About Us | reumissoula

This year's REU team has taken their idea of education to the next level. In addition to honing their skills in the lab and exploring the many aspects of environmental chemisty, they have taken it upon themselves to expand their horizons outside of the classroom. These six students enjoy sharing their personal cultures and traditions with each other. Besides hosting a weekly family day, they make a point of taking weekend trips together to explore Montana's diverse cultures, Native heritage and natural beauty.

Our Team.

Amari Guardipee is attending Blackfeet Community College, located on the reservation of the Pikuni tribe. She is working in the analytical/separations lab of Christopher Palmer, helping with the characterization of wood smoke particulates, specifically polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS). Outside of lab, Guardipee likes swimming, reading, eating, and especially hiking. While working for the Montana Conservation Corps she lived in the backcountry for a month!

Amari Guardipee

Catie Wielgasz, originally from Buffalo, NY, comes to REU via Castleton University, VT. This is the 20-year-old's first time in Montana and she is working with professor Michael DeGrandpre (PhD in Analytical Chemistry) on developing a more energy and cost efficient way to measure ocean water acidification. When Wielgasz is not in the lab, the former gymnast is doing handstands along the curb or singing along to Disney movies with her sisters.

Catherine Wielgasz

Sheridan M'Kayle Running Rabbit is a 2015 Browning High School graduate and soon to be Salish-Kootnei College freshman. She came to REU to immerse herself in science; at 17, Running Rabbit is working with chemicals for the first time in her life. Currently, she is working with researcher Tony Ward on his project to improve air quality in rural areas. She enjoys country, gangster rap, emotional R&B and venturing off into the unknown with her loved ones.

Sheridan Running Rabbit

Gail Crawford, an environmental chemistry researcher, is working with professor Ed Rosenburg on synthesizing complex compounds. Crawford's goal is to return home to the Blackfeet Reservation to conserve and clean up the area's natural resources. Being an avid hiker and sight seer, she would love to keep Montana's beautiful scenery intact for future generations to enjoy. Even when she's not in lab, chemistry is part of Crawford's everyday life--she has already changed her hair color four times this year.

Gail Crawford

Laura Bancroft, a rising junior at Wellesley College, has been in love with chemistry since high school. Bancroft's insatiable curiosity serves her well in her work identifying compounds at Rivertop Renewables; her research explores the environmentally friendly and sustainable sides of the chemical industry. Originally from Falmouth, Massachusetts, Bancroft came to Missoula to experience Montana's natural beauty and to participate in new cultural experiences. Besides school, she is part of Wellesley's crew team and begins her rows on the Charles River at 5:30 each morning in the fall and spring.

Laura Bancroft

Robin England came to REU by way of Blackfeet Community College and is a member of both the Blackfeet and Haida tribes. She is currently working with Tony Ward and Curtis Noonan with their study in Air Quality in Rural Areas. England holds associate degrees in criminal justice and social work. She is also a Montana State Certified Nursing Assistant and First Responder. She has volunteered in many capacities within the community, including founding a community clothing store providing new and used clothing for local children, and promoting local beautification and regular clean-up activities around and near Browning. England also enjoys horses, mountains, and clear fresh waters.