Translation of scientific discoveries and engineering innovations is a critical aspect of the STEM landscape, and as a STEM-focused institution, also an emerging part of a Montana Tech education.  In Academic Year 2024, Montana Tech inventors submitted 8 provisional patents and 2 full utility patents, with over 90% of these applications including student inventors. With ~200 active researchers at Montana Tech, this represents a 4-fold increase in patent activity since 2021 baselines.  In Summer 2024, Montana Tech will be supplementing inventorship with opportunities for students to translate their invention to practice.  A new ‘Entrepreneur in Training’ (EIT) program, in partnership with the federally designated Headwaters Technology Hub (HTH) and our MilTech partners, and our newest partner Office of Technology Translation Research at Montana State University, will train students to perform a technology viability assessment (TVA) of Montana Tech inventions.  EITs will consist of both student inventors as well as business-focused students that are looking to understand the start-up and venture capital space.  The student-led TVA will be used to inform both the University and outside investors on the likelihood that these inventions will move to commercialization, based on competition, scalability, manufacturability, and compatibility with an existing portfolio.

Research is a pillar of STEM education at Montana Tech.
Research is a pillar of STEM education at Montana Tech. See how our researchers are developing technologies of the future.
Montana Tech Char Lab
Meet the students working in Montana Tech's Biochar Lab, who assist Dr. Rick LaDouceur in novel separation techniques using biochar. Biochar resembles charcoal, and is the substance that is left over after biomass has been burned. A lot of research has been done on the properties of biochar made from agriculture or forest products. LaDouceur’s lab has focused on finding a way to turn hemp stalks into a viable biochar product.
Technology Commercialization and Start-ups

As a graduate student, your education will be translational. You'll take work from the lab, to be put into practice in the field.

Alumni stories
Alum fights global climate change

Dr. George Mwaniki is Head of Air Quality, Africa at World Resources Institute.

Kombucha SCOBYS used to filter water

Emily Rutledge, M.S. Environmental Engineering, '22 focused her research on innovative water filtration techniques.

Tech alum, professor participate in COP27

Montana Tech alumnus, Emily Rutledge, and assistant professor of Civil Engineering, Dr. Jessica Daignault participate in COP 27.

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Graduate School Office
MUS 210 & MUS 211
(406) 496-4781
GradSchool@mtech.edu