Media Advisory: UND/U.S. Space Force University Partnership Program press conference set for 1 p.m., Monday, Aug. 9

First in the nation: UND to join U.S. Space Force’s University Partnership Program

Press conference to feature UND president, dean of UND Aerospace and members of North Dakota’s Congressional delegation

Editor’s Note: If you cannot make it to the press conference in Grand Forks, you can watch and listen in to our Zoom webinar:

When: Aug 9, 2021, 1 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Topic: U.S. Space Force/University of North Dakota MOU Press Conference

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://und.zoom.us/j/92993961174

Or One tap mobile :

US: +12532158782,,92993961174#  or +13462487799,,92993961174#

Or Telephone:

Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

US: +1 253 215 8782  or +1 346 248 7799  or +1 669 900 6833  or +1 301 715 8592  or +1 312 626 6799  or +1 646 558 8656

Editor’s Note 2: UND will issue a full press release at the News Conference to media subscribers of our digital Press Release page. We also will be able to provide images of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing that will take place early Monday morning, before the press conference. B-roll of the MoU signing also can be provided, upon request. 

In-Person Press Conference details:

What: Press conference to announce UND’s signing of landmark University Partnership Program agreement with U.S. Space Force

Who: UND President, Dean of the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (UND Aerospace), and members of North Dakota’s Congressional delegation (in person or via Zoom from Washington, D.C.)

Where: UND Campus, Robin Hall Atrium (ground floor), 4275 University Ave, Grand Forks, N.D., 58202, part of the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences at UND.

When: Monday, Aug. 9 at 1 p.m.

Background:

On Monday, Aug. 9, the University of North Dakota will become the first institution to formally join the U.S. Space Force’s University Partnership Program.

The agreement that’ll be signed on that day will finalize UND’s membership in this partnership with the country’s newest military branch – a partnership meant to harness the research prowess and workforce development skills of the nation’s top aerospace universities.

To answer questions from the media, a press conference will be held at 1 p.m. in the atrium of Robin Hall on UND’s campus. Among those expected to attend are UND President Andy Armacost, Dean of UND John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (UND Aerospace) Robert Kraus and members of North Dakota’s congressional delegation, who will participate in person or via Zoom from Washington, D.C.

Since the creation of the U.S. Space Force in 2019, the service’s leaders have been studying the Space Force’s research and workforce development needs, noting the high-tech requirements in both areas to successfully operate in the space domain. That’s where the University Partnership Program comes in: UND and its peer institutions that will follow in joining the program have the ability to not only perform research vital to Space Force’s mission, but also provide advanced training to the service’s military and civilian ranks.

The presence of Air Force and Army ROTC detachments on campus also factored into UND being invited to join the Partnership Program, Space Force officials have said.

In recent months, visits between UND and Space Force officials have highlighted the ways in which such a partnership can benefit students, UND faculty, Space Force service members and the service’s mission. In May, UND was selected as a University Partnership Program partner; and on Aug. 9, the University will have the honor of being the first of about 10 universities nationwide to sign the agreement.

Besides the Odegard School, several other colleges at UND as well as students and faculty from multiple disciplines will be involved in University Partnership Program projects with the Space Force, UND officials said.

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