February 27, 2026

College of Sciences and Arts Dean LaReesa Wolfenbarger has selected Holly Hassel, professor in the Department of Humanities and director of the University's First Year Writing Program, for the 2026 Deans’ Teaching Showcase. Hassel will be recognized at an end-of-term event with other spring showcase members and is a candidate for the CTL Instructional Award Series.

Hassel joined Michigan Tech in 2023 and brought two decades of teaching, research and scholarship in college writing, writing assessment and instructing. Her most significant contribution thus far has been the redesign of UN1015 Composition. The curriculum centers on a contemporary, situational rhetorical framework and is reflected in the new course title, College Writing and Research. The introduction of portfolio-based assessment, or “folio thinking,” reflects national best practices and aligns with Essential Education. The revision of assignments gives students more ownership over their writing processes. The first-year writing team of faculty and graduate students co-authored a custom resource, “Mining for Meaning: A Guide to College Composition”, to support student outcomes in information evaluation, contextual communication and reflection.

“Dr. Hassel has built a program backed by research on best practices and with resources and mentoring to ensure consistency across sections and efficiency for instructors in the course. There is a healthy culture of professionalization for students and instructors,” said Wolfenbarger.

Hassel built a Course Development Shell in Canvas with ready-to-go modules, rubrics and lesson plans. The shell establishes a standard for teaching and promotes consistency across the course’s more than 50 sections and 20 instructors. Hassel also provides mentoring for all instructors through class observations, pre-semester meetings, assessment of student learning workshops, and professional development workshops. 

Outside of the classroom, Hassel engages in activities to support and promote excellence in writing. She founded Paw Prints: The Michigan Tech Journal of First-Year Writing to recognize student work. She co-launched the Enterprise Program’s new Ink + Ore Enterprise to have the journal embedded in a student-run, humanities organization. 

Hassel has positioned Michigan Tech as an active voice in the national conversation around generative artificial intelligence in higher education. She and graduate student/instructors collaborated on a “GenAI Responsible Use Matrix” to give students a practical framework for thinking through the ethical dimensions of AI in research, drafting and editing. The project has already led to multiple national conference presentations and forthcoming publications.

“Thanks to Dr. Hassel’s expertise and hard work, we have a robust first-year writing program and provide our students with a solid foundation for excelling in writing and the tools to use technology in an ethical manner,” said Wolfenbarger.

The Thompson Scholar Program at Michigan Tech seeks campus partners interested in hosting group volunteer opportunities for our students. 

In addition to supporting volunteer engagement through GivePulse, we want to supplement our efforts and expand experiences to allow our Thompson Scholars to volunteer together. These shared experiences foster a stronger sense of community and belonging while making meaningful contributions to campus initiatives.

We are especially interested in opportunities that:

• Support campus departments, programs or events
• Accommodate small to midsize groups of students (5-50) 
• Provide hands-on engagement
• Occur as one-time projects or short-term commitments

Thompson Scholars are motivated, community-minded and dedicated to giving back. Volunteer experiences strengthen their peer connections while deepening their engagement with Michigan Tech.

If your department, organization or event could benefit from a dedicated group of volunteers, please fill out our group volunteering form.

For more information about the Thompson Scholar Program, please contact us at thompsonscholars@mtu.edu. 

For volunteer opportunities intended for the broader campus community, we encourage partners to connect with Student Leadership and Involvement at huskyhelpers@mtu.edu.

Spring Break HuskiesFit Group Fitness Classes are here! Whether you’re looking to sweat or find your center, we have something for everyone at the SDC!

Classes are free to SDC members holding three-month or annual memberships (must have ID present for entry to class). Alternative options include a $10 class day pass or a HuskiesFit Group Fitness Semester Pass (students $65, general public $105). 

HuskiesFit’s semester pass gives unlimited access to HuskiesFit Group Fitness classes for the spring 2026 semester only (expires April 23, 2026) and will not be exchanged or refunded due to classes not being offered on a consistent basis. Customers are responsible for keeping their cards.

Visit Michigan Tech Recreation's website to learn more!

Questions? Email recreation@mtu.edu.

Spring Break HuskiesFit Schedule:

Friday, Feb. 27

• Interval Burn with Jolie 11-11:50 a.m.
• Spin with Meghan 12-12:50 p.m.
• Roll & Restore with Jolie 1-1:50 p.m.
• Lower Body + Abs with Kseniia 5-5:50 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 28

• Body Sculpt with Kseniia 1-1:50 p.m.

Sunday, March 1

• Aqua Zumba with Adria 4-5 p.m.

Monday, March 2

• Power Flow Yoga with Angela 12-12:50 p.m.
• Yogatone with Jolie 4:15-5:05 p.m.
• Zumba with Allison 5:15-6:05 p.m.

Tuesday, March 3

• Cycle Yoga Fusion with Angela 11-11:50 a.m.
• CIRCL Mobility with Allison 12-12:50 p.m.
• Body Sculpt with Kseniia 4-4:50 p.m.
• Zumba Toning with Allison 5:15-6:06 p.m.

Wednesday, March 4

• Yin Yoga Fusion with Angela 12-12:50 p.m.
• Zumba with Adria 4:15-5:05 p.m.

Thursday, March 5

• Lower Body + Abs with Kseniia 12-12:50 p.m.
• Roll & Restore withJolie 4:15-5:05 p.m.
• Zumba Gold with Allison 5:15-6:05 p.m.

Friday, March 6

• Interval Burn with Jolie 11-11:50 a.m.
• Roll & Restore with Jolie 12-12:50 p.m.

Saturday, March 7

• Body Sculpt with Kseniia 12-12:50 p.m.

Sunday, March 8

• Spin with Meghan 3-3:50 p.m.
• Aqua Zumba with Adria 4-5 p.m.

Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) faculty and graduate students were active participants in the MINEXCHANGE 2026 SME Annual Conference & Expo, held by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) this week, Feb. 22-25, at Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Research Assistant Professor Peijia Lin presented “Reutilization of the Process Water from LIBs Recycled Stream as A Neutralizing Reagent for Simultaneous Waste Treatment and Valuable Recovery” at the technical session for the Mineral Processing Division: Chemical Processing: Reprocessing from Secondary Resources.

Ph.D. candidate Daniel Amponsah-Berko gave an oral presentation “Recovery of Aluminum from Landfills via Landfill Mining and Physical Separation Techniques” at the Physical Separations session.

Additionally, several of our grad students’ abstracts were accepted for various SME poster contests:

• Daniel Amponsah-Berko earned first place in the Environmental Division Poster Competition with his poster “Landfill Mining for Aluminum Recovery at Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority,” which he also presented at the SME Graduate Student Research Poster Contest and the MPD Student Poster Contest. Amponsah-Berko is a graduate research assistant in the Eisele Particulate Processing Laboratory and is advised by Associate Professor Tim Eisele.

• Kwabena Boafo presented his poster “Selective Iron Suppression in Nickel Bioleaching via Low-Temperature CO2 Utilization” at the SME Graduate Student Research Poster Contest and the MPD Student Poster Contest. He is also advised by Eisele.

• Rebecca Kwofie presented “Investigating the Production of Organic Acids from Cattail (Typha spp.) for Bioleaching of Critical Metals” at the MPD Student Poster Contest. She is also advised by Eisele.

• Richard Oboh presented his poster “Interfacial Chemistry Involved In Selective Separation Of Nmc/Lmo And Lco/Lmo Binary Cathode Materials By Froth Flotation Using Oleic Acid”. He is advised by Associate Professor Lei Pan.

Science quoted Jared Wolfe (CFRES) in a feature examining mysterious bird declines in intact tropical forests, highlighting his research in the Brazilian Amazon on how shifting rainfall and rising temperatures may be affecting bird survival and breeding. His team’s findings were highlighted on Michigan Tech’s Unscripted Research Blog and Re:Generations Magazine.

The Daily Mining Gazette quoted Michigan Tech students Andrew Morehead (mechanical engineering) and Madeline McRoberts (chemical engineering) in a story about MTU’s Engineering Week, highlighting the College of Engineering Student Ambassadors’ Snowball Slingshot Challenge and other student-led activities.

Wisconsin’s Sawyer County Record featured Gowtham (AC) in a story about his long-distance running and cross country skiing journey, including his ongoing push to complete Wisconsin’s American Birkebeiner (“the Birkie”).

Michigan Business Network mentioned Michigan Tech in coverage of a new RU4M report detailing the statewide employment and economic impact of research at Michigan’s R1 universities.

Ohio’s 104.5 WLZZ-FM mentioned Michigan Tech in coverage of new efforts in Michigan to fight potholes and extend road life. The story noted MTU’s support of Washtenaw County in the use of rubberized asphalt in partnership with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech in a story previewing the University’s Board of Trustees meeting today, Feb. 27.

Graduate Research Colloquium 2026: Cash Prizes Doubled!

Cash prizes for Graduate Research Colloquium (GRC) 2026 are now doubled!

The Graduate Student Government (GSG) invites all graduate students to participate in this year’s GRC, a campuswide event to showcase your research, strengthen your presentation skills and engage in exciting research competition.

GRC 2026 research presentations will be given in person on March 18. The GRC Awards Banquet will be held the following day, March 19. Graduate students can choose to give oral presentations, present posters, or do both.

Cash Prizes:

• First Place — $600
• Second Place — $400
• Third Place — $200

Register to Present at GRC 2026. The registration deadline is March 10.

Event Details:

• What: GSG Graduate Research Colloquium 2026
• When/Where:
  • Oral Presentations — Wednesday, March 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the MUB Alumni Lounge
  • Poster Presentations — Wednesday, March 18, from 5-8 p.m. in the Rozsa Lobby
  • GRC Awards Banquet — Thursday, March 19, at 5 p.m. in the Rozsa Lobby

*****

Research Study Seeks Participants

The Aging, Cognition, and Action Lab at Michigan Tech is studying how younger and older adults use their hands and arms to complete tasks. We want to learn more about how the brain and body work together as people get older.

If you are between 60-85 years of age, have no medical conditions that affect how your hands and arms move, have no major injuries to your hands or arms, have normal vision or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses/contacts) and are interested in participating in paid research ($20 per hour for roughly two hours), please call 906-487-2378 or email agingcognitionlab@mtu.edu to learn more.

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

Skiing at NCAA Central Regional Championship

Friday, February 27, 12 a.m. | Duluth, MN

Skiing at NCAA Central Regional Championship Duluth, MN

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

Friday, February 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 Saturdays …

Board of Trustees Meeting

Friday, February 27, 9–11 a.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom B

Regular meeting of Michigan Technological University Board of Trustees

Engineering Week - Cupcakes!

Friday, February 27, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Grover C. Dillman Hall, 112

Celebrate the end of Engineering week with sweet treats and good company. This event is part of week long activities to explore engineering pathways, connect with leaders, and have some fun with classic engineering challenges as part of the National Engineers Week. Find out more here!

Math-Sci Seminar Series - James Sellers

Friday, February 27, 1–2 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 133

Please join the Department of Mathematical Sciences as we welcome Dr. James Sellers, Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences and Statistics at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Title: Surprising Connections Between Integer Partitions Statistics: The Crank, Minimal Excludant, and Partition Fixed Points Abstract: A partition of an integer $n$ is a finite sequence of positive integers $p_1\geq p_2\geq \dots \geq p_k$ such that $n=p_1+p_2+\dots + p_k.$ We let $p(n)$ denote the number of partitions of $n$. For example, $p(4) = 5$ because there are five partitions of the integer $n=4$: $$4, \ \ 3+1, \ \ 2+2, \ \ 2+1+1, \ \ 1+1+1+1$$ In 1919, just one year before his death, Ramanujan discovered and proved some unexpected, and truly amazing, divisibility properties for the function $p(n).$ Since then, several mathematicians have studied $p(n)$ from different perspectives, trying to better understand these divisibility properties, especially from a combinatorial perspective. In the process, numerous ``statistics'' have been defined on partitions, including the rank and crank of a partition. In this talk, I will discuss this history in more detail, and then I will transition …

Straight-Line to Relapse: How an Aligned Extracellular Matrix Makes Neuroblastoma Therapy-Resistant

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

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Jinseok Park, Ph.D. University of Southern California Abstract Neuroblastoma, the most common extracranial pediatric tumor, accounts for 15% of childhood cancer-related deaths, primarily due to disease relapse. Neuroblastoma exhibits two switchable cellular identities: mesenchymal (MES) and adrenergic (ADRN). The MES state is significantly more invasive and therapy-resistant than the ADRN state, suggesting that the ADRN-to-MES transition contributes to relapse and poorer clinical outcomes. However, the mechanisms by which neuroblastoma defines the therapy-resistant MES state and modulates this transition remain poorly understood. The extracellular matrix (ECM)—a three-dimensional network of macromolecules—acts as both a physical scaffold and a regulator of oncogenic signaling. We observed that high-risk and relapsed neuroblastoma, which likely contain a larger MES subpopulation, exhibit ECM with distinct, well-aligned structures compared to low-risk neuroblastoma. Consequently, we hypothesized that this aligned ECM drives the ADRN-to-MES transition. To test this, we utilized a nanofabricated surface with grooved arrays as an in vitro model …

Men's Ice Hockey vs Bowling Green

Friday, February 27, 7:07–10:07 p.m. | Houghton, MI

Men's Ice Hockey vs Bowling Green Houghton, MI

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.