NSF Track-1 Award
National Science Foundation (NSF)
EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Track-1 Awards:
2014-2020 NSF EPSCoR Track-1 Cooperative Agreement, Award Number 1355466
Principal Investigator (PI): Kelly A. Rusch, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE; NDSU
Co-PIs: John Mihelich, Ph.D.; UND and Jean Ostrom-Blonigen, Ph.D., CPA; ND EPSCoR
What is the Track-1?
Innovative and Strategic Program Initiatives for Research and Education-North Dakota (INSPIRE-ND), ND EPSCoR’s oldest NSF cooperative agreement, in its seventh year and carries an 80/20% federal/state match.[1]
Track-1 Impact
In addition to the funding the research activities of these two centers, INSPIRE-ND faculty researchers at the 11 participating CRCS and CSMS campuses were eligible to compete for additional funding opportunities. View the INSPIRE-ND funding opportunity awardees.
Building on strategic NSF and ND investments made since ND EPSCoR began, INSPIRE-ND has:
- developed two new research platforms through the Center for Regional Climate Change (CRCS) and the Center for Sustainable Materials Science (CSMS)
- fostered critical research infrastructure, and
- integrated research, education and human resources with workforce development initiatives to strengthen the state’s overall research competitiveness.
The collective impact has been active involvement in research, outreach, education, and diversity activities throughout the state.
The 11 ND EPSCoR-participating institutions include three primarily undergraduate institutions (PUI), one master's college/university (MCU), five tribal colleges/universities (TCU), and two research universities (RU). Their participation in each Center is outlined below.
[1] Unlike a grant, a cooperative agreement is “a type of assistance award which may be used when the project being supported requires substantial agency involvement during the project performance period”. As a result, shown by the documents below, NSF has been substantially involved in the technical, managerial, and coordination activities of ND EPSCoR’s INSPIRE-ND project.
Track-1 Participants
Center for Regional Climate Studies (CRCS)
- About CRCS: Global climate impacts both regional weather and agricultural productivity. Through modeling and simulation efforts, CRCS seeks to understand how climate impacts North Dakota hydrology, land health and use, biomass production, and human behavior, related to agriculture.
- Participant Institutions:
- Dickinson State University (DSU, located in Dickinson, ND)
- North Dakota State University (NDSU, located in Fargo, ND)
- Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (NHSC, located in New Town, ND)
- Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC, located in Belcourt, ND)
- United Tribes Technical College (UTTC, located in Bismarck, ND)
- University of North Dakota (UND, located in Grand Forks, ND)
- Valley City State University (VCSU, located in Valley City, ND)
Center for Sustainable Materials Science (CSMS)
- CSMS faculty
- About CSMS: CSMS seeks to advance discoveries of bio-based, sustainable materials that can replace petrochemicals in common materials and coatings. The research focuses on using ND agricultural products that can contribute to the state's economy, while finding new uses for these lower cost and renewable feedstocks that are environmentally considerate.
- Participant Institutions:
- Cankdeska Cikana Community College (CCCC, located in Fort Totten, ND)
- Mayville State University (located in Mayville, ND)
- Minot State University (located in Minot, ND)
- North Dakota State University (NDSU, located in Fargo, ND)
- Sitting Bull College (SBC, located in Fort Yates, ND)
- University of North Dakota (UND, located in Grand Forks, ND)
Track-1 Research Programmatic Element Participants
The Track-1 Research Programmatic Element Participants include participants in:
- Diversity
- Education and Workforce Development
- Partnerships, Collaborations and Communications
Track-1 Strategic Plan
- ND EPSCoR RII Track-1 Strategic Plan 2014-2021
- Previous versions of the Strategic Plan:
- ND EPSCoR RII Track-1 Strategic Plan 2014-2019 Revised March 2018 following NSF site visit
- ND EPSCoR RII Track-1 Strategic Plan 2014-2019 Revised November 2016 following NSF reverse site visit
- ND EPSCoR RII Track-1 Strategic Plan 2014-2019 Initial Strategic Plan
Track-1 Report Booklet
The ND EPSCoR Track-1 research booklet (2017) features participants and their research in the Center for Regional Climate Studies and the Center for Sustainable Materials Science under the current NSF EPSCoR Track-1 cooperative agreement.
Track-1 Researcher Documents
State Strategic Plan for Science & Technology in North Dakota:
Research Impacts
Year 5 (August 2018 - July 2019)
- Center for Regional Climate Studies (CRCS)
Improved Macro-scale Hydrologic Modeling and Applications in Cold Climate Regions
- Center for Sustainable Materials Science (CSMS)
Novel Thermally Degradable Polymers
- Education and Workforce Development
Training the Workforce for the 21st Century
Year 4 (August 2017 - July 2018)
- Center for Regional Climate Studies (CRCS)
Modeling Acreage Responses to Climate and Economic Variations
- Center for Sustainable Materials Science (CSMS)
Soysomes: Soy-based nanoparticles for molecular delivery
- Education and Workforce Development
Distributed Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
Year 3 (August 2016 - July 2017)
- Center for Regional Climate Studies (CRCS)
Northern Great Plains research
- Center for Sustainable Materials Science (CSMS)
Novel biomass polymers and composites research
- K-12 Outreach
K12 student interest in STEM
Year 2 (August 2015 - July 2016)
- Center for Regional Climate Studies (CRCS)
Hydrological Modeling Systems
- Center for Sustainable Materials Science (CSMS)
Green Chemistry
- Partnerships, Collaborations and Communications
Building the STEM Pipeline
Year 1 (August 2014 - July 2015)
- Center for Regional Climate Studies (CRCS)
Hydrological Study
- Center for Sustainable Materials Science (CSMS)
Degradable Plastics
- Geodome Planetarium
K-12 Outreach
ND EPSCoR NSF RII Track-1 INSPIRE-ND External Advisory Board
The NSF RII Track-1 INSPIRE-ND External Advisory Board (EAB) is composed of seven individuals from universities and organizations outside of North Dakota who provide insight and support for the current Track-1 effort.
Kathryn Uhrich, Ph.D.; Board Chair | James Kenar, Ph.D.; Board Co-chair |
Ann Marie Chischilly, LL.M. | Diana Dalbotten, Ph.D. |
Yannick Huot, Ph.D. | Amy Landis, Ph.D. |
| Lynn Russell, Ph.D. Professor, Atmospheric Chemistry Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California - San Diego |
ND EPSCoR NSF RII Track-1 INSPIRE-ND EMPOWERED-ND Corps
NSF RII Track-1 INSPIRE-ND EMPOWERED-ND Corps is composed of individuals from across the state of North Dakota whose efforts expand diversity, enhance educational and workforce development outreach, and increase partnerships, collaborations, and communication within the current Track-1 research. Many of the EMPOWERED-ND Corps members also participate in one of the Track-1 research centers- either the Center for Sustainable Materials Science (CSMS) or the Center for Regional Climate Studies (CRCS).
| Scott Hanson, Ph.D. EMPOWERED-ND Corps Chair ND EPSCoR Tribal Colleges/Universities Liaison Manager 701-231-8606 scott.martin.hanson@ndus.edu | Shireen Alemadi EMPOWERED-ND Vice Chair ND EPSCoR STEM Manager 701-231-8264 shireen.alemadi@ndus.edu |
| Mikhail Bobylev, Ph.D. Minot State University PI / CSMS Researcher Professor, Chemistry mikhail.bobylev@minotstateu.edu | Andre DeLorme, Ph.D Valley City State University PI / CRCS Researcher Professor, Science, VCSU Director of Prairie Waters Education / Research Center andre.delorme@vcsu.edu |
| Mandy Guinn, M.S. United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) PI / CRCS Researcher Chair and Instructor, Environmental Science mguinn@uttc.edu | Kerry Hartman, Ph.D. |
| Khwaja Hossain, Ph.D. Mayville State University PI / CSMS Researcher Professor, Biology k.hossain@mayvillestate.edu | Lisa Johnson North Dakota University System (NDUS) Member Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs lisa.a.johnson@ndus.edu |
| Aaron Kennedy, Ph.D. CRCS Researcher / CRCS Co-lead Assistant Professor, Atmospheric Sciences University of North Dakota kennedy@aero.und.edu | Terri Martin-Parisien, Ph.D. Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC) PI Academic Dean tmartinparisien@tm.edu |
| Rachel Navarro, Ph.D. Education and Workforce Development Co-Lead and CRCS / CSMS K-12 Coordinator Associate Professor, Counseling Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development University of North Dakota rachel.navarro@und.edu | Mafany Ndiva Mongoh, Ph.D. Sitting Bull College (SBC) PI Ag/Science Faculty Site Coordinator - NATURE mafany.mongoh@sittingbull.edu |
| Mukund Sibi, Ph.D. CSMS Researcher, CSMS Co-Lead Distinguished Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry North Dakota State University mukund.sibi@ndsu.edu | Chad Ulven, Ph.D. |
| Brent Voels, Ph.D. Candeska Cikana Community College (CCCC) PI / CSMS Researcher Instructor, Science brent.voels@littlehoop.edu |
|
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS | |
Austin Allard, Ph.D. | |
John Mihelich, Ph.D. | |
| Jean Ostrom-Blonigen, Ph.D., CPA ND EPSCoR Project Administrator ND EPSCoR State Office 701-231-7516 jean.ostrom@ndus.edu | |
Acknowledgment
The Track-1 is a federal-state partnership to manage a comprehensive research development plan. ND EPSCoR manages the Track-1 award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Current funding is provided by the State of North Dakota and NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track-1 (RII Track-1) Cooperative Agreement Award OIA #1355466.