The University of Montana is a major contributor to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) $41 million award announced today to Montana’s Headwaters Tech Hub as part of the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program. EDA awarded a total of $504 million to only twelve Tech Hubs across the nation out of more than 300 initial applications.

“The Headwaters Tech Hub is a big win for UM, Montana and this entire region of the country,” said UM President Seth Bodnar. “This is a catalyst for what will be a truly transformative impact for our state and region through the advancement of photonic smart sensors for application in natural resource management and autonomous systems.”

Managing and supporting the five component projects that constitute the overall effort will be a newly created Headwaters Tech Hub Office.

“Accelerate Montana looks forward to supporting Montana’s innovators, entrepreneurs and individuals seeking to engage in the exciting economic and workforce opportunities that the Headwaters Tech Hub presents.” said Paul Gladen, director of Accelerate Montana, the organization which will host the office.

The EDA application consists of several component projects each funded separately.  UM is the lead on the Autonomous Smart Systems and Integrated Sensor Testbeds (ASSIST) component project. Funded at nearly $15 million the ASSIST project will establish a network of testbeds equipped with capabilities for final-stage development, testing and demonstration of smart remote sensing instruments and autonomous uncrewed systems.

“Montana’s universities are playing a key role in developing the technologies that will shape our future. In recent years, we have been national leaders in the growth of university research, which enriches our students’ education and leads directly to new business and jobs in Montana.” Said Montana Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian. “Our MUS institutions have been a dedicated partner with the Headwaters Tech Hub and look forward to achieving new levels of national and global importance for Montana, that will transform fields ranging from agriculture to national defense to resource management. I couldn’t be more pleased with the Tech Hub’s success.”

ASSIST consists of three testbeds at four sites across Montana. The Rugged Terrain testbed will enable final-stage testing of vehicles, sensors and software for traversing remote, inaccessible, complex and rugged terrain like forest, scrubland and mountainous areas at UM’s W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation Lubrecht Experimental Forest and underground mines at the Underground Mine and Education Center (UMEC) at Montana Technological University. A Precision Agriculture testbed at Montana State University’s Lutz Farm, working with Grand Farm North Dakota will support innovation in regional agricultural practices using remote sensing and autonomous technologies. The third testbed is On/Off Highway and is a partnership between RDO Equipment Co. and the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to create innovation corridors on the regional public highway system for the rapid adoption of technologies.

“This funding from the EDA, with generous match funding from HTH partners, will lead to creation of world-class testbeds in the state. The availability of these facilities will enable state-based companies to conduct realistic final-stage testing of products prior to manufacturing and will attract innovative businesses to Montana to test and demonstrate their most recent advancements,” said Scott Whittenburg, vice president for research and creative scholarship at UM and lead of the ASSIST component project.

The testbed at UMEC will provide a particularly difficult trial for uncrewed vehicles due to the difficulty in autonomous navigation in a mine where wireless signals and GPS are weak or non-existent.

“The Montana Tech field testing station to be located adjacent to campus will repurpose mine lands and leverage the underground mining education center,” According to Angela Lueking, vice chancellor for research and dean of the graduate school at Montana Technological University, “These testing facilities will including rugged terrain, elevation changes, and access to underground mining tunnels that provide GPS restricted and submerged environments. Expansion of these facilities through the HTH will benefit faculty, students, and the community.”

U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines have played a pivotal, bipartisan effort in ensuring Montana is at the forefront of this landmark achievement for the region.

Contact: Scott Whittenburg, Vice President for Research and Creative Scholarship, 406-243-6670, [email protected]