North Dakota State University became one step closer Monday to securing $6.7 million in funding for two new Centers of Excellence.
The state Board of Higher Education gave unanimous approval to two new NDSU centers, which involve matching funds from industry partners and the potential for more than 80 new jobs.
"I think there are some exciting things going on," said Mark Nisbet, chairman of the Centers of Excellence Commission, which previously vetted the proposals.
The board recommended $3.9 million for the Center for Advanced Technology Development and Commercialization.
That will be leveraged with $7.8 million of matching funds from Triton Systems.
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The center will help its private-sector partners commercialize new inventions, technologies and other intellectual property discovered or created at NDSU.
The board recommended $2.8 million for the Center for Sensors, Communications and Control, which would be leveraged with $5.6 million in matching funds from several industry partners in the region.
The center builds upon the technical expertise at NDSU in the area of sensors.
Phil Boudjouk, NDSU vice president for research, creative activities and technology transfer, said the impact of both centers will be significant.
The next step is for the proposals to go before the Emergency Commission, which meets June 15.
If approved there, the centers will go to the Budget Section of the Legislature.
Centers of Excellence are hubs of research and development on North Dakota college and university campuses that work to partner with private companies to commercialize new products and services.
A recent study of the program from Jan. 1, 2007, through June 30, 2009, estimated a $329.4 million economic impact, the creation of more than 2,000 jobs, and 17 new or expanded businesses.
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Also on Monday, the board recommended $267,000 for the Minot State University Center of Excellence in Entrepreneurship Networking and $500,000 for the Minot State/Trinity Health Geriatric Research Center of Excellence.
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