Montana Infrastructure via Science and Technology Enhanced Partnerships - INSTEP

蒙大拿州EPSCoR研究基础设施改善奖将通过四个领域的研究基础设施改善来建立国家竞争力。 蒙大拿大学（UM）的生物分子结构和动力学中心将成立，以研究生物和医学重要过程的分子机制以及伴随这些过程的分子重排。一个新的化学和生物工程系将在蒙大拿州立大学（MSU）创建，成为生物工程研究的重点，与现有的生物启发纳米技术，热生物学和生物膜的研究小组协同作用。 生物启发纳米材料多学科中心将在密歇根州立大学成立，并将专注于病毒和其他蛋白质笼结构，用于合成具有催化，磁性和成像应用的新型纳米材料。 UM和MSU还将开发一个神经科学联合博士项目，并使用ACCESS网格节点进行校际教学。 蒙大拿州基础设施改善的基础是蒙大拿州机构之间以及与州外大学之间跨学科合作的扩大。 蒙大拿理工学院和六所部落学院也将参加与州立大学的合作活动。基础设施支持将包括各种重点突出的综合人类发展、教育和外联方案。 重点将放在增加美国原住民参与科学和教育的计划，独特的K-12计划，对本科生研究经验的重大支持，与中学教师及其学生的联系，为农村社区服务的科学探索馆，本科生研究的多样性计划以及与州小企业创新研究计划的伙伴关系，以促进经济发展发展 这些方案奋进扩大教育和人力资源能力，并扩大更广泛的大学社区参与科技问题。

The Montana EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement award will build national competitiveness through research infrastructure improvements in four areas. The Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics at the University of Montana(UM) will be established to study the molecular mechanisms for biologically and medically important processes and the molecular rearrangements that accompany these processes. A new Chemical and Biological Engineering Department will be created at Montana State University (MSU) to be the focus for bioengineering research, acting synergistically with existing research groups in bioinspired nanotechnology, thermal biology and biofilms. The multidisciplinary Center for Bioinspired Nanomaterials will be established at MSU and will focus on viral and other protein cage structures for the synthesis of novel nanomaterials with catalytic, magnetic and imaging applications. UM and MSU also will develop a joint Ph.D program in Neuroscience and use the ACCESS Grid Node for intercampus instruction. Fundamental to Montana's infrastructure improvement is the expansion of interdisciplinary collaborations among Montana institutions and with universities outside the state. Montana Tech and six Tribal Colleges will also participate in collaborative activities with the state universities. Infrastructure support will include a variety of focused and integrated human development, education and outreach programs. Strong emphasis will be placed on programs to increase the participation of Native Americans in science and education, unique K-12 initiatives, significant support for undergraduate experiences in research, outreach to middle school teachers and their students, a Science Exploratorium to serve rural communities, diversity programs in undergraduate research as well as a partnership with the state Small Business Innovation Research program to advance economic development. These programs endeavor to broaden education and human resources capacity and expand the involvement of the broader university community in S&T issues.