Talk of the Town: Fick Faculty Speaker Series Featuring Dr. Joe Eason

February 19, 2026

The University of Montana Western is pleased to announce the second event in the Talk of the Town Fick Faculty Speaker Series, which celebrates faculty innovation in teaching, research, and scholarship. Dr. Joe Eason will present on engaging students in math and science through course-based research projects on March 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the Andrus Hotel Gathering Place.

Each semester, one faculty member is recognized with an honorific title and award and shares their work through a public presentation in Dillon. The series highlights the many ways UMW faculty enrich student learning and the broader community while celebrating excellence and strengthening the connection between UMW and Dillon.

As this semester’s award recipient, Dr. Eason will discuss how he engages students in mathematics and science through course-based research projects. His work includes student investigations into how ant worker decision-making leads to ecological changes at the Hogsback, along with newly launched projects that use student-collected data to analyze astronomical phenomena.

Dr. Eason earned a B.S. in Mathematics and a B.S. in Physics from Utah State University and a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Utah. He is committed to helping students succeed by facilitating engaging discussions, mentoring research experiences, and incorporating hands-on applications into his teaching. His research focuses on modeling biological systems, with an emphasis on spatial ecology.

The Fick Faculty Speaker Series is more than an honor — it is a bridge between campus and community. By recognizing faculty contributions, the series fosters a culture of collaboration, demonstrates UMW’s commitment to student success, and upholds the core values upon which our institution was founded.

This event is free and open to the public. We hope you will join us in celebrating and connecting UMW faculty with the community.