Faculty awarded public scholarship funds The Center for Community Engagement has announced funding awards to support four faculty and community research collaborations that will benefit Grand Forks and the region. The newly funded projects will explore tourism resources in the Red River Valley, develop community-university research opportunities through a forum to be held in April, create an economic impact model for farmers’ markets in rural North Dakota, and study the possible role of radon and other factors in the development of multiple sclerosis, according to center director Lana Rakow. This is the fourth year the Center has provided funding for research partnerships through its public scholarship program, made possible with support from the UND Office of the Vice President for Research. This year’s proposals were reviewed by a committee made up of Carenlee Barkdull (social work), Matsimela Diop (multicultural student services), Douglas Marshall (aviation), Sandi Marshall (Development Homes, Inc.), Marcia Mikulak (anthropology), and Kimberly Powell (honors). Proposed projects must involve a community partner in the design and produce results of benefit to the public. The funded projects are as follows: • “Rural Tourism Resource Inventory for the Red River RC&D,” is a project with the Red River Resource Conservation and Development Council, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and UND faculty members Tim Schroeder (recreation and leisure services and counseling psychology and community services) and Brad Rundquist (geography). The project was awarded $3,165 and will inventory tourism resources in the counties served by the Council. • “Expanding the ‘Public’ Dimension of Public Scholarship: A Community-University Forum and On-Going Dialogue,” is the second stage of a three-stage initiative with the Grand Forks Housing Authority and Grand Forks Homes, Inc.; Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Region; United Way of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Area; the North Valley Arts Council; and UND faculty Greg Gagnon (Indian studies), Rodney Hanley (Earth systems science and policy), and communication doctoral candidate Diana Nastasia. The project was awarded $4,620 and will generate collaborative knowledge through a campus-community forum. • “Town Square Farmers’ Market: A Demonstration Project in Assessing Economic Impact,” is a project with the Grand Forks Town Square Farmer’s Market, the North Dakota Farmers’ Market Growers Association, and UND faculty Steven LeMire (educational foundations and research) and Curtis Stofferahn (sociology). The project received $4,715 and will create a model of the economic impact of the Grand Forks Farmers’ Market with the potential for assessing other markets in North Dakota. • “Environmental Radon Exposure and Multiple Sclerosis,” is the second stage of a project with the Grand Forks Red River Valley Multiple Sclerosis Education and Support Group and UND faculty members Glenn Lykken (physics), David Marshall (English), and Berislav Momcilovic (physics). The project received $7,500 in funding and will collect and analyze information from area individuals with multiple sclerosis. -- Lana Rakow, Director, Center for Community Engagement, lana.rakow@mail.und.edu, 7-2287