EPSCoR - Education, Outreach and Diversity

Diversity

Montana EPSCoR is fully committed to the pursuit of a more diverse faculty, staff and student population. It is not only important for Montana, but also essential for the success of the Nation's scientific and technical well-being. The MtEPSCoR program is focused on a concerted effort to approach increased diversity in a more systemic manner across Montana.

Tribal College Partnerships

The MT EPSCoR diversity plan targets increasing success in STEM disciplines for Native Americans and other underrepresented groups in the MUS. By leveraging existing partnerships and innovative technology, MT EPSCoR is committed to preparing students to matriculate into one of the state's research universities and pursue a degree in a STEM field. In cooperation with the Montana's tribal colleges, an accelerated math preparation program for pre-college Native American high school students was developed and implemented during the Summer of 2012. At the University of Montana, EPSCoR partners with the Native American Research Laboratory (NARL) to increase the number of Native American students participating in NARL opportunities.

Supporting Students

Montana EPSCoR looks to increase the number of Native American and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields by supporting their graduate study. At MSU, EPSCoR supports a number of underrepresented minorities pursuing graduate degrees in STEM disciplines. One such student, Lisa Lone Flight, is a role model for Native American women studying science. Lisa, who is pursuing her Masters degree in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, was featured in an article in “Indian Country Today” on Native women in science fields.

Montana STEM Girls Collaborative Project (MSGCP)

Montana EPSCoR is the convening organization for the National Girls Collaborative - a networking organization to girls' interest in science and engineering. The vision of the National Girls Collaborative Project is to bring together organizations throughout the United States that are committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The National Girls Collaborative Project maximizes access to shared resources and disseminates research-based promising practices that advance the work of existing and evolving girl-serving projects. The Montana Girls STEM Collaborative is represented in the National Program directory.