September 29 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm CDT This cohort will be UAS, Aviation, and Bioscience focused. Participants will have a chance to attend the UAS Summit taking place in Grand Forks during the cohort as well as the Bioscience Summit in Fargo. The Regional I-Corps training at the University of North Dakota spans five weeks, offering a blended approach to assess the market potential of your technology. This program welcomes both researchers and entrepreneurs, the curriculum explores the commercial potential of deep technology solutions across any industry sector. It prepares researchers to extend their focus beyond the lab and consider the economic and societal impact of their work. Participants in an I-Corps team should allocate roughly 8-10 hours weekly throughout the duration of the five-week VIRTUAL program. Each team should include, at the very least, an entrepreneurial lead (EL) and a technical lead (TL). Session Dates Orientation: Tuesday, September 29, 6pm – 7:30pm CT Session 1: Wednesday, September 30, 6pm – 9pm CT Session 2: Wednesday, October 7, 6pm – 9pm CT Session 3: Friday, October 1, 6pm – 9pm CT Session 4: Wednesday, October 21, 6pm – 9pm CT Session 5: Wednesday, October 28, 6pm – 9pm CT Application Deadline: Sunday, September 13, 2026 Click here MEET THE INSTRUCTORS Heidi Bell Heidi Bell, Ph.D., is Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Human Performance Studies, and Manager of the Human Performance Laboratory at Wichita State University. Her research in clinical exercise physiology and orofacial myology has drawn international recognition and been showcased on NPR’s Science Friday with Ira Flatow. Over the past 30+ years she has developed a systematic and interdisciplinary network conducting collaborative research focused on exercise physiology, orofacial myology, neurocognition, biomechanics and functional performance. Dr. Bell has led and published FDA regulated product validation and test-retest reliability research, in addition to, physiological, neurocognitive and functional performance work. Her entrepreneurial background has further led to three start-up companies, development of several products, secured intellectual property, and established a platform to mentor students aspiring to be the next generation of researchers. Jerrid Matthews, Ph.D. Jerrid Matthews serves as an instructor for the NSF I-Corps program and Software Architect at IBM. Jerrid previously co-founded Vesta Mobile Solutions, a company that provided media, entertainment, and small businesses the ability to engage with their users through text messaging. He is also the recipient of prestigious awards, such as the NSF I-Corps grant and the Falling Walls Lab “Young Innovator of the Year” award. In his spare time, Jerrid enjoys sailing and volunteers as an instructor and mentor in various S.T.E.M programs.