January 30, 2023

Give Back to the Pack, a 48-hour giving challenge to support Michigan Technological University, is coming during Winter Carnival 2023.

This event celebrates what makes Tech special while developing a culture of philanthropy among alumni, faculty, staff, students and the community.

All giving will be routed through the Days of Giving website: giveback.mtu.edu. Gifts can be made in any amount and to any area of campus. Dozens of challenges from departments across campus will increase the impact of gifts through participation or dollar-for-dollar matches.

Give Back to the Pack starts at 4 p.m. Feb. 8 as Winter Carnival recess begins on campus. It ends 48 hours later on Feb. 10.

Michigan Tech’s last giving day event was in April 2019 and raised $570,813 from 1,337 gifts.

Campus Campaign 2023 will coincide with the upcoming Days of Giving event called Give Back to the Pack during Winter Carnival. Faculty and staff are encouraged to make a gift to any area of campus in any amount. Strong participation in the campaign sends the message that Tech employees believe in the University’s vision and mission — and in the good work taking place on campus.

Give a one-time online gift between Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. and Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. By using the website during the event, you may be able to leverage your gift for greater impact through participation challenges or dollar-for-dollar matches.

You may also choose to set up a payroll deduction using the Campus Campaign Google form. All payroll deduction forms submitted before 3 p.m. Feb. 10 will be counted in our Give Back to the Pack totals.

In addition to making a gift, you can make a difference by spreading the word about Give Back to the Pack. Sign up to be an official ambassador for the event or simply tell others through your channels.

Thank you for supporting Michigan Tech. Together we can make a great impact for our University.

This year, Michigan Tech will hold two Spring Commencement ceremonies. The graduate student ceremony will take place April 28 at 3 p.m and the undergraduate student ceremony will take place April 29 at 10:30 a.m. Both ceremonies will be held in the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Michigan Tech faculty are cordially invited to participate in the faculty procession to support students in their department at either ceremony (or both!). Faculty presence means a great deal to the students and their families. Members of the procession wear regalia, march in the procession, and sit as a group to show support for the graduates.

To participate in the graduate student ceremony April 28, please submit the Graduate Ceremony Participation Form by Feb. 20.

To participate in the undergraduate student ceremony April 29, please submit the Undergraduate Ceremony Participation Form by Feb. 20.

Faculty may order caps and gowns through the Commencement website before noon on Feb. 20 from the Campus Store’s Cap and Gown Order page to receive the lowest price. Expedited shipping fees will apply to all orders placed after that date. Orders placed after noon on March 20 are not guaranteed to arrive before the Spring Commencement ceremonies.

We hope you will join us!

Commencement Team

The Human Resources office will be closed from 1-5 p.m. tomorrow (Jan. 31) for a departmental meeting. Normal office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. will resume on Wednesday (Feb. 1).

Questions during this time can be routed to humanresources@mtu.edu.
We apologize for any inconvenience.

A production system maintenance window is scheduled for Feb. 12 from 7-11 a.m.

The following production services will be unavailable during that time:

Banner 
Banweb 
MyMichiganTech 
ASPIRE 
Course Tools 
OAP Rental System 
Oracle Reports 
Sunapsis (iOffice) 
UC4/Appworx 
Virtual Cashiering 
WebFocus 

If you have any questions or concerns, we can help. Contact us at it-help@mtu.edu or call 7-1111.

Are you interested in the intersection of computing and art? The inaugural Art in Silico event invites amateur or professional artists in all areas (visual, performance, digital or really anything that can be imagined) to enter our juried show. Submissions are welcomed and encouraged from students, faculty, staff and community members. $1,500 in prizes will be awarded!

The Institute of Computing and Cybersystems, Great Lakes Research Center, College of Computing, Department of Visual and Performing Arts and the Copper Country Community Arts Center (CCCAC) are pleased to present Art in Silico, a series of workshops, panels, lectures and other events celebrating the intersection of computing and art. The series will culminate in a juried art show April 13 at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock. The show will be a combination fundraiser for the CCCAC and MTU student scholarships (artists can choose if they would like to donate their art for a silent auction benefiting these causes).

Please see the Art in Silico page for more information, or email silico-art-l@mtu.edu.

Please join us tomorrow (Jan. 31) for an hour of laid-back Francophone setting with French natives and other Francophiles. All levels welcome. Walker 120A, from 5-6 p.m.

Note that we meet every second Tuesday: Feb. 14, Feb. 28, March 14, March 28 and April 11.

Friends and family are welcome!

Join us tomorrow (Jan. 31) at La Peña! Come unwind and meet new people at the Spanish Conversation Hour, all while you refresh your Spanish! Everybody is welcome. We will meet from 5-6 p.m., at the Humanities Digital Media Zone (HDMZ), Walker 120A.

Other Peña dates of the semester: Feb. 14, Feb. 28, March 14 and March 28.

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) named Christopher Sanders (CDI) the winner of the 2023 Bayard Rustin Award during the 34th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Banquet on Jan. 16. This award, now in its fourth year, recognizes a faculty or staff member at Michigan Tech for their behind-the-scenes impact.

Arlethia Bell, environmental engineering student and co-president of NSBE, presented the award and spoke of the impact Sanders has made in the lives of students at Michigan Tech.

“In the short time that he has been a member of the Tech community, he has been instrumental in ensuring the continuation of programs which support diversity on Tech’s campus, such as the MiCUP Scholars Program and the Husky Connect Mentorship Program, along with many others,” said Bell.

Read more at the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Newsblog.

Join Graduate Student Government (GSG) and the Van Pelt and Opie Library in learning why planning your career is more than just choosing a company or industry.

Melissa Baird, graduate director of the Department of Social Sciences, will walk through the steps to take you down the path to the career you want. This short workshop will take place in the Library East Reading Room from 12-12:30 p.m. tomorrow (Jan. 31). 

Light snacks will be provided!

Sign up for the Career Planning Workshop.

Physics graduate students will be presenting their research progress at this week's Physics Colloquium:

• Elise Rosky (advised by Will Cantrell/Raymond Shaw)
• Nithin Allwayin (advised by Raymond Shaw)

This will be an in-person event — the students will give their talks at 4 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 2) in Fisher 139.

Event details, including the students' presentation titles and abstracts, are available on the University Events Calendar.

Head coach Turk Ozturk and the Michigan Tech soccer program are pleased to announce the fall schedule for the 2023-24 season.

The Huskies open the season welcoming NSIC foes St. Cloud State (Aug. 31) to the Upper Peninsula. Conference play begins with the Huskies welcoming Purdue Northwest and Wisconsin-Parkside on Sept. 15 and 17, respectively.

In total, the Huskies play 18 games, with 14 conference matches — two contests against each conference foe.

The 2023-24 campaign marks the 14th season of the program. Ozturk returns for his fourth season, and assistant coach David Juarez enters his second season. The Huskies return two All-GLAIC First Teamers in goalkeeper Gracie VanLangevelde and defender Molly Bolang.

See the full schedule at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Both Michigan Tech cross country squads have been named All-Academic teams by the USTFCCCA, and 12 Huskies have been selected as All-Academic student-athletes.

In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top 30% percent of their respective regional championship meet, among other qualifiers.

"We are incredibly proud of our athletes' performances this past semester, both on the race course and in the classroom," head coach Kristina Owen said. "They are an amazingly talented group of young adults, and their drive and determination will continue to serve them well into their future careers.

"The degrees and programs they are studying at Michigan Tech are demanding and rigorous, and our teams have some of the best team GPAs in the country. It's a real testament to the grit and tenacity of our team and all Michigan Tech students."

Read more and see the individual honorees at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Posting for Monday, Jan. 30, 2023

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.

Assistant, Associate or Senior Research Scientist/Engineer, Great Lakes Research Center. 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.

Sangyoon Han (BioMed) is the principal investigator of a project that has received $270,000 from the Wallace Research Foundation.

The project is titled "Elucidating mechanobiological pathway in the classical type of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome."

Stefka Hristova (HU) was quoted by WLUC TV6 in a story about the challenges presented by artificial intelligence in the classroom.

*****

Planet Forward mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the benefits and challenges of building with mass timber. The story was previously published by Great Lakes Echo, the Spartan Newsroom and the Detroit News. 

*****

The Daily Mining Gazette picked up a Michigan Tech Athletics press release about Nordic skier Anabel Needham’s preparation for the U23 World Ski Championships.

*****

The late Professor Emeritus Bill Campbell (BioSci) was mentioned by WJMN Local 3 in a story about a pending patent developed by the company he co-founded, NECi Superior Enzymes in Lake Linden. The patent is for a system of two enzymes that would remove oxygen from food packaging.

WIA Breakfast with the Provost

Women in the Academy (WIA) will be hosting a breakfast with Interim Provost Andrew Storer on Monday (Feb. 6) from 8:30-9:45 a.m. This will be an opportunity to gather as a group and have an open discussion with Storer.

We'll have some prepared questions, and also will open the floor for your questions. If you have questions that you want to ask, but wish to do so anonymously, please include them in the event registration form or email them to Amy Marcarelli at ammarcar@mtu.edu or Caryn Heldt at heldt@mtu.edu.

There will be a full hot breakfast with coffee, tea and orange juice, including vegetarian options. If you have any additional dietary restrictions, please share them so we can arrange for special meals if necessary.

Please complete the registration form if you plan to attend so we can have an accurate headcount for breakfast.

*****

VPR Research Series: Creating SciENcv Biosketches; Changes to NSF PAPPG

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) require personnel biographical sketches to be submitted in a very specific format. In addition, the format and specific instructions have changed for both agencies in the last two years. In particular, NSF will begin requiring the use of SciENcv for biosketches and current and pending support documents in October 2023. Even before this requirement is implemented, using SciENcv to generate these documents will ensure your biosketch is always in compliance when you submit a proposal to these agencies.

Join us via Zoom tomorrow (Jan. 31) from noon to 1 p.m. to learn how you can create and maintain your biographical sketch and current and pending support documents so they will be readily available when needed for a proposal submission. Once you get the initial setup done, you'll be able to easily generate biosketches and current and pending documents that are compliant with the current rules of the agency.

This session will include basic instruction in the system, information on how to link data sources for publication entry, tips and tricks, and time for individual Q&A.

During the session we will also highlight some upcoming changes to the NSF’s Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG); a new version will take effect today (Jan. 30).

Any questions should be addressed to rd-l@mtu.edu.

*****

2023 Design Expo Registration Now Open

The Enterprise Program and College of Engineering are excited to announce the 23rd Design Expo will be held in person from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 18 in the Van Pelt and Opie Library’s first floor and the Memorial Union Building’s ballroom.

Design Expo continues to highlight Enterprise and Senior Design/Capstone projects from all areas of the Michigan Tech campus, including teams from the following colleges:

• College of Business
• College of Computing
• College of Engineering
• College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science

Call for Student Teams to Register
Senior Design/Capstone projects and teams from across campus are invited and encouraged to participate in this year’s event. Students can find more information about Design Expo on the student registration page. Registration closes March 3.

RSVP for Design Expo Today!
The Michigan Tech community, friends and sponsors are invited to register for this year’s Design Expo.

More than a thousand students in the Enterprise and Senior/Capstone Design programs will come together to showcase their work and compete for awards. In addition, a panel of judges, made up of distinguished corporate representatives, alumni, community members and Michigan Tech staff and faculty, will be able to critique videos of team projects, solutions and results in advance of the live event, then come to Design Expo to meet the teams and ask questions in person.

Social Hour and Awards Ceremony
Starting at 2:30 p.m., all student teams, judges, sponsors and friends, and the Michigan Tech campus community are invited to a social hour at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts with light refreshments, entertainment and door prizes. Then, at 3:30 p.m., we will begin the Design Expo Awards Ceremony, where student teams will be recognized and more than $3,000 in cash will be awarded.

Both events are free and open to the public. We encourage current and future students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, families of students and others to help us celebrate our students and their achievements. Register today to see a schedule of events and attend the 2023 Design Expo.

Become a Judge
Are you interested in judging for the 23rd annual Design Expo? We welcome all Michigan Tech faculty, graduate students, staff, alumni, industry representatives and community members interested in the great work of our students! Find out more at our Become a Judge webpage.

This year, judges will be able to evaluate team videos anytime between noon on April 17 and 2 p.m. on April 18. Judges will be assigned three to five teams and will evaluate each team's video using an electronic ballot. Judges are asked to attend Design Expo in person between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 18 to judge their teams in person. Judges will be selected based on their availability to attend Design Expo in person.

2023 Design Expo Website
For more information on attending and judging Design Expo, visit our website. For questions, please reach out to Briana Tucker at bctucker@mtu.edu.

*****

International Students Forums

Worried you are living in a social and political bubble and are not getting exposed to outside viewpoints, despite being surrounded by a wonderfully diverse campus? Come to the first ever International Students Forum at Michigan Tech to respectfully share your voice and listen to different perspectives at one of two forum options:

• Monday, Jan. 30 — 5 p.m. in the Library East Reading Room
• Thursday, Feb. 2 — 5 p.m. in the Library East Reading Room

The events will begin with a moderated discussion including participants from the African Student Organization, Indian Student Organization, Bangladeshi Student Association, Nepalese Student Association and Graduate Student Government, among others. Pizza and refreshments will be provided, as well as time for more casual conversations.

All undergraduate and graduate students of any nationality are invited to the first ever International Students Forum to respectfully share and hear the viewpoints of their diverse classmates about life, major issues and culture all over the world.

This event was planned in partnership between the Van Pelt and Opie Library and the Social Sciences International Relations class to increase opportunities for students of varying backgrounds to interact. Registration is not required, but you can help us make sure we have enough pizza by registering in advance:

• Register for Monday's forum
• Register for Thursday's forum

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

PhD Defense: Xing Zhou

Monday, January 30, 10–11 a.m.

Atmospheric Sciences Advisor: Pengfei Xue Using Hydrodynamic and Biophysical Models to Study the Mechanism Mediating Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes Attend Virtually:...

Spring Involvement Fair

Monday, January 30, 12 p.m.–4 p.m. | Memorial Union Building - Ballroom

Looking for a way to get involved? The Spring Involvement Fair is a new tradition that takes place each January, giving new and returning students an opportunity to explore...

Peatland Restoration as a Natural Climate Solution

Monday, January 30, 3 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Dr. Rod Chimner, Professor of Wetland Ecology, Michigan Technological University, College of Forest Resources and Environmental...

German Mystery Film Night

Monday, January 30, 5 p.m.–8 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, 134

German film evening is an opportunity to see German films in a quality viewing venue. Some of these films are required for various German classes, but the public is welcome! ...

International Students Forum

Monday, January 30, 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library, East Reading Room

Worried you are living in a social and political bubble and are not getting exposed to outside viewpoints despite being surrounded by a wonderfully diverse campus? Come to the...

Monday After School Learn to Ski and Snowboard Program

Monday, January 30, 5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. | Mont Ripley Ski Area

Mondays Ages 8-12 Children of all ability levels have an opportunity to learn to ski or snowboard, make new friends, and explore Mont Ripley together. The focus is on safety,...

Making Skis

Monday, January 30, 6 p.m.

Husky Bites presents Special Guest Jeffrey Thompson '12 Shaggy's Copper Country Skis Cohost Iver Anderson As kids, Jeff Thompson and his brother Jonathon started building...

Adult and Youth Huskies Tennis and Pickleball Lessons (Session 1)

January 30, all day | Michigan Tech Gates Tennis Center

Youth Huskies Tennis Lessons: After school and weekend Youth Huskies Group Tennis Lessons are available this spring! Join in by age group and level for some fun on the tennis...