UND announces more than $44,000 for community research and outreach projects through Connect program
Jun. 21—GRAND FORKS — UND has announced its first round of funding awards through its Connect program with $44,651 being awarded.
A total of nine projects being led by UND faculty were chosen for funding. Each project was eligible for up to $5,000 worth of funding and 23 projects were considered by the provost office and UND's Senate Scholarly Activities Committee. The Connect program gives funding to projects focused on community-based research and initiatives partnering with local and regional organizations with funding from the North Dakota Economic Diversification Research Grant Fund.
In the release, UND Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Randi Tanglen said that this program helps UND connect more with North Dakota.
"UND faculty defy the stereotype of professors who isolate themselves in the 'ivory tower' of campus classrooms or labs," Tanglen said in a statement. "The UND Connect initiative shows how our faculty are making a difference in North Dakota and giving back to the state.
The nine projects awarded cover a range of community outreach and research opportunities both in Grand Forks and across the state. The faculty awarded funds for their projects are:
* Joonghwa Lee, for UND's 2025 Digital Storytelling Summit, which brings high school students to UND to learn about journalism and multimedia storytelling. The summit was awarded $4,787.
* Nariaki Sugiura, Ling Lo and Whitney Barry for the creation of online piano lessons and music theory classes for students at Turtle Mountain Community College in Belcourt, North Dakota. The project was awarded $4,876.
* Soojung Kim, to expand the Grand Forks Public Library's digital radon detector lending program to the Fargo Public Library and provide learning opportunities to students. The initiative was funded $4,990.
* Harry Liu and Tanis Walch, for "Inclusive Moves," a pickleball-based intervention program to help with motor skills, physical activity and social interactions for 8- to 12-year-olds with physical and developmental disabilities. The program was awarded $4,998.
* Ethan Dahl and Tiffany Russell, to provide toolkits and training for business owners to help create welcoming and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ people in North Dakota. They will partner with the Grand Forks chapter of PFLAG, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group. The project was awarded $5,000.
* Amanda Haage, for the creation of 3D-printed materials for visually impaired students in Anatomy and Physiology courses in partnership with the North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind in Grand Forks. The project was awarded $5,000.
* Joshua Hunter, for the development of youth programming for local food production and healthy eating in partnership with Blue Zones. The project was awarded $5,000.
* Merie Kirby, to help create education materials for Native American fair housing issues with collaboration with High Plains Fair Housing Center. The project was awarded $5,000.
* Adam Matz, for a study of the Community Violence Intervention Center and the outcomes of Grand Forks Domestic Violence Court. The study was awarded $5,000.
A second round of proposals awarded funding will be announced later this summer.
