IN VISION:
Letter from the Publisher T.
Lloyd Chesnut discusses UM's research accomplishments
Priming the Pump UM research and development help fuel Montana's economy
Related: UM Research and the Economy
When Gardening Really Is Rocket Science NASA satellite uses UM-designed software to monitor Earth and its oceans
Related: UM Satellite Study Shows Increased Plant Growth
Helping Hospitals Multistate partnership works to improve quality of health care in rural communities
Leading Information New undergraduate degree program merges clinical health care and information technology
Excellence on the Air Montana Public Radio and PBS bring award-winning programs to Big Sky Country
Core of Discovery UM focuses on Lewis and Clark
Animal Advocate Veterinarian monitors quality of animal research at UM
Breathing Easier Professor's program puts UM at the forefront of research on asbestos-related diseases
Keep Tobacco Sacred Tobacco-abuse prevention project brings culturally relevant message to state's American Indian reservation schools
Hot Topic Mansfield Pacific Retreat draws international VIPs to discuss climate change
Cool Idea College of Technology paves way for hydrogen energy revolution
DEPARTMENTS:
Profile UM junior Amanda Ng explores
B. burgdorferi
News to Use Exercise expert encourages public health awareness
A Closer Look Briefs
Back Talk UM researcher earns highest U.S. honor for young scientists
A CLOSER LOOK
Partnership
Helps Prevent Sports Injuries
A new UM-based center will help educate Montana students about avoiding
athletic injuries and staying fit into adulthood.
 |
| Michael Schutte |
The Sports Health Institute is the brainchild of Dr. Michael Schutte, a surgeon with Northern Rockies Orthopaedic Specialists. The center will work to curb sports-related injuries by providing a pipeline for improved exercise science to reach Montana’s coaches and students.
In addition, the center will teach all students – not just young athletes – how to train, stay fit and avoid injuries. He hopes to instill proper fitness in young people that will carry through into adulthood.
Community Medical Center donated startup funding for the Sports Health Institute, while UM’s Intercollegiate Athletics will provide the training expertise used in its programs. Missoula’s Loyola-Sacred Heart High School served as the program’s pilot. The program eventually will spread into other area schools.
Giving
Native Americans a Voice
A project based at UM could help put more American Indians in newsrooms
of the nation’s media.
 |
| Dennis McAuliffe |
Reznet, an online newspaper produced by Indian students nationwide for Indian readers, is the brainchild of UM journalism Associate Professor Dennis McAuliffe Jr., a member of the Osage tribe and a former Washington Post reporter. American Indians, he says, have little exposure to journalism classes and newspapers on reservations.
McAuliffe is working to change that, using a $250,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education puts the site online so it is available to the public.
UM
Promotes Better Community Health Care
A collaboration between Missoula’s Partnership Health Center and
the UM School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences has brought increased
pharmacy services to several community health centers in Montana.
The multiyear demonstration project, supported by $241,000 from the U.S. Bureau of Health Care, will benefit community health centers in Billings, Butte, Helena, Great Falls and Livingston, as well as grant recipient Partnership Health Center in Missoula.
Community health centers provide care for many of the state’s residents who do not qualify for other assistance programs. Although the centers in Missoula and Billings have pharmacy services, the others do not. Clinical pharmacies are being established for patients with varied health problems.
Low-income clients depend upon drug programs, samples and contracts with community pharmacies to gain access to needed medications.
What
Montanans Say About Tourism
Montana residents believe tourism can produce economic benefits, but they
feel strongly that they should be involved in decisions affecting future
tourism, according to a report from UM’s Institute for Tourism and
Recreation Research.
 |
| Montanans have mixed feelings about the money that tourism pumps into the state's economy. |
Among the trends and attitudes revealed by the survey are:
- Respondents thought more people moving to the state was the primary disadvantage of tourism, along with worse traffic and stress on infrastructure.
- Tourism is thought to have the most positive impacts on museums, cultural centers and job opportunities.
- Survey respondents support tourism and tourism development but do not see a connection between this type of economic development and their own financial benefit.
Although most respondents indicated that they are at least somewhat informed about Montana’s travel industry, few have been exposed to information regarding the industry’s impact on the state’s economy, environment and quality of life.
The report, “Resident Characteristics and Attitudes Regarding Tourism Development,” is available online. It was produced from a questionnaire mailed to 1,000 random Montana households during October and November 2001. The study achieved a 40 percent response rate.
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