North Dakota
Science and Technology Plan

North Dakota's information technology (IT) industry is experiencing steady growth, driven by a combination of factors including strategic investments, a skilled workforce, and a supportive business environment. While traditionally known for its strengths in agriculture and energy, the state is increasingly diversifying its economy, with the IT sector playing a significant role in this transformation.

One of the key drivers of North Dakota's IT industry is its focus on innovation and technology-driven solutions. The state has been proactive in fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, with initiatives such as the Innovate ND program providing support and resources to tech startups and small businesses. This has led to the emergence of a vibrant tech ecosystem, particularly in cities like Fargo, which has been dubbed the "Silicon Prairie" due to its growing reputation as a tech hub.

Companies like Microsoft and Amazon have long called North Dakota home. They, together with other high-demand IT users like Unisys and Cargill Global Business Services and other entrepreneurs understand the state’s economic landscape and have experienced our unbeatable work ethic. North Dakota is the best state for economic growth and one of the best entrepreneurship environments in the nation, reinforcing the fact that this is the place where you can innovate, grow and compete.

Moreover, North Dakota's educational institutions play a crucial role in nurturing talent for the IT industry. Universities such as NDSU and the University of North Dakota (UND) offer specialized programs in computer science, cybersecurity, and information systems, providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the tech sector. Additionally, the state has invested in workforce development programs to address the growing demand for IT professionals, ensuring a steady pipeline of talent for local businesses. North Dakota’s IT industry contributes significantly to the state’s overall growth and economic strength, too. It is connected to virtually every industry across the state. Nearly 3300 businesses employ close to 22,000 North Dakotans in various fields including IT, human relations, finance and marketing.

North Dakota is the first state to adopt the Cyber Sciences Initiative where students will be provided with the technological skills needed to meet future workforce needs. 

 

advanced computing AND data analysis

Advanced computing and data analytics combine:

• Data science is the collection, preparation, and analysis of data for visualization, decision making, and prediction;

• Artificial intelligence (AI)I is a field that combines computer science and data science to interpret historical data, recognize patterns, and make predictions the way humans do; and

• Machine learning is a subset of AI that draws on statistics and algorithms to provide models for learning and processing data autonomously without human intervention
   

​The ability to collect, store, and process large volumes of data is becoming a necessity across many sectors of the economy.

High power computers help scientists overcome the barriers encountered when accumulating massive amounts of data without viable means for processing. Supercomputers increase data versatility by evaluating innumerable combinations of elements to discover things that humans do not have the time or brainpower to even consider. The resulting combinations identify, more rapidly and accurately, validate opportunities that would otherwise remain unknown. As a result, scientists and society will have reliable scenarios to consider when making present-day, real-time decisions.

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RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Supercomputers at NDSU and UND represent the momentum in digital science and demonstrate that research utilizing high power computers, data science, and artificial intelligence research in alignment with and favorably advance the science and technology priorities of North Dakota.

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NDSU houses the DoD- and NSA-funded Institute for Cyber Security Education and Research, a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research. This institute, led by a faculty member with expertise in AI and cybersecurity as it relates to autonomous systems, serves as a nexus for cyber security excellence and utilizes a student-centered approach to training future cyber security practitioners, researchers, and educators. 

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UND is an NSA/DHS-designated National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research and houses the Center for Cyber Security Research in the College of Engineering & Mines.  The Center for Cyber Security is a research entity bringing together faculty, researchers, and students working in cybersecurity across departments within the College of Engineering & Mines with a mission to develop cutting edge security solutions to solve next generation cyber security problems. In addition, UND is also a founding member of the Midwest Big Data Hub alongside five other regional institutions. As a founding Co-PI institution, UND provides direction, guidance and coordinates research and outreach activities across the data hub. The partners invest in data driven approaches to address grand challenges for society and science.

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Additional Areas of Research Supporting Information Technology

• Supply chain

• Industrial and manufacturing engineering

• Microelectronics and nanomaterials

• Computational research and education capabilities (NDSU’s Center for Computationally Assisted Science and Technology and UND’s Computational Research Center) 

• Big Data Pipeline Unit for agriculture automation, data management and analytics

• Cybersecurity

• Internet of Things (IoT)-related research, in terms of engineering and computational processes, storage, information transfer and also specific use cases for industry

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Emerging AND New Research Areas for information technology

• Cybersecurity

• Impact of technology on society/sociology

• Machine learning 

• Digital twinning

• Augmented reality

• Artificial intelligence

• Aggregation and analysis of large data sets for practical use