NDSU, RAND Announce Partnership Aimed at Rural, Indigenous Outreach

The university has teamed up with the nonprofit research organization to try and come up with solutions to some of the state's issues, like lack of workforce in more remote areas.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – North Dakota State University has a new partner when it comes to tackling issues in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities – RAND.

KVRR’s Gabriel Ostler reports.

Heidi Grunwald, interim vice president for research at NDSU, says that she was already familiar with RAND’s efficacy in research and problem-solving.

“They have expertise in areas that affect rural America,” she said.

RAND, for the uninitiated, is a high-level scientific organization that boasts researchers based worldwide, so when the opportunity arose for them to partner with the university, NDSU felt it was a no-brainer.

The partnership will attempt to better tackle multiple topics, including issues surrounding economic development in more rural areas, and will expand research opportunities for those at NDSU focused on those remote and Indigenous communities.

“There’s a tremendous opportunity for our faculty, graduate students, and post-docs to engage in this initiative,” said Grunwald.

It’s a far-ranging agreement and will take a while to see state-wide impact – but, in the immediate aftermath of the announcement, leadership are simply ready to get started.

Signing this agreement is one of the final acts of NDSU President David Cook, whose last official day in his role will be tomorrow.

Interim President Rick Berg will take over on Monday.