Great Falls, MT: Where Great Minds Meet the Great Outdoors

University of Providence

Great Falls, MT, is a beautiful area with a tight-knit community and easy access to the great outdoors. While many move to the region because of those perks, it’s also home to cutting-edge research across a variety of fields. Drawing in researchers and teachers to its local universities, Great Falls is known for cultivating talent.

Making the Move

Dr. Eleazar Ortega, executive director of institutional effectiveness at Great Falls College Montana State University, moved to the area from Southern California after graduate school. She wanted to live out of state and applied to several jobs before choosing Great Falls as her destination.

The transition brought a bounty of advantages.

“What I have enjoyed the most is the stress-free lifestyle,” Ortega says. “In Los Angeles, we all seemed to be in a rush, but that isn’t the culture here.”

Unlike Ortega, Dr. Kevin Miller, an assistant professor of exercise science at the University of Providence, came from an area similar to Great Falls in pace. He was looking for a place that would be equally as beautiful and outdoor-oriented as his former home in Laramie, Wyoming.

“Although we were coming from somewhere with strong outdoor opportunities, I was surprised by just how much access there is here to a wide range of outdoor recreation within such a short distance,” he says.

On the other hand, Dr. Tiffany Hensley-McBain, an associate professor at the Weissman Hood Institute and a dean of research at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, grew up in Great Falls before moving away. She and her family returned to Great Falls from Washington in 2018.

“Getting to do innovative research in a town where we can raise our kids and get around with ease was a dream,” she says.

Leading the Way

While defined by its tranquil surroundings, Great Falls serves as a dynamic center for innovation. The region’s supportive infrastructure empowers professionals to push the boundaries of research while maintaining an enviable work-life balance.

“The most rewarding aspect of the move has been the combination of meaningful work and quality family life,” says Miller, who has a master’s degree in kinesiology and a doctorate in biomedical sciences.

Now on faculty at the University of Providence’s Exercise Science Program, Miller is in the midst of several research projects, including one on nicotine withdrawal and its effect on athletic performance, and another related to understanding how an athlete’s access to resources can influence their knowledge and behavior surrounding hydration.

Hensley-McBain runs a research lab that studies how immune responses can cause damage and disease when “overreacting.” Her research focuses on how this may relate to Alzheimer’s disease.

From the partnership between the Weissman Hood Institute and Touro College to the individuals volunteering through HERO (Help Expand Research Opportunities), she says the region is a powerhouse for collaborative science where diverse minds meet to solve challenges.

Ortega works in institutional effectiveness, ensuring compliance with institutional accreditation standards and supporting strategic planning. Recently, she completed work with the Data Institute, conducting research on the retention rates of part-time students. She says that many are surprised by how detailed the statistical analysis process can be, but it can prove invaluable in understanding how to better support students.

Courtesy of Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine

“Great Falls is a wonderful place to embrace an education in science or medicine,” Hensley-McBain says. “We have a world-class research institute, a health system that is embracing cutting-edge approaches to health care, the first nonprofit medical school in the state, and undergraduate universities that provide excellent support for science and technical career paths.”

In Great Falls, professionals find the unique opportunity to pioneer scientific breakthroughs while enjoying a peaceful, purposeful life.