for Medicare and MedicaidServices predicts that U.S. health care spending will top $3 trillion by2013. Nanotechnology-enabled improvements to both diagnosis andtreatment will allow America to spend this money more effectivelyand efficiently. For example, 40% of drug candidates are abandonedduring the costly development process because the body cannotabsorb the drug. However, several companies, including Elan (withBristol Myers Squibb), Eli Lilly and Skyepharma are developingnanoparticles for improved solubility. In time, nanotechnology willredefine many aspects of the $50 billion drug delivery market, includ-ing controlled release and targeted delivery, as well as other multi-bil-lion dollar markets like drug discovery and medical imaging.
Not only will nanotechnology improve our personal well-being, it willalleviate broad societal problems such as energy and water byadvancing technologies such as solar power and water filtration. Infact, it's easier to summarize where nanotechnology can be applied bydescribing where it can't be: virtually nowhere. In the words of DaveBishop, VP of Nanotechnology Research at Bell Labs,"Nanotechnology is not going to impact just one application or indus-try, it will impact them all."
Frank Yang serves as Director of Business Development for ISTN, ananomaterials company located in Springfield, VA. www.istn.com
Commercial Applicationsfor Nanotechnology
April 2004 Page 13The Voice of Technology
NNVVTTCC LLaauunncchheess eeCCoommmmuunniittiieess
NVTC's eCommunities serve as an online forum that allows members to discuss news ofthe day, new markets and technologies, personnel changes, government contracts andother topics of interest in the technology world and our region. It's a great way to inter-
act with peers, receive feedback, and try out new ideas.
Each NVTC committee has its own eCommunity, and most are open for all members to par-ticipate. And, you can check out NVTC's e-Communities to obtain information on individualcommittee news and events. At NVTC's e-Communities, you will find:
Listings of upcoming events
Industry updates and news
NVTC committee-specific activities and documents.
A forum to visit with other NVTC members!
NVTC's eCommunities serve as another valuable communications tool to keep you up-to-dateon what's going on at NVTC.Visit http://online.nvtc.org/communities to participate in NVTC'seCommunities. If you are a member and need your login and password, please email [email protected]. If you have any additional questions regarding NVTC's eCommunities,please contact Nicole Stone, NVTC's Membership Manager, at [email protected].
SCHOOL KITS
A low-cost science class tool kit thatprovides middle and high schoolyouth with skills in the relatively new,highly advanced field of nanotech-nology is now available.Nanotechnology blends the fields ofchemistry, physics, biology, and engi-neering. For school children, the kitwill offer the students the chance toperform experiments using a modi-fied electrostatic self-assembly (ESA)process. ESA is the preferred tech-nique when creating materials at themolecular level. The kit includes a setof safe-to-handle precursor chemi-cals, small lab supplies, aNanotechnology Workbook, a CD-ROM demonstration video, and ateacher's guide. This guide also pro-vides teachers with lesson plans thatarticulate how nanotechnologyaddresses Standards of Learning(SOLs). A web page is provided thatdescribes the kit products, the under-lying physical concepts, and implica-tions of the next wave of electronicsto society. The U.S. Department ofEducation originally fundedNanoSonic, Inc. of Blacksburg, Va. tocreate these kits. Richard O. Claus,Virginia's Outstanding Scientist for2001, who is a professor of electricaland computer engineering atVirginia Tech, is the president ofNanoSonic. For more information orto place an order, contact NanoSonicat 540-953-1785 or email:[email protected]
Page 14 April 2004The Voice of Technology
April 2004 Page 15The Voice of Technology
The NVTC Nanotechnology Committeewas formed in March 2003 in recogni-tion that nanotechnology has broad
ramifications for the future of the world'seconomies, including that of NorthernVirginia. Nanotechnology has the potential toinfluence every conceivable industry, frommedicine and electronics to construction andindustrial applications. The cross-discipli-nary nature of nanotechnology requires thatpeople from many traditionally disparate dis-ciplines, such as medicine, chemistry, physics,electrical engineering, etc., all collaborate onprojects, a departure from the traditional dis-tinctions among such disparate disciplinessuch as cell biology and physics.
The Nanotechnoloy Committee's vision is toestablish the Potomac Region as an interna-tionally recognized area for nanotechnology -
"The Nanoplex on the Potomac" - a locus ofnanotechnology research, development andcommercial activity serving academia, gov-ernment institutions, and commerce andindustry. The NVTC NanotechnologyCommittee is promoting the development ofnanotechnology in the Potomac Region byhelping to identify existing industry andinstitutional organizational resources, byencouraging their cooperation, and byattracting new assets.
The Committee's target audience consists ofindividuals and organizations that have theinterest and resources to propel the region'snanotechnology development, including aca-demicians, entrepreneurs, business man-agers, financiers, nanotechnology start-ups,strategists, research scientists, engineers, andgovernment entities.
For more information about the NVTCNanotechnology Committee and how you canbe involved, contact Windy Honeycutt, NVTCDirector of Committee and CorporateRelations, at 703.904.7878 ext. 206 or [email protected].
NVTC Nanotechnology Committee
Co-Chair: Bruce Swenson, SAIC,[email protected]
Co-Chair: Vic Peña, nanoTITAN,[email protected]
The NVTC Nanotechnology Committee
NVTC CALENDAR OF EVENTSNorthern Virginia’s Premier Events for the Technology Community
APRIL
Meet the Capital Players
7:30 am Registration8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramPillsbury Winthrop Conference Room, 1600 Tysons Blvd. McLean, VA No Charge for Members / $35 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Comerica Bank, Technology & Life SciencesDivision; Ernst & Young; Piper Rudnick LLP; Wilson SonsiniGoodrich & Rosati.Presented by NVTC's Capital Formation Committee.
eBusiness Morning Forum
7:30 am Registration8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramSAIC Conference Center, 1710 SAIC Dr. McLean, VA No Charge for Members / $35 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsor: SAIC.Gold Sponsor: Radware, Inc.Presented by NVTC's eBusiness Committee.
Venture Capital Angel and SeedFinancing
7:30 am Registration8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramThe Ritz-Carlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd. McLean, VA$35 Members / $70 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Comerica Bank, Technology & Life SciencesDivision; GrayCary Technology’s Legal Edge; Virginia’s Center forInnovative Technology.Presented by NVTC's Venture Capital Committee.
Business to Government (B2G)
7:30 am Registration8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramThe Ritz-Carlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd. McLean, VA$35 Members / $70 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky LLP;INPUT; ObjectVideo. Gold Sponsors: GTSI; Morrison & FoersterLLP; Trammell Crow Company. Silver Sponsors: OperationalResearch Consultants, Inc.; Panacea Consulting, Inc.; Venable LLP;Vistronix.Presented by NVTC's Business to Government Committee.
eBusiness Technical Forum
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm - Registration & Networking6:30 pm - 8:30 pm - Presentation and DiscussionPillsbury Winthrop Conference CenterNo Charge for Members / $35 Non-Members1600 Tysons Boulevard, McLean, VAPresented by NVTC's eBusiness Committee.
Membership Mixer Event
5:30 pm Registration6:00 - 8:00 pm Hilton McLean7920 Jones Branch Rd, Mclean, VANo charge for members. Members Only Event.Sponsor: Hilton McLeanPresented by NVTC'S Membership Committee.
IT& Telecommunications
Featuring Steve Largent, President & CEO, CellularTelecommunications and Internet Association5:30 pm Registration6:00 - 8:00 pm WorkshopMaggianos, 2001 International Drive, McLean, VA$65 Members / $95 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Gardner Carton & Douglas LLP; Kenyon &Kenyon. Gold Sponsor: Morrison & Foerster LLP. Silver Sponsors:Alston & Bird LLP; Cox Communications; GrayCary;PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP. BronzeSponsor: Siemens Information and Communication Networks, Inc.Presented by NVTC's IT & Telecommunications Committee.
Emerging Business Network
7:30 am Registration 8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramGrant Thornton, 2070 Chain Bridge Rd.Conference Center Lower Level, Vienna, VANo Charge for Members / $35 Non-MembersLocation Sponsor: Grant Thornton.Gold Sponsors: The British Midlands; KPMG LLP.Breakfast Sponsor: FitzGerald CommunicationsPresented by NVTC's Emerging Business Network Committee.
Page 16 April 2004The Voice of Technology
April 1
April 6
April 7
April 13
April 19
April 27
April 14
April 20
Business Development,Marketing & Sales Workshop
7:30 am Registration8:00 pm - 12:00 pm WorkshopUniversity of Phoenix11730 Plaza America Drive, Reston, VA $65 Members / $99 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Gibbs College; Qorvis Communications, LLC.Gold Sponsors: Carter Cosgrove + Company; Joan Carol Design &Exhibit Group. Location Sponsor: University of PhoenixPresented by NVTC's Business Development, Marketing & SalesCommittee.
International Committee Forum
7:30 am Registration8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramPillsbury Winthrop Conference Room, 1600 Tysons Blvd., McLean, VA No Charge for Members / $35 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Morrison & Foerster LLP; Welsh DevelopmentAgency. Gold Sponsors: Baker & McKenzie; The British Midlands;Howrey Simon Arnold & White, LLP.Presented by NVTC's International Committee.
Later Stage Capital Reception
5:30 pm Registration6:00 - 8:00 pm ReceptionThe Tower Club, 8000 Towers Crescent Dr. Ste 1700, Vienna, VA$35 Members / $70 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Ernst & Young; Morgan Lewis. Gold Sponsors:Holland & Knight LLP; Riggs Bank N.A.; Windsor Group, LLC.Presented by NVTC's Later Stage Capital Committee.
MAY
Venture Capital Exits andGrowth Capital
7:30 am Registration; 8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramThe Ritz-Carlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd. McLean, VA$35 Members / $70 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsor: Fish & Richardson.Presented by NVTC's Venture Capital Committee.
MAY
Meet the Capital Players
7:30 am Registration; 8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramPillsbury Winthrop Conference Room; 1600 Tysons Blvd., McLean, VANo Charge for Members / $35 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Comerica Bank, Technology & Life SciencesDivision; Ernst & Young; Piper Rudnick LLP; Wilson SonsiniGoodrich & Rosati.Presented by NVTC's Capital Formation Committee.
Executive Forum
7:00 am Registration; 7:45 - 9:30 am ProgramThe Tower Club; 8000 Towers Crescent Dr. Ste 1700, Vienna, VA$35 Members / $70 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsor: McGuireWoods LLP Gold Sponsors:PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; SalesTraction, Inc. Silver Sponsors:Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance; Howrey SimonArnold & White, LLP; Kenyon & Kenyon; LeapFrog Solutions, Inc.;Pillsbury Winthrop LLP.Presented by NVTC's Executive Forum Committee.
Nanotechnology
7:30 am Registration; 8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramSAIC Conference Center1710 SAIC Drive, McLean, VA$35 Members/$70 Non-MembersSilver Sponsors: Lockheed Martin Corporation; Squire, Sanders &Dempsey L.L.P.Presented by NVTC's Nanotechnology Committee.
Business Development,Marketing & Sales Forum
7:45 am Registration; 8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramPillsbury Winthrop Conference Room; 1600 Tysons Blvd., McLean, VANo Charge for Members / $35 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Gibbs College; Qorvis Communications, LLCGold Sponsors: Carter Cosgrove + Company; Joan Carol Design &Exhibit Group Location Sponsor: Pillsbury Winthrop LLP.Presented by NVTC's Business Development, Marketing & SalesCommittee.
April 2004 Page 17The Voice of Technology
NVTC CALENDAR OF EVENTSNorthern Virginia’s Premier Events for the Technology Community
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18.
REGISTER AT:
April 28
April 29
April 29
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 11
May 14
Page 18 April 2004The Voice of Technology
NVTC CALENDAR OF EVENTSNorthern Virginia’s Premier Events for the Technology Community
MAY CONTINUED.
Emerging Business Network
7:30 am Registration; 8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramGrant Thornton, Conference Center Lower Level; 2070 Chain BridgeRd., Vienna, VANo Charge for Members / $35 Non-MembersGold Sponsors: The British Midlands; KPMG LLP Location Sponsor: Grant Thornton.Presented by NVTC's Emerging Business Network Committee.
CFO Series
7:30 am Registration; 8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramThe Ritz-Carlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd. McLean, VA$35 Members / $70 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Ernst & Young; ShawPittman LLP GoldSponsors: Comerica Bank, Technology and Life Sciences Division;Marsh, Inc. Silver Sponsors: Equis Corporation; Spaulding & SlyeColliers International. In-kind Sponsor: Bowne of DC FinancialPrinting.Presented by NVTC's CFO Series Committee.
NVTC's Spring Golf Tournament
10:00 am Registration; 11:00 am Shotgun Start; 5:00 pm DinnerRiver Creek Club; 43730 Olympic Blvd Leesburg, VAMembers: $225 / Foursome: $900 Non Members: $325 / Foursome: $1300Club Sponsor: AH&T Technology Brokers. Beverage Sponsor: JoanCarol Design & Exhibit Group. Hole-in-One Sponsor: PillsburyWinthrop; Closest to the Pin Sponsor: Dan Bannister.Presented by the NVTC Foundation.
International Committee Forum
7:30 am Registration; 8:00 - 9:30 am ProgramPillsbury Winthrop Conference Room; 1600 Tysons Blvd., McLean, VANo Charge for Members / $35 Non-MembersPlatinum Sponsors: Morrison & Foerster LLP; Welsh DevelopmentAgency. Gold Sponsors: Baker & McKenzie; The British Midlands;Howrey Simon Arnold & White, LLP.Presented by NVTC's International Committee.
May 24
May 26
REGISTER AT:
May 18
May 20
April 2004 Page 19The Voice of Technology
At his speech given on St. Patrick's Day to an over-capacitycrowd of enthusiastic NVTC members and guests, Dr. IrwinJacobs had some wisdom to impart. "In my talks to school
groups and entrepreneurial groups, I tell them one thing that isabsolutely essential is to have a great deal of patience. Nothing everhappens quite when you expect it.And the other thing is to have somedetermination. You have to keep looking at what you're doing,whether you think the idea is correct, whether you need to re-exam-ine your idea. If you think it really is the right way to move ahead, thenpress hard. And eventually, good things do happen."
In reviewing the evolution of the third generation wireless and theQualcomm success story after worldwide demand for a more efficientway of dealing with data on networks, Dr. Jacobs spoke of both theimpact CDMA has had in communications, including advances inaudio, video, camera, and graphics capabilities, as well as the regula-tory and geopolitical hurdles Qualcomm has had to overcome alongthe way.
Quite a success story. With voice and data becoming ubiquitous, 3GCDMA now comes in two flavors: CDMA2000® and WCDMA. Thereare over 90M subscribers, 74 operators, 37 countries, 443 handsets,and 46 vendors now using 3G. In 2003, 3G CDMA2000 subscribergrowth worldwide was 42.7M, with 43% growth in the Asia Pacificregion, 20 % growth in North America, 18% growth in the Caribbean
& Latin America, and29 % growth in Europe,the Middle East, &Africa.
And while today's "newtoys" include a varietyof ring tones, photomessaging, video-on-demand, broadbandaccess, and video telephony, Dr. Irwin offered an idea of tomorrow'stoys: broadcast media, location-based services, network-based gam-ing, and push to talk/multimedia. For more information on Dr. IrwinJacobs and Qualcomm, please visit www.qualcomm.com.
Also speaking at the St. Patrick's day Titans Breakfast was specialguest Virginia Attorney Jerry Kilgore. He offered an update on the sta-tus of Virginia's first major criminal prosecutions under Virginia'srecently enacted anti-spam statute. "Looking around the entireCommonwealth, I've always believed that we prosper as Virginianswhen we put forth positive, constructive ideas and when we're able tobring business, like the NVTC community, and government togetherto come up with solutions," he added.
GOLD SIGNATURE SPONSOR: LATHAM & WATKINS
Dr. Irwin Jacobs on "Third Generation Wireless -Technology, Impact, and Politics"
Dr. Irwin Jacobs of Qualcomm at the MarchNVC Titans of Technology breakfast.
Page 20 April 2004The Voice of Technology
Volunteer Comments:
From MindShift Technologies:
"We have a technicallycomplex environment to
support our clients, and ourengineering staff was
impressed with the coursework and knowledge Derrickwas able to contribute during
the day."
From MHzNetworks:
"Having Kodit spend the daywith us learning abouttelevision and asking
questions reminded all of uswhy we got into the television
business in the first place."
Student Comments:
"Job shadow helps me choosecourses that are a necessity.
This was the best job shadowever - it made me want to dobetter in school so that I can
work here." (Host Legg Mason)
"I was interested in the ITfield. After going to the job
shadow, I am even moreinterested."
"I'm more interested in thehardware aspect of
engineering but going to jobshadow helped me learn to
open up to other areas ofcomputer engineering and
also made me more informedabout software. I loved the
shadow day. I wish I could goback and visit. I learned so
much that will help me betterplan my future career.
(Host Cisco)
Old Pauxatauny Phil might have had hisday in February, but March 12th wasthe day for seeing shadows in
Northern Virginia - 108 to be exact.
The sixth annual "Job Shadow Day," spon-sored by the Northern Virginia TechnologyCouncil, in conjunction with the National JobShadow Coalition and the Northern Virginiaschool districts of Alexandria, Arlington, andFairfax, drew much interest because of itsunique set-up: matching prospective highschool students with entrepreneurs for a dayto see what the job entails.
This year's event was also sponsored byHEADSUP, the Johns Hopkins UniversityAdvanced Summer Engineering Program forPre- and Early College Students(www.headsup.jhu.edu). Twenty-nine organi-zations, including a multitude of NVTCmember companies, gave students the oppor-tunity to "shadow" executives, technology
workers, and staff, who support the technolo-gy industry as they went through a normalday on the job.
Job shadowing is an academically motivatingactivity designed to give students an up-closelook at the world of work and to answer thequestion, "Why do I have to learn this?"Beginning with a nationwide kickoff onFebruary 2, 2004, and continuing throughoutthe school year, students across America will"shadow" workplace mentors as they gothrough a normal day on the job. The stu-dents get to see firsthand how the skillslearned in school relate to the workplace. Thenational job shadowing initiative is let by theNational Job Shadow Coalition and is sup-ported through a national sponsorship byMonster.com and a co-sponsorship by NewsCorporation.
Learning the ropes at MindSHIFT
ABC7/News Channel 8ACCESS Systems, Inc.Anteon Corporation
The Boeing CompanyCACI International, Arlington
Cisco Systems, Inc.DPR Construction, Inc.
DeVry University, ArlingtonDewberry
ENSCOEthan Allen, Sterling
FGM, Inc.Fairfax County Government Public Library
IBM CorporationIntegic Corporation
LeapFrog Solutions, Inc.Legg Mason
MHz NetworksMindSHIFT Technologies
Mitretek SystemsNortel Networks Kidz Online
Northern Virginia Community College -Medical Campus
Northern Virginia Technology CouncilNorthrop Grumman Information Technology
SectorNorthrop Grumman Mission Systems
Pillsbury Winthrop LLPProject Performance Corporation
SAICTV Worldwide
VerizonVirginia Employment Commission
Thanks to this year's participating organizations and volunteers:
April 2004 Page 21The Voice of Technology
Students at Northrop Grumman Job Shadow and his mentor at Mitretek Systems
April 2004 Page 23The Voice of Technology
Integrated marketing is about presenting aconsistent message to your audiencethrough multiple touch points to garner
the best response. For many of today's inte-grated campaigns, that includes email.
Marketers are turning to email as part of theirstrategy not only because more and more oftheir audience has email capabilities but alsobecause email is cost efficient, it can be per-sonalized, and responses can be tracked fortargeted followup.
“Controlling the Assault of Non-SolicitedPornography and Marketing Act of 2003,” thenew federal anti-spam law, has some who arenew to email marketing worried. But the lawdoes not prevent legitimate companies fromusing permission-based email in their mar-keting. Any company that has been followingbest practices for email marketing, such asincluding the ability to opt out, honoringunsubscribe requests, and avoiding mislead-ing subject lines, is already complying withmost of the law's requirements.
In addition to the above, the law requires that"commercial" messages sent to recipientswho have not specifically given you consent toemail them include a valid, physical postaladdress of the sender and "clearly and con-spicuously" indicate the message is an adver-tisement or solicitation. If you have recipients'consent, the message does not need to meetthese requirements. In addition, the law doesnot apply to transactional or relationshipmessages that relay information specific tothe recipient with whom the sender has anestablished relationship.
Effective email marketing is a matter of trust.If the recipients trust you, they are more like-ly to do business with you. Even before thenew law took effect, there were some acceptedbest practices for email marketing. Some ofthem are now part of the law:
Take responsibility for how youbuild your lists. Never use automat-ed programs to harvest emailaddresses.
Never mislead the recipient aboutthe content of your message.
Promptly honor all requests tounsubscribe from your list.
Don't email too frequently. In astudy by DoubleClick, consumerswere asked to define spam. Almost60 percent of them described it asreceiving too many emails from anorganization even if they had givenpermission to be contacted viaemail. Don't risk alienating yourcustomers and prospects, or worse,having them report you as a spam-mer.
Finally, make your email campaign as effec-tive as possible by broadcasting your mes-sages using a reliable program that tracks theresults as well as flags the opt-outs in yourdatabase. Email can be a very powerful tool. Ifyou use a service that reports who receivedyour message, who interacted with it, whatlinks were clicked on, and who forwarded it toothers, then you can send appropriate, per-sonalized followup messages that build onyour successes and improve the effectivenessof your email marketing.
For more information on anti-spam laws, visit:http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html
Ana Kreutzer is Vice President of Sales &Marketing at CGS Solutions, a marketing
communications firm. www.cgsnet.com.
Maintaining Effective Email Marketing in the New Ageby Ana Kreutzer, CGS Solutions
Page 24 April 2004The Voice of Technology
Conference on Managing and Financing SmallHigh Tech Firms
Virginia Commonwealth University will host, and Virginia Techwill cohost"Managing and Financing Small High Tech Firms,"at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, April 22 - 23,
2004. The conference will address the new SBIR emphasis on manu-facturing. President Bush recently issued an executive order aimed atfocusing two small business grant programs toward the manufactur-ing sector.
The conference is designed for CEOs and CFOs of small high-techfirms, entrepreneurs, research scientists, professional venture firms,private investors, corporate investors, banks, public finance agencies,and those who want to improve their decision-making in importantmanagement areas and seeking capital.
To access the full agenda and obtain registration information, visithttp://www.sw.edu/pac/html.
Luna Innovations To Invest $6.4 Million forNanotech Facility in Danville
Governor Mark R.Warner and U.S. Senator John W.Warner haveannounced that Virginia-based Luna Innovations will invest$6.4 million to locate a nanomanufacturing facility in the City
of Danville's Tobacco Warehouse District. The project will create 54new jobs. The nanomaterials manufactured in Danville will be usedfor research and development of new military and commercial appli-cations. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland and NorthCarolina for the project.
U.S. Senator John W. Warner was instrumental in securing this proj-ect for Virginia and is working with the Department of Defense toattract significant funding for the venture. "Nanotechnology will playa vital role in our military's future, and I'm delighted that Danvillewill help lead the development of this industry in America," said U.S.Senator John Warner.
The company will manufacture carbonaceous nanomaterials andnanocomposite thin films. Commercial applications include bothconsumer and military uses such as vehicle parts, stain resistant tex-tiles, ship hull coatings and fuel cell components.
For more information please visit www.lunainnovations.com andwww.YesVirginia.org.
Legislation Approved by House to Help SpeedUp Patent Process
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act of 2004,H.R. 1561, was approved March 3 by the U.S. House ofRepresentatives. The legislation will help speed up the process
for obtaining patents and allow the Patent and Trademark Office(PTO) to keep a greater percentage of the fees it collects. The legisla-tion awaits Senate action. A full copy of the proposed legislation isavailable at www.thomas.gov.
As chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee with over-sight of the PTO, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) worked with the HouseJudiciary Committee and PTO user groups to ensure that the finalversion of HR 1561 not only streamlines the PTO's operations butimproves the quality of our nation's patent and trademark systemand protects jobs. Having an efficient and productive PTO is critical-ly important to the United States and our economy. HR 1561 is a nec-essary step to ensure that America's high-tech businesses remain onthe cutting edge of technology.
Washington, D.C. Metro Region 3rd onBusiness 2.0 Magazine's Top BoomTowns inAmerica
Business 2.0, the monthly magazine "for a new generation ofbusiness leaders," has released its list of America's top BoomTowns, and the Washington, D.C. metro area ranks number
three. Stating that "the capital of the free world is a microcosm of theU.S. economy at its best," they count government IT outsourcing anddefense work as top growth areas, and predict 10 percent job growthby 2008. Hot professions-growth areas are: software engineers andapplications (57 percent growth by 2008); database administrators(30 percent growth by 2008); and computer systems analysts (18 per-cent growth by 2008). Raleigh-Durham, N.C., with 14 percent pre-dicted job growth,and San Jose, CA, with 11 percent predicted jobgrowth by 2008, come in as top two Boom Towns. To see the full list,visit www.business2.com
ITS Services, Inc., and Science & EngineeringAssociates, Inc., Merge
ITS Services, Inc., a privately held technology services firm basedin Springfield, VA, and Science & Engineering Associates, Inc.(SEA), headquartered in New Orleans, LA, have announced the
signing of a definitive agreement to combine the two firms. Thenewly formed company has a revenue run rate in excess of $200 mil-lion and employs 900 technology professionals. The firm will rankamong the top 50 technology companies serving the federal govern-ment. ITS Services is a leading information technology services andsolutions provider working on high profile federal programs. SEA, anemployee owned high technology company, is the U.S. Navy's leadcontractor for the Space and Naval Warfare Information TechnologyCenter. NVTC Board member Todd Stottlemyer, currently CEO of ITSServices, will retain the title of CEO for the new company and formerNVTC Board member Phil Odeen currently chairman of ITS Services,will be chairman of the new venture.
NVTCNewsLINK
April 2004 Page 25The Voice of Technology
Nextel Communications, Inc.
Nextel Communications Inc., a Fortune 300 company based inReston, Va., is a leading provider of fully integrated wirelesscommunications services and has built the largest guaran-
teed all-digital wireless network in the country covering thousandsof communities across the United States. Today 95 percent of FOR-TUNE 500 companies are Nextel customers. Nextel and NextelPartners, Inc., currently serve 293 of the top 300 U.S. markets whereapproximately 250 million people live or work.
Nextel ended 2003 with 12.9 million subscribers. It continued enjoy-ing the highest customer loyalty rate in the industry. In 2003, Nextelalso received Frost & Sullivan's Mobile Communications Company ofthe Year award for exceptional performance among wireless carriers.
The media has also recognized Nextel's successes. Business Weekranked Nextel number one in its Business Week “100 IT” list andForbes named Nextel as the “Best Big TelecommunicationsCompany.”
One of Nextel's key differentiators, Direct Connect ®, the long-rangedigital walkie-talkie service, became the first walkie-talkie service togo nationwide and international in 2003. Nextel's customers useDirect Connect over six billion calls per month. Nationwide DirectConnect spans the continental United States, Hawaii and BajaCalifornia, Mexico
In 2004 Nextel commenced a ten-year agreement with NASCAR tobecome the title sponsor of one of America's most popular sports.
The success of the company through 2003 is a testament to the hardwork of Nextel's leadership and its 17,000 employees.
WWW.NEXTEL.COM
NVTC Business Partner Profile
TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES
Adagesoft Corporation1904 Holly Ridge DriveSuite 10McLean, VA 22102(703) 893-0234
Agilent Technologies2842 Main StreetPMB #334Glastonbury, CT 06033(877) 470-1480www.agilent.com
American Consultants11600 Sunrise Valley DriveSuite 380Reston, VA 20191(703) 766-4301(703) 766-4302www.americanconsultants.com
Apex Data Services, Inc.198 Van Buren Street120 Presidents PlazaHerndon, VA 20170(703) 709-3000(703) 709-8242
Bridgeline Software3 Bethesda Metro Center Suite M025Bethesda, MD 20814(202) 841-1148www.bridge-line.com
Checkmate Communications Inc.1950 Old Gallows RoadSuite 300Vienna, VA 22182(703) 893-6675
Core Accounting Solutions7451 Leesburg PikeSuite 204Falls Church, VA 22043(703) 288-0504
Data Return21967 Hyde Park DriveAshburn, VA 20147(703) 723-1857
Earlystage.Com928 Peacock Station RoadMcLean, VA 22102(703) 201-4269(703) 935-0738www.earlystage.com
E-cerv1616 Anderson RoadMcLean, VA 22102(703) 386-1500 (703) 386-1500www.aptrela.com
EzGov, Inc1030 15th StreetSuite 520Washington, DC 20005(202) 289-1502(202) 216-0811www.ezgov.com
Global Internetworking, Inc.8605 Westwood Center DriveVienna, VA 22182(703) 442-5500(703) 442-5501www.globalinternetworking.com
Global Relief Technologies2 Wisconsin CircleSuite 700Chevy Chase, MD 20815(240) 235-5038(240) 235-5042www.globalrelieftech.com
Information Technology Engineering, Inc.11405 Brozedale DriveSuite 100Oakton, VA 22124(703) 716-4090(703) 716-4092www.iteonline.com
Intellor Group, Inc.Six Montgomery Village AvenueSuite 400Gaithersburg, MD 20879(301) 208-6766(301) 208-6768www.intellor.com
Inter.Net12120 Sunset Hills RoadSuite 410Reston, VA 20190(703) 456-3936www.inter.net
International Business Systems, Inc.10550 Linden Lake Plaza2nd FloorManassas, VA 20109(703) 620-8838(703) 392-8143www.liveassistance.com
JBC Networks, Inc.P.O. Box 1311Centreville, VA 20122(703) 803-1057(703) 803-1058www.jbcnetworks.com
Jefferson Industrial Software44098 Mercure CircleSterling, VA 20166(703) 260-3370(703) 260-3371
Marvel Technologies, LLC5000 Sunnyside AvenueSuite 105Beltsville, MD 20705(301) 937-6183(301) 937-5731www.marveltech.net
Milestone Group, LLC1600 Wilson BoulevardSuite 1200Arlington, VA 22209(703) 312-6220www.milestonegroup.net
Modulated Biosystems47353 Middle Bluff PlaceSterling, VA 20165(703) 930-1429
NEON Communications11730 Plaza America DriveReston, VA 20190(703) 226-1055(703) 226-1035www.neoninc.com
Nortel Networks8020 Amsterdam CourtGainsville, VA 20155(703) 346.2265www.nortelnetworks.com
NuRide, Inc.12801 Worldgate DriveSuite 510Herndon, VA 20170(703) 871-3975www.nuride.com
Skylight IT Training6118 Franconia RoadSuite 213Alexandria, VA 22310(703) 924-6040(703) 924-2777www.skylightittraining.com
SysArc4323 Dresden StreetKensington, MD 20895(301) 530-0960www.sysarc.com
Telforward8000 Towers Crescent DriveSuite 1210Vienna, VA 22182(571) 234-4630 (571) 234-4631www.telforward.com
Www.B2b-consultant.Com19 Pebble Ridge CourtRockville, MD 20854(301) 294-2926www.B2b-consultant.Com
Page 26 April 2004The Voice of Technology
April 2004 Page 27The Voice of Technology
ASSOCIATE COMPANIES
Coraggio2831 Meadow LaneFalls Church, VA 22042(703) 303-7261
Han Group, Smith Barney1850 K StreetSuite 900Washington, DC 20006(202) 857-5466(202) 857-5460
Lincoln Park Communications4321 12th Place NEWashington, DC 20017(202) 544-6595
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton1300 I Street NW11th Floor EastWashington, DC 20005(202) 218-0004(202) 218-0020www.sheppardmullin.com
The Supplee Group 47564 Griffith PlaceSterling, VA 20165(703) 406-1640(703) 406-1641
AFFILIATE COMPANIES
Alexandria Economic DevelopmentPartnership, Inc.1729 King StreetSuite 410Alexandria, VA 22314(703) 739-3820(703) 739-1384www.alexecon.org
Korea Trade Center, DC (KOTRA)1129 2oth Street NWSuite 410Washington, DC 20036(202) 857-7979(202) 857-7923
The World Bank 901 North Monroe Street Suite 813 Arlington, VA 22201(703) 568-2480(202) 522-2005www.worldbank.org
RENEWING MEMBERS
24 Hour CompanyAccess Systems
Adecco TechnicalAdministaff, Inc.
ALP International CorporationApprova Corporation
AvcomTech, Inc.BDO Seidman, LLP
Blueprint TechnologiesCitizens BankComerica, Inc.
Corporation for National Research InitiativesDimensions International, Inc.
Draper AtlanticDy 4 Systems, Inc.
Eagle Eye Publishers, Inc.Ecompex, Inc.
Edgewater TechnologyElectronic Warfare Associates, Inc.
Fairfax County Public Library FoundationFalls Church Economic Development Authority
Gray Cary Ware & FreidenrichGrotech Capital GroupHandySoft Corporation
Houston Associates, Inc.Industrial Medium
Information Management Consultants, Inc.Intellimark, Inc.
Issue Dynamics, Inc.Itochu International Inc.
ITS Services, Inc.King Financial, Inc.
Latham & Watkins, LLPMobile Satellite Ventures
MorganFranklin CorporationMorino Group, Inc.
National Academy Of SciencesNetSec
OLS TradingOpen Network Solutions, Inc.
Planned Systems International, Inc.Qatalys, Inc.
Radware, Inc.RAM Consulting Corporation
RCM&DRecovery Point SystemsResources Connection
RIVERGROUPServerVaultSevenSpace
Sierra Systems Group, IncSRW Uncrackable Encryption
Summit Services, LLC.Telecommunications Development Fund
Toucan Capital Corp.Triverity
TVworldwide.Com, Inc.Unanet Technologies
United BankUniversity Of Phoenix
Vlannes Associates, Inc.WebMethods, Inc.
WebSurveyorZyEdge, LLC
Be sure to check out RiskNet,NVTC's member benefits
program offered by St. Paul Technology,providing specialized
insurance products, claims serv-ices and risk management solu-
tions to technology companies since 1984.
For more information, contactNVTC's managing partner
AH&T Technology Brokersat 703.777.2341
Another Great Benefit ofMembership!
Page 28 April 2004The Voice of Technology
Foundation Contributors:Brodeur Worldwide
CFO AwardsCisco Systems - DynCorp - Northern Virginia Regional
Partnership - Microsoft
AT&T * Allen Systems Corporation *Adjuvant * Best Buy Foundation *
Terresa Christenson * Cyveillance *Digital Paper * Northwestern MutualLife * Jonathan Shames * TranTech *
Vistronix
Adonix * Tracy Bayard * Burke Consortium *Erika Christ * Greg Cirillo * Completed Systems* Consumer Electronics Association * StewartCurley * Lee Dudley * Fortivo Corporation *
Gardner Carton & Douglas * GenesantTechnologies * Global Network Services * GTSI
* Houston Associates * INDUS Corporation*Deepak Hathiramani * Jim LeBlanc * Greg andSusan Lewis * Long & Foster * Warren Martin *
Pat Melton * John Mendonca * Mindbank * PhilMottola * David Nadler * NVTC Staff * John
Palatiello * Pillsbury Winthrop * Alex Pinchev *Dean and Cynthia Rutley * The Segal Company
* Robert J. & Lauren P. Smith * SoftwareArmada * Pamela Sorensen * Staas & Halsey *
Summit Services * TRAINING SOLUTIONS, Inc. *Tony Trujillo * Updata Capital * The Venable
Foundation * Greg & Louise Wager *WebSurveyor * Matt Wickham * Wirthlin
Worldwide * Thad Wolfe * Dendy Young *Frank G. Zarb / Sarah T. Chassen
John Backus Dan Bannister
Art & Kathy Bushkin Caren Dewitt Merrick / Phil Merrick
Dan Gonzalez Bobbie Kilberg
LeapFrog SolutionsLee Technologies
Mario Morino Kate and Duffy Mazan
Morgan Lewis & Bockius PR Newswire
Spector Knapp Architects United Bank
Thank you to Lee Technologies
for their gift of $10,000 to the NVTCFoundation.
Ingrid Parris-Hicklin has been a dedi-cated and energetic employee withFairfax County's Department of
Community and Recreation Services for thepast five years as a Division Supervisor ofCounty Community Centers. She has playeda crucial role in the development of theNVTC Foundation's Computer Clubhouseprogram, and is responsible for creating asuccessful partnership between FairfaxCounty and the NVTC community.Recently, Ingrid received a promotion with-in the County and will be moving on tobecome Deputy Director in the Office ofPartnerships - Fairfax County.
Ingrid was raised and graduated from col-lege in New York City, moving to NorthernVirginia when her husband's job was trans-ferred. Ingrid quickly rose through theranks in Fairfax County due to her strongwork ethic and commitment to improvingthe community. In 1998, with the help ofher colleagues Pat Frankowitz and EvanBraff, it was determined that access to tech-nology and technology education was a sig-nificant weakness for low income youth inFairfax County, one that was creating a “dig-ital divide.” Within two years the firstComputer Clubhouse would open at GumSprings with the help of the NVTCFoundation and its dedicated technologymembers.
"When we first met Ingrid in 1999, we soonrealized that we had the same mission andgoals of improving the computer skills ofyoung people in our community. Ingrid hasbeen one of the most efficient, energeticand caring individuals I have ever workedwith, and thanks to her we have enjoyed agreat relationship with Fairfax County.With her help, the Foundation has beenable to reach out to thousands of local chil-dren. Ingrid's unique personality and ded-ication will be missed by everyone," saidTim Nurvala, former NVTC FoundationPresident.
Since 1999, Ingrid has spent countlesshours working at the clubhouses and devel-oping the program into a global model ofsuccess. Through her hard work, FairfaxCounty and the NVTC Foundation havegone on to build two more ComputerClubhouses and most recently began devel-oping three more around the community.
The impact of the Computer Clubhouseprogram was revealed to Ingrid on one ofher trips to Gum Springs when she met aboy named Darrell. A local high school stu-dent, Darrell had no aspirations of going tocollege. However, his school enrolled himin an SAT prep class being held at the GumSprings Computer Clubhouse. After severalvisits, Darrell became one of the mostactive and frequent visitors to the club-house. His desire to learn and achieve hadbeen nurtured and encouraged. Darrellwent on to score an 1100 on the SATs andthen was off to college after graduatingfrom high school.
"The Clubhouses are available for everyone,when you walk through the door no onecares about your economic status, race,gender or age," says Hicklin. "When westarted this project five years ago, wethought we were getting support from thetechnology community; little did we knowthat we were getting a dedicated group ofbusiness leaders who were willing to setaside money, time and other services. TheNVTC community has shown that they cannot only 'walk the walk but talk the talk'."
Ingrid has been a great friend and partnerto the NVTC Foundation and she will begreatly missed. Without her hard work theNVTC Foundation would not be where it istoday. Though Ingrid's successor has notyet been named by the county, we're confi-dent her replacement will also be instru-mental in the ongoing success of the NVTCFoundation's programs. For more informa-tion about the NVTC Foundation pleasevisit our Web site atwww.nvtcfoundation.org.
Thanks and Farewell to a KeyClubhouse Staffer by David Baker, NVTC Foundation Assistant
Depth on the team is good, former BaltimoreOrioles manager Earl Weaver used to say, "butyou need 'deep depth' to win over the course of
a season." The same is true for a technology-driveneconomy entering its third decade, which is whyVirginia needs to work more actively to avoid slippingback into the shallow end of the technology businesspool.
As a start, consider Virginia ranking No. 1 in a couple ofcategories of State Science & Technology Indicators:Fourth Edition released this spring by the U.S.Department of Commerce. Virginia in 2001, the latestyear for final statistics, was first among all states in newtechnology companies formed as a percentage of allnew companies established. And the Commonwealthwas first in the number of computer specialists per10,000 workers.
Showing deep depth in its technology business base,Virginia also was second among states in technologycompany payroll percentage of total payroll, second innet new technology company formations per 10,000establishments and third in technology sector employ-ees as a percentage of total employees.Virginia was TopTen in federal R&D obligations and STTR awards.
But a lot of red ink has run under the bridge since 2001,so checking those positive statistics against morerecent developments is prudent, even if more recentstatistics aren't as kind. Economist Christine Chmura,for example, measures overall technology employmentin Virginia hovering at around 292,000 in 2003, downalmost four percent from 2002.
Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) President PeteJobse uses Chmura analysis to show that in 2002, for thefirst time in Virginia history, more technology busi-nesses closed in Virginia than were created. The fall offwas most precipitous, as one would expect, in the morethan 6,000 technology companies with 10 or feweremployees. Virginia also suffered the same precipitousdecline in venture capital investments after 2001 thatother states suffered. And the Commerce statisticsalready showed Virginia ranking only 40th in universi-ty R&D and 28th in industry R&D as percentages ofgross state product.
For leaders in a state committed to a "deep depth intechnology" economic development strategy, these sta-tistical trends should be setting off the alarm clock.Instead, an inwardly focused Virginia House ofDelegates spent much of its time in 2004 contemplating
new sales taxes on purchases for research and develop-ment and the Eastern Shore spaceport. Both the Houseand Virginia Senate passed budgets phasing out sup-port for CIT, despite its laser focus on growing technol-ogy research and restoring Virginia's leadership inentrepreneurial technology ventures. If left unchangedby Governor Mark Warner, such a course would endsupport services for hundreds of small technologycompanies, start-up assistance for 150 new technologycompanies and R&D partnerships with the federal gov-ernment in defense, homeland security, biotechnologyand nanotechnology. The House also killed an innova-tive proposal recommended by the Virginia Researchand Technology Advisory Commission (VRTAC) to giveinvestment return guarantees to ameliorate risks theVirginia Retirement System (VRS) sees in investing inVirginia venture funds.And House Appropriations evenproposed to transfer funds from the CommonwealthTechnology Research Fund to miscellaneous under-graduate education expenses.
Deep depth in baseball or in technology developmentmeans having the capability to respond to unforeseencircumstances, but also to seize opportunities thatpresent themselves. Chmura statistics, for example,indicate two critical sets of technology services weregrowing in Virginia in 2003. Engineering and architec-tural service jobs grew by over 1,000 to total 53,000(wages and salaries paid in these jobs rose by six per-cent), while research, development and testing servicejobs grew by over 1,300 to total 21,200 (wages andsalaries in RD&T jobs were up almost ten percent).
So the questions almost ask themselves. How doremoving sales tax exemptions for R&D and spaceportactivities help Virginia compete with other states fortech businesses? How does phasing out support for CIT,a course of action which after a 2003 study VRTACtermed "Pollyannaish," help Virginia rebuild itsstrength as the best place to start and grow a technolo-gy company? Why is it easier for VRS to invest in tech-nology venture funds in other states than in Virginia?How does Virginia build a new nanotechnology manu-facturing capability without state funds to leverage fed-eral ones? And why are budget battles forcing Virginiauniversities to cut faculty, graduate assistants andcourses in science, technology and engineering? Stategovernment needs a new tech sector push to provide"deeper depth" in answering such questions.
Douglas Koelemay is senior advisor to NVTC andmanaging director at Qorvis Communications, LLC.
Deep Depth
Page 30 April 2004The Voice of Technology
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