Participating in the signing ceremony for the University of North Dakota and the University of Bergen (UiB), Norway, were (left to right) UND’s Steve Benson, chair of the Petroleum Engineering Department; Hesham El-Rewini, dean of the College of Engineering and Mines; Pål Davidsen of UiB’s Faculty of Social Sciences; and Scott Johnson, principal adviser to UND’s Institute for Energy Studies. UiB is a leader in System Dynamics, applying conceptual and formal computer modeling to explore a wide range of complex issues.

Another energizing connection to Norway

The pipeline between the University of North Dakota and Norway just got a little wider with the signing of a student and faculty exchange agreement that centers on petroleum research and social sciences research.

On March 19, Hesham El-Rewini, dean of the College of Engineering and Mines, which oversees the Institute for Energy Studies (IES) and the Petroleum Engineering Program at UND, signed a memorandum of understanding with Pål Davidsen of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Bergen (UiB), Norway.  The signing paves the way for two academic and research powerhouses to collaborate efforts on teaching, learning, and research aimed at a wide range of energy opportunities and challenges.

The agreement promotes the exchange of faculty, research scholars, and students between the two institutions, and recognizes each institution as being a leader in their respective fields of interest.  UND’s IES and Petroleum Engineering Program are growing rapidly and are highly regarded for energy research and education of petroleum engineers for the oil and gas industry.  The Faculty of Social Sciences at UiB is a leader in “System Dynamics” education, research methods and technology.

What is System Dynamics?  The approach uses conceptual and formal computer modeling to facilitate communication, knowledge sharing and learning across the wide range of industry, state, community, and academic stakeholders involved with highly complex systems such as the energy industry.

Navarro

The System Dynamics approach looks for ways the petroleum industry can work synergistically with other societal facets to embrace opportunities and overcome challenges.

“If you are not looking for opportunities like this, that’s when you start to have problems,” said Davidsen, who represented Knut Helland, UiB dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, at the signing event.

UND already has a number of academic and cultural links to

Norway, including a popular faculty and student exchange program with the American College of Norway in Moss.  UND’s Chester Fritz Library Department of Special Collections also is home to the world’s largest collection of Bygdebøker, compilations of local Norwegian genealogical, cultural and geographical information, thanks to Arne Brekke, a Norwegian immigrant, retired UND languages professor, and successful tour business proprietor.

The agreement between UND and UiB is the initial part of what could become a much broader research and exchange relationship between the two institutions.

Light

Rachel Navarro

Rachel Navarro, assistant professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology and Community Services, was awarded the Henry Tomes Award by The Council of National Psychological Associations for the Advancement of Ethnic Minority Interests Jan. 16 in Houston, for her significant contributions to the advancement of psychology in minority communities.

Steve Light and Kathryn Rand

Steve Light, associate vice president for academic affairs and professor of political science and public administration, and Kathryn Rand, dean of the law school — UND’s resident experts on everything Indian gaming and casinos — are revising one of their influential books: Indian Gaming Law and Policy.  The book has become the de facto handbook on Indian gaming law at law schools across the country, so popular, in fact, that its publisher, Carolina Academic Press, recently asked the authors to produce a new edition.  They hope to see it in classrooms this fall.

Rand

Phyllis Johnson

Vice President for Research and Economic Development Phyllis Johnson has been reappointed to the national Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.  This will be her second three-year term of service representing academics/researchers.  Johnson also is chairwoman of the ISAC Research Subcommittee.

“One of the niches I fill on ISAC is that I am an advocate for systematics and taxonomy — the science of naming and classifying all biological organisms,” Johnson said.  “It’s hard to develop controls for invasive plants, animals, insects, fungi, etc., if you don’t know exactly what organisms you are dealing with.”

Johnson has been UND’s vice president for research and economic development since August 2009.

David Dodds