Innovation + Job News

Gov. Martin O'Malley and joined Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith, U.S. Census Bureau Deputy Director Tom Mesenbourg and other community and business leaders to officially launch the outreach campaign for the 2010 Census, which starts next spring. Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson, the honorary chair of the State's effort, offered comments by video message for the campaign, which carries the motto "Census 2010: It's In Our Hands, Maryland." The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the nationwide head count of U.S. residents every 10 years.

"Every Maryland household will receive its census questionnaire in early March next year. It is our duty to our country, our state, our communities and our families to be counted," Gov. O'Malley says. "Federal funding for programs affecting education, health care, highways, workforce development, housing and energy are distributed based on census population data. The success of the census and Maryland's fair portion of these funds depends upon an accurate accounting of every Maryland resident."

The U.S. Census Bureau will begin mailing questionnaires to households in late February through early March. Respondents will answer a 10-question census form, one of the shortest in the history of the bureau, based on their expected residency on April 1, 2010, known as Census Day. The Governor's plan puts specific emphasis on those areas of the State that the Census Bureau has deemed traditionally "Hard-to-Count." Those are areas that, among other factors, had a low mail-back response rate in the 2000 Census.

In fiscal year 2007, Maryland received more than $5.8 billion in federal allocations for programs that rely in whole or in part on Census Bureau data derived from the decennial census and data produced by other federal agencies that are derived from Census Bureau statistics. The allocation per Maryland resident was estimated at just over $1,000 per year. A hypothetical undercount of 100,000 residents could cost Maryland taxpayers one billion in lost funding over the coming decade.

"Every single person in Baltimore County matters and it is very important that everyone is counted in the Census," Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith says. "Participation is critical so that we can ensure that our County citizens are accurately represented in Congress and that we receive appropriate resources to maintain our local infrastructure, educate our children, improve our neighborhoods, and provide job training and much more."

Dr. Benjamin Carson said in his video message, "The Census is not a Democrat or a Republican effort. It is an effort to count everyone." Dr. Carson encouraged a complete count by urging residents, "for the sake of your communities, your cities and this State, please make sure that you do everything that you possibly can to be counted."

For additional information regarding the Census and the outreach efforts in Maryland, visit the Maryland Census 2010 website at census.maryland.gov

Source: Jim Smith, Baltimore County
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Discount airline, AirTran Airways, made a special delivery to Thurgood Marshall Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI) last week. The company along with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens unveiled a custom-painted, purple and black Boeing 717 dubbed, Ravens 1.

"Our partnership with the Ravens is now literally flying high and we are so excited about adding this great looking aircraft to our fleet," says Kirk Thornburg, AirTran Airways' vice president of maintenance and engineering. "We are happy to demonstrate our commitment to this great franchise and thriving city with this beautifully painted aircraft."

Millions of people will see the plane as it serves cities on AirTran Airways' route network of more than 60 destinations.

"The Baltimore Ravens are excited about the arrival of Ravens 1," says Kevin Rochlitz, vice president of national sales for the Baltimore Ravens. "We look forward to seeing the Ravens and AirTran Airways brands flying together throughout AirTran's network, emphasizing their commitment to the Baltimore Ravens and the community."

To celebrate the unique livery, AirTran Airways and the Ravens challenged staffers from Franklin Square Hospital, which is supported by Ravens tight end Todd Heap, to pull the aircraft for charity. The airline rewarded their successful attempt with a $10,000 donation to the hospital.

Ravens 1 marks only the second team-themed aircraft in the AirTran Airways fleet. The airline unveiled Falcons 1 for the Atlanta Falcons a few weeks ago and and will introduce the Indiana Colts 1 in the coming weeks.

Source: Kevin Rochlitz, Baltimore Ravens
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Approximately half of the companies that froze salaries and hiring in the past year now plan to unfreeze them in the next six months, according to the latest in a series of surveys by Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm. Despite these plans, however, employers remain concerned about attracting and retaining the always important critical-skill employees.

According to the survey, 54% of employers that froze salaries as the economic crisis gripped the country plan to unfreeze them within the next six months. That's a 21 percent increase over the 33% in August and a jump of 37% over the 17% in June. Just under half, 49%, also plan to reverse hiring freezes at least partially in the next six months, compared with 38% two months ago.

The survey also concluded that a growing number of employers plan to reverse reductions to 401(k) match contributions in the next six months � jumping from only 5 percent in June and 24% in August to 35%. Overall, 56% of companies have instituted a salary freeze and a hiring freeze since the economic crisis began, and 25% have reduced their employer match. Watson Wyatt's latest bimonthly survey was conducted in October 2009 and includes responses from 201 large employers.

"The general economic picture right now is definitely brighter than it was just a few months ago," says Laura Sejen, global director of strategic rewards consulting at Watson Wyatt. "However, the recovery is uneven and most employers aren't fully convinced that the improvements they've seen are here to stay. While many plan to hire workers over the next few months, they remain concerned about their ability to attract and retain the right people."

Almost all companies surveyed, 96%, have made offers to new hires in the past three months, and 93% said they anticipate making offers in the next three months. However, approximately one out of five companies still expect to continue making layoffs in the remainder of 2009 or in 2010. In addition, 65% report they are more concerned about the retention of critical-skill and top-performing employees than they were before the economic crisis hit.

Looking ahead three to five years, half of employers expect an increase in difficulty in attracting critical-skill employees, and just over half, 55%  expect an increase in difficulty in retaining critical-skill employees. In light of the recession, 44 percent of employers have encouraged managers to make greater use of recognition plans. However, only a scant 8% of these employers have seen managers actually increase their use of these plans to a significant or great extent.

"Despite the slow movement toward recovery, employers are still having to manage a shifting workforce as they balance selective hiring with continuing to make some layoffs," says Laurie Bienstock, U.S. strategic rewards leader at Watson Wyatt. "In this environment, it is no wonder that employers remain concerned about retaining their top talent. However, recognition programs and other plans that keep these employees engaged and motivated can create a key competitive advantage."

Other findings from the survey include:

• Thirty-seven percent of companies think their results have already bottomed out, compared to 27% in August.
• For companies expecting to reinstate their 401(k) or 403(b) match, 70% will change it back to the original level. Thirteen percent will reinstate the match at a new, lower level, while 17% will vary it by year, based on company profits.
• For companies expecting to make offers to new hires, 83% will do so for professional, non-managerial staff, followed by 71% for director, manager or middle management positions. Only 47% will be hiring for senior management or executive level positions.
• Only 37% of employers plan to organize a holiday party in 2009, compared with 47%that organized one in 2008 and 70%in 2007. Two in five (41%) that are planning a holiday party have seen their budgets decrease.

Source: Lauri Bienstock, Watson Wyatt
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Fed's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or stimulus, has helped save or create some 14,000 jobs in Maryland, according to a reporte released by Gov. Martin O'Malley last week.

"Thanks to President Obama's leadership, and our ability as a State to implement these funds as quickly and efficiently as possible, there are more than 14,000 Marylanders working today that otherwise would be facing unemployment," says Gov. O'Malley. "And that's just the first round. Over the next several months, we'll continue to move forward to put Recovery Act funds to work, reporting every penny spent and every job saved or created providing unprecedented transparency for the people of Maryland."

The release of the jobs report in Maryland came just one day before the White House was set to release the national figures, and the Governor made the announcement at a local company, P. Flanigan and Sons, Inc., a more than 120-year-old contractor that was directly impacted by the infrastructure projects in Maryland funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The family-owned business has participated in two Recovery Act-funded projects in Maryland, supporting over 100 jobs so far, and expected to support many more before the projects are complete. As of yesterday, the company was informed they have been awarded another Howard County resurfacing contract as well.

"2009 has been a challenging year," said Steve Whitecotton, Vice President of P. Flanigan and Sons, Inc. "In this tough economy the Recovery Act funded projects have preserved jobs and funded many important infrastructure projects that improve the safety and efficiency of our transportation system. My conservative estimate is that between our employees and our subcontractors up to 150 jobs would have been lost without the Recovery Act."

Today's jobs announcement encompasses what are termed direct, indirect and induced jobs. Direct jobs are those supported by Recovery Act dollars, such as the construction worker on a highway project funded through the Act. Indirect jobs are those that support Recovery Act dollars, including an employee at an asphalt company that supplies the highway project. Induced jobs are created by increased consumer activity, such as the construction worker purchasing a car, or going to a restaurant, resulting in those companies increasing employment due to sustained or increased business.

For a complete breakdown of jobs supported by Recovery Act funding in Maryland, see the StateStat presentation of the data.

As of September 30th, the State of Maryland received awards of over $2 billion, approximately half of all Recovery Act funding expected through 2011. By comparison, the State expended only eleven percent of these funds, or $229,191,801, covering the period contained within the jobs reports.

Of the $413 million in highway construction funding, 84 projects worth $184 million have already started construction. And approximately $900 million in Recovery Act money has supported 1,809 teachers in America's number one ranked public school system, allowing full funding of the Thornton Bridge to Excellence Plan.

Gov. O'Malley announced that StateStat, Maryland's signature performance evaluation tool created by the O'Malley-Brown Administration, would be the centralized place for tracking and reporting Recovery Act funds and their impact on communities. Days after President Obama signed the Recovery Act in 2008, Gov.O'Malley announced the launch of recovery.maryland.gov to track the funds in Maryland, and since then, the website has received the distinction as best in the nation according to Good Jobs First, a non-profit research center based in Washington, DC.

Source: Gov. Martin O'Malley, Maryland
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Maryland-based venture-backed companies averaged annual revenue growth of 9.3% and job growth of 3.7% from 2006 to 2008. Both rates were the second highest among states, according to a new report, "Venture Capital: The Economic Importance of Venture Capital-Backed Companies to the U.S. Economy" released by IHS Global Insight.

As venture-backed firms are overwhelmingly high-tech - and high risk - the success of these firms indicates Maryland's hospitable climate and strategic support of such companies, as demonstrated by the state's numerous tax credits for high-tech investment and strategic location near federal research laboratories and other companies engaged in complementary high-tech activities, according to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).

Maryland ranked 14th overall for revenue earned at venture-backed companies with an average of some $40 million. Maryland, with its strength in the healthcare industry, edged out perennial powerhouses Massachusetts and Texas for second place with 3.7 percent compound annual job growth and bested fellow upstart Arizona for second place in revenue growth, according to the report.

Source: IHS Global Insight
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Saturated fats have a earned their bad rep when it comes to heart health, however, researchers at Johns Hopkins discovered that a sticky lipid occurring naturally at high levels in the brain may help people memorize their grandmother's recipe for cinnamon buns, as well as recall how, years ago, she served them up steaming hot straight from the oven.

In the Oct. 29 issue of Neuron, JHU scientists reveal how palmitate, a fatty acid, marks certain brain proteins -- NMDA receptors -- that need to be activated for long-term memory and learning to take place. The fatty substance directs the receptors to specific locations in the outer membrane of brain cells, which continually strengthen and weaken their connections with each other, sculpting and resculpting new memory circuits.

Moreover, the researchers report, this fatty modification is a reversible process, with some sort of on-off switch, offering possibilities for manipulating it to enhance or even, perhaps, erase memory.

"Before now, no one knew that NMDA receptors change in response to the addition of palmitate," says Richard Huganir, Ph.D., professor and director of the Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins.

Source: Richard Huganir, Ph.D., JHU
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The completion of the human genome may have answered some of medical researches fundamental questions, however, the discovery has led to more complex questions for scientists. One in particular has left researchers studying gene control perplexed, "How is it that humans, being far more complex than the lowly yeast, do not proportionally contain in our genome significantly more gene-control proteins?"

A collaboration among scientists at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine that examined protein-DNA interactions across the whole genome may have an answer. Researchers have uncovered more than 300 proteins that appear to control genes, a heretofore undiscovered function for these proteins that were previously known to play other roles in cells. The results, which appear in the Oct. 30 issue of Cell, provide a partial explanation for human complexity over yeast but also throw a curve ball in what we previously understood about protein functions.

"Everyone knows that transcription factors bind to DNA and everyone knows that they bind in a sequence-specific manner," says Heng Zhu, Ph.D., an assistant professor in pharmacology and molecular sciences and a member of the High Throughput Biology Center. "But you only find what you look for, so we looked beyond and discovered proteins that essentially moonlight as transcription factors."

The team suspects that many more proteins encoded by the human genome might also be moonlighting to control genes, which brings researchers to the paradox that less complex organisms, such as plants, appear to have more transcription factors than humans. "Maybe most of our genes are doing double, triple or quadruple the work," says Zhu. "This may be a widespread phenomenon in humans and the key to how we can be so complex without significantly more genes than organisms like plants."

Source: Heng Zhu, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Saint Agnes Hospital has received the American College of Cardiology Foundation's NCDR ACTION Registry�GWTG Gold Performance Achievement Award for 2009. The South Baltimore hospital is 1 of only 121 hospitals nationwide to do so. The award recognizes Saint Agnes' commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients, and signifies that the hospital has set an aggressive goal of treating coronary artery disease patients with 85% compliance to core standard levels of care outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations. 

In order to receive the ACTION Registry�GWTG Gold Performance Achievement Award, Saint Agnes consistently followed the treatment guidelines in ACTION Registry�GWTG for 24 consecutive months. These include aggressive use of medications like cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, and anticoagulants in the hospital.

"The American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association commend Saint Agnes Hospital for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols," says Christopher Cannon, MD, ACTION Registry�GWTG Steering Committee Chairperson and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Associate Physician in the Cardiovascular Division at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

"The full implementation of acute and secondary prevention guideline-recommended therapy is a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of heart attack patients," adds Gregg C. Fonarow, MD, ACTION Registry- GWTG Steering Committee Vice- Chairperson and Director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center.

"The time is right for Saint Agnes to be focused on improving the quality of cardiovascular care by implementing ACTION Registry�GWTG. The number of acute myocardial infarction patients eligible for treatment is expected to grow over the next decade due to increasing incidence of heart disease and a large aging population," says Dr. Stephen Plantholt, Chief of Cardiology at Saint Agnes.

Created by the merger of the American College of Cardiology Foundation's NCDR ACTION Registry® and the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines-CAD program, ACTION Registry�GWTG combines the best of both programs into a single, unified national registry. The new registry joins the robust data collection and quality reporting features of the ACTION Registry with the collaborative models, unique tools, and quality improvement techniques of the GWTG-CAD program. With the collective strengths of these two programs, ACTION Registry�GWTG empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patient according to the most current, science-based guidelines; and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety, and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk STEMI and NSTEMI patients.

Saint Agnes Hospital is a 307-bed hospital founded by the Daughters of Charity in 1862.

Source: Dr. Stephen Plantholt, Saint Agnes
Writer: Walaika Haskins

If you're tired of dropped calls and deadzones, you'l be happy to learn that AT&T has given its 3G mobile broadband network in Greater Baltimore a significant upgrade. The areas along theI-695 Beltway, including Pikesville, Towson, and Parksville, as well as popular downtown spots like Fells Point and the Inner Harbor will be able to appreciate the network update.The deployment of additional wireless spectrum in the 850 MHz band, means AT&T wireless customers should experience better 3G connectivity and performance and enhanced in-building wireless coverage, the company says. The enhancement also increases the network's capacity, keeping pace with Baltimore's growing demand for 3G mobile broadband service.

Typically, improvements to the high-quality 850 MHz spectrum also brings wireless users better in-building coverage. While the specific benefits of the additional spectrum will vary by location, AT&T's 3G customers should see improved quality and coverage throughout the Baltimore metropolitan area, says the wireless network provider.

"Our goal is pretty simple: we want you to have an extraordinary experience when you make a call, check e-mail, download a song or video, or surf the Internet on your AT&T device," says J. Michael Schweder, AT&T Mid-Atlantic Region president. "It is what our customers want and our ongoing investments to enable customers to quickly access the content that matters most to them also helps to create jobs and fuel economic growth in Maryland."

"More than ever before, our customers look to wireless communications to stay in touch with family, friends, and business colleagues," says Rob Forsyth, vice president and general manager for AT&T in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia. "This investment, which builds upon our $500 million in capital expenditures in Maryland in from 2006 to 2008 , helps to enhance the 3G network and is just another way we are continuing to deliver a first-class wireless voice and data experience for Baltimore area customers."

AT&T's 3G mobile broadband network is based upon the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies, which includes GSM and UMTS, the most open and widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T's 3G network is available in more than 350 major metropolitan areas. AT&T also offers 3G data roaming in more than 100 countries, as well as voice calling in more than 215 countries.

Source: Rob Forsyth, AT&T
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Sen. Barbara Mikulski has been awarded the Maryland League of Conservation Voters' (MDLCV) John V. Kabler Memorial Award in recognition of her many achievements as she works to protect the state's land, air and water. The annual award recognizes outstanding environmental leadership and commitment.

The four term U.S. Senator has a thirty-five year record of public service in Maryland. She is a dedicated public servant who as a member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, wages a yearly battle to procure federal funding for environmental programs, especially the Chesapeake Bay Program, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

A trailblazer in drawing attention to the effects of global warming on the Bay, Mikulski funds eighty-five percent of the nation's climate change-related science as Chairwoman of Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee. Her defense of the environment in Maryland is evident in her support for building a green jobs workforce, protecting the Chesapeake Bay, and for a clean energy economy.

"I'm so honored to accept this award. From the House to the Senate, I've loved any legislation that had water in it. Using my committee assignments, I've tried to be a champion for saving communities, saving lives and, in some small way, saving the planet," Sen. Mikulski says. "I'll continue to fight for the Bay, and invest in the green sciences so we have the right ideas to come up with the right science to combat the global climate change crisis. Thank you for honoring me tonight. I'm so proud to be your partner in fighting for a greener, cleaner future."

"We are thrilled to honor Sen. Mikulski for her long and accomplished record of protecting the Environment for people of Maryland," says Cindy Schwartz, executive director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters. "We created a special 'Pearl' award in recognition of our 30th anniversary. Keith Campbell's unwavering commitment over the last ten years to the environment and continuing support of the work of MDLCV makes him the obvious choice".

Source: Cindy Schwartz, MDLCV
Writer: Walaika Haskins

University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers have teamed with Sisters Network, Inc., a national African-American breast cancer survivorship organization, to create a patient education video to help African-American women not only survive but thrive following their breast cancer diagnosis.

The 30-minute educational video was produced to address the special challenges African-American breast cancer survivors face. It presents evidence-based guidelines developed by the Institute of Medicine in 2006 to help cancer survivors make a plan of follow-up care that promotes a healthy lifestyle and help prevent the recurrence of their cancer.

The video was produced as part of a research study led by Renee Royak-Schaler, Ph.D., funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

"Developing feasible plans for self-care after breast cancer can be a daunting task, and this is particularly true for African-Americans, whose risk of recurrence and poor health outcomes is greater than for Caucasian patients. Many women don't have a clear plan for follow-up care after their initial treatment, which can seriously affect their overall health and well-being," says Dr. Royak-Schaler, an associate professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine.

Breast cancer deaths are 38 percent higher in African-American women than in white women. This disparity has been linked to lack of access to primary health care and being diagnosed at a later stage when the disease is less treatable. Many African-American women also have what is known as "triple-negative" breast cancer, which doesn't respond as well to therapy.

"Sisters Network is pleased to collaborate with University of Maryland School of Medicine to increase breast cancer survivorship awareness," says Karen Jackson, founder and chief executive officer of Sisters Network, Inc. "Women need to know that survivorship is not only about defeating cancer, but adopting a healthy, active lifestyle that hopefully will prevent the cancer from returning."

The video features African-American breast cancer survivors talking about their experiences Stacy D. Garrett-Ray, M.D., a family medicine physician and clinical assistant professor of family and community medicine, and Cynthia L. Drogula, M.D., a breast surgeon and assistant professor of surgery.

"It's imperative that breast cancer survivors communicate with their doctors and understand what they need to do to take good care of themselves. Eating a healthy diet and exercising are very important. Taking part in a support group can also be very helpful in dealing with all the unique challenges of life after cancer," Dr. Garrett-Ray says. She is also medical director of the Baltimore City Cancer Program at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, which provides free cervical and breast cancer screening for uninsured women in Baltimore.

"We hope that this video will prove to be a useful educational tool not only for African-American breast cancer survivors but also the doctors who care for them," Dr. Garrett-Ray says.

Source: Dr. Renee Royak-Schaler, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Researchers have known for some time that 95 percent of the cells that shuttle sound to the brain are large, lively neurons found deep within the ear. These big boys have accounted for most of what scientists know about how hearing works. That said, however, scientist have also speculated that there could be a second set of rare, tiny cells that carry signals from the from the inner ear to the brain and play a part in how sound is processed.

A team of Johns Hopkins researchers report in the Oct. 22 issue of Nature that rat experiments have measured and recorded electrical activity of the type II neurons in the cochlea, snail-shell-like structure within the ear, for possibly the first time. Their research seems to confirm what had previously been posited that the cells do carry signals from the ear to the brain, and the sounds they likely respond to would need to be loud, such as sirens or alarms that might be even be described as painful or traumatic.

According to the researchers, they've also discovered that these cells perform by responding to glutamate, a neurotransmitter found throughout the nervous system that stimulate the cochlear to transmit acoustic information to the brain, released from sensory hair cells of the inner ear.

"No one thought recording them was even possible," says Paul A. Fuchs, Ph.D., the John E. Bordley Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and co-director of the Center for Sensory Biology in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and a co-author of the report. "We knew the type II neurons were there and now at last we know something about what they do and how they do it."

Working with week-old rats, neuroscience graduate student Catherine Weisz removed live, soft tissue from the fragile cochlea and, guided by a powerful microscope, touched electrodes to the tiny type II nerve endings beneath the sensory hair cells. Different types of stimuli were used to activate sensory hair cells, allowing Weisz to record and analyze the resulting signals in type II fibers.

Results showed that, unlike type I neurons which are electrically activated by the quietest sounds we hear, and which saturate as sounds get louder, each type II neuron would need to be hit hard by a very loud sound to produce excitation, Fuchs says.

Fuchs and his team postulate that the two systems may serve different functional roles. "There's a distinct difference between analyzing sound to extract meaning - Is that a cat meowing, a baby crying or a man singing? - versus the startle reflex triggered by a thunderclap or other sudden loud sound." Type II afferents may play a role in such reflexive withdrawals from potential trauma."

Source: Paul Fuchs, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Jhpiego, an international non-profit health care organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, has been selected as The Daily Record's 2009 Innovator of the Year Awards.

"We are honored to be named a 2009 Innovator of the Year by The Daily Record," says Dr. Leslie Mancuso, president and CEO of Jhpiego. "At Jhpiego, we are dedicated to saving the lives of women and their families. We do that by taking the science and creativity of Johns Hopkins University and use that knowledge to create low-cost health solutions that can be utilized in remote locations with few resources, like running water or electricity around the world.."

The Daily Record began the Innovator of the Year Awards in 2002 as a way to recognize Marylanders and Maryland-based companies for their innovative spirit � for creating new products, new programs, new services, or new processes that have helped their companies, industries, or communities.

There were more than 80 nominations for the 2009 awards nominated by readers, economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, and the business community at large. Nominees are then asked to complete an application, which explains their innovation, and the impact it has made on Maryland.

A renowned panel of judges reviewed the applications and whittled the list down to 25 winners for 2009, including the top Innovator of the Year. The winners were honored on October 14 at a cocktail reception, held at Baltimore's American Visionary Art Museum. Winners also were profiled in a special magazine that was included in the October 16 issue of The Daily Record.

Source: Leslie Mancuso, Jhpiego
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Using data gathered from Hurricane Katrina and four other destructive storms, researchers with Johns Hopkins and Texas A&M universities say they have discovered a way to accurately predict the number of power outages that will occur before a hurricane comes ashore. The study published in the current issue of the journal Risk Analysis.

The data garnered from the computer models could potentially result is significant financial savings for utility companies that could then conceivably be passed on to customers, according to the researchers say. In addition, the information could help companies determine appropriate utility crew levels and placements to facilitate rapid restoration of power following a severe storm.

The research focused on two common challenges facing utility companies as a hurricane is approaches -- deciding how many repair crews to request from other utilities, a decision that may cost the provider millions of dollars, and where to locate these crews within its service areas to enable fast and efficient restoration of service after the hurricane passes. The ability to accurately estimate the number of outages and where they will occur will allow utilities to better plan for the number and location of these crews, the researchers say.

What makes the research team's computational approach unique and increases its accuracy is the combination of more detailed information about the storm, the area it is impacting and the power system of the area, together with more appropriate statistical models.

"If the power company overestimates, it has spent a lot of unnecessary money," says Steven Quiring, an assistant professor of geography at Texas A&M. "If it underestimates, the time needed to restore power can take several extra days or longer, which is unacceptable to them and the people they serve. So these companies need the best estimates possible, and we think this study can help them make the best possible informed decision."

In addition, more accurate models "provide a much better basis for preparing for restoring power after the storm," Seth Guikema, an assistant professor of geography and environmental engineering at Johns Hopkins and formerly of Texas A&M says, adding that "the goal is to restore power faster and save customers money."

In developing their computer model, the researchers looked at damage data from five hurricanes: Dennis (1995), Danny (1997), Georges (1998), Ivan (2004) and Katrina (2005). In the areas studied, Ivan created 13,500 power outages; Katrina, more than 10,000; Dennis, about 4,800; Georges, 1,075; and Danny, 620.

For the worst of these storms, some customers were without power for up to 11 days. The research team collected information about the locations of outages in these past hurricanes, with an outage defined as permanent loss of power to a set of customers due to activation of a protective device in the power system.

The information also includes data about the power system in each area (poles, transformers, etc.), hurricane wind speeds, wetness of the soil, long-term average precipitation, the land use, local topography and other related factors. This was then used to train and validate a statistical regression model called a Generalized Additive Model, a particular form of model that can account for nonlinear relationships between the variables.

Source: Steven Quiring, Texas A&M
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Related links:

The team's "Risk Analysis" study:

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122542675/HTMLSTART

Seth Guikema's Web Page:

https://jshare.johnshopkins.edu/sguikem1/public_html/

Johns Hopkins Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering:

http://engineering.jhu.edu/~dogee/

Steven Quiring's Web Page:

http://geog.tamu.edu/~squiring/

Texas A&M video with Steven Quiring:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcnltgtiemQ&

A charitable donation from Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker to the Baltimore Community Foundation and its Baltimore City Public Schools Fund will help double Teach For America's corps size in Baltimore City Public Schools by the 2010-2011 academic year and has already had an impact on the size of this year's corps, helping build it to 243 teachers.

"The Baltimore Community Foundation created the Baltimore City Public Schools Fund to accept contributions from private individuals and businesses who wish to support excellence and innovation in our city's public schools," says BCF President and CEO Tom Wilcox. "Through their generous gift, Mr. Meyerhoff and Ms. Becker are helping Dr. Alonso implement his powerful vision for transforming public education in Baltimore."

Monies raised for the Baltimore City Public Schools Fund are available for special programs and activities in Baltimore schools. Requests by Andr�s A. Alonso, BCPS CEO are reviewed and approved by lead staff and trustees of BCF. Grants from the fund have supported a variety of projects and initiatives, from the Great Kids Come Back campaign, which helped re-enroll hundreds of students who had dropped out; to hiring teams of youth workers to help targeted schools change their culture and improve student behavior; to opening 24 new "Transformation Schools" serving grades 6-12 over the next four years.

Donors may also earmark contributions to the Baltimore City Public Schools Fund for specific purposes, as Mr. Meyerhoff and Ms. Becker have done for the Teach For America initiative.

"We are thrilled by, and extremely grateful for, this significant gift that allows City Schools and TFA-Baltimore to expand City Schools' teacher corps in this time of both economic challenge and critical momentum in our schools," says Dr. Alonso. "Teach For America is an important part of City Schools' overall strategy to improve teacher effectiveness in every classroom, and to continue to increase student achievement. On behalf of City Schools, I thank Mr. Meyerhoff and Ms. Becker for their tremendous generosity and commitment to our kids."

Teach For America, the national corps of top college graduates of all academic majors who commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools, came to Baltimore in 1992. Currently, 243 corps members teach in 87 Baltimore City public schools. In addition, 194 Teach For America alumni continue to work in Baltimore in the field of education.

The corps is growing from 163 in 2008-2009, to 243 in the current school year, to 318 by the 2010-2011 school year. The Meyerhoff-Becker gift makes this possible.

"We're grateful to Mr. Meyerhoff and Ms. Becker for their support of our efforts to reach the day when every child in our city will have the opportunity to achieve academic success," says Omari Todd, executive director of Teach For America-Baltimore. "With this partnership, we can continue to provide high-quality teachers and leaders who are committed to taking on the challenges of Baltimore City Public Schools and advocating effectively for fundamental, long-term change."

Source: Omari Todd, Teach for America-Baltimore
Writer: Walaika Haskins