Office of Research and Creative Activity

NDSU Office of Research and Creative Activity Development Fund

At the heart of every groundbreaking medical treatment, catalyzing technology, and economic transformation is a single, powerful catalyst: research. As Interim Vice President for Research, I see firsthand the extraordinary ideas that NDSU faculty and student advance within their labs, greenhouses, and studios, and the immense potential waiting to be unlocked.

To maintain momentum at NDSU and address North Dakota’s most pressing challenges, and participate in the advancement of AI-driven solutions to health, energy and national defense, I am inviting our partners and collaborators to help us invest in three core pillars of our research mission:

• Pioneering Research: Seed funding and research grants empower our investigators to pursue high-risk, high-reward ideas that traditional federal funding often misses. Your support directly accelerates industry-focused solutions and workforce needs.
• Student Scholars & Innovators: By funding undergraduate research experiences, you remove financial barriers for exceptional students. You give them the opportunity to increase confidence, ability to work in teams, deepen their knowledge and work alongside top-tier faculty, publish in major journals, and graduate as the next generation of industry leaders.
• Faculty Excellence & Retention: Endowed chairs and professorships allow us to recruit and retain world-class thinkers. These positions provide our brightest minds with the security and resources needed to lead interdisciplinary teams and mentor future leaders.

When you invest in our research ecosystem, you aren't just funding an institution; you are directly fueling student and faculty discoveries that improve lives, power local and global economies, and train tomorrow’s workforce. Join me in helping to propel the NDSU research enterprise.

NDSU Interim Vice President for Research Heidi E. Grunwald, Ph.D.

Highlighted Areas of Support

• NDSU Office of Research and Creative Activity Development Fund

View all funds available to support for NDSU Giving Day.