News

Pre-service teachers (future science teachers) from EDM 403 and EDM 415 (Science Methods) at MSU helped pilot-test Temtop air quality instruments as part of their classes’ unit on citizen science. The instruments will become part of the SMART FIRES Instrument Lending Library being developed for Montana teachers.

The Montana NSF EPSCoR SMART FIRES project convened its Year 3 ‘All Hands Meeting’ (AHM2025) on September 8–9, 2025 at Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman, bringing together researchers, students, partners, and advisors from across the state and beyond to share progress, spark new collaborations, and deepen interdisciplinary connections.

Where are you from?I’m originally from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.What do you like to do for fun?I love cooking Vietnamese foods and playing badminton when I’m indoors. Outdoors, I enjoy exploring new hiking trails, checking out new places, lakes, and camping spots, and visiting national parks.

Montana NSF EPSCoR proudly continued its sponsorship of Montana State University’s Inclusive Community Camp (ICC), now in its sixth summer.

Dr. Jacob Downs is a new associate professor in computer science at the University of Montana. With a background in machine learning and numerical modeling regarding environmental systems he is excited to engage with SMART FIRES researchers and inspire the next generation of computer scientists. How did you get into STEM?

Where are you from?I am from Rhode Island, originally up there, and I lived in Massachusetts for about 10 years before moving to Montana. What do you like to do for fun?I like to get outside and hike. I am learning guitar and Spanish. Working in the sciences, I think it's very helpful to keep your brain healthy and try to find a balance. That actually can help you do your scientific analysis work. What do you research?

The UM News service has written a piece highlighting SMART FIRES undergraduate Joseph Knudsen. Joseph works with Dr. Lu Hu in the Smart Optical Sensor thrust. Get to know Joseph, his career goals, and his work on the High Quality Atmospheric Readings and Telemetry Station by reading the article.

Ali Monroe is a research associate at the University of Montana at the Center for Population Health Research. She studied economics and uses economic and mathematical models to study social questions such as behavioral responses to wildfire smoke, how preterm birth relates to mental health, and which Montanan communities are most vulnerable to wildfire smoke. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.Where are you from?Originally, I'm from a town called Edmonds, Washington, which is a little bit north of Seattle.

On Thursday, February 6, staff from the Science Math Resource Center (SMRC) facilitated SMART FIRES activities at MSU’s Family Science Day. Over 200 fifth grade students from local schools came to campus to engage with hands-on activities centered around STEM research at MSU. Two graduate students from the SMART FIRES project Mary Farina and Azin Rashed graciously helped put on the event and brought their research expertise to the broader impacts team. At the SMART FIRES table the students learned about sensors, which are a core research area of the project.

Where there is smoke, there is fire, is the old adage. This fall, at Lubrecht Experimental Forest, the fire was there precisely for the smoke. On three different days, UM FireCenter staff and UM students ignited their drip torches and implemented small, prescribed burns with the production of smoke as the main goal. The first burn was completed on October 1st just east of Jones Pond and measured only 1/10 of an acre. The fuels consumed by the flames consisted mainly of pine needles, small diameter sticks, and some grass and brush.