March 27, 2026

Yun Hang Hu, University Professor and the Charles and Carroll McArthur Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has received the prestigious Morris Cohen Award for outstanding contributions to the science and/or technology of materials properties.

Awarded by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), the Morris Cohen Award honors one individual worldwide each year and is widely regarded as one of the most distinguished honors in the field. 

“The previous recipients of the Morris Cohen Award are distinguished pioneers whose groundbreaking contributions have profoundly shaped the field,” said Hu. “I am deeply honored to join their ranks in receiving this prestigious award. This recognition would not have been possible without the dedication of my graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, and the unwavering support of my wife and children.”

Read more about Hu and the honor on the College of Engineering Blog.

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) Dean David Flaspohler has selected Assistant Teaching Professor Kathryn Hofmeister as this week’s featured instructor in the Deans’ Teaching Showcase. 

Hofmeister will be recognized at an end-of-term event with other spring showcase members and is a candidate for the CTL Instructional Award Series.

“Dr. Hofmeister is an engaging and innovative instructor who brings ideas to life in the classroom,” said Flaspohler. “She teaches both first-year foundational courses with multiple labs such as Field Techniques and upper-level classes such as Environmental Biogeochemistry. She regularly combines active learning, hands-on activities, and real-world case studies to help students think critically and connect concepts. Her creative approaches, like using peer discussions and visual mapping, make learning active and memorable, and she fosters a supportive environment where students feel encouraged to explore and ask questions. She is both approachable and authoritative.”

In Hofmeister’s Biogeochemistry class, students don’t just learn about the nitrogen cycle, they play a simulation game in which they physically move nitrogen between ecosystem pools and respond to disturbance events like drought and fertilization. The game makes processes that are genuinely hard to visualize (mineralization nitrification, denitrification) feel concrete and observable in a way that a diagram cannot. Students in this class are asked to pair a technical case study presentation with a creative piece, such as a poem, illustration, podcast or website creation, to more clearly imagine how to communicate scientific ideas to a broader audience. 

In her Biometrics and Data Analysis class, students complete a real forest inventory for a local community partner, the Keweenaw Land Trust. To accomplish this, students spend time collecting data in the field and use it to address real conservation and management questions related to wildlife habitat, climate resilience and forest productivity. “I really enjoyed the inventory project when we could go out into the field and practice fieldwork,” said one student in this class. “It was also a great way to apply the statistics we learned throughout the semester.”

“Class was so much fun, and I really appreciated all of your effort and passion in the class,” one of Hofmeister’s Field Techniques students wrote. “It was very nice to be able to ask questions relating to some of my interests and being met with similar enthusiasm. Your stickers and care made me wish this class was longer!!” 

In addition to using student evaluations to inform and improve her teaching, Hofmeister makes regular use of peer evaluations from colleagues in and outside of CFRES. “Katy did a wonderful job addressing questions and responding to students that answered her questions,” read one colleague’s evaluation. “When they were incorrect, she very gently corrected them or said something like it was ‘partly’ right or asked if anyone else had a different idea.” 

According to a second colleague, “Dr. Hofmeister’s interactions with students were enthusiastic and highly engaging. She clearly stated session objectives, recapped prior material, and used a flipped-classroom approach to guide students through a case study on market trends and the ‘illusion of preservation.’ Students engaged in paired and group discussions, critically evaluated figures, and connected concepts across economic, ecological, and social dimensions.”

“Dr. Hofmeister has an excellent command of classroom management strategies, facilitation strategies, and active learning strategies,” said a third colleague.

“Dr. Hofmeister is the kind of bright, authoritative and caring instructor that makes me very proud to be a part of this College and this University,” said Flaspohler.

On March 22, Michigan Tech’s top programming team, MTU Purple, competed against the continent's top university students at the 2026 International Collegiate Programming Contest North America Championship (ICPC NAC).

Representing the top 2% of universities across the U.S. and Canada, Michigan Tech secured a spot among 52 elite teams following a standout performance at the regional qualifiers last November.

The ICPC is a high-pressure environment where teams must solve 10-12 complex algorithmic problems under strict time and memory constraints. MTU Purple proved they could compete with the best early in the contest.

Michigan Tech was the very first team to successfully solve "Problem I" completing it in just 11 minutes. This feat earned the team a cash prize and special honors from Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the international honor society for computing and information disciplines. MTU was one of only six schools to be the "first to solve" a problem, joining the ranks of MIT, the University of Waterloo and the University of Central Florida.

The team’s success is a testament to the interdisciplinary depth of our students.

MTU Purple Members:

• Dreya Inman, senior in computer science (minors: financial technology, mathematical sciences, and economics)
• Matthew Harrelson, graduate student in computer science (minor: mathematical sciences)
• Peter Lafreniere, senior in computer ccience

The ICPC is a massive global undertaking, involving over 63,000 competitors from 3,450 universities worldwide from 96 countries. Despite the intense field, Michigan Tech placed 46th overall, earning an honorable mention and finishing ahead of notable institutions including Purdue University and Northwestern University.

The week-long event included intensive training sessions led by alumni and a practice contest hosted by OpenAI. Our Huskies' performance continues to solidify Michigan Tech’s reputation as a powerhouse for computational talent and problem-solving excellence.

Full results, event photos and live commentary from the championship are available on the official ICPC NAC website.

A group of Huskies has banded together to promote teamwork and grow a stronger community in computing by bringing back the Association of Student Computing Interaction and Involvement (ASCII) at Michigan Tech — and the student organization is inviting students from all majors and experience levels to the ASCII Spring Hackathon from 4-7:30 p.m. tomorrow, March 28, in Rekhi 112.

All coding levels, programming levels, integrated development environments and game design platforms are welcome! 

The hackathon’s awards ceremony begins at 7 p.m. and will recognize participants in categories including Most Unique/Creative, Most Technically Impressive, Honorable Mention, and First-Year Mention. Refreshments will be provided. 

Get more details (including a hint about the challenge!) on the Computing News Blog.

Michigan Technological University continues to make steady progress on the initiative to design and implement a modern budget model that strengthens long-term financial sustainability, improves transparency and better aligns resources with institutional priorities.

Where We Are and What Comes Next
This work began in January in partnership with Huron Consulting Group and is being guided by a steering committee composed of academic and administrative leaders. The initiative is sponsored jointly by Michigan Tech’s provost and chief financial officer and reflects a shared institutional commitment to ensuring the University’s financial framework supports its academic mission and strategic goals. 

The steering committee is charged with recommending a budget model that aligns with institutional goals for consideration by the executive sponsors. Final decisions regarding the model rest with the executive sponsors and require approval from the University’s president before any implementation efforts can occur.

As this work moves forward, we are committed to keeping the campus community informed about where we are in the process, what has been accomplished and what comes next.

Where We Started
The project launched with a comprehensive current-state assessment focused on understanding how Michigan Tech’s existing incremental budget model functions in practice.

Through interviews and working sessions with deans, business officers and administrative leaders, several important themes emerged:

• While the current model provides stability, it can create challenges in aligning operational decisions — such as hiring, program development and student support — with the timing and certainty of available resources.

• Budget management processes rely heavily on manual approaches and varied systems across units, which can make consistent forecasting and decision support more difficult.

• At the same time, Michigan Tech benefits from strong data quality, institutional pride and a broad openness to evolving its financial practices to support future priorities.

These insights are guiding the development of an updated budget model that leverages institutional strengths while addressing areas for improvement.

Guiding Principles
To keep model design recommendations aligned with Michigan Tech’s values and priorities, the steering committee developed a set of guiding principles that will serve as a clear and consistent framework throughout the initiative:

• Transparency and Shared Understanding: Provide clear insight into revenues, costs and investments across all funds so leaders can understand the financial impacts and tradeoffs of decisions while building a shared understanding of how institutional activities are supported.

• Support for Student Success and Long-Term Sustainability: Align budget model decisions to support high-quality, impactful undergraduate and graduate learning opportunities and the reliable delivery of campus support services.

• Stability with Structured Adaptability: Design a framework that can adapt to evolving institutional priorities while preserving stability and predictability within annual planning cycles.

• Reinforcement of Mission and Strategic Priorities: Allocate a portion of resources to campus units to ensure the model reinforces institutional priorities and supports progress toward the University’s mission and strategic plan, and continued advancement as an R1 research institution.

These principles are being used to evaluate potential model approaches and inform tradeoffs as design conversations progress.

Where We Are Now
The initiative is now entering the model design phase, during which the steering committee is working through key decision points that will shape how the future budget model is structured and how it functions.

These discussions include:

• How major unrestricted revenue sources — including tuition, state appropriations, research support and fees — should be reflected in the model.

• Whether and how financial aid responsibilities should be shared between central administration and academic units.

• How administrative and support costs should be structured through cost pools or allocation mechanisms.

• How central funding mechanisms can support strategic investments and institutional priorities.

At this stage, the focus is on exploring options, understanding their implications and fostering feedback and dialogue. No final decisions have been made.

In the coming weeks, a baseline model will be developed using institutional data to help illustrate how different design approaches may influence planning and resource allocation across the University.

What Comes Next
This spring, the initiative will continue with several important milestones:

• Model orientation sessions and engagement meetings with academic and administrative leaders.

• Iterative refinement of the model based on feedback from campus stakeholders.

• Continued steering committee discussions to build shared understanding and a comprehensive set of recommendations for the executive sponsors’ consideration.

• Development of implementation recommendations an initial implementation roadmap.

The goal is to ensure the final model is practical, transparent and aligned with Michigan Tech’s culture, mission and long-term financial strategy.

What This Means for Campus
A budget model is not a strategy in itself. Rather, it is a framework that helps the University plan, allocate and monitor resources in support of its priorities.

A well-designed model can:

• Improve visibility into how institutional activities are funded.
• Strengthen alignment between resources and academic or research activity.
• Support more informed decision-making.
• Encourage accountability and stewardship across the institution.

Stay Informed and Share Feedback
We encourage faculty, staff and students to stay informed about this initiative by visiting the budget model website.

Questions, comments and feedback can be shared at any time by emailing budgetmodel@mtu.edu.

Additional updates and engagement opportunities will be shared as the work progresses.

Student Leadership and Involvement is looking for staff and faculty who are interested in becoming advisors for registered student organizations (RSOs). While we do not have a specific need at this time, vacancies occur regularly throughout the year due to staffing changes or the establishment of new student groups. Collecting this information before a vacancy occurs allows us to provide a smooth and efficient resource for groups who seek advice or direction on finding a new advisor.

As an advisor, you will have the chance to provide guidance and support to student leaders while fostering an environment that encourages leadership, innovation and collaboration. Learn more about being an RSO advisor on our website.

To express your interest in becoming an advisor, please take a moment to fill out our interest form. Your participation will not only benefit our students but also contribute to the overall enrichment of our University community.

Join the Student Affairs CommUNITY Education Team for a CommUNITY Conversation featuring a panel of students, staff and community members discussing religious and cultural observances. The conversation will be held on Monday, March 30, from 12-1 p.m. in MUB Ballroom A2. This is a brown bag event, so feel free to bring your lunch.

This event invites our campus community to come together to listen, learn and reflect on their lived experiences within and beyond Michigan Technological University. Through personal stories and open dialogue, our panelists will share insights about their religious and cultural observances, and challenges/barriers they have faced observing them on campus. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in meaningful discussion.

Light refreshments will be provided. All are welcome.

Have you seen us around? Every week, the Michigan Tech student group For Michigan has been hitting the pavement on campus with one goal: making sure every student’s voice is heard. We’ve had incredible success helping our peers register to vote, and we’re ready to take things to the next level.

We are officially transitioning into a registered student organization (RSO) at Tech, and we need you to help build the foundation. Whether you’re passionate about civic engagement or just want to help your fellow students navigate the voting process, there’s a place for you here.

We’re currently scouting to fill these roles:

• Advisor (faculty/staff)
• Secretary (organized and detail-oriented)
• General Members (the heartbeat of our mission!)

Ready to make an impact? Check out For Michigan’s volunteering shifts on GivePulse, or reach out to Zoe Loveday at zmloveda@mtu.edu to grab our Discord link. Let’s increase our campus’s civic footprint together!

Nationally known pollinator advocate, conservationist and award-winning author Heather Holm will be the featured speaker at the ninth annual Keweenaw Native Plant Symposium, being held virtually from 9 a.m. to noon next Saturday, April 4, on Zoom. Registration is free.

Holm’s talk begins at 10 a.m. and will explore the powerful connection between keystone plants and the insects that depend on them. She will discuss how to implement “Soft Landings,” mini-ecosystems beneath native trees that support pollinators throughout their life cycles. Participants will learn what defines a pollen specialist, discover examples of these fascinating bee-plant relationships, and understand how keystone plants function as foundational species in our ecosystems.

Holm will also speak on site preparation methods, herbicide considerations and building a resilient plant matrix of sedges, cool-season grasses and flowering keystone species. By the end of the presentation, participants will be equipped to design and install a Soft Landings planting that transforms conventional landscapes into thriving sanctuaries for bees, caterpillars and other beneficial insects.

If you have ever watched helplessly as a tree withers and dies in your landscape, be sure to attend the 9 a.m. talk by RJ Laverne, adjunct associate professor in Michigan Tech’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. A master arborist, Laverne will guide participants on matching the right tree with the right site — and the right climate. Choosing the right tree and planting it in its happy place means you’ll have many more years together, and you’ll need to spend much less of that time on winter protection.

Aaron Anderson of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation will present the symposium’s 11 a.m. talk, “Protecting Pollinators from Pesticides, Promoting Natural Enemies at Home,” focused on providing resources for natural enemies, important creatures that help keep pest insects in check. Anderson will also talk about the risk that mosquito spraying poses to pollinators and ecologically friendly mosquito management alternatives.

Learn more at the Keweenaw Native Plant Symposium webpage.

Michigan Technological University is a partner of the Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA).

This free symposium is sponsored by KISMA, Keweenaw Wild Ones, Keweenaw Land Trust and Michigan State University Extension Master Gardeners.

The DataSENSE NRT at Michigan Tech is hosting a Version Control with Git workshop series on research computing skills for graduate students, faculty and staff. The series is focused on repositories in Git, tracking changes, remotes in github, collaborating and more.

Workshop sessions will be held on Thursday afternoons from 4-5:15 p.m. in EERC 229 on the following dates. Please plan to attend each of the days in the series. 

Workshop Dates:

• Thursday, April 2
• Thursday, April 9
• Thursday, April 16

The workshop series’ target audience is learners who have little to no prior computational experience. The instructors will put a priority on creating a friendly environment to empower researchers and enable data-driven discovery.

Participants should expect to bring a laptop to follow along with the lessons in the workshop. You may be asked to install software ahead of the workshop, so make sure you have administrative privileges. 

Space in EERC 229 is limited and will likely fill quickly. Please register before Monday, March 30. After confirming your registration, we will email out additional information ahead of the workshop sessions. 

The workshop series is free for all attendees. We hope you will sign up!

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar will take place at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 30, in GLRC 202.

Israel Adeoye, Ph.D. candidate in environmental engineering, Michigan Tech, will present “Antibiotic Resistance Dynamics in Sewer and Treated Wastewater Systems”.

Zachary Elmore, M.S. student in environmental engineering, Michigan Tech, will present “Investigating Antibiotic Resistant Gene Carriage in Rural Wastewater Populations”.

Read Adeoye’s and Elmore’s abstracts on the University Events Calendar.

M.S. student Lucy Gibbs (industrial heritage and archaeology) and Jonathan Robins (SS) presented a poster on the history of aluminum recycling for the 2026 American Society for Environmental History Conference, being held March 25-28 in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Based on research in archival records and oral histories from two major aluminum firms and additional work with trade publications held by Michigan Tech’s Van Pelt and Opie Library, Gibbs and Robins’ presentation showed how aluminum firms used recycling as an economic and political strategy. Aluminum firms relied on recycling to make aluminum cans economically viable and to compete with the steel industry, in addition to using recycling as a strategy to block restrictive legislation.

The research is part of a U.S. Department of Energy-funded project (FE0032236) titled "Aluminum Critical Mineral Production via Landfill Mining: Environmental, Community, and Technical Feasibility for Integrated Multi-Material Resource Recovery" led by principal investigator Paul Sanders (MSE).

Robert Nemiroff (Physics) was quoted by the Mining Journal in a story about the Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival, happening April 16-18 at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Copper Harbor. Nemiroff will present a talk about the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day project at 1 p.m. on April 17 as part of the festival.

Adam Meckler (VPA) was quoted by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story previewing Michigan Tech’s 2026 Don Keranen Jazz Festival, which begins tonight, March 27, backstage at the Rozsa Center.

Prism, the flagship publication of the American Society of Engineering Education, published an email written by Professor Emeritus John Johnson (MAE) advocating for a larger pipeline of engineering graduate students from the U.S. through better funding packages, expanded scholarships and stronger faculty advising on the value of graduate education.

Keweenaw Report picked up a story about Michigan Tech’s GEAR UP and TRIO Pre-College programs partnering with Breakwater Federal Credit Union to host the Bright Futures Fair for Copper Country Intermediate School District high school students.

The Daily Mining Gazette and Keweenaw Report covered the Friends of the Michigan Tech Library’s annual used book sale, held March 25-26 in the Memorial Union Building.

My UP Now mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the League of Women Voters of the Copper Country’s Equal Pay Day event, held March 24 on MTU’s campus.

The Daily Mining Gazette covered Michigan Tech men’s basketball guard Marcus Tomashek receiving CSC Academic All-District honors and being named to the D2CCA All-America Second Team.

On-Campus Pipette Calibration

To support your ongoing research, we are hosting an on-site Pipette Calibration Event starting May 4.

This is a convenient opportunity to have your liquid handling instruments serviced without the downtime and risk associated with shipping them off campus. We have partnered with Ramsun Services, who will be providing single and multichannel and Pipet-Aid calibration.

How to Participate
Please reserve your spot and estimate your pipette count on our Pipette Calibration Interest Google Form.

Please sign up as soon as possible to guarantee that our provider has ample time scheduled. If you have any questions, please reply to Lynn Manchester at lmmalone@mtu.edu.

Event Details:

• What: Pipette Calibration Event
• When: Starting Monday, May 4
• Drop-Off Location: On campus
• Turnaround: 48 hours or less
• Pricing: $14 per single channel, $25 for multichannel and Pipet-Aid

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Chemistry Seminar Series Speaker: Smitha Rao

Smitha Rao Hatti, associate professor of biomedical engineering and biological sciences, Michigan Technological University, will be presenting at this week's Chemistry Seminar. The seminar will be held in person at 3 p.m. today, March 27, in Chem Sci 101.

Rao's presentation is titled “3D Tissue Models for Assessing Cellular Responses”.

From the abstract:
Cellular responses to external stimuli serve as models for analyzing long-term effects. Identifying appropriate cellular models and platforms (2D vs 3D) is important in not only demonstrating responses but also for understanding tissue and organ-level responses. While the differences in 2D and 3D systems have been well demonstrated, approaches to develop 3D cellular systems that are broadly accepted remain largely unexplored. Gaining a better understanding of these systems is critical given the recent changes in use of animal models by NIH and the FDA. In this seminar, we will explore the differences between 2D and 3D culture systems and how they affect cellular responses. We will further evaluate the challenges still remaining in this exciting new field and one possible approach to address these challenges.

Rao Hatti received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2004 and 2009, respectively. She pursued her research interest as a principal scientist in a start-up company from 2010-12 and was funded by an National Science Foundation Small Business and Innovation Research (NSF SBIR). In 2012, she returned to academia as a faculty associate-research professor managing a laboratory, extending her research and gaining teaching experience. She is currently an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Michigan Technological University, with an affiliated position in the Department of Biological Sciences. Her research focuses on interdisciplinary areas including MEMS, microfluidics, tissue engineering, nanofibers and nanoparticles with applications in cancer studies, scaffolds, sensors and implantable devices.

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MSE Seminar with Arun Mannodi Kanakkithodi

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is hosting a seminar presented by Arun Mannodi Kanakkithodi, assistant professor, School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University.

The seminar will be held today, March 27, at 4 p.m. in M&M 610.

Mannodi Kanakkithodi will present “Simulating and Understanding Point Defects using Density Functional Theory and Graph Neural Networks”.

From the abstract:
Density functional theory (DFT) is routinely used to simulate point defects in solids and calculate their formation energies as a function of chemical growth conditions, Fermi level, and defect charge. Defect energy plots help ascertain the donor- and acceptor-type nature of defects, their relative stabilities, their shallow or deep levels, the equilibrium Fermi level, and temperature-dependent defect concentrations. The need for large supercells, charge states, and advanced functionals makes defect calculations very expensive, prohibiting their application to massive semiconductor-defect chemical spaces. Combining DFT with machine learning (ML) helps address the computational expense by enabling on-demand predictions of defect energetics and defect levels directly from descriptor-based or structure-based representations. In this lecture, I will discuss my group’s work in combining high-throughput DFT computations with crystal graph neural network (GNN) models for understanding point defect behavior in a variety of chalcogenide and halide semiconductors. We developed a computational workflow that uses both semi-local and hybrid functionals to generate datasets of native point defects, impurities, dopants, and defect complexes, also accounting for energy-lowering symmetry-broken configurations. GNN-based interatomic potentials trained on this data subsequently enable prediction and optimization of thousands of new point defects and complexes, and identification of the lowest energy defects. This scheme was applied for rational discovery and screening of low energy defect structures in dozens of semiconductors belonging to: (a) Cd/Zn-Te/Se/S compositions, relevant for CdTe solar cells, (b) a variety of inorganic halide (e.g., CsPbI3) and chalcogenide (e.g., BaZrS3) perovskites, and (c) zincblende-derived ternary and quaternary chalcogenides (e.g., Cu(In,Ga)S2 and Ag2ZnSnSe4).

Mannodi Kanakkithodi received a Bachelor of Technology in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in 2012 and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 2017. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Argonne National Laboratory from 2017-2020. His research primarily involves applying first principles simulations and methods rooted in data science and machine learning for materials design.

Mannodi Kanakkithodi is a contributor to and co-organizer of machine learning resources and hands-on workshops for nanoHUB and a regular organizer of materials informatics tutorials at Materials Research Society (MRS) fall and spring meetings. He is a recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Young Investigator award from Argonne, the 2023 Functional Materials Division (FMD) Young Leaders Professional Development Award from TMS, a 2023 DOE Solar Energy Technology Office (SETO) Small Innovation Projects in Solar (SIPS) awardee, a 2024 ACS Materials Au Rising Star in Materials Science, and a 2025 DARPA Young Faculty Award recipient.

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

Men's Tennis at Purdue University Northwest

Friday, March 27, 12–3 a.m. | Hammond, Ind.

Men's Tennis at Purdue University Northwest Hammond, Ind.

Track & Field at WashU Distance Carnival

Friday, March 27, 12–12 a.m. | St. Louis, Mo.

Track & Field at WashU Distance Carnival St. Louis, Mo.

Women's Tennis at Purdue University Northwest

Friday, March 27, 12–3 a.m. | Hammond, Ind.

Women's Tennis at Purdue University Northwest Hammond, Ind.

Women's Rights are Human Rights: International Posters on Gender-based Inequality, Violence, and Discrimination Gallery Exhibit - Rozsa Art Galleries

Friday, March 27, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Art Galleries, Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT Women’s Rights are Human Rights is a fitting title for an exhibition of women’s rights and advocacy posters, as it was a term used in the women’s rights movement and was the title of an important speech given by Hillary Rodham Clinton in 1995 at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. This exhibition features posters created by artsit of all genders to celebrate and acknowledge the vital role that all citizens should play in protecting and promoting human rights while challenging gender inequality and stereotypes, advancing reproductive and sexual rights, protecting women and girls against brutality, and promoting women’s empowerment and participation in society. These poster images challenge patriarchal attitudes that subordinate, stigmatize or restrict women from achieving their fullest potential. These images argue for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls enabling empowerment of women and achievement of real equality between women and men that fosters societal stability and human dignity. Learn more at womensrightsarehumanrights.org Things to know ROZSA ART GALLERIES HOURS | M-F 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and…

FIRST Robotics Competition FIM LSSU District Event

Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | Lake Superior State University

Come volunteer with Copper Country Robotics at Lake Superior State University on March 26-28 for their FIRST Robotics Competition District Event! The LSSU event is looking for volunteers of all types and needs help to make this event a success. Keep in mind that you will need to also register on firstinspires.org and pass a YPP background check.

Master's Defense: Eleanor Zimmermann

Friday, March 27, 10–11 a.m. | R. L. Smith Building (MEEM), 1021

Mechanical Engineering Advisor: Paulus van Susante Numerical and Experimental Evaluation of a Simple, Low-Energy Lunar Volatile Separation Technology Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/84535720133

Master's Defense: Edward Sloan

Friday, March 27, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | H-STEM Complex, 248

Biological Sciences Co-advisors: Rupali Datta and Smitha Rao Hatti A TUNABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR TISSUE Engineering Establishing gelatin and nanofibers for 3D cell culture

Wisconsin Volleyball Conference States - Women's Volleyball Club

Friday, March 27, 1 p.m.–8 a.m. | Milwaukee Sting Center

The Michigan Tech Women's Volleyball Club will be participating in the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference State Tournament from March 27th to March 28th. They will represent Michigan Tech on the collegiate club volleyball stage against some of the best teams in the country. This event is open to the campus community and will be livestreamed on our Youtube channel (@MTUWomensClubVolleyball). Support our fellow huskies and tune in!! This event is supported by the Parent's Fund of the Michigan Tech Fund

AMA: Spotlight Night

Friday, March 27, 3–5 p.m. | MUB Ballroom

Join the American Marketing Association in hosting our 2nd Annual Spotlight Night! A night where our members get to share what they've been working on with the local community. Everyone is invited, dress is Business Professional.

CFRES Seminar: Collaborative Opportnities

Friday, March 27, 3–4 p.m. | U. J. Noblet Forestry Building, G002

Please join the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science for two shorter talks by Drs. Rod Chimner and Mark Rudnicki discussing collaborative opportunities! Rod Chimner: Collaboration opportunity: Wetland Restoration at KRC Mark Rudnicki: Collaboration opportunity: Net-Zero Alberta: Transforming historic Alberta Village into a living laboratory

How to Be Self Aware & Emotionally Intelligent

Friday, March 27, 3–4 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB, Building 34), Alumni Lounge

Julie Soderberg of Soderberg Leadership Solutions will talk about the importance of situational self-awareness, the basics of emotional intelligence and neuroscience of emotions. Join us for this one-hour session where we will explore how situational self-awareness and emotional intelligence can give you a real advantage in today's competitive job market. Learn how understanding your reactions, reading workplace dynamics, and communicating with intention can help you navigate interviews, networking, teamwork, and workplace challenges with confidence. This interactive session will offer practical strategies to help you stay grounded under pressure, build stronger professional relationships, and stand out to employers'not just for what you know, but for how you show up. Whether you're actively job searching or preparing for what comes next, you'll leave with insights you can use immediately.This program/lecture is partially funded/sponsored by the Visiting Professor Program which is funded by a grant to the Office of the Provost from the State of Michigan's King-Chávez-Parks Initiative.

How to Be Self Aware & Emotionally Intelligent

Friday, March 27, 3–4 p.m. | Alumni Lounge, Memorial Union Building

Julie Soderberg of Soderberg Leadership Solutions will talk about the importance of situational self-awareness, the basics of emotional intelligence and neuroscience of emotions. Join us for this one-hour session where we will explore how situational self-awareness and emotional intelligence can give you a real advantage in today’s competitive job market. Learn how understanding your reactions, reading workplace dynamics, and communicating with intention can help you navigate interviews, networking, teamwork, and workplace challenges with confidence. This interactive session will offer practical strategies to help you stay grounded under pressure, build stronger professional relationships, and stand out to employers—not just for what you know, but for how you show up. Whether you’re actively job searching or preparing for what comes next, you’ll leave with insights you can use immediately. This program/lecture is partially funded/sponsored by the Visiting Professor Program which is funded by a grant to the Office of the Provost from the State of Michigan's King-Chávez-Parks Initiative. See more details on Handshake.

Leveraging A Biomedical Engineering Degree Into An Industry Career: A Focus On Medical Devices

Friday, March 27, 3–4 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar David Yeung, Ph.D. Insulet Corporation Abstract A brief discussion on some of the career opportunities after graduating with an undergraduate or graduate degree in biomedical engineering. A look at some of the requirements, expectations, and paths for a career in the medical device industry along with insights on how to make that transition smoother. Bio Dr. David Yeung obtained a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the Ohio State University. His doctoral research focused on how the oligomeric state of discoidin domain receptors influences collagen binding, mechanical properties, and receptor phosphorylation, using a combination of biochemical, imaging, and mechanical characterization techniques. Since graduating, Dr. David Yeung has built a strong career in the medical device industry, contributing to research, design, and development of biologic and orthopedic technologies, including bioinductive implants and arthroscopic delivery systems. His work spans early-stage innovation through product launch and post-market support, with leadership roles in advancing next-generation medical devices and tissue engineering solutions. Dr. Yeung currently…

Master's Defense: Michael Dahamah

Friday, March 27, 3–4 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 103

Manufacturing Engineering Co-advisors: Anis Fatima and John Irwin INTEGRATING LEAN PRINCIPLES AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING: A PDCA-BASED FRAMEWORK WITH DYNAMIC AND ERGONOMIC ENERGY ASSESSMENT Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/76308930136

Neon Disco Skate Night

Friday, March 27, 7:00–8:30 p.m. | SDC John Macinnes Student Ice Arena

The popular neon disco skate night is BACK! Join for a night of fun lights, awesome music and FREE skate rentals! Sign up here for a timeslot rental or if you have your own skates show up any time! (Helmets are required for all) We hope to see you there for this night of skating fun!

Don Keranen Jazz Festival - Michigan Tech Jazz

Friday, March 27, 7:30 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Backstage

MICHIGAN TECH MUSIC SERIES EVENT The Annual Don Keranen Jazz Festival pays tribute to the founder of the Michigan Tech Jazz Studies Program, Don Keranen. The weekend includes three unique performances, a professional guest artist, and a masterclass led by Jazz Studies Director Adam Meckler. This year's Don Keranen Jazz Festival's Guest Artist is American multi-instrumentalist, singer songwriter and recording artist Braxton Cook. FRIDAY 7:30 p.m. PERFORMANCE: Featuring the R&D Jazz Band with Braxton Cook. LOCATION | Rozsa Backstage PUBLIC TICKETS | Pay As You're Able Tickets ($20 Full Fee) What is Pay As You're Able? DURATION | Approx. 2 hours LATE NIGHT JAM SESSION: 10 p.m. in the DHH Ballroom, open to all music students interested in a jazz jam session. Contact Adam for more details. SATURDAY 2 p.m. PRE-COLLEGE REHEARSAL: Want to perform at the festival? If you're a pre-college musician in the UP, join us Saturday, March 28th at 2pm in the Band Room on the 2nd floor of the Rozsa Building to learn a tune by ear taught by MTU's director of Jazz Studies Adam Meckler and Jazz Professor Drew Kilpela. Come back for the 7:30 p.m. concert that night to perform that song with MTU's…

MTU FSC Spring Showcase

Friday, March 27, 9–10 p.m. | John MacInnes Ice Arena

The Figure Skating Club at Michigan Tech will be hosting a spring showcase Friday, March 27th, 2026 at 9:05 pm! Join us as we glide through the decades! From disco beats to today's hits, our skaters will take you on a musical journey through time.

The Graduate School is pleased to announce the following dissertation, thesis and report defenses occurring next week. Please consider attending to learn more about our students’ scholarship and celebrate their academic accomplishments. Check the University Events Calendar for last-minute updates to times, dates and locations.