House Concurrent Resolution 85

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE MISSISSIPPI TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER AT THE JOHN C. STENNIS SPACE CENTER AS A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES.

WHEREAS, in 1978, the State of Mississippi built a 50,000 square foot facility at the John C. Stennis Space Center in order to facilitate the transfer of technology from NASA, the United States Navy and other federal agencies located in south Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, this facility is known as Building 1103, the Mississippi Technology Transfer Center; and

WHEREAS, on May 20, 1987, Executive Order Number 576 was signed by Governor Bill Allain to allocate 30% of the Mississippi Technology Transfer Center for the state to operate a technology transfer effort to produce high-wage technology jobs; and

WHEREAS, the 1987 Executive Order Number 576 and Chapter 518, General Laws of 1988, established at the John C. Stennis Space Center a Mississippi Technology Transfer Office to build upon the technology base that exists in south Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, in 1995, the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, Inc., was established in cooperation with the Mississippi Development Authority, NASA and the institutions of higher learning in the State of Mississippi, and is located in Building 1103; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, Inc., a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to creating high-skill, high-wage jobs in Mississippi, currently operates a technology based business incubator in Building 1103 in order to provide support for the growth of start-up technology businesses in south Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the Center of Higher Learning, which is a partnership between the University of Southern Mississippi and other institutions of higher learning, including Jackson State University, is also located in Building 1103 and provides academic programs to support the growth of these small businesses; and

WHEREAS, in 1999, the Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions was established as a research partnership between the University of Mississippi and NASA to sponsor the development of nationally recognized remote sensing companies in Building 1103; and

WHEREAS, in 2002, the GeoResources Institute, which is a program established by Mississippi State University, opened an office in Building 1103 to support the development of geospatial technologies at the John C. Stennis Space Center; and

WHEREAS, there now exists in the Mississippi Technology Transfer Center 22 geospatial companies, four nonprofit research and commercialization companies, offices of four major research universities and a high performance visualization laboratory supporting 132 jobs in geospatial technologies; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend excellence in outstanding technological centers, such as the Mississippi Technology Transfer Center, which has forged new boundaries, becoming one of the most premier centers for geospatial technological advancement in national and international communities:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize the Mississippi Technology Transfer Center at the John C. Stennis Space Center as a Center of Excellence for Geospatial Technologies in the State of Mississippi.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Mississippi Technology Transfer Center at the John C. Stennis Space Center and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.