Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth

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Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth

We are an interdisciplinary research institute at North Dakota State University.

09/10/2026

Who is actually hit the hardest by energy costs?

New research by Challey Institute Research Specialist Bob Mayo used 20 years of data to identify who is hit hardest by energy costs, where those households live, and how they respond when prices change. The research finds that lower-income households face a much greater energy burden and have fewer options to reduce their energy use when prices rise.

These patterns provide policymakers with the data they need to consider how energy assistance programs can best address the burden of energy costs.

Read the research:https://www.ndsu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/HouseholdEnergyBurdenAcrosstheUnitedStatesBobMayo.pdf

09/09/2026

Fewer banks. Fewer breakthroughs.

In a new op-ed, Challey Institute Research Specialist Oudom Hean and his research assistant Sean Schiefelbein share what happens to innovation when fewer banks control the market. Their research finds that when a few large banks dominate, innovation shifts away from disruptive breakthroughs that can create new industries and toward safer, incremental improvements to existing products.

To sustain the innovation that drives America’s economic growth, Hean and Schiefelbein encourage policymakers to consider the downstream effects of bank mergers.

Read the full op-ed: https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/6071850-mega-bank-dominance-risks-growth/

09/01/2026

Why do some data centers succeed while others fail?

In a new op-ed, Challey Institute Research Specialist Bob Mayo argues that success often comes down to one thing: asking the right questions before development begins.

He lays out four questions communities and policymakers should ask to maximize the benefits of data centers while minimizing the costs.

Read the full op-ed: https://dcjournal.com/the-devil-is-in-the-data-center-details/

08/28/2026

As North Dakota lawmakers consider AI data center policy, they need facts, not just opinions.

Challey Institute Research Specialist Bob Mayo will be testifying before the North Dakota Interim Artificial Intelligence and Data Center Committee on Monday, bringing evidence from his research to help inform policymakers as they navigate decisions on this fast-growing industry.

Read his research:https://www.ndsu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/AIDataCentersWhatNorthDakotaNeedstoKnow.pdf

08/26/2026

📚 Distinguished Speaker Event | September 23

What does it take to lead when the stakes are high?

Join us for an evening with Admiral Stuart Munsch, a retired four-star U.S. Navy admiral, as he presents “Leading When It Counts: Lessons from a Life of Naval Command.”

Drawing on decades of military leadership, he'll share how his Navy career shaped his approach to leading and what it can teach us about leadership in our own lives and careers.

This event is co-sponsored with Bismarck State College.

📍Advanced Technology Center, Live Event Venue, Bismarck State College
🕠5:30–7:00 p.m.
🥂Hors d’oeuvres to follow from 7:00–8:00 p.m. 🎟Register on Eventbrite or join via Vimeo.

08/25/2026

Tune in to Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul tomorrow at 2:45 p.m. as Challey Institute Research Specialist Bob Mayo shares insights from his research on AI data centers and discusses their impacts on North Dakota and beyond.

08/20/2026

The Challey Institute kicked off the school year by facilitating the inaugural NDSU Honors College cohort for a Pluralist Lab.

Our goal was to give these students the confidence and tools to build strong civil discourse skills that they can put into practice as students, scholars, and leaders across campus.

By leading with humility and a desire to truly understand the perspectives of others, they can help create a campus community that values diverse views and treats everyone with respect.

Learn more about the Pluralist Lab: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jta-hUBmsG8&ra=m

08/13/2026

Have questions about data centers and don't know where to start?

Challey Institute Research Specialist Bob Mayo's latest research provides the evidence communities and policymakers need to make informed decisions when evaluating proposals.

Read the full research:https://www.ndsu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/AIDataCentersWhatNorthDakotaNeedstoKnow.pdf

08/11/2026

AI-driven data center growth is raising important questions across North Dakota about electricity use, water consumption, noise, and community impacts.

A new guide from Challey Institute Research Specialist Robert Mayo reviews the available evidence, explains how different types of data centers operate, and shows why many of their impacts depend on how a specific project is designed, powered, and located.

The guide also examines the potential economic opportunities for North Dakota and outlines practical questions communities and policymakers can ask as they consider future projects. Its goal is not to support or oppose any particular development, but to help inform the conversation.

Learn more:https://www.ndsu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/AIDataCentersWhatNorthDakotaNeedstoKnow.pdf

08/04/2026

We're short on workers, but limiting immigration.

As immigration has slowed, many smaller, rural states have been left with fewer workers to fill critical jobs.

Challey Institute research shows that immigration fuels economic growth nationwide, especially in smaller, rural states. The findings point to a clear solution to address states' worker shortages: welcoming more immigrants.

In a new op-ed, John Bitzan outlines the steps states can take to benefit more from immigration.

Read more: https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/5986887-benefits-immigration-for-rural-states/

Address

1320 Albrecht Boulevard
Fargo, ND
58105

Website

https://linktr.ee/challeyinstitute

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