Science at the College demonstrations at Great Falls College MSU are back for the 2018-2019 school year with the first demonstration on Sept. 14.

This fall semester, Great Falls College MSU chemistry instructor Dr. Dan Casmier will again offer fun science demos that are free and open to the public.

“My goal with Science at the College is to make science fun and approachable,” Casmier said.

This Friday’s demo will focus on flammable vapors and vapor pressure. It starts at 1 p.m. in the Chemistry Lab, room A203 at Great Falls College MSU, 2100 16th Ave. S.

This year’s Science at the College demos are:

• Sept. 14
• Oct. 5
• Oct. 26
• Nov. 16
• Dec. 7

Based on the experiment, the time and location change. Details will be posted on the college’s website and Facebook page in the week before the demo.

Art Reception

The Great Falls College MSU Weaver Library will host an artist’s reception for artist Paul Hogan on Oct. 4 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Hogan recently completed a metal sculpture that was commissioned by the Weaver Library, where it will be on permanent display.

Hogan’s three-dimensional sculpture, fabricated from two types of steel, reflects the Weaver Library by including books, Wi-Fi and the concept of global connectivity.

Hogan is a long-time Great Falls resident who works as an industrial technology teacher at C.M. Russell High School, as well as an adjunct faculty member for Great Falls College MSU’s EMT program.

Hogan’s artwork was selected by the college’s artist selection committee from a number of proposals. The $5,000 commission was raised over several years through private donations.

CompTIA Security+ Boot Camp

New this fall, Great Falls College MSU Lifelong Learning is offering a CompTIA Security+ Boot Camp.

It’s a global certification that validates the baseline skills needed to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career.

“It’s an industry standard,” said Chris Mee, GFC MSU technology instructor and instructor of the Security+ Boot Camp. “The Department of Defense, along with many large corporations, requires it for their security analyst professionals.”

The course is offered over two weekends in October on Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday. The course is 40 hours in all and, at the end, students take an exam to earn their certification.

The intensive course is designed for those who are pursuing a career in IT security or who already work in IT and want to add to their skill set.

Great Falls College MSU recently became a CompTIA Academy Partner. CompTIA offers several industry-recognized credentials. The college is working to offer for-credit cybersecurity credentials in the future.

Cybersecurity is a growing field, Mee said. Cybersecurity jobs are expected to double by 2022, and projections call for a shortage of nearly 1.8 million workers.

The Center for Lifelong Learning at GFC MSU would like to offer more boot camps like this going forward, said Director Heather Palermo.

“These intensive boot camps give working professionals an opportunity to earn a credential in a short period of time that can help advance their career,” Palermo said.

This fall, Lifelong Learning is also offering a Cybersecurity Essentials class, which is a three-hour course offering an overview of online security geared toward those who don’t work in IT.

For information on both courses or to register, visit gfcmsu.edu/lifelonglearning or call 406-268-3734.