UM Lands $1.3 Million For Fossil Education
 

Eastern Montana ranks among the world’s premier fossil-hunting grounds, and a new $1.3 million grant to UM will train middle school teachers and their students on better ways to use this incredible natural classroom.

The three-year National Science Foundation grant will fund the Paleo Exploration Project: Spatial Analysis of Fossil Finds in the Northern Plains. The effort will be a project of UM’s new Paleontology Center.

The project will train 60 middle school teachers from rural northeastern Montana. These math, science and technology instructors and their students will learn how to use geospatial technologies such as handheld global-positioning system units in the field and ArcView Geographic Information System software. They also will manage data, query data and make maps.

Teachers will receive stipends and the opportunity to earn graduate credits through UM. Teacher-training sessions will be held in Glasgow and at the Paleontology Center in Missoula.

 

 Author Reading, Signing ‘Mad Dogs’ Today
 

Alumnus and acclaimed author James Grady will read from and sign his newest novel, “Mad Dogs,” from 11 a.m. to noon today, Oct. 13, at The Bookstore at UM.

Grady, author of the classic “Six Days of the Condor,” is donating profits from UM sales of “Mad Dogs” to the University. The novel may be purchased at the bookstore or online.

“Mad Dogs” was released by Forge Books in September. Barnes and Noble picked the book as a lead feature title this month, saying “The premise for James Grady's newest thriller is brilliant. ... A rousing blend of Ken Kesey's darkly satirical masterwork ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’ and Robert Ludlum's spy fiction classic ‘The Bourne Identity,’ Grady's ‘Mad Dogs’ is, simply put, one of the best -- and most wildly original -- thrillers of the year.”

Grady, a native of Shelby, attended UM from 1967 to 1972.

Mad Dogs For UM 

 UM Hosts First-Ever ‘Day Of Dialogue’
 

Diversity and tolerance aren’t the kinds of things that can be achieved in a day, but a day dedicated to conversation and education on those topics is a good place to start.

UM will host its first “Day of Dialogue” Wednesday, Oct. 18, with speakers, educational workshops and exhibits to get students and faculty talking about diversity.

The day’s events will be held symposium-style, with educational sessions at 9 and 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

These sessions will include lectures, films, panel discussions and round-table discussions led by faculty, staff and students from varied campus departments.

The keynote speaker for the event is Manning Marable of Columbia University. Marable founded the Institute for African American Studies at Columbia. His lecture begins at 2 p.m. in the University Theatre.

Day of Dialogue 

 Nonprofit Management Courses Offered Online
 

Short courses specifically designed for busy professionals in the nonprofit sector are now available through UM’s Online Program in Nonprofit Management.

The first of the three-course series, Strategic Planning and Leadership, begins the week of Oct. 16 and runs until the week of Nov. 27. Building an Effective Nonprofit Board will be held in February and March. The program’s final course, Grantwriting, takes place in April and May.

Practicing administrators and others interested in building skills in nonprofit management are encouraged to register. UM students can receive academic credit for the courses.

More information is available online.

Online Program in Nonprofit Management 

 COT Plans Early Schedule Advising Night
 

All newly admitted students at the UM College of Technology must attend an advising session before registering for classes. One way to do this is Early Schedule Advising Night from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the college.

Early advising is available only to new students admitted for spring semester 2007. During the session students will meet with an adviser, create a class schedule and register for spring semester classes using Cyberbear, UM’s online site for conducting business on the Web.

Early advising is not available for every COT program. Students may call the COT Admissions Office at 406-243-7882 to learn if their programs have advisers participating.

Besides Early Schedule Advising Night, students can register after an individual advising appointment with their program advisers or during Orientation.

UM College of Technology 

 Science Program Kicks Off With ‘CSI Missoula’
 

Western Montana ninth-graders are invited to apply for “CSI Missoula,” a free class Saturday, Nov. 4, at UM in which students learn the scientific techniques used to interpret remains found at the scene of a crime.

The class is the first in a series of science workshops offered by the Health Careers Opportunity Program in UM’s College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences. These Saturday Science Enrichment Programs are geared toward seventh-, ninth- and 11th-graders and are designed to excite young people about science and health careers.

In “CSI Missoula,” Garry Kerr of the UM anthropology department will teach students how to solve their own forensic cases. Using bones, ashes and casts, students will learn if remains are male, female or nonhuman, as well as deduce the victim’s age, height and physical abnormalities.

The free class will offer students six hours of hands-on instruction, but only 20 students will be accepted into the program. Applications and a complete schedule are available online. The application deadline is Oct. 18.

Saturday Science Enrichment Program 

 NPR ‘Selected Shorts’ Program Comes To Helena
 

Montana Public Radio is bringing the National Public Radio program “Selected Shorts” to Helena on Saturday, Oct. 14.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Helena Middle School Auditorium. Tickets may be ordered online or by calling the Myrna Loy Center at 406-443-0287.

The Helena performance will feature program host Isaiah Sheffer and noted actors Keir Dullea and Mia Dillon. They will read “Blue Waltz with Coyotes” by Montana author Jeanne Dixon, “Aqua Boulevard” by Helena native Maile Meloy and “Do You Know Where I Am?” by Washington native Sherman Alexie.

“Selected Shorts” is a weekly, award-winning program that features readings of classic and new short fiction performed by prominent actors from stage, screen and television. The program airs on Montana Public Radio Tuesday evenings at 8:30 p.m. and on Yellowstone Public Radio Sundays at noon.

“Selected Shorts” live in Helena 

 Grizzlies Pluck Eagles
 

Montana’s football defense had six takeaways, including three interceptions by junior cornerback Jimmy Wilson, during the Grizzlies’ 33-17 win over the Eagles last Saturday in Cheney, Wash.

Senior Tuff Harris had a school- and Big Sky-record 94-yard punt return for a touchdown, and junior halfback Reggie Bradshaw rushed for 115 yards. Harris’ return is the longest in I-AA this year. The Griz defense picked off five Eastern passes and also recovered a fumble. Along with Wilson’s three picks, junior linebacker Loren Utterback and redshirt freshman safety Shann Schillinger each had their first career interceptions.

The nationally third-ranked Grizzlies remain unbeaten in conference play this year.

The Griz (4-1 overall/3-0 Big Sky) are back in Missoula for Saturday’s annual Homecoming game, hosting the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in a Big Sky Conference contest.

Montana Grizzlies 

 Grizzlies Chop Lumberjacks, Bow To Bears
 

Senior Lindsay Winans couldn't have written it any better.

The Tigard, Ore., native scored her second career hat trick for Montana Soccer last Friday, tying Karen Hardy for UM’s career shots record. The Grizzlies defeated Northern Arizona 4-0 in the conference opener for both schools.

It was the 15th hat trick in school soccer history. Winans' first came in a 3-1 match over New Mexico in 2004.

Sunday, the UM women's soccer team had its four-game winning streak snapped, falling to conference newcomer Northern Colorado 2-1 in Missoula.

The Griz are at Sacramento State today and take on Portland State Sunday, Oct. 15.

Montana Grizzlies 

 Spikers Drop Two At Home
 

Montana Volleyball fell to Portland State in four games and Eastern Washington in three games at home last week.

The Grizzlies are currently 7-9 and fourth in the Big Sky standings, with a 4-3 league mark.

The team wrapped up the first half of its Big Sky Conference schedule last night, hosting Sacramento State in the West Auxiliary Gym. UM opens the second half of its league schedule with a 7 p.m. match Saturday at Montana State in Bozeman.

Montana Grizzlies