The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) is organizing the 2026 Montana Geohazards Workshop held at Montana State University, Norm Asbjornson Hall, Room 201 (Inspiration Hall), Bozeman, MT.
Held annually since 2022, the Montana Geohazards Workshop brings together federal, state, and local partners. Attendees discuss Montana’s earthquake risk, research, and mitigation.
In 2026, the Geohazards Workshop will gain insights from attendees to advance Montana’s earthquake resilience. Participants will discuss how research and collaboration can better inform mitigation planning to take action to reduce risk.
Schedule subject to change
| Time | Presenter/Facilitator | Topic |
| 8:00 a.m. | Check-in and coffee |
|
| 8:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m. | Welcoming remarks, overview of MEWG, and introductions |
|
| 9:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m. | Living with earthquakes! |
|
| Michael Stickney (MBMG) | Overview of Montana’s earthquake history. | |
| Robb Moss (CalPoly) | Earthquake disasters: Lessons learned, challenges, and outlook for communities and infrastructure in Montana. | |
| 9:30 a.m.–12:00 a.m. | Updates from agencies across Montana (including discussion of priorities) | |
| Yann Gavillot (MBMG) | MBMG Geohazards Program. | |
| Claudia Rapkoch (DEQ) | Energy Bureau – Montana Dept. of Environmental and Quality. | |
| Brunt Zundel (DRNC) | Dam Safety, Water Resources Division – Montana Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation. | |
| Bret Boundy (DOT) | Montana Department of Transportation. | |
| Andrew Long (DES) | Mitigation Grants – Montana Disaster & Emergency Services. | |
| 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. | Lunch | |
| 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. | Earthquake hazards in the Bozeman area and beyond. |
|
| Yann Gavillot, Andres Peña Castro, John Sanford (MBMG) | Current understanding of the earthquake hazards and seismicity in the Bozeman area and Great Yellowstone Region. | |
| Jana Amalesh (MSU) | Liquefaction susceptibility studies in urban settings. | |
| Jeff Hungerford (YNP) | Yellowstone National Park earthquake hazards. | |
| 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. | Hazards mitigation planning best practices and success stories | |
| Andrew Long (DES) & Michael Higgins (Helena Public Schools) | Helena Public Schools seismic retrofit project. | |
| Anna Lang (EERI) | Disaster Resilience and mitigation projects in Montana. | |
| Michael Sawyer (FEMA) | Success stories outside Montana. | |
| Eric Vaughn (FLASH) | Prelude to Bozeman QuakeSmart Workshop. | |
| 3:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. | Break. | |
| 4:00 p.m.–4:45 p.m. | Mandy Willingham, Yann Gavillot, Anna Lang, Andrew Long | The Montana Earthquake Working Group: progress update and priorities (discussion). |
| 4:45 p.m.–5:45 p.m. | Thomas Luhrsen (MSU) | Building tour of Cheever Hall seismic retrofit. |
| 7:00 p.m. | Evening social dinner at Montana Ale Works |
| Time | Presenter/Facilitator | Topic |
| 8:00 a.m. | Check-in and coffee |
|
| 8:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m. | Earthquake scenario exercise—Part 1: Earthquake damage and immediate response | |
| 15 min | Robb Moss (CalPoly) | Quick self-introductions around the room with prompt. |
| 15 min | Robb Moss (CalPoly) | Present scenario and USGS products (discuss season and day/night timing considerations). |
| 15 min | Thomas Luhrsen (MSU) | Damage and response from the snow/roof collapse case. |
| 20 min | Various | Breakout groups to discuss asset and portfolio specific damage/response. |
| 20 min | Robb Moss (CalPoly) | Check-in and report-out from groups. |
| 20 min | Robb Moss (CalPoly) | Develop interdependency matrix with all. |
| 15 min | Robb Moss (CalPoly) | Wrap up of Part I. |
| 10:30 a.m.–10:45 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Earthquake Scenario exercise—Part 2: Short- to Long-term recovery/vision for disaster resilience |
|
| 15 min | Robb Moss (CalPoly) | Present recovery concepts and examples. |
| 10 min | Thomas Luhrsen (MSU) | Short- to long-term from snow/roof collapse or retrofit costs on Cheever or other. |
| 10 min | Various | Non-seismic disaster recovery. |
| 20 min | Various | Breakout groups to discuss asset and portfolio specific short- to long-term recovery (reshuffle group tables). |
| 20 min | Robb Moss (CalPoly) | Check-in and report-out from groups. |
| 15 min | Robb Moss (CalPoly) | Revise interdependency matrix with all. |
15 min | Robb Moss (CalPoly) | All participants brainstorm on solutions, next steps, shared resources, and hanging issues. |
| 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. | Lunch | |
| 1:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. | Dave Lageson (MSU) | Half day field trip (Bridger fault and downtown Bozeman). |