DayOne 2026

For more than 125 years, Montana Tech has educated problem-solvers and builders. Metallurgical & Materials Engineering (MME) continues that legacy by igniting curiosity, opening doors, and welcoming the next generation of Orediggers.

Investing in Upgraded Facilities

Over the past year, the Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Department has acquired approximately $2 million in new research equipment. These resources support faculty and staff research while providing undergraduate students with hands-on experience in characterization, analysis, and processing through research opportunities and classroom instruction.

Exciting additions include pilot-scale reactors, a twin-screw extruder, solvent-extraction cells, and a direct-current sintering furnace. As the department’s capabilities grow, upgrades and modifications to laboratory spaces in the Engineering Laboratory and Classroom Building are needed to accommodate both new and existing equipment.

DayOne support will help the department complete these essential laboratory upgrades, ensuring that each piece of equipment can be operated safely and effectively while expanding opportunities for student learning and discovery.

Building the Pipeline Through the Summer Program

The fourth annual Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Summer Program was a glowing success, welcoming 30 high school students from six states to Montana Tech.

Highlights of the 2026 program included partnering with Hungry Hill to glaze and fire slip-cast flowerpots, touring the underground mine at the World Museum of Mining, visiting Sibanye-Stillwater’s smelter and refinery, and touring Magris Talc. Students also enjoyed competitive, hands-on activities such as designing and building bridges and welding flowers to accompany their finished pots.

The program’s impact continues well beyond the summer. This fall, Montana Tech welcomed its largest group of former program participants into several majors, including Metallurgical & Materials, Petroleum, and Electrical Engineering. Since its beginning, the program has brought 113 high school students to campus, with more than 20 choosing to join the Montana Tech family.

DayOne support helps this successful program continue to grow, introducing more young people to Montana Tech and strengthening the pipeline of students interested in metallurgical and materials engineering, the extractive industries, and rewarding STEM careers

Why Your DayOne Gift Matters

The success of the 2026 camp demonstrates what DayOne donors make possible. A gift to Metallurgical and Materials Engineering supports continued improvements to the facilities and hands-on learning environments that serve current students while also sustaining the MME Summer Program and other high-impact outreach efforts.

Your support helps keep the summer program accessible to students, regardless of their financial circumstances, introduces more young people to materials, metals, and the world of engineering, and builds a strong pipeline of future engineers and Orediggers.

Double Your Impact

During DayOne 2026, alumnus Mark Johnson ’81 will match gifts to the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Outreach and Recruitment Fund dollar for dollar up to $12,500.

That means every gift will have twice the impact in supporting student recruitment, access, and hands-on learning.

Join Us and Share the Momentum

Your generosity helps Montana Tech honor over125 years of “learn by doing” while investing in the next century of Oredigger innovation. Thank you for your support and please help us spread the word! Share this project on social media, by email and tell your friends!