The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded teams from South Dakota, New Hampshire and Maine roughly $8 million each through the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems Research Infrastructure Improvement Program (E-CORE RII) to enhance their state’s research and development competitiveness and promote scientific progress nationwide. E-CORE awards: South Dakota –…

The Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission final report was submitted to Congress on September 27, 2023 and reflects one of the most sweeping and comprehensive reviews of the wildfire system to date. The report makes 148 recommendations covering seven key themes: Pdf: Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Final Report (PDF)

BOZEMAN – Thanks to recent funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, a team of scientists at Montana State University will examine a group of unique organisms that consume the gas methane while simultaneously removing forms of nitrogen linked to agricultural fertilizers from their environment.  Senior research scientist Anthony Bertagnolli will lead the project. Bertagnolli…

The most recent edition of the University of Montana’s (UM) Vision magazine features a story on Dr. Aaron Thomas, Diversity and Inclusion lead on the current RII Track-1 CREWS project. Vision is published annually by the UM Office of the Vice President for Research and Creative Scholarship and includes stories on UM research, innovation, and imagination. The magazine article,…

The Mental Health Opportunities for Professional Empowerment in STEM (HOPES) project began in August 2021 as a collaboration between Montana Tech, MSU-Billings, and the University of Montana, with funding support from the National Science Foundation. The project, which just completed its pilot year, is funded through Summer 2024. The goal of HOPES is to design, pilot, assess, and implement evidence-based,…

Dr. Jerry Downey, the Goldcorp Professor of Extractive Metallurgy at Montana Tech (MTU) and a co-PI on the Montana NSF EPSCoR CREWS project, was recently named the recipient of the 2023 Montana Tech Lifetime Distinguished Researcher Award. The Lifetime Distinguished Researcher Award, which faculty are nominated for, is a special, one-time annual award that recognizes…

The “CHIPS and Science Act’s” investments in the National Science Foundation will help the United States remain a global leader in innovation. Implementation of this legislation will be key to ensuring that ideas, talent and prosperity are unleashed across all corners of the nation. Learn more here: https://new.nsf.gov/chips

The E-RISE RII program supports the incubation of research teams and products in a scientific topical area that links to research priorities identified in the submitting jurisdiction’s approved Science and Technology (S&T) Plan. E-RISE RII invites innovative proposals that will lead to development and implementation of sustainable broad networks of individuals, institutions, and organizations that will transform…

NSF has released the solicitation for the 2023 RII Track-1. RII Track-1 awards provide up to $20 million total over five years to support research-driven improvements to jurisdictions’ physical and cyber infrastructure and human capital development in topical areas selected by the jurisdiction’s EPSCoR steering committee as having the best potential to improve future R&D competitiveness. 

Missoula, MT: University of Montana has selected Seth Bodnar as the18th President.  Montana University System leaders announced today that Seth Bodnar has accepted the offer to be the next president of the University of Montana. Subject to Board of Regents approval in November, Bodnar will assume the UM presidency on Jan. 1.