NSF Award
2321889
This planning project supports the University of Montana, Montana’s Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium to work together to identify each partner’s specific cyberinfrastructure need and to identify the scientific research projects that benefit from improved connectivity. Robust, high-speed network connections provide access to online resources, opportunities for collaboration, and the ability to teach and learn at a distance. Representatives from the Montana University System, industry partners, and other infrastructure experts will join the effort by attending a workshop aimed at identifying technical solutions and costs for improving TCU Internet connectivity. The project will create a plan for Montana’s Tribal Colleges and Universities to achieve digital equity in which everyone has access to the same online resources regardless of location or socioeconomic situation. <br/> <br/>The improved Internet connectivity will enable Montana's TCUs to expand their research and academic activities while strengthening their position as institutions of choice, attracting students, educators, and researchers expecting access to advanced resources and services. In addition, the planning process is helping to identify and facilitate opportunities for collaborations between institutions and researchers while furthering Montana’s ability to develop a comprehensive regional higher-education Cyberinfrastructure Plan. The outcome of this effort is a well thought-out and designed plan to be used for securing funding to address Montana’s digital equity gap.<br/><br/>This award by the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure is jointly supported by the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
