THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
VOLUME 119 ISSUE 39 NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
Research& Technology ISSUE
‘Silicon Prairie’ Fargo home to Microsoft’s second largest campus, downtown startups
Jack Dura
Head News Editor
For Sam Mayer, Fargo seemed like an unlikely spot for a technology haven, but “the Silicon Prairie” has grown on him. “I think that Fargo is a surprisingly strong tech hub,” the senior in computer science said. “I never pegged the area as a place for companies such as Microsoft, for example. The startup scene is pretty decent as well; several of my friends are working on some cool projects.” As a software engineering intern at the 6-month-old OmniByte Technologies startup, Mayer mainly works at the company’s tech incubator like many students in his field, he said. Fargo and North Dakota State, for that matter, have a lot to offer, he added. “I know of students who have taken advantage of the tech incubator program to gain experience,” he said. “The (computer science department) has some cool opportunities through the capstone class as well.” Along with NDSU’s CyberSec conference and the overall tech environment of Fargo, “I think that’s a good indicator of how forward learning the area is,” Mayer added.
Beginnings
Much of Fargo’s tech beginnings can be attributed to Great Plains Software and its $1.1 billion acquisition by Microsoft, guided by Doug Burgum in 2001. Scott Brusven, director and partnerships and events at Emerging Prairie, said the impact continues from the individuals who grew Great Plains Software. “There are many people who were on the team that grew Great Plains and now those people are also impacting these other
NDSU breaks ground with drones in crop research
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“The startup scene is pretty decent as well; several of my friends are working on some cool projects.” - Sam Mayer, senior in computer science major
The Prairie Den has work space for startups. companies,” he said. “They’re working for them or they’re partnering with them. There’s a lot of success tories of those who have gone on after the Great Plains transition.” Annie Word, Emerging Prairie’s director of community programs, said the Great Plains acquisition “was certainly a catalyst,” and Microsoft sent a signal that Fargo’s “a place where tech companies can be successful.” Downtown Fargo, for example, is the stronghold for startups with the Prairie Den coworking space and numerous companies making their home in the city center. Brusven, former artistic director for Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre, said he was drawn to the tech hub from his 1 Million Cups participation. One Million Cups is a weekly event
LINDA NORLAND | THE SPECTRUM
showcasing a local startup or new idea for potential participants and growth. “Looking at it now and working in the industry, there’s groups starting all the time,” Brusven said, adding, “The pulse has gotten really strong.” From drones to ecommerce to ag industry developments, Fargo’s tech sector “just continues to bubble,” he said. “I think when you have the undercurrent of these small startup corporations, it impacts the mega corporations,” Brusven said.
Silicon Prairie
Fargo’s significance on “the Silicon Prairie” has drawn attention from Fortune magazine and The New York Times for its diamond-in-the-rough status. The Silicon Prairie, a term Emerging Prairie defines as “a multistate region comprised of
North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri,” is somewhat like Silicon Valley, California’s success, but different in a way, Wood said. Fargo wants “to think differently about how we can support each other.” “We’re in a very unique time in our community’s history,” she said. “There’s people here who want to build their lives here.” Emerging Prairie, which focuses on the Dakotas’ and Minnesota’s tech sectors, promotes Fargo’s tech hub through events, online listings and collaborations. Wood highlighted NDSU and other area universities’ strength in the tech sector as well. “I think that our universities play a very important role in Fargo being able to grow,” she said, adding they “allow us to draw a large number of young people every year to the community.”
Area success
While Mayer said he found unexpected success with tech positions in Fargo, he will be moving to Minneapolis-St. Paul, having been offered jobs by several companies there. Right now, he is working on a tactical network visualizer with a Twin Cities-based company. Meanwhile, the tech arena will continue to grow in Fargo, Wood said, especially in healthcare and agriculture. In fact, the three-day Startup Weekend event from March 4-6 offers networking and presentations at Concordia College, the Fargo Theatre and the Prairie Den. North Dakota as a whole may be on the tech bandwagon soon too, Mayer added. “While North Dakota may not be known for its computing side, I wouldn’t be surprised if that started to change, as it already is,” he said.
Sustainable material science research finds home on campus
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News
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
NDSU to Break Ground with Drones in Ag Research Researchers will use a Hermes 450 UAV to conduct crop research Casey McCarty Co-News Editor
North Dakota State’s unmanned aerial vehicle program has been and continues to do groundbreaking research since it began in 2014. The program, led through the NDSU extension service of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department, has conducted research at the Carrington and Williston research centers. It now will be conducting research out of the Hillsboro airport.
Advancements
Currently, NDSU has four UAVs, two small rotocopters and two small fixed wing aircraft. In 2014 and 2015, research with UAVs has been mainly on crops. The aims of the research was to collect aerial data of corn and soybean fields and compare it to ground data. Then, anomalies such as weeds that needed spraying could be spotted and aerial data could become more accurate and practical. Now in the third year of NDSU’s drone program, researchers are also planning on partnering with the company Elbit Systems of America, an Israel-based company, to fly a much larger UAV. The new UAV, named the Hermes 450, will have a 35-foot wingspan and will have a flight time for around 18 hours at a time, John Nowatzki, an agriculture machine systems specialist and the
head researcher of NDSU’s UAV program, said. The Hermes 450 project will be flown out of Hillsboro. The goal of the Hermes 450 project will first be to obtain more data for a longer duration, as the rotocopters NDSU has can only fly for about 15 minutes and the fixed wing aircraft can only fly for about an hour. Secondly, the Hermes 450 can take imagery of about 50,000 acres per hour with a one-inch pixel size on the ground, Nowatzki said. The Hermes 450 will be flown over a 40-mile by 4-mile rectangular area just west of Hillsboro at altitudes of 3,000 feet, 5,000 feet and 8,000 feet collecting ground data. This data will be compared to aerial data that the small UAVs collect at 400 feet over certain specific fields and satellite imagery collected at the same time. Nowatzki said the purpose of flying the Hermes 450 at different altitudes is to find out what the most economical way to gather data for farmers is. “Basically a comparison to see what can be, which one is usable for managing crop issues ... and which has a better return on investment from an economics point of view,” Nowatzki said. Part of the problem that Nowatzki’s team is looking to solve is that companies like Elbit Systems of America would like to set up business here and fly over and collect data
“It’s very difficult to fly these legally,” -John Nowatzki, head researcher of NDSU’s UAV program of the area and sell the information to farmers. “So that’s one of the purposes of our research project, is to say what would the value of this be to the crop producer,” Nowatzki said. Nowatzki said farmers are not using much aerial imagery to manage their crops, so the field is still developing.
Problems With UAVs
“It’s very difficult to fly these legally,” Nowatzki said. NDSU has to work in conjunction with the Northern Plains Unmanned Aircraft Test Site, which is operated by the North Dakota Department of Commerce and is one of six Federal Aviation Administration approved test sites for UAVs in the country. The NPUATS has to grant approval for NDSU to fly drones so that NDSU is not in violation of federal law. “Right now, you could go buy one of these and fly it outside for fun, but if you decided to fly it over somebody’s ... say you’re going to be a photographer and take pictures of weddings from up above, outdoor weddings, and then sell that imagery, the FAA says that’s not allowable,” Nowatzki said. The NPUATS also
supplies a remote mission commander for NDSU researchers, one who supervises the UAV operation and would take responsibility if something were to go wrong, Nowatzki said. The Hermes 450 will also have to be flown with in formation by a manned aircraft, as current FAA rulings dictate that unmanned aircraft are currently not allowed to fly beyond the line of sight. Another concern is the issue of who would own all of the images that NDSU
researchers take with UAVs. “One of the issues that continues to come up with is who ones this data, and who will we share it with,” Nowatzki said, adding, “Farmers are concerned that this is private data about their crops and so we’re dealing with those issues all the time.” Ultimately, all of the imagery collected will belong to NDSU, in which it will be stored at the Center for Computationally Assisted Science and Technology and will be analyzed by big data researchers. The imagery will be public record and thus subject to open record laws. “We are protecting the imagery, in order for anybody to see it they have to have a username and
password, so anyone that wanted to use the open record laws, they’d have to go through the court to get it,” Nowatzki said, “We’re trying to protect this so that farmer’s information is private.”
Looking ahead
“As we look to the future, I think lots of farmers will have these, for sure,” Nowatzki said. Nowatzki added that companies like Elbit would most likely establish business here where they will fly fields and sell farmers the information regarding their fields. Nowatzki also added that in the future, the FAA would also probably loosen flight restrictions, allowing drone operators to fly beyond the line of sight, which is what the current policy is.
Elbit representatives toured the Hillsboro airport in July.
FILE PHOTO | THE SPECTRUM
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THE SPECTRUM | NEWS | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Pride of the Research Park Research center offers incubator for tech companies, experience for students Amanda Johnson Staff Writer
“Growth” would be a good word to describe North Dakota State’s Research and Technology Park. The research center located north of NDSU’s main campus received a Department of Commerce award in 2006 for technology based economic development and is a member of the Association of University Research Parks. Several programs find their home at the
Research and Technology Park, including nanoscience technology, the center for computationally assisted transactions and the Innovation Challenge. The park is also home to an incubator building, opened in 2007 to assist startup tech companies. “The incubator clients are assisted by resources from the park,” and they are trying “to help make the companies more successful than they would be on their own,” said Chuck Hoge, the park’s interim executive director. The park’s website
“We are proud to host the electronics design for two of the three largest ag manufacturers in the world.” - Chuck Hoge, interim executive director says it “provides academic researchers and privatesector partners a place to combine talents to develop new technologies, methods and systems.” The Innovation Challenge, another program of the park, began in 2010 and has grown to 98 students participating on 53
teams for awards presented March 1. The challenge awards $27,000 in cash prizes to participating students and their ideas. The research park is also used by companies like John Deere and Appareo for electronics design, ranging from aviation to
off-highway use. The park has “roughly five companies in the incubator that are commercializing technologies developed in the labs at NDSU,” Hoge said. The park also has companies that are using bio composites to
NDSU’s Research and Technology Park is located just off of 19th Avenue North.
replace plastics, software companies, a coatings company and more. “We are proud to host the electronics design for two of the three largest ag manufacturers in the world,” Hoge said. NDSU employs more than 550 people in the park, including 138 undergraduates and 286 graduate students. The park has six buildings totaling 295,000 square feet on 55 acres of land. “We are very proud of the graduates of the park and incubator,” Hoge said.
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Did you know that 79% of ND EPSCoR's FY15 funded programs at NDSU contained opportunities for students? If not, check us out at:
www.ndepscor.nodak.edu
(Includes National Science Foundation and State Funds)
Programs that included funding opportunities for students, $2,464,323, 79%
Other operational support , $654,861, 21%
CSMS - Center for Sustainable Materials Science CRCS - Center for Regional Climate Studies DDA - Doctoral Dissertation Assistantship GSRA - Graduate Student Research Assistantship NATURE - Nurturing American Tribal Undergraduate Research and Education STTAR - Students in Techology Transfer And Research UG STEM - Undergraduate STEM program
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THE SPECTRUM | NEWS | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
NDSU Awarded $2M for Cancer Research Exploratory grant to focus research on pancreatic cancer Erik Jonasson II Spectrum Staff
North Dakota State was awarded more than $2 million to establish a Center for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer on Feb. 17. “Almost all of us know someone who has battled or is battling cancer,” Sen. John Hoeven said in a press release. “It is important that we invest in programs and research that will help us beat this disease, and funding like this will support researchers at NDSU who are working hard to help us better understand how we can do
“Almost all of us know someone who has battled or is battling cancer.” - Sen. John Hoeven just that.” The exact amount was a $2,061,095 exploratory grant. The award is the first of an expected five-year project. “Research funding helps North Dakota students and researchers lead the way in tackling tough medical challenges like cancer,” Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said in a brief. “This significant federal funding will allow NDSU pharmaceutical sciences
researchers to advance cutting-edge science, which will help the medical community improve diagnosis and therapies for pancreatic cancer down the road. Funding this kind of research is a vital investment – in both our universities, and in the future of medicine.” Pancreatic cancer’s survival rate is 20 percent for the first year, and 6 percent for five years,
NDSU’s Sudro Hall will host research on pancreatic cancer funded by a federal exploratory grant.
according to the American Cancer Society. The average survival rate is around 18 to 20 months. The reason that pancreatic cancer is so deadly is because usually the tumor spreads. This makes surgical removal nearly impossible. “I think it is a good idea. I think any research that they can do will be helpful,” said senior Angela Norwig. As of 2015, about 48,960 people (24,840 men and 24,120 women) were estimated to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, with an estimated 40,560 people dying from the cancer in 2015.
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Opinion
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
Letter to the Editor:
Intelligent Design, Is it Science?
While present psychology testing is ethical, the past was not.
TIM SHEERMAN-CHASE | FLICKR.COM
The CIA’s Mind Control Programs Scientists were complicit in one of the worst government scandals in U.S. history
Matt Frohlich Staff Writer
The CIA’s mind control programs were one of the most unethical scientific endeavors of the past century, on par with the human experimentation that occurred in Nazi concentration camps. Equally disturbing as these experiments are how otherwise normal people were complicit in promoting this research. In my opinion, this is one of the biggest scandals in U.S. history involving the government and scientific community. Most people believe these programs are a hoax concocted by conspiracy theorists. In reality, there is overwhelming evidence that these experiments occurred and that the government went to great lengths to cover them up. It is unlikely the public will ever learn the complete truth about these programs. The CIA’s mind control programs ran from 1947 to the mid-1970s, when they began coming under scrutiny by the U.S. Senate. Their purpose was to create more reliable agents to use in espionage against the Soviets during the Cold War. Mind control research occurred under a series of CIA programs, the most significant one
being project MKUltra. Some others included Paperclip, BLUEBIRD, ARTICHOKE, MKDELTA, MKNAOMI and MKSEARCH. Mind controlled agents are unofficially referred to as “Manchurian candidates.” Manchurian candidates were created using a combination of the following techniques: drugs, torture, sensory deprivation, hypnosis and electronic brain implants. Note that some of this torture was of a level of severity that most rational people have a difficult time comprehending. It is difficult to say how successful these experiments were as the CIA destroyed most of the evidence when they came under investigation. However, the available evidence shows that they did have some success in creating Manchurian candidates. Even though he is fictional, the character Jason Bourne from the Bourne film series is a great example of what a Manchurian candidate would act like. Many subjects were experimented upon against their knowledge and/ or consent. This violated both the Hippocratic Oath taken by medical personnel and the Nuremburg Codes established after World War II. Subjects were pulled from a variety of backgrounds. The CIA operated a brothel that it used to lure in subjects who were subsequently experimented upon. The idea was that these subjects would be too embarrassed
to come forward as it would involve admitting that they visited a brothel. In other instances they simply abducted people, both American and foreign. These were typically marginalized people such as homeless, prostitutes, drug addicts or prisoners. Some experimenters were medical doctors or college professors who were bold enough to use their own patients and students as subjects. The ramifications of this scandal have affected academia, including North Dakota State. As students, most you of are familiar with the numerous requests through list serve e-mails to participate in experiments by NDSU professors. You will notice that all of these e-mails come with an institutional review board approval number. The purpose of IRB’s is to have an independent party ensure that experiments involving human subjects are ethical. They became a requirement in the 1970s after numerous scientific scandals came to light, including CIA mind control. If you are not disturbed by the CIA’s mind control programs, then there is something wrong with you. As a scientific researcher, they permanently changed the way I view the scientific community. I now take ethics more seriously than I used to. You should too. Our vigilance is one of the few safeguards we have against stopping travesties like this from occurring again.
Unfortunately, I missed Dr. Wood’s Darwin Day lecture a few Weeks ago at NDSU. The talk “Scientific Illiteracy: Definition, Prognosis, Treatment” sounded very interesting. I noticed comments from the Science and Religion Forum or possibly from Dr. Wood revealed a misunderstanding. Just to clarify: Intelligent Design theory DOES accept the standard aspects of a scientific theory: An additional misunderstanding was that: Intelligent Design “fails to meet these criteria and is therefore not a scientific theory.” Allow me to take these one by one! 1. Science deals with understanding natural phenomena. This however does not mean that we pretend that Science has no metaphysical implications. For example, notice the metaphysical and philosophical implications of materialist evolutionary science: “By coupling undirected, purposeless variation to the blind, uncaring process of natural selection, Darwin made theological or spiritual explanations of the life processes superfluous. . . . . . Darwin’s theory of evolution was a crucial plank in the platform
of mechanism and materialism-of much of science..” (Futuyma D.J., “Evolutionary Biology”, [1979], Sinauer Associates: Sunderland MA, Second Edition, 1986, p.2) . . . . “biology took away our status as paragons created in the image of God.” Stephen J. Gould, Ever Since Darwin: Reflections in Natural History (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1977), 147. As far as ID science, it implies a higher purpose of metaphysical intention, to wit-‘a Mind.’ 2. To answer point two; yes, a Mind doesn’t have “substantial power to explain the observations” of design in life systems. 3. Does Intelligent Design science have “predictive power?” The answer to this is absolutely! One case in point is the most recent discovery that ‘junk DNA’ has very important regulatory functions in cell genetics—a prediction of Intelligent Design science. Junk DNA for many years was held to be evidence of the history of trail and error mutational experimentation that evolution stumbled through to arrive at functional lines of code. Junk DNA, since it did not code for proteins,
and no one knew what it did, was thought to be genetic fossil evidence for evolutionary science. “…the junkiness of the vast majority of the genome as an assured scientific reality and one that is, in the specific case of “pseudogenes,” “useful for. . . embarrassing creationists.” “Junk DNA is just what a Darwinist would expect . . .” “The Greatest Show on Earth” (pp. 332-333), In 2009 “Why Evolution Is True,” by Dr. Jerry Coyne predicted (page 71) that according to evolution the genome should be “replete with inactive, functionless dead genes.” Now, the research is in! As many now know, a decade-long project, the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE), has found that at least 80% of the human genome serves important regulatory purposes, biochemically speaking. “I don’t think anyone would have anticipated even close to the amount of sequence that ENCODE has uncovered that has functional importance,” (well!) John A. Stamatoyannopoulos, an ENCODE researcher. ENCODE’s results represent a major breakthrough for Intelligent Design science.
Darrel Lindensmith, NDSU Intelligent Design Fellowship
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
6 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Features
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
Lab Work: The Undergrad Version Undergrads are sometimes more than the Psych department’s guinea pigs Rio Bergh
Features Editor
If you imagine a university lab, you may think of the graying scientist with years of experience, possibly with a bunch of rats in the background. But this isn’t always the case. Ben Huber is a junior majoring in zoology and biotechnology with the goal of continuing on to dental school. He also works in Glenn Dorsam’s immunology lab, where the lab team studies vasoactive intestinal peptide, along with the VIP receptors VPAC1 and VPAC2. This all sounds complicated (because it is), but VIP plays a role in many functions and relates to immune functioning and hematopoiesis — the production of blood cells in the bone marrow. The lab is especially interested in VPAC1 and its implications for immune functioning.
What drew you to the Dorsam lab?
Huber: I took immunology with Dr. Dorsam and I appreciated his focus on really learning and applying the materials we were covering, instead of just memorizing things. Also, in the lab setting, I get to take basic concepts I learned in class and go much, much deeper with them. I enjoy the
“I get to take basic concepts I learned in class and go much, much deeper with them.” – Ben Huber, junior in zoology applicability, being able to work towards discovering new things, as opposed to a class setting where your lab work progresses to a more “known” result.
What are your responsibilities in the lab? I’m considered the “rookie” of the lab, so I spend a bit of time taking care of the lab, making sure things are tidy, making sure supplies are in stock. I also have the responsibility of checking on the mouse lab twice a week, making sure there is enough food and water, etc. We also have lab meetings once a week. Usually one of the lab members presents something they are working on and we get to ask questions — for me this is crucial, it’s a great test for recalling and applying class materials I have learned.
What are some of the benefits of working in the lab? You get first-hand experience with how scientific study progresses. My previous knowledge of chemistry, biology, etc.
are constantly tested — Dr. Dorsam is always picking my brain. But it’s great, because he knows I’m there to learn and he totally understands mistakes. It’s not a stressful environment, it’s a great place to learn.
Are there other things you get to do in the lab? Currently, I am “honing my skills.” I get to use polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis (in simple terms, a DNA test) to determine which mice have or lack specific VIP receptors.
Would you advise other students to work in a lab?
I would, yes. If you can make some time and are interested in the work, it’s a great opportunity. You get to apply all of your knowledge and understand how the techniques that we use are applied in the “real world.” Huber is planning on using the skills and knowledge he is acquiring in the Dorsam lab to pursue research and develop an honors thesis on the relationship between the production of red blood cells and VIP receptors.
Ben Huber works in Dr. Glenn Dorsam’s immunology lab.
RIO BERGH | THE SPECTRUM
Innovation Challenge 2016: AuSome Environments
Innovations in the social sciences
Rio Bergh
Features Editor
The AuSome Environments team, from left to right: Samantha Hamernick, Emilee Ruhland and Patricia Schnase.
DR. ANDREW MARA | PHOTO COURTESY
Traditional laboratories with their flasks of bubbling, mysterious substances often spring to mind when we think of research and innovation. However, innovation is not limited to the “hard” sciences. There are important innovations happening in the social sciences, too. I spoke with Emilee Ruhland, a graduate student studying English who is a part of the AuSome Environments team along with fellow grad student Patricia Schnase, and Samantha Hamernick, a sophomore studying English education. The members of the AuSome Environments team are
finalists in NDSU’s 2016 Innovation Challenge. AuSome Environments is an online platform designed to connect educators to organizations and experts within the autism community and to allow for discussion on how to deal with the challenges of working with autistic children. Before coming to NDSU to pursue her master’s degree, Ruhland was hired as a paraeducator in a public school to work with an autistic child. “The student was placed in isolation because the teacher didn’t really know what to do with him,” Ruhland said. “I was supposed to be helping him, but it was frustrating because I didn’t really have anywhere to figure out what I should be doing and had received no training.
Google could help to some extent, but with thousands of results, it was hard to know what you should be looking at.” This experience provided the impetus for the AuSome Environments project. The team realized that answers and help could be found from organizations and experts within the autism community, but educators often weren’t in contact with these people. “That’s the goal for AuSome Environments — to connect educators with the right people, so they can all do what they do best,” Ruhland said. The AuSome Environments team plans on launching pilots in the Fargo-Moorhead to establish a base and open up conversations around educating autistic students.
How Biologist’s ‘Cell’ Education The future of STEM education at NDSU
Andrew Fugleberg Staff Writer
The mitochondria is, obviously, the powerhouse of the cell. Plants go through photosynthesis to power themselves, duh. But how did we learn those two biological concepts? Is there a different way that we could have learned them that would have been more beneficial? Jennifer Momsen, an assistant professor at North Dakota State, tries to answer these questions and more in her biological
education research. She constantly tries to learn how undergraduate college students best learn biology. Momsen said she wants to be able to create the best possible classroom learning environment while seeing how effective different forms of feedback are. Momsen’s goal is to figure out what students and teachers need to do in order for the student to leave the course being biologically literate. She wants her students, and other biology undergrads, to take the principles they learned in an introductory biology class
and apply them to daily life, from climate change to medical innovations. Despite that she has been working on this research for eight years, she shows no signs of slowing down. Momsen said she could keep going on forever because students and technology are always changing. No two years are the same. When asked if the recent changes have impacted her research, Momsen stated technology only changes how students think about biology. Nowadays, educators do not really
need to teach so many facts since students can Google definitions in just a few short seconds. Despite the fact that undergraduate students can Google definitions and terms, it’s not as easy to search the way to approach problems. It’s simply not possible to just search how to reason and approach biological problems, that is what Momsen focuses on in her classes. She fully embraces technology in the classroom and focuses on student rationale and breaking wrong reasoning patterns.
There is a stark contrast from the typical lecture that is used on so many general classes. Momsen works to make an inclusive classroom where students collaborate on solving complex problems instead of just sitting in an auditorium chair taking notes on subjects. In regard to Momsen’s research, she said her favorite part is getting to do what she loves all the time. Her life revolves around asking questions and answering them. However, she dislikes that she can’t do
everything at once because she is only one person who only has so much time. Other professors are conducting similar research on topics from physics to mathematics. They all have a common goal of figuring out how undergraduates learn best in different STEM fields, so NDSU can give students the best opportunities to reach their learning potential. With professors like Momsen dedicated to giving students the best education possible, it definitely paints an optimistic future for our university.
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THE SPECTRUM | FEATURES | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Innovation Challenge | The Benefits of Participating Madison Schill
Contributing Writer
When we as students think of NDSU as a “research university,” we may think the label only refers to the research that our professors take part in. This isn’t exactly true; there is an incredible number of opportunities for students to be involved with the research aspect of NDSU. One event on campus that encourages students to showcase their work
in research is the annual Innovation Challenge. According to its website, the Innovation Challenge serves to “encourage students to be innovative thinkers, enhance their entrepreneurial awareness, empower them to pursue entrepreneurial careers, expand their access to resources … and to engage with entrepreneurs and business leaders.” In this challenge, undergraduate and graduate students alike propose their ideas that can fit
into one of the innovation tracks, including products, services, agricultural and social innovations. During the span of a few months, participants compete in three rounds: Innovation proposal, semi-final presentation and progress preview and final presentation. Students are competing for is a total of $27,000 in cash prizes that could set them “on the path to entrepreneurial stardom.” Across each of the four tracks, the best ideas are
Years of Research in 180 Seconds Doctoral student in molecular pathogenesis sweeps Three-Minute Thesis Jack Dura
awarded $500 for placing third, $1,000 for second and a $5,000 grand prize. To find out how the challenge prize money can benefit its winners, I contacted with a grand prize winner from 2013. Erin Nyren-Erickson is a graduate student at NDSU pursuing pharmaceutical science who entered the Innovation Challenge with a test she developed that checked for contaminants in the drug Heparin. She let me know how winning the Innovation Challenge
impacted her research. She said winning the challenge helped her to “see the project as a potential product” and “focus on the practicality (of her product) for the end user.” Overall, winning the challenge helped for her product development. On top of the prize money, Nyren-Erickson told me she received a Technology-Based Entrepreneurship Development Grant from the North Dakota Department of Commerce
and that “the award may have influenced their decision.” Aside from the extra funds, the Innovation Challenge also gave NyrenErickson and her work more recognition from the general public. To learn more about the Innovation Challenge and how you can be involved, go to ndsuresearchpark. com/innovationweek or contact the NDSU Research and Technology Park. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for the 2016 Challenge winners, who will be announced in March.
Spinning a Web of Research NDSU trail blazes research in spider silk Jack Hastings
Spectrum Staff
For Manpreet Bains, the hardest part was stage fright — not condensing complex human microbiome research into a three-minute spiel. “That was probably the hardest thing to overcome,” Bains, a doctoral student studying molecular pathogenesis, said. He was one of five groups of graduate students competing in North Dakota State’s Graduate School’s Three-Minute Thesis Competition Feb. 10, taking home the $1,000 prize and a greater sense of the variety of research on campus. Breaking down thousands of words stemming from years of research into a three-minute presentation, Bains and his fellow competitors showcased their research’s variety for laypeople. “It’s not easy because when you talk about research, you’re talking to other people who do research,” he said. “For them you can use terminology and use different wording to explain a concept they may be familiar with.” Bains, who graduated from in zoology from NDSU in 2013, said he focused his presentation on two core concepts: the human microbiome and brain proteins. His research, he said, is best explained as “100 GABBY HARTZE | THE SPECTRUM trillion cells in the human With only 180 seconds to present his research on the human body, and there’s 10 times microbiome, Manpreet Bains stuck to two core concepts. more bacterial cells on your body. (My research replacing wheat with peas. pacemakers to research on is) understanding how agriculturalists’ deafness, “I tasted some of those these work with your body Bains said NDSU has more cookies ... It tastes just like and how they alter things than what meets the eye in a normal sugar cookie to in your body you really terms of its research. me. You don’t really expect wouldn’t expect.” “What I really hope peas to be in there,” Bains While he has yet to comes from the victory is said of Hillen’s research. write his thesis, Bains people are able to ... realize The sheer variety in said he practiced his NDSU has a lot to offer research surprised him presentation for his friends when it comes to research too, he said, though he and girlfriend Cassandra and the variety of research grew acquainted with the Hillen, who also competed that goes on on campus. Its diversity in research at in the Three-Minute Thesis truly amazing,” he said. NDSU when he competed Competition. How will he spend his in the first Three-Minute Hillen, who is $1,000 prize? Thesis Competition last completing her master’s “It’s all going back to degree, presented her year. NDSU,” Bains said. “I have gluten intolerance research, From cardiac yet to pay my student fees.”
A&E Editor
The future of biomedical research is dynamic, continually changing with new developments always being made. A particularly recent advancement by Amanda Brooks, an assistant professor at North Dakota State’s School of Pharmacy, involves spider silk and antibiotics. Brooks’s field of research comprises of genetically engineering spider silk to deliver antibiotics to infections inside the body. More specifically, this involves engineering the spider silk to contain a bubble to transport any kind of drug. That bubble will only burst if it comes into contact with an infection. In turn, part of Brooks research is to make a more efficient process of transporting medication throughout the bloodstream while also reducing bacteria’s resistance to antibiotics. “I’ve engineered the silk in such a way that a bubble only bursts if it sees an infection,” Brooks said. “Otherwise, it just goes through your body, and your body doesn’t react to it.” Brooks, who has a Ph. D. in molecular biology, has been working with spider silk for over a decade. She began experimenting with it when she was a graduate student. Brooks was tasked with genetically engineering the silk to give it different mechanical properties,
“I’m particularly interested in antibiotics and trying to deliver antibiotics to prevent bacteria from building resistance to those.” – Amanda Brooks, assistant professor at North Dakota State’s School of Pharmacy
making it stronger and improving the elasticity. That started Brooks down the path of all the possibilities and problems that had the potential to be solved through the use of spider silk. Now, Brooks focuses her work with spider silk on controlled drug delivery, specifically in bone. One particular challenge involved how to treat veterans coming back home with severe, deep bone infections caused by traumatic amputations. Bone infections are difficult to treat with typical antibiotics because they can’t penetrate into the bone very well. This brought Brooks to apply her research with spider silk to the task at hand. “It kind of took me back to how can I engineer spider silk to deliver that antibiotic better,” Brooks details. “So we engineered it to be a smart biomaterial, meaning that it responds to its environment. In the presence of an infection, the bubble bursts and delivers the antibiotic. “And if it doesn’t see the infection, it doesn’t burst.” One of the most
prominent problems Brooks is working on is how to reduce the rate at which bacteria becomes resistant to antibiotics. Resistance against medication among bacteria can transmit between other bacteria of different species. Brooks’ silk bubble would only release the medication where it is needed. Other bacteria would not be exposed to the medication, eliminating the probability of promoting bacteria resistance. The idea is all set to work in concept but testing still needs to be done before it is approved for human use. Brooks and her researchers have two years to figure out how successful their genetically engineered spider silk will be. “This is a pretty new concept. We are just starting to gain some traction on it,” Brooks said of the future in spider silk research.”No one has engineered it in the way that we are proposing to engineer it. So it’s brand new and I think that there is really good evidence this is going to work.”
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Amanda Brooks’ research involves genetically engineering spider silk to deliver antibiotics.
THE SPECTRUM | FEATURES | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Healthy Herd | MRE Innovations Regina Schimek Contributing Writer
The feeling you get when you find your passion in life is exhilarating and validating. Choosing to act on that feeling can lead to making a difference. Petra Reyna One Hawk is one person making this profound choice. Hawk is both Lakota and Dakota from Standing Rock reservation, which straddles the North Dakota and South Dakota border. Hawk is currently working on her master’s in public health and is contemplating writing her thesis on improving access to healthy foods on the reservation. She has already completed a bachelor’s degree in biology and three years of medical school, all while raising a family. Growing up on the reservation, Hawk was aware of the high statistics for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. While attending school and starting her family, she lived off the reservation for seventeen years. “I completed three years of medical school, but I was frustrated because I didn’t feel like I was ever going to be a part of the solution seeing one patient at a time,” Hawk said. When she returned to the reservation to raise her family, she became very aware that it was a food desert. According to the USDA, food deserts are parts of the country with a lack of access to healthful foods, usually because of a lack of grocery stores. “I was spending so much time commuting 60 miles one way to a store just to get groceries,” Hawk noted. She knew that she wanted to do something about the problems of health and lack of grocery stores on the reservation. Hawk found inspiration
from her grandfather. He was firm in his traditions of preparing and caring for food. He also believed that it took input from the whole community to properly make the meals — the production of traditional Native American meals requires impressive amounts of knowledge of the growing seasons and plants. Hawk developed a Meal Ready to Eat for NDSU’s Innovation challenge using traditional Native American ingredients like tìŋpsila, squash, corn and buffalo meat dried and prepared the traditional way. Waštúŋkala (wah-shtoo-kah-lah) is the name of the traditional stew meaning “dried corn stew”. The four main ingredients meet all of the macronutrient needs for a balance diet. The meals can be stored for long periods of time and rehydrated with a broth. Hawk explained the significance of the ingredients in the traditional stew. The Lakota word tìŋpsila (teemp-see-lah) is for a plant not sold in grocery stores, or even domesticated. It’s only available three weeks out of the year. It isn’t exactly a veggie, fruit or starch, but can be thought of as a wild turnip and translated into “prairie rice.” It is a super food with each major nutrient in it — carbs, protein, fiber and even calcium. “We saw the buffalo nation as relatives, they gave their lives so we could live — using buffalo meat in the stew is out of respect for this belief,” Hawk said. The reason for implementing natural ingredients and preparation goes down to the micro level of nutrients being used in the body. By balancing the carbs in the meal with lean protein from buffalo meat and the nutrients of
the other ingredients, a meal that lowers or maintains blood sugar can be created. This can be helpful in preventing diseases such as diabetes. “If we utilize our traditional knowledge as an innovation, it can be part of the solution if given access,” says Hawk about her Innovation challenge idea. She would like to continue her research by implementing solution-based research and recruiting those with already established health issues to see if her solutions can improve health. There is proof that a healthy diet and exercise can prevent health problems from developing, but when you don’t have the resources close by, it’s impossible to prevent them. One of Hawk’s goals for the project was to simply make it known that we should be looking at what can be done to change the infrastructure of a reservation so it’s possible to prevent these issues from developing. Hawk sees potential for the conservation of natural plants that the Lakota use to have benefits in the economy of the reservation by establishing a co-op that produces the MREs. With her venture, she hopes for the meals to be massproduced and sold as a commodity to families on the reservation. One of her goals is also to establish a program where for each meal sold, another one is given to a family on the reservation. It could also be used to supplement programs that are already established for those in need, like programs for the elderly or pregnant women. In return, the money from these meals can be used to help build up the infrastructure of the reservation. The project comes full-circle to address the needs of the reservation,
Petra Reyna One Hawk is working on her Master’s in Public Health and is competing in NDSU’s 2016 Innovation Challenge. to hopefully prevent health and economic problems before they happen. It will do this by paying the people for the products they harvest and by putting the money towards housing, eliminating food deserts by building grocery stores, creating jobs, and expanding health services. “The key is recognizing an economy that exists already on the reservation that is not based on the American dollar,” she said. “If we do this we can foster this economy, which can fix a problem at its core and eliminate it.” The process of drying
the ingredients is a long one, and the once common traditional meals are now considered a delicacy. Because the ingredients for the stew have a limited amount of time to be harvested, each family in the tribe would harvest one crop for the stew and then barter with other families for the other ingredients in a community effort. The cultural component of the stew was to teach the young people to acquire long-term planning. Hawk’s people were nomadic, but it did not mean that the Lakota “followed the
NDSU | PHOTO COURTESY
buffalo” — it meant that they had to know the land. Hawk’s idea for the MREs fits into this mentality. They are made with native ingredients and prepared in the traditional way to maintain the taste and texture of the traditional meal. Then they will be packaged so they can be quickly accessible for those who do not have the time and resources on the food desert of the reservation. Though her ideas are perhaps bigger than can be contained in a life span, Hawk is content in knowing that they can be the start of a solution.
Sustainable Material Science Research Finds a Home at NDSU Erik Jonasson II Spectrum Staff
“We have the expertise. Combining forces, we can do things that we can’t alone.” - Dean Webster, sustainable material science department
What happens when oil goes away? Dr. Mukund Sibi asked me this question last week, something many people have pondered, and him along with Dr. Dean Webster are working on answering this very question. Sustainable material science (SMS) has a research department here at North Dakota State. Not only is this a new industry, but it is headed by two men who are passionate about the science as well as our planet. Mukund Sibi grew up in Bangalore, India, “The IT capital of India,” he said. He did his graduate work in New York at the University of Waterloo and Dartmouth. He moved to Fargo in 1988. Dean Webster grew up on the East Coast and attended Virginia Tech for his bachelors and Ph.D. After college he went on to work with Sherwin Williams. Followed by CSMS NDSU PRIVATE DROPBOX FILE | PHOTO COURTESY working with Eastman Chemical Company. He has NDSU graduate students Angel Ugrinov, Ramya Raghunathan and Retheesh Krishna work in an NDSU chemistry laboratory. been a Fargoan since 2001. “It’s not to just replace a worldwide effort, from Today bio-based materials. Sustainable material petroleum based products.” consumer to producers. “We all want to hit home As noted by Sibi, the science Sibi said. “We have the expertise,” runs ... But we can’t all hit new Boeing 787 Dreamliner SMS in simplest terms is The overall goal in Webster added. “Combining home runs. But hey we can is produced out of some replacing the petrochemical, SMS is to not only save forces we can do things that hit singles,” Sibi said about composite sustainable or fossil fuel based, plastics, our fragile planet from we can’t alone.” sustainable materials today. materials. with bio-based, or plant pollution, but to also The two added the world Webster said the Dasani Today both men noted it based, alternatives. provide materials for the not only needs chemists and water bottle is made with takes time for a big shift to future. engineers, we need people There are many reasons 30 percent sustainable happen. As of today there SMS is not only limited in agriculture, people in to do this, as noted by both materials. Though this is a are materials available, and to one discipline either. marketing. Both men made men; for instance global step, both of the doctors see there are new ones on the “You need everybody,” it clear this is a worldwide pollution, sustainability, but Sibi told me. SMS requires effort. also finding new materials. a future with 100 percent horizon.
Future “We’re still based on old technology.” Webster said, adding these materials are “as stiff and sometimes better” than their petrochemical counterparts. Webster added on how in the future, cars are going to have to get lighter and more sustainable. Not only are there materials ready to replace the plastics in cars, but also in some cases the metals. Of course more testing is required, but Sibi and Webster see a future with sustainable materials. Webster said someday we will be walking around on shoe soles that are made out of 100 percent sustainable materials, but we won’t make a big deal out of it. We won’t make a big deal about it because eventually, sustainable materials will just simply be better than their petrochemical counterparts. “People want new materials,” Webster said, adding, “There really are no new polymer building blocks coming out, there hasn’t been for 20 years.” He continued to say not only are there no new materials being made from petrochemicals, but SMS has produced new materials with new properties. “We engineer the molecules, so we can generate the materials with the right performance properties,” Webster said, adding these new properties include lighter weight materials as well as stronger materials.
THE SPECTRUM | RESEARCH & TECH | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
Study: Gender in Film is
‘Simple, Static’ Gender portrayal in film follows traditional norms
Christian Weber Contributing Writer
SUBHASHISH PANIGRAHI | PHOTO COURTESY
3D printing is an up and coming art form that is extremely useful in making models.
The 3-D Revolution New technology creates ease, innovation for students
Paige Johnson Staff Writer
Eleven years ago, Ben Bernard wanted to bring something life-changing to students at North Dakota State. “Architecture students must do lots of model making,” he said. “Traditionally, it’s done by hand and takes many hours. It blew my mind how much work the poor students have to do.” The computer service specialist began to research technology that would make work more productive and allow rapid prototyping for students. He learned about 3-D printing: using a computercontrolled plastic extruder, a 3-D printer can build up objects layer by layer until complete. In 2007, 3-D printing was expensive and slow. A cubic inch of filament (the necessary “ink” for the printer) cost $5, and it cost over $20,000 for the machine. “Industrial and Mechanical Engineering had a machine,” Bernard said. “We put together a proposal to expand 3-D printing within the college but couldn’t secure the funding.” Luckily, this didn’t stop Bernard from pursuing the technology. In 2013, two classroomready 3-D printers were purchased. Bernard and his students broke and fixed the printers, discovering how they worked and how they could use them to their best advantage. “It was amazing what students could do with the 3-D printers,” Bernard said. “They could design and print complex 3-D shapes
you couldn’t design any other way. It was a good way to represent ideas and bring them into the world.” 3-D printing has quickly spread across campus: Architecture and Landscape Architecture’s lab now totals ten 3D- printers to meet student demand and many other departments have added their own. The Development Foundation’s Impact Fund Grant helped to create a 3-D printing service at the Main Library accessible to all NDSU students, staff and faculty for a rate of $3 per print hour. Bernard continued, “This is really unique to NDSU. A lot of other universities have their students paying up to $20 per hour, or they’re only accessible to grad students.” Right now, NDSU uses PLA, a material made from a corn starch derivative. It’s non-toxic and highly sustainable. “The plastic we use is an agriculture product, which makes it especially cool because of the strong agriculture ties NDSU has,” Bernard said. Both student and faculty success has come from NDSU’s adoption of 3-D technology, too. In 2015, the Innovation Challenge winners of the SkyHawk team used 3-D printing to prototype parts for their drone designs. The runner-ups, Amber Grindeland and Caet Fox, used 3-D printing to create innovative clothes hangers. In 2012, John Schneider, with M-State alum Jake Clark, founded Fargo 3-D Printing with their experience at NDSU. NDSU engineering students now work on
how to build affordable prosthetics for children, revolutionizing the world of medicine and making the lives of families easier. Chad Ulven in the Department of Mechanical Engineering works on 3-D printing filaments that are produced from recycled materials. Bashir Khoda is the Director of Additive Manufacturing Research Laboratory in the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department. Khoda is the lead on a bio-additive manufacturing group with the objective of functional organ and tissue printing. His group is working on designing a 3-D printing of lightweight cellular structures and on tablets for personalized medication. “3-D printing makes it easy to create for very little cost, making it perfect for rapid prototyping. The improvement cycle can take place over hours instead of months. This allows entrepreneurs to market faster and designers to discover faster,” Bernard said. The implications for 3-D printing are nearly endless: it covers a broad range of topics, from medicine to machinery to mindless baubles. If you’re not brilliant in design, the website thingiverse.com allows you to easily upload and download designs from people around the world. This allows students from a variety of colleges to experiment with the technology. “It’s fun to see how 3-D printing has been used as a design, research, and education tool,” Bernard said.
Gender nonconformity is a common device in contemporary cinema, from “Rocky Horror” to “The Birdcage” to “White Chicks.” Often, it’s comedic, not meant to make us think. A recent study indicates, however, that this trend may have some complex implications. “Women with Beards and Men in Frocks: Gender Noncomformity in American Film,” by Victoria Kronz, was published in the summer of 2015. It analyzes 36 films, released between 2001 and 2011, that feature characters who flout gender norms. The films are organized into several categories, including genre and apparent purpose. Most of the films are mainstream, Hollywood films. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Kronz found that most
serious explorations of gender identity are portrayed in independent films, while gender nonconformity acts as a comedic device in most mainstream films. For example, in the 2007 film “Hairspray,” John Travolta’s gender-bending performance as Edna Turnblad serves as a kind of comic relief meant to diffuse the tension produced by some of the film’s more complex themes. Cross-dressing and other behaviors consistent with gender nonconformity defy our expectations about what gender should be, and, in an attempt to alleviate our anxiety, we laugh. Kronz’s research finds, when gender nonconformity is portrayed in most films, the male-female binary is emphasized. A nonconforming character is, fundamentally, either a man or a woman. Most portrayals are consistent with
traditional gender roles, without much variation. “(Films) seem to have made little progress from their origins of early films or even as far back as Shakespeare,” Kronz suggests. Nonconforming characters seem to be devoid of flexibility and complexity. Additionally, comedic portrayals of gender nonconformity trivialize unconventional gender identities. When we laugh at a male character in a dress and heels, we accept the idea that nonconforming behavior is fundamentally eccentric or abnormal instead of acknowledging it as benign self-expression. Gender nonconformity is virtually commonplace in contemporary film. However, this doesn’t necessarily represent progress. Instead of breaking down barriers, gender-bending may reinforce them.
Made in 48 Hours in FM Memorial Union Gallery hosts interactive photography exhibit
Jack Hastings A&E Editor
“Life imitates art for more than art imitates life,” as Oscar Wilde once said on the significant impact of the visual form. The North Dakota State Memorial Union Gallery is giving everyday people the chance to be the propelling force behind that influential visual art form. The gallery is hosting “Made in the FM,” a 48-hour photo shoot of Fargo/Moorhead. All community members interested in participating and contributing their photography are invited. The event is free and open to the public. The event begins at 5 p.m. Friday at the Memorial Union Gallery with a photo demonstration, maps, safety information and a list of events happening in the area. At the conclusion of the “Made in the FM” kick
off event, a 48-hour period will begin for photographers to begin capturing their images. “Made in the FM” is an event consisting of two parts. First, the two-day period for local photographers to capture the FM area through their perspective. Second, the concluding exhibition where all photographers that enter are encouraged to showcase their resulting photographs. The 48-hour photography span will conclude at 5 p.m. Sunday. Following the conclusion of the event, all photos taken will be displayed digitally in the gallery. Each participant can pick his or her five favorite photographs to submit to a slideshow. This can be done either online at nods. mugallery@ndsu.edu or at a contact table located in the Memorial Union Gallery on Sunday. Forty top
photographs will be selected to be printed and displayed on the gallery walls. “‘Made in the FM’ is an exhibition that will be made by the community,” said Anthony Faris, Memorial Union Gallery coordinator. “This event is an exercise in seeing, in sharing, in going out of the way to capture people, places and things that you love or you just discovered. Most everyone has a camera these days, so we are excited about the opportunity to have each person take some images of the FM and be a part of this 48-hour photo shoot and the ‘Made in the FM’ Exhibit.” This event is giving community members the opportunity to represent the FM area through their own eyes. The gallery is hosting this interactive exhibit to stimulate and inspire community photographers. For more information, contact Anthony Faris at james.faris@ndsu.edu.
Good to the Last Drop c2renew and the coffee-coffee cup
Christian Weber Contributing Writer
c2renew has made environmental sustainability ironic. According to the EPA, 75 percent of the materials we use and throw away can be recycled. One method used to repurpose waste is biocomposite production, in which natural fibers are combined with a resin to produce a sturdy
and versatile material. Biocomposite materials are renewable, inexpensive and biodegradable. c2renew is a local biocomposite company, founded in 2012 by Corey Kratcha, an NDSU graduate. Based in Colfax, N.D., the company produces a variety of unique biocomposite products, including a biodegradable soil sensor and a 3D printer filament synthesized from
beer byproducts, aptly named “Buzzed.” Recently, however, c2renew designed a product any frazzled college student could appreciate: the c2cup. In short, the c2cup is a coffee cup made from coffee. c2renew created the first c2cup using a 3D printer and a filament made from coffee waste and a biodegradable resin. In 2015, c2renew crowdfunded over $20,000 using Kickstarter. c2renew
used the funds to design a tool that works similarly to a 3D printer, but can produce more c2cups quicker. The first c2cups were released in December 2015. They became a sensation among coffee enthusiasts overnight. Since its initial release, the popularity of the c2cup has only grown. Keep an eye out for it; after all, how often do you get to drink coffee from coffee?
C2RENEW | PHOTO COURTESY
The c2cup, a coffee cup made principally from coffee waste.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Sports
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The Spectrum
Brian Brasch, CEO of PRx Performance, stands in front of his startup’s logo in its offices on Main Avenue in Fargo. PACE MAIER | THE SPECTRUM
Swimming with the Sharks Local startup inks deal with ‘Shark Tank’ judge, helps out Fargo nonprofit
Pace Maier Sports Editor
The idea started around a campfire while drinking a few beers, Brian Brasch said. He and his business partner Erik Hopperstad couldn’t understand why it was so hard to get CrossFit equipment. They decided to do something about it. “I had a background in manufacturing and my partner had a background in sales, and we (thought) we could make this stuff,” Brasch said about the early stages of the company. “We know our niche, and it’s sitting pretty good.” “Sitting pretty good,” in terms of auditioning and winning a deal on the ABC show “Shark Tank.” Entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary made a deal with
Brasch’s startup, called PRx Performance, which includes him investing $80,000 for 20 percent equity, in addition to 20 percent to distributions. “The experience was surreal,” Brasch said. “He’s very straightforward. He’s very honest ... he’s just very supportive. To have a partner who is there, asking for help and very approachable and (to) bounce an idea off, and he always seems to have the right answer.” Brasch said he was walking into a church before a friend’s wedding when he and his crew came up with the PRx Performance name, which combines “personal records” with “Rx.” “I remember sitting there waiting for the wedding to start, going online, finding the web domain, buying it
and then doing some quick search to see if we could get the trademark,” the CEO of PRx Performance said from behind his desk. “My wife’s like ‘What are you doing on the phone? We’re in church’ and I’m just like ‘I have to buy this domain.”’ They bought the domain, and PRx Performance was well on its way. The business found its niche, supplying personal, American-made products to the fitness community to help achieve personal records. Most people who attend a gym also work out at their home for convenience’s sake. “We find that it doesn’t replace people’s memberships, it just supplements it for those days they just don’t have the time, they want to perform those same
““(We provide) space-saving equipment to allow every CrossFitter or really anybody who likes to workout at home to have commercial equipment in their home that doesn’t take up space.” – Brian Brasch, CEO of PRx Performance movements and our system allows that,” Brasch said. Brasch said that PRx Performance could also “outfit” an entire cross-fit gym, though it comes at a price. “We are the most expensive people out there because we do it right,” Brasch said about his company’s products. “(We provide) spacesaving equipment to allow every CrossFitter or really anybody who likes to
workout at home to have commercial equipment in their home that doesn’t take up space.” PRx Performance isn’t just helping out those who like to do squats and or pull-ups; the young startup and O’leary are active in the nonprofit world, partnering with Unseen Ministries. Unseen is a Fargo nonprofit that “help(s) nonprofits who are fighting human trafficking, caring for orphans and ending
cycles of poverty raise the support they need to expand and accelerate their lifesaving work,” according to their website. PRx Performance asked “Mr. Wonderful” if he could make a video about bringing awareness to Unseen, and O’Leary obliged. The video now has over 1,000 views on Youtube and was uploaded six days ago. Brasch said that PRx Performance now has the national spotlight and he and Hopperstad thought it would be good to give the local spotlight to Unseen to bring “awareness to their cause.” “When you hear about what Unseen does, and what they accomplish,” Brasch said. “All of a sudden every other charity sort of becomes irrelevant.”
Technology on the Green Bison men’s, women’s golf teams use technology for improvement Karson Sorby Staff Writer
The Bison men’s and women’s golf teams have technology that makes a large impact on preseason workouts and tune-ups for the student-athletes. The equipment used in each of the team’s practices can be tailored to the individual. The teams typically use two types of equipment The first, Flightscope,
allows players to record various details about the ball, their swing and their shot overall. “Flightscope enables us to see the path of the shot, spin rate of the ball, path of the club, club face angle, distance and numerous other bits of information,” NDSU men’s head coach Steve Kennedy said. Bison freshmen golfers Dax Wallat and Will Holmgren said this practice provides insight to create superb shots while also
picking out errors or things they are struggling with. “It’s extremely helpful on perfecting your swing before the season starts,” Holmgren said. The other technology is called Technique, which provides videos of each player, allowing them to break down their swing. Bison women’s head coach Matt Johnson explained the video technology as being useful for individuals who need to feedback on their swing.
“The video allows the coaches to show the players what they are doing and the visual feedback helps them to reinforce good things and learn about the positions that need improvement,” Johnson said. In the offseason, this technology makes it easier for the student-athletes to keep their skills sharp while also allowing the team to improve during the season by making quick fixes to their swing or their game. “The technology we
use makes it much easier and quicker for the coaches (to) diagnose issues or problems,” Johnson said. “Also makes it easier for the athletes to understand what they need to work on because of the direct feedback they get from the video or launch monitor information.” Though the coaches and players agreed that the technology is overall beneficial, Johnson pointed out that it couldn’t replace an actual game of golf on
the course. While the studentathletes and coaches are unsure what technology will appear in the future, the tools they have now allow the team to make improvements throughout the year. With a fourth place selection in the preseason polls for the women’s team and a ninth place selection for the men’s team, it is clear the technology is beneficial.
The Research Behind the Recruit Taylor Schloemer Staff Writer
Saturday saw both the North Dakota State men’s and women’s basketball teams play their final home games of the season. After the games, both coaches shared a word about the out-going seniors, and men’s head coach Dave Richman started his comments on his two seniors the same way. “It all starts with recruiting,” he said. In an age where technology is evolving, recruiting is incorporating
technology into the research of the potential prospects. It’s a challenge to keep all of the information that comes with a potential recruit in place, but there is now technology helping coaches and scouts keep all the information in line. NDSU soccer head coach Mark Cook said when recruiting, he and his team use the Sportsboard app. The app allows coaches to evaluate, track and scout players. A big feature is that Sportsboard allows coaches to rank players’ skills and prioritize the ones they are most interested in.
“The app allows me to take notes on a player, and then my assistant can look at my notes the next day,” Cook said. “We still use spreadsheets of players we are looking at.” While this seems like a low-tech solution, it works for Cook, who also made point that most of the research still happens in person. Cook wants to know about just as much about the player off the field as on it. “We talk to coaches to get an understanding of the person we are watching,”
he said. Maren Walseth has a slightly different approach. While most of the research is done in person, it’s not possible for the coaches to go to every game. To help supplement research, the women’s basketball team uses Hudl, a video service that allows high school teams to send in game tape. Walseth said with a chuckle, “Long gone are the days when teams send in DVDs.” This allows the coaching staff to look more in-depth. Hudl has programs that can track and analyze the game
and offers a variety of stats. The most important research is finding out what type of person the recruit is. “The research we do is more detective work, in building relations with coaches to get a good feel who they are as people,” Walseth said. “Most of that is done with phone calls.” Social media also allows coaches to get to know the recruits. From an organizational prospective, the ARMS software is used by the women’s basketball team. ARMS is a cloud-based software that incorporates many levels of users, from
coaches to administrators. The software serves as the central database, where the information on the recruits can be stored, making it more efficient for coaches. As much as technology enhances and streamlines the recruiting process, it is still not the only part of recruiting. The point that was hammered home by both coaches is the importance of meeting the players themselves. “Nothing replaces the on-campus interaction,” Walseth said, “Or going to see them with my own eyes.”
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THE SPECTRUM | NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Examples of NDSU technologies with faculty and/or student inventors include a cup made from coffee based biocomposite material, a removable bronze coating, artificial bone material, and the latest wheat release “Elgin-ND’.
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