The Red River Valley Research Corridor: Unmanned Aviation Systems Action Summit 2012 will focus on developing and strengthening the Nation’s growing unmanned systems industry and advancing the call to develop responses to some of the pressing issues, challenges, and opportunities.

Local and regional press and news organizations took notice when over 250 people showed up in Jamestown, North Dakota for the 1st ever Precision Ag Summit hosted by the Red River Valley Research Corridor and North Dakota Farmers Union.

The 1st ever Precision Agriculture Action Summit hosted by the Red River Valley Research Corridor and North Dakota Farmers Union welcomed over 250 ag producers, agronomists, crop advisors, researchers, and business leaders to Jamestown, North Dakota on January 16 and 17.

Access speaker presentations here

Crop Advisors and Agronomists attending the Precision Ag Summit on January 16 and 17 are eligible to receive CEU Credits. The Precision Ag Summit has been accredited to offer 3 credit hours of Professional Development and 2 credit hours in Crop Management. Tracking Numbers for these credits are ND 03136-ND 03140. To register for the summit, visit http://www.regonline.com/precisionagsummit2012.

After 14 short-term continuing resolutions and years of negotiations, the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Tranfer (STTR) programs have been reauthorized through 2017. The legislation changes a number of features of SBIR/STTR, including making it possible for companies that are majority-owned by venture capital firms to receive awards. President Obama is expected to sign the bill in the near future.

House Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and House Science, Space and Technology Committee Chairman Ralph Hall (R-TX) announced that a deal to reauthorize the SBIR/STTR program, which was set to expire on December 16th, has been agreed upon. Legislation to reauthorize the program will be included as an Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

North Dakota leaders met with a top Federal Aviation Administration official today to push for making Grand Forks the premier northern hub for unmanned aerial systems operations.

The state leaders presented a proposal to integrate UAS into the National Airspace by using groups and infrastructure already in place in North Dakota. The congressional delegation has worked to include provisions in the FAA Reauthorization bill that would allow the FAA to work with the military to integrate the aircraft and establish test sites and training centers, one of which could end up in Grand Forks.

The first ever Red River Valley Research Corridor Precision Agriculture Summit is being co-organized by the Red River Valley Research Corridor, North Dakota Farmers Union, and Lake Region State College’s Dakota Precision Ag Center and NDSU's Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Register for the Precision Ag Summit.

The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC), along with commercial partners Accelergy Corporation and Mercurius Biofuels, is gaining recognition from key officials at the 2011 Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) Conference and Annual Meeting, being held this week in Washington, D.C.

EERC Associate Director Carsten Heide had the opportunity to explain the Renewable Jet Propulsion (JPx) Technology to Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Randy Babbitt and Aerospace Industries Association President Marion Blakely.

The Department of Energy's Office of Science invites proposals that address Genomics Based Research for Bioenergy that will lead to the improved use of biomass and plant feedstocks for the production of fuels (e.g., ethanol or renewable chemical feedstocks). Applications should address fundamental research on plants that will improve biomass characteristics, biomass yield or sustainability. Approximately $6 million may be made available to support multiple awards. Eligibility is unrestricted domestically. Pre-applications are due Dec 16.