Research is a critical component of the mission of the University of North Dakota. As a result of research activities conducted by the faculty, UND undergraduate and graduate students have an opportunity to broaden and enrich their educational experience. Besides contributing to the educational mission of the University, the results of the research are often of direct benefit to the residents of the state and to the nation as a whole.

Research activities are conducted through University research programs and individual faculty members working within their own departments. Several of the UND research programs are involved in public service activities which provide an opportunity for faculty and students to conduct research projects directly benefiting the public .

Financial support for research activities is provided either from University sources, such as the University Senate Scholarly Activities Committee and the Office of Research and Program Development, or through funds provided from external agencies such as Federal or State government, private foundations, and industry. In fiscal year 1998, $34.8 million of external support was received for sponsored program activities, of which $22.6 million was for research.

Major UND research programs include the Child Welfare Research Bureau, Bureau of Governmental Affairs, Bureau of Educational Services and Applied Research, Institute for Ecological Studies, the Social Sciences Research Institute, and the UND Energy and Environmental Research Center.

Local research agencies and programs which work with UND faculty and students include the Rehabilitation Hospital Child Evaluation and Treatment Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center, and the State of North Dakota Geological Survey.

UND is a major component of the National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) in North Dakota. The state received and matched its first EPSCoR grant in 1986, and has received continuous NSF funding since that time.

Further information on research activities can be obtained by calling the Office of Research and Program Development at 701/777-4278. See also page 17.

AWU Membership: The University of North Dakota is a member of Associated Western Universities, Inc. AWU is a consortium of more than 60 universities that directly supports the Department of Energy’s (DOE) mission to develop and maintain educational and training activities which insure that the scientific and technical needs of the energy research and development community are met. AWU provides an interface among the academic community, DOE, and its western laboratories. For information regarding AWU, contact the Office of Research and Program Development (777-4278).

ORAU Membership: Since 1989, students and faculty of the University of North Dakota have benefitted from its membership in Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). ORAU is a consortium of 87 colleges and universities and a contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ORAU works with its member institutions to help their students and faculty gain access to federal research facilities throughout the country; to keep its members informed about opportunities for fellowship, scholarship, and research appointments; and to organize research alliances among its members.

Through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, the DOE facility that ORAU operates, undergraduates, graduates, postgraduates, as well as faculty have access to a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Students can participate in programs covering a wide variety of disciplines including business, earth sciences, epidemiology, engineering, physics, geological sciences, pharmacology, ocean sciences, biomedical sciences, nuclear chemistry, and mathematics. Appointment and program length range from one month to four years. Many of these programs are especially designed to increase the numbers of under-represented minority students pursuing degrees in science and engineering-related disciplines. A comprehensive listing of these programs and other opportunities, their disciplines, and details on locations and benefits can be found in the Resource Guide, which is available at <http://www.orau.

gov/orise/resgld.htm,> or by calling either of the contacts below.

ORAU’s Office of Partnership Development seeks opportunities for partnerships and alliances among ORAU’s members, private industry, and major federal facilities. Activities include faculty development programs, such as the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards, the Visiting Industrial Scientist Program, and various services to chief research officers. For more information about ORAU and its programs, contact: Dr. Carl A. Fox, ORAU Councilor for University of North Dakota (701-777-4278); Ms. Monnie E. Champion, ORAU Corporate Secretary (423-576-3306); or visit the ORAU Home Page <http://www.orau.gov>.