Studying the behavior of flightless birds that frequently beat their wings to help them walk and run up steep slopes brought international acclaim to biological sciences Professor Ken Dial, a preeminent bird researcher. In the Jan. 17 issue of the journal Science, Dial says the flapping wing movements modified over time may have led to the evolution of true flight. He garnered international publicity for the article in venues such as the New York Times and CNN.

President George Dennison was selected to lead the Inland Northwest Research Alliance, a consortium of eight research universities in the region. A nonprofit, scientific and educational organization that encourages collaboration among partners, INRA was formed to promote science and engineering research with a focus on studies that will result in practical applications, such as water treatments, soil remediation and forest fire prevention. With member universities in Montana, Idaho, Alaska, Utah and Washington, INRA ranks seventh in securing research funds from the National Science Foundation. INRA is the only program of its kind in the nation.

UM joined forces with the Missoula Area Economic Development Corp. (MAEDC) to create the Montana Technology Enterprise Center (MonTEC), a new business incubator intended to help stimulate Montana’s economy by assisting startup or expanding companies. The incubator, located in a former food warehouse just across the Clark Fork River from the UM campus, opened its doors in early 2003 with a waiting list for companies wanting to rent space. The $4.5 million incubator is being built in two phases, primarily with federal funding. Entrepreneurs in the incubator get ready access to a host of business advisers provided by UM and MAEDC.

UM started the 2003-04 academic year with a new administrator to keep the University’s external funding on an upward track and prominently positioned in terms of contributing to the state’s economic growth. Daniel Dwyer, vice president for research and development, oversees research and sponsored programs, technology transfer, information technology, federal legislative relations, international programs and animal resources. Dwyer held similar positions at the University of Maine and at New Mexico State in Las Cruces before coming to UM during the summer.

UM has emerged as a national leader in recognizing the significance of Central Asia and the Caspian Basin. That awareness has translated into a major academic program, led by University faculty with expertise in the history, natural resources and geopolitical aspects of the region. During the past year, President Dennison and Mehrdad Kia have traveled to Kyrgyzstan and other former Soviet states to negotiate exchange agreements.

Meanwhile, a group of administrators and graduate students from the Higher School of Business in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital city, spent several weeks on campus studying under the tutelage of School of Business Administration faculty members. The United Nations Development Program and UM’s Continuing Education program were contracted to provide the services.

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