news and notes

Students from Tribal Colleges and Universities across the United States gathered recently in Bismarck, ND, for the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) Student Conference, an annual event that celebrates Indigenous student achievement through academic competition, collaboration, and the sharing of knowledge. This year, ND EPSCoR sponsored the awards for the scientific poster and oral presentation competitions and the knowledge bowl.

ND EPSCoR is pleased to announce the recipients of our FY26 STEM research seed awards. We received 57 proposals from North Dakota researchers. Nearly $500,000 will be awarded to the following eight projects. Funding will be provided to faculty for the purpose of generating preliminary data needed to support the preparation of a proposal for submission to a federal agency. We offer our thanks to everyone who submitted a proposal, and our congratulations to these awardees.

Our March 2026 News and Notes newsletter is now available. In this issue: - Note from the Director - NSF encourages researchers to submit investigator-initiated proposals - ND EPSCoR FY26 Undergraduate STEM Research and Education Awards announced - ND EPSCoR funding opportunities - RFP open for NATURE Sunday Academy STEM Modules - UTTC to host 12th Annual Tribal College Research Symposium - Reminder: let us know about your E-RISE or E-CORE proposal - ND STEM highlights - Even

To better support researchers in ND to build capacity and competitiveness through NSF awards, especially the E-RISE and E-CORE, ND EPSCoR is offering a pre-planning grant for PUI and TCU institutions in ND. We checked in with previous planning grant awardees Hilde van Gijssel of Valley City State University and Jo Krieg of Minot State University to find out what advice they have for the researchers considering applying for an E-CORE or an E-RISE.

The February 2026 News and Notes newsletter is now available.

The ND EPSCoR State Office solicited proposals to fund STEM outreach activities. We are pleased to announce that the following eight proposals will be funded.

STTAR provides funding for STEM internships for North Dakota students working at North Dakota companies.

UND graduate and ND-ACES undergraduate student researcher Anjali Nayar recently received some exciting news: she has been accepted to the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences, one of seven medical schools she has applied to.

The December 2025 News and Notes newsletter is now available.

ND EPSCoR is currently offering the following funding opportunities. Please contact Jim Doolittle with questions about any of these programs.

ND EPSCoR seeks to provide STEM research seed awards of up to $60,000 in direct costs (State funds, indirect costs not allowed) to researchers at ND institutions of higher education. Funding will be provided to faculty for the specific purpose of generating preliminary data needed to support the preparation of a STEM proposal for submission to a federal agency.

The ND EPSCoR State Office is now accepting proposals to fund undergraduate STEM research activities at Tribal Colleges and Universities and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions within our jurisdiction.

The November 2025 News and Notes newsletter is now available.

The ND EPSCoR State Office is accepting proposals to fund STEM outreach activities lead by institutions of higher education, STEM science museums, and/or technology parks located in North Dakota. Engagement of faculty and researchers is highly encouraged.

On October 22, 2025, NDSU, ND EPSCoR, and partner institutions came together for a key strategic planning meeting as part of the recently awarded NSF E-CORE: Sustainable Programs Advancing Research and Knowledge across North Dakota (SPARK-ND) collaborative initiative.