Infrastructure via Science- and Technology-Enhanced Partnerships (INSTEP)

蒙大拿州EPSCoR研究基础设施改善项目侧重于两个研究领域：氢与环境（HE）和大河生态系统（LRE），每个研究领域都与区域相关，具有全国意义，并利用蒙大拿州的独特资源。高等教育项目由蒙大拿州立大学（MSU）领导，以现有的高等教育研究为基础，整合了参与机构的研究成果。该计划的科学目标和问题是：(1)利用生物勘探、基因组学和蛋白质组学方法，发现和理解金属转化和金属介导催化的生物多样性，重点是氢；(2)利用生物化学和物理方法，建立理论模型，研究以氢为重点的金属转化和金属酶介导的催化机制；(3)将制氢过程工程和生物启发材料合成与燃料电池技术开发相结合。黄石国家公园和伯克利坑（巴特，MT）超级基金环境为研究生物系统如何进化金属运输和转化系统在高金属和气体（包括氢）环境中茁壮成长提供了独特的实验室。选择HE重点与发展替代燃料来源的国家利益一致，并使蒙大拿州为氢燃料经济的对话提供信息。该项目协调全州在基础科学、生化和化学机理理解以及应用科学方面的努力。下一代的研究人员是通过聘用新的教师和投资研究生和本科生来提升的。新开发的大河生态系统（LRE）项目由蒙大拿大学（UM）领导，重点研究自由流动的河流（黄石）和受影响的密苏里河和哥伦比亚河的生态系统驱动过程。待解决的问题涉及在不断变化的气候条件下控制融雪径流时间和数量的物理过程；营养源和汇对流域动态的影响以及河流系统变化的自然驱动因素与人为变化之间的差异。这些因素对美国西北部的流域管理工作很重要。LRE项目还将开发一个新的研究生项目。该项目提出了一个整合研究和教育的强有力的计划。LRE组成部分包括与蒙大拿州部落学院的著名研究和教育合作伙伴关系，这些合作伙伴关系有望增加印第安人在科学领域的学习和研究的参与。科学学习中心举办系列讲座和公共广播节目，以及其他推广工作，确保EPSCoR的研究成果在全州范围内得到有效传播。与沉浸呈现和科学与自然历史电影制作计划的合作伙伴关系将高等教育学院和LRE的研究和教育产品带给全国观众。例如，浸入式呈现正在创建课程和补充材料，以增加对极端环境的理解，如黄石公园的热喷口。美国国家科学教师协会通过科学链接为蒙大拿州科学与科学中心开发的教育网站提供了与美国一些最常用的科学和数学教科书的链接。最后，蒙大拿州印第安人和科学计划正在全州的部落学院和保留地巡回实践科学展览；一个特别的焦点呼吁关注土著人民在医学、生态、保护蒙大拿河流和其他自然资源等领域对科学和技术的贡献。

The Montana EPSCoR research infrastructure improvement project focuses on two research areas: Hydrogen and the Environment (HE) and Large River Ecosystems (LRE) that are each regionally relevant, nationally significant, and capitalize on the unique resources of Montana. The HE program, led by Montana State University (MSU), builds on existing HE studies and integrates research efforts across participating institutions. The scientific goals and questions of the program are: (1) to discover and understand the biological diversity of metal transformations and metal mediated catalysis, with a focus on hydrogen, using bioprospecting, genomics, and proteomics approaches; (2) researching mechanisms of metal transformations and metalloenzyme-mediated catalysis with a focus on hydrogen, using biochemical and physical methods and theoretical modeling; and (3) integration and implementation of process engineering and bio-inspired materials synthesis for hydrogen production and coupling to developing fuel-cell technologies. The Yellowstone National Park and the Berkeley Pit (Butte, MT) superfund environments provide unique laboratories for the study of how biological systems have evolved metal transport and transformation systems to thrive in high metal and gaseous (including hydrogen) environments. The selection of the HE emphasis aligns with national interest in developing alternative fuels sources and positions Montana for informing dialogue on a hydrogen fuel economy. The project coordinates statewide efforts in basic science, biochemical and chemical mechanistic understanding, and applied science. The next generation of researchers is promoted through new faculty hires and investments in graduate and undergraduate students. The newly developing Large River Ecosystems (LRE) effort, led by the University of Montana (UM), focuses on processes driving ecological systems of a free-flowing river (the Yellowstone) and the impacted Missouri and Columbia Rivers. Questions to be addressed relate to physical processes that control timing and quantity of snow melt runoff under changing climatic conditions; effects of nutrient sources and sinks on watershed dynamics; and differences between natural drivers of change in river systems vis-a-vis man-caused changes. These factors are important to watershed management efforts in the Northwest United States. The LRE program would also develop a new graduate program. The project presents a strong plan for integrating research and education. The LRE component incorporates notable research and education partnerships with Montana's Tribal Colleges that show promise for increasing Native American participation in study and research in scientific fields. The Science Learning Complex, which hosts lecture series and a public radio show, as well as other outreach efforts assure effective dissemination of EPSCoR research findings across the state. Partnerships with Immersion Presents and the Science and Natural History Filmmaking Program bring HE and LRE research and education products to a national audience. Immersion Presents, for example, is creating curricula and supplementary materials to increase understanding of extreme environments such as the thermal vents of Yellowstone Park. The National Science Teachers' Association, through SciLinks, provides linkages for educational web sites developed by Montana EPSCoR to some of the nation's most commonly used science and mathematics textbooks. Finally, the Montana Indians and Science Program is touring hands-on science exhibitions to tribal colleges and reservations throughout the State; a special focus calls attention to contributions of native peoples to science and technology in fields such as medicine, ecology, and preservation of Montana's rivers and other natural resources.