Advancing Science Excellence in North Dakota (ASEND)

北达科他州激励竞争研究实验计划(EPSCoR)将提高北达科他州州立大学(NDSU)和北达科他州大学(UND)这两所主要州立大学三个成熟研究集群中约20名教职员工的研究竞争力。选定用于加强的研究分组具有国家显著的潜力，包括：(1)超分子蛋白质复合体：在代谢调节和细胞内结构中的作用(NDSU和UND)；(2)种群变化和遗传多样性(NDSU和UND)；以及(3)主族金属有机化学(NDSU)。智能系统领域的第四个新兴研究集群将完全由国家资金支持。它将为国家在先进科学计算领域实施其经济发展战略提供一种手段。此外，还将开展教育和人力资源开发方面的外联计划，以建立和加强两所大学与两年制和四年制州立大学、美洲原住民社区学院、该州高中和初中以及普通公众之间的伙伴关系。北达科他州和各机构将通过每年直接捐助133.3万美元的配套资金，外加所有间接费用的全额捐助，帮助建造和维护科学和工程基础设施，三年的捐款总额超过650万美元。

The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) in the state of North Dakota will enhance the research competitiveness of approximately 20 faculty members working in three established research clusters located at the two major state universities, North Dakota State University (NDSU) and The University of North Dakota (UND). The research clusters selected for enhancement have the potential for national prominence and include: (1) Supramolecular Protein Complexes: Roles in Metabolic Regulation and Intracellular Structure (NDSU and UND); (2) Population Change and Genetic Diversity (NDSU and UND) and (3) Main Group Organometallic Chemistry (NDSU). A fourth emerging research cluster in the area of intelligent systems will be supported entirely by state funds. It will provide the state with a means to pursue its economic development strategy in advanced scientific computing. In addition, outreach programs in education and human resource development will be conducted that build and strengthen partnerships between the two universities and the two- and four-year state colleges, Native American community colleges, the high schools and junior high schools in the state, and the general public. The state of North Dakota and institutions will help build and maintain the science and engineering infrastructure through an outright contribution of $1.333 million per year in matching funds plus a full contribution of all indirect costs for a total contribution over three years of over $6.5 million.