Beltway Biz

George Mason University's Institute of Public Policy has established a continuing career program thanks to a three-year, $1.2 million grant from NASA. Under the program, transitioning government and private industry employees will work with George Mason faculty and graduate students on projects that benefit the space program or other national interests.

Frank Hoban, director of the program at George Mason, called it "a unique way to accommodate persons who might be affected by downsizing."

The grant allows experienced NASA employees as well as other government and private sector employees to be hired through the university to work on selected projects. Team selections will be made by George Mason and the participating organization, according to a GMU statement.
More than 200 people turned out for Maryland's Oct. 8 TechFast, the first in a series of breakfasts planned to bring together members of the state's high-tech community.

A similar event will be held Nov. 20 in the Greater Baltimore area, and seven TechFasts will be held through 1999, said breakfast organizers, the High Technology Council of Maryland and the TechGazette. The latter is published by The Washington Post Co., which owns Washington Technology.

Guest speakers included Wayne Hockmeyer, president, CEO and founder of MedImmune Inc.; Capers McDonald, president and CEO of BioReliance Corp.; and Jeannette Lee White, president and founder of Sytel Inc.
Up to 15 Northern Virginia technology companies will get aid from Virginia and the federal government to improve their export efforts.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership received a $348,000 grant from the Commerce Department. The partnership, which is funded by the commonwealth of Virginia, will match the grant. Virginia Tech in Blacksburg also will match the funding, said Jill Lawrence, partnership spokeswoman.

With the money, the economic development partnership plans to hire a full-time coordinator to work with 10 to 15 Northern Virginia companies that already are exporting products and services but need help overcoming trade barriers. The coordinator will be based at the Center for Innovative Technology in Herndon.