April 26, 2022

Sometimes all the elements you require to achieve a goal are found close to home. Just ask the featured speakers at Michigan Tech’s 2022 Spring Commencement: graduating Husky Brooke Tienhaara and Board of Trustees member and bestselling author John U. Bacon.

Tienhaara, from Calumet, is a medical laboratory science major with a minor in philosophy and ethics. Bacon, an Ann Arbor resident, was invited to speak after President Rick Koubek read his most recent book: “Let Them Lead: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership from America’s Worst High School Hockey Team.”

The ceremony, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Saturday (April 30) in the John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena, is a milestone for more than 950 Huskies receiving their hard-earned bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degrees.

Learn more about the speakers and event logistics, and get the livestream link at Michigan Tech News.

Michigan Tech is excited to announce the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day scheduled on Saturday (April 30) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is an opportunity to properly dispose of expired and unused prescription drug medication. Michigan Tech Public Safety and Police Services is a registered drop-off/collection site.

Public Safety and Police Services is located at 206 MacInnes Dr., just off of U.S. Highway 41 in Houghton. As a reminder, this prescription drug medication disposal is for pills only (no liquids please).

Michigan Tech Public Safety and Police Services has a 24/7/355 through-wall drug disposal box that can be used any day of the year to dispose of your unused medications.

Questions? Contact Whitney Boroski at wmborosk@mtu.edu. 

The Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) is recruiting participants for a research study examining the influence of aging on balance ability in conditions of decreased environmental lighting.

Participants will be asked to perform a series of balance challenging tasks where they must recover their balance in different lighting conditions during one 2.5-hour session. All testing will take place at the Human Biomechanics Lab in the Student Development Complex. Participants will receive compensation.

Participants will fit these eligibility requirements:

• Between 41 and 80 years old.
• Weigh less than 300 pounds.
• Have NOT been diagnosed with osteoporosis, neck injuries, head injuries, any injuries to the lower body, sacroiliac injuries or any history of compression fracture of the vertebral body.
• Have NOT been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
• Have NOT been diagnosed with vestibular, vision or neurological disorders that affect balance.
• Have NOT been in a previous lean-and-release study.

For more information, please contact Carolyn Duncan (KIP) at caduncan@mtu.edu or 906-487-2147.

Join us Thursday (April 28) from 7-8 p.m. for the final COVID-19 Community Town Hall. Town hall moderators Steven Elmer and Kelly Kamm (HRI/KIP) will be joined by several guests to discuss a range of public health and general health-related topics.

Organized by the Health Research Institute at Michigan Tech, the 60-minute town hall broadcast can be heard live at 7 p.m. on local radio stations 97.7 The Wolf (WOLV-FM) and Q107 (WMQT-FM) or viewed through a Zoom webinar and Facebook Live. The town hall can also be viewed on ABC 10 on May 8 at noon.

For more information, past broadcasts and webinar links, visit the COVID-19 Town Hall Series website.

The Department of Mathematical Sciences (Math) would like to recognize the following outstanding undergraduate and graduate students.

These awards were recently presented at a departmental spring awards banquet. Honors were extended for excellence in academics, research and teaching.

Undergraduate Awards

• Mathematical Sciences Department Scholar: Ben Wireman
• Mathematical Achievement Award: Austin Doorlag and Hadley Wells
• Mathematical Sciences Woman of Promise: Allison Gilles
• Statistics Achievement Award: Ryan Dura, Ina Klasner and Alayna Merten
• Charles S. Knobloch Award: Alan Bouwman and Skylar Callis
• Tom Drummer Memorial Scholarship: Caleb Hiltunen
• Norman E. Scholz Award: Sam VanderArk

Graduate Student Awards

• Outstanding Research Award: Xuewei Cao and Kyle Schwiebert
• Outstanding Teaching Award: Karlee Westrem and Yasasya Batugedara

Michigan Tech men's tennis ended their regular season with a 6-1 road loss to Lake Superior State in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday at Arbuckle Activity Center.

The Huskies lost the team doubles point with defeats at No. 1 and No. 3. The Lakers then won five singles matches to dash Tech's hopes of reaching postseason play.

Tech needed a win and a Purdue Northwest loss to make the top six in the GLIAC standings. Instead, the Huskies finished the year 1-10 overall, 1-6 in GLIAC play.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech women's tennis took the team doubles point, but ultimately fell 5-2 to Lake Superior State at Arbuckle Student Center on Saturday (April 23) in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup. 

"It was unfortunate we had just four available players in singles today, but our goal today was to keep those who played healthy and we did that," said head coach Kristin Yep. "I feel optimistic about our chances heading into the conference tournament next week and I felt we played well in doubles today as well."

Points for MTU were earned by Dominika Bobik at No. 1 singles; Nicole Ballach and Lauren Opalewski in No. 1 doubles; and Chiara Heinz and Marina Fernandez at No. 3 doubles.

Michigan Tech (3-9, 3-5 GLIAC) earned the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament and will likely face Grand Valley State (13-5, 7-1) in the quarterfinals.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

A plethora of Husky runners surpassed personal bests at the two-day, Elaine Leigh Invitational, hosted by Oakland Unversity.

For the women, Jesse Jacobusse remains undefeated this season in the 800 meters, crossing the line in 2:11.61 to set an NCAA provisional mark and nab first place.

"Jesse has been such a fierce competitor in the 800 meters so far this year," said head coach Kristina Owen. "She does not like to get beat and she is capable of chasing down anyone to get the win. I can't wait to see her race in some faster fields and see what she's really capable of."

On the men's side, Sam Lange knocked on the door of an NCAA provisional mark with his second-place, 200-meter time of 3:51.21. And, Ryan Schwiderson impressed again in short sprints, with personal records in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Postings for Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email mtujobs@mtu.edu.

For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Administrative Aide 7 (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22099, Business Support Center (UAW posting April 26 to May 2, 2022 — internal UAW applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal UAW posting dates). Apply online.

Food Service Helper (nine months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22100, Dining Services (AFSCME posting April 26 to May 2, 2022 — internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Cook's Helper (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22101, Dining Services (AFSCME posting April 26 to May 2, 2022 — internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Custodian (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #21170RP3, 21171RPx3, Facilities (AFSCME posting April 26 to May 2, 2022 — internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of the Pavlis Honors College, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. Apply online.

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

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

Sarah Hoy (CFRES) was quoted in an NBC News story about wolves’ positive impacts on prey populations and landscapes. The story mentioned recent research published by Hoy, John Vucetich and Rolf Peterson (CFRES) and other insights revealed by the long-running wolf moose study on Isle Royale.

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Roman Sidortsov (SS) was quoted by Japan Today. The outlet picked up last week’s AP News story about hydroelectric pumped storage research.

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Supreme Master TV ran a segment on research led by Daisuke Minakata (CEGE) on the time it takes singlet oxygen to degrade pollutants in aquatic environments. 

Paul Doskey (CFRES) and graduate students Paul Benjamin Barrios and Benjamin Mohrhardt are collaborators on the research, which was published in the June 2021 issue of Environmental Science and Technology. Their work was also the subject of a Michigan Tech News story.

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Michigan Tech was mentioned in a Crain’s Detroit Business article discussing enrollment drops at most Michigan public colleges. MTU, University of Michigan and Michigan State University are the only public universities in the state bucking the trend.

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The Detroit News, Lansing City Pulse and the Mining Journal mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about tribal efforts to restore wild rice to its natural habitats in the Upper Peninsula. An MTU research study found arsenic, mercury and other dangerous metals in wild rice beds in and around Keweenaw Bay Indian Community land.

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The Sustainability Demonstration House (SDH) at Michigan Technological University was mentioned by the Mining Journal in a story previewing a native plant symposium being held virtually Saturday (April 30). The SDH is co-sponsoring the event.

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A guest article by doctoral student in environmental and energy policy Shardul Tiwari was published by the Keweenaw Now blog. The article reflected on Tiwari’s experience as part of MTU's delegation to COP26, the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

Sarah Green (Chem), who led the delegation, was quoted in the article.

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

Teal Ribbons

Tuesday, April 26, 12:00 a.m.–11:45 p.m. | Campus!

Have you seen teal ribbons? Help raise awareness for Sexual Assault Awareness Month by scanning the QR code and participating in SAVE and Title IX's Octopi project and get the...

CS Dissertation Presentation: Jiban Adhikary

Tuesday, April 26, 11:00 a.m.–12:50 p.m.

Department of Computer Science Ph.D. candidate Jiban Adhikary will present his dissertation on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. in Rekhi Hall, Room 101...

PhD Defense: Jiban Krishna Adhikary

Tuesday, April 26, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Rekhi Hall, 101

Computer Science Advisor: Keith Vertanen Intelligent Techniques to Accelerate Everyday Text Communication