Kind promotes Innovation Agenda

Ran on Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Kind promotes Innovation Agenda

By Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff

In a world determined by both the capabilities and limitations of technology, the United States is on the verge of losing its advantageous leading edge. U.S Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., is pushing to implement an “Innovation Agenda” attempting to spur economic growth and scientific discovery to create and secure an American lead.The goal is to produce the “most innovative and creative people in the world,” said Kind in a June 4 conference at UW-Eau Claire. To accomplish the goal, a coalition of Chippewa Valley schools is fostering a cooperation plan to provide “science, technology, engineering and math education, intellectual expertise, and state-of-the-art facilities to students, faculty and businesses,” according to a June 1 press release. There are five main ways the Innovation Agenda is planning to make western Wisconsin a leader in technology advancement.First, providing advanced math, science, technology and engineering education at a young age. Exposing children to scientific engineering at a primer level gives them an advantage so they are able to “hit the ground running” once they reach the university level, Kind said. Scholarships, grants and lower level interest rates on student loans will be available to undergraduates studying in the mathematical and scientific fields. “Expanding educational opportunities in the sciences, mathematics and engineering in essential for out nation, state and region,” said UW-EC Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich.Secondly, by making research a priority, the federal government will have the facilities to protect the American intellectual property of innovators. Realizing the ill-effects the physical infrastructure of highways had on by-passed towns, the information highway, the Internet, must be made available through the use of broadband technology to rural areas. With so much information and research available on the Web, Kind said, “we can’t afford [ignore rural areas].” Recognizing the current bank-breaking fuel prices, the promotion of green energy technology, such as biofuel and less reliance on foreign oil is essential. “We have a crazy energy system,” Kind said. “We can do a better job.”Local businesses can compete in a world market if granted “access to cheaper loans,” Kind said. Other hurdles thwarting advancement will be lowered to accelerate the entrepreneurial successes small businesses foster. “We’re rising above the gathering storm,” Kind said. “Policy makers need to provide tools and research to educate facilitators to be innovative and creative thinkers.”UW-EC, UW-Stout and Chippewa Valley Technical College form the techonology-forward coalition.