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Wednesday, Dec. 10th, 2025

Love of the lens gives Montana State sports photographer ‘a little part in history’

Montana State University athletics photography intern Jack Powers photographed from the sidelines of a NCAA FCS college football game at Bobcat Stadium on Saturday, Nov 15, 2025, in Bozeman, Mont. MSU Photo by Colter Peterson

BOZEMAN — Jack Power has walked the halls of the White House. He has stepped foot onto basketball courts across the U.S. during March Madness. He has crouched at the end of a semi-professional soccer field in Italy. Each he pursues with a camera in hand.
And for his next adventure, he will walk across the stage in Montana State University’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse for fall commencement on Friday, Dec. 12. The senior from Dallas will graduate from MSU’s photography program in the College of Arts and Architecture and receive an honors baccalaureate degree from the Honors College.

“I think it’s cool to capture a moment in time and share that with other people,” Power said. “My perspective on photography has definitely changed since I started, because I was just taking pictures and seeing what happened. I didn't think I'd end up here or end up as a photography intern at the White House. I never thought I’d be on that path.”

Power initially questioned whether he could find a stable career in photography, and he was drawn to MSU for its engineering program, then its marketing degree. However, as he photographed football and volleyball games during his freshman year, he realized his passions lay behind the lens, and he “might as well just go all in.”

In 2022, he officially joined MSU Athletics' team of visual media interns, now totaling nine students, and had a courtside seat to numerous crucial moments in Bobcat Athletics thereafter.
He photographed the men’s basketball team in two March Madness appearances, the 2024 RMISA Skiing Championship held in Bozeman and Big Sky, two Big Sky Championship meets for outdoor track and field, and multiple Brawl of the Wild football games between MSU and the Montana Grizzlies, including when ESPN’s College GameDay show visited Bozeman his freshman year. When the football team plays at home, Power said he bakes cookies for the Bobcat Athletics staff — he chose double-chocolate peppermint for a recent game against University of California, Davis — a hobby he has enjoyed most of his life.

During games, he constantly moves around each athletic facility to find unique photo angles, from the rafters of the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse during spring rodeos to the stands among the Spirit of the West marching band in Bobcat Stadium. Power said photography is a mixture of timing and luck — he hopes he is in the right place at the right moment and crosses his fingers that athletes make a striking play. On bus rides or flights back from games, he edits his images for MSU Athletics’ social media accounts, often with athletes looking over his shoulder when they notice photos of themselves.

Hands-on experience is important in sports media, where there is pressure to capture moments that can’t be recreated and share content with thousands of fans, said Brian Morse, director of MSU Athletics’ creative services. He feels that Power has a genuine passion for storytelling that resonates with young audiences.

“Jack has had a major effect on how fans and students experience Montana State Athletics today. Whether they realize it or not, a huge percentage of the excitement, energy and pride surrounding our programs, especially on social media, has come from the content he’s helped produce,” Morse said. “When you give a talented, motivated student real responsibility and real exposure, they don’t just grow — they elevate the entire department.”

Ian van Coller, a photography professor who teaches Power’s senior capstone class, said Power’s motivation to create opportunities for himself will lead to a successful post-college career. He produces photographs that are vibrant, carefully composed and filled with drama, particularly during fast-paced football games.

“To create a good sports photograph is to compositionally make sense of that chaos,” van Coller said. “That’s where his work stands apart.”
Honing his photography skills took years, starting with a sixth-grade photography class in Dallas. Transitioning to high school in Maine, Power captured and participated in several sports like Alpine ski racing, mountain biking and baseball.
This year, he returned to the East Coast to photograph something a bit higher profile — the White House.
“All my raw photos and all of my edits are going to eventually be put into the Presidential Libraries archives, so anyone can search my name and see all my photos,” he said. “I have a little part in history.”
As an intern working with the White House Photo Office for the summer, he documented several significant events, such as a B-2 bomber plane’s flight over the White House on July 4 and the signing ceremony for the HALT Fentanyl Act, which includes guidelines preventing medical use of fentanyl-related substances and implementing stricter sentencing guidelines. Power said being a “learner” was important in working with professional photographers.

He said he is still processing that he received the opportunity, one he earned with help from connections he forged in Bozeman while photographing a political rally the year prior.
Before moving to Washington, D.C., Power was studying abroad during his spring semester through New York University’s Florence campus. While taking classes and working on his Italian language skills, he photographed the semi-professional soccer team F.C. Pistoiese and worked with teams across the country that play semi-professional American football in the Italian Football League.

After graduation, Power will set forth on another journey abroad to “the extreme,” he said. He and his father will accomplish their goal of setting foot on all seven continents with an expedition to Antarctica. He will also search for a photographer position in collegiate or professional sports or in politics.

“It just goes to show: Don’t be scared to choose what you want to do in college, and choose the major you enjoy,” Power said.

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Middle Creek Montessori Announces Construction of Gallatin Valley’s First Montessori Middle School

Montessori middle schools provide a self-directed, community-focused learning environment that emphasizes independence, critical thinking, and hands-on, project-based learning.

Middle Creek Montessori (MCM) has begun construction on Gallatin Valley’s first Montessori middle school, scheduled to open its doors to students in Fall 2026.

The school launched its middle school programming this year with an inaugural class, setting the stage for this exciting expansion. MCM is now inviting more local families to consider Montessori education for their adolescents, with enrollment open for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders for next fall.

“During the middle school years, when children begin shifting into a peer-centered world, it is crucial that they are supported and inspired to continue to ignite the spark that they have as learners.,” said Krista Barnett, Head of School at MCM. “What makes Middle Creek so special is that our adolescents are surrounded not just by peers, but by the consistency of trusted adults and a strong community that makes them feel empowered, seen, and welcomed. Our students grow even deeper into themselves, exploring who they are and feel proud and encouraged to be authentic. The social-emotional experience they have is at the heart of what makes Montessori such a powerful educational approach.”

Architectural rendering of the middle school building done by Intrinsik Architecture.

To bring this vision to life, MCM has launched a community capital campaign to help fund continued construction and programming. The new school building will feature an environment designed specifically for adolescents, where learning is hands-on, collaborative, and connected to the real world. To donate and read more, please visit: https://givebutter.com/MCM-MiddleSchool

At Middle Creek Montessori middle school, students will engage in interdisciplinary, project-based learning; build leadership and citizenship skills through real-world experiences; and take part in community-based learning that promotes independence, purpose, and service. Families and community members interested in supporting the project or learning about enrollment are encouraged to contact info@middlecreekmontessori.org.

About Middle Creek Montessori

Middle Creek Montessori offers a profound approach to education; nurturing each child’s innate drive to explore, discover, and achieve. From preschool to middle school, we help children stay curious, confident, and authentic through the Montessori philosophy that

cultivates a life-long love of learning. To learn more about the school, please visit: https://www.middlecreekmontessori.org/

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Tuesday, Dec. 9th, 2025

Montana State students design campaigns for Student Wellness Center

BOZEMAN — To some, a yellow sign reading “Mechanical Room” in Montana State University’s Cheever Hall might simply be a yellow sign. Grace Anne Monroe, a junior studying graphic design, sees more.  

Its bright color, popping against black stripes, signals “warning,” she said. The letter spacing and typeface were selected specifically for readability. Each design choice, no matter how small, influences how people perceive the message and whether it captures their attention. 

This fall, Monroe explored how design choices can effectively promote a social cause in the School of Art’s Design for Society class. In teams of four, 16 students created multimedia campaigns to promote student awareness surrounding medical and recreational services offered at MSU’s Student Wellness Center. Teams presented their campaigns on Nov. 19 and may be able to implement their concepts in the future.  

“The fact that we're able to collaborate with our community and learn about different user experiences in this way is super special,” said Monroe, who moved to Bozeman from Dallas to explore art and music in a beautiful environment. “Health care is something that is so deeply personal to people — it affects their familial relationships, the way they spend their money and kind of every aspect of life.” 

Students used health care design and artificial intelligence to educate Bobcats about the Student Wellness Center, Student Health Services, sexually transmitted infection testing and awareness, and how to prevent sickness. Teams spent hours touring the center and speaking with staff to determine their needs before researching their target audience: students.   

“Typically, you don't get to design for your own audience, and I think that's exciting — that fresh perspective of college students developing campaigns and ideas for other college students,” said course instructor William Culpepper, who researches how designers can meaningfully impact health care design, including the ways in which generative and traditional AI intersect in an evolving health care design space. 

Students surveyed fellow Bobcats across campus about their perceptions and knowledge of the center’s resources. Monroe’s team, which created a campaign for Student Health Services, gathered 96 respondents and learned many students weren’t aware of MSU’s dental, nutrition and X-ray resources, and they had trouble finding them in the Student Wellness Center. 
 
This research provided the foundation for students’ deliverables, ranging from brand guides to environmental design. Monroe’s team created a guide to make each health service identifiable and approachable. They also developed packaging for items like toothbrushes and stickers — which they handed out to attendees at their presentation — and explored how they could use branded wall decals on each floor of the Student Wellness Center to help with navigation.  

“Wayfinding” was an important aspect of other students’ campaigns as well. Two teams created digital kiosks with interactive maps, workout class sign-ups and hours for medical services. The team creating a campaign for STI awareness filmed a walk-through of the testing process to help students find their way and feel more comfortable making an appointment as part of their “Gear Up and Get Tested” campaign. They surveyed 48 students, more than half of whom were not aware of testing services on campus despite nearly one in four college students in the U.S. testing positive for an STI, according to Student Health Services.  

Students also presented app designs for one of their deliverables. Henry Janzen, a junior graphic design major from Bozeman, and his team created FitCat as part of their “Protect Your 9 Lives” campaign encouraging Bobcats to stay ahead of sickness. The app allows students to make medical appointments, chat with other students and receive preventative health advice from Chip, a mascot Janzen describes as Champ the Bobcat’s little brother. Chip, like most teams’ app chatbots, uses AI to function.  

“It’s rewarding to see what graphic design can be,” Janzen said. “It’s not just posters, and it’s not just pamphlets. It’s app design, environmental design, wayfinding and more. Having this semester-long project to really dive in and do research was fun.”  

To prepare for their final presentations, students received feedback midway through the semester from MSU alumni at the Bozeman firm A&E + SMA Design. Monroe said their advice was valuable, particularly when they mentioned a designer’s priority must be to solve the problem at hand rather than adjusting and re-adjusting smaller details like colors or sizing.  
“It was an eye-opening experience to hear that art and design are always going to be super subjective, but as long as you're telling a story, that's the point of it all,” Monroe said. “At the end of the day, that's your solution.” 

Betsy Asserson, MSU’s associate vice president of student wellness, said she took note of solutions students demonstrated in their presentations, as well as their feedback on the navigability and accessibility of the Student Wellness Center. She and Culpepper will begin discussing how some student concepts, such as wall decals and videos for social media, might be implemented at the center in the future.  

Asserson said it was inspiring to see students become passionate about making health care accessible in spaces that can often be intimidating for students entering them for the first time. 
“I had this feeling of, ‘The future is bright with our upcoming graduates from MSU,’” she said. “They’re really thoughtful and informed students who were so professional. I’m excited to see how they’re going to make a difference in the work they do.” 

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A Practical Guide on Making a Music Video Without a Studio

You don’t need a full production crew or a rented studio to create a professional-looking music video. The tools available today paired with some technical awareness and smart planning make it possible to shoot, edit, and publish a polished video from almost anywhere. Artists working from bedrooms, garages, rehearsal spaces, and local outdoor spots are creating visuals that compete with studio projects.

If you’re an independent musician, this approach saves money and speeds up production. It also lets you experiment more, because you’re not tied to studio schedules or expensive gear. Here’s how to make a music video on your own terms, using tools that adapt to your creative workflow.

Start with a Concept That Fits Your Space
Studio-free videos work best when the concept matches the environment. Instead of trying to recreate a huge cinematic look, focus on storytelling that benefits from intimacy or simplicity.

Lyrics-driven tracks pair well with narrative scenes you can shoot locally. Moodier songs benefit from low-light indoor sets or outdoor golden-hour shots. High-energy tracks look great with fast cuts, handheld movement, or performance-focused setups.

Before shooting, sketch a shot list with angles, lighting notes, and locations. This removes guesswork during filming.

Use Natural Light and Simple Lighting Setups
Lighting determines video quality more than any camera. Natural light is free, predictable, and easy to shape. North-facing windows create soft, even lighting for indoor shots. Outdoor filming during early morning or late afternoon produces warm tones and diffused shadows.

For indoor performance shots, use a single key light—a softbox, ring light, or even a diffused LED panel. Keep it at a 45-degree angle from your face to avoid flat lighting. Add practical lights (lamps, LEDs, neon strips) in the background to build depth.

Lighting consistency matters. Sudden changes make editing harder. Test shots before recording full takes.

Choose a Camera You Already Have
A studio isn’t required, and neither is cinema gear. Modern phones can shoot 4K, and entry-level mirrorless cameras offer sharp video with good dynamic range.

If using a smartphone:

● Lock exposure.
● Lock focus.
● Use a small tripod or stabilizer.
● Shoot in 24fps or 30fps for natural motion.
If using a mirrorless camera, choose lenses with wide apertures (f/1.8 or f/2.8). They create soft backgrounds and help in low light.

What matters most is stability, framing, and lighting—not the price of the camera.

Use AI-Powered Tools to Handle Visual Effects
Modern editing tools allow musicians to skip heavy lifting. Some effects that once required skilled compositors can now be automated.

Platforms like music video maker systems generate templates, transitions, visual effects, and audio-reactive elements. You upload your track, select a style, drop in footage, and customize the motion graphics. This cuts editing time dramatically while keeping the visuals polished.

These tools are especially helpful if you want:

● Audio-reactive waveforms
● Neon outlines
● Fast cuts aligned to beats
● Abstract loops
● Lyric overlays
● Animated backgrounds
You spend more time filming and less time learning advanced editing software.

Record Clean, Sharp Performance Footage
Music videos rely heavily on performance shots. Even if the concept is narrative, at least one clean performance angle keeps viewers grounded.

Here’s how to capture strong takes:

● Play the track loudly so your lip-sync stays tight.
● Record multiple full takes from different angles.
● Use both wide and tight shots for editing flexibility.
● Stabilize your camera to avoid micro-shakes.
Keep your background simple unless it plays into the story. Clutter is distracting on video.

Shoot B-Roll That Supports the Song’s Mood
B-roll fills gaps and enhances pacing. It adds transitions, emotional beats, and atmosphere, giving your music video texture and movement. Think in terms of details and environment. Shots like hand movements on instruments, close-ups of surfaces or fabrics, and quick captures of city lights or landscapes help build tone. Crowd silhouettes or motion-blur passes can also create energy or a sense of place.

Shoot more than you think you’ll need. Editors rely on extra footage, especially when performance shots don’t sync perfectly with the music or when transitions feel abrupt. B-roll gives you options, and options keep the final video smooth.

Edit with Rhythm and Structure
Editing determines whether a music video feels professional. Align your cuts with the rhythm. Even simple edits look intentional when they follow beat patterns.

Structure helps too. Try a three-act layout:

1. Intro – establish tone, slow pacing
2. Mid-section – full energy, fastest cuts
3. Final section – resolution and wide shots
Use color grading to unify your footage. Slight warmth or cool tones create consistency between interior and exterior shots.

Add Professional Touches Without Studio Costs
Small technical tweaks can elevate a low-budget video instantly. Adding soft film grain takes the edge off digital footage and creates a more cinematic look. Subtle motion blur smooths out fast movements and reduces jitter. Light leaks or lens flares add warmth and atmosphere, especially in emotional or nostalgic sequences. Masking techniques allow for split screens, layered transitions, and dynamic reveals that look far more complex than they are.

You can achieve all of these enhancements in free editing software like DaVinci Resolve or through built-in effects inside template-driven tools. These details help the video feel intentional and professional even without a studio setup.

Publish Strategically for Maximum Reach
Your music video isn’t finished when you export it. Release strategy matters. Upload to YouTube with keyword-rich metadata. Cut the best sections into short clips for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. Use still frames as thumbnails across platforms.

The goal is repetition. A user might watch your short-form teaser three times before clicking the full version.

The data backs this up. According to Statista, short-form video is now consumed by more than 85% of internet users globally, making it one of the most effective formats for discovery.

When your music video is optimized for sharing and reposting, you give it room to grow organically.

Final Thoughts
A studio isn’t required to make a compelling music video. With thoughtful planning, simple lighting, smart camera choices, and modern editing tools, especially automated systems like a music video maker, you can create impressive visuals on your own.

Independent musicians have more freedom than ever. No gatekeepers. No expensive rentals. Just creativity supported by the right tools.

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Saturday, Dec. 6th, 2025

Muzzleloader Heritage Season opens soon

HELENA – Muzzleloader heritage season opens on Saturday, Dec. 13, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 21. This season is for heritage muzzleloaders only; no other means of taking game, such as archery, is allowed. Note that some areas have elk shoulder seasons through Feb. 15, where firearms and archery equipment may be allowed. 

Hunters should also note that many of Montana’s Block Management Areas (BMAs), even though they are open for upland bird or waterfowl through Jan. 1, do not allow deer or elk hunting during the muzzleloader heritage season. Make sure to check BMA rules before you hunt.  

In addition, although some Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are open year-round, many other WMAs are closed through May 15. If you are planning to hunt on a WMA, see a list of WMAs and their seasonal closure dates here. 

Hunters should check the hunting regulations to make sure they are compliant with all rules and regulations for this season. Hunters should also be aware that trapping seasons are open in several districts. 

To watch a video about the rules of muzzleloader heritage season, click here. 

Keep vigilant with grizzly bear awareness  

Bears are still active in certain areas. All bears are potentially dangerous. Hunters should be prepared to encounter a bear. Here are some tips to keep in mind:  

  • Stay alert and look for bear activity, especially where visibility or hearing is limited (woods, bushy areas, streams).  
  • Travel in a group and keep members together (especially kids).  
  • Make noise whenever possible to avoid surprising a bear, especially where visibility or hearing is limited.  
  • Carry bear spray close at hand and know how to use it.  
  • Avoid traveling at night, dawn or dusk.  
  • Avoid carcass sites and scavenger concentrations.  

For more information on hunting in Montana, visit fwp.mt.gov/hunt.  

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Friday, Dec. 5th, 2025

Game wardens seek information on bull elk killed west of Toston

TOSTON – Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are looking for tips from the public about two bull elk that were killed in Hunting District 380 west of Toston. 

Specifically, game wardens are looking for information about a hunting party who harvested and removed a bull elk on Sunday, Nov. 30, which was the last day of the general season. In the same area, wardens found an untouched carcass of a second bull elk. FWP game wardens believe the hunting party that harvested and removed the elk on Nov. 30 may have information related to the unclaimed elk.  

This area is between two county roads that access the hunting district—Johnny’s Gulch Road and North Fork of Lone Mountain Road. The elk was found in an area adjacent to large Bonneville Power Administration transmission lines near the Bureau of Land Management access road referred to as Dandy Road.  

FWP wardens are interested in visiting with anyone who may have been in that area on the morning of Nov. 30, specifically the hunting party associated with harvesting a bull elk there. Anyone with information is asked to contact game warden Jacie Vonada at 406-502-8581 or visit tipmont.mt.gov.

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Expansive prescribed fire research project brings Montana scientists together

BOZEMAN – Wildfire smoke has become a perennial concern for people in Montana and across the American West. As living with and managing smoke has evolved into a standard part of life no longer limited to the summer months, it made sense for scientists, engineers and community educators to tackle the problems posed by smoke and seek solutions to help Montanans and Montana communities.

So, when Montana State University professors Rob Walker and Joe Shaw conceived the idea for the SMART FIRES project in 2020, they immediately knew where to turn. Shaw’s extensive experience in optics and photonics and Walker’s statewide leadership on prior scientific initiatives would blend perfectly with fire research and community engagement being done by faculty at the University of Montana.

The project – short for Sensors, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Real-Time Fire Science – is now in its third year and includes over 120 faculty, graduate students and undergraduates from nine Montana institutions including MSU, UM, Dawson Community College, Flathead Valley Community College, Fort Peck Community College, Little Big Horn College, Montana Tech, MSU Billings and Salish Kootenai College. SMART FIRES is led by MSU’s Walker, head of the Department Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Letters and Science, with Shaw and UM Professors Lu Hu and Libby Metcalf.

“SMART FIRES is driven by two mandates: building capacity and broadening participation,” said Walker. “This project brings together some of the most accomplished scientists and engineers in the world with educators and community leaders to understand better how prescribed fire affects air quality and influences public sentiment. We are developing a multi-institutional and multidisciplinary network of Montana researchers, educators and partners to advance science and technology used to characterize prescribed fire dynamics and build wildfire-resilient communities and woodlands.”

The project, supported by a $20 million grant through the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, or EPSCoR, began as an ambitious effort to bring together ethicists, computer scientists, optical and machine learning experts, smoke and fire scientists, educators, economists and more to take a comprehensive look at how fire and smoke affect communities. The project is paying major scientific dividends, said Shaw, which were highlighted when the full team came together at MSU for its annual meeting this fall.

“I love the fact that this project is bringing Montanans together,” said MSU President Brock Tessman in remarks during the group’s September meeting. “It is truly a case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. I'm so happy to think about the impact that this research is going to have on the next generation of teachers, of scholars, of citizens across the state of Montana. It just could not be more relevant work.”

The project is structured in four categories: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Fire and Smoke Science; Social Psychology, Economics and Ethics; and Smart Optical Sensors. Each thrust allows a team of experts to coalesce and overlap with the other focus areas, approaching fire and smoke research from countless angles.

Shaw leads the Smart Optical Sensors group, which leverages advanced optics tools and facilities at MSU to collect atmospheric data around the clock, creating a comprehensive database of air quality trends and using computer models to make predictions to better understand how fires both in and outside the state affect the atmosphere.

“Anybody who's spent more than two summers in Montana knows that we get a lot of smoke. And it's not all ours, right? That's the starting point,” said Shaw, a professor in MSU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Optical Technology Center. “What we really want to do here is go beyond that academic curiosity. What can we do to be helpful?”

The Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning group, led by MSU professor John Sheppard in the Gianforte School of Computing, dovetails with the Smart Optical Sensors work to layer risk assessment tools and smart models onto new data. From learning how fires spread and the composition of emitted smoke to quantifying how smoke travels, various facets of exploration are allowing the team to evaluate and improve constantly evolving machine learning tools.

They will work to better understand the key differences between wildfires and managed prescribed burns in terms of environmental impact with the aim of developing information that managers can use to better protect people, habitats and communities.

On-the-ground insights from those habitats come from the Fire and Smoke Science group, led by UM’s Hu and Carl Seielstad. Scientists conduct, manage and observe prescribed burns at Lubrecht Experimental Forest near Missoula with a variety of tools, including a custom mobile sampling lab – known affectionately to the team as the “smoke van.” The sampling lab measures smoke composition continuously and can do so immediately adjacent to an active fire. More importantly, it can measure changes in smoke throughout the night, when fires begin to smolder and imaging-based instruments are less effective.

With those findings, the Fire and Smoke Science team can feed real-time observations to both fellow researchers and professional fire managers to enhance their knowledge and inform their recommendations.

“We’re a well-oiled machine in terms of making measurements in the field that are very, very difficult to make, and our capacity is unique in the United States,” said Seielstad, who is associate dean of UM’s W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation. “SMART FIRES is the biggest capacity building endeavor I think I have seen since I've been at the university.”
While fire and smoke are deeply interesting to the project’s scientists, they are also popular topics for the people of the West. For that reason, SMART FIRES’ fourth focus is on the community.

A cross-institution team is surveying the social impact of wildfires and prescribed burns, gathering insight into how the public perceives fires and their management as well as exploring how to best communicate with people who may be impacted. Data, trends and modeling are complex, so the goal is to create user-friendly and accessible resources that provide reliable information to the people who need it most.

“People are looking for information. People are familiar with smoke, they're familiar with wildfire,” said Katrina Mullan, a UM economics professor and part of the Social Psychology, Economics and Ethics group. “We're interested in what people are experiencing, how they’re behaving and what kind of decisions they are making. What are the actions they take to protect themselves?”

Resources coming from the Social Psychology, Economics and Ethics group include interactive maps that allow users to see air quality trends specific to their community or county. As surveys and data collection continue, the hope is to identify which community groups are most at risk and develop specific programming to help them protect their health.

SMART FIRES is also teaching young people how to effectively engage with science and foster curiosity. Staff in MSU’s Department of Education and UM’s spectrUM Discovery Area, along with the dozens of undergraduate and graduate students participating in the project, are translating ongoing research to make it accessible and engaging for students of all ages. With added capacity and programming from MSU’s Empower Program and UM’s Indigenous Research and STEM Education program, the SMART FIRES team has built and fostered connections with all seven of Montana’s tribal colleges.

Through outreach at libraries, museums and community events, along with professional development for Montana teachers, the latest in smoke and fire science is reaching all corners of the state. MSU education students can take science kits with them to student teaching experiences, and teachers can gain access to tools and equipment for their classrooms to conduct experiments in real time.

Bringing together such a diverse and comprehensive team allows for the science to meet community members right where they are, said Suzi Taylor, director of MSU’s Science Math Resource Center and a leader of SMART FIRES’ outreach and education efforts. Educators interested in learning about resources and curriculum made possible by the project can explore the Science Math Resource Center’s website and sign up to be notified when new tools become available.

“We take a very broad view of people who are teachers to include not just those in schools, but also educators in informal environments. Teachers want to know what the researchers are doing,” Taylor said. “It really is one of the best teams I've ever been on because education and outreach are baked into the fabric of the project. Bringing it all together is really cool.”

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Montana State’s Christina Anderson wins national educator award

BOZEMAN — Magic happens in the quiet of Montana State University’s darkroom, said photography professor Christina Z. Anderson. And she is the magician.  

Under her watchful eye, colors emerge in a photograph’s white spaces where there were none before. Chemical solutions eat away at an image’s gelatin coating, creating delicate black lines that drape over the photograph like a veil. These alternative photographic processes, which are handmade techniques developed as early as the 1800s, have been the focus of Anderson’s classes and research since she began teaching in MSU’s School of Film and Photography in 2000.  

For her impact on students and the field of photography, Anderson received the Society of Photographic Education’s Honored Educator Award in November. SPE, a national nonprofit founded in 1962, will present Anderson with the award in March at its annual conference in Atlanta. She is the sole recipient of the award this year, nominated for sharing her wealth of information with students, celebrating their victories and advocating for new learning opportunities, according to the award announcement.  
“When I’m gone, if I’m known as a teacher and not an artist, that is fine by me,” said Anderson, an MSU alumna with degrees in photography and painting. “I love to do my artwork and photography, but my mentoring is much more important to me.” 

This fall, she is mentoring students in experimental black-and-white darkroom photography, senior production photography, and image and text design. Anderson said she is not a “sage on the stage” — instead, she views teaching as peer mentorship, where she learns from students just as much as they learn from her.  

She often names innovative processes after the students who discover them. In 2009, her darkroom class was experimenting outdoors with mordançage, a technique using an acidified copper solution to bleach a black-and-white image and lift its silver gelatin coating, so students can shape the resulting shadows to create unique forms. The temperature outside was too cold for hydrogen peroxide solutions to oxidize and properly dissolve the gelatin, so a student created a warm water bath for a photograph between dipping it in solutions, a process henceforth named the “Jace Becker technique,” Anderson said. 

In her darkroom labs located in MSU’s Visual Communications Building, students are engaged in a way that doesn’t translate to digital editing. Although they can create an effect with the push of a button in Photoshop, they gain a deeper understanding of the art form when doing it by hand, particularly in MSU’s “top-notch” facilities, Anderson said. Students can develop photographs in several individual and group darkrooms and dim labs equipped with UV lights, film processors and print dryers.  

Jon Lau, a junior studying integrated lens-based media, said most images made in the labs are one of one: No two images are ever the same, and they can never be reproduced. As part of his final project in Anderson’s class, he will travel to nearby ghost towns and apply a warm, vintage tone to his photographs using a process called lith.  

“It’s forcing me to loosen my grip on what I want out of my photography,” said Lau, who is from Las Vegas, Nevada. “I usually like to know exactly how it’s going to look. This class allows you to let go and relax and have more fun with it, which is helpful to learn as you get into your later production classes when sometimes you’re too focused on making something good.”  

He said Anderson is invested in making sure students create images they like and in providing the resources — paper, chemicals and time — to do so.  

Anderson said she wants to give students a “cookbook” of knowledge they can use to make great art, hoping to one day be considered the Julia Child of alternative processes. She has published six books on individual processes, which have been sold in more than 40 countries. Although she is considered one of the top experts in her field, she is loath to be a gatekeeper of technical secrets. 

“I absolutely love to research. I love to dive in depth into whatever it is I'm doing, read every book on it, write about it, etc., etc.,” Anderson said. “But if I were to just stuff that in my mind and not share it — what a waste. There's no purpose to research unless you share it.” 

She shares more than 50 processes with students in her labs. Her students produce professional-level work, many examples of which are included in her published books and kept on file as inspiration for current students. Fostering success for younger generations of photographers is simply who Anderson is, said Jim Zimpel, interim director of the School of Film and Photography and associate dean of the College of Arts and Architecture.  

“It’s really what makes land-grant universities beautiful: We’re all experts in different things, and we bring those passions to students so they can learn from people who are experts in a field,” he said.  

Each year without fail, Anderson said, she tears up when her students walk across the stage at MSU’s commencement ceremony. Many go on to become professional artists, graphic designers, wedding photographers, filmmakers, studio owners and educators. Much like her own professor expressed when she was a graduate student at Clemson University, she hopes students don’t leave thinking they know everything — they will never get to a point where they have “arrived” and finished all they’ve set out to do.  

“There's always a goal that's not quite attainable, and that's what keeps it interesting,” Anderson said. “It has not gotten old for me yet.”

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Thursday, Dec. 4th, 2025

Tool developed at Montana State aims to help farmers implement new technologies

BOZEMAN – In the constantly changing environment of precision agriculture, it can be difficult to winnow through the array of available tools and technologies becoming available for use by farmers and ranchers. To help guide those decisions, two faculty members in the Montana State University College of Agriculture have developed a tool for estimating the return on investment associated with one of the most high-impact precision ag resources.

Ricardo Pinto, an assistant professor at MSU’s Northern Agricultural Research Center in Havre, heard from producers that herbicide resistance in weeds was becoming an increasingly intractable problem. New technology such as precision smart sprayers can detect individual weeds in a field and selectively spray them, as well as enable producers to apply specific herbicide blends that are more likely to kill herbicide-resistant plants. But tools like smart sprayers can be expensive, totaling up to $150,000 in some cases.

“Depending on your operation, it makes sense,” said Pinto. “You can have your payback period in one, maybe two years depending on the acres in your weed infestation. We had an opportunity to develop a platform where producers can say, ‘Does this precise spray technology work in my situation or not?’”

To make those questions easier to answer, Pinto and Kelsey Larson developed the Smart Spray Annual ROI Calculator, a free and easy-to-use digital tool where producers can plug in numbers relevant to their own operations and determine how much time it would take for them to save enough money to justify the cost of new tools. Users plug in values such as their current herbicide application rate and frequency, the estimated weed coverage in their field, the price of a smart spray system and their field acreage. The tool then calculates savings in both dollars and reduced chemical application.

For Pinto and Larson, who both conduct outreach through MSU Extension in addition to their research, the opportunity to develop resources that producers can use on their farms was motivating.

“Many of these environmental or precision agriculture practices are going to make sense on some operations for some people, but they're not going to make sense everywhere. There are no cut-and-paste solutions,” said Larson, who grew up in Bozeman and received her doctorate in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before joining the faculty in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics in January. “It was exciting to have a concrete way to help Montana producers to figure out what makes sense for them.”

Smart spray technologies use sensors that can identify a single weed among crop plants, turning nozzles on and off automatically to apply herbicides and pesticides only where they are necessary. When properly implemented, they can save time and money, vastly decreasing the amount of input necessary to manage weeds.

Because farmers can plug in the specific values for their operation, the new calculator can provide tailored information based on the variations across Montana’s ecosystems and geography. Less herbicide and pesticide application positively impacts soil health and saves water as well as costly herbicides.

An example calculation in the online tool estimates that for a 1,000-acre farm applying 10 gallons of herbicide per acre three times per year, savings could total nearly $60,000 per year. Those savings could cover the cost of a $75,000 smart spray system in less than a year and a half.

There is also potential, Pinto said, for increased yield when herbicides are applied more sparingly, because plants don’t have to metabolize chemicals that are broadcast over an entire field. Exploring that question is part of his future research plan.

“In pulse crops, for example, we have a really important disease called root rot that is associated with the level of stress of the plant,” Pinto said. “If the plant is more stressed because of herbicide application, it would be more susceptible to that disease. This is one thing that we are advancing, to better understand the impact of those products in terms of yield and plant fitness in general.”

The calculator, Larson said, is designed to be “a living tool.” More metrics will be added over time to further tailor the information producers can get from it, and both she and Pinto welcome feedback from MSU Extension agents and farmers who have made use of it. The two wrote a guide on how to use the tool, and since the its unveiling in May, the calculator has had users in not only several U.S. states, but also in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada and China.
Pinto himself is originally from Brazil and did part of his graduate studies at MSU. Returning to Montana and doing work that can tangibly help growers is extremely rewarding, he said.
“I always had Montana in my heart, so when the position opened in Havre, it was a perfect opportunity for me to continue my effort to help producers understand how they can take advantage of different technologies that we have in the market and most importantly, how we can optimize the use of our inputs,” he said.

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Wednesday, Dec. 3rd, 2025

Gallatin College MSU student earns international scholarship for photonics


BOZEMAN — A career change led Amanda Andrews to trade her flute for lasers at Gallatin College Montana State University.  

The second-year photonics and laser technology student returned to school in 2024, more than 10 years after earning her bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s in music education at Illinois Wesleyan University and Northeastern Illinois University, respectively. Andrews said she wanted a forward-thinking career that could support her family, which was difficult when she taught K-12 music education and had to compete for limited positions and worry about job security during budget cuts. 

“I'm pushing myself to do something that's really outside my comfort zone, both in terms of the subject matter and where I'm at in my life in coming back to school,” said Andrews, who is originally from Chicago but moved to Bozeman from Seattle in 2021. “I feel like it makes me a great role model to my daughter to show her more female faces in STEM and by having good payoff at the end of the program with a strong career.” 

Her decision to enter a new field, sparked by a retired photonics industry member she met on the ski slopes, is already paying off. Andrews was one of four recipients in North America to receive the Eichenholz-SPIE Photonics Technician Scholarship, which awarded $2,500 to students pursuing careers in photonics and optics this fall.  

Photonics technicians control light to enhance sensing and imaging in electronic products, with applications ranging from self-driving cars to light mapping in wildfire detection. Southwest Montana has one of the highest  concentrations  of optics and photonics companies per capita in the nation, which foster careers in defense, manufacturing, communications and information technology.  

Andrews is one of many Gallatin College MSU students supported by financial aid. Last year, the college awarded about $109,000 in scholarships to 103 students through Cat Scholarships, which allow students to submit one application and be considered for dozens of scholarships, said Assistant Dean Nicole Berg. Like Andrews, students can receive help submitting applications and essays from MSU’s career coaches.  

“It just gives that extra piece of help to say, ‘I can finish this, I can do this and this is going to boost my confidence to be able to finish what I started,’” said Berg, adding that Gallatin College MSU also pulls from unused scholarship funds to assist students in tough situations, such as a lack of child care or money for gas. 

For Andrews, balancing several responsibilities with her photonics coursework is often challenging. She helps her 7-year-old get ready for school, attends class, finishes homework, walks her two dogs, cooks meals for her husband and daughter, and occasionally performs with her band, Celtic Collective. However, she said she felt much more prepared to be a successful student the second time around. She had a firmer grasp on time management and found that professors were willing to accommodate students by pushing back class times or staying behind to answer questions.  

“Amanda embodies what our students represent,” said Mark Craig, program director of photonics and laser technology. “A lot of our students are motivated to learn something new, particularly in high-tech industries. She’s focused on what she wants to get out of the program, and her work ethic is admirable.” 

Andrews said Gallatin College MSU builds a foundation of theory first and application second. When she studied resistors, which limit the flow of electric currents, she put the knowledge to use by building different types of circuits with resistors, observing how they behave when they are aligned in different formations. By the third semester of her electronics coursework, students are building and programming a robotic vehicle. 

This semester, Andrews and her peers are building lasers in an optics lab on MSU’s campus, with guidance from an instructor who has years of industry experience. It’s a more powerful laser than the class has used in previous years, and students must don protective eyewear and use detector cards — which convert infrared light into visible light — to adjust the laser beam, which is invisible to the naked eye.  

“That’s the nature of technician work that people who graduate from this program will do,” Andrews said. “We’ll be given a box of components and a schematic sheet, and told, ‘Build the thing on here, test it, make sure everything's aligned, document your data and get your higher-up engineer to sign off on it.’”  

Andrews has observed the day-to-day work of local technicians on seven industry tours so far. She said it is exciting to see how each company occupies its own niche in the field, viewing other companies as collaborators rather than competitors. She plans to find a local internship in the spring. Upon graduating from Gallatin College MSU, photonics and laser technology students often earn starting salaries up to about $65,000. 

“I'm not even done with the program, but I send resumes, and I'm getting emails or phone calls saying, ‘Can we interview you?’ And we're having recruiters who come into my classrooms and say, ‘Hey, think about us for a summer internship or when you graduate,’” Andrews said. “And that feels really powerful.” 

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