Jim_Doolittle

James J. Doolittle, Ph.D., has been named Director of the North Dakota Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (ND ESPCoR).

Doolittle will be responsible for the day-to-day operations, management, and overall coordination of the program. He joined ND EPSCoR in October of 2023 as Project Administrator and was named Head of Operations in August of 2024.

ND EPSCoR partners with North Dakota K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, and businesses to develop, implement, fund, and manage several STEM-related programs across the state. The program supports STEM research capacity and competitiveness and informs North Dakota stakeholders about the outcomes and impacts of scientific activities.

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. James Doolittle as the new Director of ND EPSCoR,” said ND EPSCoR State Steering Committee Chair Curtis Biller. “With his extensive experience in research, and a deep commitment to advancing scientific discovery and innovation, Dr. Doolittle brings a strong vision for supporting North Dakota’s research community. I look forward to his leadership in fostering collaboration, expanding research capacity, and building new opportunities for faculty, students, and institutions across the state.”

“Our jurisdiction is well-positioned to leverage the relationships that have been recently strengthened, particularly over the past year and a half, as we’ve prepared for upcoming changes at NSF in the EPSCoR programs,” said Colleen Fitzgerald, NDSU Vice President for Research and Creative Activity. “I look forward to seeing Jim, in his new role, further build upon his connections with institutions, faculty, students, and staff across North Dakota as we collaborate to enhance our state’s STEM research, education capacity, and overall success.”

Doolittle previously worked as Director of the South Carolina EPSCoR Program, Associate Vice President for the South Dakota State University Division of Research and Economic Development, and Director of the North-Central Sun Grant Center.

“I am pleased to have this opportunity to continue working with the STEM community in North Dakota and to lead ND EPSCoR’s efforts to increase research capacity and competitiveness while building resources to encourage STEM careers in an ever-changing ecosystem,” Doolittle said.

Members of ND EPSCoR’s State Steering Committee “are looking forward to a positive and productive collaboration with him at the helm and meeting our goals together,” said committee co-chair and President of Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College Twyla Baker. “With Jim's character, experience, and understanding of the work of EPSCoR, I am confident he has the ability to lead the project to success.”

Scott D. Snyder, Vice President for Research & Economic Development at UND, agreed. “Jim's great experience with EPSCoR programs suits him very well for a changing EPSCoR funding environment. I'm excited to have Jim in this new leadership role and look forward to his continued support of UND and STEM across North Dakota.”

One of the first projects that Doolittle will undertake is an in-depth analysis of the strengths, opportunities, and areas for growth for expanding STEM research and workforce development within the state.