March 31, 2025

Michigan Tech has completed a two-year project resulting in significant expansion to the capabilities of the University's SUPERIOR high-performance computing cluster. The expansion was a direct result of a collaboration between Tech and Ingenium Scientific Inc. supporting the U.S. Army through advanced nanoscale modeling and simulation research.

Housed in Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center, SUPERIOR is one of the most powerful high-performance computing clusters in the region, and is available to MTU researchers leading projects in the areas of computational arts, science and engineering.

The collaboration was led by Greg Odegard, the John O. Hallquist Endowed Chair in Computational Mechanics at Michigan Tech, and Larry Osentoski, president and CEO of Ingenium. Osentoski is also an MTU alumnus, earning his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Tech in 1997.

Read the full press release at Michigan Tech News.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Title IX and the student group S.A.V.E. will host several events over the next few weeks to raise awareness. One of our primary events is Denim Day, which is recognized on a Wednesday in April in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This year, Denim Day is April 30. Mark your calendars and wear denim to show solidarity with women around the world and to bring awareness to victim blaming and destructive myths that surround sexual violence.

Denim Day began after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction in 1998, arguing that because the victim wore tight jeans, she must have helped remove them — implying consent. Since 1999, Peace Over Violence has run an inspiring and powerful Denim Day campaign to practice solidarity and support survivors by renewing the commitment to exposing harmful behaviors and attitudes surrounding sexual violence.

Denim Drive — March 31 to April 3
Denim Painting — April 3 from 5-7 p.m. in MUB B001
Do you have jeans taking up space in your closet? It’s time to give them up. We are holding a denim drive starting today, March 31, through Thursday, April 3. On Thursday, students, staff and community members are invited to paint denim with messages of support for sexual assault survivors. We will display the denim on Walker Lawn from Friday, April 4, through April 30.

Denim Drop-Off Locations:

• Wahtera Center — Admin Building (first floor)
• Title IX Office — Admin Building (third floor)

Campus Denim Collections:

• Tuesday, April 1 — Library from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Thursday, April 3 — Wads Lobby from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Come Paint Denim With Us:

• What: Denim Painting Event
• When: Thursday, April 3, from 5-7 p.m.
• Where: MUB Superior Room (MUB B001)

Tenure, promotion and reappointment review dates for the 2025-26 process are now available at:

• Human Resources' Faculty Resources page (see dropdown information listed under Important Dates and Deadlines or Promotion, Tenure and Review)

• Academic Affairs' Promotion, Tenure and Reappointment page (see the page's right sidebar)

Please be aware of the April 2025 dates for faculty undergoing a tenure and/or promotion review.

Embark on a transformative journey with the Entrepreneurial Development Trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota, from April 27-30. Sponsored by the College of Business and Husky Innovate, this exclusive opportunity allows you to:

• Tour Leading Companies: Gain insights into innovation at the 3M Innovation Center, explore engineering excellence with Enclos, and delve into creative strategies at broadhead marketing agency.​

• Connect with Successful Alumni: Engage in networking events with Michigan Tech graduates who are leading in their industries.​

• Engage with Startup Creators: Learn firsthand about the challenges and triumphs of launching and growing a startup.​

Trip participants will depart Houghton on April 27 and return on April 30. Accommodations (double-occupancy hotel rooms with two separate beds) and transportation costs are fully covered by the College of Business. Some meals will be provided during meetings; participants are responsible for others.​

Application Details:
Michigan Tech graduate and undergraduate students across all University departments are invited to apply for the trip. Applicants must be enrolled at MTU at the time of application.​ The deadline to apply is Saturday, April 5, at 11:59 p.m. There is a registration fee of $50 (conditionally refundable upon successful participation)​.

Apply to the Entrepreneurial Development Trip.

Selection Criteria:
Please note: Meeting these criteria does not guarantee selection; final decisions rest with the College of Business and Husky Innovate team.​

• Demonstrated Interest: A clear passion for innovation, entrepreneurship, or professional development.​
• Application Quality: Thoughtful and complete responses in the application form.​
• Academic Standing: Good academic performance and standing within the University.​
• Conduct History: A positive record in alignment with the Student Code of Community Conduct.​

Code of Conduct:
Participants are expected to adhere to Michigan Tech’s Student Code of Community Conduct and Title IX policies. Selected participants must sign the official Trip Code of Conduct Agreement prior to departure.​

If you have questions, please contact the Husky Innovate team at huskyinnovate@mtu.edu. We look forward to your participation in this exciting opportunity!

A Banner production system maintenance window is scheduled for April 13 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The following production services will be unavailable during that time:

• apps.mtu.edu
• Banner
• Banner Self Service
• Experience
• MyMichiganTech
• ASPIRE
• Course Tools
• OAP Rental System
• Oracle Reports
• UC4/Appworx
• Virtual Cashiering
• WebFocus

If you have any questions or concerns, we can help. Email IT at it-help@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1111.

MTU’s own Sarah Bell, associate professor of digital media in the Department of Humanities, is set to give the keynote talk of the 2025 Art in Silico event series!

Bell is the author of the book "Vox ex Machina: A Cultural History of Talking Machines," which was recommended by The New Yorker magazine as one of “The Best Books of 2024,” in addition to being featured in online science publications, podcasts and academic journals.

Check out Bell's keynote talk in the Art in Silico event series: 

Sarah Bell Keynote Talk
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 2, at 3:30 p.m.
Location: GLRC 202
Keynote Title: “The Voice Synthesis Mixtape: A History of Singing Machines in Eight Songs”

From the abstract:
It took nearly a century of development in electronic voice synthesis to get to Siri and Alexa. The earliest synthesizers created voice-like sounds out of the buzzy electrical current and circuitry in analog components. These were followed by the robotic sounds of early digital signal processing before today’s human sounding software became possible. Along the way, singing was often used as a demonstration of how human sounding voice synthesis could be, or a test for how far it still had to go. Voice synthesis specifically designed for singing wasn’t developed until the late 1990s, but, throughout the 20th century, avant-garde and mainstream artists incorporated speech synthesizers into their music, exploring both the new electronic soundscape as well as ideas about the problems with and possibilities for human-machine interaction. This presentation will follow the history of voice synthesis discussed in Bell’s book Vox ex Machina: A Cultural History of Talking Machines, but will look at (and listen to!) what happened when those talking machines were made to sing.

Michigan Tech’s Safety Team — Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and the Office of Risk, Insurance, Safety, Security, and Compliance (RISSC) — will be hosting our next monthly Safety Round Table: a place for all Huskies to share a cup of coffee and learn about the importance of campus health and safety.

We invite you to join us on Wednesday, April 2, from 9-10 a.m. in the MUB Ballroom.

Topic: Reid DeVoge will discuss how the University plans and prepares for various emergencies. This will include discussing the efforts to work with community partners on coordinated emergency responses.

If you have a topic you want discussed, please email ehs-help@mtu.edu. We would be happy to present on a safety topic you are interested in.

Safety Training Compliance is vital for providing a safe Husky learning and working environment. This month, we want to hear from you and understand your safety compliance challenges and how to overcome those roadblocks with features within the Safety Skills system. A brief overview of Safety Skill compliance capabilities will be presented before opening the floor for questions and answers.

In addition, there will be an informal opportunity to talk with our campus safety professionals for other safety related questions and issues.

So mark your calendars and come ask the questions you have always wanted to ask and get the answers you need about Michigan Tech safety programs, legal compliance issues and additional resources… and have a cup of Joe with the Safety Crew!

Carved and Crafted Catering at Michigan Technological University invites faculty, staff, and their guests to the C-Cubed Luncheon, held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Thursday in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge (MUB 107).

Menu for Thursday, April 3:

• Char Siu Pork Loin (AG)
• Thai Basil Tofu (VG) (PR)
• Asian Vegetable Stir Fry (VG)
• Vegetable Spring Roll
• Asian Salad (VG)
• Basmati Rice (VG) (AG)

The C-Cubed lunch buffet menus are created and prepared by Chef Luis Delgado and his culinary team. As the name suggests, the meals are meant to foster conversation, community and collegiality. Attendees may bring their lunch instead of purchasing the buffet. Fruit-infused water, coffee and tea are available free to all attendees. All vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items on the buffet are labeled for easy identification. Meals are for dine-in only, and personal containers and to-go meals are not permitted.

The buffet lunch is $15.50 per person. Cash, credit cards and gift cards are accepted. Gift cards can be purchased in the Memorial Union Office (MUB 101).

You can submit C-Cubed feedback using C-Cubed Survey/Comments form. To join the C-Cubed Luncheon Email List and receive weekly menus, please complete the sign-up form.

Hao Fu from the University of Chicago will present at this week's Physics Colloquium. Fu's presentation is titled "A Laboratory Analogy for Mixing by Shallow Cumulus Convection."

The seminar will be presented at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, in Fisher 139. The coffee hour will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Fisher Lobby.

Read Fu's abstract and bio at the University Events Calendar.

Jeong Bong (JB) Lee will present as part of the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) Seminar Series on Friday, April 4, at 10 a.m. in person in Fisher 101 or virtually via Zoom.

Join the ChE Seminar on Zoom.

Lee will present "Innovative Biomedical Devices and Liquid Metal Soft Electronics."

Read Lee's abstract and bio at the University Events Calendar.

Lee is a professor at Baylor University and is hosted by Yixin Liu.

The Office of Continuous Improvement (OCI) is offering a virtual workshop where you can earn a Lean White Belt.

The workshop, "Processes, Flow, and Waste: Lean Fundamentals," will be offered twice:

• Wednesday, April 2, from 9 a.m. to noon
• Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 9 a.m. to noon

In this fun and interactive workshop, you’ll practice visualizing the fundamental Lean concepts of a smooth workflow and the types of waste that may interrupt that flow, and see how you can apply these concepts to your job right away. These tools can assist you in your efforts to create the best possible experience for students, faculty, staff and other customers. Lean White Belt certification is awarded to those who satisfactorily complete all requirements for this workshop.

To see the workshop description and register, complete our brief Upcoming Michigan Tech Lean Courses form or visit our website. Once registered, we'll add you to a calendar event for the course.

In this workshop, we'll use some online tools, Zoom and Miro, that will enable us to work as a team to solve a problem together. Miro is a virtual collaboration tool, similar to a virtual whiteboard. Learn more about how to use Miro at the Miro Academy Essentials course. The course is considered complete after attending the workshop and submitting a couple of brief activities to demonstrate application of concepts. A certification of completion will be awarded after meeting all requirements. There’s no cost to Michigan Tech employees.

This stand-alone workshop is part of the Lean Basics workshop series. It can be taken independently, or, if you complete the requirements for all five workshops in the series, we’ll award you a Lean Yellow Belt certificate!

For more information, email improvement@mtu.edu.

Job Posting for Monday, March 31, 2025

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email humanresources@mtu.edu. For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Training Position: Building Mechanic I to BM II (first shift, 40 hours) #25072, Facilities Management (AFSCME posting dates March 31 to April 4, 2025 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Accommodations are available. If you require any auxiliary aids, services, or other accommodations to apply for employment, or for an interview, at Michigan Technological University, please notify the Human Resources office at 906-487-2280 or humanresources@mtu.edu.

The New York Times mentioned Stephanie Carpenter (HU) in a March 28 review of “Moral Treatment,” Carpenter’s historical fiction novel published in February. The review was part of an article titled "Thrilling, Lush New Historical Fiction." The novel won the inaugural Summit Series Prize awarded by Central Michigan University Press.

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Nich Radcliffe (VPA) was quoted by My UP Now in a story about Michigan Tech’s production of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." Radcliffe, the show's director, highlighted the opportunity for students to explore their talents and take center stage.

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The Keweenaw Report quoted Tim Havens (CS/ICC/GLRC) in a story about the upcoming Art in Silico computational art show hosted by Michigan Tech’s Institute of Computing and Cybersystems. Havens discussed the event’s focus on combining art and technology and its role in encouraging students to think creatively as they prepare for careers in engineering and science.

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WLUC TV6 and the Keweenaw Report mentioned Michigan Tech’s Ford Center and Forest in stories about its weather station recording the state’s lowest temperature for winter 2024-25: a record low of negative 32 degrees Fahrenheit on Jan. 21. Jim Tolan (CFRES) was quoted by TV6.

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WorldAtlas mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the Paulding Light in Watersmeet. Michigan Tech students investigated the light in 2010, concluding that the phenomenon was likely refracted headlights from vehicles on a nearby highway.

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The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech men's basketball junior guard Marcus Tomashek in a story about his selection to the D2CCA First Team All-America.

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Shop Metalworking Technology mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the appointment of Hunter Grace ’17 (B.S. Engineering Management) as regional sales manager for the Midwest and Canada at Doosan Robotics Americas.

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Whether you're looking for a lunchtime seminar or a weekend social, or just want to keep your finger on the pulse of campus life, the Student Scoop has all the details you need. Subscribe today by emailing studentscoop-l+subscribe@mtu.edu!

Want to market your news to students? Submit an article today using the Student Scoop Submission Form! The Student Scoop automatically goes out to all enrolled students on Michigan Tech's main campus. Don’t miss your chance to get the word out!

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CISR Research Discussion with Mark Rhodes

Please join the Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience (CISR) for a research discussion with Mark Rhodes (SS), who will be presenting "Living Memorials: Environmental Humanities and Political Ecology Intersections with Commemorative Practices."

The discussion will be held at noon next Monday, April 7, in person in AOB 201 or virtually via Zoom.

Join the CISR Research Discussion on Zoom.

From the abstract:
Commemorative practices surround us in our daily lives: our money and stamps, streets and buildings, towns and lakes, and our surrounding landscapes filled with museums, parks, graveyards, and monuments. This work, however, explores a lesser-discussed realm of commemoration through the use of plants. While the American Ornithological Society has banned the use of eponyms, or a name honoring a person, in common bird names, no such regulatory body exists for varieties of plants. This presentation provides an overview of the Living Memory Lab’s efforts over the past four years to use historical, ethnographic, and text-based methods to better understand the haphazard processes, and potential impacts, of naming varieties of plants after people.

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Discussion Event: 'Christianity: Light For a World Without Answers'

Join Serve The King Ministries, a registered student organization at Michigan Tech, for "Christianity: Light For a World Without Answers," a transformative discussion event scheduled on Thursday, April 3, from 6-8 p.m. in R. L. Smith 112.

Today’s society stumbles under the weight of human knowledge. Worldviews crumble, unable to bear the soul’s deepest questions. Other philosophies promise wisdom but leave humanity fractured and searching. In contrast, Christ shines as an unshakable cornerstone of truth.

This event will reveal how Jesus restores purpose, hope and eternal light. Through compelling discussion, we’ll explore why Christianity isn’t just another belief system — it’s a singular, living worldview that aligns with reality as God designed it.

Hosted by Serve The King Ministries, this gathering is for seekers, skeptics and believers alike — anyone ready to confront the failures of human wisdom and embrace the radiant truth of Christ. Expect a night of revelation discussing the chaos of modern thought and the beauty of the gospel. Bring your questions, your doubts and your hunger for something real. Discover why Jesus is the way, the truth and the life — the light that no darkness can overcome.

Mark your calendars and join us. Let’s step out of the shadows together.

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ACSHF Forum with Michael Walker

The Department of Psychology and Human Factors will host Michael Walker at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (ACSHF) Forum, being held today, March 31, from 2-3 p.m. in M&M 610.

Walker is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at MTU and will present "Virtual and Mixed Reality Interfaces for Human-Robot Interaction."

From the abstract:
Despite advances made in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) research, robot usage and collaboration has remained limited in modern society due to the difficulties of human-robot teaming. Advanced 3D extended reality technologies are poised to address via the design of immersive interfaces that support collaboration, supervision, and teleoperation of robots in both collocated and remote field settings. This research talk will present novel extended reality robot interface designs and their empirical evaluation in user study experiments that utilize real robots and emulate human-robot teaming tasks found in the real world (e.g., manufacturing, disaster response, etc.). Findings from this work demonstrate how human-robot teaming efficiency and cohesion can be enhanced by immersive interfaces in structured and unstructured real-world scenarios.

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Editor's Note: The Humanities department chair candidate's visit on March 31 and April 1 has been canceled due to weather and will be rescheduled.

HU Department Chair Candidate Visit

The Department of Humanities (HU) is pleased to be hosting candidates for on-campus interviews for the position of department chair.

The next candidate will present a department leadership seminar titled "The Lake Whitefish Theory of Leadership" today, March 31, from 11 a.m. to noon in GLRC 202 and via Zoom.

The candidate will also present a research and teaching presentation titled “Desire and the Limits of Mediation” tomorrow, April 1, from 1-2 p.m. in GLRC 202 and via Zoom.

Join the HU Department Chair Seminar on Zoom.

All members of the Michigan Tech community are welcome to attend.

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Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar with Kenny Larsen and Cailin Bishop

Two speakers will present at the Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar today, March 31, from 3-4 p.m. in GLRC 202.

Presentation 1:
Kenny Larsen will present "Dam Beavers: The Impact of Beaver Dams in Sediment and Phosphorus Retention and Wetland Creation in North America."

From the abstract:
Low-order streams in North America experienced significant alteration to their physical and biogeochemical processes following the extirpation of North American beavers (Castor canadensis) from most of North America. The loss of beaver dams on a large scale has led to increased sediment and nutrient loading in aquatic systems and a significant decline in wetlands across the continent. This study quantitatively estimates the potential impact of beaver dams in the conterminous United States on sediment, phosphorus retention, and wetland creation. It also describes the characteristics of individual dams. Stochastic analysis using a bootstrapped Monte Carlo simulation method estimated total dams, sediment, phosphorus retention, and beaver wetlands in the contiguous 48 United States. Results estimated a mean of 14.21 million beaver dams in the conterminous United States, creating 47.8 thousand square kilometers of wetlands and entraining approximately 25.15 cubic kilometers of sediment and 1.08 million metric tons of phosphorus. These estimates suggest that beaver dams can significantly impact sediment and phosphorus retention, contributing to the creation of wetlands in the conterminous United States. These results demonstrate the prevalence of beavers and support using beavers as an active component of watershed management.

Larsen is a Ph.D. candidate in environmental engineering at Michigan Tech. He is also a Margaret A Davidson Fellow at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve. His recent work focuses on the role of beaver dams in sediment retention, phosphorus cycling, wetland formation, and understanding the broader impacts of beaver dams on the landscape. Currently, he’s also working on understanding how fluctuating lake levels impact P loading in the St. Louis River Estuary.

Presentation 2:
Cailin Bishop will present "Passive Samplers as a Tool for Assessing PCB Variability Across Freshwater Ecosystems: Methods and Implications."

From the abstract:
The development of passive sampling techniques for quantifying environmental contaminants has advanced significantly, providing a more accurate and cost-effective approach compared to more common active sampling methods. Passive sampling is particularly effective for measuring hydrophobic organic contaminants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aquatic environments. In this study, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) samplers were deployed across four lakes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula to quantify the dissolved phase of PCBs. These lakes include Torch Lake, an Area of Concern contaminated with PCBs, and three other lakes with varying trophic status and no known point-source inputs of contaminants. While challenges with instrumental analysis have delayed reporting of results, this seminar will explain the methods and approach to passive sampling of inland lakes, as well as the broader implications we can investigate with collected data.

Bishop is a master's student in environmental engineering at Michigan Tech. She is currently exploring the use of passive samplers for assessing chemical contamination in freshwater ecosystems. Another research interest of hers is the impact of climate change on biogeochemical cycles and aquatic ecosystems.

To have your event automatically appear, please submit them to the University Events Calendar.

Master's Defense: Gregory Ballen

Monday, March 31, 10–11 a.m. | R. L. Smith Building (MEEM), 1021

Mechanical Engineering Advisor: Wayne Weaver Stability and Resonance of Cylindrical Wave Energy Converters Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/86152848684

PhD Defense: Akash Kumar

Monday, March 31, 12–1 p.m. | R. L. Smith Building (MEEM), 1021

Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Advisor: Trisha Sain Phase-Field Method of Fracture in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites: Theory, Modeling, and Validation ...

Master's Defense: Kevin Li

Monday, March 31, 1:30–2:30 p.m. | R. L. Smith Building (MEEM), 908

Mechanical Engineering Co-advisors: Jung Yun Bae and Timothy Havens Evaluation of 3D ROS-based SLAMs for USV navigation Attend Virtually:...

ACSHF Forum: Dr. Michael Walker

Monday, March 31, 2–3 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610

The Department of Psychology and Human Factors will host Dr. Michael Walker, Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at Michigan Technological University, at...

Hot Cocoa Handout

Monday, March 31, 2–4 p.m. | Husky Statue

We offer free Hot Chocolate to all students from2 to 4pm near the Husky Statue every Monday!

WiP Machine Learning Workshop

Monday, March 31, 4–5 p.m. | Fisher Hall 231

A beginners friendly guide to the ins and outs of Machine Learning. Lessons weekly every Monday at 4:00-5:00 PM in Fisher Hall 231 with a hybrid option availible.

Psalm Bible Study

Monday, March 31, 7–8 p.m. | Wads Cafe

Want to see how the bible handles emotions? How it instructs us in righteousness? Eat cafe food, talk through the psalms, learn and grow with Pastor Brandon Charbonneau.

Women's History Month Trivia

Monday, March 31, 7:00–10:30 p.m. | Walker 210

Join us for a fun-filled evening of karaoke as we honor Women's History Month, celebrating the incredible contributions of women to the music industry! This special event...