Senator told that education, internships critical for region
Thursday, February 19, 2009
FAIRBORN — Science, technology and mathematics education, along with internship opportunities for college students at military installations, should remain government funding priorities to keep the pipeline of fresh research talent filled, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown was told Thursday, Feb. 19.
Brown, D-Ohio, visited Wright State University to meet with academic and business leaders for a roundtable discussion of aerospace issues and prospects. Regional leaders have done an effective job of using Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's research and acquisition operations as an economic springboard, Brown said. Other parts of Ohio should strive to do the same, including the Columbus area and the Battelle research organization and Cleveland and NASA's Glenn Research Center near that city, Brown said.
Students educated at local universities who have had intern opportunities working with Air Force researchers at Wright-Patterson have gone on to become employees of management consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, Sharon Muzik, a partner who oversees Booz Allen's Kettering office, told Brown during the group discussion.
The need for new talent is acute, business leaders said.
Michael Zettler, a retired Air Force lieutenant general who is now an SI International executive overseeing the company's defense logistics services to Wright-Patterson and other bases, said SI International recently passed up a chance to bid on a military contract because of a shortage of engineers.
"We could not find eight mid-level engineers ... and that's canvassing out 250 miles" from the Dayton area, said Zettler, who is based in Fairborn.
The Dayton Development Coalition organized the meeting, which attracted executives from Dayton-area defense contractors along with the presidents of the University of Dayton, Sinclair Community College and Wright State.
Brown also was urged to preserve federal funding for small business innovation research grants, which have provided seed money to help small companies develop new technology for the Defense Department and other government entities.
Brown cautioned the group that the defense budget won't get any new dollars, and may even be slightly smaller, at a time of increased pressure on the federal budget plus massive economic stimulus spending. The new stimulus-spending legislation will send $8 billion to Ohio, Brown said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
