SOCORRO, N.M. – The new Science and Technology Policy course this semester features a handful of engaging guest speakers, with these lectures open to everyone on campus.

Dr. Taylor Dotson of the CLASS Department and Dr. Youngbok Ryu of the Business and Technology Management Department have developed the class.

The first guest speaker is Dr. Kramer Winingham, the director of Studio G (an NM statewide student business accelerator program) and NM I-Corps (an NSF-funded business entrepreneurship program). He will talk about market research (e.g., how to understand the market of your new products or services) and federal- and state-level business accelerator programs. His talk is at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, in Speare 117.

The second guest speaker is Dr. Myrriah Tomar, the director of the Office of Science and Technology of NMEDD. She will talk about New Mexico science and technology policy programs such as the Innovation Voucher, Catalyst Fund, and SBIR Matching Grant. Her talk will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, in Speare 117.

The next open event will be on April 10 -- SBIR/STTR workshops in conjunction with the NM FAST program. Experts on the DoD and NASA SBIR program will talk about the Small Business Innovation Research program from 1 to 2 p.m.. Then, from 2 to 3 p.m., they will talk about the Small Business Technology Transfer program. These events are open to the Socorro community as well. Anyone interested in starting a business will learn about the SBIR program and potential federal R&D grants.

In the same week, we will have the annual inventors and entrepreneurs workshop on Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13. More information about that event is available online at management.nmt.edu/invent.

On a related note, NMT has formed a "Tech Policy Group," whose aim is to promote NMT students and NM residents' awareness of science and technology policy. We are the first Science Policy Group in the State of New Mexico, registered with the National Science Policy Network. At this point, the group has 11 members consisting of three faculty/post-docs, three graduate students, and five undergraduate students. Anyone interested in joining the group can email Dr. Ryu at Youngbok.Ryu@nmt.edu or Dotson at taylor.dotson@nmt.edu.

– NMT –