Patent Trolls Target Nearly 50 Connecticut Businesses, Filing Suits in Friendly Texas Court

“I know firsthand how detrimental patent trolls can be to small businesses, as my Connecticut small business was recently the victim of abusive patent litigation in which bad patents were used as weapons of financial intimidation against my small business. $100,000 in legal fees and ten months of litigation later, we successfully defended against these frivolous lawsuits, explained Michael Skelps, General Manager of Middlefield-based Capstone Photography recently in a published report. The New York Times has described patent trolls as “people who sue companies for infringement, often using patents of dubious value or questionable relevance, and then hold on like a terrier until they get license fees. In recent years, patent trolls — they prefer “patent assertion entities,” or P.A.E.’s — have gone from low-profile corporate migraine to mainstream scourge.”

Skelps said that “a year later, my small company is still recovering from exorbitant legal fees, none of which we were able to recoup from the legal system.  As a result of the lawsuit, my mom-and-pop photography shop had to downsize from five full-time employees to three part-time. We spent the equivalent of a year’s worth of profit to defend ourselves, with no budget allocated before to legal defense.”

While action to combat the rapidly escalating challenge to businesses of every size has been unable to navigate through a divided Congress, the problem is growing.  One jurisdiction in particular is a hospitable home for the legal attacks.  Federal court in the Eastern District of Texas is the epicenter of patent troll litigation, and nearly 50 Connecticut companies are among those hauled into court there under dubious circumstances.

The Dallas Business Journal printed what read very much like a warning to American businesses, when a commentary noted that “the Eastern District of Texas’ misguided judicial system makes the towns of Tyler, Marshall, Beaumont and Texarkana the biggest patent-troll nest in the United States, filling the coffers of these tiny towns with money legally extorted from innovators that could otherwise be used to support business growth and create new jobs.”

The Connecticut businesses range from well-known names such as Xerox, UTC, Pitney Bowes, Aetna, Starwood, Priceline, WWE, Frontier Communications and Stanley Black & Decker to dozens of lesser known names lacking the deep pockets to fight what are usually unfounded allegations.  Small and medium-sized businesses – many in the tech fields - are frequently sued in East Texas even if they operate outside the state.  The goal appears to be either to force them to travel to the Lone Star State to defend their business practices, or to extract exorbitant settlements as the only way to avoid the travel and legal costs.

It is those out-of-court settlements that the trolls depend on, and which are bleeding some unsuspecting businesses virtually dry. The median compensatory-damage award by East Texas judges and juries in patent cases was $8.25 million, according to the article, written by the president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, a U.S. trade association representing more than 2,000 consumer electronics companies.

Six months ago, in an effort to put an end to such activities, the Judiciary Committee in Congress approved legislation that would overhaul the nation’s patent laws.  That effort, however, has slowed, and ultimate passage in Congress is in doubt, according to published reports.

In Connecticut, associations and organizations including The Credit Union League of Connecticut, Connecticut Food Association and the Connecticut Retail Merchant Association have called for federal action to end patent trolling.  The National Retail Federation has said that the cost of defending companies against the claims is so high — the average case costs $2 million and can take 18 months — that many victims settle out of court. The cases cost legitimate businesses close to $30 billion a year in direct costs and $80 billion indirectly, amounting to $943 a year for the average household when passed on to consumers.”

Small businesses bear the brunt of the litigation, but larger businesses are not immune.  About a year ago, it was reported that “Apple must pay a shell company $532.9 million because iTunes infringes upon three patents related to online patents, a jury in East Texas ruled.  The company in question … is also based in Texas and doesn’t make or do anything besides file patent lawsuits, as an Apple spokesperson pointed out, noting that the company “makes no products, has no employees, creates no jobs, has no U.S. presence, and is exploiting our patent system to seek royalties for technology Apple invented.”

By mid-2015, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas was headed to a record year. An astonishing 1,387 patent cases were filed there in the first half of the year, according to published reports. This was 44.4 percent of all patent cases nationwide, and almost all of the growth is being “fueled by patent trolls.”  Reports indicate that in 1999, only fourteen patent cases were filed there. By 2003, the number of filings had grown to fifty-five. Ten years later, in 2013, it was 1,495.

Overall, patent disputes hit an all-time high of about 7,500 cases in 2015, largely driven by patent trolls who filed two-thirds of the lawsuits, according to a report from Unified Patents. The number of lawsuits filed by non-practicing entities (NPEs), known as “patent trolls,” increased by 25 percent.  Last year, patent troll filings made up 95 percent of the cases in the Eastern District of Texas.

While Congress is mired in inaction, at least one state is stepping into the fray.  Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat who took office in 2014, announced last week a new initiative to support Virginia businesses by combating patent trolling through a newly formed Attorney General’s Patent Troll Unit.

Herring’s announcement explained that “in recent years high-tech businesses, Main Street businesses, and everything in between have become frequent targets of “patent trolls” who send bad faith demand letters, request unjustified licensing fees, and threaten baseless lawsuits. Unchecked, patent trolls and their bad faith practices stifle innovation in the Commonwealth, have a negative impact on our innovation-driven economy, and tie up the courts.” Businesses are forced to “choose between paying unjustified licensing fees and engaging in costly litigation,” the  announcement stressed.

The federal Government Accountability Office (GAO), according to a Washington Post report, found that a disproportionate share of patent litigation concerns software patents. The non-partisan government agency found that the number of defendants in patent lawsuits more than doubling from 2007 through 2011. Notably, this increase is specifically related to software patents — software patents account for 89% of the increase, according to the GAO's calculations.

Said Skelps: “our current patent system is ripe for exploitation. Like the abusive patent litigation we endured, malicious actors are abusing the system and using it as a weapon against legitimate businesses, harming innovation, driving small companies out of business, and overtaxing our already overburdened litigation system.”

CT Start-Up Wins MassChallenge, Takes Home $300,000 to Advance Work in Glucose Monitoring

Connecticut-based Biorasis, with roots at UConn, was recently awarded the MassChallenge’s top prize at their annual awards ceremony in Boston.  The company was one of only four “Diamond Winners,” receiving a cash prize of $100,000. They were also one of two teams to receive the Sidecar Award, providing an additional $200,000 in non-dilutive funding. Biorasis Inc. is a rapidly growing medical device company committed to advancing the field of metabolic monitoring through development of implantable biosensor platforms and basic research in the areas of drug delivery, nanotechnology and microelectronics.  The company’s goal is to vastly improve the quality of life of diabetics.

The technology developed by Biorasis, the Glucowizzard™, is an ultra-small implantable biosensor for continuous, reliable glucose monitoring. This needle-implantable device wirelessly transmits glucose levels to a watch-like unit for real-time display, which in turn communicates with personal digital accessories like a smartphone. Continuous metabolic monitoring “holds great potential to provide an early indication of various body disorders and diseases,” the company website explains, adding that Biorasis’ implantable multi-sensor platform is “capable of such real-time, continuous monitoring.”

Biorasis is in the business of developing a miniaturized, hypodermic-injectable biosensor for reliable continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) with autonomous operation for 3-6 months that requires no user intervention.

Their solution “eliminates surgery for sensor implantation and extraction, restores active life style, enables remote care for juveniles and the elderly, enhances compliance, and saves 50-70% in annual healthcare costs.”

The company’s co-founders and scientific advisors are:

• Faquir Jaina, a Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He has over 35 years of experience in design, modeling and fabrication of micro/opto-electronic devices, integrated circuits and multiple quantum-well light valves/modulators.
• Fotios Papadimitrakopoulos, a Professor of Chemistry and Associate Director of the Institute of Materials Science at University of Connecticut. He has over 20 years of experience in the areas of polymers, nano/bio-systems and supramolecular assembly of nanostructures.

The company continues to grow, and their scientific team is currently expanding. The Biorasis website indicates that the company is seeking individuals with “a proven track record and experience in the areas of medical devices, electrochemistry, polymer science, pharmaceutics, animal studies, microelectronics and device packaging.” Inquiries can be directed to Biorasis at the UCONN Technology Incubation Program in Storrs.  Additional investors are also being sought.

MassChallenge, an independent nonprofit organization, envisions “a creative and inspired society in which everyone recognizes that they can define their future, and is empowered to maximize their impact.” They note that “novice entrepreneurs require advice, resources and funding to bring their ideas to fruition. Currently there is a gap between the resources these entrepreneurs need and the ability of the entrepreneurial ecosystem to provide them.” To bridge that gap, the organization’s primary activities include running an annual global accelerator program and startup competition, documenting and organizing key resources, and organizing training and networking events.  They “connect entrepreneurs with the resources they need to launch and succeed immediately.”

CT is a Top-10 State in Energy Efficiency, Recent Growth of Solar Power Capacity

An annual ranking from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) rated Connecticut among the top ten energy-efficient states in the country along with Massachusetts, California, Vermont, Rhode Island, Oregon, Maryland, Washington, and New York, with Minnesota and Illinois tied for 10th place. Connecticut was noted for its financial incentives and energy efficiency investments. The state  ranked 6th in the 2015 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, the same position it held in 2014. The state also earned the same number of points as it did in 2014, totaling 35.5 points out of 50.

According to the report, “Connecticut’s leadership is committed to pursuing policies that encourage energy efficiency within the state, although processes like building code adoption have moved relatively slowly in recent years. Connecticut has put significant resources behind the launching of its green bank. While there are signs of early success, these projects will need to be closely tracked as other states look to Connecticut as an example. Connecticut will need to realize even higher levels of savings in the future in order to remain in the top tier and meet state energy savings targets.”

Connecticut earned 15 out of 20 points for its utility policies and programs, 6 points out of a possible 10 points for transportation policies, 5 points out of 7 for its building energy code stringency and compliance efforts, earned 3 points out of 4 for its combined heat and power policies and programs, 5.5 out of 7 points for state-led energy efficiency initiatives, and 1 point out of 2 for appliance standards.

At the bottom of the list were Mississippi, South Dakota, Louisiana, Wyoming and North Dakota.

The ACEEE also developed a similar rating system for the nation’s largest cities, ranking the top 50.  Leading the list were Boston, New York City, Washington, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis, Portland, Austin and Denver.  The only Connecticut city to crack the top 50, Hartford, ranked at number 45.  Connecticut’s Capitol City earned 23 points out of a possible 100, in an analysis that included local government operations, community-wide initiatives, building policies, energy & water utilities, and transportation.

The report noted that “policymakers, regulators, and citizens are increasingly recognizing that energy efficiency is a crucially important resource. States and localities are leading the way when it comes to implementing energy-efficient policies and programs.”

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. The organization believes that “the United States can harness the full potential of energy efficiency to achieve greater economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection for all its people.”

Another  recent study, “Lighting the Way III: The Top States that Helped Drive America’s Solar Energy Boom in 2014,” by the research and policy arm of Environment Connecticut finds Connecticut ranks 10th nationally for solar power capacity per capita installed in 2014, with 13 watts of solar electric capacity per person installed last year. Nevada led all of the states in 2014, with 119 watts per capita, according to the study. Part of this success is credited to supportive state policymaking.  The organization points out that “solar power has tripled in the U.S. in the last two years, with another American family or business going solar every four minutes.  That’s in part because the price of solar has dropped more than 50 percent since 2011.”

They add that “research shows the cities and states with the most solar power aren’t necessarily the ones with the most sunshine; they also include states with smart pro-solar policies.  States like Connecticut have outpaced sunnier locales like Florida because of policies that allow increasing numbers of homeowners, businesses, communities and utilities to go solar.”

olar power in Connecticut has grown 221 percent per Capita since 2012, ranking the state 13th in the nation, the report points out. The top solar growth states in the nation, like Connecticut, have adopted renewable energy requirements, strong laws allowing solar customers to sell their excess power to the electric grid, and other policies encouraging growth of the industry, the report indicates.  The industry is also adding jobs much faster than the overall economy, employing 1,600 people in Connecticut last year, according to www.solarstates.org

“Demand for solar power in Connecticut is growing exponentially,” said Bryan Garcia, President and CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank. “Consumers continue to demand solar power despite a 70 percent reduction in state incentives. In fact, increased private investment has enabled the market to offer lease and loan products that deliver immediate positive cash flow to consumers. This makes solar PV a cleaner, cheaper and more reliable alternative."

Bipartisan legislation signed by Governor Malloy earlier this year lays a foundation for continued growth of solar power, and jobs, in Connecticut, Environment Connecticut points out, citing the stated goal of building enough residential solar systems to power over 40,000 homes in the state by 2022.

Hartford Radio Ratings Reflect Dominance of FM Stations

The most recent radio ratings in the Hartford market confirm the dominance of FM radio and the continued long slide of AM radio and audience levels overall.  The top seven most listened-to stations in the market are FM, led by perennial ratings leader WRCH-FM, a CBS Radio owned Adult Contemporary format station, with an 11.6 rating. Tightly bunched behind WRCH-FM are WWYZ-FM (country music), with a rating of 7.5, WTIC-FM (hot adult contemporary) at 7.4, WHCN-FM (classic hits) at 7.0 and WKSS-FM (contemporary hits) at 6.9. 

Rounding out the top eight are WZMX-FM at 6.5, WDRC-FM at 6.3, and WTIC-AM at 5.9.

Then the ratings drop down to WNPR-FM at 2.6, WDRC-AM at 1.1, WFCR-FM (based in Amherst, MA) at 0.9 and WPOP-AM at 0.1.  WPOP recently switched to a news/talk format, and plans to broadcast Hartford Yard Goats minor league baseball games.  WDRC-FM switched to a Classic Rock format, similar to the music that played a decade ago on WCCC and WHCN.

The ratings profile, covering listening habits in November 2015, contains an quarter hour share (AQH) rating -- the average number of persons, ages 6+, who listened during any average quarter hour from 6am to midnight, Monday through Sunday in the Survey Area, Metropolitan Hartford.

Fifteen years ago, before smart phones, internet radio, satellite radio and a limitless supply of alternate listening options, the numbers were higher across the board, and AM radio – in the case of WTIC – was often at the top of the list, or not far behind.

Here’s what the ratings looked like in April 2001:

WTIC-AM1080 was the most-listened-to radio station in the Hartford market, posting a 13.1 share in the winter rating period, up from the 10.3 it logged in the fall ratings.  WRCH fell from 11.8 to 10.5 to finish second. WKSS-FM also suffered a ratings drop, as reported at the time by the Journal Inquirer. The station racked up an 8.2 rating, down from the 9.7 it chalked up during the fall ratings period.

WWYZ-FM advanced from a 6.6 to a 7.7 to finish fourth overall.  WTIC-FM enjoyed a slight improvement, advancing from 6.8 to 7.0.  Rounding out the Top 10 were WDRC-FM (4.9), WCCC-FM (4.8), WDRC-AM (3.7), WMRQ-FM (3.) and WHCN-FM (3.1, up from 2.8).

Finishing 11th was WZMX-FM, which slid from a 3.1 in the fall to a 2.7 in the winter. WAQY-FM (West Springfield,MA), , finished 12th with a 1.9 rating.  The area's all-sports station, WPOP-AM1410, was far back in the pack with a 0.7 share.

Among the morning programs, in overall ratings, WTIC's Ray Dunaway and Diane Smith attained a 17.2 rating. WRCH was second with an 8.8 share. WTIC-FM was third with an 8.4 share, followed by WWYZ and WKSS. WCCC-FM gained a half-point to finish sixth with a 6.4 share.

A new station took high honors among the 25-54 demographic among morning shows. WTIC-FM and host Gary Craig posted an 11.3 to grab the No. 1 spot.  WTIC-AM was second with a 10.4 rating.  WRCH was third, followed by WCCC.

In the 18-34 age bracket, WKSS was No. 1, WCCC was second overall in the young demographic. In morning shows, WCCC and Howard Stern continued in the No. 1 position. WCCC grabbed a 15.6 share in the morning, WKSS was second, at 12.8.  WMRQ and its morning host, former Twisted Sister lead singer Dee Snider, attained a 10.7 rating.

Laurencin’s International Accolades and Research Objectives Grow, Earns National Medal of Technology and Innovation

In mid-2011, it was announced that after three years at the helm, Dr. Cato T. Laurencin would step down as vice president for health affairs and dean of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine on July 1 of that year. Laurencin, it was said, would continue conducting research, mentoring and providing clinical care. In the four and a half years since, it would seem that stepping down was the best thing that could ever have happened for Laurencin, and UConn.

It was announced last week by the White House that Laurencin will receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Barack Obama next year.  The award is the nation's highest honor for technological achievement that is bestowed by the president on America's leading innovators.

The news came just weeks after it was announced that Laurencin is the recipient of the 2016 Founders Award, the highest honor of The Society For Biomaterials.  He will be honored at the 2016 World Biomaterials Congress in Montreal, Canada on May 18, 2016.

Laurencin is a world-renowned surgeon-scientist in orthopaedic surgery, engineering, and materials science, and is known as a pioneer of the field of regenerative engineering, UConn said in announcing the award. He has made fundamental contributions in polymeric materials science and engineering, and nanotechnology. His research successes have included the growth and regeneration of bone, ligaments and other musculoskeletal tissues.

In November, UConn announced the launch of a new grand research challenge: regeneration of a human knee within seven years, and an entire limb within 15 years.  This major international research undertaking, called The HEAL Project, stands for Hartford Engineering A Limb. It is the brainchild of Cato T. Laurencin, whose laboratory research successes include the growth of bone and knee ligaments.

For the project, Laurencin is teaming with other top tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and bioengineering experts dedicated to the mission of advancing the fields and developing future therapies for patients living with musculoskeletal defects or who have limb injury or loss. HEAL’s other research investigators include Professors Lakshmi Nair and Yusuf Khan of UConn, Professor David M. Gardiner of UC Irvine, professors at Harvard University, Columbia University, and Sastra University in India.

Earlier this fall, Laurencin was elected a Foreign Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences in India. He is one of only two 2015 Foreign Fellows elected, and the first from the University of Connecticut and UConn Health Center.  Laurencin was honored by India’s National Academy of Sciences “for his pioneering work in the field of material sciences.” He was recognized as a world leader in polymer-ceramic composites, and recognized for his contributions in tissue generation and bioengineering.

He was also one of select group of research scientists from around the world to be named this year to be a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), one of the most prestigious academic institutions in China.  He was named among a group of foreign members that include five Americans, one Briton, one Canadian and one Austrian, bringing CAE's foreign members to 49.

Laurencin is a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering; professor of materials science and engineering; and professor of biomedical engineering at UConn.  He is also the chief executive officer of the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (CICATS), UConn's cross-university translational science institute.

At UConn Health, he is director of the Institute for Regenerative Engineering; the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery; and director of The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical, and Engineering Sciences.

Laurencin previously received the Presidential Faculty Fellow Award from President Bill Clinton for his work bridging engineering and medicine, and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math, and Engineering Mentoring from President Obama.

“Science and technology are fundamental to solving some of our Nation’s biggest challenges,” President Obama said. “The knowledge produced by these Americans today will carry our country’s legacy of innovation forward and continue to help countless others around the world. Their work is a testament to American ingenuity.”  Established by the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, the medal was first awarded in 1985.

Joel D. Bumgardner, chair of the Awards Committee of The Society For Biomaterials said, “Dr. Cato Laurencin has become a world leader in nanomaterials, and tissue engineering, working across the spectrum from establishing basic science and biomaterial properties to translating discoveries into clinical practice. Also, his work has led to the development of a new area called regenerative engineering. This emerging area builds on and synergizes principles in biomaterials engineering and stem cell/developmental biology to formulate new paradigms for effective repair/regeneration of diseased/damaged tissues.

Bumgardner also noted Laurencin’s mentorship of young faculty and students – “a legacy that will have a significant and long-ranging impact in the broad biomaterials community.”

Charter Oak to Offer College Credit for Completed MOOCs

One of the leading unanswered questions in higher education globally is how MOOCs – Massive Open Online Courses – will evolve in the coming years.  Those college-level courses, delivered on-line and offered by some of the top institutions in the U.S. and around the world, are open to anyone, without charge, but also without college credit.  Tens of thousands of people have taken courses, but turning those courses into college credits that could lead to a degree has been largely absent from the higher education equation. Now, Connecticut’s Charter Oak State College  is setting out to change that.

Connecticut’s public online college has announced that it will award credit for select online courses taken through the edX.org platform, one of the most popular MOOC programs.  edX participating  institutions include Harvard, MIT, CalTech, University of Texas System, University of California – Berkley, Davidson, Dartmouth,  Princeton, University of Pennsylvania and University of Chicago.

Founded by Harvard University and MIT in 2012, edX offers “high-quality courses from the world’s best universities and institutions to learners everywhere.” According to the edX website, the organization was “founded by and continue to be governed by colleges and universities,” and is “the only leading MOOC provider that is both nonprofit and open source.”

This collaboration creates the potential for edX learners to earn college credit for those courses reviewed and approved by Charter Oak’s Connecticut Credit Assessment Program (CCAP). Ed Klonoski, President, Charter Oak State College said, “For Charter Oak, evaluating prior learning for college credit is what we were created to do. Now, we have the opportunity to partner with a worldwide leader in online learning, edX, to award college credit for successful completion of select courses.”

“We are pleased to offer a new pathway to college credit through this collaboration with Charter Oak State College,” said Anant Agarwal, edX CEO and MIT Professor. “EdX learners around the world will now be able to earn credit for their hard work and success in MOOCs, offering an opportunity to many who would otherwise never have access to high-quality education and credit.”

The edX website indicates the MOOCs are offered by 85 global partners, and 580,000 course completion certificates have been issued in just the past few years.

The first two edX courses Charter Oak will offer credit for are open for enrollment now, www.edx.org/charter-oak , and begin in January. They include MITx’s Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python beginning January 13, and UC BerkeleyX’s Engineering Software as a Service (SaaS) Part 2 beginning January 11. Learners can earn three lower level college credits from Charter Oak for the successful completion of the MITx course, and two upper level credits from Charter Oak for the UC BerkeleyX course.

Additional edX courses continue to be reviewed for credit, and will be included in the program in the coming weeks and months, officials indicated.

Klonoski added, ““This partnership reflects our mission of using non-traditional means to speed adults toward the completion of their college degrees in a cost effective manner.  It is another innovative strategy for us to increase enrollment and support our sustainability by providing an outstanding value to students. The total cost to students of the course and credit is approximately $350.”

Officials highlighted the benefits for edX learners:

• Course credit for open online courses – Charter Oak provides a pathway for learners to earn accredited college credit for knowledge learned through MOOCs.
• Cost Effective – students earn affordable college credit that can then be applied to credentials, continuing ed credits, or completion of a college degree.
• Learn before payment - students learn now and decide to pay later for college credit. This provides qualified students with a pathway for academic exploration who may otherwise not seek college credit.
• Unlimited Reach – an unlimited number of students worldwide can study and receive college credit without any barriers of scaling up.
• Eliminates Barriers to Admission – students can study and earn credit, sidestepping the process of applications, application fees and transcript requests.

Participating students in the new initiative will first enroll as a verified student on edX.org in a course that Charter Oak State College has reviewed and approved for credit. Students then take the course through the edX.org platform. Students have the ability to check at any time as they progress through the course as to whether they have met the requirements for credit.

Once credit eligibility has been attained, a message appears on the student’s dashboard and they are sent an email. Students can then complete the request for credit from Charter Oak and fee payment on the edX site. Students then confirm their credit request with Charter Oak State College, and will then have credit on a Charter Oak State College transcript that can be used to meet continuing education, professional certification or degree requirements at other institutions or at Charter Oak State College.

Founded in 1973, Charter Oak State College (www.CharterOak.edu) is Connecticut’s only public online college.  Charter Oak students complete degrees through online courses and alternative approaches to earning credit. Charter Oak is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and governed by Connecticut’s Board of Regents for Higher Education.

Sciences at Southern Get Dynamic New Home; Local Companies Help Along the Way

Students attending Southern Connecticut State University this semester are the first to use the campus’ new Academic Science & Laboratory Building, opened this fall, with local companies playing an integral role from design and construction to providing scientific equipment for the new facility. Officials say Southern's ongoing expansion of its science programs has been greatly enhanced with the construction of the 103,608-square-foot, four-level academic and laboratory science building. Situated adjacent to Jennings Hall, the existing home for the sciences on the New Haven campus, the new building extends the university’s capacity to educate more students in the STEM disciplines – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The new science building also features a high-performance computing lab for research in theoretical science, bioinformatics, and computer science, two aquaria, and six rooftop telescope stations.  A collaboration between Southern and PerkinElmer, based in Massachusetts and with offices in Shelton, has also provided a boost. Equipment includes several analytical instruments to improve research capabilities and provide students with opportunities to do cutting-edge work.

Configured in the shape of an “L,” the new building works in concert with two pre-existing science buildings — Jennings and Morrill halls — to enclose a new “science enclave.” With very visible scientific displays and instrumentation inside and outside the building, the new center has quickly assumed a symbolic as well as actual role for the sciences on campus.

Embracing innovative sustainable design, it houses teaching and research training laboratories for nanotechnology, physics and optics, the earth sciences, the environmental sciences, cancer research, astronomy, molecular biology and chemistry.

“Built to the latest standards in sustainability, this signature building will truly enhance our ability to foster the next generation of Connecticut scientists,” Southern president Mary A. Papazian said at last month’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The Werth Center for Marine and Coastal Studies –named in honor of the Werth family following a $3 million gift from the Werth Family Foundation -- is housed on the second floor.  The center will have several new labs, including an analytic lab (where mercury levels can be determined) and a sediment coastal science lab (where levels of sediment can be tested).

The Center for Nanotechnology will be located on the ground floor, where the laboratory space is designed to isolate the building's vibrations -- considered important when dealing with microscopic materials.  A saltwater aquaria room with a touch tank is featured in the new building, providing a “centerpiece of outreach to area schools and the community.”

The building includes expanded wings for Earth Science, Environmental Science, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, and Physics teaching and research laboratories.  There are scientific displays throughout, illustrating the research interests of faculty and the students, including a replica of a nanotube — a focal point in the center of the building.  Rain water collection, which is being used to water the science quad and faculty garden was also integrated into the design. Designed for LEED Silver certification, many sustainable design features can be seen throughout the building’s footprint.

PerkinElmer delivered instruments and services “designed to help improve human and environmental health,” Christine Broadbridge, SCSU’s director of science, technology, engineering and math initiatives, recently told the Fairfield County Business Journal. “At Southern, we are proud to have a strong relationship with PerkinElmer, an important leader of business and science here in Connecticut.”

Ted Gresik, senior director of PerkinElmer, expressed his appreciation in being given the opportunity to work with Southern and accelerating its science through access to its innovative technologies.  At the ribbon-cutting, he said “We recognize the opportunity for Southern Connecticut State University and Perkin Elmer to work together on research, and technology initiatives toward developing programs where students can acquire a diverse set of scientific and technical skills which will facilitate a transition to career opportunities within the science industry.”

Plans for the new Academic Science & Laboratory Building at Southern began back in 2007 with a comprehensive 10-year capital improvement plan, dubbed CSUS 2020, for upgrading the four institutions of the Connecticut State University System.  Approved by the state legislature and signed into law by Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the plan was developed during the administration of Chancellor David G. Carter.  It included upgrades and repairs to existing facilities, as well as construction of a new Visual & Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University, which opened in September 2014, a new academic and classroom building at Central Connecticut State University, which opened two years ago, and a Fine Arts Instructional Center at Eastern Connecticut State University, scheduled to open early next year.

The Science Building at Southern was designed by Centerbrook Architect and Planners of Centerbrook, CT, with construction by FIP Construction of Farmington.  (see video about the Academic Science & Laboratory Building)

GE Expands CT Presence by Acquisition As Headquarters Decision Pending

Even as Connecticut awaits a decision from General Electric as to whether the company headquarters will remain in the state, GE has expanded its Connecticut footprint by acquisition.  In what has been described as the largest industrial investment in the company’s history, GE has acquired the power and grid business of France-based Alstom, with a considerable presence - about 1,000 jobs - in Windsor and Bloomfield. “The acquisition of Alstom is the biggest industrial investment GE has ever made, and it’s critical to the transformation we are making in the company, the new GE website highlighting the deal, and its impact on GE, proclaims.

The sweepstakes for the GE headquarters, in Fairfield for four decades, has seen nearly a dozen governors making a pitch, but published reports indicate that of the frontrunners, Manhattan has surpassed Atlanta, with staying put the other leading possibility.  There is no word on when the company anticipates making a decision, and what the impact might be on the 800 local GE jobs and area businesses, industries and organizations might be.

Just this past August, Alstom dedicated its new 100,000 square foot Clean Energy Lab in Bloomfield, a state-of-the-art research and development facility with a mission of investigating and innovating global solutions for clean power generation.

Attending that inaugural celebration were Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy, Christopher Smith, Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, and Catherine Smith, Commissioner of the State Department of Economic and Community Development, as well as the mayor of Windsor and deputy mayor of Bloomfield, along with various officials, partners and customers.

The celebration also included a tour of the lab’s research and development projects.  Employees from Alstom’s nearby Windsor, campus, where the company employs more than 1,000 people, also attended tours of the new facility.

"Alstom's expansion here in Connecticut and the establishment of their new Clean Energy Lab in Bloomfield represents another step in our state's efforts to become a leader in growing the cutting edge, green, sustainable energy jobs that will lead tomorrow's economy," Governor Malloy said in August.

GE’s acquisition of Alstom's energy business brings together two of the world's biggest manufacturers of power plant hardware and is crucial to GE's plans to increase its focus on industrial operations and shift away from finance, Reuters recently reported.  The deal received regulatory approval in the U.S. and Europe earlier this fall, and included some divestment by Alstom in Europe to gain regulatory approval.

“GE and Alstom have a rich and similar history, built on engineering, innovation and technology,” the new website points out, “the acquisition of Alstom’s power & grid businesses is an important step in GE’s transformation to a Digital Industrial Company, one that is changing industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive.

The combination is already drawing notice in the industry.  Today (Nov. 17) in Paris the company introduced its new Renewable Energy business at the European Wind Energy Association’s 2015 Annual Event. GE indicates that the new unit significantly expands GE’s wind portfolio in the wake of the recent acquisition of Alstom’s power and grid businesses.

“With the creation of our new business, GE now has one of the world’s largest renewable energy footprints, and our goal is to help drive the wind industry forward by drawing on the shared expertise of two innovative companies,” said Jérôme Pécresse, President & CEO of GE Renewable Energy.

With more than 300,000 people operating in 175 countries, GE is now described as the world’s Digital Industrial Company.  As for the newly merged company’s presence in Windsor/Bloomfield and Fairfield, the website suggests “Alstom and GE presence in complementary geographies will create more opportunities for customers by increasing local presence & capabilities.”

Where the company’s headquarters will be as that evolution continues remains an open – but apparently narrowing - question.

Landing People on Mars, Searching for Life in the Universe: Topics at SCSU Forum

Two of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) -- the human exploration of Mars and the search for Earth-like planets outside the solar system -- will be the subject of a forum on Monday, Nov. 16, at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). The forum, which is free and open to the public, will be attended by hundreds of high school students, SCSU students and faculty, and members of the community.  It is being held just two months after new findings from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provided the strongest evidence yet that liquid water flows intermittently on present-day Mars.

The program, “Missions Possible: A Manned Flight to Mars; Finding ‘New Earths’ in the Milky Way Galaxy,” is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Lyman Center for the Performing Arts on Southern’s campus.

Steve Howell, project scientist for the Kepler Mission, will be the keynote speaker. Kepler has identified more than 1,000 planets that are in a “habitable zone,” – an area that is neither too close nor too far away from their suns to support life. Most recently, a planet dubbed “Earth’s older, larger cousin,” named Kepler-452(b), was found 1,400 light years away.

Jennifer Stern, a space scientist for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will speak about the plausibility of human exploration of Mars, as well as what the recent discovery of water on the planet suggests for the possibility of life existing on its surface. She is a member of the science team for the Mars Science Laboratory Rover Curiosity, which landed on Mars in August 2012.

“It took multiple spacecraft over several years to solve this mystery, and now we know there is liquid water on the surface of this cold, desert planet,” Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, said recently. “It seems that the more we study Mars, the more we learn how life could be supported and where there are resources to support life in the future.”

NASA is developing the capabilities needed to send humans to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars in the 2030s – goals outlined in the bipartisan NASA Authorization Act of 2010 and in the U.S. National Space Policy, also issued in 2010.  While a human landing is challenging, the development of a reliable return flight is a more difficult technologically hurdle. The colonization of the Red Planet is also being considered by some, but would require means to deal with the planet’s thin atmosphere, lack of oxygen and barren cold weather.

As part of the preliminary preparation for such a flight, the nation’s space agency is working with a military laboratory at the submarine base in Groton to measure how teams cope with stress during month-long simulations of space flight.  The Navy research that piqued NASA's interest started about five years ago when the Groton-based Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory, at the request of the submarine force, began examining ways to make tactical teams work together better, the Associated Press reported earlier this year.

In addition to the featured speakers,  a panel discussion will follow, to include:

• Elliott Horch, SCSU professor of physics and a noted astrophysicist, has developed a cutting-edge camera for the National Science Foundation that is used on telescopes to dramatically improve the clarity of cosmic images and has been used as part of the Kepler Mission.
• Jim Fullmer, SCSU associate professor of earth science; and a veteran astronomer whose expertise includes understanding the weather on celestial bodies, such as Mars.
• Tabetha Boyajian, post-doctoral fellow at Yale University and a member of the citizen astronomy organization, “Planet Hunters.” Boyajian is the lead author of a recent article published in a scientific journal about the lack of conclusive evidence that a natural cause was responsible for a dimming of light in front of a faraway star. It has led some – including many in the scientific community – to believe the dimming is caused by a superstructure orbiting around that star, perhaps created by an advanced alien civilization, though Boyajian said it is still only a longshot possibility.

A question-and-answer period will conclude the program.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDb3UZPoTpc

Front Seat Passengers Could Be Killed; Repairs for CT Cars May Take Until 2019

Connecticut drivers – likely numbering in the thousands - have been advised not to allow anyone to ride in the front passenger seat of their car, due to the risk of an airbag explosion that could be deadly. A nationwide recall of cars with airbags supplied to automakers by Takata Corp. is being handled differently in different parts of the United States, and it appears that Connecticut and the Northeast have the longest waits – already more than six months in some cases.

And the wait may not nearly be over.  Deadlines for repairs to the 19 million vehicles under recall nationwide will run through 2019, according to federal officials.  The NHTSA website indicates that “completion deadlines for fixing the 19 million vehicles under recall will begin in 2017 and end in 2019.”

An April letter sent by Toyota to owners of its affected vehicles in Connecticut read in part “we will send you another notification once sufficient parts have been produced and the remedy can be performed. Until the remedy becomes available in your location, we recommend that you do not operate the vehicle with an occupant in the front passenger seat.”

The potentially fatal malfunction, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), is that the inflator can causes its air bag to explode. The letter indicated that “in the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the air bag cushion material, striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.”

Last week, U.S. auto safety regulators fined Takata Corp. of Japan $70 million for lapses in the way it handled recalls of millions of explosion-prone air bags that are responsible for eight deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide.  It is the largest civil fine in NHTSA history and marked the first time the agency used its authority to accelerate recall repairs. Regulators also ordered Takata to stop making the air bag inflators unless the company can prove they are safe, NBC News reported.

So far, about 23.4 million driver and passenger inflators have been recalled on 19.2 million U.S. vehicles sold by 12 automakers, the network reported. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal responded that the $70 million fine seems like a slap on the wrist and should be larger.  The penalty “provide(s) no meaningful deterrence for continuing reprehensible and irresponsible behavior that costs countless preventable injuries and lives,” Blumenthal said.

The company, and impacted automakers, are making parts necessary to accomplish repairs available in regions of the country with humid climates first, because humidity has been said to increase the risk of air bag rupture.  Connecticut residents, living in a region not known for its humidity, are not a priority for the repair, and continue to wait for word when repairs for their recalled vehicles can be made.

NBC Connecticut reports that one local Toyota dealer indicates that “If it’s not available we go in and check every week to 10 days with that VIN (vehicle identification number) to see if parts are available,” he said. “We’re kind of at the mercy of not only the supplier but also the manufacturer.”

In the meantime, car companies are left to “apologize for any inconvenience” and affected car owners need to remember that front seat passengers could be in serious danger. The situation may not change for some time, especially for parts of the country including New England. 

Blumenthal has also urged Takata to commit to compensation for victims, but the company has thus far refused to do so.  There have also been calls for compensation for the millions of car owners unable to have someone ride in the front passenger seat.

The website safercar.gov has additional information about vehicles subject to the recall, and those that can now be repaired. Individuals can enter their vehicle’s VIN number to learn if they are eligible for a repair under the recall.