Executive summaries of all recent reports issued by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering are available online. Most recent reports, including the three latest ones listed below, are also available in their entirety online in PDF format (please note that some files are large and may take a few minutes to download, depending on your connection speed). Hard copies of these three reports, as well as most previous reports, may be ordered for a nominal fee.

"A Needs-Based Analysis of the University of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC) Facilities Plan"

Released March 18, 2008

This study was commissioned under legislation adopted in 2007 by the Connecticut General Assembly as a result of a proposal presented to the General Assembly by UCHC to construct a 352-bed hospital to replace the aging 224-bed John Dempsey Hospital (JDH) that met with concern about the financial implications for hospitals in the Greater Hartford area. CASE and its Study Consultant, Tripp Umbach, a nationally recognized health care consultant,  reported the findings and recommendations of the study on March 18, 2008 at a Briefing for the Appropriations, Commerce, Finance, Revenue & Bonding, Higher Education & Employment Advancement, and Public Health Committees of the Connecticut General Assembly.

Guiding themes that emerged through the study process included:

• Commitment to a common vision and mission between UCHC and its clinical hospital partners for academic medicine (medical and dental education, clinical care, and biomedical research)
  
  
• Awareness of historical perspectives
  
  
• Development of sustainable effective collaborative relationships; access to state-of-the-art clinical care facilities
  
  
• Accountability to the General Assembly

The study’s recommendations are intended to be useful in shaping and motivating discussions with a goal of developing a productive regional environment for academic medicine. Both the full study and the Executive Summary are available on our website at the links below.

[Press Release] [Executive Summary in PDF format] [Full Report in PDF format]

"A Study of the Feasibility of Utilizing Fuel Cells to Generate Power for the New Haven Rail Line"

Released August 29, 2007

In 2006, the Connecticut General Assembly, in Public Act No. 06-136, mandated a study of “the feasibility of building a fuel cell power station to generate power for the New Haven Line.” This study was conducted for ConnDOT by the Connecticut Academy of Science and
Engineering (CASE), with ConnDOT required to report the study’s findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2008.

The objectives of the study are to define the applications for electric power on the New Haven Line; to determine the technical feasibility of fuel cell power plants to meet these requirements; to identify the economic consequences of using fuel cells; to recommend the best applications for use of fuel cells; and to identify additional effort required preparatory to issuing a request for bids on the most promising fuel cell applications.

[Executive Summary in PDF format] [Full Report in PDF format]

"Guidelines for Developing a Strategic Plan for Connecticut's Stem Cell Research Program"

Released May 24, 2007

According to the National Academies, new stem cell treatments potentially could help people suffering from diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s Disease, and many other disorders that are incurable now. Connecticut became the third state to fund stem cell research when Governor M. Jodi Rell
signed into law, on June 15, 2005, an act appropriating $20 million for grants-in-aid for
embryonic or human adult stem cell research. This act also allocated a total of $80 million ($10 million per year for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 2008 – June 30, 2015) from the state’s Tobacco Settlement Fund to support additional research through the Stem Cell Research Fund. The act established the Connecticut Stem Cell Research Advisory (SCRAC) Committee. Its primary focus has been awarding grants-in-aids to eligible institutions. After completing the initial research grant award process, the SCRAC began preparing for the next request for proposals (RFP) for awards, slated for August 2007.

Both rapidly expanding state and international investments in stem cell research highlight the importance of Connecticut’s focusing its resources as effectively as possible and adapting the program as necessary to achieve optimal results. Consequently, the SCRAC identified the need to develop a strategic plan to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of Connecticut as an International Center of Excellence for Stem Cell Research. The Department of Public Health (DPH) requested the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) to provide guidance and advice in developing the strategic plan. CASE engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) as its project consultant and convened a Study Committee to oversee PwC’s work and to develop suggestions for the SCRAC’s consideration.

[Executive Summary in PDF format] [Full Report in PDF format]

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This page last updated: June 2, 2008

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