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在四个领域改善研究基础设施来建立国家竞争力。蒙大拿大学(UM)生物分子结构和动力学中心将成立，以研究生物和医学上重要过程的分子机制以及伴随这些过程的分子重排。蒙大拿州立大学(MSU)将设立一个新的化学和生物工程系，作为生物工程研究的重点，与生物启发纳米技术、热生物学和生物膜方面的现有研究小组协同行动。生物启发纳米材料多学科中心将在密歇根州立大学建立，该中心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。密歇根大学和密歇根州立大学还将开发一个神经科学方面的联合博士项目，并使用Access Grid节点进行校际教学。蒙大拿州基础设施改善的基础是扩大蒙大拿州各机构之间的跨学科合作以及与该州以外的大学的合作。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和综合的人类发展、教育和外联计划。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、对中学教师及其学生的接触、服务于农村社区的科学探索馆、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合作，以推动经济发展。这些项目努力扩大教育和人力资源能力，并扩大更广泛的大学社区对S与科技问题的参与。

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.