By Dennis Posadas

WITH the rise of institutions like the UP Ayala Technohub (a Silicon Valley-like enclave at the UP Diliman campus) and Filipinos like Dado Banatao (hardware/semiconductors) and Winston Damarillo (open source software), one would think that we are on our way to developing a local Silicon Valley-type environment like Beijing’s Zhongguancun district or India’s Bangalore. It is nice to talk and dream about these things, especially since we have a lot of technopreneurs in ICT, in telecoms, in software, hardware and other technologies. But as Kevin Costner said in the movie Field of Dreams, “if you build it they will come.” By it, we mean an ecosystem for innovation.

First we need a source of innovation. Typically, it can come from universities like UP, government R&D labs, private corporations that have research arms, or even individuals. The problem sometimes with innovation that comes from corporations that do research, as in the case of Route 128 in Boston, Massachusetts in the 60’s and 70’s, is that oftentimes these are confidential research. No wonder, it is research done for the advancement of the business, and not some altruistic “blue sky” research.

On the other hand, universities oftentimes engage in extremely theoretical research, because their aim is primarily knowledge creation. “Publish or perish” is the credo often heard in the academe, and to do research with business overtones has traditionally been viewed as a sellout to the establishment. So here you have two extremes, pulling scientists and engineers towards the two ends of the spectrum. Another source of innovation are the government R&D institutions like the DoST ASTI, which has developed the Bayanihan Linux operating system for example.

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Agence France-Presse

SAN FRANCISCO–TED on Monday began hunting for heroes in hard-pressed lands.

The Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) group famous for attracting outstanding entrepreneurs, scientists, and celebrities is opening its arms to embrace promising visionaries with life-changing dreams but meager budgets.

The door to apply, or nominate people, to be TEDGlobal fellows was opened on Monday and will close on April 3. Those chosen for fellowships will take part in this year’s TED conference in Britain at the expense of organizers.

Fellowship application information is available online.

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On Tuesday morning, news of hundreds of dolphins stucked in the shallow waters in Bataan baffled scientists from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). What could have driven these animals to shore at the risk of drowning.

According to one Filipino scientist, the dolphins could be reacting to a “heat wave or disturbance at sea” such as a possible major underwater earthquake.

Some interesting details from the Izah Morales’ story on INQUIRER.net:

Dolphins, which are mammals, have ears that are sensitive to large changes in pressure underwater, he said.

“If their eardrums are damaged they become disorientated and they float up to the surface.”

…smaller schools of dolphins numbering “in the tens and twenties” had beached themselves elsewhere in the Philippines previously, but this was the first time so many had done so at the same time and place.

This story was eventually picked up by foreign media, including the Daily Mail, which collated photos of the phenomenon.

What drove those animals to swim to shallow waters?

(Photo courtesy of AFP)

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

GOVERNMENT agencies and state universities and colleges (SUCs) must align their research and development (R&D) funding efforts, a lawmaker said.

Senator Edgardo Angara said this year is a tough time and requires the country’s R&D policymakers to limit research priorities to extend the value of limited resources.

“We are in the midst of a recession this 2009 and we have a limited R&D budget. Given this, we must spend it wisely and ensure R&D efforts benefit the industry and create jobs,” Angara said.

This year, the focus of researches include solar and wind energy and vaccine research.

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By Jennifer Gonzalez
Agence France-Presse

CLEVELAND — Doctors hailed a groundbreaking transplant to replace 80 percent of a woman’s face, saying Wednesday it is a means for the severely disfigured to “face the world” without humiliation.

It was the world’s first near-total facial transplant and the fourth known facial transplant to have been successfully performed to date.

“We need the face to face the world,” said lead surgeon and researcher Maria Siemionow of the Cleveland Clinic.

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