NE North Dakota News

The University of North Dakota (UND) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have entered into a five-year research partnership aimed at advancing aeromedical research on campus. The agreement, signed last week, will provide up to $5 million in funding and marks the first time the FAA has embedded a medical researcher within a university.

Under the terms of the agreement, an FAA research medical officer will be assigned to UND to assist with planning and executing research activities. The partnership is intended to enhance aviation safety through collaborative efforts between UND’s School of Medicine & Health Sciences and John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences.

At a ceremony held at UND’s Carnegie Hall, President Andy Armacost was joined by Dr. Melchor Antuñano, director of the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), which will oversee the FAA’s role in this initiative.

“When you have deans who see an opportunity to work together, there are no barriers between the efforts,” Armacost said. “For Marjorie (Jenkins) and Bob (Kraus) to join forces to make this happen is really exceptional.”

Elizabeth Bjerke, associate dean and professor at the Odegard School, noted that UND has a longstanding relationship with the FAA. She explained that discussions about partnering with CAMI began over a year ago when representatives from UND visited CAMI headquarters in Oklahoma City. Subsequently, a delegation from CAMI visited UND last fall and identified it as an ideal partner due to its facilities and expertise.

“When the team from CAMI visited UND in November of 2024 and saw firsthand what we have here in terms of facilities and talented people, the idea of a more formalized partnership took hold,” Bjerke said.

Bjerke also pointed out that recent state funding for establishing the North Dakota Center for Aerospace Medicine will help support pilots seeking medical care across North Dakota. The new agreement with the FAA is expected to further strengthen research collaboration on campus.

Dr. Marjorie Jenkins, dean of the School of Medicine & Health Sciences, emphasized: “This collaboration between the FAA and the University of North Dakota represents a transformational opportunity connecting the expertise and resources of the FAA, School of Medicine & Health Sciences and the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences,” she said. “This truly supports the mission of the North Dakota Center for Aerospace Medicine and will serve to advance scientific discovery, yield 21st century solutions, and improve the health, resilience and safety for all who take to the skies.”