June 22, 2010

Table of Contents

Introduction

• Montana NSF EPSCoR Year 3 Annual Report (August 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010)
• Research focus areas: Hydrogen and the Environment, Large River Ecosystems, and Cyberinfrastructure

Year 3 Highlights

• Twelve new faculty hires
• 116 faculty publications, including papers in Nature, Science, and PNAS
• Outreach programs reaching more than 50,000 Montana youth
• National recognition of the GirlTech program
• Expansion of cyberinfrastructure across Montana universities

Scientific Achievements

Selected Research Publications

Highlights of advances in:

• Hydrogenase biology and bioenergy
• Microbial ecology
• River ecosystem science
• Fuel cell technologies
• Climate and hydrology research
• Plant genetics and biotechnology
• Physics and materials science

Program Growth and Faculty Recruitment

New Faculty Hires

• Jennifer Brown
• Steve Stowers
• Bern Kohler
• Rob Walker
• John McCutcheon
• Maurice Valett
• Jack Brookshire
• Tracy Sterling
• Paul Stoy
• Laurie Marczak
• Marco Maneta Lopez
• Stephanie Ewing

Program Leadership and Administration

Overview of Montana NSF EPSCoR directors, administrators, and support staff.

Research Focus Area Highlights

Hydrogen and the Environment

• Breakthroughs in hydrogenase enzyme structure and assembly
• Insights into ancient metabolic systems
• Implications for renewable fuel production
• Nature publication featuring Montana researchers

Large River Ecosystems

• Milltown Dam removal research
• Sediment transport and river restoration studies
• Geomorphic and hydrologic monitoring
• Student-led field investigations on the Clark Fork and Blackfoot Rivers

Cyberinfrastructure

• Expansion of high-performance computing resources
• Bioinformatics support and expertise
• Montana–Kentucky cyberinfrastructure collaboration
• Northern Tier Networking Development Planning Grant
• Networking and data-sharing systems for environmental research

Workforce Development

• Graduate student support
• Undergraduate research opportunities
• Postdoctoral training
• Native American Faculty Development Program
• Faculty and student research experiences across Montana institutions

Training the Next Generation of Scientists

• Undergraduate and graduate research experiences
• Student publications and conference presentations
• Communicating Science program
• Science communication and public engagement training

Outreach and Public Engagement

• Statewide science education initiatives
• Community outreach programs
• Informal science learning opportunities
• Engagement with schools, families, educators, and tribal communities

Teacher Resources

• National Teachers Education Network (NTEN)
• Research-based classroom lessons
• Teacher professional development programs

Tribal College Collaborations

Salish Kootenai College

• Jocko River thermal and hydrogeological studies

Chief Dull Knife College

• River ecology, field sampling, and microbiological research

Fort Belknap Community College

• Milk River watershed investigations

Fort Peck Community College

• Poplar River brine plume monitoring

Blackfeet Community College

• Two Medicine River and Cut Bank Creek monitoring

Stone Child College

• Marias River macroinvertebrate studies

Enhancing STEM Education and Understanding

• Statewide K–12 outreach statistics
• School and reservation engagement
• Student participation across Montana communities

Featured Outreach Programs

• Kidsville News SciZone
• spectrUM Discovery Area
• MosSE traveling science exhibit
• MOLLI Grandparents and Grandkids Science Camp
• GirlTech
• Lego Robotics
• Montana Apprenticeship Program
• Hydrogen and the Environment multimedia website

Budget and Investment Overview

• Research investments
• Student support
• Community and Native American outreach
• Cyberinfrastructure
• Assessment and administration

Program Information

• Montana NSF EPSCoR partners
• Contact information
• University program offices and resources