Some locals remember traveling on newly constructed roads and bridges to attend Big Sky Resort’s opening day in 1973. Critical infrastructure has not only faithfully carried skiers year after year to their destination; it has also withstood heavy equipment as Big Sky grew. Now, nearly 50 years later, drivers once again can enjoy traveling over smooth bridges. The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT)’s Big Sky Bridge Decks project completed work today on three bridges in the Big Sky area.

“MDT thanks everyone for their patience and understanding during this busy construction season,” William Fogarty, Butte District Administrator for the Montana Department of Transportation, stated. “These bridges sorely needed these improvements and had not experienced repairs of this scale since they were originally built, when Big Sky was a fraction of the size it is today. These bridges will serve the community for many more years to come.”

Dick Anderson Construction crews began work in late May with repairs to the bridge by the intersection of MT 64 and US 191. They also started work on the bridge by Little Coyote Road. That structure had a longer construction schedule as it was a full reconstruction of the bridge deck. The Little Coyote Road crews had to rebuild the bridge deck from the bottom layers up. Once the bridge by MT 64 and US 191 was complete, crews worked on a bridge on US 191, two miles north of the turn to Big Sky. 

Repairs were focused on the bridge deck; the surface of a bridge vehicles drive on. A bridge deck is comprised of multiple layers. These begin with a strong base layer that lays on top of supportive beams, include a layer of rebar that reinforces the structure, and finish with a concrete surface. Over time, water seeps into small cracks on and near the bridge, eventually creating larger potholes and cracks. Patches are then used to fill in holes as a quick repair to ensure that deterioration does not continue. However, damage can permeate multiple layers of the deck or patches can become so numerous that large-scale repairs are needed.

Those looking for any other information on the Big Sky Bridge Decks project are advised to email takami@bigskypublicrelations.com or call the project hotline at (406) 207-4484.
 
Alternative accessible formats of this document will be provided upon request. Persons who need an alternative format should contact the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Transportation, 2701 Prospect Avenue, PO Box 201001, Helena, MT 59620. Telephone 406-444-5416 or Montana Relay Service at 711.

Each and every year, millions of young adults set off for the start of their college adventures, finally leaving the family home behind and getting ready to take the next steps towards their future lives. It can be an exciting time for everyone involved, as well as a stressful one for many protective parents as their grown-up children leave the nest.

Having a college-aged child is very different from having a little one or a high school teen. It's at this stage of life that young men and women begin to become much more independent, making more of their own decisions and taking more personal choices that will shape their future in various ways.

However, that doesn't mean that mom and dad no longer have a part to play. Parents of college kids simply have to adapt to changing circumstances, but can still help their children in various ways and will surely be called upon in several key situations. With this in mind, let's take a look at some top tips for parents of college kids to bear in mind.

Educate, But Don't Patronize
It's natural for parents to be worried or stressed as their older children leave the home and head off to college, especially with so many stories and reports of college parties and all the possible things that can go wrong. In reality, college campuses are relatively safe places and most students have the best years of their life at college.

However, there are still some risks out there, and it's important for parents to guide and educate their older children into making the right decisions, without being too 'parental' or patronizing. Remind your kids of the importance of keeping up with studies and meeting deadlines while still feeling free to have fun. Talk about the importance of acting responsibly, understanding the age of consent, not drinking excessively, and so on, while appreciating their individuality and maturity.

Encourage Them
Parents can be nervous about their kids starting college, and there are many situations where the kids themselves are equally stressed out. They might be worried about fitting in, keeping up with their courses, making the right decisions, and so on. This is your time to encourage them, to let them know that the next years could be some of the best they ever have, to let them know that they've earned their place and will be successful.

Speak positively about your son or daughter's college education, encourage them to be confident, and approach this next step of their life with self-belief. Invite them to be independent, to pursue their passions, to meet new people, to participate in extracurricular activities, and so on. The more involved they get, the better the experience could turn out to be.

Try To Limit Your Role
As stated earlier on, this is the time in a young person's life when they'll typically start to become more independent, learning about living on their own, discovering new skills, and developing the abilities they need to look after themselves and forge their own path. This doesn't mean they won't still need your help, but if they do, they'll usually ask for it.

In the meantime, parents should try to limit their roles, letting their kids live and enjoy their college years, while still being present and ready to help out as and when they are needed. You shouldn't be the one choosing your child's courses, giving them constant unsolicited advice, or calling them non-stop. Again, you can still keep in touch, but be ready for things to change a little, which leads us to the final tip below.

Final Word
As mentioned above, things will usually change quite a lot when a kid goes off to college. After just a few months or semesters, they might change in some big ways too, learning more about themselves, discovering new aspects of their personality, or uncovering new interests they hadn't had a chance to pursue in the past.

Be ready for this, accept that things are going to change, know that the child you raised for 18 years is starting to become an adult, and do what you can to embrace those changes in the best possible way. Ultimately, it's all about trusting your child, and yourself. You've raised them all their life, preparing them for the challenges that lie ahead and effectively helping them get to where they are.

Now, it's up to them to start forging their own road in life, and if you choose to embrace it and approach it with a positive mindset, you may have a lot of fun watching the people they become.

Although it may seem that successful students are born smart, it is not true. They are not necessarily more intelligent than others, but they are certainly more skilled at learning. Top students have developed study habits and are able to be focused. They are very disciplined and have their own life hacks for learning so they can effectively assimilate new knowledge. If you want to become a successful student, consider the five strategies described below.

Create a system
Don’t rely on motivation, rather stick to your own learning system. You shouldn’t wait until you are in the mood to get your work done because it may never happen. Students who do well at school can complete their assignments even when they don’t feel like it.

Create a rough weekly schedule based on your recurring commitments and follow it no matter what. Block out time each week for studying so as not to forget about anything or do it at the last minute. Use planners and set daily reminders to organize your study activity.

Break big tasks into smaller ones, so they don’t seem too complicated and overwhelming. Most people can’t maintain a high level of focus for more than 45 minutes at a go, so you should work in 30- to 45-minute blocks, followed by a 5- to 10-minute break. Studying in shorter blocks of time is much more effective for the majority of students, rather than trying to stay focused for a couple of hours straight.

Avoid multitasking because it reduces your study efficiency. Instead, complete one task at a time, and you’ll notice that you’ll get more things done in less time. Get rid of distractions that may surround you, like notifications on your phone, numerous open tabs in your browser, or favorite apps that draw your attention.

Prepare materials for essay writing ahead
Whether you need to complete a research paper or to write an essay, gather as much information as possible. Get an in-depth understanding of the subject you're going to highlight in your academic work before you start the process of writing itself. Today, searching the information is so easy, as you have access to a big number of high-quality resources, one of which is WritingBros, where you can get a lot of essay examples on various topics. College study has never been so simple as nowadays, use all the informational resources available on the Internet. Make the most out of your education with the help of modern online services like Khan Academy, Udemy, Coursera, or WritingBros.

Be diligent
Always take notes in class to learn new concepts better. Prepare for each class by skimming your notes or a textbook, so you will be familiar with what will be covered the next day. Get engaged by asking questions to make sure that you understand new material. Review the information you’ve learned on the same day, so it will be moved to your long-term memory more quickly.

Do consistent work and avoid postponing things until the last moment. This way, you won’t need to cram for exams and less likely to break your deadlines.

Find time for relaxation
Being a successful student is not really about getting the highest grades and outperforming others. It's more about having a well-balanced life that ensures you won't burn out. Regularly, find time for relaxation so you'll be emotionally satisfied and productive.

As a student, you must feel how tiring intellectual work is, so try to get at least eight hours of sleep to restore your mental energy. Proper night sleep will help you stay an effective learner as it boosts memory and enhances cognitive processes. It would be great if you could make 8-hour sleep a priority and go to bed at roughly the same time every day.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Both your physical and emotional health affect your performance at college. Regular exercises can not just make your body stronger, but also enhance your concentration, boost creativity, and improve memory. Also, when it comes to your diet, research has shown that the better your nutrition, the more efficiently your brain functions. Include fresh fruit and vegetables in your meals, add eggs and nuts to your diet, and eat enough meat and fish. In addition, you should try to avoid processed foods, trans fats, sugar, and artificial sweeteners.

If you want to be a top student, it’s essential to keep yourself motivated by rewarding yourself whenever possible. Don’t forget to do something enjoyable during study breaks so you’ll always be encouraged to get back to work. And remember that outstanding performance is possible only if you are able to manage your stress and stay positive.

Author’s Bio
Robert Everett is a private tutor and academic writer. He works at an essay service that provides students with homework help. Robert believes that support is very important to learners so he does his best for encouraging students to achieve outstanding results.

A new grant from the state of Montana will support Montana State University researchers as they explore a faster and less costly method for COVID-19 testing which, when used in conjunction with existing testing methods, could ultimately improve the access to and the speed of testing.

The research team includes 12 faculty members from the colleges of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Development, Engineering and Letters and Science. It is led by Connie Chang, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering who specializes in microfluidics, the creation and scientific use of tiny droplets of fluid in genomic and bacterial studies. 

The $776,000 grant will fund research on LAMP testing, short for loop-mediated isothermal amplification. LAMP testing is an emerging complement that could be used in conjunction with the standard COVID-19 test, which uses a method called quantitative polymerase chain reaction, or qPCR, Chang said. qPCR is the most widely used test in Montana and across the U.S. and is commonly administered using a nasal swab. 

The funding comes from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act — or CARES Act. The grant was administered by the Montana governor’s office and the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. 

Rather than a nasal swab, LAMP testing can analyze saliva samples in as little as 30 minutes, Chang said. LAMP is compatible with “colorimetric” technology, meaning the sample changes color based on the presence of the virus: pink if the sample is negative for COVID-19, yellow if it’s positive. LAMP testing doesn’t require specialized training to use and attempts to avoid the supply-chain issues posed by the unique materials needed for qPCR tests.

“There’s a lot of research exploring LAMP right now because of its speed,” said Chang. “With the technology that we’re developing, we think we can trim the result time even more. It’s an exciting developing technology for point-of-care testing, and that’s why a lot of people are working on it right now.”

The easy-to-use and rapid LAMP tests would allow public health officials to quickly identify those with a very high probability of having COVID-19 and then confirm those cases with a subsequent qPCR test. 

“The bottom line is the addition of LAMP to our testing toolbox could help increase our ability to identify COVID-19 cases,” said Jayne Morrow, MSU assistant vice president for Research, Economic Development and Graduate Education and a member of the project team.

However, before LAMP technology can be made available for use, it must be validated to ensure that it is accurate at identifying COVID-19. To perform that validation, the team will partner with MSU’s COVID-19 testing laboratory, which processes approximately 1,500 COVID-19 tests per day in partnership with Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services. They will compare the results of LAMP against the “gold standard” qPCR results and evaluate the new test’s effectiveness.

In addition to validating LAMP technology, the team will develop epidemiological models to help determine vulnerable populations and the optimal rates of LAMP testing to best contain COVID-19 spread. The hope is to ultimately deploy LAMP testing in order to identify and contain outbreaks and identify groups that may need to quarantine in minutes rather than days.

“This project takes a holistic approach not only to the scientific elements of exploring a new testing platform but also to the best practices for applying novel technologies to Montana’s communities,” said Jason Carter, MSU Vice President for Research, Economic Development and Graduate Education. “Our researchers continue to live the land-grant mission of Montana State by pivoting their research expertise and talents to help our state and local public health agencies to make an immediate positive impact in the effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and maximize the benefit to our most vulnerable communities.”

Along with Chang and Morrow, collaborators on the project include professor Matthew Fields of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Biofilm Engineering; associate professors Deborah Keil, Raina Plowright, Matthew Taylor and Seth Walk of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology; associate professor James Wilking of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; assistant professor David Millman of the Gianforte School of Computing; professor Kristen Intemann of the Department of History and Philosophy; associate professor Selena Ahmed of the Department of Health and Human Development; and Alex Adams, director of MSU’s Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity. 

Montana businesses are now eligible to apply for workforce recovery grant dollars to help companies refill jobs that were lost due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Montana Department of Commerce has launched a temporary Workforce Recovery grant program as part of the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF).

The Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Workforce Recovery program will reimburse a business for the wages of full-time, permanent jobs that are created and retained for at least six months, up to a maximum of 25 jobs per business. Businesses apply directly to the program. Find more information here: https://marketmt.com/BSTF/WorkforceRecovery.

The Workforce Recovery program is in direct response to supporting businesses impacted by the economic effects of the pandemic. The ability to create the temporary program has been made possible by a governor’s directive which allows for flexibility in the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund program. Funding for the temporary program comes from reverted BSTF Job Creation awards, it is not a replacement for or pausing of the well-established business development program.

Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds have been committed or December 31, 2020; whichever comes first.

Apply at MARKETMT.COM/BSTF/WorkforceRecovery.

When we think about common wild animal problems on our property, our mind automatically goes to creatures such as rats, snakes, or mice, but these are not the only creatures that we’re dealing with here. Not by a long shot. Raccoons, skunks, opossums, squirrels, and gophers are really common intruders, also, as are bats.


Indeed, these little winged rodents have been known to make a home inside your attic and sometimes even inside your walls, so it’s only smart to take the necessary precautions in order to protect your home from bats. In this article, we’ll look at precisely what those precautions are.

First, why are we so worried about bats in our homes?
Well, aside from the obvious unpleasant factor, bats are carriers of a wide range of diseases and might even aid the spread of the new coronavirus, so obviously you wouldn’t want that in your home. What’s more, their droppings are endangering your pet’s life and are also pretty corrosive, which might put the structure of your home in danger. So suffice to say, you don’t want bats in your home. You can visit getridofbat.com to learn more.

How can you prevent bats from coming to your house?
1. Get an owl.
Some sources recommend buying a fake, plastic owl, and mounting it on your roof, or on a perch near your attic. Owls are the natural enemy of bats, and their presence will automatically deter the bats from approaching. On the other hand, bats aren’t stupid and the truth is, most wild animals realize the difference between a plastic and a real animal. So if this method appeals to you, instead of buying a fake, you might as well put up a tall perch that will attract owls or eagles, both of which keep bats (and other intruders, such as snakes) away.

2. Regularly perform upkeep on your attic.
Most of us tend to avoid our attic, especially in the cold months, unless there’s something we absolutely need to do up there. This is detrimental because it leaves the place unattended for months, and thus an ideal roosting ground for bats. So make time to clean up your attic at least once or twice a season. Even if it’s nothing more than dusting and moving a few things around. This will let you keep an eye on the place, to ensure no pests are creeping in and it will mark it as an inhabited area, which might deter bats from coming around.

Also, checking on your attic regularly allows you to keep an eye on the walls, windows, and roof, to make sure there are no cracks to allow bats or any other unwanted animal to sneak through. This website has resources on how to properly inspect your home and get rid of unwanted wildlife intruders.

3. Install a chimney grate and window screens.
This is a good tip because it helps keep out a lot more than just bats. The truth is, a lot of animals are attracted to your chimney, due to the warmth. But a bat nest inside your chimney can pose a serious fire risk to your property, and to the bats themselves, since they might not be able to escape the chimney in time, in case of fire. So your best bet is stopping them from getting in in the first place.

4. Find a professional.
Specific measures depend on the specific property, so while the above are some great general tips for wildlife prevention, you may want to find a professional for some specific help. First, do your research, and figure out how likely it is to get bats in the area where you live. This is also a good chance to inform yourself on other popular pests in the area.

Afterward, call in a certified wildlife removal professional, who will inspect your home for signs of potential wildlife intruders, as well as provide you with some great tips on how to protect your property. What’s more, a professional will have a keener eye and be able to point out weaknesses on your property, ones that you yourself might be oblivious to.

Remember, it’s always better to invest in prevention, rather than have to deal with the aftermath of a bat infestation, which can prove disastrous to your property.

The Montana State University Leadership Institute will host a forum aimed at empowering MSU students and community members to vote. “Make Your Vote Count” will take place 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, virtually.

For many MSU students, this 2020 presidential election will be their first as voters. The interactive event will feature a panel with state Sen. Mike Phillips, former state Rep. Jon Knokey and student representatives. It and will serve as an opportunity for both first-time and returning voters to ask questions, gain new perspectives and plan for participating in the election in November.

Phillips has been a state legislator the past 14 years. He was first elected to the Montana House of Representatives in 2006 and then to the state Senate in 2012, where he will serve through 2020. Phillips founded the Montana Legislative Climate Change Caucus and in 2009 was recruited by the White House to a coalition of state legislative leaders in working with the Obama administration and U.S. Senate to pass legislations on clean energy jobs and climate change.

Knokey was elected to the Montana House of Representatives in 2016 and served on the budget and appropriation committee. In 2020, he ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor as Attorney General Tim Fox’s running mate. Knokey has taught college courses on the Constitution and wrote the book “Theodore Roosevelt and the Making of American Leadership.”

The panel will be moderated by Eric Raile, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Letters and Science at MSU. He teaches public policy and public administration and previously worked in the U.S. executive branch. Raile has contributed to news media reports about campaigns and elections for more than a decade.

“From the coronavirus pandemic to serious economic and environmental challenges, the need for effective public policies in the United States has rarely been greater,” Raile said. “The selection of the right individual for the presidency is crucial for dealing with these challenges. The same is true for other national and state-level positions, as these individuals will work with or seek to counterbalance the president’s policy objectives. These choices will have ramifications for decades.”

Registration is required for the event. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/MSU2020ElectionForum. For more information, call the MSU Leadership Institute at 406-994-7275 or visit montana.edu/leadership or facebook.com/MSULeadershipInstitute.

Alongside the MSU Leadership Institute, the forum is presented in partnership by the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost, the Associated Students of MSU, Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply and the Office of Student Engagement.

Gallatin Mall Group is pleased to announce that Whole Foods Market will open a new natural and organic grocery store at their mall in Bozeman, Montana – the Gallatin Valley Mall. 
 
Whole Foods Market tagged Bozeman for its first foray into the Montana market, citing its designation by the U.S. Census Bureau as the fastest growing small city in the United States.  This ranking is furthered by Policom.com, ranking Bozeman #1 of 542 Micropolitan areas in the U.S. in terms of “Economic Strength” for the past three years.

Steve Corning, Managing Member of Gallatin Mall Group, said, “Bozeman’s economic growth in recent years has been remarkable, and since the advent of COVID-19 and its negative impact on more densely-populated urban areas, we are seeing unprecedented in-migration from major urban markets as companies are making it easier for their employees to work remotely.”  He continued, “Bozeman’s wide-open spaces, year-round recreational opportunities, airline connectivity, relative housing affordability, excellent public schools and the presence of a major university are factors that make Bozeman an easy destination for families seeking a major change in  lifestyle.

"The Gallatin Valley Mall has been southwest Montana’s premier shopping destination for the past 40-years, serving a five-county trade area of approximately 150,000 people.  Since acquiring the shopping center in 1997, Gallatin Mall Group has regularly made improvements to the property in order to better serve the needs of Bozeman’s ever-evolving market.  Whole Foods Market will join Macy’s, Barnes & Noble, Regal Cinemas and JoAnn Fabrics in anchoring the 365,000 square foot center. 

Gallatin Mall Group is partnering with a team of three companies to engineer and execute a comprehensive redevelopment strategy for the 37.4-acre property.  Boston Realty Advisors, Grossman Development Group, and The Broadway Company – all headquartered in Boston – will bring their expertise in redevelopment, leasing and marketing to reimagine the property.  Their vision will transform the enclosed mall into a more diverse mix of space to a “Main Street” retail experience via public gathering spaces and a broad mix of retail tenants that cater to daily needs as well as fashion and entertainment.

Whole Foods Market was represented by Cameron Simonsen and Lori Coburn, of Colliers International.  The landlord was represented inhouse by John Morrow, Managing Member of Gallatin Mall Group, Jeremy Grossman of Grossman Development Group, and Whitney Gallivan of Boston Realty Advisors.
 
The specifics of Phase Two will be announced in the coming months, together with details of new retailers, restaurants, and community amenities.
 

When you decide to take part in the art of hunting, you have to be willing to continuously learn, evolve, and adapt to the process. The steps that you need to take to become a successful duck hunter require patience and eagerness to learn. The beauty of digital learning is that all the information that you need is available at the click of your fingers. Here are some of the ways that you can effectively call out ducks when hunting.

Research
Any skill that you decide to put your mind to requires some research. In this particular case, you can research duck calls and see the plethora of advice and information that is provided for you to learn. You can get useful tips and pointers from professional duck hunters and experts in the field. Once you have gathered the information, you can then put to use what you may have picked up and see what works best for your developing hunting style.

Avoid Excessive Calling
Once you have picked up a few pointers regarding duck calling, you can head out to the field and try some of the styles out. Although it is exciting to implement what you may have learnt, avoid excessively calling out to the ducks. Keep in mind that ducks can become accustomed to the calls because of the number of hunters who similarly adopt some of the calling styles that you may have also discovered. This means that you have to be strategic about when you call your ducks, to avoid the calls becoming a familiar background tune to the ducks.

Call Strategically
Strategic calling means learning to identify the exact points and moments that will lead the ducks towards your water decoy. Studying the body language of ducks is one way that you may be able to implement strategic calling. It is advised that you call out to the ducks when they are in a flustered, confused, or busy state. Such states means that the ducks have less time to process the calls and ignore them, meaning they will most probably act upon the calls. One sign that a duck is in a confused or flustered state is the constant moving of the neck from side to side.

Regulate the Call Volume
The level at which you call ducks will either encourage them to move towards the decoy or chase them away. There are instances where you need to softly call the ducks – for example, when they are so close to your decoy that they just need to slightly turn right into it. In other cases, the ducks may be too far to hear a low volume call. You need to use your discretion in every unique scenario as these constantly shift. You may discover that, in some cases, you need to loudly call the ducks although in close range to the decoy because of the flustered state that they are in. Low volume calls when in a state of confusion might not be efficient in that particular scenario.

Be Patient
The art of duck hunting is best crafted by those who are patient. No two days are the same and you need to learn your birds while constantly shifting your style to meet the different scenarios that are presented. If you are quick to throw in the towel, you won't give yourself enough time to analyze the specific calls that work in particular scenarios. Always be mindful and take note of every hunting result for you to analyze how you can constantly improve your duck call.

Learn from Experienced Duck Hunters
Practical learning can complement theory. Learning from professional duck hunters that have executed countless successful calls may help you on your hunting journey. You can practically learn about the timing, the different types of calls, and calling strategies from the hunters. As you practice, you can then draw from these practical lessons and include these into crafting your unique hunting style as no two hunters are the same.

Conclusion
Researching the topic of duck calls is important to get you started in the right direction of your hunting journey. Once you have an appreciation of the information that has been gathered and presented to you, you can go on to practice in the field. Effective duck calls entail limited calls, strategic calls, regulated volume, patience as well as learning from experienced duck hunters. Eventually, with practice, trial, and error, you too will be passing on your knowledge about duck calls to beginners.

Four graduates of Montana State University’s Science and Natural History Filmmaking program have received a national Emmy for documentary cinematography for a series about Yellowstone National Park and its impact on the region.
 
Dawson Dunning, Jeff Reed, Rick Smith and Thomas Winston, all affiliated with Bozeman-based Grizzly Creek Films, won the national Emmy for their work on “Epic Yellowstone,” a four-part series that aired in 2019 on the Smithsonian Channel. The awards were announced at the virtual ceremonies for documentary Emmy awards held Sept. 24.

“We were happy to be nominated, but cinematography is very hard category, so we were shocked when we won,” said Winston, who is the founder and CEO of Grizzly Creek Films.
 
Winston said that a number of local filmmakers and graduates of either the School of Film and Photography’s MFA or bachelor’s program also played key roles in the “blue chip natural history series that includes the highest level of visuals and animal behavior sequences.” They included Stephanie Watkins, editor; Eric Bendick, producer and writer; and Scott Sterling, colorist. In addition, Bozeman filmmakers Shasta Grenier, writer, and Avela Grenier, editor, were also key to the award, Winston said. Rounding out the local connection, actor Bill Pullman, who taught in the School of Film and Photography 40 years ago and maintains a residence in the area, narrated the segments.

“The award may be for the best cinematography, but cinematography doesn’t work unless writing and editing works,” Winston said. “It really is an award for all the team members equally.”
 
The four segments in the Emmy-winning series include “Fire and Ice,” which begins and ends with a bobcat’s quest to hunt waterfowl on the Madison River;” “Return of the Predators,” which looks at the impact of wolves and grizzlies; “Life on the Wing,” which showcases mountain bluebirds and dragonflies; and “Down the River Wild,” which illustrates the origin and impact of the Yellowstone River.

Winston said that no captive animals were used in the series that focused on the park from different perspectives.
“We told stories that not a lot of people tell about Yellowstone,” he said.
 
“Epic Yellowstone” competed for the Emmy against three programs from PBS, including two from the program “Nature” about the Serengeti and the Okavango River in Africa and an episode  about Hollywood on the “POV” series; and “Ghost Fleet,” an independent documentary about Indonesian activists working to free enslaved fishermen. In addition to the Emmy, “Epic Yellowstone” also won the best broadcast documentary in the 2019 International Wildlife Film Festival.

 
Dennis Aig, film professor and director of the MFA program, said the national Emmy “reinforces the purpose of the program. It also provides confidence to faculty and students about what we can do in the future.”
 
Aig said that this is the third national documentary Emmy won by MSU film alumni and that Dunning has been involved with all three. The previous two included a 2013 Emmy for National Geographic’s “Untamed Americas" that he received with MFA graduates John Shier and Federico Pardo. Dunning and Shier received an Emmy in 2016 for National Geographic’s "Wild Yellowstone."

“This recent Emmy is the most special for me because we accomplished it with a small, local team of friends who were all MSU graduates, and it was truly a home-grown production in all aspects,” said Dunning, who is a native of tiny Otter, Montana, and who came to the MFA program in 2006 on a prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. “The effort goes well beyond the cinematography in the field, and the entire production team really poured their heart and soul into this project. Our passion for this place and its wildlife really shines through and showcases the benefits of local, efficient filmmaking in high-end wildlife film production, most of which is currently produced from the U.K.”

Aig said such recognition is incredibly gratifying and incredibly important for a program that is now just 20 years old, showing that the program trains students to work on a world-class level.
 
“Any recognition that our students receive — and they’ve received quite a lot — encourages other graduate students to enter the program,” Aig said.