North Dakota State University is pleased to welcome Irfanul Alam as a Postdoctoral Researcher with the College of Business’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business through the ND‑SPARK initiative.
Originally from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Irfan brings a global perspective and a strong commitment to strengthening access, belonging, and student success, particularly for learners from underserved communities. His research interests span STEM education, higher education systems, social network analysis, mixed‑methods research, and program evaluation.
Prior to joining NDSU, Irfan served as an Evaluation Associate at the University of Mississippi’s Center for Research Evaluation, where he led and supported multi‑site, federally funded evaluations in education and public health. His expertise includes designing surveys and protocols, conducting interviews and focus groups, building longitudinal datasets, and translating data into actionable insights that guide program improvement.
When asked what drew him to NDSU, Irfan shared:
“I’m excited about NDSU’s collaborative, applied research environment and the opportunity to study how statewide partnerships and networks can strengthen innovation, student success, and institutional impact.”
In addition to his research, Irfan enjoys cooking, especially experimenting with global flavors, as well as traveling, exploring new cities, gardening, and taking long walks.