MNews Fall 2022 by Montana Tech

W MNews Fall 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES

ith the dawn of the electrical age, the 5 square miles around Butte became dotted with mines that by 1896 would be supplying 26% of the world’s supply of copper.

In the same timeframe, the world’s largest metallurgical plant of the era was built in Anaconda. This is the context in which the Montana State School of Mines, now Montana Technological University, was established in 1900. The degree offered was for Engineer of Mines, which included a broad foundation in mining, geology, metallurgy, and minerals processing (originally called ore dressing). The main purpose was to train students for employment in the mines and smelters. In 1922, a new degree, Metallurgical Engineering, was created to allow students to become more specialized.

CREDITS Brewing a Better Future: Research of Kombucha SCOBYs Show They Can Be Used to Filter Water | 34

In the likely event that you’ve never heard of a SCOBY, it’s a cellulose mat that houses the bacteria and yeast cultures that turn sweet tea into kombucha. In an interesting twist, Montana Tech researchers have found that treated kombucha SCOBYs can filter COVID-19, influenza, and malaria particles from water.

As a specialized engineering program, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering is not as widely recognized as the four primary engineering disciplines, however, the reality is that it leads to truly cutting-edge opportunities that intersect with some of the world’s most pressing needs. Careers in mineral processing, metallurgy, and materials engineering may involve minerals and metals extraction, metal processing, alloy development, product development, land reclamation, recycling, and more. The following stories highlight the discipline over the past 100 years at Montana Tech.

Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology: Supporting Montana’s Economy | 38 Since 1919, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology has been tasked with providing research and information for the sound use of all of Montana’s geological and water resources—directly supporting vital parts of Montana’s economy.

Emeritus Professor Larry Twidwell

Metallurgical Engineering Celebrates 100 Years | 12 In 1922, a new degree, Metallurgical Engineering, was created to allow students to specialize in the science and technology of metals. For 100 years, there has been a sense of optimism that the hard-working, diligent, and conscientious students who fill the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering classrooms and labs will change the world.

Emeritus professor Larry Twidwell has been part of the Metallurgical Engineering department for over half its existence. Hired in 1969 to teach classes in pyrometallurgy and thermodynamics, he last taught experimental design and laboratory studies in 2005.

MNews Fall 2022

OREDIGGER SPOTLIGHT: Dylan Yarger | 42 Dylan Yarger arrived on the Montana Tech campus in August 2020 ready to begin his journey as a student-athlete. Although he had some major setbacks, he found a different dream while at Montana Tech.

Making a Difference: Environmental Engineering Alumnus Tackles Climate Change, Air Pollution on Global Stage | 44 Seventeen years and more than 8,000 miles separate Dr. George Mwaniki from his present-day office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to the mountainsides of Butte, Montana. But as he looks back on his successful career as an environmental scientist, it was his time far away in America that played a pivotal role in catapulting him into a position of influence among stakeholders working to fight global climate change.

How Innovation and Renovation Are Making Butte New Again | 18

Highlands College: Preparing the Workforce of Tomorrow | 26

Butte is a beautiful place, as rich in history as it is in ore. If there’s always been something different about Butte, it’s the spirit of Butte’s people.

Positioned as the premier regional center for workforce development and preparing workforceready students, Highlands College is reinventing itself by providing entry-level, continuing education, and reskilling opportunities designed to meet industry demands.

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Running to Win, and to Inspire: Becca Richtman’s Underdog Journey | 30 It’s an underdog story for the ages: a relatively obscure runner joins the inaugural cross country team at Montana Tech and becomes a 4-time national champion, 10-time All American, and the Women’s Track Athlete of the Year.

SHORTS

Digging In | 6

Meet the Foundation CEO | 10

Chancellor Les P. Cook Publisher Amanda Badovinac Writers Amanda Badovinac Susan Barth Sherman Cahill Les Cook Jodie DeLay Jaime Heppler Michelle Morley Brooke Samson Megan Strickland Editorial Board Amanda Badovinac Stephanie Cook Jodie DeLay Megan Strickland Lisa Sullivan Graphic Designers Brooke Benson Lisa Sullivan Photographers Lou Mason Brian Powers MNews is published twice a year by Montana Technological University.

ON THE COVER Becca Richtman, Montana Tech cross country and track studentathlete, is featured on a local running track in Butte with her recent medals around her neck and her lucky shoes on her feet.

MNews Fall 2022

Greetings from the Chancellor OUR VISION at Montana Tech is to be the

institution of opportunity and innovation. As a rural ranch kid growing up straddling the Utah and Nevada border, opportunity and innovation meant something completely different to me than what stands before us today. The opportunity came in the form of 4-H every summer and, if I was lucky, a trip to town one to two times. Innovation often meant bailing wire and determining the best way to keep a dam from washing out in the irrigation ditch. While challenging, heartbreaking, and unparalleled for our society and higher education, the COVID-19 pandemic also presented an environment rich with both opportunity and innovation for campuses. Institutions were forced to reexamine all that they do in order to prepare students to meet the needs of an ever-changing workforce. While Montana Tech has proudly done this since our beginning, the pandemic accelerated opportunities for workforce development to thrive at our Highlands campus. Additionally, almost all institutions were introduced to the virtual world in ways that weren’t previously considered. As a result, the way in which students are taught and served is likely to be changed forever. Over the past 2 years, we have invested nearly $3M into classroom technology and academic lab spaces. We’ve adjusted how we teach and interact. What we haven’t changed is our commitment to being very deliberate about providing the best, hands-on, practical, and distinct educational opportunities possible. This edition of MNews is filled with stories that demonstrate opportunity and innovation. You’ll meet four-time national champion and 10-time All-American Becca Richtman, whose unparalleled sacrifice, discipline, and commitment led her to the highest level of her sport, despite an unremarkable start. You’ll learn what a SCOBY is and about the potential it has to purify water and reduce disease transmission, potentially saving millions of lives each year. The story about the city of Butte will excite you as it explores plans for its renewal and revitalization. You will also learn more about Montana Tech alumnus Dr. George Mwaniki, a climate change expert and global policy influencer, and join us in celebrating 100 years of metallurgy through the stories of faculty and alum. You’ll also learn about the significant impact the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology has on the economy of Montana.

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Opportunity and innovation are alive and well at Montana Tech. We are reminded of this daily as we continue to educate and prepare bright, hard-working, determined individuals for meaningful careers and successful lives. And our research continues to impact our State, Nation, and world in ways never imagined. I’m incredibly proud that our remarkable past and bright future have been defined by outstanding programs and committed and talented students, faculty, staff and friends. These are people not only on our campus, but from around the world, including alumnus Art Ditto, who recently established a $1M endowment, and alums Nick and Kari Olds, who continue to support the university via additional contributions to the Olds Family Endowed Scholarship, which helps students from Montana. These contributions, as well as the $326k raised on Day One by 621 individual donors, provide the opportunity for great innovation long into the future. What Montana Tech does every day matters. As Montana’s special focus institution, we will deliver on our promise to the State of Montana, our Nation, and the world to provide a transformative student experience by developing leaders and advancing science, engineering, and technology that benefit humanity and the needs of society. We will implement our plan and we will modify as needed, with a commitment to student success, distinctive programs, and an environment where we all thrive. Cheers,

Les P. Cook Chancellor Montana Technological University

MNews Fall 2022

DIGGING IN

FACULTY DEVELOP OPEN TEXTBOOK Much of what happens in college courses is tied to textbooks, from reading and writing assignments to course projects and lesson activities, to quizzes and exams. Faced with the choice to pay for living expenses or college textbooks, university students may understandably delay or forgo the purchase of pricey commercially produced texts—a decision that can undermine their success. Faculty wishing to remove the burden of this difficult decision and reduce university costs for students have a new resource available in the form of Intermediate College Writing: Building and Practicing Mindful Writing Skills, an open textbook developed by Montana Technological University writing instructors Dawn Atkinson and Stacey Corbitt.

Recognizing the need for a no-cost publication that integrates study skills work with reviews of key topics, such as academic integrity, and thoughtfully designed writing opportunities, authors Atkinson and Corbitt designed the textbook for use in intermediate college writing courses. The textbook’s Creative Commons license means instructors can adopt it as is, opt to use select chapters, or customize it for their own writing courses. The book is the second in an open-textbook series produced by this faculty writing team.

LEE TO LEAD SCHOOL OF MINES & ENGINEERING Kenneth Lee, Ph.D., PE, has hit the ground running as the new dean of the School of Mines & Engineering. He has set in motion plans to expand global educational opportunities for students and faculty at Montana Technological University, grow incoming classes, and improve retention. Dr. Lee comes to Montana Tech from Western New England University, where he spent 10 years as Founding Chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. He received all his engineering degrees from the University of California Irvine and has postdoctoral experience from Princeton University. Dr. Lee has more than a decade of experience building affordable and accessible international programs that offer students of all economic backgrounds cross-cultural experiences around the globe.

#1 BEST COLLEGE The return on investment for a Montana Tech degree outpaces every university in the State in Degree Choices’ 2022 Best Colleges in Montana rankings. The rankings compare the earnings of graduates to the net cost of obtaining a degree by evaluating data from the U.S. Department of Education. According to the ranking system, Montana Tech graduates earn $4,230 more annually than the State’s average wage, and earn back the initial investment in their degree in 2.9 years. Montana Tech also boasts the highest graduation rate of the public universities ranked by Degree Choices, at 57 percent. Highlands College is the only two-year institution included in the rankings, at #8. According to Degree Choices, Highlands College students earn an average wage of $49,032 annually, with an estimated 1.1-year payoff time to recoup the $10,284 average cost of a Highlands degree.

ART ON CAMPUS A faculty, staff, and student art show was held on campus during the spring 2022 semester. The event introduced artists to each other and gave them an opportunity to show off their work. The show was a great success, showcasing the talent of many across campus.

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MUFFICK JOINS THE EXECUTIVE TEAM A seasoned manager with almost three decades of service to the Montana University System will lead Montana Tech into the 2022–2023 academic year as Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance. Ronald Muffick joined the team on July 1. Muffick oversees the university’s $30 million budget and hundreds of non-faculty staff in his new position. The native Montanan is no stranger to leading teams to financial and organizational success. Muffick began his career with the Montana University System in 1992 after receiving an AA from North Idaho College and BA in Business Management from Whitworth University. He rose through the ranks, serving as a compliance officer, client services manager, director of business relations and programs, associate director of the Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program, director of student affairs and financial services, and finally, director of operations and administration for the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. His wife, Aimee, has family in the Mining City, and Muffick finds the atmosphere similar to East Helena, where he spent much of his childhood. Muffick is the father of five children, ages 9 to 27, and enjoys spending time with his family outdoors.

MNews Fall 2022

DIGGING IN

BUILDING BRIDGES Montana Tech students recently built a structurally sound bridge out of hemp during the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE®) North America Student Bridge Contest. The Tech students took home first- and third-place prizes. The team traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to design, build, and test a miniature structural bridge created with various composite materials within a predetermined set of rules. The team took first place in the Natural Fiber Category and third in the Carbon Fiber I-Beam Category. The competition pitted the students against teams from the University of Washington, UCLA, the University of Southern California, the University of Tokyo, and many other esteemed institutions.

WELDING PROGRAM EXPANDING An expanded Welding Technology program is allowing Highlands College to provide training that continues to meet industry needs, with graduates ready to make an immediate impact. At the May Board of Regents meeting recently, the expansion of the Welding Technology program was approved, from a one-year Certificate of Applied Science to a two-year Associate of Applied Science. Students who have completed the previous Welding Technology Certificate of Applied Science are eligible to enroll in the second-year courses to work towards the Associate of Applied Science degree. The Welding Technology curriculum’s second year will give students valuable experience in welding fabrication and pipe and structural welding, providing students with additional career opportunities across the welding industry. Welding trades, including largescale, infrastructure, and commercial and industrial projects, are essential and in high demand. In addition, a smaller but rapidly growing industry involves custom welding. The AAS in Welding Technology will help fill area demands in pipe, aluminum, structural, and fabrication industries. Like the other two-year trades programs, the Welding Technology program provides students the ability to obtain an education that meets their personal and career goals.

MNews Fall 2022

TECH AWARDED UPWARD BOUND GRANT

MINING THE TOP PRIZE

Montana Tech will receive an Upward Bound grant from the U.S. Department of Education for $1,713,465 for the next five years to provide support to lowincome students who would be the first members of their families to earn degrees. Montana Tech’s Upward Bound has served 1,794 students over the past 26 years, with 88% graduating from high school and earning college degrees successfully, a rate that more than doubles the state and national average. Part of the Federal TRIO initiative, Upward Bound is an intensive intervention program that prepares students for higher education through various enrichment courses, including literature, composition, mathematics, science, and foreign language during the school year and a six-week, campus-based summer experience.

Montana Tech’s Robotic Mining Club recently won the top mining award at the NASA Lunabotics Competition at the Kennedy Space Center, with 38 universities competing for the top honors. The competition involved designing and building a robot to dig through a simulated lunar surface, to deposit as much gravel simulant as possible in two 15-minute runs. Two teams, Montana Tech and the University of Alabama, qualified for the on-site mining award. Montana Tech sent five students to the competition in Cape Canaveral. Each team was given two competition runs. During Montana Tech’s first run, tragedy struck when the robot, named “She’s A BUTTE,” failed to move due to a communication error. On the second run, the robot performed admirably and deposited significant amounts of lunar gravel into the deposit area. The club was one of only four or five teams to be able to deposit the gravel successfully. To qualify, teams had to deposit at least a kilogram of the gravel in the depiction sieve.

GRAHAM TO LEAD WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM Jeff Graham is the new head coach of the Oredigger Women’s Basketball team. Graham built a powerhouse program at Belt High School, accumulating a 358-42 overall record that includes 6 state championships, 7 divisional titles, 11 conference titles, and 11 district titles in 15 seasons. For his efforts, Graham was named the Montana Coaches Association Coach of the Year six times in girls’ basketball. Graham was also the head football coach at Belt for the past 15 seasons, head track coach for 9 years, and the Athletic Director since 2012. Graham’s Huskies posted an 89-51 record on the gridiron, including four divisional championships.

MNews Fall 2022

MEET THE FOUNDATION CEO Dear Orediggers, My name is Jaime Heppler, new CEO of the Montana Tech Foundation. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve the Oredigger students, alumni, family, and friends in this role. It’s always been a dream of mine to lead an organization with such rich tradition, pride, and academic excellence. With deep family ties to the Butte community, I am thrilled to begin this journey in a place I have fondly called home. As a seasoned professional in higher education, I have found my passion in fundraising. Every day, I have the opportunity to

MNews Fall 2022

connect with individuals and industry representatives who have the ability and desire to change lives. I look forward to celebrating, deepening, and growing the impact of philanthropy at Montana Tech with the unwavering support of Digger alumni, friends, and the Butte community. As CEO, I will always lead by providing greater access for every student to pursue and achieve a college degree—developing the next generation of Oredigger innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders for Butte and beyond! It’s an honor to be a part of the Digger family. Let’s get to work!

Tommy Heppler also joins the Oredigger family as Associate Director of Development for Digger Athletics. With 15 years of athletics administration experience, Tommy will be responsible for major and annual gift fundraising, including developing strategies for identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors for all Digger Athletics priorities. Tommy and Jaime come to the Mining City with two children, Elouise, 8 and James, 6. MNews Fall 2022

ith the dawn of the electrical age, the 5 square miles around Butte became dotted with mines that by 1896 would be supplying 26% of the world’s supply of copper.

METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING CELEBRATES By Jodie DeLay

100 YEARS

Metallurgy is the science and technology of metals. Metals are a class of substances with high electrical and thermal conductivity, malleability, ductility, and light reflectivity. They are found among compounds of soils, rocks, limestone, and sand, called minerals. Ore is a naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral can be profitably extracted (Britannica, 2022). As a specialized engineering program, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering is not as widely recognized as the four primary engineering disciplines; however, the reality is that it leads to truly cutting-edge opportunities that intersect with some of the world’s most pressing needs. Careers in mineral processing, metallurgy, and materials engineering may involve minerals and metals extraction, metal processing, alloy development, product development, land reclamation, recycling, and more. The following stories highlight the discipline over the past 100 years at Montana Tech.

Emeritus Professor Larry Twidwell Emeritus professor Larry Twidwell has been part of the Metallurgical Engineering department for over half its existence. Hired in 1969 to teach classes in pyrometallurgy and thermodynamics, he last taught experimental design and laboratory studies in 2005.

MNews Fall 2022

C. Owen Smithers Collection, Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, Montana Tech Library Archives, Montana Tech LIbrary, Montana Technological University, 1300 W. Park Street, Butte, Montana.

MNews Fall 2022

“I was very impressed with and inspired by Larry Twidwell, and all the faculty,” he said. “They had industry experience and they were able to take what we were doing in classes and apply it to the real world. We knew if we earned our degree, we’d have jobs.” Sutherlin himself had three offers. He chose that neighborhood processing plant where he had worked during the summer as a college student. “I like to learn,” he said, “so I tried most positions: metal fabrication, processing, research and development, and outside fabrication. I learned melting and welding and traveled the world visiting plants, helping them with corrosion issues and conducting 2- or 3-day training sessions for hundreds of welders and engineers across the globe.” Sutherlin retired after 38 years and started his own consulting company, Richard Sutherlin PE Consulting, LLC, in 2015. When asked about the future of metallurgical and materials engineering, Sutherlin replied, “We are pushing the limits of technology. The computer systems we have now allow us to build things quickly and consistently. The metals I’ve worked with (primarily zirconium and titanium) are very good options. Alloys are being developed for specific applications that previously have only been imagined, like building dwellings on the moon. It’s exciting because I think we’ll see technology go even faster. A lot of engineers are retiring and companies desperately need materials engineers and metallurgical students to help them solve problems and keep them on track.”

Asked what was similar from start to finish, Twidwell remarked that the students in his classes were always hard-working, diligent, and serious about learning a profession. Though the curriculum evolved over the years to include more humanities and general learning, the core classes remained similar, and the opportunities have always been plentiful. While he has numerous examples of former students who have gone on to incredible careers, Twidwell highlighted Corby Anderson, now at the Colorado School of Mines serving as the Harrison Western Professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. Anderson was an integral part of developing and stabilizing the Center for Advanced Mineral and Metallurgical Processing (CAMP) at Tech. CAMP was born from Twidwell’s love of research in 1989 and is a Montana University System Center of Excellence in Research and Education. With base funding through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), CAMP’s mission is to serve the needs of Montana’s people and industries through cutting-edge research and effective research management in materials science

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and engineering, expanding both basic and applied knowledge in these fields. Twidwell, who continued working at CAMP after his retirement from teaching, has also made an impact through his own research. Hydrometallurgical processing leaves an arsenic solution (arsenic is naturally found in the Earth’s crust) behind that is highly toxic. Among other projects, Twidwell has sought to develop products that make this arsenic stable in the environment.

Rick Sutherlin, BS Metallurgical Engineering 1977 Rick Sutherlin grew up in Albany, Oregon near a large titanium and zirconium processing plant. He always knew he wanted to be an engineer and took a special interest in metallurgical engineering after working summers in the field. He started his degree at Oregon State, but when the major was dropped after one year, a mentor suggested he give Montana Tech a try. The rest is history. The thing Sutherlin remembers most about his time at Montana Tech is the great professors.

Throughout his tenure in the field, Sutherlin was involved in ASTM (American Standards for Testing and Materials) International, the professional organization charged with developing and maintaining industry standards. He received the organization’s 2021 William J. Kroll Zirconium Medal for his contributions as part of the zirconium industry worldwide. In part, his accommodation read, “Sutherlin was recognized for leading the effort to establish zirconium as a proven, reliable, and economical material of choice for use in the chemical industry and for his educational and training presentations worldwide in design, failure analysis, fabrication practices, and corrosion properties for zirconium products.” Sutherlin, who graduated with current department head Jerry Downey, has remained involved with Montana Tech over the years, including serving on the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) for over 15 years, during which time he regularly returned to campus to help keep the curriculum current.

MONTANA SCHOOL OF MINES

CLASS OF 1962 CELEBRATES 60 YEARS The Class of 1962 celebrated their 60th reunion on campus in June 2022. The calendar aligned perfectly as Saturday, June 4th, marked six decades to the day the graduating seniors of the Class of 62 accepted their diplomas from the then Montana School of Mines. The celebration kicked off Friday evening as alumni Al Herring, Metallurgy ‘62; Joe Keane, Metallurgy ‘62/Mineral Dressing ‘66; Mike Keegan, Metallurgy ‘62; and Ron Nordwick, Metallurgy ‘62, and their wives and family members gathered for dinner in their honor. Guests were joined by Chancellor and Stephanie Cook, Provost Steve Gammon, and the current Class of ‘62 scholarship recipient Heidi Steiger, the granddaughter of ‘62 alum Ron Nordwick. Steiger, a Butte native who is currently a senior in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, shared what drew her to Montana Tech and the pride she has in being the third generation in her family to study Metallurgy. Members of the Class of ‘62 established their

Teresa McGrath, BS Metallurgical Engineering 2002, MS Metallurgical Engineering 2010

scholarship endowment in 2002 to honor the

Teresa McGrath was born in Hamilton, Montana and went to high school in Butte, where she attended a mining and science camp at Tech. As an 18-year-old, she chose to study wildlife biology but found that it wasn’t quite what she was looking for. She took a position at local research and development company Resodyn, where she gained experience in the biology and chemistry labs. This experience led to a growing interest in chemistry, and along with living near a mine, back to Montana Tech, where she ultimately earned both her BS and MS in Metallurgical Engineering.

future generations of Orediggers pursuing an

legacy of their fellow alumni and to invest in education in Metallurgy, Mining, Geology, or Petroleum Engineering. Class members Alex Mondlack, Mining ‘62; Dar Ekstrom, Metallurgy ‘62; George Vivian, Metallurgy ‘62; and Al Winters, Mining ‘62/Geology ‘65 were missed as they were unable to attend.

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Teresa also lauded her professors, including Rick Douglass, Jerry Downey, and Courtney Young, for their relevant industry experience and ability to take specific examples from their actual work and bring it back to the classroom. She recalls companies such as Newmont Mining Corporation bringing world-class speakers to campus to teach classes on things like gold processing. At the time of her graduation, she already had strong industry connections, ones she still relies on today.

at Tech. Her advice to current students is to go with your gut. “It’s okay to be a little impulsive,” she says. “If you aren’t enjoying something, change course.”

Gold is McGrath’s metal of choice. She left America for Australia 12 years ago for a career at Curtin University, where she also earned her Ph.D. Within months of starting, she told her supervisor she wanted his job. “I meant it and I eventually got it,” she said.

“I knew as an undergraduate that I wanted to be Jerry (Downey),” she explained. “He, along with other faculty including Katie Hailer, genuinely cared about their students. They listened and focused less on achievements than relationships.”

Her job is to find problems and solve them. Prior to COVID, her sponsor’s territory covered Australasia, Africa, South America, and North America. She flew into remote sites for week-long visits, working with plants to ensure they were operating under best practices and to provide surveys, testing, training, and modeling.

Brockway became a patent agent and then found a postdoc role as an intellectual property specialist at the Oregon Health Sciences University Knight Cancer Research Center. This opportunity has allowed her to become a liaison between science and research and the tech transfer office.

“I’m concerned about the global resource and environmental crisis,” she said. “And also, sustainability—we don’t just mine blindly. It’s a massive effort to do things right.”

“I’m in a facilitation role,” she says. “I sift through project abstracts and evaluate them to see where there may be a translational impact. It’s awesome to see some of the cutting-edge, amazing work that is coming out.”

She is the co-inventor of equipment (the Carbon Scout) that is now used in mines across the world to measure carbon concentration in gold process circuits. McGrath’s kids were 5 years and 5 months old when she left America. They are now 17 and 12. “They are very Australian,” she says. “They love vegemite and sausage rolls! We live in the hills of Perth and love the mountain biking, beer, and beaches here.” McGrath, an Associate Professor at the Western Australia School of Mines and Manager of the Amira P420 Gold Processing Technology Project, recently took a 12-month secondment with AngloGold Ashanti as a senior specialist in gold processing, a change that allows her to understand the application of the research project she has been involved in for the past 11 years. “Whether you want a desk job or to work in labs, plants, or mines, to have a base, or to travel broadly, you have choices. And as your life goals change, your career can change,“ she notes. “The most exciting part about metallurgy and materials science is the unlimited nature of opportunities. There are still so many innovative practices and technologies to develop and implement.”

Molly Brockway, BS Metallurgical Engineering 2017, Ph.D. Metallurgical Engineering 2021 Molly Brockway wanted to be an equine veterinarian before she did a ride-along with one and knew instantly it wasn’t for her. She thought engineering would be a good fallback. From there, she chose metallurgy, “out of a hat,” because it sounded interesting. Alaska-born, she had family in Montana and wanted to attend a smaller school. Three of her high school classmates joined her

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During her Ph.D., Brockway realized that she didn’t really like doing bench science or working in mines. She did, however, enjoy working with scientists and helping them develop their projects and identify practical applications and grant opportunities.

She has a particular interest in health inequities in rural and disadvantaged communities and keeps an eye out for opportunities that can impact people such as at-home cancer screening. While she doesn’t directly work in metallurgy or mineral processing, her science and engineering background allows her to communicate with and understand those who do. “Plus,” she says, “metallurgy knowledge is really cool. It’s fun to throw out facts, like the difference between cast iron and steel (it’s the carbon content). People find things like that very interesting.” Asked what encourages her about the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering program at Montana Tech, Brockway is enthusiastic. “People with ties to Montana Tech,” she says, “are not eager to leave. They are passionate and stay in touch. Plus, the labs are great and provide such a unique experience. If you can get potential students in to see equipment like the crusher, which remains the same over decades, and the magnetic separators and such that are new, you’ll probably keep them.” “I pulled a book from 1935 from the library and used it in a lab report. It’s very cool that there is this legacy that remains, and also a whole new frontier. There are traditional mining jobs, as well as very nontraditional opportunities like mine.”

Jerry Downey, BS Metallurgical Engineering 1977, MS Metallurgical Engineering 1982, Department Head 2019– current Jerry Downey has served as the department head in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering since the summer of 2019. He is highly

“The most exciting part about metallurgy and materials science is the unlimited nature of opportunities. There are still so many innovative practices and technologies to develop and implement.” —Teresa McGrath

complimentary of the Industrial Advisory Board and members such as Kathy Arnold and Tom McIntire, who along with others, help keep the program relevant and viable. Walking into the labs located in the Engineering and Laboratory Classroom (ELC) building, it’s hard not to feel both grounded and inspired. It is a look backward—there are crushing machines that operate today in almost the same way they were used back at the start of the program in 1922, and forward—as students have the opportunity to learn and utilize some of the newest, most advanced equipment available in the world. Like the others, Downey recognizes that the appeal of the department is the exceptionally broad opportunities. “Almost every upper division course could launch a career,” he says. “The hybrid program at Montana Tech is distinct because it provides students with an exceptionally strong foundation in both materials and process engineering. Our extractive metallurgy program is second to none and our materials program compares favorably with those of the big-name institutions. Our powerful and expanding research capabilities enable faculty to maintain their technical edge and enhance the student learning experience.” For 100 years, there has been a sense of optimism that the hard-working, diligent, and conscientious students who fill the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering classrooms and labs will change the world. Like those highlighted here, they can write their own success stories. And they’ll do it with fond memories and lasting respect and commitment to Montana Tech. For more information and to apply to the program, contact Jerry Downey or any faculty member in the department.

CENTENNIAL C ELEBR ATION

100 Y E A R S

DECEMBER 3, 2022 The American Mining Hall of Fame will celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Montana Technological University by issuing a special citation at the 40th Annual Awards Ceremony, presented by the Mining Foundation of the Southwest. The ceremony will occur on December 3, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona. In its 100 years, the department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering has solidified its reputation as a top choice for students studying metallurgy, mining, and materials science. The department features a Bachelor of Science degree program in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and a Master of Science degree program in Metallurgical and Mineral Processing Engineering. It is also heavily involved in the Master of Science program in Materials Science and Engineering and the Materials Science Ph.D. program.

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HOW INNOVATION AND RENOVATION ARE MAKING BUTTE NEW AGAIN by Sherman Cahill

Butte has always been a little different.

Different, when it comes to it, from everywhere else in the galaxy, most likely. Find me a better city in either of the spiral arms of the Milky Way, and I’ll cook and eat my hat. A hat that reads “‘Montana Tech Orediggers,” by the way. And I’d really prefer not to have to eat it because it’s my favorite hat.

Different from the rest of Montana. Different from the rest of America.

Butte has been different from the very beginning, even as far back as the 1890s, when the Holy City, as I’ve come to know it, was little more than a confused jumble of rickety shacks.

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Even back then, there was something about Butte that seemed to breed innovation in those who lived here. Take, for instance, Bylo. Bylo, according to Copper Camp, the classic Works Progress Administration history of early Butte, was a “rotund individual”

who sold “hokey pokeys” out of a hand cart. “Hokey pokey,” evidently, was turn-of-the-century slang for ice cream. Every summer, Bylo’s operating costs swelled as he bought dozens of pounds of ice. Bylo evidenced Butte’s genius for innovation, or at least an early manifestation thereof, when he happened on a scheme to secure a steady supply of ice for free, or next to it. Again, we’re talking innovation here. Sometimes innovation is messy, and progress means making choices that can seem, in the light of today’s, shall we say, more progressive views on sanitation, macabre.

He bought ice from the mortuary. At that time, wakes were vitally important to the culture of Butte. They may, in fact, have been at its center. Though you see them less often than you used to these days, wakes were when scores and scores and scores of people, friends and family and loved ones and friends of friends, and strangers, and neighbors from a few blocks over, certain representatives of the clergy, the police and, of course, the mining union, and, finally, strangers, would show up to drink, all while the corpse of the dearly departed rested in a huge trough of ice. Ice that, were it not for Bylo’s innovation, would otherwise wet a patch of mucky street. Neighborhood children got their creamy MNews Fall 2022

A concept rendering of Uptown Butte in the Uptown Butte Master Plan by DHM Design.

confection at a very affordable price, Bylo fattened his margins, and thus was born an early, if crude, form of recycling. Ladies and gentlemen, Butte has always been about two things: innovation and renewal. A few years later, in the heyday of the headframes, there were many places where a hungry worker could fill their belly and slake their thirst. A lunch counter had to think of something different to win over the blue-collar, pro-union crowd. Sam Kenoffel, owner of the Spokane Cafe, innovated. He promised he would never serve anything, not so much as a pasty crumb, to any loathsome scab or strikebreaker.

grandest parts of Butte are impossibly commanding. No wonder, then, that a much-anticipated spin-off of one of TV’s most popular dramas should choose to film here, and make Butte the headquarters of their production. Now, if you’re anything like me, Yellowstone began as a show your father (and everyone else you know over, say, 58) recommended to you over and over until you finally watched it. Then, slowly, perhaps even begrudgingly, you became obsessed with it until you’d watched every season, every episode, including the first spin-off, 1883. Not to mention the American Frontier trilogy of films from creator/director/writer Taylor Sheridan, which are Yellowstone’s spiritual predecessors.

Sure, that was a hundred years ago. But Butte is still different. Butte still innovates and renews. While now it’s admittedly less about corpse ice and refusing to serve non-union blacklegs, the city of Butte has never stopped innovating. That same spirit that drove those early residents of Butte still moves in those lucky and wise enough to call it home today.

I. 1923, Film Production, and Butte Tourism Butte’s historic uptown district has a look out of time. Even from the vantage of a vehicle traversing I-90 at 65 mph, the oldest and

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So I guess now I’ve become a fan—first ambivalently, then reluctantly, and then with gusto. But even better than that, I stand to benefit from Yellowstone, because 1923, the newest addition to the Dutton family saga starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, means big money for Butte. The production will bring the city upwards of $435,000 in rent for the Butte Civic Center alone, and that’s not including the hundreds of cast and crew who will be eating at local restaurants, buying local goods, staying at local hotels, and, naturally, drinking themselves silly at local pubs, as is the local tradition.

A study by the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research found that the 2021 filming of the fourth season of Yellowstone, centered in Missoula, resulted in 527 permanent jobs for Montana residents, $25.3 million in personal income for Montana households, $10.6 million in state revenues, and $85.8 million in additional gross receipts for Montana businesses and organizations.

You might be tempted to think that Hollywood has recently discovered Butte, but the Mining City has been a star of film since at least 1980, when scenes from Michael Cimino’s legendary epic western Heaven’s Gate were filmed here, as was 1993’s Return to Lonesome Dove, German auteur Wim Wender’s 2005 dramedy Don’t Come Knocking, and, recently, revision western Ballad of Lefty Brown.

And that’s not “gross” as in a popsicle packed in corpse ice. That’s “gross” as in “gross profit or income,” but I don’t have to tell you that, do I?

As a matter of fact, the die may have been cast for Butte’s cinematic destiny when, in the early years of the 20th century, a young English theater performer came through Butte with a pantomime and vaudeville act led by Fred Karno, the man who, I kid you not, invented the old pie in the face gag. The 21-year-old actor, a promising upstart by the name of Charles Chaplin, would become one of the most famous men in the world within the decade, but he never forgot Butte’s working girls, remembering in his memoirs how “Butte boasted of having the prettiest women of any red-light district in the West, and it was true.”

The previous Yellowstone spin-off, 1883, starring Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill, was another titanic success. Enough so that it is getting a second season. Imagine that this new Butte-centered iteration of one of the most popular dramas on TV, which so far has only gathered in momentum, will also prove popular. It’s not a stretch to think that such a show, with a cast like Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, taking advantage of all the adventure and grit Butte’s history provides, might be yet another big hit. Yellowstone’s fourth season premiere, for instance, commanded nearly 15 million live viewers, and keep in mind that’s in the age of digital streaming. Long story short: if 1923 is yet another hit, and there is absolutely every reason to think it will be, it’s going to mean a major shot in the arm for Butte’s already-growing tourism industry.

And while that might be one of the only compliments to Butte’s history of innovation and renewal that we’d prefer not to recapture, it’s still difficult not to hear the great master’s glowing review of Butte’s charms with at least a little pride. But if our red-light district has dwindled, Butte’s film committee has picked up the slack. Today, the BFEC, or the Butte Film & Entertainment Committee, helps facilitate film productions in Butte and provides a “one-source stop for film-related needs.” MNews Fall 2022

They’ve teamed up with Montana Studios, which offer “full service production capabilities, including production space, basecamp, professional crew, and tax credit services” from their beautiful uptown location, to make Butte an even more irresistible place to shoot. And not just narrative films, but documentaries, television programs, and more. They do so in the knowledge that these productions mean more income, more jobs, and more recognition for the community. And maybe, just maybe, the world’s next global superstar, the next Charlie Chaplin maybe, will get another big hand up here in Butte, Montana. He or she could even get their start as an extra on 1923. Let’s just hope they can stay away from those exceptional “working girls” Chaplin was never able to forget, shall we?

II. Butte’s Uptown Renewal If you’ve never seen Butte, and especially Butte’s historic uptown area, then you’re probably not prepared for the shock—but let me warn you, for your benefit and for the benefit of those around you, it’s pretty. I’m telling you this so that, as you drive into town on the I-90, you don’t just run into the car in front of you or beside you. Because it’d be easy to forget to keep your eyes on the road, jaws agape, unable to tear your eyes away from Uptown—which sits, magisterial, at the crest of the hill overlooking the rest of the city. I know that whenever I return to the city after some prolonged absence I’ve got to keep my peepers focused on the dotted line of the road lest I go careening into the Berkeley Pit like a Hot Wheels car into a bathtub. Heck, even the Berkeley Pit is kind of pretty, if you ask me. Of course, that’s a big part of why productions like 1923 choose to film in Butte—uptown Butte has a look like no other, frozen in time, you might say. A friend of mine says it reminds him of steel mill cities back east due to the red brick and regal Victorian houses. But then Bethlehem, PA or Bangor, ME don’t have a view of the Rockies, do they? All of which is to say that if Uptown Butte gets any prettier, I won’t be able to stand it. I’ll be mooning up and down the streets, smooching everything. It looks like I’ll be puckering up soon, thanks to the Uptown Butte Master Plan, a joint effort between the Urban Revitalization Agency (URA) of Butte–Silver Bow and DHM Design, with help from grants from the Montana Department of Commerce. I spoke to Walker Christensen, a Principal with DHM Design, a firm that has done landscape, architecture, and design work for multiple National Parks including Glacier, cities such as Telluride and Calgary, National Monuments, and more. The side of the Hirbour Tower, a high-rise frame building, built in 1901, was one of the country’s first “skyscrapers,” and is shown in this concept rendering by DHM Design in the Uptown Butte Master Plan.

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First, I had to test him. “What do you think of Butte?” I asked. It was a leading question, perhaps, but essential nonetheless. “I think Butte is one of the most amazing places in the West and in the country. Butte’s history and people have stories that need to be told. I have been impressed by the passion and energy that the residents have for Butte’s history and future,” he told me. This was, of course, the right answer. Walker said that he recognizes that “the strength and draw of Uptown are these urban architectural elements in the rural Western backdrop. For the vitality and economic growth of Uptown these architectural elements must be preserved, promoted, restored, and occupied.” The Uptown Butte Master Plan, Walker says, intends to honor what makes Butte’s Uptown so singular and beautiful while also aiming to “transform Uptown into a place that ensures a high quality of life, maintains its authentic character, and has diverse economic vitality.” It’ll do so only after being sure to “document and prioritize the great ideas that the community has been thinking about—people who work, live, play and learn in Uptown—and synthesize that into the plan.” Many of those planned improvements are “supportive of improving the connection between Montana Tech and Uptown,” taking advantage of “nice existing sidewalks and key view corridor connections between the two landmarks” while adding “more pedestrian lighting, seasonal banners, flower pots, and painted bike lanes.” Christensen even notes the “potential for micromobility features such as scooter or ebike rentals.” While their architectural plans are still subject to many variables, they’ve made some concept renderings to illustrate the possibilities of Uptown. They’re handsome, and they enhance, rather than change, the essential character that it is so important to preserve. As far as I’m concerned, that settles it. They’d better put up a wall to enclose the interstate. Or else the folks pouring into Butte to see where 1923 was filmed won’t be able to peel their peepers away from the stunning, tastefully designed but still authentic, and most importantly, renewed, Uptown. And then, inevitably, their eyes will alight on the always lovely Montana Tech, and the tastefully maintained walking corridor that runs between them. Again, this seems dangerous to me, because they really ought to be keeping their eyes on the road, and off of the startling beautiful city on a hill. I questioned whether I should bring up my concerns with Christensen, but instead, I asked him another leading question. “How has it been working with us Buttians?” “I can’t express how great the people of Butte have been to work with!” Once again, he had the right answer. MNews Fall 2022

in truth, more to tempt them into wanting to stay when they graduate. The success of Uptown Butte’s renewal begins with their innovation. No amount of better footpaths and beautification would ever make a difference without some fabulous destinations along that path. And excuse my bias, but I’ll add that Montana Tech is the coolest, most fabulous destination of all. Go Orediggers!

III. Butte is a Great Place to Do Business

gooding is the second-best part.

Renovation is terrific, but it only gets you so far without the help of Butte’s businesses, and that’s where their innovation comes in.

Nor could we mention the World Museum of Mining without dwelling for a moment on what an amazing place it is to visit. Seeing the enormous engines and bison-leather belts, wandering through the period buildings, and even descending into the Orphan Girl mine herself are awe-inspiring and humbling. Oh, and they also just happened to be voted the “Best Historical Museum,” “Best Cultural Museum,” and, ahem, overall “Best Museum in Montana” in that same Distinctly Montana poll.

We’re not talking about refusing to serve scabs and blacklegs anymore. Rather, today’s Butte business owner has to contend with the modern world of clothing boutiques, specialty stores, fine dining, coffee shops, art galleries, and bookstores. Innovation begins with the business owners who are keeping Butte fresh. As fresh, you might say, as an ice cream cone in a bucket of recycled ice. Business owners like Medellee Antonioli, granddaughter of Jo Antonioli, who bought her grandmother’s beloved and decades-old bookstore, Books and Books, and moved it into a larger location on Broadway, right next to the Uptown Cafe. The building used to be a hotel, and then apartments, before lying vacant for nearly 30 years. With a little help from her father, friends, and a few community volunteers—but mostly by herself—she painstakingly cleaned the original ceiling, removed layers of flooring to restore a beautiful tile floor, and built her own floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. During most of that time, the store was open, and customers and the generally curious were free to wander in and see the progress. Now the slightly renamed Isle of Books and Books (and its Bozeman sister location Isle of Books) has recently been voted “Best Bookstore in Montana” by the readers of Distinctly Montana Magazine. It has also hosted events featuring authors Mark Sullivan, Jeffrey Welsch, and Butte’s own beloved broadcaster John Emeigh. Or how about Headframe, a world-class distillery with a gorgeous tasting room on Montana Street? They’ve used the bar from an old establishment in Meaderville and set it up in their tasting room, along with authentic safety posters from the Anaconda Mining Corporation on loan from the World Museum of Mining. Visitors to the tasting room can’t help but remark on its sturdy beauty—and, if you should happen to have a wee nip of the Kelley Single Malt, this writer’s favorite of their whiskeys, you’ll probably like that too. The best part is their commitment to giving back via community nights and contributions to charity. Well, no, the best part is the Kelley Single Malt, but the do-

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And please, please don’t forget Dig City Supply, your one-stop source for great apparel supporting Montana Tech, as well as a series of t-shirts honoring icons of Butte like the M&M, the Columbia Gardens carousel, Bonanza Freeze, and nearly all the magnets on this writer’s fridge. I now realize my folly at having begun to mention uptown Butte businesses, because I want to mention them all, and they’re all extraordinary in different ways. I couldn’t possibly leave out Wein’s Men’s Store, which has provided personalized customer service, as well as swell duds for discerning gents, for over 100 years. After all, to last a century is no small thing, as Pekin Noodle Parlor knows. Pekin is the oldest Chinese restaurant in the country; its continued ownership by the Tam family is a true story of perseverance. Or La Casa Toscana, which may not have been around for a century yet, but is probably on its way to one, having been highly recommended by Mark Wahlberg, who went to the place not once, but twice while filming in Montana? I couldn’t not mention them! But then, you have to think that, had Mark Wahlberg visited the Axe Bar, which is just what it sounds like—a bar where you throw axes as you drink—he would have loved that too, right? Setting aside Mark Wahlberg, it’d be a criminal disservice not to bring up Metals Sports Bar, which is also voted “Best in the State” by Distinctly Montana Magazine, or Oro Fino coffee, which has provided the caffeine necessary to type out this feverish paragraph. And even then, there are two dozen more great, vibrant Uptown businesses that you should check out. And there are more opening all the time. More for students to go see and experience, and,

I may be guilty of talking about Butte as if it’s some Holy City, a place somehow animated from within by the spirit of persistence and sticktoitiveness. As if Butte is the American dream made manifest—not to get rich, although that doesn’t hurt either—but to reach into the earth, grab her riches, and use them to improve the world. You can thank Butte, by the way, for the copper that wired America for electricity. But the truth is that Butte is just a place. A beautiful place, as rich in history as it is in ore, but a place nonetheless. If there’s always been something different about Butte, as I contended earlier, it’s the spirit of Butte’s people. It’s a spirit that refuses to be kept down, to accept bad news as the final word, to give in. It’s the spirit of a people who dug into the ground and hauled off metals to pay for their lunch. It’s the spirit of a people who turned a superfund site into a tourist attraction. The spirit of a people who are determined to ensure that this isn’t just Butte, Montana, but Butte, America. That same spirit, by the way, established Montana Technological University as one of the leading institutions of its kind in the country. Montana Tech has acquired its sterling reputation in part because it has always been willing, like the city which was its inspiration, to engage in both innovation and renewal. As such, the two are inextricable and have been for more than a century. What’s good for Butte is good for Montana Tech, and vice versa. With the near-guaranteed success of the Yellowstone spinoff 1923, the impending renewal of Butte (especially the Uptown area), and the continued innovation of Butte’s small, medium, and large business owners, Montana Tech stands to benefit more than ever from being part of one of Montana’s— perhaps even America’s—most tight-knit communities. Innovation and renovation: they don’t have to involve corpse ice. Sometimes they involve good investment, lovely architectural design, a little creative marketing, and the preservation of what makes a place special. But if your plan does somehow involve reusing corpse ice or sticking it to the hated scabs, you get 15 Butte bonus points.

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POSITIONED AS the premier regional center for workforce development and preparing workforceready students, Highlands College is reinventing itself by providing entry-level, continuing education, and reskilling opportunities designed to meet industry demands.

HIGHLANDS COLLEGE PREPARING THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW By Michelle Morley and Brooke Samson

As the 2-year college of Montana Technological University, Highlands College can be flexible and respond quickly to changing community and industry needs. The addition of noncredit and non-degree credentials allows Highlands College to simultaneously meet the needs of employers and learners through short-term, rapid training programs in high-demand areas. Across programs, Highlands College strives to provide transformative educational opportunities and experiences for learners of all ages in building the workforce of tomorrow. Historically at Highlands College, workforce development has been synonymous with Certificate and Associate Degree programs. While that remains the case, Highlands College as led by Dean Karen VanDaveer sought out opportunities to grow. Those opportunities came through the development of partnerships, zero-credit and school-to-work programs, and the revamping of every for-credit program. In the fall of 2021, Highlands College began updating existing for-credit curricula programs. Fall semester 2022 kicked off with a newly expanded Associate of Applied Science in Welding Technology. Students will now gain valuable experience in pipe and structural welding, and aluminum welding, in addition to the rich welding fabrication training they received in the 1-year Certificate of Applied Science program. Working with Montana Tech’s Business and Biology Departments, the 2-year Associate of Applied Science programs were revamped to align with the 4-year Bachelor of Applied Science degrees. Now students have the ability to utilize their AAS degrees as a stackable credential into a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business, or in the case of the Radiologic Technology Program, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Biology in a specific health track. The addition of zero-credit programming as well as the revamp of the for-credit programs would not have been possible without strong industry and community partnerships. Over the past year, Highlands College has strengthened the Trades and Technology Industrial Advisory Board and has established partnerships within industry and the community that, in addition with grants, has provided $2.1 million in outside funding. Funding from Silver Bow County has allowed Highlands College to purchase equipment that will provide students with the ability to train on state-of-the-art equipment and gain valuable hands-on, real-world experience. Students in the Construction Technology program will learn project management in addition to construction skills, as they build modular homes that will be available for purchase in the local and surrounding communities. A partnership with Media Training Center and Accelerate MT has introduced Butte and the surrounding communities to film production through rapid training courses offered at Highlands College.

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Whether it is updates to current curricular offerings, rapid training courses, or the development of new programs, Highlands College is staying on top of community and industry needs. MNews Fall 2022

Whether it is updates to current curricular offerings, rapid training courses, or the development of new programs, Highlands College is staying on top of community and industry needs. A partnership with Sandfire Resources of America to develop a training program for future employees of the Black Butte Copper Mine in White Sulphur Springs has been established and an official request to plan a 2-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Mining Technology was presented to the Board of Regents during the May meeting in Havre. Addressing the demand for CDL drivers has led Highlands College to become a third-party CDL skills testing center, offering an additional scheduling option for individuals with their CDL permits who need to complete the CDL skills testing. In early 2023, Highlands hopes to begin offering 6-month rapid training in Welding and Machining in a hybrid format for veterans, active members of the National Guard, military Reservists, men and women preparing to leave service, and spouses as part of a partnership with Operation Next and the nonprofit NFAMI. Participants will take their theory coursework online while continuing to work and serve, and will travel to Highlands College one weekend a month for hands-on, applied training. Credentials obtained are nationally recognized

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and portable from either the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) or the American Welding Society (AWS). Highlands College has also sought out innovation in the classroom. Funding from OCHE assisted in the purchase of simulators for Welding and Transfr virtual reality (VR) headsets that will allow students to practice skills without consuming an extensive amount of expensive material in many of the trades areas. Additionally, the headsets will be used in the high and junior high schools as part of the career exploration process, giving students the opportunity to experience the trades as part of their career exploration. An instructional designer has also been hired with outside funding to put the program coursework online, increasing Highlands College’s ability to provide flexible learning options to students. When Highlands College talks about building the workforce of tomorrow, we mean it. Dual enrollment in area high schools has expanded and now includes courses in the Trades as well as General Education courses. The demand for CDL drivers and CNAs has led to the development of two dual enrollment schoolto-work programs addressing community and industry needs

and providing high school students with training and certification in skilled, high-demand areas. Butte–Silver Bow County, Accelerate MT, and the OCHE Futures-at-Work grant provided the funding for both programs including scholarships for high school students. In early spring, Highlands College will have the privilege of hosting middle school students from the community as part of the Jobs Don’t Have Gender non-traditional workforce grant. The program will introduce students to areas that they generally don’t consider, such as female students entering the Trades or male students becoming CNAs or Radiologic Technicians. As the world and the demand for skilled workers changes, Highlands College continues to demonstrate it is up for the challenge. Whether it is the exploration and development of noncredit, non-degree, short-course rapid trainings or new Certificate and Associate Degree programs, Highlands College intends to meet the training needs of industry, the community, and learners.

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It’s an underdog story for the ages: a relatively obscure runner joins the inaugural cross country team at Montana Tech and becomes a 4-time national champion, 10-time All American, and the Women’s Track Athlete of the Year. As with most epic sagas, Becca Richtman’s ascension to become a legendary Oredigger athlete was a long, grueling grind. “It doesn’t happen overnight,” Richtman said. “It took five years, running 70ish miles a week, up to 85 miles towards the end.” The Elburn, Illinois native said she’s always loved running and competed in high school, but her collegiate career got off to a rocky start at Winona State in Minnesota. “I’ve always wanted to be great, but I didn’t even make the travel team,” Richtman remembered. She did, however, appreciate the coaching of Zach Kughn at Winona. When Coach Kughn was chosen to lead Montana Tech’s new cross country team in 2020, Richtman was the only one of Kughn’s runners to join him in the jump to Montana Tech. She was lured not only by his excellent coaching, but also by anecdotes that running at higher elevation can be beneficial for training. “It was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Richtman said. In Montana, she found the benefits of training at elevation to be true, and she grew as a runner with Kughn and the team’s support. “There’s 100 different ways to run 6 miles,” Richtman said. It is the attention to the little details that Kughn really assisted with. He helped Richtman hone her nutrition, hydration, sleep, and training schedule.

RUNNING TO WIN, AND TO INSPIRE BECC A RICHTMAN ’ S UNDERDOG JOURNE Y By Megan Strickland

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In her training, Richtman’s run in an N-95 mask to prevent exposure to wildfire smoke. She’s had her fingers poked countless times while on the treadmill as her coach used blood samples to help inform training decisions. She’s run in sweats with the heat cranked up and a humidifier going full blast to mimic the conditions of competition in southern climes. She’s committed to sleeping 10–12 hours a night. She’s missed hangouts with friends and put in hours of training on holidays. “If you want to be successful you have to run and follow the schedule, and sometimes people don’t realize that means that you run even on Christmas. I really valued waking up at 7 a.m. on Sunday to go run, ” Richtman notes. Coach Kughn said Richtman’s passion is part of what makes her a great athlete.

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“She also has had a career that wasn’t perfect—I think that’s important. As successful as she was at the end, she had her ups and downs, things both within and outside of her control.” —Coach Zach Kughn

“You have to love running,” Kughn said. “I have not found over the years that I can make someone love running. If they don’t love it, they find the door. If they do, I can certainly help stoke the fire and try to keep it lit at times, but Becca would be nothing without an intense internal passion for the sport.” However, it’s work ethic that’s driven her to be a national champion. “What I hope is never missed is her dedication and the sheer amount of work she has put in,” Kughn said. “Talent is a tricky thing to understand in our sport; she is certainly talented, but again, she would be nothing without the thousands of miles she’s put in and the off-the-track sacrifices she has made.” These are not the sacrifices most college students make. “The best athletes in our sport simply aren’t able to live like other college students,” Kughn said. “There’s no place for what a stereotypical college student is doing on Friday/Saturday nights in an elite endurance athlete’s training program. It took her some time to figure that out, but she gave it up without looking back, and her career really took off.” In fall 2020, the results of all of her hard work started to show when Richtman went undefeated for the first four meets. That April, in the NAIA National Cross Country Championships, she took third place in the 5k out of a field of 366 women. She remembers it as one of her best races. “It was a really great showing of fitness,” Richtman said. She then went on to place first in the 5,000 meter at the Frontier Conference Championship later in the month. One month later, the NAIA Championships were held in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and

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Richtman took first in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. “I won in the last 50 meters,” Richtman said of the race. She also finished out the year placing ninth in the 5,000 meter.

With a month left in her final season, Richtman continued to excel, bringing home first in the 5,000 meter, first in the 10,000 meter, and second in the 800 meter at the Frontier Conference Championships, before heading to the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Gulf Shores.

Heading into summer 2021, Richtman continued her assent to local fame. She won the Montana Mile (and was on television for that), and broke 17 minutes in the 5,000 meter.

“We had a hard month of training,” Richtman said.

As the season got underway in the fall, Richtman faced a brand new hurdle on the track: expectation. “There were so many expectations for me to win cross country Nationals,” Richtman said.

There were thunderstorms that delayed races, an annoyance to coaches and athletes who carefully time meals, hydration, and preparation practices for designated wait times. But it didn’t matter. “The prelim for the steeplechase went well, and I went into the 10K and destroyed it,” Richtman said.

The weight of those expectations burdened Richtman, and she and Kughn had to rework some of their training methods. Richtman wanted to focus on being a good leader for the team, instead of running for a gold medal. “He was fine with whatever my effort was that day,” Richtman said of Kughn’s coaching. That season she found newfound confidence and drive by running super strategically. She placed second at the Frontier Conference Cross Country Championships, and fourth in the NAIA Cross Country Championships. In March Richtman faced another grueling schedule of racing at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships: six races in 3 days, totaling 19 kilometers, with 30 minutes between races. A triple crown was within sight as Richtman clenched both the mile and the 3,000 meter race titles. However, in the 5,000 meter race she finished second by 0.3 seconds, a disappointing loss that was softened by being named MVP.

Kughn gave Richtman a final bit of coaching and she was able to leave it all on the field for her final races. She approached the final line, tears in her eyes, parents cheering in the stands, proud to have given it her all. She placed first in the 10,000 meter, second in the 5,000 meter, and second in the 3,000 steeplechase. “I earned MVP for Outdoor, which was completely unexpected,” Richtman said. She also was named Women’s Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. “It’s been a lot of hard work,” Richtman said. “It’s building block by building block.” Richtman continues to grow as a runner and as a professional. She graduated with her Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences degree in May, and is looking at continuing running as a professional. “A lot of women who run don’t peak until their 30s,” Richtman said. She has dreams of one day opening a runner’s burrito shop, chock

full of healthy ingredients where people can grab a quick meal after gathering for events that promote runners’ kinship. Prize monies for women’s track athletes aren’t incredibly lucrative, but luckily Richtman found a new gig as a track coach at Montana Tech to start her post-graduate journey. Richtman knows she likely could have found a job coaching at another school, maybe one more prestigious, but her unshakable belief in Kughn’s coaching methods convinced her to stay. “Becca has remained very loyal to me over the years, which has been extremely humbling for me,” Kughn said. “I’m incredibly grateful for her for that. She’s helped advance my career by remaining loyal, and she’s also put Montana Tech on the map seemingly overnight. That loyalty is very useful in coaching as well. Athlete buy-in is a two-way street. She will believe in her athletes. She will be extremely hard on them, but she will believe in them, and good athletes will respond well to that.” Kughn also thinks Richtman’s very outgoing, contagious attitude will be an asset. “She has a way of roping people into something just from talking with them briefly,” Kughn said. At the end of the day, it’s Richtman’s story of perseverance and dedication that Kughn thinks will shine the brightest to potential recruits. “She also has had a career that wasn’t perfect—I think that’s important,” Kughn said. “As successful as she was at the end, she had her ups and downs, things both within and outside of her control. That will help her relate to athletes as well as give them inspiration. Also, that passion will carry through. It might be even more important for a coach to have than an athlete, but she has it. If you love to run, you will love being around her, and I think she’ll draw in the type of athletes we are looking for.” MNews Fall 2022

BREWING A BETTER FUTURE Research of Kombucha SCOBYs Show They Can Be Used to Filter Water By Megan Strickland

N THE LIKELY EVENT THAT YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF A SCOBY, it’s a cellulose mat that houses the bacteria and yeast cultures that turn sweet tea into kombucha. In an interesting twist, Montana Tech researchers have found that treated kombucha SCOBYs can filter COVID-19, influenza, and malaria particles from water. The rubbery-looking blobs growing in refrigerated beakers in the Science and Engineering Building might make a casual observer wonder if the scientists working there are trying to recreate the 1990s hit film Flubber. The experiments underway in the Environmental Engineering Department do involve growing living, wobbly large globules, but they are tackling a much more serious topic than the hijinks lead actor Robin Williams undertook in the film. A team of dedicated faculty, undergraduate and graduate researchers, funded through a cooperative research program with the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory since 2019, think their discoveries show promise for developing low-cost, biodegradable water filtration membranes that also just happen to be the byproduct of brewing wildly popular kombucha beverages. If successful, the project could help save millions of lives.

Emily Rutledge treated SCOBY membranes with citric acid to try to prevent delamination of the layers. That attempt failed, but she found the treated membranes could filter out much smaller particles than untreated membranes.

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The World Health Organization estimates that 3.5 million people die from water-related diseases every year. That’s why Oredigger researchers were excited when they first realized that the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast that grows on top of and ferments kombucha could be used to filter out harmful bacteria. The living membranes were found to perform just as well as commercial membranes at removing harmful microbes from Montana streamwater, but also outperformed the commercial versions by having greater resistance to biofoul. Biofoul is the accumulation of microorganisms on the membrane that negatively impacts the membrane’s ability to filter. The commercial membranes are also much more expensive than the living membranes that are grown using three cheap and readily accessible materials: tea, sugar, and the SCOBY.

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Kombucha Ingredients

Tea

Sanitized Jar & Water

Scoby Researchers brew kambucha and experiment with SCOBY membranes, which can also serve as a water filtration membrane.

According to Environmental Engineering Professor Kumar Ganesan, the research is funded by the Army because it may eventually lead to practical uses on the battlefield. “If you are on the battlefield, and you need to filter water, you can grow your own membrane,” Ganesan said. “They can grow the membrane right there. You don’t have to have a big lab or anything shipping things to you, you just have to do some simple kombucha stuff.”

“It improved the overall filtration characteristics of the membranes,” Rutledge said. “They filter water faster, and they filter a lot smaller particles now with this treatment, so they are optimized.”

commercially. The results caused Rutledge to hypothesize that the treated SCOBYs might hold potential for filtration beyond water. “I think it could be interesting to see how these membranes could be used if they were put into a dry option, like a biodegradable mask,” Rutledge said.

Researchers are using kombucha SCOBYS to filter water in a project that could hold promise to reduce global deaths caused by unsanitary drinking water.

Emily Rutledge graduated with her M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Montana Technological University in May after defending her thesis, which explored what happens when the SCOBYs are treated with citric acid. Rutledge originally thought that she might be able to prevent delamination (a separation into layers) in the membranes. Right now, one of the biggest drawbacks to the membranes are that they only last about 10 days before delaminating. Her hypothesis failed at preventing the delamination, but another important discovery was made.

Oredigger researchers were excited when they first realized that the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast that grows on top of and ferments kombucha could be used to filter out harmful bacteria.

Time

This research, initiated in 2019 by Katherine Zodrow, and continued under the direction of David Hutchins in 2021, is now the responsibility of Dr. Ganesan. He and Professor Jin Yong Choi continued the research this summer with graduate students James Fronk and Conor Sheehy, and undergraduate students Ravyn Goodwin, Gavin Rahl, and Benjamin Schreiber. Ganesan said he would also be open to one or two high school students joining the team. The project is about to start the third year of its 5-year research program. “We need more research to prove and confirm these ideas about practical usability,” Ganesan said. “That’s what we are working on now.”

Rutledge’s research successfully created membranes with smaller pore sizes that can filter out viruses such as influenza, COVID-19, and malaria. The treatments also created uniformity in the pores of the membrane, which is important if the membranes are ever to be used

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Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology:

SUPPORTING MONTANA’S ECONOMY By Susan Barth

From the beginning, Montana’s economy has been based on managing and developing our natural resources: first the land itself, then silver and gold, copper, molybdenum, and other metals and minerals. Coal, oil, and gas deposits quickly became a primary foundation of eastern Montana’s livelihood. As deposits were depleted and new methods and needs developed, Montana was mined for platinum, palladium, sapphires, phosphorus, sand and gravel, talc, bentonite, and even crushed stone. Throughout all of these endeavors, since 1919, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) has been tasked with providing research and information for the sound use of all of Montana’s geological and water resources—directly supporting vital parts of Montana’s economy.

Economic Geology When the MBMG was originally created by the Montana Legislature, it was named the “Montana State Bureau of Mines and Metallurgy,” with the narrower mission of helping to develop the mineral resources of Montana and improving the safety and efficacy of mining operations. Since then these functions have become a smaller part of the MBMG’s work, but in recent years our Economic Geology department has once again begun to grow—most recently in response to the U.S.’s need for critical mineral commodities. Critical mineral commodities may not be something many people are familiar with—but they are integral to our modern lives, from cell phones to electric batteries, from windmills to fighter jets and MRIs. The U.S. Geological Survey and the White House Office of Science & Technology recently designated a total of 50 critical mineral commodities, including 15 rare earth elements and platinum group elements (a few examples: cerium, dysprosium, erbium, gadolinium…). These are “critical” because their supply is vulnerable to inadequate U.S. production, and geopolitical complications related to foreign supply chains. But before we can jump into mining these elements, we need to know what we have.

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Kaleb Scarberry, a geologist at the MBMG, is a lead investigator on a recently funded 5-year project to identify sources of critical mineral commodities in Montana, specifically in the Boulder Batholith formations around southwest Montana and abandoned mine lands. “The aim of my study,” Kaleb said, “is to use the abandoned mine lands as portals into the different mineral systems. We’ll go out and visit them, inspect the sites, and collect a bunch of samples. The goal is to get a suite of samples that represents the breadth of the Batholith in terms of its footprint, but also that samples those different mineral systems. I’m not just out there answering some academic question for a handful of people. I’m doing something that has implications for a much broader audience.” Another important team member is geologist Ryan Davison, a recent MBMG hire who is based in our Billings office. Ryan is also on the hunt for critical mineral commodities, but in coalbeds and associated sediments in central and eastern Montana. “It’s a pretty big deal,” Ryan said, “because nobody’s ever really done a study like this one, looking at almost the entire state and all the coal basins to get an idea of what resources Montana has in terms of rare earth and critical minerals. I’m also involved with North Dakota and their study of critical mineral commodities in the Williston Basin, and with Wyoming in their study of critical mineral commodities in the Powder River Basin. I think it’s really a long-term project, where the economic benefit’s going to be if I can find these areas with promising commodity potential—it could potentially be a huge economic resource for the state of Montana.” Adrian Van Rythoven, the MBMG’s new Economic Geologist, agrees. He’s working on finding critical mineral commodities in the Phosphoria Formation. This rock formation in Montana was mined in the previous century for only phosphorus. “The Phosphoria information may be an amazing resource for our great grandkids,” Adrian said. “These critical mineral commodities, along with a phosphate byproduct, could be mined by future generations to help meet America’s resource demand. The great thing is you can also combine the search with remediation. Many mine waste sites in Montana we’re looking at need remediation anyway, and it could defray or possibly provide a surplus over the environmental costs to clean up these sites, with the right technology and the right industry partners.” Though part of Adrian’s job is to assist with mining, “what I’m professionally most interested in is looking at these legacies of mining. Yes, it’s a bad thing having environmental impacts like an acidic pond, but it’s also an opportunity to develop a lot of technologies that have application in the state and globally.”

Environmental Studies and Hazards The MBMG’s Environmental Studies Program also tackles Montana’s mining legacies, though primarily in terms of water. Led by Ted Duaime, this team undertakes site-specific investigations with an emphasis on water quality, water level, and discharge from abandoned mines. Some of these projects extend in various forms over decades, such as MBMG monitoring of the Berkeley Pit and underground mines in Butte, and abandoned coal mines in Belt. Other topical studies have related to the presence of organic compounds in groundwater,

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reclamation of dryland salinity problems throughout central and south-central Montana, and elevated concentrations of antimony and arsenic in drinking water supplies. In order to keep developing Montana’s economy responsibly, our staff monitor our water to keep Montanans safe. Our Hazards team focuses on different threats to Montana and its economy, including earthquakes, landslides, and floods. MBMG geologists Mike Stickney and Yann Gavillot use traditional seismic stations and fault mapping, but also new technologies such as paleoseismology, radiometric dating techniques, and remote sensing techniques using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to identify new active faults and update Montana’s Quaternary fault database used for the National Seismic Hazards Maps.

Water A major change in the development of the MBMG over the years has been the initiation and tremendous growth of our hydrogeology programs. Water has been and always will be critical to human life, but is also an important resource for mining, agriculture, and many other economic endeavors. Our programs study the health and supply of the State’s aquifers as a whole, including groundwater and surface water, and targeted investigations of groundwater concerns in particular areas. According to Ginette Abdo, the head of the MBMG’s Ground Water Investigation Program, “Our work looks at the implications of water resources on groundwater and surface water related to Montana’s economy, which is heavily dependent on recreation, agriculture, and development sectors. For instance, we evaluate how pumping groundwater may reduce flows to streams or how irrigation practices affect groundwater, streamflow, and temperatures. Decreased stream flow and high stream temperatures can stress a fishery, resulting in stream closures that affect recreational use. Groundwater quantity and quality affect the productivity of agricultural land. Our work also affects the development economy, especially in areas with high growth such as Big Sky and the Flathead, Bitterroot, and Helena Valleys.”

Data Preservation Another area of the MBMG that has seen recent growth is our Data Preservation group. It’s not very useful to have decades of information about Montana if you don’t know what you have, or can’t get access to it. Our Mining Archives repository includes thousands of mining-related maps and files for Montana mining properties. The information ranges from engineering, geologic, and historical reports to photographs, correspondence, and production information. With funding support from the Montana State Legislature, the MBMG team has begun digitizing documents and maps in the collection to preserve them electronically and make them accessible online to the public. Data preservation is a cornerstone to nearly all of our mineral resource investigations and often serves as the first stop for exploration geologists in the public sector. In fact, much of our information is unpublished geologic data collected over the past 100 years by private-sector geologists.

Geology Underpinning all of our above work is, of course, geology. It’s in our name, and it’s in everything we do. Since 1919 MBMG mappers have gone out into the field across Montana, mapping the geology that tells us where water could be, where minerals might lie, and where people can best live and work the land. Geologic maps tell us about hazards such as faults and landslide risks, and point the way to possible sources of REEs. We continue to go out and map with new technologies, and are constantly discovering new information, and new ways to apply it.

While the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology may not be a household name across Montana, our work is critical to our economy. In cooperation with Federal and State agencies and the private sector, we work every day on research and fieldwork that apply directly—long- and short-term—to each and every Montanan in some way, and continue to help Montana’s economy grow.

MNews Fall 2022

OREDIGGER SPOTLIGHT

DYLAN YARGER Dylan Yarger arrived on the Montana Tech campus in August 2020, ready to begin his journey as a student-athlete.

All of Yarger’s dreams were coming true, as the South Anchorage High School graduate traveled from Alaska to Montana to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering and play on the football team. The first year playing for Coach Kyle Samson’s Orediggers was a whirlwind. Yarger spent time in the classroom, on the field, and in the weight room. He began to form lifelong friendships and explore the great Montana outdoors. Unfortunately, things changed during a summer workout going into his sophomore year. While going through an on-field drill during the second week of summer workouts, Yarger hurt his knee. “I had done that drill a million times,” Yarger said. “But this time, something was different.” The pain was excruciating at first, but then went away. He hoped no major damage had been done and he would be back on the field soon. To be safe, Yarger went to Montana Orthopedics and saw orthopedic surgeon and team doctor, Dr. Nick DiGiovine, who ordered an MRI. The results showed Yarger had torn his ACL in his left knee. In July 2021, Dr. DiGiovine surgically repaired his ACL. Yarger rehabbed his

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knee for several months during the COVID pandemic. However, he decided that he did not want to continue to play football and would only focus on his academics. Although he wouldn’t suit up for the Orediggers any longer, he wanted to continue to be a part of Digger Athletics. In the void that was once jam-packed with intense football practice, training, and Saturday games, Yarger started filling his time with another passion: art. He had dabbled in art while in high school, but at Montana Tech, his talent truly revealed itself. Injured student-athletes spend a lot of time with the athletic trainers. During rehab sessions, Yarger began to talk to the trainers about his artwork. The trainers passed the information along to Dr. DiGiovine. In February 2021, Dr. DiGiovine asked Yarger to create an art piece that he and his wife, Judy, could donate to the Digger Auction, which raises money for Digger Athletics. Yarger agreed

and began working on the art. After picking up the supplies he needed, he began working on the most significant piece he has ever completed, which took 80 hours to finish. “I used to work on the painting every spare minute I had. I watched a few YouTube videos. I had never used oil paints before, except maybe elementary school watercolor projects.” He worked on the painting in his home in Butte, in a small corner he made into his art studio. “This was a tremendous learning experience, and now I am completely hooked on oils. I believe this was a pivotal turning point in my art pursuits.” The finished piece, which featured three buffalo on a cold winter day in Montana, was unveiled to a packed crowd during the Digger Auction. Yarger stood next to his work, amazed at the interest from the crowd during the annual event. The auctioneer called out the opening bid for item #10. Paddles rose across the room

excitedly as the auctioneer increased the bid. The piece was a favorite during the evening auction and raised a solid amount for the Orediggers. “I was honored to create something for the Digger Auction. I wanted to create something bigger and better than anything I had done,” Yarger noted. He is currently working on an even larger canvas painting—a 3 foot x 4 foot oil painting of a trout. “I never really put effort into art until I went to college,” said Yarger. “I like it and enjoy working with oils. These projects have given me the confidence that if I put the time in, I can make something look how it should.” Art emerged within Yarger after a tragic experience. It has fueled a passion within him and will become part of his life’s journey as he works towards his degree and graduation in 2024, and a future in the aviation field.

MNews Fall 2022

Seventeen years and more than 8,000 miles separate Dr. George Mwaniki from his present-day office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to the mountainsides of Butte, Montana. But as he looks back on his successful career as an environmental scientist, it was his time far away in America that played a pivotal role in catapulting him into a position of influence among stakeholders working to fight global climate change.

As world leaders weigh sending humanitarian aid to help stave off looming famine, Mwaniki’s sights have long been set on achieving goals meant to curb climate change’s impacts for generations to come. In his position as advisor at a regional thinktank, Mwaniki used his scientific background to advise the African group of negotiators that took part in the COP 21 talks in Paris, France, in 2015. He also was a major player in developing Kenya’s climate change bill and policy that was later signed into law by the nation’s President. “It went very well,” Mwaniki said of his work. Mwaniki has jumped into the climate finance community as well, to help communities in eight different African countries access funds that can make a difference on the climate front.

Today Mwaniki is the Head of Air Quality–Africa for the World Resources Institute, but in fall 2005, he was a freshly minted graduate of the University of Nairobi, entering his first term of Montana Tech’s Environmental Engineering master’s program. “Montana Tech was a great foundation for me,” Mwaniki said. “Professor Holly Peterson was one of those people you meet in life who change your trajectory. After I finished my master’s, she was actually the one who introduced me to the team at Washington State University. Looking back, I see her hand a lot in what I do.” Mwaniki earned his doctorate in Environmental Science (Atmospheric Sciences) at WSU.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE Environmental Engineering Alumnus Tackles Climate Change, Air Pollution on Global Stage By Megan Strickland

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After interning with the Environmental Protection Agency, and working briefly with the agency’s Region 10 office, Mwaniki made the decision to move back home to Nairobi. Ever since, he’s been a dedicated changemaker, influencing international global policy on climate change and air quality. “The issue of climate is very close to my heart, because I do see a lot of suffering,” Mwaniki said. “In Kenya, for instance, we are going through a 4-year continuous drought. In the Horn of Africa there is a lot of suffering. People are losing their herds of cows. There is no water. Farmers are not able to produce. These kinds of things push you to see if you can come up with a solution.” The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a new report on July 5 that noted the March–May 2022 rainy season in the Horn of Africa as the third driest in seven decades. The agency has called the drought a “climatic event not seen in at least 40 years.” The agency estimates that 19.4 million people have been impacted, with 18.6 million facing high levels of food insecurity. At least 7 million livestock have died, and eight countries are at risk of falling into famine by September 2022.

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In Memory We extend sympathy to the families of the following alumni who have passed away over the past few months.

1960s

1990s

John G. Bjeletich ‘60 BS Metallurgical Engineering, ‘62 M Metallurgical Engineering

Louise A. Parks ‘95 Certificate Licensed Practical Nursing

Darwin D. Ekstrom ‘62 BS Metallurgical Engineering

Robert York, ‘95 Certificate Drafting Technician

Clifford P. Kavanaugh ‘66 BS Metallurgical Engineering James E. Thompson ‘60 BS Metallurgical Engineering “The beauty of that is, because I’m local, I do understand the local context,” Mwaniki said. “If you are designing a project, a lot of the knowledge and the systems are unspoken, so you have to be a part of the community to really understand how you can come up with a solution that works, that is sustainable. In the countries we worked with, it worked very well, and they keep calling for help to look for additional funding.” Mwaniki also helped write a report on the needs of African nations that was used to inform the negotiators of the UN COP 26 climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021. “I led the African work, looking at the climate change needs of African countries, ” Mwaniki said. “Last year climate change brought a lot of tension globally, and I hope from that climate initiatives can be shifted to the domestic needs of countries.” He has also worked for the United Nations Environmental Programme as an Air Quality Specialist, where he helped draft the first report detailing the actions that governments around the globe are taking to improve air quality. The program has determined that it wants reports of this nature generated every other year, and Mwaniki just finished his second report, which focused solely on actions being taken in Africa. “We are looking at what has been done and what still needs to be done for transformational change in air pollution,” Mwaniki said.

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In his current position as Head of Air Quality for Africa for the World Resources Institute, he’s helping spearhead projects to improve air quality across the African continent. Air quality is another serious global health issue, with the World Health Organization estimating that polluted air kills 7 million people annually. As his diligence continues to translate into meaningful projects and policies meant to build a better future, Mwaniki has some advice for other prospective international students about how his time on campus helped mold him into a leader of international magnitude. “Coming to Montana Tech, I wasn’t sure,” Mwaniki said of his decision to attend. “For heaven’s sake, it’s a very cold place, but I was able to meet some really good people and interact with the American culture, which is very different in Butte, small city America.” In the end, the experience of living in The Mining City was a major asset to Mwaniki’s career. “To do well in Butte you have to get to know people, and communicate your truth. Understanding that culture and speaking up for yourself, engaging people who probably see you as ‘different,’ it was actually quite rewarding, because this is what you do in everyday life. You never meet people who have the same opinion.”

Tammie A. Engle ‘98 AAS Office Technology

2000s 1970s David W. Kneebone ‘71 BS Engineering Science, ‘82 BS Occupational Safety & Health Robert Stuart ‘70 BS Mathematics Thomas P. Richmond ‘71 BS Petroleum Engineering

1980s

Gregg R. Ninefeldt ’05 A GIS/GPS Patricia F. Wright ‘04 BS Liberal Studies

2010s Eric B. Adreon ‘14, BS Liberal Studies Noah R. McEwen ’12 AS Nursing, ’13 BS Nursing

Marci Sheehan ‘89 BS Society & Technology JoAnn Lewis ‘85 AA Associate of Arts, ‘87 BS Business Administration John M. Stannard ‘85 BS Engineering Science

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Articles inside

Digging In | 6 Meet the Foundation CEO

Metallurgical Engineering Celebrates 100 Years