 Community leaders have long seen UND as an " economic engine " for the city . Besides its regular faculty , it also has business @-@ like components such as the Energy and Environmental Research Center . UND hosts a technology incubator called the Center for Innovation . More recently , the University has been working to commercialize its research . A major thrust in that direction is the construction of a research park on the western fringes of the campus . Another potential economic opportunity for the city is the addition of the unmanned aerial vehicle ( UAV ) mission to Grand Forks Air Force Base . The base currently hosts KC @-@ 135 Stratotankers , which will gradually be transferred to other bases around the country . 
