MERIT AND PEER REVIEW

Merit Review
Extension Program Leaders from North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas meet on a regular basis to develop joint program opportunities for these four states. Programs impacting all four states have been developed as a result of these regular planning meetings. To increase the effectiveness of programs in these states, the program leaders exchange plans of work in agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer science, youth and community resource development. Program leaders review the plans of work for the other states for both content, methodology and projected outcomes.

Scientific Peer Review
Research programs are subject to four different types of scientific peer review. These reviews occur prior to, during, and at the conclusion of each research project. First, research faculty who participate in multi-state research projects receive a critical review of their contributing project from fellow committee members, the administrative adviser, and the NC Multi-State Research Committee. Second, most faculty augment multi-state research funding with competitive grants. These grants are awarded on the basis of scientific merit and afford an opportunity for external peer review. Third, each research faculty member with NDAES is required to have a station project that is reviewed for scientific merit by a Project Review Committee that is comprised of one faculty member from each discipline. Finally, all research is peer viewed, either internally or externally, prior to publication.