Health, Nanotechnology workshops prepare OCAST applicants to compete for research funding

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

OCAST, the state’s technology-based economic development agency, has scheduled six workshops, three each for the Oklahoma Health Research program and the Oklahoma Nanotechnology Applications Project. The free workshops are designed to help potential applicants who wish to compete for funding under the OCAST programs.

Both sets of workshops are scheduled in Oklahoma City, Stillwater and Tulsa, at the same locations, however, at different times of the day.

Programs staff from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology will conduct the workshops at the following locations:

Oklahoma Nanotechnology Applications Project

Nanotechnology workshops will be from 10 a.m. to noon. To register, visit the OCAST web site at www.ocast.ok.gov or contact tessa.north@ocast.ok.gov.

• January 11, Oklahoma City, Metro Tech Springlake, 1700 Springlake Drive, Room 123
• January 12, Stillwater, Meridian Technology Center for Business Development, 1414 Sangre Road, Training Room 104N
• January 13, Tulsa, OSU Center for Health Sciences, 1111 W. 17th Street, Room D-107

Oklahoma Health Research Program

Health Research workshops will be from 1:30 to 3 p.m. To register, visit the OCAST web site at www.ocast.ok.gov or contact tessa.north@ocast.ok.gov.

• January 11, Oklahoma City, Metro Tech Springlake, 1700 Springlake Drive, Room 123
• January 12, Stillwater, Meridian Technology Center for Business Development, 1414 Sangre Road, Training Room 104N
• January 13, Tulsa, OSU Center for Health Sciences, 1111 W. 17th Street, Room D-107

The purpose of the Health Research program is to:  (1) strengthen the competitiveness of Oklahoma health researchers for national research funds; (2) recruit and retain outstanding health research scientists for the state; (3) improve health care for Oklahomans; and (4) strengthen the state’s health care industry.  Research funded under the program investigates the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of human diseases and disabilities and facilitates the development of innovative health care products and services.

The Oklahoma Nanotechnology Applications Project (ONAP) was created by the Oklahoma legislature to initiate a statewide project to accomplish the following: (1) provide funding and technical support for the application of nanotechnology and assist later stage development of nanotechnology; (2) provide education about nanotechnology to the state’s economic development network, researchers, manufacturers and businesses; and (3) sustain the Oklahoma Nanotechnology Initiative (ONI) begun in 2005.

OCAST uses independent peer review to determine successful applicants.