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Welcome to Brainstorms!, the monthly e-newsletter of the MSU Science Math Resource Center. We share cool opportunities for Montana STEM educators of all grade levels, subjects and settings, including upcoming professional development workshops through MSU and our partners; grant applications and STEM resources; STEM events and contests for students; and more.
Please forward to a colleague and encourage them to subscribe – including your school administrators and school counselors, too! For questions or ideas, contact the MSU Science Math Resource Center.
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Scientific ballooning in Montana | |
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Balloons have been in the news lately! Did you know that MSU and Montana have some amazing projects going on right now?
Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project
Montana State University is the lead institution for a NASA SciAct-funded project that will broaden participation of STEM learners by immersing teams from a wide range of higher education institutions in an innovative NASA-mission-like adventure in data acquisition and analysis through scientific ballooning during the Oct. 14, 2023 annular and April 8, 2024 total solar eclipses.
Educational resources
The Science Math Resource Center leads the educational aspects of NEBP and has helped create a series of online lessons for the incoming teams as well as opportunities for students to practice the non-technical skills that complement STEM projects, such as science communications, teamwork and leadership, project management, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Visit this SMRC page for information and links to NEBP's lessons on Lighter-than-Air Ballooning, Introduction to Stratospheric Weather Ballooning, citizen science projects tied to the eclipses, and more.
Huntley Project chosen for NASA TechRise
In a separate NASA-supported project, Huntley Project School and science teacher Brandi Norman have been chosen -- for the second year in a row -- for NASA's TechRise Student Challenge, which offers student teams the chance to fly an experiment on a NASA stratospheric balloon. The students designed an experiment that explores ultraviolet radiation. View it (and others) on the NASA TechRise site. Huntley Project's experiment is called Color for the Beads.
Learn more about scientific ballooning at MSU and access the lessons
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Giving Day is Feb. 15-16 at MSU: Help us raise funds for Elementary Science Olympiad
On Feb. 15 and 16, the Science Math Resource Center will take part in MSU's annual Giving Day fundraising drive. We will raise funds to bring Elementary Science Olympiad to Montana, and our goal is to raise enough to support 10 communities. We will choose some schools with a strong existing Science Olympiad presence, so middle and high school students can serve as mentors, and some schools that could use more STEM opportunities. Visit our Giving Day page on Feb. 15-16 or visit our event on Facebook. Many other projects in the College of Education, Health and Human Development are participating, too.
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Join us for College of EHHD Showcase on Feb. 23 at the GranTree in Bozeman
Montana State University’s College of Education, Health and Human Development will host a celebration of outstanding teaching, research and engagement. The EHHD Showcase will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Best Western Plus GranTree Inn at 1325 N. Seventh Ave. in Bozeman. The event is free and open to the public. The event features short talks from EHHD faculty and staff as well as interactive demonstrations from different EHHD programs, live music from Music Education students, an Art Education exhibit, and delicious food.
This event is free but RSVPs are appreciated: Visit the calendar site.
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MSU Research in Action continues in Spring 2023
The MSU Research in Action workshop series is back for spring! This is your chance to attend free professional development online workshops and learn about cutting-edge research at MSU as well as the researchers behind it. You will also learn how you can use the researchers' STEM stories to support your own students, including increasing their STEM identity and sense of belonging. All workshops are facilitated by SMRC's Dr. Jeannie Chipps, who guides the sessions to blend cutting-edge content with authentic pedagogy.
Workshops will be held (online) on
- March 22 at 4pm -- featuring mathematician Bree Cummings
- April 20 at 4pm
- May 18 at 4pm
Visit our professional development page to register for spring and see archived videos from Fall 2022. Registration is capped at 30 participants, so please register now.
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Learn about proficiency-based education (PBE) with these free opportunities
In April 2021, the Montana Legislature approved funding to strengthen the preparation of the state’s educators to understand and implement proficiency-based/competency-based education. One of the ways to do this is by offering professional learning opportunities at NO COST.
PBE Symposium June 16-18 at MSU....now accepting presenter proposals
This symposium brings together a range of Montana stakeholders to extend the conversations as schools and districts transform policies to create personalized learning experiences for students. Learn more about the PBE Symposium and submit a proposal. Registration will open in April with priority going to presenters.
Free graduate and undergraduate courses
New dates have been added for
- Summer 2023
- Fall 2023
- Spring 2024
Learn more about how to enroll in the courses and get credits at no charge to you
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STEM STRONG seeks rural teachers of grades 3-5
The STEM Strong project is recruiting 45 rural teachers of grades 3-5 to participate in a grant-funded project to enhance science and engineering teaching.
- Receive targeted support from professional learning providers focused on NGSS-aligned science and engineering instruction.
- You will be eligible to receive a $1600 stipend in exchange for full participation in activities during the 2023-24 school year.
- Have the opportunity to continue learning with this professional community while receiving additional stipends and modest supports through the 2025-26 school year.
- Contribute to the empirical research about professional learning outcomes for K-12 educators.
Visit this site to express your interest
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Ready, STEM, Go! FREE Virtual Conference on out-of-school STEM / March 14-15, 2023
A national alliance of statewide afterschool networks is partnering to host a two-day NO-COST virtual conference on March 14 and 15, which will shine a spotlight on resources, strategies, and inspiration to boost OST STEM programming.
Registration is free and grants access to the full two days of live conference sessions, the On-Demand Video Library, Exhibit Hall, and a unique event profile where you can interact with other attendees. Sessions will be recorded and available to those who register. OPI Renewal Units will be available for attending.
Register here or email bethany@mtafterschoolalliance.org for more information.
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Free MSU resource: the Biofilm Multimedia Library | |
Montana State University's Center for Biofilm Engineering maintains a multimedia library for educational purposes. The library contains photos, graphics, video clips and more that convey biofilms, the processes that sustain them, and the dozens of fundamental findings made at the CBE. They are available for free download, and have been downloaded nearly 3,800 times in every state and 40 countries.
Visit the CBE Multimedia Library
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Montana STEM Summit is April 13 in Helena
This year's Montana STEM Summit: Growing STEM Learning Across the Big Sky will be April 13 in Helena.
Since 2017, the Montana STEM Summit has brought together representatives from education, business, afterschool, government, industry, and nonprofits along with other engaged citizens to discuss and showcase STEM opportunities from across the state.
At this year's STEM Summit, attendees will have the opportunity to learn, discuss, share and showcase how to grow STEM opportunities for youth in Montana. Registration is free and open for anyone to attend the sessions of their choice. Registration will open THIS WEEK and will be posted on the Montana Afterschool Alliance site.
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STEM Summer Institute is July 31 - Aug. 2 at MSU-Bozeman
Save the date for the 2023 STEM Summer Institute! We will once again bring several exciting days of professional development, networking and social opportunities in partnership with School Services of Montana. Watch this newsletter for the call for presenters.
Presenter proposal applications will open later in February, and conference registration will open in Spring 2022. You can read about last year's event for a great taste of what to expect next summer -- with even more!
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Welcome to our new science communications intern, Drew!
We are proud to welcome MSU senior Drew Burke to our Science Math Resource Center team this spring. Drew says he entered MSU as an aspiring science journalist, then slowly fell in love with health, medicine, and the innate beauty and sophistication of the human body. Drew is currently applying to med school while he helps SMRC share articles and research of interest to STEM teachers.
Learn more about Drew and the rest of our SMRC team here.
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Do you know a Montana STEM teacher interested in cool opportunities? Please share this newsletter so they can follow along for next year! Or, they can subscribe at bit.ly/smrc-news
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