2022. architecture cell biology & neuroscience chemical and biological engineering chemistry & biochemistry civil & environmental engineering computer science directed interdisciplinary studies (honors college) ecology land resources & environmental sciences material sciences mathematical sciences mechanical & industrial engineering microbiology & immunology microbiology & cell biology modern languages & literature undergraduate studies the center for biofilm engineering's undergraduate research experience (ure) was founded by director j.w. (bill) costerton and ryan jordan in the late 1990s. phd candidate (and subsequent senior research engineer at the cbe) jordan directed the cbe's first ure students as part of a backcountry water quality program in yellowstone national park and the bridger-teton wilderness where ure students under jordan's direction became the first researchers to identify the role of biofilm in the failure of portable water treatment filters used in disaster relief, military, and outdoor recreation applications. undergraduate students are hired as undergraduate research assistants and work in cbe laboratories as members of research teams on interdisciplinary biofilm projects. cbe undergraduates are encouraged to acquire competence in laboratory skills, experimental design and group communication. since 1990, 1,254 undergraduates from 15 disciplines have worked on laboratory biofilm projects under the direction of cbe-affiliated faculty members. during the academic year 2021-22, 59 undergraduates trained at the cbe, including 39 females and 20 males. graduate studies graduate students pursue their degree in a discipline offered through one of the science, agriculture, or engineering departments at montana state university while they conduct their research in cbe laboratories. student graduate committees are typically interdisciplinary. the student and graduate committee members select coursework appropriate for the student's interests and degree program. engineering students are encouraged to take microbiology courses; science students are encouraged to take relevant engineering coursework. graduate students acquire experience by designing and performing research that crosses traditional academic discipline boundaries and has direct impact on current environmental, industrial, and medical issues. students work on projects that range from fundamental to applied topics. in addition, the cbe's industrial associates program brings students into working relationships with potential employers. graduate students are encouraged to develop their communication and leadership skills by presenting at research conferences, mentoring undergraduate students, organizing the cbe's seminar series, and assisting with outreach efforts. since 1990, the cbe has graduated 303 graduate students. and 62 graduate students trained at the cbe, including 33 female, 28 male, and one nonbinary person.