ND EPSCoR State Steering Committee
The ND EPSCoR State Steering Committee is composed of individuals with representation from the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education; legislative branches; North Dakota Commerce and Public Instruction Departments; tribal college, primarily undergraduate, master’s college/university, and research university campuses; as well as private business and research university technology parks. There is currently one vacancy in representation from the legislative branch. The committee's directives are to
- Provide direction to ND EPSCoR regarding research in focal areas that are based on the strengths of our research universities.
- Contribute to North Dakota's Science and Technology Plan (S&T Plan). One of the requirements of NSF EPSCoR is that each state develop and approve an S&T Plan that provides a broad perspective of the economic and educational goals of the state.
- Ensure that North Dakota's NSF RII Track-1 efforts are meeting the needs of the state and reflect the priorities laid out in the S&T Plan.
John Warford, Committee Chair, DDS.
Member, State Board of Higher Education
Committee Appointed by NDUS Chancellor
Warford Orthodontics, Bismarck
john.warford.sbhe@ndus.edu
Representative Corey Mock
Democrat
Term End: 06/30/2023
District 18, Grand Forks
crmock@nd.gov
Twyla Baker, Committee Vice Chair, Ph.D.
President
Term End: 06/30/2026
Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
tbaker@nhsc.edu
Senator Merrill Piepkorn
Democrat
Term End: 06/30/2023
District 44, Fargo
mpiepkorn@nd.gov
Representative Vicky Steiner
Republican
Term End: 06/30/2026
District 37, Dickinson
vsteiner@nd.gov
Steve Snow
Assistant Director
Committee Appointed
School Approval & Organization
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
fsnow@nd.gov
Andre DeLorme, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Science Department
Term End: 06/30/2026
Valley City State University
andre.delorme@vcsu.edu
Colleen Fitzgerald, Ph.D.
Vice President, Research and Creative Activity
Committee Appointed
North Dakota State University
colleen.fitzgerald@ndsu.edu
Meagan Gelinske
a) Independent Consultant
b) Investment Advisor
Term End: 06/30/2026
a) Self Employed
b) Future Bright LLC
meagandeegelinske@msn.com
Amy Whitney, Ed.D.
Director, Center for Innovation
Committee Appointed
University of North Dakota
amy.whitney@und.edu
Chris Nelson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Graduate School
Committee Appointed
Associate Professor, Graduate School
University of North Dakota
chris.nelson@und.edu
Kelly A. Rusch, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE (ex-officio member)
ND EPSCoR Executive State Director and PI
Professor; Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering
North Dakota State University
kelly.rusch@ndsu.edu
Brian Kalk, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Committee Appointed
NDSU Research and Technology Park
brian@ndsuresearchpark.com
John Mihelich, Ph.D. (ex-officio member)
ND EPSCoR Associate Project Director and Co-PI
Interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development/Faculty Fellow
Division of Research & Economic Development
University of North Dakota
john.mihelich@und.edu
James Leiman, Ph.D.
North Dakota State Commerce Commissioner
Committee Appointed
jleiman@nd.gov
Jean Ostrom-Blonigen, Ph.D., CPA (ex-officio member)
ND EPSCoR State Project Administrator and Co-PI
ND EPSCoR State Office
North Dakota State University
jean.ostrom@ndus.edu
Science & Technology Plan Sub-Committee
One of the requirements of NSF EPSCoR is that each state develop and approve an S&T Plan that provides a broad perspective of the economic and educational goals of the state. The Science & Technology Plan Sub-Committee is a sub-committee of the ND EPSCoR State Steering Committee.
Sub-Committee Membership
Andre DeLorme, Ph.D., Sub-Committee Chair
Francis Casey, Ph.D., representing North Dakota State University
Meagan Gelinske
Chris Nelson, Ph.D.
Karol Riedman, representing the North Dakota University System
Jerry Rostad, representing the North Dakota University System
Representative Vicky Steiner
Joshua Teigen, representing Commerce
John Warford, DDS.
Kelly Rusch, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE (ex-officio)