When the UM NSF EPSCoR Undergraduate Summer Diversity Research Program was first developed the participating students were given the opportunity to experience lectures much like the UM science departments offered throughout the school year—where guest lecturers are invited to speak on campus and have lunch with the departments’ graduate students. This offered these students exposure to professionals in various scientific fields and educational growth. This theme was borrowed and the UM diversity program began requiring its summer students attend such lunches and afternoon lectures. At that time, 2001, this lecture series was only open to the science departments on campus. During the program’s second year, 2002, these lectures were opened to the entire campus. They were also taped and aired by Montana Public Radio (KUFM) in Missoula. And, Dr. Herbert Swick of Missoula’s St. Patrick Hospital Institute of Medicine and Humanities interviewed each lecturer, and was also aired through KUFM.

Then in 2003, the summer lecture series was separated from the diversity program, moved to an evening venue and given a title and theme—Science within Society. The thought being, that by drawing on Montana’s own wealth of interesting and innovative people, the 2003 series would generate new ties between science and the arts in our community. This new approach was widely advertised across Missoula as well as by personal invitations, poster postings in local businesses, mass mailings, radio announcements and newspaper articles. Speakers were secured to speak on: art and science, community farming, agriculture and food security and the emerging science of Biomimicry.

As we all know, getting people to attend a lecture series during the summer is difficult at best, but to also compete successfully with all the various outdoor events that the community offers requires a great venue. Each lecture has been well attended. The Missoula community has also been tied right back into the various speakers by inviting local organizations to weave their own programs with this EPSCoR lecture series through collaborations with homeWORD (Women’s Opportunity Research Development), UM’s BioBus and the Montana Museum of Art and Culture on campus, to name a few.

The 2004-2007 new lecture series “attractions” for the UM campus and the Missoula community will again look for community collaborations and strong attendance. These have greatly contributed to the expansion of UM NSF EPSCoR visibility and outreach to Montana and Missoula, and have greatly invigorated the community both intellectually and socially.