January 21, 2010 – Fargo, N.D. – The Department of Visual Arts at North Dakota State University has announced that Michael Namkung, San Francisco, Calif., has been named the 2010 James Rosenquist Artist in Residence at NDSU. Mr. Namkung will work spring semester 2010 in the studio dedicated for the program at NDSU’s Downtown Visual Arts Department, interacting with students, holding public lectures and opening his studio to visitors. Mr. Namkung will present a public lecture on Thurs., Jan. 28 from 3-4:30 p.m., Renaissance Hall, Room 114 (650 NP Avenue, Fargo).

Michael Namkung performs kinesthetic drawing experiments that use the physicality of his body as the medium.  An amateur athlete, he uses his athletic training regimen to inform his creative research, which he defines as, “an exploration of what happens when the activity of drawing is infused with the language of athletic training.”  Through video, performance, installation, and audience participation, Namkung investigates questions of process, materiality and perception, specifically in terms of their relationship to the body.  At NDSU, Mr. Namkung will teach a seminar course and the residency will culminate with an exhibit and donation of a piece of artwork to the James Rosenquist Artist Residency Collection.  Additional information about Mr. Namkung can be found online at www.michaelnamkung.com.
 
“Mr. Namkung’s art is stunning and I know that he will make an indelible impression on our students as well as on the community,” said Thomas Riley, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at NDSU.  “We are very excited that he has accepted the Rosenquist residency this year.
 
Mr. Namkung holds a B.A. in history and a M.Ed. in teaching from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and an M.F.A. in drawing and painting from San Francisco State University.  He has taught at the Center for Elders and Youth in the Arts, San Francisco, Calif.; San Francisco State University; and the Richmond Art Center, Richmond, Calif.   His work has been exhibited at the San Francisco State University Fine Arts Gallery, the LAB, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and the POW! POW! Action Art Festival.  In addition to the James Rosenquist Residency award, Mr. Namkung has been awarded several graduate fellowship awards and the Jack and Gertrude Murphy Fellowship in the Fine Arts, San Francisco, Calif.  
 
The James Rosenquist Artist in Residency Program for Visual Arts at NDSU honors James Rosenquist. Born in Grand Forks, N.D., Rosenquist is considered one of the greatest living artists of the Pop Art movement of North America. His work and career are internationally known. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from North Dakota State University in May 2005.
 
NDSU introduced the James Rosenquist Artist in Residency Program in 2006 with its inaugural artist, Hedi Schwöbel, of Ludwigsburg, Germany. One of her artistic installations included sculpted salt blocks placed in area pastures with cattle near Casselton and Leonard, N.D. The second artist in residence, sculptor Jonathan Pellitteri, used his experience as a mason and carpenter to create artwork that included various mediums and processes representing his observations of the world around him.  The 2009 artist in residence, Min Kim Park, explored issues revolving around gender, ethnicity and identity using multimedia performances.  
 
“The thriving Rosenquist Artist in Residency Program has brought international artists to campus over the past three years, providing additional learning options for NDSU students, as well as high school students, alongside activities with the regional arts community,” said Philip Boudjouk, vice president for research, creative activities and technology transfer, which funds the program.

January 14, 2010 – Fargo, N.D. – It slices, dices and catapults with the precision and dexterity needed by scientists. Whether it involves asthma, lungs, bones, microbes, nutrition, endocrinology, or reproductive health, North Dakota State University researchers will now have a new tool to enhance research in life sciences and other areas. NDSU has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation Program, funded under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.
 
The grant, under the direction of Anna Grazul-Bilska, professor of animal science, and Jane Schuh, assistant professor of veterinary and biological sciences, will provide a highly-specialized microscope for faculty, graduate and undergraduate research. Among other things, the equipment can dissect a single cell with a laser beam.
 
The new equipment at NDSU is also expected to benefit undergraduate biotechnology students and high school students affiliated with NDSU’s outreach science programs, such as the North Dakota Governor’s School, State Science Fair, and local educational collaborations.
 
The Zeiss PALM MicroBeam IV Laser Microdissection Pressure Catapulting System (LMPCS) can highly magnify and excise a single cell for further study. The equipment uses a solid state ultraviolet dissecting laser with sufficient power to cut precisely through even tough plant tissue so it can be used in plant science, yet has the accuracy to dissect with the precision needed for intracellular research.  

Archival, frozen or live cell samples can be dissected away from surrounding tissue for additional study, with minimal damage to extracted cells or cells that are left behind. The system’s high quality optics and cameras allow extremely detailed imaging. The computer-guided path is cut around the tissue of interest and a laser pulse focused below the plane of the sample then catapults the sample into a collection tube, providing an unprecedented ability to capture fixed or living cells to a receptacle with no damage or contamination.
 
“The equipment is cutting edge,” said Schuh. “It’s a new tool for researchers as well as the students that we mentor. Training on such equipment gives students additional scientific skills to as they pursue advanced degrees, research or work in life sciences and other fields.”
 
It’s anticipated that more than 20 NDSU faculty will use the new equipment in their research programs. Research activities expected to benefit from the new scientific tool include:
-bone tissue engineering in which engineers and biologists develop substitutes to restore and maintain the function of human bone tissues so bones can better heal
-reproductive physiology and epigenetics / studying factors controlling reproduction, growth and development
-pulmonary structure and function / investigating how asthma affects lungs to lead to better understanding and treatment of asthma
-wheat genetics and genomics / in the search of better wheat varieties
-regulating microbes / to better understand the interactions between microbes that cause disease and their hosts
-growth regulation / to improve growth in fish and other animals, and to detect and treat growth disorders in humans and animals
-vascular development / to determine an optimal environment for maternal health in humans and livestock
-nutrition / and the role it plays in healthy mothers and offspring
-vascular reactivity / to better understand blood vessel development and function in growing tissues and how environmental factors impact tissue growth
-environmental parasites / to identify sources of cryptosporidium which can contaminate water and lead to health issues
 
“This highly-specialized equipment will further enhance research programs at NDSU across a variety of disciplines,” according to Philip Boudjouk, vice president for research, creative activities and technology transfer. “The equipment will assist researchers across campus, particularly in life sciences.”
 
The new equipment will be housed in the Advanced Imaging and Microscopy Lab in Hultz Hall. Last year, NDSU received a National Science Foundation grant for a high-resolution analytical scanning electronic microscope in NDSU’s Electron Microscopy Center, allowing researchers to view materials at the nanoscale level. In 2008, the National Science Foundation funded an analytical transmission electron microscope (TEM) at NDSU.
 
“These tools help prepare NDSU students for professional careers in high-tech fields, and advance research opportunities in the region,” said Boudjouk.

January 5, 2010 – Fargo, N.D. – Sivaguru Jayaraman, (Siva) Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry and molecular biology at North Dakota State University, Fargo, has been selected as the 2010 laureate of the Swiss Chemical Society’s Grammaticakis-Neumann Prize. The honor includes an invitation to speak at the Swiss Chemical Society Fall Meeting in September 2010, a diploma and a financial award of 5,000 (CHF) or approximately $4850 (USD). Dr. Siva will receive the Grammaticakis-Neumann Prize in Zurich, Switzerland on Sept. 16, 2010.

The prize from the Swiss Chemical Society is awarded to a promising young research scientist for an outstanding contribution in photochemistry, photophysics or molecular photobiology. Research conducted by Prof. Siva involves the use of light to initiate chemical reactions and control photoreactivity in the excited state using molecular design and nanoconfinement.

The cornerstone of Prof. Siva’s program involves synthetic effort that allows a freedom of design to produce new structural motifs not only for studying stereoselective reactions, but also for chemical and bio-molecular recognition of encapsulated guests within water soluble nano-reaction vessels. Dr. Siva’s research investigates the molecular and supramolecular assembly characteristics of systems to gain a deeper understanding of the interplay between molecular structure, assembly, dynamics and the role of external interactions critical for molecular recognition events in light-initiated reactions. Additionally, Dr. Siva’s research group uses modern molecular tools and spectroscopic techniques to gain deeper understanding of molecular interactions in chemical and biological systems, using light as both a reagent that initiates the chemistry and as the product of excited state reactivity of organic molecules.

“This international award recognizes the exceptional contribution of Dr. Siva’s work, highlighting the caliber of research conducted at NDSU that carries global impact,” said Philip Boudjouk, vice president for research, creative activities and technology transfer. “Faculty members such as Siva also provide valuable research and mentoring opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at NDSU.”

Dr. Siva previously received a National Science Foundation CAREER award that supports the early career-development activities of scholars who are likely to become the academic leaders of the 21st century. The goal of Dr. Siva’s research is to use environmentally-benign ways to synthesize chiral molecules and to understand the interaction of light with matter leading to stereoselective photo-transformations.

Dr. Siva joined the faculty at NDSU in August 2006. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Columbia University, New York, N.Y., with Prof. Nicholas J. Turro, after receiving  his Ph.D. from Tulane University, New Orleans, La., under the guidance of Prof. V. Ramamurthy. Prof. Siva received his master’s degree in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, (IIT-M), Tamil Nadu, India, and completed his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from St. Joseph’s College, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. For details regarding Dr. Siva’s research, teaching and outreach activities, visit http://sivagroup.chem.ndsu.nodak.edu/

The Swiss Chemical Society that selected Dr. Siva for the Grammaticakis-Neumann Prize is an international professional organization engaging in information, discussion and education in all fields of pure and applied chemistry including economical, ecological and social perspectives. The SCS has approximately 2600 individual and 40 corporate members and five collective member societies. For information about the Swiss Chemical Society, visit www.swiss-chem-soc.ch/ For information about the award to Dr. Siva, visit www.swiss-chem-soc.ch/news/news.cfm?ID=167

With a reputation for excellence in teaching and multidisciplinary research, North Dakota State University, Fargo, is a metropolitan land grant institution with more than 14,000 students. NDSU is listed in the top 100 of several National Science Foundation annual research expenditure rankings in the areas of chemistry, physical sciences, agricultural sciences and social sciences, with more than $100 million total research expenditures annually. www.ndsu.edu/research

December 16, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - The NDSU Incubator welcomes four new and unique start-up businesses to its facility: Bolder Thinking uses state-of-the-art cloud computing to create hosted call centers; My S Dot Touch is working on an integrated laptop, e-reader, cell phone and MP3/iPod; Larada Sciences is developing a medical device that eliminates head lice; and Genosys LLC is leveraging the growing global seed industry.
 
"A major role for this university is to provide the fertile ground for the nurturing of new business. We are delighted to be able to provide some of the tools entrepreneurs need to grow their business. These four start-up ventures represent our commitment to supporting new start-up businesses," said NDSU President Dr. Richard Hanson.
 
Bolder Thinking's cloud computing system eliminates the need for a call center telephony hardware by buying time off site through cloud computing. John Jasper, founder and president of Bolder Thinking says "Bolder Thinking's business is at the leading edge in terms of cloud computing services and we expect our ability to succeed will be enhanced by our connections with the NDSU Research & Technology Park," Jasper has more than 25 years experience in technology involved in startups including NAVTEQ, Digital Globe (DGI - NYSE), and Cellular Business Systems (now part of Convergys).   
 
"Joining the NDSU Research & Technology Park is an important move as we work to build our cloud computing call center platform and business," said Jasper. "It is important for us to have close ties with NDSU to facilitate recruitment of software developers and to hire interns to help us establish our platform.  We are excited about the prospect of leveraging the Park to facilitate acquiring customers, raising capital and building a great business."    
 
Moving here from Los Angeles, California, Shelton McCoy, founder and president of a new start-up company called My S Dot Touch. The company plans to change the way the world looks at technology by introducing the company's "My S Dot Touch" netbook. This hybrid, book-like laptop has dual multi-touch screens designed to serve as an all-in-one technology device - an e-Reader, Laptop computer, cell phone, iPod or MP3 Player, Photo album and much more.  
 
"It is an honor to partner with the NDSU Research & Technology Park," stated Shelton McCoy. "The Park has great people to work with that have a proven track record in launching startup companies to major players in the technology world. I am very excited about the partnership and ability to build and grow my company here at the Technology Incubator. Touch the World!"
 
Larada Sciences is a science-based medical technology company dedicated to the safe elimination of human head lice infestations. The company was founded by the lead scientist and technology inventor from the University of Utah, Dale Clayton, Ph.D., and by a group of seasoned entrepreneurs with numerous successful technology and medical device start-up companies to their credit including ZARS Pharma, Aplion Medical, VisualShare, and Exeven Therapeutics.
 
"We've been very pleased to find in North Dakota such a comprehensive and supportive environment for business growth" said Larry Rigby, CEO, Larada Sciences. "Great talent and access to NDSU facilities and students, the availability of a top-notch manufacturing partner in Wahpeton (ComDel Innovations), and a solid base of early stage investment capital and development programs all helped us decide to establish ourselves here. NDSU's Technology Incubator is a very good fit for our ND operations, not just in terms of office space and shared services, but also for the programs and services they offer and being surrounded by other technology innovators in the Red River Valley. Larada Sciences is proud to be part of this innovation and is excited to be working out of the Technology Incubator."  
 
Incorporated in May, 2009, Genosys LLC is the brainchild of a group of investors with a vested interest in the global seed industry, particularly in the areas of hybrid sunflower seed breeding, production, and distribution. With the first round of capitalization, Genosys was able to acquire a well-established sunflower breeding program, with more than 15 years of rich history, and continue to build on the solid foundation.  
 
Genosys' primary and business objective is to capture the explosive growth momentum and market potential of developing countries such as China, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, to name a few, by addressing the lack of well-developed products catering to country-specific farming practices and consumption behaviors. The secondary and social objective of the enterprise is to elevate the living standards of the agrarian communities of these developing countries through increased crop yield and profitability as well as knowledge sharing and education.   
 
Located on 55 acres, the NDSU Research & Technology Park is a place where university researchers and private industry combine their talents to develop new technologies, methods and systems. The Technology Incubator is a catalyst for innovation in science and technology and provides the tools entrepreneurs need to successfully start and grow new technology ventures. For additional information regarding the NDSU Research & Technology Park and Technology Incubator, please logon to www.ndsuresearchpark.com <http://www.ndsuresearchpark.com>

December 11, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - Stem cells, where they come from and what they are used for will be discussed in the next Science Café on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. in Stoker's Basement at the Hotel Donaldson. Peggy Biga, North Dakota State University assistant professor of biological sciences, will present scientific answers to questions regarding stem cell research in her presentation titled "Stem Cell Research: Is it Worth it?"
 
Biga will talk about how the government regulates federal spending for stem cell research and ask the audience how religious ideologies might influence such regulations and the way scientists conduct science. She will explain the origins of the debate that surrounds the question of when life begins, which goes back to the time of Aristotle. Then, she will open a discussion of the controversies surrounding stem cell research.

December 10, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - Fred Haring, fabrication technician, and Bernd Scholz, engineer, at NDSU's Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) presented a poster presentation and paper at the 2009 International Microelectronics and Packaging Society 42nd International Symposium on Microelectronics, held Nov. 1-5, in San Jose, Calif.
 
Titled “A Process to Produce Low Cost Solder Balls in Custom Sizes,” the presentation was based on research being developed at CNSE. "The ability to produce solder balls with standard surface mount technology equipment in custom sizes for use on electronic components, chip scale packages, or even on silicon wafers, allows manufacturers and R&D facilities to save money by not having to buy large quantities of solder balls, and gives them the ability to make custom sizes for specific chip needs," said Haring. "This solder ball production process also fits the niche of producing small quantities of custom alloy solder balls as they are being designed and tested in R&D settings prior to real world applications." The paper was co-written by Jacob Baer, Syed Sajid Ahmad and Aaron Reinholz.
 
In addition, Scholz's presented his paper "Novel Multi-Chip Packaging Method Using Stochastic Self Assembly," was presented to 500 symposium participants. The paper, co-written by Sourin Bhattacharya, discussed research being conducted at CNSE in the area of advanced microelectronics packaging process. "Packaging" refers to the full enclosure and electrical interconnection from a small silicon chip to a part, which can be implemented into a portable electronic device like a hearing aid or cell phone.
 
The International Microelectronics and Packaging Society conference promotes international cooperation, understanding and promotion of efforts and disciplines in microelectronics packaging and design, 3D packaging, thermal management, lead free issues, micro electro-mechanical systems packaging, reliability testing, bio-med and advanced electronics materials and technologies. The society promotes international, national, state and student chapters.

December 9, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - NDSU’s discoveries of new liquid silanes and novel aerosol beam deposition techniques have great potential to produce low-cost, high-quality photovoltaic devices, according to Philip Boudjouk, vice president for research, creative activities and technology transfer. Boudjouk presented NDSU’s research discoveries during seminars at Kyonggi University, Seoul, South Korea; Korea University, Seoul, South Korea; and at Chungnam National University, Deajeon, South Korea.

NDSU has developed a new form of liquid silicon that will allow more precise control of the formation of silicon nanotubes and nanocrystals, enabling higher conversion of solar energy into elec- trical energy. At the invitation of the South Korean universities, Boudjouk presented “A New Route to Cyclohexasilane: Synthesis and Applications,” during the visit to South Korea Nov. 1-14.

Boudjouk and Doug Schulz, senior research scientist at NDSU’s Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, also attended the International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference and Exhibition in Jeju, South Korea. The conference covered the entire range of photovoltaics, from materials and systems as well as market development and policies. Among the most newsworthy announcements were those demonstrating significant reductions in production costs of solar energy.

NDSU has collaborative accords with several South Korean schools, including Kyonggi University and Chungnam National University. Boudjouk was the guest of NDSU alumnus Byung- Hee Han, Department of Chemistry at Chung-Nam University. Boudjouk also met with international NDSU alumni interested in electronics and silicon technology research.

November 25, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - Aaron Feickert, a senior from Fargo, N.D., studying mathematics and physics at NDSU, spent his summer working with the largest and most powerful particle accelerator in the world. The Large Hadron Collider analyzes the physics that occur during a collision of protons and the particles that are created during the collisions. Physicists use the data to search for new particles, verify physical models of the universe and discover new physics at high energies.
 
Feickert researched a detector on the collider, known as the Compact Muon Solenoid. He conducted a study on the effect of proposed upgrades to one of the calorimeters, a device to measure the energy of particles created in collision. Since last summer's research, Feickert has learned that he will get to participate in similar opportunities made possible by the Department of Defense's Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship.
 
“I greatly value the opportunity this program provides to make a real difference in the scientific programs of the nation," Feickert said. "This is a fantastic opportunity to do what I love and be encouraged in my academic endeavors while serving my country.”
 
The scholarship is an effort by the Department of Defense to recruit scientists, mathematicians and engineers within the government. It is available for the duration of the recipient's degree, be it undergraduate or graduate, and provides full tuition payment, health insurance and a generous stipend for each year of degree progress. In addition, each recipient is assigned to a defense laboratory where they will fulfill a summer internship and work full time after graduation for the length of time equal to the number of years for which the scholarship was awarded.
 
Feickert learned about the scholarship through an advertisement on campus and applied. Two defense laboratories contacted him, offering research positions. In one laboratory, he would perform feasibility testing on biological defense projects with the Army. In the other position, he would design control systems for the master atomic clocks in Washington, D.C., with the Navy.
 
He accepted the second position and will travel to the Naval Observatory to meet with staff in January. Since he is in the final year of his degree, he is not required to complete a summer internship. After Feickert graduates in May, he will begin work at the Naval Observatory for one year. He will work with master atomic clocks, which are a collection of extremely accurate timepieces that use atomic-level measurements to track time. These clocks provide the precise time used by military, GPS systems, cellular phones and network time.
 
“I’m looking forward to gaining a deeper understanding of atomic physics, a subject about which I know little,” Feickert said. “I also am very excited to be able to work on projects that have direct applications to so many technologies that we use every day.” After Feickert completes his work with the Navy, he plans to attend graduate school for mathematics or physics. He enjoys both disciplines, but has not chosen one yet for future study.

October 30, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - Suicide is ranked above homicide as the 11th leading cause of death in the United States. Someone dies by suicide every 16 minutes and for every death by suicide there are 25 suicide attempts. Suicide causes agonizing emotional pain for the people who are left behind, and it is associated with substantial costs to society as a whole. "Despite these devastating statistics, there is hope for a brighter future," says Kathryn Gordon, assistant professor of psychology at North Dakota State University. "The scientific study of suicide has led to advances in our understanding about why suicide happens, and importantly, how to stop it from happening."

Gordon will present "Science Saving Lives: the Psychology of Suicide," on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Hotel Donaldson's Stokers Basement located at 101 Broadway, downtown Fargo. The presentation is part of the Science Cafe series, sponsored by the College of Science and Mathematics.

Gordon's presentation will take what science has taught us about suicide and translate it into real-life, practical tips for identifying warning signs and effectively helping people who are at risk for suicide.

The next Science Cafe is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. at The Hotel Donaldson's Stokers Basement. The title is "Stem Cells Research: Is it worth it?"

For more information, contact Keri Drinka at (701) 231-6131 or keri.drinka@ndsu.edu.

October 28, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - NDSU recently was awarded a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Phil McClean, professor of plant sciences, is leading the project, titled “BeanCAP: A Coordinated Agricultural Project.” NDSU is the lead institution and is collaborating with 18 scientists from nine other universities and USDA-Agricultural Research Service locations.

The project will incorporate research, education and outreach components around the area of nutritional genomics of common bean (pinto beans, string beans, etc.). The research goal of the project is to incorporate the tools of translational genomics into public plant breeders’ programs with the aim of improving the nutritional value of beans. The project also aims to educate and train high school and beginning undergraduate students in plant breeding and how it interacts with the field of translational genomics. Finally, the project will develop Web-based platforms to disseminate knowledge of nutrition and genomics to the general public.

Additional NDSU personnel involved with the grant include Julie Garden-Robinson, food and nutrition specialist and associate professor of health, nutrition and exercise science; Christina Johnson, computer graphics manager in plant sciences; Juan Osorno, assistant professor of plant sciences; and Brian Slator, professor of computer science.

October 28, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - Erxi Wu, assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences, and Fengfei Wang, senior research associate in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, have had a manuscript published with collaborator Guoying Zhang from China. “Suppression of growth, migration and invasion of highly metastatic human breast cancer cells by berbamine and its molecular mechanisms of action” was published in the journal, Molecular Cancer.

The researchers have been studying the activity of berbamine against highly metastatic human breast cancer and its molecular mechanisms of action. They discovered that berbamine suppresses the growth, migration and invasion in highly metastatic human breast cancer cells and it has synergistic effects with anticancer agents. The researchers suggest that berbamine may have wide therapeutic and adjuvant therapeutic application in treatment of human breast cancer and other cancers.

“Molecular Cancer, a forum for findings in the field of cancer-related research, is an open access journal, providing an opportunity to present information to specialists and the public. The online appearance of Molecular Cancer allows the immediate publication of accepted articles and the presentation of large amounts of data and supplemental information.”

Researchers from Wu’s laboratory focus their work on tumor therapeutic targets, drug discovery and biomarkers. The lab has a close collaboration with Yantai University in China.

October 27, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - While comedian Tommy Smothers always told his brother, "Mom always liked you best," a study by biology researchers gives new meaning to the classic phrase. Researchers Wendy Reed and Mark Clark at North Dakota State University, Fargo, and Carol Vleck at Iowa State University, Ames, have found that female American coots favor their largest offspring, even before they hatch.

Reported in the November issue of The American Naturalist, www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/605962 the study was conducted over two breeding seasons on small wetlands in the prairie-parkland region south of Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada. Reed and colleagues placed newly-hatched chicks in foster nests. Their findings show that chicks from a female's largest eggs survived better than their smaller genetic siblings. This was true even though siblings were not raised together, nor raised by their genetic parents.

Egg size and other maternal investments vary even more among different mothers, but that did not matter for survival of the offspring. "What matters is that an offspring is the largest among its genetic siblings," says Reed, associate professor of biology at NDSU. "It doesn't mean that bigger is always better, but it does mean that being bigger than your brothers and sisters is important for survival."

Often called marsh hens or mud hens, the 16-inch long American coots are known for their territorial and noisy, cantankerous habits. Females lay 5 to 16 eggs per clutch and movement of broods among ponds is rare, which facilitates monitoring the survival of the young. Researchers located 66 nests during the egg-laying stage or during egg incubation and marked them with a unique code, measuring their length and breadth. Chicks were hatched through incubation, allowing researchers to identify which chick hatched from which egg. Chicks used in the fostering study were assigned to foster families, with chicks fostered into nests in three visits. Adult coots readily accepted the foster chicks who were observed weekly by researchers.

Instead of creating offspring that are more similar to one another, the study suggests that maternal effects, such as egg size, can result in greater differences rather than similarities among siblings. "This can affect evolutionary dynamics and provide new explanations for why so much diversity is seen in egg size and other important life history traits," says Reed.

Like many mothers, American coots seem to face the classic mothering paradox - is it quality or quantity that matters? Results of the study suggest that differences in the quality of maternal resources provided to offspring are more important than the absolute quantity of resources. These differences in quality ultimately determine whether the young offspring survive. When researchers placed the large eggs into a foster-brood, they found little support for large eggs within foster-broods having higher survival probability than small eggs.

So while size matters - for American coots, it appears you don't have to be the biggest - just the biggest among your own genetic siblings to increase your chances of survival.

For more information: "Maternal Effects Increase Within-Family Variation in Offspring Survival" The American Naturalist, Nov. 2009, Vol. 175, No. 5, pp.685-695

www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/605962

Funding for this research study was provided by the Delta Waterfowl Foundation, National Science Foundation grant IBN-98-01503, a Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research and the American Museum of Natural History, Frank Chapman Fund.

October 21, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - Research activity has greatly expanded the last few years at NDSU, including the type of research that involves human participants. Since fiscal year 2005, new protocol submissions to the Institutional Review Board have increased 30 percent, with over-all review activity up 40 percent. The last several months have been particularly busy, with almost twice the volume of protocol submissions compared to the same time period last year.

While a large jump in research activity is exciting for NDSU, it does present challenges in meeting demand while retaining review quality and timeliness. Investigators are urged to plan ahead and allow additional time for Institutional Review Board staff and members to process and review their protocols. Researchers can contribute to a more efficient review and avoid unnecessary delays by ensuring the protocol form is completed thoroughly and accurately, all relevant signatures and applicable attachments are included and required training has been completed and documented by all members of the research team. For more information, go to ndsu.edu/research/irb

October 21, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - Six women will receive FORWARD Leap Research Grant awards. The recipients are Victoria Gelling, assistant professor of coatings and polymeric materials; Linda Langley, assistant professor of psychology; Catherine Logue, associate professor of veterinary and microbio- logical sciences; Lisa Montplaisir, assistant professor of biological sciences; Wenfang Sun, associate professor of chemistry and molecular biology; and Yechun Wang, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and applied mechanics.

These awards, funded by the National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant and North Dakota EPSCoR, support the advancement of tenure-track and tenured faculty women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines by providing research grants to seed proposals with strong potential to lead to greater funding opportunities from federal sources. External reviewers reviewed 22 proposals submitted for funding with well-established careers in research. After receiving the external reviewers’ comments, the final decisions for awards were made by an internal award committee.

October 20, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - North Dakota State University has been awarded a $566,997 grant from the National Science Foundation for a high-resolution analytical scanning electron microscope (SEM) to be housed in NDSU's Electron Microscopy Center.

The major research instrumentation grant is under the direction of Kalpana Katti, Ph.D., NDSU distinguished professor of civil engineering; Jayma Moore, laboratory manager of the NDSU Electron Microscopy Center; and Scott Payne, assistant director of the Electron Microscopy Center. The equipment will allow researchers to see materials at the nanoscale level.

A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter and a human hair, for example is about 50,000 nanometers thick. The high-resolution scanning electronic microscope provides faculty and students an important tool to assist scientists in making research discoveries. The scanning electron microscope provides ultrahigh-resolution imaging, magnifying things up to one million times.

The new scanning electron microscope will help prepare NDSU students for professional careers in high-tech fields, and advance research opportunities in the region. NDSU offers an interdisciplinary program leading to a Ph.D. degree in Materials and Nanotechnology (MNT).

Installation of the scanning electron microscope is expected by spring 2010. Anticipated users of the new instrumentation include researchers from NDSU and the upper Midwest, as well as partners from government and industry.

"Only a small percentage of these types of proposals are federally funded in any given year," said Scott Payne, assistant director of the Electron Microscopy Center. "State-of-the-art imaging and analysis also will support future grant requests," said laboratory manager Jayma Moore. "The acquisition of these tools is a needed step toward excellence in engineering and sciences," noted Katti.

"This grant is an important step forward in maintaining a 21st century research infrastructure for science and engineering at the nanoscale," said Philip Boudjouk, vice president of research, creative activities and technology transfer at NDSU.

October 14, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - The Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology hosted students from Fargo high schools during the summer as part of the PICNICS (Parents Involvement with Children, Nurturing Intellectual Curiosity in Science) program. The program aims to integrate parents and their children in science and encourage ninth through 12th graders to consider science as a career path.

“Informing both parents and their children in organized settings regarding the importance of science and technology will help them make informed decisions toward science and math when considering college majors and career paths,” said Sivaguru Jayaraman, program coordinator and assistant professor of chemistry and molecular biology.

Students were selected based on recommendations from their high school teachers. They worked alongside graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and carried out research in NDSU’s Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology. The PICNICS program was conducted in collaboration with Todd Bertsch, principal at Fargo South High School; Carol Beaton, advanced placement science teacher at Fargo South High School; and Dale Miller, vice-principal at Fargo North High School.

Jayaraman, Kent Rodgers, Mukund Sibi, John Hershberger and D. K. Srivastava, all faculty from the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, hosted students in their research groups for the summer. At the end of the program, students presented a poster on their research at a reception held for them by the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology.

September 25, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - Like a canary in a coal mine, clues exist in nature that could provide a sequence of snapshots leading to a more complete picture of climate change and other important ecological findings. Measuring and analyzing this type of scientific data from points across the U.S. are key components of NEON. The National Ecological Observatory Network's (NEON) Chief of Science, Dr. Michael Keller, will present information about NEON: Enabling Research and Education in Continental Scale Ecology on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the NDSU Memorial Union, Arikara Room.

North Dakota State University serves as lead coordinating institution in NEON Domain 9, Northern Plains, for this national observatory network that will gather long-term data to enable understanding and forecasting of the impacts of climate change, land-use change, and invasive species on continental-scale ecology. Three sites will be located in each domain. The Woodworth Field Station of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service near Jamestown, N.D., serves as the Domain 9 Core Site. These sites will be part of the NEON network, which will include 60 networked observatory sites around the country.

The Observatory will be the first of its kind to collect ecological data at continental scales over multiple decades, which will be readily available to scientists, educators, students, decision makers and the public to use to understand and address ecological questions and issues.

NEON's goal includes constructing a continental-scale ecological observatory that once operational, will provide critical ecological data that will help us understand how climate change, land use change and invasive species affect the nation's ecosystems. Obtaining this kind of data over a long-term period will advance basic understanding of our effects on the natural world and contribute to environmental decision making in the future.

The NEON Northern Plains Domain 9 Science and Education Coordination Committee will also meet at NDSU and includes representatives from NDSU, North Dakota EPSCoR, Sitting Bull College, The Nature Conservancy, the University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, University of North Dakota, University of South Dakota, University of Wyoming, USDA Northern Great Plains Research Lab, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey and a K-12 science educator from the region. NDSU's representatives on the committee include Wei Lin, associate professor of civil engineering and Wendy Reed, associate professor of biological sciences. NEON activities at NDSU are coordinated through the Office of the Vice President for Research, Creative Activities and Technology Transfer.

For more information, visit www.neoninc.org.

August 5, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - Sixteen undergraduate students from all over the United States recently spent eight weeks in Fargo researching topics including the affects of toxins on wheat plants or developing biocomposite materials from natural fibers. One of those students was Margaret "Margo" Azure from Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten, N.D. North Dakota State University officials hope Azure is the first of many students from tribal colleges around the state to participate in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Research Program.

Azure participated in the program, studying Natural Resource Management. Under the mentorship of Chad Ulven, NDSU assistant professor of mechanical engineering, she researched the development of natural fiber reinforced biocomposite materials from a North Dakota Cord Grass.

Since completing an associate's degree in Natural Resource Management at Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Azure plans to begin work toward a bachelor's degree in Natural Resource management at NDSU.

The goals of the program are to give students a graduate research experience, to encourage students to consider graduate school and to provide students an up-close look at North Dakota's people and places. Last year, 10 students participated.

Two years ago, Evie Myers, vice president for Equity, Diversity and Global Outreach, and Deland Myers Sr., professor and director of the School of Food Systems, were tasked by NDSU President Joseph Chapman to find ways to get underrepresented students to campus, particularly in the science fields. Last summer, NDSU officials visited North Dakota tribal colleges to develop partnerships at each college allowing both institutions to build on each other's strengths. The NDSU Summer STEM Research program is one way to exercise the new relationships of the institutions.

Opportunities 2-2-2

Participating students are involved in ongoing research projects for NDSU professors, lab activities and are often acknowledged as co-authors of research publications. Students work in biology, plant sciences, pharmacy, cereal science, soil science, plant pathology, communications, computer science, natural resources and exercise sciences.

Funding for the NDSU Summer STEM Research Program comes from NDSU, the National Science Foundation and Cargill. For more information, contact the NDSU Office of Equity, Diversity and Global Outreach at (701) 231-6358.

July 28, 2009, Fargo, N.D. - A cutting-edge DNA lab at North Dakota State University has been approved by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to perform crime-fighting work. The Justice Department has placed the NDSU Forensic DNA Facility on its list of approved DNA vendor laboratories eligible for work through the Forensic DNA Backlog Reduction Program. The notification was announced by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.

NDSU's Forensic DNA Facility utilizes high-tech equipment and methods for use in criminal and civil court cases. The lab joins just 24 others in the nation eligible for similar work through the DNA Backlog Reduction Program, which received $151 million in federal funding this fiscal year.

"Approval by the National Institute of Justice as a DNA laboratory vendor to receive casework from law enforcement agencies, under the Forensic DNA Backlog Reduction Program, is a major accomplishment for our facility," said Dr. Berch Henry, director of the NDSU Forensic DNA Facility. "This achievement acknowledges that our program has successfully met the highest standards of our profession."

The NDSU Forensic DNA Facility uses state-of-the-art methods to perform evidence analysis on both criminal and civil cases. The Facility is engaged in basic and applied forensic research. The NDSU Lab provides the criminal justice system with forensic DNA analysis to help solve cases, assist government laboratories, and provide reanalysis of casework evidence.

The NDSU Forensic DNA Facility is accredited by Forensic Quality Services - International Division of the National Forensic Science and Technology Center. This accrediting agency inspects U.S. laboratories for adherence to standards set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISC) and the DNA Advisory Board (established by the Director of the FBI). The NDSU Forensic DNA Facility complies with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and Forensic Requirements for Accreditation (FRA 1).

The NDSU research team focuses on the trickiest of DNA identification cases and on training others in DNA forensic science. The group studies ways to maximize results from the smallest amounts of DNA evidence. The NDSU scientific team's experience includes extensive work at major metropolitan, county and state police forensic laboratories, as well as in private sector laboratories.

NDSU, in association with efforts from Sen. Byron Dorgan and the Red River Valley Research Corridor, received $3.5 million in grant awards from the National Institute of Justice to establish the Forensics DNA Facility. The Facility is among the first in the country to combine teaching with a functioning forensic DNA lab. Under development is a Ph.D. track to provide doctoral students in biochemistry with an emphasis in forensic DNA technology - among the first program of its kind in the nation.

The NDSU Forensic DNA Facility team includes board-certified members (American Board of Criminalistics) who possess more than 50 years combined experience in forensic serology and DNA analysis - from identification of biological fluids to DNA profiling. Its scientists are members of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, The Association of Forensic DNA Analysts and Administration, and The Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists.

www.ndsu.edu/dna