Our Staff

Suzi Taylor is Director of the Science Math Resource Center. She has a long history of leading outreach programs for Montana State University, including serving as MSU lead for Montana NSF EPSCoR's Track 1 projects, and partnering with faculty on programs funded by NASA, USDA, the Department of Energy and other agencies to create outreach projects that support the citizens of Montana. Suzi has a special interest in reaching youth in Montana's smallest and most rural communities. Her favorite projects have included launching a geospatial skills camp for rural Montana youth; working with 40 Montana classrooms as they virtually followed an MSU geology expedition to Mount Everest; and leading a statewide geocaching project tied to the Montana Climate Assessment.

Suzi also serves as executive director of the Montana Science Teachers Association and as co-leader of the Montana Girls STEM Collaborative, a statewide network of adults who collaborate to engage and inspire girls. She also served on the advisory board for The STEM Effect, a National Science Foundation-supported project that examines the long-term impacts of STEM programs for girls.

Jeannie Chipps serves as SMRC's associate director and facilitates professional development at the Science Math Resource Center. As a former high school science teacher and after school science team coach and makerspace director, she enjoys working with teachers to create learning environments that support diverse learners. She has been leading professional development for the Next Generation Science Standards with a focus on environmental chemistry since 2017.

Elizabeth provides administrative support to SMRC staff, including before, during, and after Montana's Science Olympiad. She has spent her career in marketing communications roles, most of which were related to science and engineering.

Molly Iversen does outreach work for K-12 students in Montana related to Quantum science with the goal of awareness and workforce development. Major projects include activities related to World Quantum Day, Quantum summer camp, and preservice teacher training. Molly has worked in the world of informal education for many years – and truly enjoys finding creative ways to communicate complex science concepts to a variety of audiences. 

Molly completed her Masters of Science in Science Education and her Bachelors of Science in Geology both at Montana State University. 

Fenqjen Luo is the former associate director of the Science Math Resource Center and founder of the Montana Mathematics Circle, a club for aspiring mathematicians in Montana middle and high schools. Fenqjen implemented the American Math Competitions and Math Summer Camps on the MSU campus.

She received her Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently a faculty member at the MSU Department of Education.

Growing up in Southern California,Daria spent a lot of time in summer and afterschool programs focused on youth empowerment and development. She is excited about paying it forward. At SMRC, she does the important work of coordinating and logistics. She has a BS in Mathematics from the University of Washington, where she also studied computer science. She  worked for many years in very serious roles in the defense industry as a machine learning and software engineer but has maintained a heart-connection to youth programs via volunteering and mentoring. Her pic shows her and Peewee the dog (with his removed kidney in a jar) at a taxidermy shop in Reno, Nevada.

Rebecca supports and disseminates the research and activities of the Montana NSF EPSCoR SMART FIRES project through communications, education, and outreach.

She holds an M.S. in Plant Biology from Arizona State University and a B.S. in Archaeology from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. Rebecca brings a broad background spanning science, nonprofit and business administration, education, design, and communications.