BisonSpark Talks 2023-2024

As part of our Big Idea Research Initiatives for the 2023-24 year, the Office of Research and Creative Activity (RCA) and the Faculty Research Council presented BisonSpark Talks in October, 2023.
Ajay Jha, PhD
NDSU Assistant Professor - Computer Sciences
Jha presents on his research involving improving software technology.
Barney Geddes, PhD
NDSU Assistant Professor - AES Microbiological Sciences
Geddes seeks to improve symbiotic nitrogen fixation in agriculture to reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers. Doing so reduces input costs for farmers and alleviates an estimated 1.57 billion dollars per year globally in environmental harm from their use.
Cameron Battagler
Microsoft - Principal Technical Specialist
Battagler's presentation entitled "LLMs Are Boring (until they aren't)" discusses how large language models like ChatGPT can be used to dramatically simplify the gathering and dissemination of information.
Elisabetta (Ellie) Liverani, PhD
NDSU Assistant Professor - Pharmaceutical Sciences
Liverani is working to identify new treatments for sepsis, which is a major health care problem in the U.S.
Elizabeth Skoy, PharmD
NDSU Professor - Pharmacy Practice
Skoy presents on her research involving the new role that pharmacists are playing their communities.
Eric Berg, PhD
NDSU Professor - AES Animal Science
Has anyone ever told you that you eat like a pig? Berg presents his research comparing the human diet with that of a pig.
Grant Swenson
Director of Engineering, Bushel
Swenson shared the new tech being developed by Bushel and what this means for farmers.
Mark Strand, PhD & Heidi Eukel, PhD
Professors Pharmacy Practice
Strand and Eukel presentation talks about the ONE project and the impact it will have on opioid usage.
Tami Norgard
Vogel Law Firm - Attorney
Tami Norgard, an attorney at Vogel Law Firm, discusses her work on the Red River Valley Water Supply Project. The project will create a supply channel to provide water to nearly 50% of North Dakota's population in times of emergency drought.
Xinhua Jia, PhD, PE
NDSU Professor - Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering and Director - North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute
Smart water management can address challenges in Food, Energy, and Water Security by enhancing resources efficiency, ag productivity, and water quality, improving economic growth, and water conservation, and providing access to safe water.
Ryan McGrath, PhD
NDSU Assistant Professor - Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences
McGrath's research examines novel methods and sophisticated technologies for better measuring muscle function in older adults.
Sanku Mallik, PhD
NDSU Professor - Pharmaceutical Sciences
Mallik plans to employ additive manufacturing to 3D print cell culture well plate covers which measure the media pH and wirelessly transmit the information to researchers' smartphones or other devices. He will employ a unique 3D printer recently recommended for funding through the National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation Program.
Rajani Ganesh-Pillai, PhD
NDSU Professor and Chair/Head - Management and Marketing
Ganesh-Pillai's presentation explores her research on effective collaborative methods.
Ruilin Tian, PhD
NDSU Professor - Transportation, Logistics, & Finance
Tian's project aims to analysis household’s optimal life insurance strategy, which is crucial for addressing significant economic and social challenges due to several key reasons: (1) Financial Security for Families (2) Reduce the Burden on Social Services (3) Public Health and Well-Being (4) Policy Design and Regulation
Michelle Berg
Berg's presentation discusses rare diseases in America and their overall impact.
Natasha Fillmore, PhD
NDSU Assistant Professor - Pharmacy
Fillmore's research focuses on understanding Type II Diabetes with the goal of identifying strategies to prevent and treat this disease. It is essential to better understand how diabetes impacts the body and develop strategies to treat and prevent diabetes.
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