See the latest technologies. Gain knowledge on web based marketing, software, e business, infrastructure and security. Registration is free. View the Schedule
Wednesday, June 23    7:30 a.m.- noon
Wildwood Conference Center,  Harrisburg

Reflecting the web's ever-increasing impact on everything from pop culture to politics, Howard Dean, Al Jazeera, and Martha Stewart are among the 150 eclectic nominees competing for The 8th Annual Webby Awards, The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences® recently announced. With record numbers of people going online to follow, debate, and influence world events, the Academy unveiled the nominees for the year's best web sites in 30 categories, including Activism, Community, Film, Music, News, Personal Web Sites, Politics, and Spirituality. A complete list of nominees is available at http://www.webbyawards.com/main/webby_awards/nominees.html.

Penn Stateis taking the identity theft crisis seriously and eliminating social security numbers as student identifiers. In just eight months the university will officially adopt new Penn State ID numbers, or PSU IDs, (formatted as 9-9999-9999) as the primary identifier of students, faculty and staff. The University still will be required to collect Social Security numbers (SSNs), but their use will be strictly limited as outlined in a new official University policy. Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/6480

The Pittsburgh Business Times will kick off Bizwomen Connect, a four-part series of luncheon/lectures to be held at the Rivers Club. The series features speakers who will discuss the women's business market from many perspectives, including how anyone - men included - can market to the fastest-growing segment of our economy - women-owned businesses. The first luncheon will be held May 10, 2004 at the Rivers Club in Oxford Centre from noon to 1:15 p.m. The event is being sponsored by Buchanan Ingersoll. To register on line, visit http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/networking/events/10564 or contact Richard Cerilli, rcerilli@bizjournals.com (412-481-6397).

2004 Entrepreneur and Growth Company Day will be held on June 3 at the Radisson Penn Harris, Camp Hill from 11:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The event features seminars and the opportunity to meet one-on-one with key business advisors. For more details on the event or to register, please visit www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org and click through to the events page.

Pennsylvania Women's Business Center , a support and training center for female entrepreneurs, is open for business. The center, a division of the nonprofit Community First Fund, also will offer loans through its Women's Business Loan Fund and through small and micro-loan programs offered by Community First. The center is at 30 W. Orange St. in Lancaster. It is supported with funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration. For information, go to www.pawomensbusinesscenter.com.

The following federal funding opportunities were obtained from SSTI (www.ssti.org)

Department of Defense
The Air Force Research Laboratory has announced it will be soliciting proposals for continued development and enhancement of the current operational targeting functionality of joint targeting automation software towards full automation of all needed targeting capabilities. One contract award of up to $48 million is anticipated. The award is expected to have an ordering period of 60 months, with the potential for performance to continue up to 12 months thereafter. Interested parties will be required to have 35 Top Secret SCI clearances at the time of award. Full and open competition is encouraged, although foreign participation is excluded at the prime contractor level. The full solicitation is expected to be released within the third quarter of the government fiscal year 2004. More information is available at: http://www2.eps.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLRRS/FA8750-04-R-0037/listing. html

Department of Health and Human Services The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) invites applications for funding to support research projects that involve secondary data analyses using existing database resources. Applications may be related to, but must be distinct from, the specific aims of the original data collection. Applicants may request a project period of up to two years and a budget for direct costs of up to $100,000 per year. Eligible are for-profit and nonprofit organizations; public or private institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals and laboratories; units of state and local governments; eligible agencies of the federal government; domestic or foreign institutions; and faith- or community-based organizations. Applications will be accepted through Sept. 2, 2007. More information is available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-fil es/PAR-04-091.html

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
DHS is soliciting proposals to establish proof-of-concept for Next-Generation Explosives Detection System (EDS) Threat Image Projection (TIP) software. This solicitation invites current EDS vendors, as well as third parties with advanced knowledge of three-dimensional data manipulation, to respond with Fictional Threat Image TIP software concepts that may be integrated seamlessly into existing EDS software. This project is expected to be completed within a 12- to 24-month period. Independent teams and organizations are encouraged to reply. White papers are due May 28, 2004. More information is available at: http://www2.eps.gov/spg/DHS-BT/TSA/HQTSA/HSTS04-04-R-146/listing.html

DHS also is soliciting proposals for funding under the Bioinformatics and Assays Development program, which seeks to extend the existing family of detection and forensics assays and to develop next generation assays and new tools for assay development. Proposals are sought in five technical topic areas: (1) extension of baseline protein and nucleic acid assays, 2) assays for new, emerging or engineered threats, (3) bioinformatics tools, (4) assays and tools for forensic analysis, and (5) methods to characterize extraction and preparation methods. Multiple awards are anticipated. Single investigators or teams from private sector organizations, government laboratories, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, academic institutions and some Department of Energy labs may submit responses. White papers are due May 14, 2004; proposals are due July 14, 2004. More information is available at: http://www2.eps.gov/spg/DHS-DR/OCPO/DHS-OCPO/HSSCHQ-04-R-00485/listing.html