Commemorating NSF for 75 Years of Innovation

On May 10, 2025, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) celebrated its 75th anniversary. Since its founding in 1950, NSF has been a driving force behind groundbreaking research and education across all fields of science and engineering.

In recognition of this milestone, the MSU Science Math Resource Center extends its gratitude to NSF for its generous support. With NSF funding, our Center leads several impactful programs that advance STEM education in Montana and beyond:

• The Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship supports 26 outstanding teachers from Montana’s rural and tribal schools. Through professional development and leadership training, the fellowship strengthens teaching capacity and promotes culturally relevant STEM education.

• Our citizen science initiative is made possible in part through support from NSF’s EPSCoR SMART FIRES initiative, enabling us to develop citizen science materials and host outreach events that engage educators and the public in real-world data collection and environmental science.

• Scientific Sensemaking about Place-based Phenomena is a collaboration with partners in Maine and Hawaii, this three-year professional development program helps elementary teachers design science lessons rooted in local phenomena. The goal: to boost student engagement and foster school-wide instructional improvement.

These programs reflect our Center’s mission to support educators, empower communities, and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers—made possible through NSF’s enduring commitment to science education.

STEM Summer Institute (SSI)

July 28-30 | Bozeman | Register by July 10

Join Montana’s premier STEM event featuring 50+ breakout sessions, two keynotes, and three powerful pre-conference AI workshops designed for both teachers and leaders.

Pre-Conference AI Workshops

AI Systems Readiness for Leaders

with Wren Hoffman

Equip your district with tools to assess and advance AI readiness—ensuring all students are prepared for an AI-driven future.

Building AI Literacy in the Classroom

with Connor Mulvaney

Gain practical strategies and classroom-ready activities to help students understand and use AI responsibly.

Prompting Is Teaching

with Caitlin Byers, M.Ed.

Learn how effective AI prompting mirrors great teaching. Leave with templates and a plan to integrate AI into your lessons.

Registration Perks

If you're bringing a group with you, use the group registration link to buy 3 and get 1 FREE. In addition to the group discount, any administrator bringing their team can receive an additional administrator ticket along with their group registration. Contact mtovaas@mt-schools.org to receive this discount!

Congrats to Hamilton HS

1st Place in National Bungee Drop

Huge congratulations to Haven Oshell and Sierra Berry of Hamilton High School for taking 1st place in the Bungee Drop event at the 2025 Science Olympiad National Tournament at University of Nebraska-Lincoln!

The Bungee Drop is an event where teams design and build an elastic cord system to drop a mass from a specified height. The goal is to get the mass—usually placed in a plastic bottle—as close as possible to the ground without touching it.

Competing against 60 top schools from across the country is no small feat! Several other teams also placed in the top 20s, 30s, and 40s in their events. Way to go, Hamilton HS and Coach Vanessa Haflich!!

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