Business Council member The Travelers reports a large increase in insurance customers filing claims from mobile devices.

The Travelers study broadly examined insurance claims filed over the past 16 months using mobile devices. In reviewing claims data comparing the first four months of 2010 versus the same time period in 2011, the number of claims filed via mobile devices more than tripled.

“The faster our customers report claims to Travelers, the faster we can help them,” said Jay Gauthier, Vice President, Travelers Personal Insurance Marketing. “That’s why we continue to develop technologies that make it easy for our customers to communicate with us in the way that’s most convenient to them, whether online, over the phone, or through their mobile devices, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

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The Business Council strongly opposes this legislation, which would require telecommunications corporations to provide certain call center services to customers from centers located within their respective in-state service territories.

This bill is based on the specious argument that call center services provided from a location within a specific geographic region somehow provide a greater level of responsiveness and sensitivity to customer concerns and questions. Most of the specific services listed in the bill are done electronically (such as determining customer financial responsibility, determining required deposit or billing rates, preparing service orders, investigating high bills and credit arrangements).

The physical location of the call center has no bearing on the timeliness and responsiveness of addressing customer concerns.

To read more click here.

Vivek Wadhwa, a senior research associate at Harvard Law School and executive in residence at Duke University writes in the Washington Post about the transfer of technology at universities and how the economy can benefit.

“If university research were a business, it would be bankrupt.

In 2009, the federal government, industry and philanthropic organizations invested $53.5 billion in university research. The total licensing revenue of all U.S. universities amounted to $2.3 billion that year, including royalties from technologies licensed over decades.

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that universities do not automatically own the rights to the inventions that result from federally financed research. The ruling is limited in its scope but sheds light on an important issue: Universities are more focused on maximizing licensing revenue than sharing the fruits of federally funded research.”

To read more click here.

“Clarkson University’s newly renovated Peyton Hall, Main Street, will begin accepting tenants for the Clarkson Small Business Incubator July 1. The incubator will provide a variety of services to fledgling technology-based enterprises, allowing area students, faculty and residents to transform their business plans into reality.” writes Gabielle Hovendon in the Watertown Daily Times.

“The focus is definitely on startups and commercializing technology,” said Matthew E. Draper, deputy director of Clarkson’s Shipley Center for Innovation. “The beauty of an incubator is that it serves a specific purpose: it’s not ‘you move in and you stay for fifteen years.’ This will be a completely new purpose for the building.”

To read more click here.

“Gov. Andrew Cuomo has introduced a bill that would allow every campus in the State University of New York to raise tuition five percent a year for the next five years.” writes Scott Waldman in the Times Union.

“The bill would also allow the university system’s four research centers, which includes the University at Albany, to add an additional three percent tuition raise on top of that as part of a “Rational Plus Plan.” The NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant legislation allows each research center to present development plans that could see each campus receive $35 million in state grants.”

SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher and Business Council board member said, “Governor Cuomo is fulfilling the promise he made to New Yorkers in his State of the State address by submitting legislation that positions SUNY to be a key driver of our state’s economic recovery. Furthermore, rational tuition will allow SUNY to flourish while protecting access for New Yorkers and providing students with the resources they need to complete their degrees on time. Governor Cuomo is proving himself to be a staunch advocate and supporter of public higher education.”

To read more click here.

To read the Governor’s press release click here.

“New York could see $11.4 billion in economic activity by 2020 and up to 18,000 new jobs by 2015 if the state allows gas companies to drill into the massive Marcellus Shale formation, according to a report released Tuesday by a conservative think tank.” writes Jon Campbell on pressconnects.com.

“The report, paid for by the business-backed Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, found that state and local governments would gain $1.4 billion in tax revenues alone over the next nine years.

The study’s authors — who also penned a report in 2009 that was partially commissioned by the natural-gas industry and released through Pennsylvania State University — also found that the typical Marcellus Shale gas well reaps about $4 million in economic benefits, while the environmental impacts come to about $14,000 per well.”

To read more about the report from the pressconnects.com click here.

Jennifer K. Levine, the Marcellus Shale contributor to this blog, writes about the report - “The New York State Senate should take a close look at this report before considering taking up the drilling moratorium bill that passed the Assembly on Monday. The sGEIS that is due out next month will provide comprehensive rules to protect our upstate environment. Imagine what 18,000 jobs will do for our upstate communities. 18,000 families will benefit from good jobs and have a reason to stay in New York. Children will grow up with economic security and a bright future instead of watching their parents scrape by mortgaging properties and working two or more jobs. This is about more than dollars. Marcellus development will transform lives today and for decades to come. New York cannot afford to walk away from this incredible opportunity.”

Jennifer can be reached at jklevine@nycap.rr.com.

Business Council member iFyber announce today - “iFyber researchers have published an article in the peer-reviewed journal Advanced Functional Materials that reports the antimicrobial characteristics of copper coatings on fiber substrates designed for wound care products. The paper represents collaborative research between scientists at iFyber and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the University of Albany. An abstract of the paper can be viewed on-line at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.201100123/abstract)

Aaron Strickland, PhD, iFyber Vice President of Research and Development, co-authored the paper with Professor Nate Cady, PhD and Jason Behnke of the College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering (CNSE) at SUNY-Albany. The paper focused on unique findings associated with nanoscale copper coatings and their ability to provide antimicrobial functionality without adversely affecting the growth of mammalian cells in vitro. In addition, comparative testing of copper vs. silver antimicrobial coatings demonstrated that the unique copper-based coatings presented in the paper exhibited greater antimicrobial efficacy and a higher degree of biocompatibility. “These findings are very important in light of the fact that silver is a well-known and accepted antimicrobial agent used in wound care,” said Prof. Cady of CNSE.

“iFyber is pleased to collaborate with researchers at CNSE,” said Dr. Strickland. “We are currently applying knowledge gained in these studies to coat other substrates and to expand on our understanding of the unique functional characteristics of copper-based coatings for the development of antimicrobial solutions in wound care.” Eric Eisenhut, President of iFyber, further noted, “the findings of our work on cotton substrates, combined with our National Science Foundation funded work with extra cellular matrices, form a strong foundation for iFyber in the wound care market.”

About iFyber, LLC: iFyber, LLC is a materials science company advancing coating technologies used to functionalize natural and synthetic fibers in the industrial, medical, military and consumer markets. iFyber’s technology enables the deposition of conformal, nanoparticle coatings on both flat and curved surfaces using a unique layer-by-layer assembly process. The process provides for the ability to control particle size and interparticle spacing which in turn allows iFyber to impart a remarkable array of custom properties to treated fibrous materials. Custom properties include electrical conductivity, self-cleaning, anti-microbial action, and authentication technology.

The State University of New York on Tuesday launched the SUNY Report Card, an exclusive evaluation tool that will publicly track the university’s system-wide work as an educator, job creator, community partner, and generator of boundary-breaking research.

With the release of its report card, SUNY takes the unprecedented step of measuring the university system’s performance against New York’s greatest social and economic needs, including the alignment of SUNY’s research capacity to statewide job growth and the state’s ability to capture a greater share of the global green energy market, among other measures.

“Part of what makes the Report Card unique is that it doesn’t merely measure SUNY’s value in terms of the number of degrees it bestows or the breadth of its curricula, but by the tangible, long-term impact SUNY will have on the economy and quality of life in New York State,” said Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “No other university system in the country is doing this. We are thinking outside of the SUNY box – inviting the public to measure the system’s actions against its ability to address our state’s greatest needs.

“We are asking New Yorkers to hold us accountable,” Chancellor Zimpher continued. “We want the public to know where we succeed and where we may fall short. It’s a level of accountability that many would consider a gamble, but the risks are outweighed by the opportunity to present all New Yorkers with SUNY’s advancement and our impact on the economic revitalization of New York State.”

Heather Briccetti, Acting President & CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Inc., said: “The Business Council applauds the Chancellor for this initiative to set a standard for transparency and accountability at SUNY. Business owners rely on SUNY to provide an educated workforce, and taxpayers across the state deserve to see how their hard-earned dollars are being spent. The three-pronged Report Card will enhance SUNY’s accountability to communities and reinforce economic development initiatives.”

RIT and The Business Council of New York State Inc., will provide a workshop for companies ready to go green while saving money and improving profits.

Hosted by The Pollution Prevention Institute (P2I) at RIT and The Business Council, this event will introduce participants to the unique pollution prevention service programs the institute has to offer the business community in New York.

The project promotes cost effective methods to conserve energy, reduce wastes and improve performance.

Thursday June 2, 2011

9am-11am, followed by a tour of the facility

Rochester Institute of Technology
111 Lomb Memorial Drive, Louise Slaughter Bldg 78 (CIMS), Rochester, NY 14623

Agenda

9am – Welcome & Forum Discussion led by Anahita Williamson, Director of P2I
10am – Presentation by Nabil Nasr, Provost for Academic Affairs and Director, Golisano Institute for Sustainability and CIMS
11am-Tour of the Facility given by Mark Coleman, Senior Program Manager and Michael Haselkorn, Research Faculty

Register here today or contact Beyonna Belton at (518) 465-7511
Registration is free

Light Breakfast with coffee, bagels and a fresh fruit medley will be served

For additional information contact: Erica Hernandez, email exfasp@rit.edu or call: 585-475-2512

For more information on the The Pollution Prevention Institute (P2I) at RIT and The Business Council click here.

Bryron Ackerman of the Utica Observer-Dispatch writes - “sk local officials about the future of the Mohawk Valley, and they’re likely to point to the Marcy NanoCenter at SUNYIT site as a sign of hope.

But the permitting process with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has delayed efforts to develop the site, and it continues to restrict Mohawk Valley EDGE’s ability to market it to potential companies, said Steven DiMeo, president of the economic development organization.

The permitting efforts have been taking place since June 2006, and EDGE (Economic Development Growth Enterprises Corp.) has spent more than $800,000 on associated legal, engineering and planning costs, DiMeo said.

A new permit issued last week from the Army Corps’ Buffalo District still won’t allow EDGE to conduct development work on wetlands at the site until EDGE gets a company to commit to locating there.”

To read more click here.