Research, Creativity and Scholarship 2022-2023

Montana State University and partners receive $4.1 million for five-year project to train counselors for work in rural Montana

Montana State University and partners have received a $4.1 million grant for a five-year project designed to train school and mental health counselors to work in rural Montana, with a focus on developing partnerships in those areas.

The grant, from the U.S. Department of Education, will be used for the Rural Mental Health Preparation Practice Pathway Partnership, which also aims to increase the diversity, training, employment, retention and effectiveness of mental health service professionals in rural, remote and tribal communities in Montana. The project expands on a previous and similar grant-funded project MSU and its partners began in 2019.

Montana State University students selected as presenters at major undergraduate research conference

Twenty-four Montana State University students have been selected to attend a major conference that provides undergraduate students from across the country with an opportunity to present their scholarly research in a professional setting.

The students will attend the 2023 National Conference on Undergraduate Research, or NCUR, set for April 12-16 at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The event is organized by the Council on Undergraduate Research and each year brings together thousands of students and their faculty mentors.

In addition to providing students an opportunity to present their scholarly research, NCUR also enables students to network with peers and faculty mentors and meet with graduate school and corporate recruiters.

Event highlights work of faculty and staff from Montana State’s College of Education, Health and Human Development

The impact of social connections and the importance of service were themes in an annual event highlighting outstanding teaching, research and engagement efforts by faculty and staff in Montana State University’s College of Education, Health and Human Development.

Held Thursday evening at the Best Western Plus GranTree Inn in Bozeman, the EHHD Showcase highlighted the work of six award-winning faculty and staff members from the college.

“Tonight, you’re going to leave inspired by our amazing faculty and staff here in the College of EHHD,” said Tricia Seifert, dean of the college, in opening remarks. “They really do live the land-grant mission in everything they do, every day, as teachers, as researchers, as people who do outreach in our communities to change the lives of Montanans and beyond.”

MSU College of Education, Health and Human Development to host showcase on Feb. 23

Montana State University’s College of Education, Health and Human Development will host a celebration of outstanding teaching, research and engagement.

The program includes a reception with appetizers, interactive demonstrations and activities, an art show and live music from music education students from 6 to 7 p.m.; presentations from award-winning faculty and staff from 7 to 8 p.m.; and a speaker Q&A panel from 8 to 8:30 p.m. In addition, advisers and program leaders will be available to provide information to high school students in attendance and answer their questions.

Faculty and staff presentations include the following:

• “Service,” by Sun-Hwa Kim, assistant professor in the Department of Health and Human Development.

• “Holding Community at the Center: Co-Learning to Create Change in Research and Teaching,” by Christine Stanton, associate professor in the Department of Education.

• “Service-Research Partnerships to Improve Physical Performance and Prevent Injury,” by Jim Becker, associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Development.

• “From Head ‘Jailer’ to Whole Child: An Educator’s Trauma-Informed Journey,” by Lauren Davis, assistant professor in the Department of Education.

• “Far More Similar Than Different,” by Michelle Grocke, assistant professor of community health in the Department of Health and Human Development.

• “Nerd Alert: W0rk + L1f3 = Bliss,” by Suzi Taylor, director of the Science Math Resource Center.

Research team at Montana State collaborates with Bozeman households to study more efficient use of food waste

Ebel and his team aim to learn more about the effectiveness and usability of special containers called digesters to break down food waste into biofertilizer. The work is supported by a $299,881 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency and another project on anaerobic digestion for agricultural waste has also been supported by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through its Western Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education program.

Montana State professor to present at event focused on Indigenous contributions to science

A Montana State University faculty member will give a free online presentation as part of an event that aims to provide cultural understandings related to Montana Indigenous peoples and their impacts on scientific knowledge.

Vanessa Simonds will present “Integrating Water Quality Research into Informal Learning to Promote Interest in Science for Apsáalooke Youth” at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3. Simonds is an associate professor in the MSU Department of Health and Human Development in the College of Education, Health and Human Development.