A proposal for expanding NASA relevant research infrastructure and capabilities in North Dakota

North Dakota’s participation in the NASA EPSCoR program was established with the following objectives: build core competitive research strength in North Dakota, conduct research focused on scientific and technical problems of relevance and importance to NASA, focus on collaborative relationships between and among universities in North Dakota, industry, and NASA Centers, work in close coordination with North Dakota Space Grant Consortium to improve the environment for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in North Dakota, and contribute to North Dakota’s economic development. ND NASA EPSCoR proposes the following programs to accomplish these goals. The first is to provide faculty seed and travel grants, approximately equal to past years and proportionate to future funding levels, to enhance current research strengths and foster an environment for greater future non-NASA EPSCoR funding. ND NASA EPSCoR will also provide graduate student support approximately equal to past years and proportionate to future funding levels, to encourage students to conduct NASA related research and to pursue NASA relevant science and engineering degrees and careers. The proposal includes close coordination with ND NASA Space Grant’s Research Focus Area (RFA) seed grant program to increase the funding opportunities for faculty and students across the state. ND NASA EPSCoR will also continue to support, via the previously stated programs, the new Aerospace Sciences Ph.D. program at the University of North Dakota (first of its kind in the region) in development of emerging research expertise in NASA relevant areas. This proposal and its goals are broadly consistent with the primary goal of the North Dakota EPSCoR program, which is to “increase the competitiveness of North Dakota for merit-based grants and contracts in support of science and technology research from federal funding agencies.” This is done through the ND NASA EPSCoR seed grants, travel grants, and graduate student support. Many of the Research Focus Areas of ND NASA EPSCoR clearly align with NASA strategic goals 1 and 2. This includes areas in planetary space suit research, analog module development, advanced aeronautics, and climate change and agricultural research. NASA strategic goal 3, developing workforce to cater to needs of space industry is also addressed through these programs. Alignment with NASA’s Education Program goals is achieved through collaboration with the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium in attracting and retaining students in STEM fields through these proposed programs.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.