?Ä¢ An area student has been named a track winner in North Dakota State University?Äôs Innovation Challenge ?Äô17. Winners were announced during an awards luncheon Feb. 28, at the Fargodome. ?ÄúNDSU Makerspace,?Äù won the $5,000 first prize in the Social track. The project is the brainchild of Ted Zipoy, a sophomore majoring in industrial engineering from Kimball, and Kyle Stapleton, a senior majoring in electrical engineering from Hastings.
The team is working to develop a makerspace on campus that will allow students from all areas of study to meet and create together. Makerspaces combine the ideas of a lab setting, community, and an educational experience to promote interdisciplinary projects and offer access to tools and resources.
The annual competition features new, unique or re-imagined products and services developed by NDSU students. The Innovation Challenge is presented by the NDSU Research and Technology Park, in partnership with the NDSU Office of the Provost.
?Ä¢ Another area student was named as award recipient during the awards luncheon. ?ÄúOff the Grid,?Äù won the $1,000 second prize in the Service track. The project is the brainchild of Mathias Hennen, a junior majoring in graphic design and marketing from Kimball, and Tanner Bjorlie, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering from Fargo. This team is developing an app to help people disconnect from their cellphones worry-free and shift from our culture?Äôs unwritten obligation to constantly be connected. Like an ?Äúout-of-office email?Äù for text messaging, the team is seeking to eliminate unnecessary distractions that stem from constant cell phone use.
A total of 137 students in 76 teams competed in four categories: Product, Service, Agriculture, and Social.
?ÄúWe are proud of the innovations these students have developed, and we hope to see them continue to pursue their passion for entrepreneurship and new ideas,?Äù said Chuck Hoge, executive director at the NDSU Research and Technology Park.
Ted Zipoy (second from right) of Kimball and Kyle Stapleton of Hastings won a $5,000 first-prize award in February for his NDSU Makerspace project. 
Mathias Hennen (second from left) of Kimball and Tanner Bjorlie (far right) of Fargo won a $1,000 second-prize award for their ?ÄúOff the Grid?Äù project at NDSU. Submitted photos.