IN THIS ISSUE OF
UNDDISCOVERY PHOTO BY JACKIE LORENTZ
SPRING 2014
In this issue of UND Discovery, we’re focused on all things valueadded. In other words, we’re highlighting ways UND’s researchers and other creative thinkers enhance the world in which we live. Do these efforts add more comfort or convenience to our lives? Do they make us safer, healthier or smarter? Do these efforts invigorate our society and economy? These are but a few of the measuring sticks we could use to gauge how UND research and creative activity make us better. Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) is a rapidly growing field with great potential for North Dakota. UND is at the forefront of developing sense-and-avoid technology to improve safety for both manned and unmanned aircraft. Above, UND research pilot Jonathan Sepulveda and UAS lead instructor Trevor Woods (left and center, respectively) review plans with NASA Langley Research Center pilot Rick Yaskey for a flight mission to test this sense-and-avoid software developed at the University. The story is on Page 6. Leon Osborne, a UND atmospheric scientist, helped revolutionize the way travelers plan trips and stay ahead of Mother Nature. Find out how he did it on Page 4. And UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences faculty members David Bradley and Jyotika Sharma are working on advances to control certain deadly infections and dangerous human diseases. See the stories on Pages 13 and 17. These are just a sampling of the “value-added” stories you’ll find in this issue, thanks to UND researchers and creators! UND Discovery is published by the Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development, with assistance from the Division of University & Public Affairs. Editor: David Dodds. Contributors: Juan Miguel Pedraza, David Dodds, Denis MacLeod, Amy Halvorson, Kate Menzies, Alyssa Wentz, Kallie Van De Venter, Kortnie Evanson, and Chen Wu. Principal photography by Jackie Lorentz and Shawna Noel Schill. Please send inquiries and comments to the Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development, University of North Dakota, 264 Centennial Drive Stop 8367, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8367. The University of North Dakota is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
UND.edu/research
2 Qualtrics and responsibility: Powerful tools for data collection create a need for ethical responsibility.
3 The art of farming: An unlikely collaborator assists in an art exhibition.
4 The people’s weatherman: Leon Osborne revolutionized the dissemination of weather information.
5 Shedding the sticky notes: TruServeTM helps health agencies track and report activities.
6 Friendly skies: Sense-and-avoid technologies promote safety for manned and unmanned aircraft.
7 Air support: Interdisciplinary efforts and UAS technology combine to enhance wildlife research.
8 What was old is new again: Historical parallels can help officials manage the challenges created by rapid development in the Bakken region.
10 A “dynamic” exchange: Colombian and Russian natives employ System Dynamics to assess commercial and social factors with carbon-capture technologies. 11 Soil sleuths: Geographic Information Systems technology yields new clues to soil erosion issues. 12 High-tech portraits of ancient materials: Meticulous digital imaging provides wider use of drilling core samples. 13 Combating in-hospital infections: NovaDigm and UND cooperate in the search for a vaccine against hospital-acquired infections. 14 Lemur clues: Cave-seeking behaviors may offer insights to early human development. 14 The student as teacher: Informal social networks may provide new avenues for teaching students and alleviating bullying. 16 Spreading the (good) word: Marketing professor William Martin studies the power of negative and positive word-ofmouth. 17 Getting a jump on rabbit fever: A faculty-student research team seeks a pathway to a vaccine. 19 BOOK NOTES: Jack Russell Weinstein draws on the writings of Adam Smith to offer new theories on diversity and justice, Paul Worley examines the importance of the oral tradition in understanding the Maya culture, and Elizabeth Harris is recognized for her achievements in literary translation. 22 Focus on Faculty 24 Spotlight on Students
ON THE COVER: An interdisciplinary team of UND researchers applies several forms of technology to improve wildlife tracking and management. See the story on Page 7. Photo by Jackie Lorentz.
UND Discovery n Spring 2014 n 1