Red River Valley Research Corridor : News and Events Archive : North Dakota

Fargo Forum: Ag research gets $2 million lift

"Gov. John Hoeven presented a $2 million check Tuesday for the NDSU Center of Excellence for Agbiotechnology: Oilseed Development. One focus of the project will be to research and develop new varieties of canola that have a higher oil content, said D.C. Coston, NDSU’s vice president for agriculture and university extension.

The center will develop canola and soybeans for use in biodiesel and specialty oils. It will also focus on conducting marketing and developing new product strategies.

NDSU secured $11 million in private funding for the center. Its partners are Monsanto Corp., Dakota Skies Biodiesel Inc. and Archer Daniels Midland Co." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

NDSU Vice President testifies on high-tech research in North Dakota before Senate subcommittee

A senior North Dakota State University (NDSU) official told a U.S. Senate subcommittee today that the Red River Valley Research Corridor is a model for how research institutions can take part in high-tech research that spurs significant economic development.

Dr. Phil Boudjouk, NDSU Vice President of Research, highlighted the school’s work in the field of nanotechnology before the Senate Subcommittee on Trade, Tourism and Economic Development, on which U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan serves as Ranking Member. NDSU’s work through the Research Corridor to attract federal research funding and private-sector partners has created a burgeoning high-tech sector that attracts brainpower and high-paying jobs, Boudjouk testified.

Dorgan, who invited Boudjouk to testify, said his testimony stems from recognition that North Dakota has become a leader in the field of nanotechnology. More...

Grand Forks Herald: Planning an unmanned aerial future
Summit gathers UAV movers and shakers

"Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., who organized a series of UAV seminars Wednesday, said he sees "an unlimited future in terms of the research opportunities in the Red River Valley."

One institution that's benefited from that is UND. The university has started a $5.2 million multi-disciplinary program that includes the loan of a Lockheed Martin Sky Spirit UAV to the engineering department. Such partnerships with the defense industry and partnerships with government agencies are a key feature of the program.

Aerospace dean Bruce Smith said he hoped UND would be able to spin off some of its research into new companies and new products. The companies attracted to North Dakota, he said, could employ university graduates here instead of the grads having to move out of state.

Present at Dorgan's event were representatives from industry giants Lockheed, Northrup Grumman and Raytheon, as well as reps from the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Department, including Maj. Gen. (select) Kevin Kennedy, the Air Force's intelligence chief." More at GFHerald.com...

Associated Press: Officials approve 'centers of excellence' grants

" North Dakota legislators endorsed $9.9 million in "centers of excellence" grants to four colleges, despite grumblings from some that the money was paying for buildings and job training instead of innovation.

The University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University got $8.5 million for four projects. Valley City State University received $1 million for training of computer software consultants, while Williston State College was awarded $400,000 to train oil field workers.

UND's biotechnology building will be used to host infectious disease research and other efforts that require a secure building with limited access, said Peter Alfonso, a UND professor who is president of the school's research foundation. Aside from its $3.5 million biotechnology building grant, UND is receiving $1 million for research and training in civilian uses of unmanned aerial vehicles.

North Dakota State University is getting a $2 million grant for research into genetically modified canola and soybean varieties that can be used to blend biodiesel fuel, and to make lubricating oils. Another $2 million grant is going for research into surface coatings, ranging from substances intended to prevent corrosion to coatings that provide a super-hard shell." Read more at GFHerald.com...

Fargo Forum: New nanotechnology degree offers big job potential

"Graduates of a new two-year nanoscience technician degree will find their diplomas are tickets to the future, said James Carlson, president of PRACS Institute in Fargo, a pharmaceutical research company.

The Moorhead campus of Minnesota State Community and Technical College and North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton are partnering to offer the program starting this fall.

Potential careers are in a variety of fields, including biotechnology, microelectronics, coatings and polymers, agriculture production, food processing, and environmental analysis." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

Fargo Forum: NDSU to study spray on computer displays

"North Dakota State University will partner with MIT and HP technology to begin research this spring that could lead to spray-on computer displays.

The $4.5 million federally funded collaboration to study nanoscale computer technology will go on for four years.

The research partners will develop the technologies needed to embed all chips, diodes and other components that now go inside computers into a type of computing raw material. The material could then be painted, poured, sprayed and unrolled onto flat and flexible surfaces in exactly the amount and form needed." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

Mayville State receives NIH funds for biomedical research program

Mayville State University will receive nearly $1 million dollars over the next five years from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) program to conduct biomedical research. It is part of $16.3 million North Dakota will receive over five years during the second phase of an NIH program aimed at making the state more competitive in attracting federal funds for biomedical research.

$984,000 is targeted for research at Mayville State. Health and the environment will be the focus of research conducted under the North Dakota IDeA Networks for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program. Half of the budget will be used to support research projects at predominantly undergraduate institutions in the state.

Dr. Thomas Gonnella, assistant professor of chemistry and physics at Mayville State, will spearhead a research project on novel fluorescence methods for biomedical applications in Mayville. Greg Gillispie, a professor of chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology at NDSU and the president of Dakota Technologies, Inc., will serve as mentor for the project. More...

Enn.com: Energy & Environmental Research Center Hydrogen Contracts to Total More than $20 Million

"Just weeks after North Dakota lawmakers approved the Centers of Excellence awards for research and job initiatives at universities around the state, the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota announced today its contracts related to hydrogen technologies are expected to total more than $20 million within the next few months.

The EERC was awarded $2.5 million as part of the Centers of Excellence program to build a facility for its National Center for Hydrogen Technology (NCHT). The Centers of Excellence application required a 2-to-1 match of funds from nonstate sources and a strong commitment from the private sector- the EERC's proposal offered a 4-to-1 match immediately and a projected 20-to-1 match over the next 5 years. Within the near future, the EERC will achieve close to a 10-to-1 match, with 60 percent of those funds derived from cash contracts with private industry sources. The EERC currently has hydrogen projects with over fifteen U.S. and international private sector partners." Read more at enn.com...

UND.edu: UND Research Foundation Meets For First Time Friday, Dec. 9

"The recently formed University of North Dakota Research Foundation will hold its inaugural Board of Directors meeting Friday, Dec. 9, said Dr. Peter Alfonso, UND Vice President for Research.

The UND Research Foundation will help with the commercialization of the intellectual property stemming from research created across all of the colleges and schools of the university. The Foundation will also help engage the community and state to form new joint partnerships and businesses that will lead to economic growth within the community and the state of North Dakota, Alfonso said.

The creation of the UND Research Foundation was timely and necessary, said Dr. Jim Petell, the UND Director of Technology Transfer and Commercialization, given the tremendous increase and diversity of UND intellectual property and emerging corporate partnerships and joint ventures." Read more at UND.edu...

Associated Press: Lawmakers OK 'centers of excellence' projects

"North Dakota lawmakers have given final approval to spend almost $9 million on "centers of excellence" research and job initiatives at four state colleges. The endorsements came after a lengthy Capitol debate about whether the projects met the Legislature's economic development objectives.

Bismarck State College and North Dakota State University each landed $3 million in grants, while UND is getting $2.5 million. Lake Region State College in Devils Lake is receiving $450,000.

Bismarck State plans to use the cash, plus other money from federal and private sources, to construct an energy industry research and job-training center. UND's Energy and Environmental Research Center intends to devote its grant to a specialized center for hydrogen research.

North Dakota State's grant will be spent on electronics design and research for private companies, while Lake Region is developing processes to apply fertilizer and other chemicals to farmland more efficiently.." Read more at GFHerald.com...

Earthtoys.com: FUEL CELL-POWERED ICE REFINISHER DEBUTS

"The first-ever hydrogen fuel-cell powered ice resurfacer – a machine that smoothes the surface of ice skating and hockey rinks – is making its Canadian debut today in the home of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver, British Columbia.

The eP-ICEBEAR was developed by ePower Synergies, Inc., a Cordova, Illinois-based company that creates transportation systems for communities utilizing clean, sustainable energy systems, along with the Resurfice Corporation of Elmira, Ontario, Canada, manufacturer of Olympia and ICEBEAR brand ice refinishers, and the University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC).

Tom Erickson, associate director for research at the EERC, said, “This project is an excellent opportunity to showcase the vast expertise the EERC has in hydrogen technologies. We are working with Kraus Global, Inc., of Manitoba to supply the portable hydrogen re-fueling station for the eP-Ice Bear.”

Gerald Groenewold, EERC Director, said the EERC’s National Center for Hydrogen Technologies is the “cornerstone” of its hydrogen efforts. “We currently have $8 million in federal funds, which is leveraged by numerous private sector partners to support the development of technologies for hydrogen production and fuel cells,” Groenewold said. " More at earthtoys.com...

Grand Forks Herald: University of North Dakota joins research project in India

"The University of North Dakota is joining a research effort in India.

Santhosh Seelan, a UND space studies professor, and Greg Weisenstein, UND's provost, say the project, which also involves Microsoft Corp., will lead to faculty and student exchanges involving UND and 15 other U.S. universities.

The program links the schools with India's Space Agency and the country's national science organization.

P. Venkat Rangan, a vice chancellor of Amrita University, said UND was included in the consortium because of its space-related education, which will be a major part of the initiative. Seelan said UND's Space Studies Department already is accustomed to the distance-style of teaching and learning that the new consortium will promote in India.

Through space satellite technology, Seelan said, Indian students will be able to learn directly from the world's best professors." More at GFHerald.com...

Grand Forks Herald: Base gets another lift
GFAFB to test hydrogen-fueled forklift; UND-led research puts base at cutting edge of future battlefield technology

"Grand Forks Air Force Base already is poised to play key roles in next generation aeronautics and beefed up homeland defense projects, and starting in November it will be part of a cutting-edge U.S. Army renewable energy project.

The base was selected to host a hydrogen fuel cell project led by the Army's Construction Engineering Research Center and UND's Energy and Environmental Research Center, base officials said Wednesday.

The project's long-term objective is to develop a method for battlefield production of hydrogen for use in military applications to help the Army and other services reduce petroleum use, said Ted Aulich, senior research manager at EERC.

The idea is to develop a field-portable process for producing hydrogen from JP-8 jet fuel. This common source of energy is used in all military vehicles, including planes, tanks and Humvees." More at GFHerald.com...

Dorgan announces $41 million in defense spending for NDSU research projects

Below is a complete list of NDSU-related projects included in the bill:

Ultra-low Power Battlefield Sensor System
$20,000,000
This project involves thousands of low-cost microsensors the U.S. Army could use for communication during wartime, improving the awareness of potential threats and the defense of high-value targets. The project has created microsensors that are a fraction of the size and cost of existing systems.

Chameleon Miniaturized Wireless System
$9,000,000
This is a joint project between NDSU, Crane Aerospace and Electronics and Tessera Technologies to develop a prototype covert surveillance system that would collect and transmit intelligence information from hidden sensors. The funds will complete the miniaturization of the Chameleon sensors, integrate the hardware and software elements, and allow demonstrations of the system.

Advanced Fouling and Corrosion Control Coatings
$8,000,000
NDSU will further develop its Advanced Fouling and Corrosion Control Coatings technology—an environmentally friendly coating that protects ships against corrosion. The project has the potential to save the U.S. Navy hundreds of millions of dollars per year in maintenance and fuels costs by allowing the Navy to continue using foreign ports that are setting prohibitions against ships with conventional coatings that harm the environment. This project uses Symyx Technologies’ revolutionary “discovery” technology that enables the school to analyze thousands of candidate coatings up to 10-100 times faster than is possible elsewhere.

Corrosion Protection of Aluminum Alloys Used in Aircraft
$2,000,000
This project involves NDSU and the U.S. Air Force exploring ways to limit corrosion on its aging aircraft. The funding continues research into environmentally-friendly and longer-living anti-corrosion coatings.

Durable Hybrid Coatings for Aircraft Systems
$1,000,000
This project funds continued development of a multi-functional, durable coating system to protect aircraft against weathering and corrosion.

Advanced Coating Systems for Ground-based Military Vehicles
$1,625,000
This project is seeking a way to extend the service life of military vehicles by designing and testing new, environmentally-friendly coatings with improved performance and durability. The research will be a joint effort of the Polymers and Coating Department at NDSU and Turtle Mountain Manufacturing, a Native-American owned manufacturer of trailers. More...

Dorgan secures $13 million in new research for UND, Fort Totten

The projects in this region funded by the bill include:

Engineered Surfaces for Weapons Systems’ Life Extension
$5,000,000
UND will work with Alion Science and Technology, Inc. to develop advanced methods for manufacturing new and replacement parts for Army helicopters and other vehicles. The goal is to increase the service life of those parts by 100-300 percent.

Air Battle Captain
$2,000,000
The Helicopter Flight Training Program at UND will train a full-time compliment of 31 Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets and summer training for 40 West Point cadets.

Battlefield Production of Hydrogen for Fuel Cell Vehicles
$2,000,000
This project will develop a mobile system to generate high-pressure hydrogen to be produced and used in the field to power generators and fuel cell vehicles. It also will demonstrate the practicality of using such a system at a major cold-climate U.S. Air Force base.

CAV Technology Transition
$4,000,000
The mission of this project, to be performed by Sioux Manufacturing in Fort Totten, is to develop new, high quality armored parts and components for military vehicles, and to develop new manufacturing methods to ensure that those parts can be mass produced cheaply and efficiently. The project has already met with considerable success. So far, Sioux Manufacturing has designed, manufactured and tested vehicle hoods that are 40 percent lighter, and increased the payload carrying ability of a military trailer by 40 percent, among other achievements. More...

Grand Forks Herald: Drone education
Defense bill includes funding for UAV center at UND

"Air Force officials said during the Base Realignment and Closure process there was an advantage in locating a drone aircraft mission at Grand Forks Air Force Base. UND is a step closer to taking advantage of that belief.

The federal defense appropriations bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee includes $1 million to create a UND Center for Excellence that supports Grand Forks Air Force Base's upcoming unmanned aerial vehicle mission, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said Wednesday.

Dorgan, who said he secured the money in the bill, said UND will work with the Air Force to establish the "Center for Excellence for Defense UAV Education." "All the key elements for the Center of Excellence for Defense UAV Education exist here at UND," the dean of the School of Aerospace Sciences, Bruce Smith, said in the same release. "That includes our proximity to the border, our connections to a research-intensive university, our Air Force base and the flight school at the School of Aerospace Sciences." More at GFHerald.com...

Fargo Forum: NDSU funding falls into place

"A business incubator at North Dakota State University will foster Fargo’s growth as a center for high-tech businesses, Mayor Bruce Furness said Wednesday.

During a news conference at the NDSU Research and Technology Park, Gov. John Hoeven announced that the park has received the final piece of funding needed to build the Center for Enterprise Technology.

The $1.75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is believed to be the largest EDA grant in North Dakota history, Hoeven said.

The first phase of the project will cost $5.4 million and consist of constructing the building’s shell and finishing 30,000 square feet inside by October 2006, park director Tony Grindberg said. The park continues to raise $1.5 million in funds for the 20,000-square-foot second phase. Construction is scheduled to start in November." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

Fargo Forum: NDSU climbs research rankings

"North Dakota State University jumped four spots and passed NDSU President Joseph Chapman’s previous employer to advance to No. 122 on the National Science Foundation’s latest list of research spending.

NDSU spent $91.8 million on research and development in fiscal year 2003, the foundation reported.

That’s more than double the $44.7 million NDSU spent in 1999, the year Chapman came to Fargo from Montana State University-Bozeman, where he served as senior vice president and provost. The higher ranking shows NDSU is delivering on a commitment made in 1999 to become a major research institution, Chapman said.

This year’s ranking puts NDSU on the list above all other schools from North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, South Dakota and Wyoming. The University of North Dakota also moved up in the rankings, from 173 last year to 163 this year, as the school’s research spending grew from $34 million to $41.8 million." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

Grand Forks Herald: TECHNOLOGY: UND, Alion sign $3 million contract

Engineering school, Virginia defense contractor to design super finishes for military parts
"A nearly $3 million partnership announced last year between UND and a Virginia-based defense contractor is ready to deliver, said the dean of UND's engineering school Thursday.

The school will work with Alion Science and Technology Corp. to develop durable finishes for military machine parts to increase their life as much as three times. Representatives from UND and the company signed a contract earlier this week.

UND and Alion will research advanced super-finishing lubricants to prevent metal-on-metal contact. They'll also develop super hard spray-on steel coatings and lasers to fuse protective materials to metal surfaces." More at GFHerald.com...

UND Dept of Mechanical Engineering awarded $342,000 contract to study issues in gas turbines related to use of syn-gas

The University of North Dakota Department of Mechanical Engineering at the School of Engineering and Mines has been awarded a $342,000 contract from the University Turbine System Research Program (UTSR) to study issues in gas turbines related to the use of Syn-Gas.

The UTSR Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory and a consortium of gas turbine companies, and the program is administrated by the South Carolina Institute for Energy Studies (SCIES). Dr. Forrest Ames, UND associate professor of mechanical engineering, will serve as Principal Investigator on the program. UND will be working with the University of Utah on the project.

The project is expected to generate technology related to the design and operation of gas turbines that use synthetic gas generated from coal. This research will benefit the development of new Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plants, which are an efficient and an environmentally friendly approach to the use of coal to generate electrical power. More specifically the project investigates how the use of synthetic gas fuel affects the cooling and aerodynamics of turbine components. More...

Fargo Forum: Aldevron gets $3.2 million to work on HIV vaccine

"A Fargo-based biosciences company has received a $3.2 million federal grant to develop and test new HIV vaccine candidates, officials.

Aldevron LLC and three California companies were selected for an $11.7 million grant over 4½ years from the National Institutes of Health. The Fargo company received the most funding.

“This grant is another validation of our technology,” Aldevron president and CEO Michael Chambers said Thursday at a press conference to announce the grant. “It just shows how important it is.”

While most technologies only test a few potential vaccines, Aldevron’s technology can test thousands in a shorter time period and for less money." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

Fargo Forum: NDSU and Tessera: A wireless connection

"The technological tools behind slimmer cell phones and Sony PlayStations are now at the disposal of North Dakota State University researchers.

Tessera Technologies Inc. announced Wednesday that it has transferred technology to the university to create a microelectronics center in the NDSU Research and Technology Park.

The transfer process began nearly four years ago, said Phil Boudjouk, NDSU’s vice president for research, creative activities and technology transfer.

Wednesday’s announcement was Tessera’s way of acknowledging that NDSU has the necessary knowledge and training to use its semiconductor chip-packing technology." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

Grand Forks Herald: UND receives UAV grants

"UND's John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences on Tuesday received two grants for a total of $270,000 to study unmanned aerial vehicles in the context of national air space.

The grants for $140,000 and $130,000 came from the Federal Aviation Administration's Center of Excellence for General Aviation of which the school is a member.

Graduate students and faculty will research the ability of UAVs to sense, recognize and avoid other airplanes within national airspace. And, how size and speed of UAVs mixes in with general aviation standards." More at GFHerald.com...

Fargo Forum: NDSU park plans growth

"An expansion of the North Dakota State University research park could have tech businesses taking off beside airliners.

A piece of land at Fargo's Hector International Airport is one area being considered for expansion of the NDSU Research and Technology Park, said Tony Grindberg, the park's director.

The five-year-old park could be looking for additional land sooner rather than later if the manufacturing plant being built by Alien Technology Corp. spins off as many businesses as expected." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

Fargo Forum: Fargo firm gets biggest APUC grant this quarter

"A group that funds developers of North Dakota farm products has awarded grants to nine projects this quarter.

The Agricultural Products Utilization Commission grants total about $329,000. The largest award is $100,000 to Pedigree Technologies of Fargo for research on a wireless sensor network that would help fight scab disease in wheat and barley." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

FuelCellWorks.com: University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center at forefront of drive to hydrogen economy

"U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) announced Wednesday [July 6] that action by the U.S. Senate last week will provide another $3 million for hydrogen fuel cell research and development at the University of North Dakotas (UND) Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC).

In the past year alone, Dorgan has secured a $2.7 million grant for hydrogen fuel cell research work at the EERC and won designation of the EERC as a National Center for Hydrogen Technology. The $3 million is another big boost toward putting the facility at the front line of research into a new source of fuel for the nations transportation system, research that is full of economic development potential for the state, he said during a stop here..

The EERC has done solid research for years on a wide variety of energy sources, Dorgan said. For years Ive been talking about the need to move toward a hydrogen fuel-cell economy, and now we are seeing that plan begin to take off. Its important work for our country, and Im very pleased to see the EERC so centrally involved. Congratulations are in order for the staff at the EERC, whose work and dedication have earned Washingtons confidence." More at fuelcellworks.com...

Grand Forks Herald: $2.7 million grant for UND's EERC to advance hydrogen research efforts

"A new $2.7 million grant for the University of North Dakota's Energy and Environmental Research Center will be used for research to develop hydrogen-related technologies.

The research grant was announced by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The money will go to EERC's National Center for Hydrogen Technology, which Dorgan created using his committee seat, according to a Dorgan news release.

"Hydrogen fuel cell technology is one of the most promising areas of research in the country," Dorgan said in the release. "Hydrogen is thought to be the successor fuel to gasoline for automobiles of the future, and UND is clearly in the front ranks nationally of the effort to bring that about."

The research EERC will conduct under the current grant contract will include identification and development of ways hydrogen fuel cells can be used. The center also will conduct research on how hydrogen can be stored, compressed and transported, according to the release." More at GFHerald.com...

Grand Forks Herald: EERC to head $21.4M study on CO2 reduction

Director: Award is largest energy center has received as a lead agency
The Energy and Environmental Research Center at UND has "been awarded $14.3 million from the Department of Energy to head a project aimed at reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

EERC will take the lead in the project that involves 44 public and private partners in nine states and three Canadian provinces.

The federal dollars will be combined with $7.2 million from project partners to carry out tests as part of the Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership, or PCOR.

The project centers on field trials involving storage of carbon dioxide; comprehensive monitoring; and mitigation in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, unmineable coal seams and restoration of wetlands.

The grant award is combined with the news that EERC could receive $2 million from the Fiscal Year 2006 interior appropriations bill, which is winding through Congress. That would be double what EERC received last year." More at GFHerald.com...

Grand Forks Herald: UND: NASA 'Flying lab' bound for Grand Forks

NASA jet to be centerpiece of national sub-orbital research center at UND
"UND on Thursday officially landed the research jet it's been waiting months to secure, and Grand Forks Air Force Base will pick up another mission because of it.

NASA finally inked a cooperative agreement with UND allowing the school to house and maintain the space agency's DC-8 research jet, also known as "The Flying Lab." The jet, now based at the Dryden Flight Research Center in California, should be in Grand Forks by Oct. 1, according to UND officials.

UND officials thought they had the jet several months ago, but changes in leadership at NASA and back-and-forth reviews of the contract language held up the transfer.

The agreement is worth $25 million over five years for UND with several missions per year anticipated." More at GFHerald.com...

Fargo Forum: Dorgan hosts Research Corridor Polymers and Coatings Action Summit

"Sen. Byron Dorgan cringes at the amount of taxpayer money spent on military vehicles that become useless too quickly in Iraq.

"Dorgan hosted an Action Summit at North Dakota State University on Thursday to explore ways of developing commercial opportunities for state businesses in the expanding field of polymers and coatings."

About 60 industry experts, researchers and entre-preneurs from the Department of Defense, industries and universities attended the event.

NDSU's Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials is doing some of the most advanced research in the world, Dorgan said. And he wants to see these products taken from the laboratory to the battlefield." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

Grand Forks Herald: UND professor honored for nanotech study

"A first-year UND professor is being honored nationally with a prestigious award for her research in nanotechnology - a field that UND isn't especially known for.

Juana Moreno, a professor of physics, is one of only 26 researchers across the nation to receive the 2005 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from the Oak Ridge Associated Universities. She was honored by university administrators and colleagues with a plaque and a reception Wednesday.

Moreno will receive $10,000 as part of the award, $5,000 of which came from UND, to continue her research in nanotechnology and making computer information easier to store and faster to access. She joins fellow award recipients from universities such as Auburn, Clemson, Duke, Florida State and Kentucky." More at GFHerald.com...

Grand Forks Herald: UND a partner in Rocky Mountain research group

"UND is named as a partner in a massive research project awarded Wednesday to Colorado State University that will be used to develop a regional consortium to combat infectious diseases and bioterrorism.

The National Institutes of Allergy and Infections Diseases awarded Colorado State the four-year $40 million grant for the Rocky Mountain region Regional Center for Excellence (RCE). The University of California-Irvine received funding for a similar consortium in the Pacific Southwest.

The RCE comprises scientists and public health officials from 11 universities and institutions in Rocky Mountain region states, including Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming." More at GFHerald.com...

Dorgan plan to develop hydrogen fuel cells, autos, and fueling stations approved by comittee, now heads to full senate

The comprehensive energy bill approved by the U.S. Senate Energy Committee Thursday includes a provision authored by Senator Byron Dorgan which would take the nation toward much greater energy security, and spur development of whole new industries through an all out, Apollo-like program to develop hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles and the infrastructure to support them. The plan will help free the U.S. from what Dorgan described as our "dangerous dependence" on imported oil by developing new cars that run on hydrogen - one of the Earth's most abundant elements -- and emit only water.

With the approval of the Energy Committee, the legislation now moves to the full U.S. Senate, where Dorgan said prospects look good. "It's in the Energy bill as reported by the Committee, and the President is on board supporting the idea," Dorgan said. "I think we're on track for a big victory that will be very important for our country."

The aggressive development project would authorize investment of $3.75 billion over the next five years for research, development and demonstration programs with private industry to develop hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen powered automobiles, and a nation-wide fueling infrastructure. The legislation sets specific timelines and goals for the effort: 100,000 hydrogen-fueled vehicles on the road in the United States by 2010, and 2.5 million of them by 2020, along with the required fueling infrastructure.

President George W. Bush endorsed the plan, in concept, in his 2003 State of the Union Address, shortly after Dorgan first proposed the plan. The transportation sector currently consumes by far the most energy of all sectors of the U.S. economy, Dorgan said, and will continue to have the greatest growth in demand in future years. "The transportation sector is where we must make major improvements if we are to make a serious dent in our dependence on foreign oil," Dorgan said.

Financial Times: US military ‘rocks’ spy world

"The US military is developing miniature electronic sensors disguised as rocks that can be dropped from an aircraft and used to help detect the sound of approaching enemy combatants.

The devices, which would be no larger than a golf ball, could be ready for use in about 18 months. They use tiny silicon chips and radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that is so sensitive that it can detect the sound of a human footfall at 20ft to 30ft. The project is being carried out by scientists at North Dakota State University, which has licensed nano-technology processes from Alien Technology, a California-based commercial manufacturer of RFID tags for supermarkets.

It is an example of the increasing desire for the US military to co-operate with civilian industry and academic institutions in the development of battlefield technology that will reduce the risks to soldiers' lives. Greg McCarthy, associate vice president at the university's Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, said: "The military wants better sensing capability. People are being killed because someone's sneaking up on a tent and blowing them up." Read more at FT.com

Fargo Forum: Alien builds on growth

"Chief Operating Officer John Payne isn't worried about finding buyers for the billions of "smart tags" that will be produced at the company's new Fargo plant.

"The market will be there," Payne said Friday before climbing into a backhoe and ceremoniously scooping up the first bucket of dirt at the plant's future site. "The real risk is if we don't execute fast enough."

Construction on the plant officially began Friday in the North Dakota State University Research and Technology Park.

An intensive construction schedule has the facility slated for completion by October. Equipment will move in during the first quarter of 2006, and production of radio-frequency identification tags will begin soon after, Payne said.

The tiny radio transmitters are used with scanners to track everything from clothing and groceries to soldiers on the battlefield. Analysts say the technology could save billions by reducing lost shipments and speeding merchandise to store shelves." Read more at IN-Forum.com...

Grand Forks Herald: 'Excellence' bill gets approval

"In the end, the Legislature passed a bill setting aside $30 million for Centers of Excellence projects - $20 million up front. And, best of all for UND, no cap.

North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven held a ceremonial signing of the bill Wednesday in Grand Forks in the Ina Mae Rude Entrepreneur Center, part of UND's Center for Innovation, already an official North Dakota Center of Excellence.

The plan combines education and economic development in the state to create higher paying jobs. In the last biennium, the state appropriated $5 million to the program.

Hoeven says that when the public sector funds are leveraged with federal and private funding, the amount available for projects could grow to $150 million." More at GFHerald.com...

NDSU Professor Receives National Science Foundation CAREER Award

Eakalak Khan, Ph.D., assistant professor of civil engineering at North Dakota State University, Fargo, has been named a recipient of the Faculty Early Career Development award (CAREER) by the National Science Foundation. The CAREER program recognizes and supports the early career-development activities of scholars who are likely to become the academic leaders of the 21st century. Recipients are chosen on the basis of creative career development plans that integrate research and education with the context of their university’s mission.

Dr. Khan will receive $400,000 from the National Science Foundation to conduct research outlined in his proposal titled “Integrated Interdisciplinary Nanotechnology Research and Education on Fundamentals and Applications of Cell Entrapment for Water Pollution Control.” The award is effective July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2010. More...

Grand Forks Herald: HIGHER EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: EERC working on another breakout year

Contract awards headed for record $28 million, research center's director says
"UND's Energy and Environmental Research Center, one of the school's largest and most active generator of contracts and patent applications, is expecting to have another banner year, according to its director.

Current projections show that EERC contract awards for fiscal year 2005 will total at least $28 million, which is an increase over last year, also a record year, said Gerald Groenewold , head of the center.

This year, the EERC already has submitted 13 patent applications and will submit four more within the next few weeks for a total of 17.

EERC has made more than 105 patent applications in the past 15 years. The center specializes in providing solutions to global energy and environmental issues, such as clean-coat technologies and hydrogen fuel cell development." More at GFHerald.com...

Grand Forks Herald: VEHICLES: UND unveils first hydrogen vehicle

Sleek, futuristic-looking racer will run as an exhibit in two summer contests
"UND students closed the book on the solar age in grand style Friday with the unveiling the school's first car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.

UND's new car was designed and constructed over the past two years. Its fuel cell is a proton exchange membrane that weighs about the same as a combustion engine and could easily fit in the trunk of a car. Its operating temperature also is about the same as a typical car's engine.

Students from UND's School of Engineering and Mines were among those that worked on the car. Faculty from the school served as advisors.

John Deere donated the $150,000 fuel cell for the two-passenger car. Toronto-based Hydrogenics Corp., which specializes in hydrogen fuel cell development, offered technical support." More at GFHerald.com...

Grand Forks Herald: Wind-to-hydrogen project commissioned in Morris

"A 230-foot tall wind turbine already fills half of the energy needs at the University of Minnesota-Morris, but researchers hope it can do much more.

On Friday, they commissioned an experimental project to use wind power as a clean way to produce hydrogen, a gas that's considered by many to be the answer to America's future energy needs.

Hydrogen currently is made in one of two ways. It's extracted from fossil fuels such as natural gas. Hydrogen can also be pulled out of water, but electricity is needed to do that, and quite often that power comes from burning fossil fuels.

Greg Cuomo, who heads the wind-to-hydrogen project, said using electricity from the wind turbine to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen in a process called electrolysis is "a very clean source" of renewable energy." More at GFHerald.com...

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