Governor taps U.Va.'s Jones, Block

Anita K. Jones, the Quarles Professor of Engineering and chair of the Virginia 2020 Science and Technology Commission, is co-chairing a new commission to advise Gov. Jim Gilmore on research and technology strategy issues.

Also named to the 29-member Virginia Research and Technology Advisory Commission is Vice President for Research and Public Service Gene D. Block.

The commission is made up of senior research managers from the state's research universities, federal laboratories located in the Commonwealth and the state's technology-intensive industries. It will provide advice on how to best leverage the funds in the new Commonwealth Technology Research Fund, passed by the General Assembly this year, and will also conduct or comment upon a number of related state studies.

Two topics likely to be considered by the commission are recommendations for a broad research and development strategy for the state and for enhancements to policies supporting the licensing of intellectual property developed by Virginia's universities, according to a press release issued by Gilmore's office.