Impact on Workforce

Building STEM capacity and competitiveness through the ND EPSCoR State Office awards have impacted workforce opportunities for students and faculty at all 11 participating institutions across the state.

ND EPSCoR State Office programs, such as NATURE and STTAR, encourage student awareness, interest, and perseverance in STEM fields. The NATURE program reaches 500 Native American students (middle school – TCU bachelor’s degree) annually. Since 2014, 931 Native American students have been involved in STEM experiences sponsored by the ND EPSCoR State Office and the NSF. In 2020-2021, due to COVID-19, the NATURE program served 133 Native American students virtually. Since 2014, the ND EPSCoR State Office has co-sponsored 88 STTAR interns in companies throughout ND.

Click these links to view the current and previous solicitations for students.


ND EPSCoR State Office - K-12 Seed Awardees

Each year, the ND EPSCoR State Office accepts competitive proposals to strengthen and broaden the STEM pathway. Proposals focus on activities that build stronger partnerships with K-12 STEM education in the state. Of particular interest are activities that engage underrepresented/underserved students and result in an increased awareness and interest in STEM careers.

Year, NameDepartmentInstitution
2021
Pam JohnsonEducationMayville State University
Jamie WirthGreat Plains STEM Education Center, MathematicsValley City State University

2020
Jamie WirthGreat Plains STEM Education Center, Mathematics          Valley City State University



2019
Austin AllardMath and ScienceTurtle Mountain Community College
Mikhail BobylevScience - ChemistryMinot State University
Robert CrackelScience DivisionMinot State University
Andi Dulski-Bucholz             EducationMayville State University
Woei HungEHBSUniversity of North Dakota
Darren SeifertMath & Computer ScienceMinot State University
Anupa SharmaAgribusiness and Applied EconomicsNorth Dakota State University

 


 

ND EPSCoR State Office Development of Online/Virtual Modules for STEM Laboratory Courses Awardees

Each year, the ND EPSCoR State Office accepts competitive proposals to faculty to increase their online/virtual presence with respect to training students in the laboratory setting.

Year, NameDepartmentInstitution
2021
Joseph HartmanGeology (HHSGGE)University of North Dakota
Kenneth HellevangAgriculture and Biosystems EngineeringNorth Dakota State University

2020
Alshami AliChemical EngineeringUniversity of North Dakota
David DeMuthScienceValley City State University
Timothy Young               Physics and Astrophysics              University of North Dakota
Yan ZhangMechanical EngineeringNorth Dakota State University

 

ND EPSCoR State Office Student Travel Awardees

Each year, the ND EPSCoR State Office accepts competitive proposals to provide travel funds to undergraduate and graduate students who have an accepted presentation (oral and/or poster) at a national conference.

Year, NameDepartmentInstitution
2019
Jerome DelhommelleChemistryUND
Greta GramigPlant SciencesNDSU
Torre HovickRange ScienceNDSU
Igor OvtchinnikovBiologyUND
Rebecca SimmonsBiologyUND
Mark StrandPharmacy PracticeNDSU
Sathish Venkatachalem         Pharmaceutical Science         NDSU

ND EPSCoR State Office - Undergraduate Research Awardees

Each year, the ND EPSCoR State Office accepts competitive proposals from faculty to engage and mentor undergraduate students in research projects.

Year, Faculty MentorDepartmentInstitution
2021
Upul RupassaraMathematics and Computer ScienceMinot State University
Bishnu SedaiMathematics and Computer ScienceMinot State University
Thomas Petros
Psychology
University of North Dakota
Feng XiaoCivil EngineeringUniversity of North Dakota

2020
Kathryn KilroyGeoscience/ScienceMinot State University
Bethany Klemetsrud        Chemical EngineeringUniversity of North Dakota
Xusheng WangBiologyUniversity of North Dakota



2019
Surojit GuptaMechanical EngineeringUniversity of North Dakota
Naima KaabouchSchool of EECSUniversity of North Dakota
Trung (Tim) LeIndustrial and Manufacturing Engineering         North Dakota State University
Motoki TakakuBiomedical SciencesUniversity of North Dakota
Brent VoelsScienceCankdeska Cikana Community College
Sarah WagnerAnimal SciencesNorth Dakota State University

Nurturing American Tribal Undergraduate Research and Education (NATURE)

The NSF and ND EPSCoR State Office funded Nurturing American Tribal Undergraduate Research and Education (NATURE) program is a State Office sponsored education outreach project. NATURE aims to improve STEM education among middle- and high-school students and TCU students to build a pathway for the pursuit of careers in STEM disciplines. NATURE builds on activities of a long-term collaboration between the TCUs, NDSU, and UND.

More information is available on the NATURE web pages


STTAR Program at-a-glance

ND EPSCoR State Office Students in Technology Transfer and Research (STTAR) Awardees

Each year, the ND EPSCoR State Office supports theStudents in Technology Transfer And Research (STTAR)program, which provides upper-division students (i.e., juniors through graduate students) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with an opportunity to use their academic training and experience to address challenging science and technology-based problems faced by North Dakota companies. Although related to the more general cooperative education and internship programs offered throughout the state, the primary emphasis of STTAR is on research and development rather than sales and marketing. ND EPSCoR cost-shares the student salary.

STTAR Interns

Year, Business Student Participants
SUMMER 2023
   Aethero, Inc., Grand Forks, ND   (formerly Tau Drones LLC)Samuel Afari, UND
Arun Gandikota, UND
   Amity Technology, Fargo, NDBlake Hagen, NDSU
   Apex Engineering, Fargo, NDLogan Fridgen, NDSU
Carter Schoneberg, NDSU
Isaac Trefz, U of Mary
   ComDel Innovation, Wahpeton, NDJoseph Dignan, NDSU
Alexander Gobran, NDSU
Ezra Hanse, UND
   CorVent Medical, Fargo, NDSrilakshmi Gundlakunta, NDSU
Jerico Limke, NDSU
Tara Treml, NDSU
   Creedence Energy Services, Williston, NDAhmed Abdelaal, UND
Jalyn Derr, Dakota College at Bottineau
   Elinor Coating, Fargo, NDNafisa Bala, UND
Bogdan Nechepurenko, UND
Braden Soderberg, UND
   Marvin, Fargo, NDNatalie Fischer, NDSU
Justin Kettleson, NDSU
Matthew Myers, NDSU
   MBN Engineering Inc, Fargo, NDMolly Rayhorn, UND
   Moore Engineering Inc, West Fargo, NDWeston Mitchell, NDSU
Tyler Petron, NDSU
Kathryn Quenette, NDSU
   Nodak Electric Co-op, Inc., Grand Forks, NDEvan Pederson, UND
Charles Rieger, UND
   Swanson Health, Fargo, NDNathanial Aufman, NDSU
Kristina Korhonen, MSU-Moorhead


SUMMER 2022
   ComDel Innovation, Wahpeton, NDEvan Erlandson, NDSU
Kelsey Baker, UND
Quinton Olsby, NDSU
   Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Carrington, NDChase Rygg, NDSCS
Ian Johnston, NDSCS
Isaac Mimong, University of Jamestown
   Interstate Engineering Inc, Jamestown, ND
Brayden Wahl, NDSCS
Caleb Babcock, NDSCS
Cody Block, NDSCS
   Marvin, Fargo, NDAustin Widmer, NDSU
Brayden Bares, NDSU
Olivia Angst, NDSU
   MBN Engineering Inc, Fargo, NDJustin Sandberg, UND
   Moore Engineering Inc, West Fargo, NDConnor Wilson, NDSU
Jordan Miranda, NDSU
Seth Welder, NDSU
   NoDak Electric Co-Op Inc, Grand Forks, NDBrycen Lunak, UND
Tyler Workman, UND
   Renuvix LLC, Fargo, NDJasmine Kostelecky, NDSU
   Rugby Manufacturing, Rugby, NDNoah Kraft, University of Mary
   Tau Drones LLC, Grand Forks, NDSamuel Afari, UND
Arun Gandikota, UND


SUMMER 2021
   Airtonomy; Grand Forks, NDAhmed Elsaharti, UND
Ramtin Kardan, UND
   ComDel Innovation; Wahpeton, NDAlex Munchow, NDSU
Jakob Sailer, NDSU
   Ellingson Companies, Harwood, NDBrenden VanWechel, NDSU
Emily Nelson, NDSU
   F4 Conservation, Manvel, NDAmalie Jørgensen, UND
Lindsey Kallis, UND
   Interstate Engineering, Jamestown, NDAlexandra Speidel, NDSCS
Brayden Wahl, NDSCS
Lindsey Hagerty, NDSU
   Marvin, Fargo, NDJackson Somsen, NDSU
Zach Kuhn, NDSU
   Mayo Construction, Cavalier, NDMichael Miller, NDSCS
   Mobile Recon Systems, Grand Forks, NDGarrett Tjernagel, UND
Jack Vetsch, UND
Michael Turnbull, UND
   Nodak Electric, Grand Forks, NDBranson Elliott, UND
Tyler Workman, UND
   Renuvix, Fargo, NDAvery Jorgensen, NDSU
Zane Hensel, NDSU
   Rugby Manufacturing, Rugby, NDNoah Kraft, University of Mary
   WCCO Belting, Wahpeton, NDGabriel Lothspeich, NDSU


SUMMER 2020
   Airtonomy; Grand Forks, NDAhmed Elsaharti, UND
Ramtin Kardan, UND
Bradley Traver, UND
   Amity Technology; Fargo, NDChase Bader, NDSU
William Huber, NDSU
   ComDel Innovation; Wahpeton, NDBrook Anderson, NDSU
Pierce Kvien, NDSU
Su Sampson, NDSU
   CrossFire Technologies; FargoNicholas Feddersen, NDSU
Connor Wander, NDSU
   Interstate Engineering, Inc.; Jamestown, ND   Jacob Fandrich, NDSU
Marvin Qaqos, NDSU
Austin Snobl, NDSCS
   WCCO Belting, Inc.; Wahpeton, NDBlake Higgins, NDSU