Penley Panel

As national pundits predicted an economic downturn for the United States, Northern Colorado economists discussed how to protect the area's economic interests. This issue of The Competitive Edge covers such diverse issues as regional employment trends among primary businesses and national wage trends among rock musicians.

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Climbing mountains by rail generates economic benefits but negatively affects hiking experience

Policymakers should consider the trade-offs of mechanized means of ascending mountain peaks, a recent study suggests.

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Nitrogen affects ecosystem of Rocky Mountain National Park

Increased nitrogen in the park can upset the balance of the ecosystem, which can alter the growth of wildflowers, grasses, and trees.

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Air pollution could contribute to emergency room visits

A collaborative study will help determine if coarse particulate matter in the air is related to health emergencies along the Front Range.

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Global warming changes animals' hibernation patterns

Researchers investigate environmental factors that affect the metabolism and ultimate survival of common backyard animals.

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First-of-its-kind machine targets tumors with precision

A new technology developed by Colorado State researchers reduces the impact of radiation on surrounding healthy cells.

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Irrigated agriculture provides economic engine in rural communities

The economic contribution of irrigated crop production supports commercial livestock, meat-packing, and dairy industries.

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Employers work to protect Northern Colorado’s economic health

As a national economic downturn threatened in January, employers in Northern Colorado met with regional economic development leaders to discuss how to protect the area's economic health. Larimer County's elected officials, administrators, and primary employers – employers who export at least 50 percent of their goods and services outside the region – discussed factors that keep employers in the region and factors that force them to consider other locations nationally or internationally. The group also discussed the following trends, which were based on a study of primary employers in Larimer County, Colo., in 2006.

Primary employment trends

Source: Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation, Primary Employment Trends in Larimer County, January 2008. Access the full report.

Downturn deflator

"The University's technology spinoffs and its importance as a regional employer can help dampen any downturn."

— Martin Shields, regional economist, about Colorado State University’s presence in Northern Colorado in 2008 as the nation braces for a possible economic recession

Fact act

"We are able to base our decisions more on facts and less on opinion."

—Maury Dobbie, president and CEO of the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corp., concerning data provided by regional economist Martin Shields and used by Northern Colorado employers and elected officials to address economic issues

Rockin' wages

"The way they earned their income in the past is not the way they will earn it in the future."

—Ron Phillips, CSU professor of economics, about the effect of the changing music industry on musicians

No-doubt democracy

"If voters do not have confidence that their vote is counted correctly, then the most fundamental aspect of representative democracy is in doubt."

—Kyle Saunders, Colorado State University political science professor, about U.S. voter confidence and the link to a positive voter experience

Rock 'n' roll economics

Rock 'n' roll is a microcosm of entrepreneurship, says Ron Phillips, CSU professor of economics and author of a forthcoming book about the economics of the musical genre. One of the most important industries economically and culturally is the music industry, where people in the business must be entrepreneurial to succeed. But the business of music must change, Phillips says. "Record sales are down, and the industry is in trouble in terms of its business model." Phillips is getting a little help with his book: Students in his Entrepreneurship in the Music Industry seminar will help research such issues as whether rap artists sell more records if they've gone to jail, the best cities to release songs, and how technology and the Internet have changed the music industry.

Confident voters

Citizen confidence in the election system depends on procedural consistency, perceived fairness, and accountability, reports a new study by Colorado State University and the University of New Mexico. Bolstering confidence in the U.S. election system is directly linked to a positive voting experience, which includes casting a ballot on Election Day (instead of voting absentee or early) and using voting machines with verifiable results, the study concludes. Trained poll workers that appear competent, non-partisan, and helpful can enhance the voter experience as can ballots that are well designed, efficient, and unambiguous. The report, "The Effect of Election Administration on Voter Confidence: A Local Matter?," was based on a random survey of voters following the 2006 midterm election in two competitive congressional districts.

Light on lasers

Colorado State University scientists have dramatically improved the quality of laser light, a groundbreaking discovery valuable to the semiconductor manufacturing industry, which makes computer chips. The new technology generates short wavelength light about 13 nanometers (a human hair is about 60,000 nanometers), nearly 50 times shorter than visible light. The next generation of faster computer chips to incorporate the new laser light will likely be developed by 2010 or 2011, says the author of the research, CSU's Distinguished Professor Jorge Rocca. The lasers allow users to see tiny features, create extremely small patterns, and manipulate materials in ways that visible light can't. The work is part of the research conducted at the National Science Foundation's Center for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology – a partnership between Colorado State, the University of Colorado-Boulder, and the University of California, Berkeley.

Higher ed top 10

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities has compiled a list of the top 10 issues of higher-education policy expected to be at the nation's forefront in 2008.

1. Affordability
2. States' more-tepid fiscal forecasts
3. College preparation
4. Accountability
5. Campus security
6. Immigration
7. Themes raised in the 2008 presidential campaign
8. Affirmative action
9. Retooling state financial-aid programs
10. Economic development

Access the complete AASCU policy brief.

Iraqi animal health

Colorado State University scientists were in Iraq recently to help develop a comprehensive national animal health program in the war-torn country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the U.S. Embassies in Baghdad and Damascus, Colorado State, and other U.S. universities worked with the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture and nearly 100 Iraqi veterinarians, agriculturalists, and public officials on a plan to control Iraq’s five priority animal diseases: brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, foot-and-mouth, high pathogen avian influenza, and echinococcosis. Among the accomplishments: An outline was drafted to establish the Iraqi National Animal Health Program; the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture and the Kurdistan region agreed to collaborate on animal health activities across Iraq; and the seven veterinary colleges in Iraq agreed to standardize the curriculum and establish lines of research collaboration.