Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1963-2008 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2.21 linear feet [1 record box, 1 oversize box)
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Engineering Resource Center, established in 1986, serves the university, citizens, and industry in South Dakota through a combination of outreach and technology transfer programs. These programs are designed to be complementary, with knowledge gained from one often supporting or enhancing the others. The center's initiatives include Engineering Extension, the Office of Remote Sensing, the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, the South Dakota Local Transportation Assistance Program, the University/Industry Technology Service, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and the Essential Networking and Training for Entrepreneurship (ENTRE) program.
The center undertakes projects directly or through interdisciplinary teams composed of students, university faculty, and external experts. It maintains an online expertise database to help identify faculty and industrial consultants, along with a separate database containing information on manufacturers and processors in South Dakota.
The South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, funded in part by NASA, includes South Dakota State University, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Augustana College, and the EROS Data Center. Its goal is to foster interest in aerospace science among students and faculty and to encourage careers in related fields. The University/Industry Technology Service links university resources with industry, business, and government to solve technical problems and support economic development. The ENTRE program offers a ten-session course designed to help individuals explore and refine entrepreneurial ideas, promoting business development and economic growth across the state. The Office of Remote Sensing, established in 1969 as the Remote Sensing Institute with support from Senator Karl Mundt, uses multispectral imagery and geographic information systems for natural resource studies and mapping projects in South Dakota and beyond. It is supported by both state and federal funding.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This collection documents the programs, activities, and outreach efforts of the Engineering Resource Center at South Dakota State University. Established in 1986, the Center supported research, education, and technology transfer through initiatives such as the Office of Remote Sensing, the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, the South Dakota Local Transportation Assistance Program, the University/Industry Technology Service, and the Essential Networking and Training for Entrepreneurship (ENTRE) program. Materials include newsletters, brochures, reports, course and program descriptions, applications, technical documentation, correspondence, and photogrammetry images.
Significant content is derived from the Office of Remote Sensing, originally founded in 1969 as the Remote Sensing Institute, which used satellite imagery and GIS technologies to support natural resource management across South Dakota and beyond. Included are aerial thermography materials, technical reports, equipment documentation, stereoscopes, and extensive sets of photogrammetry and aerial images of locations such as Brookings, Big Bend Dam, Meriden, Missoula, and numerous unidentified areas.
The collection also contains documentation from NASA-affiliated Space Grant activities, particularly in the form of award announcements and outreach newsletters. Other series include information on local transportation engineering support, entrepreneurship training, and collaborations between SDSU and industry stakeholders across the state.
The Engineering Resource Center Records reflect SDSU’s leadership in applied engineering, remote sensing, transportation planning, and economic development during the late 20th century. They are particularly valuable for documenting the university’s role in NASA's Space Grant program, South Dakota's infrastructure planning, and the integration of satellite and aerial imaging in environmental monitoring. The collection also illustrates efforts to connect academic research with public service and private-sector needs through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
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Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use. .sdstate.edu/sdsu-archives-and-special-collections/researcher-registration-form)
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In most cases, the materials in this collection have not been digitized and are not available online.
South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections supports access to the materials in its collections. However, access to some items may be restricted due to their fragile condition, donor agreements, or other considerations.
If you would like to know more about the contents of the collection, please contact the SDSU Archives at: Telephone: 605-688-5094 Email: arcrefs@sdstate.edu
Conditions governing reproduction
Reproduction of materials from the collection is subject to the following conditions:
- Permission: Written permission must be obtained from the SDSU Archives for any reproduction, publication, or quotation of materials.
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Language of material
English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Copyright and Use Statement
In Copyright This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use.