State of the U

Chandice Covington

Economic Development & Commercialization

UND’s Small Business Development Center exceeded previous performance in its economic impact in terms of number of businesses, businesses started, expanded or retained. More than 27 percent of the 2006 SBDC clients achieved a measurable outcome with start-up businesses, accounting for 45 percent of economic activity in 2006. The North Dakota Small Business Development Center network exceeded its goal for investing in businesses by more than double in 2006, assisting clients and acquiring some $45

million in capital. The North Dakota SBDC network, based at UND, offered more than 2,400 clients technical service training in more than 100 separate classes in 2006. In all, more than 900 clients were served by the SBDC network in 2006.

Chandice Covington, dean of the College of Nursing, patented a device used to check the development of breast cancer early, which increases survival. The product is licensed by NeoMatrix and completed FDA trials in California.

Pablo de Leon led the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium-supported project to design a prototype Mars planetary exploration suit. Tests of the suit generated press coverage on five continents.

Wayne Seames (center), associate professor of chemical engineering, is one of the UND researchers exploring the development of biofuels for aviation.

AgCam is scheduled to be mounted on the International Space Station in late 2008. Information from its sensors will enable users to evaluate crop health, rangeland productivity, the impact of wildfires and floods, forest sustainability, and more. It was designed and built by UND students and faculty in mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science, space studies, and business administration.

Kirsten Dauphinais, director of legal writing at the School of Law, emphasizes clarity and transparency. She was a presenter at the first international East African Legal Writing Institute. Developing cogent and readable legal language is vital for national building and human rights advocacy in that region, as well as for improving opportunities for legal education.