Without a doubt, the home tour and block party is one of HYP’s premier events, and trust me - you will get your money’s worth with this one! Starting at 2pm, tour a number of beautiful downtown homes while sampling food from Harrisburg’s finest restaurants. Following the home tours at 5pm, HYP kicks off their annual block party with unlimited food, drink, and fun. Local bands Sabrina Duke and The Chuck Britton Project will provide the entertainment taking place at 222 N. 3rd Street (Vartan parking lot).

All this for $15! ($20 at the door) And the best part is, ticket proceeds go to HYP’s Harrisburg University Scholarship fund. Go to HYP.org to buy tickets online and get ready for an absolutely incredible time. You are sure to be impressed with Harrisburg’s downtown homes, enjoy exceptional cuisine, and meet a host of new people at the 10th Annual City Living Tour and Block Party - see you there!

The Innovation Transfer Network (ITN), a partnership among 13 institutions of higher education in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon counties, provides business assistance, technology assessment, and this year a total of $127,000 in seed funding for technology transfer activities. Specifically, the seed grants provide up to $10,000 to educational institutions to encourage further development of projects that are close to commercialization. The process is competitive and preference is given to those projects that involve a private sector partner. This year the program received the most applications of any year, and 12 of the 14 projects chosen for funding had private sector relationships.

Funded projects include a reversible vas deferens occlusion device, a human skin color sensor, and an automobile battery saving bypass circuit to name a few. To view all 14 funded projects check out www.InnovationTransferNetwork.org.

The Innovation Transfer Network is a regional collaborative linking higher education institutions, economic development organizations and private sector business in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon counties.

Wednesday, May 14th, 10am-noon at the Hershey Center for Applied Research, HCAR will launch its cutting-edge social networking/scientific mapping online community called KnowledgeMesh™. Simon Revell, Manager of Enterprise 2.0 Technology Development at Pfizer will be the keynote speaker for this exciting event. There is no cost to attend the event, but registration is required. Click here to register.

What is KnowledgeMesh™? The online application is designed to advance R&D in the life sciences and high technology sectors through quality interactions between industry, academia, government, investors, workforce and support organizations that are located around the globe. Through KnowledgeMesh™ the research park is positioning itself as a ‘concierge’ to the business services and scientific resources provided by these various communities and as a result, is helping to develop mutually beneficial opportunities among and between these constituencies. Everyone has something to contribute to HCAR KnowledgeMesh™ regardless of your expertise, so establish your profile and get connected today!

After I stumbled upon this group on Meetup.com I immediately had to help get the word out. What a great way to meet new people and enjoy some incredible cuisine! The group has over 100 members (and growing) and has already planned a few meetups at local sushi spots - the last of which had 44 people in attendance! The group does maintain a blog if you’d like to read up on them, and they are planning their next meetup at Miyako Sushi in downtown Harrisburg on May 16th. They anticipate increasing the number of meetups hosted in order to accommodate the large interest, so expect to see more sushi meetups in the near future.

So I noticed a small headline on PennLive this morning that I just had to share - a human body exhibit here in Harrisburg! I’ve seen similar exhibits in Baltimore and Philly but this is going to be inside the Whitaker Center! Obviously I’m kind of excited about this, as the displays are incredible. If you haven’t already seen any human body exhibits you really need to make some time for this, you will be blown away at the complexity of the body. What they do if you’re not familiar is place human bodies in everyday positions and pull back certain parts of organs and skin to show what’s underneath and inside. Really fascinating and definitely not something you see everyday (hopefully).

Anyway the exhibit will be coming to the Whitaker Center beginning on June 7th, with tickets ranging from $16-$22. See it for yourself, you’ll be glad you did.

Posted by DAN MILLER, Of The Patriot-News April 29, 2008 13:38PM

The Hershey Center for Applied Research is hosting a 3 panel discussion on various aspects of turning a concept into a commercial product. The event will take place Wednesday, April 23rd from 4:30-6:30pm.

Prestigious Speakers for this event include:

Erin Byrne, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lepton Technologies

Hans Pfister, Ph.D., Dickinson College, Associate Professor of Physics

Mary Powell, Intellectual Property Attorney, Powell Law PC

Steve Brawley, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA (Host)

Sponsors of this event include:

Harrisburg Market Keystone Innovation Zone
Hershey Center for Applied Research
Innovation Transfer Network

Following the discussion there will be a reception and tour of the Hershey Center for Applied Research.

Registration is free and can be completed online here.

Well the tickets are sold out, so don’t even bother calling Messiah College to request a seat at the compassion forum. The good news is, the event will be aired live on CNN starting at 8pm April 13th, moderated by Campbell Brown and Newsweek’s Jon Meacham. The forum will cover a range of interesting topics that may require the democratic candidates to navigate their answers delicately through questions about moral and ideological issues.

More information about the forum can be found at www.Messiah.edu

There is currently an entrepreneurial initiative being put together to get body building suppliments to our troops overseas at wholesale prices. For many troops operating in Iraq and Afghanistan, weightlifting and exercise not only keeps them fit for combat, but it is also many times the only way to pass the time. Additionally, it is a healthy outlet for releasing the stress that builds up from long deployments.

An entrepreneur and Iraq war marine veteran by the name of Seargant Keith Reilly is proposing to purchase bodybuilding supplements wholesale and sell them to the troops at the various military installations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This will give the troops access to the supplements that they couldn’t otherwise receive at reasonable prices.

So what can you do to support this effort? Merely cast your vote on Idea Blob, a website that hands out $10,000 every month to the idea that receives the most votes. Currently, the proposed idea to get suppliments to the troops has made it to this week’s top ideas. Your vote can really make a difference, click the link below and help make this idea a reality!

HARRISBURG, Pa. (April 8, 2008)–Select Medical Corporation, a leading provider of specialty health care with headquarters in Mechanicsburg, has announced a $2.6 million gift to Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. The gift is the largest philanthropic investment by a corporation in the six-year history of the University, and it will establish the Select Medical Corporation Conference Center in the University’s new 16-story Academic Center under construction at 326 Market Street in Harrisburg. Robert Ortenzio, Select Medical’s Chief Executive Officer, announced the gift on April 8th during a press conference at the University. Joining Mr. Ortenzio for the announcement were Harrisburg University President Mel Schiavelli and R. Timothy Weston, Esq., Chair of the University Board of Trustees. “Select Medical is proud to make this historic gift to Harrisburg University and support the advancement of this growing university,” said Robert Ortenzio. “Harrisburg University offers excellent educational opportunities that benefit young adults, working professionals and local businesses. This gift demonstrates Select Medical’s belief that education is key to ensuring a strong, viable future for the region.” The Select Medical Conference Center will be located on the 14th floor, the highest occupied floor, of the Academic Center. The Select Medical Conference Center will be host to countless events and programs for the University as well as community, education and corporate groups. The floor will also house the University’s senior administrative offices. “Select Medical has stepped forward to help realize the vision of Harrisburg University, and this gift is yet another example of Select Medical’s commitment to the future of our region,” says. Dr. Schiavelli. “A gift of this magnitude has the power to propel our University forward, allowing us to prepare more students to join the high-tech science and technology workforce that is vital to the economy of this region and the state. We look forward to strengthening this important partnership that benefits our students and faculty, and the entire Central Pennsylvania community.” Dr. Schiavelli notes that the timing of this gift is especially opportune as a crisis looms on the horizon because of a national shortage of students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. “The gift enhances our ability to produce highly qualified graduates at the undergraduate and graduate levels who are able to serve the changing needs of businesses in the Commonwealth,” says Dr. Schiavelli. “It is sustained strategic philanthropic investments from the private sector like this one from Select Medical that will ultimately determine whether Harrisburg University becomes the preeminent institution it has the potential to become.” “The increasing intensity of global competition makes philanthropic investments by corporations more important than ever before,” Mr. Weston said. “We are honored by Select Medical’s confidence in our students and faculty, and we will meet the challenge by producing exceptional graduates who are well-prepared for careers in the region’s growing knowledge-based economy.” The gifts are designated to support CONNECT: The Campaign for Harrisburg University–the University’s inaugural comprehensive fundraising campaign that was publicly launched at the Groundbreaking Gala Celebration in November 2006. The Select Medical gift raises the current total of commitments to approximately $31.6-million or 80 percent toward the goal of $40-million. “Corporate support of this magnitude is what will make the University’s campaign a success, as well as ensure the continued fast-paced rise of Harrisburg University as a prominent institution of higher education in the Commonwealth,” says Marcus S. Lingenfelter, vice president for University Advancement at Harrisburg University. “We encourage other corporations and organizations to consider their own philanthropic investments–what impact they wish to make and what legacy they wish to leave.” Select Medical Corporation is a national provider of specialized health care encompassing long-term acute care, inpatient medical rehabilitation, outpatient physical rehabilitation and contract therapy. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Select Medical has been recognized as one of “America’s Best Managed Companies” by Forbes Magazine, as well as a “Best Place to Work in Pennsylvania” for the past five years. Founded in 1996 by Rocco Ortenzio and Robert Ortenzio, Select Medical is a privately held company with more than 21,000 employees throughout the United States. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian teaching university that offers applied academic programs in the nationally-critical STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The University’s mission also includes a dedication to meet the needs of the Capital Region’s youth, workforce, and businesses to expand, attract, and create economic opportunities.

Contact:

Steven M. Infanti Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications Harrisburg University of Science and Technology 717.901.5146 or Sinfanti@HarrisburgU.net

Carolyn Curnane VP, Corporate Communications Select Medical Corporation 717.730.4221 or CCurnane@SelectMedicalCorp.com