DETROIT AUTOMAKERS not TO UNVEIL FLYING CARS

Toyota also appearantly unwilling to unveil it's secret flying car lab.

Mean Automakers Dash Nation's Hope For Flying Cars

Hey I said this blog was about imagining the future of our state right? That includes unlikely scenarios as well...

Spaceport in Kiruna, Sweden. Why not in the Mich. U.P.?

Virgin Galactic announced last month that it will build it's European spaceport in the town of Kiruna, Sweden. One of the reasons for putting the multi-million dollar facility there? The amazing northern lights. That and the fact that they already have a fully functional space center and a well-oiled tourism marketing machine.

Here's a picture of Kiruna that WIRED published on it's Autopia blog...


Sure looks like it could be outside Copper Harbor. Come to think of it, didn't Copper Harbor already have a rocket range not so long ago?

2008 Transition to a Knowledge Based Economy Report

Michigan Future, Inc. has released it's first annual progress report for Michigan's Transition to a
Knowledge-Based Economy. The report collects data for states and the 53 metropolitan areas with population of one million or more plus Lansing and Madison and tracks any shifts from our traditional manufacturing economic engine to more knowledge-based economic activity. The basic conclusion of the report reads:

"What most distinguishes successful areas from Michigan is their concentrations of talent, where talent is defined as a combination of knowledge, creativity and entrepreneurship. Quite simply, in a flattening world, the places with the greatest concentrations of talent win. States and regions without concentrations of talent will have great difficulty retaining or attracting knowledge-based enterprises, nor are they likely to be the place where new knowledge-based enterprises are created."

The report continues by asserting that "Michigan and its largest metropolitan are lagging in the transition to a knowledge-based economy. In 2006 Michigan ranked 26th in per capita income, an unprecedented drop of 10 places in a relatively short six year period. It ranked 37th in the share of wages from knowledge-based industries and 34th in proportion of adults with a bachelors degree or more."

The report asserts that unless Michigan can substantially increase the proportion of college educated adults – particularly in our biggest metropolitan areas – Michigan will continue to trend downwards in the per capita income rankings towards the mid 30s.

Jason's Opinion: Once again, Michigan Future, Inc. is right on the money. Prosperity in Michigan's future is directly linked to creating new pathways for it's citizens to attain higher and continuing education. You can go on about "green collar jobs", diversifying the economy or competing in the global economy all you want, and it will all be fantasy. If you want to write our states science fiction story, we need to pack our communities with bright, educated people who are constantly learning.

I'll take things a step farther: in addition to providing access to education, we need to do everything we can develop a culture that gets excited about knowledge and discovery. Supporting Michigan's excellent school robotics program's is an excellent example of how we can spark enthusiasm in our future workforce. But that's just one thing. Our media can attach a higher priority to covering scholarship contests and their winners. State, county and municipal governments can set up funds for schools to bring in more high profile "knowledge heroes" to speak to and interact with students. And yes, communities around the state can be more supportive of science fiction conventions - which often bring in high tech industry leaders and think-tanks to speak on panels. More on that in a later post.

To read the full report, click here.

University of Michigan Nanolab up and running

The Ann Arbor News recently reported that the University of Michigan's Robert H. Lurie Nanofabrication Facility is up and running. The $40 million, 37,000 square-foot addition to the current nanofabrication facility was partially funded by the widow of a real estate developer who who received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the U.M. College of Engineering.

According to the Ann Arbor News, About 220 researchers from U-M and more than a dozen other universities used the original lab in 2007, bringing in $24 million in research grants. Twenty-two local companies used the lab last year, and more than a dozen companies have resulted from research performed in the lab in the last 10 years.

Expansion of these facilities will certainly have a positive role in transitioning our economy from the old, myopic focus on manufacturing to a more diversified, more knowledge-based environment.

With an additional $20 million dollars in state-o-the art equipment being installed over the next two years, the facility is bound to get more researchers and industry heads to consider Michigan as a good place to set up shop.

If you happen to be one of those people, you can find more information on becoming an external user here.
The labs capabilities are summarized here.

NASA: Towns on the moon

Why we need better educational access

The type of stuff he's talking about has direct industrial applications with potentially powerful economic impact. Better access to higher education will give us more guys like Shaun. Keeping them in Michigan is another part of the story that is up for debate, but no plan or position will work if we can't get our kids (or returning students) into a college or university in the first place.

Future Tech Theater - Episode 1

This is something I want to do from time to time. Below is a selection of videos showcasing cutting edge technology that existing companies or startups might be bringing to our state.

Craig Venter: On the verge of creating synthetic life

Andy Kessler - Nanotechnology and "The End of Medicine"

Virgin Galactic Animation - SpaceShipTwo