April 10, 2026

Dennis Livesay, the Dave House Dean of Michigan Tech’s College of Computing, and Michelle Scherer, dean of the University’s College of Engineering, announced the inaugural Dave House Computational Innovation Fellowship this week. The initiative aims to bridge the disciplines of engineering and computing through deep, sustained research collaborations by uniting faculty and students from both colleges.

Supported by Tech alumnus Dave House ’65 and the House Family Foundation, this one-of-a-kind fellowship is designed to recruit and support high-caliber doctoral students to build cross-college collaborations in support of computational innovation at Michigan Tech.

“Collaboration and interdisciplinary research make Michigan Tech stronger,” said House. “The Colleges of Engineering and Computing have made great strides in working together, and it’s my hope that these fellowships will catalyze even more long-lasting partnerships.”

The inaugural Dave House Computational Innovation Fellowship has been awarded to Assistant Professors Tan Chen (ECE) and Michael Walker (CS) for their research focused on human-robot interaction. The fellowship will support an incoming doctoral student, co-advised by Chen and Walker, with two years of full funding.

Learn more about this one-of-a-kind fellowship and its first research project at Michigan Tech News.

Michigan Tech’s International Programs and Services would like to invite you to the first-ever Festival of Nations 2026! Festival of Nations is a new and fresh take on the former Parade of Nations. It will include various staples that Parade of Nations is known for and that are beloved by our community, with a more modern-day twist. 

The parade will be replaced with an expanded multicultural festival! In collaboration with the City of Houghton, we will extend the multicultural festival from the Dee Stadium toward the Houghton Waterfront Pier adjacent to the Portage Lake Library. The pier will hold our international entertainment as well as an array of local vendors, community displays and all sorts of fun games and activities for the kids! We hope that this expansion will bridge the gap of communication between international students and the general community. 

Following the vendor area, local food trucks will line up between the Michigan Tech Lakeshore Center and the Dee Stadium, where the multicultural festival will be held with an array of dishes prepared by various student organizations. 

Leading up to the festival, flags representing our international student body will continue to adorn both of our united sister cities.

Don’t miss out on the chance to attend the inauguration of this fresh take on a classic and continue to support our international students! Come on down Sept. 19 from 12-4 p.m.! (Don’t worry! We did not get rid of the food!)

College of Sciences and Arts Dean LaReesa Wolfenbarger has selected Brigitte Morin, teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, for this week’s Deans’ Teaching Showcase.

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

Morin received the Distinguished Teaching Award in 2018, and she continues a trajectory of accomplishments, including numerous top 10% recognitions for her student evaluations.

“Brigitte’s work in BL2020: Anatomy and Physiology II is the 'gold standard' for teaching high enrollment introductory science courses,” said Wolfenbarger.

Anatomy and Physiology is a challenging course for instructors and students alike. Instructors teach the concepts and details of complex physiological processes while simultaneously introducing a large new vocabulary to students for clear communication of anatomy. For students pursuing careers in nursing, medical laboratory science, physical therapy and other health-focused fields, this course provides a foundation they will rely on throughout their careers.

Morin’s success stems from a teaching philosophy that prioritizes active learning and science accessibility. Despite the challenges of managing a large lecture hall, she rejects the “passive observer” model of education. She uses active engagement (described as “lifesaving” by one student) to keep students focused during lectures, and she reduces science anxiety by creating an atmosphere where students feel comfortable asking questions.

Students praise Morin’s innovative assignments. Her “Human of the Week” segments help connect abstract physiological concepts with real-world cases and experiences. “Hello, Bias” challenges students to bridge gaps between clinical work and patient knowledge by having students identify bias in vaccination conversations or other real-world scenarios.

Peer reviews consistently highlight Morin as one of the most effective educators in the Department of Biological Sciences. Colleagues observe that her classroom management is “exemplary,” noting her unique ability to make a 200-person room feel like a small seminar through her energy and rapport with students. Her instructional materials are praised for their clarity, particularly her “fill-in-the-blank” notes that help students organize complex information during lectures.

Students capture Morin’s impact by frequently describing her as an influential professor in their academic careers.

“Brigitte is quite literally the best professor I have had at Tech. She makes an extremely difficult subject very easy to understand and keeps you interested the whole time,” said one student. Another, in describing Morin’s teaching, said, “The way she organizes the course makes a daunting amount of material feel manageable. I feel incredibly prepared for my future clinical rotations because of her.”

“Through her blend of rigorous academic standards and compassionate instruction, Brigitte Morin ensures that her students are prepared for the rigors of their future health careers while feeling supported every step of the way,” said Wolfenbarger.

This is the third entry in a four-part series highlighting the contributions of the 2026 Enterprise Distinguished Service Award recipients.

Michigan Tech’s Enterprise Program awards the Enterprise Distinguished Service Award to recognize the dedication and exceptional contributions of advisors and champions who have played pivotal roles in shaping the program’s success. Each of the award winners has more than 15 years of service within Enterprise, dedicating their time and expertise to guiding teams, ensuring student success and advancing the program’s discovery-based learning mission.

This year’s recipients of the Enterprise Distinguished Service Award are Jim DeClerck (MAE), Scott Kuhl (CS), Erin Smith (HU) and Ruth Archer (OCI).

Third Award Winner Profile: Erin Smith

Students at Michigan Tech have long explored filmmaking through individual courses, but the CinOptic Enterprise gave them something rare — a sustained, real‑world creative environment. Erin Smith, a teaching professor in digital media and cinema, advised CinOptic from its inception, guiding students through ambitious long-arc media projects and collaborative partnerships.

The idea for CinOptic started as a hybrid engineering‑and‑arts project, but quickly evolved into a fully creative team, drawing students from both the Department of Humanities and the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. It offered students the chance to work on media projects that unfolded over one to three years, mirroring the timelines of real production work.

“Pre‑production, production, post‑production — these things take time,” said Smith, who also serves as director of the Walker Lab for the Arts and Humanities (formerly the Humanities Digital Media Zone), and director of the 41 North Film Festival. “CinOptic gave students the space to develop those skills deeply and collaboratively.”

Read Smith’s full profile on the Enterprise Blog.

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering alumni Udit Sharma ’24 (Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics) and Kishan Bellur ’16 ’18 (M.S. Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics) received awards at the American Society of Thermal and Fluids Engineers’ 11th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC-2026), held in March at Arizona State University.

Sharma, now a mechanical engineering instructor at Tennessee Technological University, was honored with the ASTFE Best Research Paper Award. He was recognized alongside co-principal investigators (co-PIs) Ethan Languri, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Tennessee Tech, and Jeffrey Allen, John F. & Joan M. Calder Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech, for their paper “TPEC-2026-61311 Numerical Study of Coupled EHD-MHD Control for Enhanced Liquid Metal Channel Flow”. 

Bellur, now an assistant professor of mechanical and materials engineering at the University of Cincinnati, was named the recipient of the 2026 ASTFE Early Career Researcher Award for integrating experiments, theory and multiscale modeling to advance phase change physics from electronics cooling to microgravity fluid management.

Sharma also moderated a conference session on Measurement and Modeling of Environmental Flows, and Bellur also presented in three conference sessions.

Michigan Technological University is a recognized leader in acoustics education and research. In an effort to coordinate these initiatives across campus, an Acoustics Community of Practice is being organized to help colleagues meet, learn about each other’s work and plan future collaborations.

The inaugural meeting is scheduled for April 20 from 10-11:30 a.m. in GLRC 202.

Anyone in the campus community who works in acoustics, vibrations, noise, sound design, audio, speakers, signal processing or adjacent areas is welcome to attend. A Zoom link will be provided for those who sign up through the Acoustics Community of Practice Interest Form and cannot attend in person.

The first meeting will serve as a meet-and-greet opportunity. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared to give a 90-second introduction covering who they are, what they do and how greater coordination could benefit our community.

Fill out the form to indicate interest in the Acoustics Community of Practice.

The Departments of Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts are pleased to invite you to the Walker Arts and Humanities Center 40th Anniversary Open House today, April 10, from 3-6 p.m.!

The event will feature displays, installations, live demos and media presentations from both departments featuring the work of our diverse and accomplished faculty and students. Light refreshments will also be available.

Tour our facilities, including the Michigan Tech Writing Center, the Walker Lab for the Arts and Humanities — formerly the Humanities Digital Media Zone (HDMZ) — and the Stop Motion Studio, and get a sneak preview of the forthcoming Walker Game Studies Lab in Humanities.

Visit the second floor for displays and live demos in the Ceramics, Costume, and Drawing and Painting Studios; the Lighting and Sound Lab; and McArdle Theatre in Visual and Performing Arts.

Our faculty and students will be present to share work, talk shop and look toward the future of the arts and humanities right here at Michigan Tech.

Art in Silico, Michigan Tech’s annual computational arts show, returns next week, April 13-17, with a number of exciting events such as:

• Film: “Opus Cope: An Algorithmic Opera” — Tuesday, April 14, at 7 p.m. in Fisher 135
  A documentary about seminal (and controversial) composer David Cope who programmed his computer to generate classical music in the 1980s, plus Q&A with director Jae Shim 

• Keynote: “The Algorithm Wasn’t Built For Us” — Wednesday, April 15, at 6 p.m. in Fisher 138
  Best-selling author Karen Colbert will discuss her book on artificial intelligence in society and education in this keynote talk.

• Art in Silico Reception — Thursday, April 16, at 6 p.m. at The Orpheum Theater
  Art in Silico's reception includes a juried art show, live music, sci-fi reading, and pop-up vendors. Starring electronic musicians Tarek Sabbar (Madison, Wisconsin) and Haunted Ghost (Calumet), plus sci-fi reading, plus tables by Kitschy Spirit Records, Black Ice Comics & Books, and other local artists and organizations.

Other events include talks, art displays and DIY workshops every day of the week on MTU’s campus, with topics such as algorithmic art and music, the musical scales of Wendy Carlos, AI ethics, math history and beyond…

Join us for a week of computational art, film, music and sci-fi! Submit your work and find the Art in Silico Schedule of Events on the Art in Silico website.

Call for Art, Music, Writing and Other Media:
Art in Silico is currently accepting submissions of physical and digital art, electronic, instrumental and experimental music, writings and other works that are adjacent to the sciences, computers, technology, science fiction, AI or mathematics, or provide commentary on those topics, for a juried art show with physical, online and projected components.

Submit Your Work. Submissions will be accepted until midnight on Monday, April 13.

Art in Silico is sponsored by the MTU Institute for Computing and Cybersystems (ICC). Co-sponsors include the MTU Film Board, Orpheum Theater, Kitschy Spirit Records, Black Ice Comics. Please email townsend@mtu.edu with questions or for details.

On Monday, April 13, from 5-6 p.m., Department of Psychology and Human Factors (PsyHF) students from this year’s Research Methods class will provide and posters and short oral presentations of their research work in the M&M Third Floor Co-Working Space. 

Come see what our undergrads have been working on this semester!

Event Details:

• What: Research Methods Poster Session
• When: Monday, April 13, from 5-6 p.m.
• Where: M&M Third Floor Co-Working Space

After the Annual Research Methods Poster Session, please join the Department of Psychology and Human Factors (PsyHF) faculty and staff for our Student Awards and Graduation Celebration!

The event is being held from 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 13, in the M&M Third Floor Co-Working Space. Food and refreshments will be provided.

Event Details:

• What: Psychology and Human Factors Student Awards and Graduate Celebration
• When: Monday, April 13, from 6-7:30 p.m.
• Where: M&M Third Floor Co-Working Space

Celebrations! – Superior Wind Symphony and Campus Concert Band
Friday, April 10 | 7:30 p.m.
Rozsa Center
Michigan Tech Music Series

This evening, join the Superior Wind Symphony and Campus Concert Band as they combine for their popular end-of-semester concert, featuring music of joy, triumph and celebration. You will hear familiar favorites and moving compositions that will help us usher in a joyful spring.

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Journey Through the Keweenaw: Interactive Walk-through Installations – Michigan Tech Theatre
Friday and Saturday, April 10-11 | Open 7:30-10 p.m.
McArdle Theatre
Michigan Tech Theatre Series

Tonight and Saturday evening, the Michigan Tech Theatre Series invites you to the McArdle Theatre for an immersive arts experience that draws on the region’s cultural and industrial heritage to create something entirely its own. Visitors will explore a series of displays where sound, light and projection, and technical craftsmanship transform familiar spaces into living works of art.

Local history, Copper Country folklore and the creative energy of Michigan Tech students and faculty converge in an event that is as much about place as it is about craft. It is not simply a showcase — it is an invitation to experience the Keweenaw through new eyes.

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Reception for Beyond the Frame: Spring Student Art Showcase – Rozsa Art Galleries
Friday, April 10 | 5-7 p.m.
Rozsa Art Galleries
Michigan Tech Art Series

Also this evening, join student artists, Rozsa Art Galleries Director Terri Jo Frew and Associate Professor Lisa Gordillo from 5-7 p.m. for the opening reception for “Beyond the Frame: Spring Student Art Showcase” in the Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space. Arrive early for the “Celebrations!” concert and hear the artists talk about their vision and inspiration.

For this showcase, students in MTU’s Scenic and Entertainment Design and Art on Site courses created an interactive art installation based on the beloved children's books “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, “Harold and the Purple Crayon”, “Fancy Nancy”, “I Spy” and “Chicken Little”. The exhibit is immersive and child-friendly.

• Exhibit Dates: April 10-14
• Rozsa Art Galleries Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday 1-8 p.m.

Job Posting for Friday, April 10, 2026

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.

Head Women's Basketball Coach, Athletics.

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.

Mark Rhodes (SS) spoke yesterday, April 9, at the University of Évora in Portugal, having been invited as part of the Interdisciplinary Center for History, Cultures and Societies’ International Seminar Series.

Rhodes, speaking about the management of mining heritage sites, touched on the interconnected challenges faced by the Keweenaw Peninsula, three international cases (including Cornwall), and the emergence of a new European Mining Route. The broader seminar topic, “Extractive Heritage: Challenges of a natural resource,” brought together three other speakers and a robust debate on the intersections and unique challenges of mining heritage in the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain and Burkina Faso. 

Rhodes’ work while on sabbatical as the European Affairs Fulbright Scholar continues to be co-funded by the U.S. Department of State and the European Commission. The University of Évora serves as the third of three partner universities providing the European Union’s joint master’s degree in techniques, heritage, and territories of industry.

The Daily Mining Gazette quoted Peter Jaszczak and Isabella Jaszczak (both MSE) and mentioned Alexandra Glover (MSE) in a story about a partnership between Michigan Tech and the Copper Country Intermediate School District to offer a metallurgical engineering bootcamp for local high school students.

Charles Wallace (CS/PsyHF) was quoted and Kelly Steelman (PsyHF) was mentioned by the Keweenaw Report in a story about Building Adult Skills in Computing (BASIC), a partnership between Michigan Tech students and the Portage Lake District Library that helps local residents build confidence using technology.

Keweenaw Report and the Daily Mining Gazette quoted Joel Neves (VPA) and Kiersten Birondo (Rozsa) in stories about the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Gustav Mahler’s “Resurrection Symphony,” as part of the Rozsa Center’s 25th anniversary celebration.

The Daily Mining Gazette quoted Terri Frew (VPA) in a story about “Beyond the Frame,” a student art exhibition and reception hosted at Michigan Tech’s Rozsa Art Galleries beginning today, April 10.

MLive mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the U.S. News & World Report rankings, which ranked Tech’s graduate engineering program among the Top 100 in the nation.

Tomorrow: OAP Annual Gear Auction

Gear up for adventure at unbeatable prices. Join Michigan Tech Recreation for the Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP) Annual Silent Gear Auction and bid on high-quality, used outdoor equipment as we make room for brand-new gear. Don’t miss your chance to score great deals!

This auction is open to everyone, so mark your calendar and get ready to bid. Stay tuned for a list of available equipment!

Auction Details:

• What: OAP Annual Silent Gear Auction
• When: Saturday, April 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Where: MacInnes Student Ice Arena Concourse

More Info:

• This is a silent/blind bid auction. The highest bid wins!
• No pre-registration is needed. Just sign in at the event.
• All items are sold as-is. Be sure before you bid!
• Winning bidders must pay and pick up items the same day, from 1-3 p.m.

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Mathematical Sciences Seminar with Brian Hopkins

Please join the Department of Mathematical Sciences as we welcome Brian Hopkins of Saint Peter's University.

The seminar will be held today, April 10, from 1-2 p.m. in Fisher 133. Refreshments will be provided. 

Hopkins' presentation is titled "Six years of the crank-mex theorem".

From the abstract:
In 2020, two pairs of researchers, George Andrews & David Newman along with the speaker & James Sellers, published a surprising connection between two statistics on integer partitions.  The crank, named by Freeman Dyson in 1944 in hopes for a way to better understand results of Ramanujan, was not found until 1988 by Andrews and Frank Garvan.  As one would guess from the 44 year delay, the definition is tricky, yet the crank has become one of the most important statistics in the field.  The mex, a portmanteau of minimal excludant and borrowed from combinatorial game theory, is much simpler to define and compute. The theorem of the title shows that these two statistics are essentially equivalent.  In the short time since the connection was established, around 50 papers have built on the ideas.  We will sample some of that work with a bias towards combinatorial results.  The talk will be accessible to a wide audience, including several examples and beginning with the definition of integer partitions. 

Hopkins received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 1997 and has been on the faculty at Saint Peter's University in Jersey City, New Jersey, since 2001.  He has also taught at New York University, Harvey Mudd College, Seattle University, Quest University in British Columbia, and Mahidol University International College in Thailand.  He was recognized with a Haimo teaching award from the Mathematical Association of America, served as editor of the College Mathematics Journal, and recently published a colorful book Hands-On Combinatorics with the American Mathematical Society.

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ChE Seminar Series Speaker: Shreyas Rao

Shreyas Rao will present as part of the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) Seminar Series today, April 10, at 10 a.m. in person in EERC 100 and virtually via Zoom.

Join the ChE Seminar on Zoom.

Rao will present “Engineering the tumor cell niche to study dormancy and drug resistance in metastatic breast cancer”.

Read Rao’s abstract and bio on the University Events Calendar.

Rao is an associate professor at the University of Alabama.

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CFRES Friday Seminar Series Speaker: Terry Baker

Please join the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) for our Friday seminar series today, April 10, from 3-4 p.m. in Noblet G002, followed by a small social in the Forestry Atrium.

Terry Baker, CEO of the Society of American Foresters, will give a talk titled “Leading Where you Are”, a presentation and discussion on leadership in forestry and natural resources and how you genuinely show up for your team.

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Library Celebrates 150th Federal Depository Library Anniversary

The Van Pelt and Opie Library is proud to be celebrating its 150th anniversary as a federal depository library, the second oldest in the state of Michigan!

The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) was established by the United States Congress in 1813 to ensure public access to U.S. government information. Michigan Tech’s collection of federal documents was established in April 1876, predating the founding of the University itself. The collection’s origins are traced to Jay Abel Hubbell, who was instrumental in the creation of a school of mines in Houghton, and it includes materials which are difficult or impossible to find anywhere else.

Come celebrate with us! Stop by the library's FDLP anniversary display today, April 10, to chat with one of our government information librarians and learn more about this important, varied, and historic collection. (It even has board games!)

Grab some swag, test your trivia knowledge and enter a drawing for a chance to win a volume from the NASA Aeronautics book series.

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

Men's Tennis vs Wayne State University

Friday, April 10, 12–3 a.m.

Men's Tennis vs Wayne State University

Track & Field at UW-Platteville Invitational

Friday, April 10, 12–12 a.m. | Platteville, Wis.

Track & Field at UW-Platteville Invitational Platteville, Wis.

Women's Tennis vs Wayne State University

Friday, April 10, 12–3 a.m.

Women's Tennis vs Wayne State University

Beyond the Frame: Spring Student Art Showcase - Rozsa Art Galleries

Friday, April 10, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT Please join us for an end of semester showcase of artworks produced by the students of the Art on Site (ART2110) and Scenic and Entertainment Design classes at MTU. Students create an interactive art installation, based on beloved children's books including The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Fancy Nancy, I Spy, and Chicken Little.. The exhibit is immersive, and child-friendly. Things to know ROZSA ART GALLERIES HOURS | M-F 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturdays 1-8 p.m. EXHIBIT DATES | April 10-14, 2026 RECEPTION | Friday, April 10, 2026 | 5-7 p.m. ADMISSION| Free and open to the public CONTENT GUIDANCE | None Plan your visit with information about parking, accessibility, and more. Rozsa Art Galleries are open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. M-F and 1-8 p.m. on Saturdays. Closed during academic recesses. Contact the Rozsa Box Office for more information. Thanks to Our Sponsors Support for this Michigan Tech Art Event provided by: and the Visual and Performing Arts Circle of Supporters. About the Presenter Professional exhibitions in the Rozsa Art Galleries. Student showcases. Artist Talks with Studio Here Now. Cross-campus collaborations…

Master's Defense: Richmond Buckman

Friday, April 10, 8–9 a.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 201

Chemical Engineering Advisor: Lei Pan Hydrometallurgical Pressure Oxidation Leaching of Critical Minerals using Pyrrhotite Minerals Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/83057931514

FIRST Robotics Competition FIM Escanaba District Event

Friday, April 10, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | Escanaba High School

Come volunteer with Copper Country Robotics at Escanaba High School on April 9 - 11 for their FIRST Robotics Competition District Event! The Escanaba event is looking for volunteers of all types and needs help in most roles 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.

Engineering the tumor cell niche to study dormancy and drug resistance in metastatic breast cancer

Friday, April 10, 10 a.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 100

Chemical Engineering Seminar Dr. Shreyas Rao Associate Professor University of Alabama Abstract In recent years, engineered environments have been increasingly employed in cancer research to recapitulate key aspects of the complex in vivo tumor microenvironment with the ultimate goal of creating a system to better understand disease initiation and progression. In particular, biomaterial scaffolds have emerged as a key tool, enabling design of environments that mimic some features of native tissue and thus provide a controllable but more physiologically relevant environment in vitro. In this talk, I will present our recent efforts in engineering biomimetic environments in vitro using biomaterial scaffolds to study dormancy and drug resistance in brain metastatic breast cancer. Such systems could enable identification of approaches aimed at re-educating the microenvironment with strong potential to halt cancer progression and ultimately improve patient survival outcomes. Bio Dr. Shreyas Rao is an Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at The University of Alabama. He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University in 2012 under the…

Pavlis Honors College Reunion

Friday, April 10, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. | Michigan Tech Campus

Please join us in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Pavlis Honors College. The weekend will offer a variety of activities, including a university update, socials, and a celebratory dinner. We’re eager to reconnect, reminisce, and hear what you’ve been up to since your time in Pavlis. This milestone reunion is all about community, stories, and the shared experiences that shaped your journey. Please see the weekend schedule below and register here. Friday, April 10 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Welcome and Registration Check In | 7th floor of the M & M building Check in when you arrive in the Pavlis Honors College Collaboration Space on the 7th floor or the M & M building on campus. 12 - 4 p.m. Spring Fling | Michigan Tech Campus While on campus enjoy the spring weather and participate in a Tech Tradition by engaging in various fun activities. 7 - 9 p.m. Alumni Mixer | Beviamo Vino, 414 Shelden Ave, Houghton Join fellow alumni and friends at this new local favorite, enjoy a glass of wine and meet our staff and members of our External Advisory Board. Saturday, April 11 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. University Update | Memorial Union Building, Ballroom (top floor) Join President Koubek for an update…

Master's Defense: Ryan Miller

Friday, April 10, 12–1 p.m. | Academic Office Building (AOB), 201

Industrial Heritage and Archaeology Advisor: LouAnn Wurst Quincy Mines’ Unidentified Indigenous and Historic Copper Mining Pit Features Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/77272421453

PhD Defense: Thomas Price

Friday, April 10, 12–1 p.m. | R. L. Smith Building (MEEM), 1021

Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Advisor: Gordon Parker 2-D Diesel Oxidation Catalyst Filter (DOCF) Model Calibrated using SpaciMS and Engine Loading Data Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/83442631826

Spring Fling

Friday, April 10, 12–4 p.m. | All over Campus!

Join for a campus-wide event of detective-mystery-themed fun! In a celebration of student organizations and involvement, there will be tables around campus with organizations showing off what they have accomplished this year! There will also be many fun things for students to do. Free food, a campus-wide mystery game, prize wheel, and even a inflatable!! Take a walk through campus to experience all of the fun there is to have in this classic spring tradition.

Master's Defense: Chodwell Verenga

Friday, April 10, 1:30–2:30 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 201

Chemical Engineering Advisor: Timothy Eisele SUSTAINABLE LOW-TEMPERATURE ELECTROCHEMICAL IRON PRODUCTION: REVIEW OF ELECTROWINNING/ ELECTRODEPOSITION EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND THE POTENTIAL OF IRON (II) ACETATE ELECTROLYTES. Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/82707689563

Cookies & Coloring

Friday, April 10, 2–4 p.m. | Alumni House

End-of-semester stress? We’ve got you. Swing by Cookies & Coloring for a little escape. Snacks, coloring, and a chance to unwind before finals take over.

Engineering human in vitro models of physiology and diseases for precision medicine

Friday, April 10, 3–4 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Chao Ma, Ph.D. Cleveland Clinic Research Abstract Precision medicine aims to deliver personalized treatments to a given patient, necessitating an elucidation of the patient’s genetic makeup and the disease microenvironment. To obtain such understanding, experimental models that recapitulate human physiology and pathophysiology are highly needed, yet largely unavailable. The central goal of our work is to engineer and apply microfluidic organs-on-chips to first recreate in vitro tissue/disease models, then to unravel the mechanisms underlying tissue homeostasis, disease progression, and treatment resistance, and finally to screen therapeutic potential of novel treatments. In this talk, I will present our recent investigations of deconstructing and reconstructing tissue/tumor (liver, leukemia, and Ewing sarcoma) microenvironments on-chip and how these models can be utilized to study therapy resistance and screen for combinational therapeutics. Overall, our research provides a blueprint for the development and leverage of tissue-engineered humanized in vitro platforms, which may enable a novel paradigm for biomedical research in a physiologically…

Walker Arts & Humanities Center 40th Anniversary Open House

Friday, April 10, 3–6 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center

The departments of Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts are pleased to invite you to the Walker Arts & Humanities Center 40th Anniversary Open House on Friday, April 10th, from 3:00-6:00pm! The event will feature displays, installations, live demos, and media presentations from both departments featuring the work of our diverse and accomplished faculty and students. Please join us for a tour of our facilities and a glimpse into the wide array of courses, research topics, resources, and more that the arts and humanities have to offer right here at Michigan Tech! Light refreshments will be provided.

Walker Arts and Humanities Center 40th Anniversary Open House

Friday, April 10, 3–6 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center

PRESENTED BY COLLEGE OF SCIENCES AND ARTS Join the Department of Humanities and the Department of Visual and Performing Arts in celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Walker Arts and Humanities Center. The building originated as the Sherman Gym; in 1985 it reopened after full renovation to be a home for the arts and humanities, thanks to a gift from Mr and Mrs. Shaw and Bette Walker. Walk the halls and visit the classrooms to learn more about the research and creative work that is being done by students and faculty throughout the building. Things to know DATE | Friday, April 10, 2026 TIME | 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. LOCATION | Walker Arts and Humanities Center View All Upcoming Rozsa Events Personal Responsibility Statement Not all productions may appeal to or be appropriate for every person or for all ages. The Rozsa Center provides content guidance to alert audience members to common potentially sensitive or distressing material. Guests are encouraged to familiarize themselves with each event in order to make informed decisions prior to attending an event. Views Expressed Statement The views, information, thoughts, or opinions expressed in this program or event are those of the…

Reception for Beyond the Frame: Spring Student Art Showcase - Rozsa Art Galleries

Friday, April 10, 5–7 p.m. | Rozsa Art Galleries, Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT Join artists and Rozsa Art Galleries Director Terri Jo Frew from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026 for the opening reception for Beyond the Frame: Spring Student Art Showcase in the Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space. Students in Scenic and Entertainment Design and Art on Site create an interactive art installation, based on beloved children's books. The exhibit is immersive, and child-friendly. Enjoy refreshments, and hear from the artists to learn about the vision and inspiration for this exhibition. Learn more about the exhibit. Things to know ROZSA ART GALLERIES HOURS | M-F 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Saturdays 1-8 p.m. EXHIBIT DATES | April 10-14, 2026. RECEPTION | Friday, April 10, 2026 | 5-7 p.m. ADMISSION| Free and open to the public CONTENT GUIDANCE | None Plan your visit with information about parking, accessibility, and more. Rozsa Art Galleries are open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. M-F and 1-8 p.m. on Saturdays. Closed during academic recesses. Contact the Rozsa Box Office for more information. Thanks to Our Sponsors Support for this Michigan Tech Art Event provided by: and the Visual and Performing Arts Circle of Supporters. About the Presenter…

32nd Annual Student Leadership Awards

Friday, April 10, 6:00–7:30 p.m. | Memorial Union Building Ballroom

We would be honored to have you join us in celebrating the many achievements of those nominated for the 32nd Annual Student Leadership Awards by joining us for the event on Friday, April 10th at 6:00 PM in the Memorial Union Building Ballroom. Not able to join us in-person? We invite additional guests to view the awards via Live Stream.

Celebrations! - Superior Wind Symphony and Campus Concert Band

Friday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Black Performance Hall

MICHIGAN TECH MUSIC SERIES EVENT The Superior Wind Symphony and Campus Concert Band combine for their popular end-of-semester concert, featuring music of joy, triumph, and celebration. Things to know DATE | Friday, April 10, 2026 TIME | 7:30 p.m. LOCATION | Rozsa Center EST. RUN TIME | Approx. 90 mins., with intermission SEATING | General Admission PUBLIC TICKETS | Pay As You're Able Tickets ($20 Full Fee) What is Pay As You're Able? MICHIGAN TECH STUDENT RUSH TICKETS | Request from the Rozsa Box Office in advance or walk up What is Student Rush? CONTENT GUIDANCE | TBA Rozsa Lobby is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. M-F and 1-8 p.m. on Saturdays. Seating begins a half hour prior to the event start time. View Rozsa Box Office Hours. Thanks to Our Sponsors Support for this Michigan Tech Music Event provided by: and the Visual and Performing Arts Circle of Supporters. About the Artists The Superior Wind Symphony is an auditioned ensemble of winds and percussion that performs the music of composers spanning five centuries, living and not, from all genders, ethnicities, and genres. Meet the performers, creative team, and production team in the event's digital program. Programs…

Math-Sci Seminar Series - Brian Hopkins

April 10, all day | Fisher Hall, 133

Please join the Department of Mathematical Sciences as we welcome Dr. Brian Hopkins, Professor at Saint Peter's University. Title: Six years of the crank-mex theorem Abstract: In 2020, two pairs of researchers, George Andrews & David Newman along with the speaker & James Sellers, published a surprising connection between two statistics on integer partitions. The crank, named by Freeman Dyson in 1944 in hopes for a way to better understand results of Ramanujan, was not found until 1988 by Andrews and Frank Garvan. As one would guess from the 44 year delay, the definition is tricky, yet the crank has become one of the most important statistics in the field. The mex, a portmanteau of minimal excludant and borrowed from combinatorial game theory, is much simpler to define and compute. The theorem of the title shows that these two statistics are essentially equivalent. In the short time since the connection was established, around 50 papers have built on the ideas. We will sample some of that work with a bias towards combinatorial results. The talk will be accessible to a wide audience, including several examples and beginning with the definition of integer partitions. Bio: Brian…

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.