November 2023

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.

American Mathematics Competition for high schoolers is Nov. 14 at MSU; register by Nov. 9

AMC8 for middle school is Jan. 18, 2024

High school students can still register for the AMC 10/12 B contest held at MSU by the Science Math Resource Center on Nov. 14. The registration deadline is Nov. 9. The AMC 8 competition for middle schoolers is Jan. 18, 2024, and registration is now open

The American Mathematics Competitions are a series of examinations and curriculum materials that build problem-solving skills and mathematical knowledge. Students who are inspired to learn advanced math beyond the classroom, test their proficiency on a national level, and meet fellow students interested in mathematics are encouraged to participate. National registration fees are covered by the center, and SMRC staff proctors the exam.

The AMC 10 exam covers the high school curriculum up through grade 10. AMC 12 covers the entire high school curriculum including trigonometry, advanced algebra, and advanced geometry, but excluding calculus. Both are 25-question, 75-minute tests hosted on the same day. AMC 8 covers topics up through 8th grade.

Read more on our AMC page and register for any of the competitions. You can also sign up to be notified of other math-related opportunities from the Science Math Resource Center.

Science Olympiad coach office hours Nov. 9

Current or potential Science Olympiad coaches are invited to join the Science Math Resource Center staff on Nov. 9 at 4pm. This is a drop in session, and you can ask any questions you like. WebEx link is here.

Science Olympiad is one of Montana's premier STEM competitions with opportunities to win medals in topic events and an overall team trophy. But participating in the annual Science Olympiad tournament is much more than the tournament itself -- we also offer STEM Night at the Museum of the Rockies; Talks & Tours of MSU's labs, studios and classrooms; and the chance to hang out at MSU and enjoy the college vibe for a day.

The 2024 tournament is Friday, April 19 at MSU

Learn more on our website (registration is now open)

Subscribe to our coaches' newsletter here

Host a geospatial skills camp for rural youth in your community

Five rural communities will be chosen with full funding and training; apply by Dec. 22

The MSU Science Math Resource Center has been funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to create Exploring Our Place: Geospatial Skills Camps for Rural Montana Youth. SMRC is accepting applications from organizations that wish to host a camp in a rural Montana community in June 2024. The camp is designed for rising 9th and 10th graders who have been under-served in STEM. All camp supplies and curricula are provided; the host organization also receives educator training and stipend, and funds for room rental, transportation, lunches and snacks, and STEM supplies for students.

Applications are due Dec. 22, 2023, and an informational Webinar about the program will be hosted on Nov. 29, 2023.

Learn more and apply at http://www.montana.edu/smrc/geo-skills.html

Applications open Nov. 9, 2023. For more information, contact Suzi Taylor at taylor@montana.edu

STEM Lending Library now available in Reid Hall for pre-service teachers

Didi you know? The MSU Science Math Resource Center now houses a STEM Lending Library filled with books, kits, STEM educational toys, and technologies for pre-service teachers to check out, explore and use.

Students are checking out resources for use in Book Club, Tech Club and other education and outreach experiences such as ASPIRE - Advancing Support, Preparation and Innovation in Rural Education.

Just this week we got copies of Norm the Narwhal, a colorfully illustrated adventure that includes a cool mathematical concept and was created by MSU students and faculty!

Teachers.....do you have ideas for what resources our future educators should have access to? Do you have a curriculum kit or educational technology to recommend? Drop us a line at smrc@montana.edu or better yet, stop on by Reid 413 if you're in the neighborhood!

Elementary teachers: Apply for a six-week paid research experience at MSU this summer; applications open Dec. 1

Montana State University will host a six-week Research Experience for Teachers (RET) for elementary teachers in Summer 2024. The experience includes a stipend plus housing and travel expenses.

In the energy-themed program, teachers gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art engineering research labs and will visit multiple energy facilities such as hydroelectric dams and oil refineries. The field trips include visits to nearby American Indian cultural sites and discussions about Indigenous perspectives in engineering, with a focus on integrating STEM with Montana's Indian Education For All curriculum. Applications go live Dec. 1, and the application deadline is Feb. 4, 2024. Visit www.montana.edu/ret for more information and a link to the application. No STEM degree or prior experience is required, and all elementary teachers are encouraged to apply.

Save the date: STEM Summit 2023 report launches Dec. 12 at 10am

Whether or not you attended the 2023 Montana STEM Summit (April 13, 2023 in Helena) we invite you to join us for a launch celebration and an overview of the key findings presented in the 2023 Montana STEM Summit Report. We'll review national and Montana-specific STEM data, and share the challenges, barriers, ideas and opportunities put forward by Summit attendees to advance STEM learning for youth in Montana.

Brought to you by the Montana Afterschool Alliance and MSU Science Math Resource Center with members of the planning committee from ExplorationWorks!, Helena SACC, MAPS Media Institute, Montana Afterschool Alliance, and UM spectrUM Discovery Area.

Montana State engineering students review ups and downs of ballooning mission during October annular eclipse

A team of MSU engineering undergrads conducted scientific experiments on the edge of space during the recent annular solar eclipse as members of MSU's Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project engineering team. Read the article.

Congrats to the MSU Aspiring Educators!

Hats off to the MSU Aspiring Educators club officers who presented at the MFPE meeting in Billings on Friday, Oct. 21. Club officers Camille Sampley, Rebecca "B.J." Cross, Maya Aguilar and Sarah Fetterman presented "The teaching profession….from the perspective of future teachers." They are pictured at right with MFPE president Amanda Curtis.

Aspiring Educators is a club for pre-service teachers to develop networks, professional skills, and access unique opportunities at MSU. You can follow them on Instrgram at @aspiringeducators_msu

Partner programs and opportunities

Montanans needed as NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassadors

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross from Mexico through Maine. In an exciting new NASA partnership, undergraduate students and eclipse enthusiasts will partner to engage their local communities in advance of the eclipse to enjoy the awe and wonder of this unique alignment. Eclipse Ambassadors will bring outreach programs to underserved audiences in local libraries, colleges, schools, and other community organizations. Training, partnerships, and resources are provided and all engagement can be done before the eclipse - there's no commitment when the shadows arrive. Undergraduates will also receive a stipend, plus opportunities to further their involvement in NASA programs. This is open to anyone in Montana, even though we are not in the path of totality.

Apply today! www.eclipseambassadors.org

Find someone near you on the Eclipse Ambassador Map

Nominations for Aspirations in Computing awards for educators due Dec. 4

Apply for the NCWIT AiC Educator Award, which identifies exemplary formal and informal educators who play a pivotal role in encouraging 9-12 grade women, genderqueer, and non-binary students to explore their interests in computing and technology. Rather than being a teaching award, this award honors those who work inside and outside of the classroom spaces to advocate for gender equity in computing by providing educational opportunities that are inclusive to – and supportive of – women, genderqueer, and non-binary students. Applications close December 4, 2023. More information about the AiC Educator Award

Montana teachers: Are you the next Einstein Fellow?

The Einstein Fellowship is an 11-month opportunity for K-12 STEM teachers to come to Washington, DC to inform federal policy. Current Fellows are serving on Capitol Hill, Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Library of Congress, NASA, NSF and other agencies.

Fellows spend 11 months working in a Federal agency or in a Congressional office. After the Fellowship, these exemplary STEM educators transfer their experiences into new ways to teach students and engage colleagues. Fellows receive: a stipend, travel allowance, education allowance and much more. Applications are open until Nov. 16

Visit the website or contact program officer Jill Latchana at Jill.latchana@orau.org

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