February 15, 2023

H-STEM Complex construction is proceeding, although the weather has delayed the concrete floor pouring. This work will be completed this week, and then the structural fireproofing will be applied.

Miscellaneous steel install is mostly completed, including the stairs to all levels. Wall framing will continue, and the mechanical/electrical rough-in work is also in progress. In the existing building renovation work, the drywall work is starting and will be completed over the next month. The next few months will see many construction workers on the site, although most of the activity will be inside behind the temporary enclosure.

The project is still on track to be completed and occupied by early 2024.

As always, please pay attention when walking past the construction site, and thank you for your patience as we bring this exciting project into reality.

The project webcam is a great place to check out the progress. The project webpage is also a good place to look for more information on the project. 

The Western Upper Peninsula STEM Fair & Festival is back after a two-year hiatus. This year's event will be held on Thursday, March 16 at the Memorial Union Ballroom.

Students from Houghton, Baraga, Keweenaw, Ontonagon and Gogebic Counties in grades 4-8 are invited to participate in the STEM Project Fair. Registration is open to individuals and two-person teams. Students will prepare and present on a science investigation or an engineering design project.

A Student Planning Guide, registration forms and other important documents can be found at the Western U.P. STEM Fair & Festival webpage. Registration is due by Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. Approximately 50 science and engineering professionals from Michigan Tech, local schools, government agencies and local businesses will volunteer their time to judge the student projects.

The public is invited to attend the festival in the commons area of the Memorial Union from 4:30-7:30 p.m. The festival is facilitated by the Michigan Tech Center for Science and Educational Outreach. More than 20 hands-on science and engineering activities for K-8 students and their families will be provided by Michigan Tech STEM students and faculty, local student organizations and business. Contact Tom Oliver at 906-487-2412 or teoliver@mtu.edu for further information.

The 2023 Western U.P. STEM Fair & Festival is a collaborative effort of the Western U.P. MiSTEM Network, MTU Center for Science and Educational Outreach and the Michigan Tech Chapter of Omega Chi Epsilon Chemical Engineering Honor Society. This year’s festival and fair is made possible by sponsorship from the following Michigan Tech Departments and community organizations:

• College of Engineering
• College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
• College of Sciences and Arts
• Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
• Department of Biological Sciences
• Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Department of Social Sciences
• Ecosystem Science Center
• Great Lakes Research Center
• Michigan Tech Transportation Institute
• Copper Country Intermediate School District
• Western U.P. MiSTEM Network

Many thanks to our current and past sponsors and volunteers. For more information, visit the Western U.P. STEM Fair & Festival webpage.

For most students at Tech, Career Fair means ”Lights! Camera! Action!” To prepare, students need to research the roles they are interviewing for and the companies they will be interviewing with. They rehearse responses to typical interview questions and dress appropriately for the interview. The typical Career Fair experience for Visual Performing Arts (VPA) students is no different.

Just as the giants of the automotive, chemical, consumer products and other industries converge on Houghton to hire outstanding engineers, so do the major players in arts and entertainment. They are looking to hire full-time employees and this summer’s interns. It all kicks off this week with virtual presentations from half a dozen companies.

“Tech students are grounded in physical sciences and math, and those are quite important for the work that we do (design consulting for performing arts facilities)," said Josh Loar, senior consultant (AV) of Charcoalblue LLC, a consulting firm working on everything from concert halls to theme parks for clients across the globe. "We need young candidates who have exposure to a wide variety of entertainment practices, and one of the strengths of Tech’s VPA programs is that they don't pigeonhole students in the way that a lot of programs do. As a result, students are ready to consider things outside of one track of experience, and that’s a valuable skill for design consultants in my world to have.” 

Read the blog to learn more about who is coming and how to participate.

On Wednesday, March 1, at 3:30 p.m. in the East Reading Room, the Van Pelt and Opie Library will celebrate Open Education (OE) Week with a panel discussion with creators, users, and supporters of Open Educational Resources (OER).

The Open Education movement is revolutionizing education by making course materials freely available to all students, resulting in more equitable access to higher education.

The University community and general public are welcome to attend and can look forward to hearing from Tara Bal (CFRES), Michael Meyer (Physics), Michael Maxwell (VPA), Annelise Doll (VPOL) and Matthew Barron (EF) about OER at Michigan Tech and beyond. Light refreshments will be served.

 

 

The American Chemical Society and Michigan Tech's Department of Chemistry invite all high school students from any U.P. home or school to compete in the online 2023 Chemistry Olympiad.

The competition will be held online March 13 from 6:30-8:20 p.m. Participation is free! Sign up using our Google form by March 3.

All participants will receive a participation gift and a participation certificate and be put into a drawing for prizes.

Top scorers receive a medal and a prize, and have the opportunity to participate in the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad, an in-person event.

The U.P. Chemistry Olympiad is hosted by the American Chemical Society and Michigan Technological University. Please contact coordinator Momoko Tajiri at mtajiri@mtu.edu with any questions.

The Department of Social Sciences is hosting a brown bag presentation on Monday Feb. 20 from noon to 1 p.m. in person in AOB 201 or virtually via Zoom.

Join this brown bag to learn more about Adam Wellstead’s (SS) research on policy innovation labs (PILs).

The past decade has witnessed the global rise of PILs, which have been advocated as a novel approach to addressing pressing policy issues. Central to PILs is stakeholder engagement and a focus on co-design. One relatively new process raised in the public management literature is co-experience, which considers stakeholders' engagement with public policies or programs within the wider context of life experience. Twitter is one tool that PILs can employ to assess and nurture stakeholder co-experience of stakeholders. In order to assess the capacity of PILs to facilitate co-experience, vis-à-vis Twitter, Wellstead examines three indicators: intensity, content and type. He concludes that in addition to their co-design activities, PILs should develop the capacity to foster co-experience via social media activity, thus becoming agents for deliberative democracy.

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar will take place at 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20, 2023 in GLRC Room 202.

William Bulleit, Professor Emeritus, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, Michigan Tech, will present "The Engineering Way of Thinking: Uncertainty and the Future."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

Sacred Cow (2020) is the next film in the Sustainability Film & Facilitated Discussion Series. The screening takes place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in G002 Hesterberg Hall in Michigan Tech's U.J. Noblet Forestry Building. Alan Turnquist, director of sustainability and resilience, will be the discussion facilitator.

Sacred Cow makes the case for (better) meat. The film probes the moral, environmental and nutritional quandaries we face in raising and eating animals, with a lens focused on the cow and sustainable agriculture.

A $5 suggested donation at the door to support the Sustainability Film Series is appreciated.

The Sustainability Film & Facilitated Discussion Series is cosponsored by:

• Michigan Tech Office of Sustainability and Resilience
• Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
• Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative
• Friends of the Land of Keweenaw
• College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
• Department of Social Sciences Sustainability Science Program
• Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
• Center for Science and Environmental Outreach
• Sustainability Demonstration House
• MI Tech Great Lakes Research Center
• Students for Sustainability
• Refill UP

Michigan Tech freshman Kyle Kukkonen is the CCHA Forward of the Week, and Brett Thorne is the CCHA Defenseman of the Week the league announced on Monday. Both Kukkonen and Thorne earned their second weekly honor of the season.

Kukkonen led the CCHA on the weekend with four goals in the split with Bowling Green in the annual Winter Carnival series. He tallied a goal each night to take over the team lead with 14 goals and was named Winter Carnival MVP. Kukkonen leads CCHA rookies with 14 goals and is second with 22 points.

Thorne tallied three assists in the series against the Falcons. The co-captain also helped the penalty kill go 7-for-8 in the two games. Thorne is second on the Huskies with 14 assists and a plus-13 rating. He ranks sixth amongst CCHA defensemen with 14 assists.

Read more on the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

For the second year in a row, Michigan Tech will host CCHA playoff hockey. The Huskies have clinched home ice for the first two rounds of the CCHA Mason Cup Tournament and will host a best-of-three quarterfinal series on March 3-5. The puck will drop on Friday at 7:07 p.m., Saturday at 6:07 p.m., and if necessary Sunday at 5:07 p.m. at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the Central Ticket Office in the Student Development Complex, online at BuyHuskiesTickets.com, or via phone by calling 906-487-2073. Ticket prices are as follows: Rail 555: $42, Adult: $27, Michigan Tech Faculty/Staff: $25, and Youth: $17. If you are a current season ticket holder, the quarterfinal games were included in your season ticket package at the time of purchase.

Michigan Tech students can enter the game at the Experience Tech entrance as usual for the quarterfinal round. To guarantee a student seat, stop by the SDC Ticket Office and purchase in advance for $5. A valid student ID must be presented.

Please call 906-487-1604 for quarterfinal weekend rental availability of the Huskies Suites North or South (49 tickets, $1,450) and the ice level North or South Platforms (12 tickets, $325).

The top two remaining teams will host a single-game semifinal on March 11 with the CCHA Mason Cup Championship scheduled for March 18.

Wednesday, Feb. 15
• Valorant vs. St. Clair College 7 p.m. NSL Varsity Premier. 

Thursday, Feb. 16
• Super Smash Bros: Ultimate vs. Davenport 7 p.m. NSL Varsity Premier. 

Friday, Feb. 17
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive vs. Mississippi 8:30 p.m. NSL Varsity.

Saturday, Feb. 18
• Rocket League A, League of Legends, and Super Smash Bros: Ultimate vs. GLIAC Esports Championship
• League of Legends vs. Missouri Columbia 4 p.m. cLoL (TBD)

Sunday, Feb. 19
• Rocket League A, League of Legends, and Super Smash Bros: Ultimate vs. GLIAC Esports Championship

Times are subject to change. Check Twitter @MTUEsports  and the esports schedule for updates.

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Esports News
Read more in the MTU Esports weekly update.

Job Posting for Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 487-2280 or email humanresources@mtu.edu. For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Food Service Helper (9 months/ 40 hours/ 1st Shift) #23032, Dining Services (AFSCME posting dates Feb. 15, 2023 to Feb. 21, 2023 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Custodian (12 months/ 40 hours/ 2nd Shift) #23033, Facilities  (AFSCME posting dates Feb. 15, 2023 to Feb. 21, 2023 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Assistant Director for Major Gifts, Advancement. Apply online.

Payroll Associate, Human Resources. 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 humanresources@mtu.edu.

2023 Spring Commencement: Graduate and Undergraduate Ceremony Faculty Participation

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

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Career Closet Accepting Professional Clothing, Shoe Donations

The Career Closet gives away gently worn business clothing to assist students in preparing for Career Fair and other career opportunities. Our event this fall was hugely successful — we gave away almost 950 items to 275 students!

In order to provide as many options for students as possible, we need to secure donations of professional clothing and shoes. We are now accepting donations of gently worn, clean business clothing. The donation window will close Feb. 17 at noon. Donated items will be available to all Michigan Tech students at no cost.

The Career Closet will be held Feb. 18 from 1-5 p.m. and Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

If you would like to volunteer at the event, please sign up through GivePulse or email aemarsh1@mtu.edu.

Clothing and shoe donations may be dropped off at any of the following locations:

• Business School, Academic Office Building
• Grad Commons
• Dean of Students Office
• Career Services
• University Images
• Campus Bookstore
• Van Pelt and Opie Library

Or, boxed clothing can be mailed to:

Residence Education & Housing Services
1701 Townsend Drive
153W Wadsworth Hall
Houghton, MI 49931

Thank you to all who have supported this effort. This event is donation- and volunteer-based, and we could not do it without the help and support of our Husky community.

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Reallocations Processing Issue Resolved

 The issue posted Jan. 17 regarding the Reallocations process malfunctioning has been resolved by Ellucian. Human Resources and Payroll Services will be working to process the significant backlog of reallocations and appreciate your patience during this time.

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EV Scholars Info Meeting Today

Students interested in pursuing a job or internship in the electric vehicle (EV) or mobility tech sector are invited to apply for the EV Scholars program. Learn more about this low-risk, high-reward scholarship opportunity at an informational session on Thursday (Feb. 16) from 10-10:30 a.m. via Zoom.

Michigan Tech juniors and seniors majoring in software engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, computer network and system administration, electrical engineering, computer engineering and related programs are encouraged to participate.

Join the Zoom meeting.

EV Scholars connects students interested in working in the EV and mobility tech sector with companies that need their talents. Through a series of seminars and events, students will build professional connections one-on-one with professionals in this sector — networking that may lead to internships, jobs and even careers.

Successful EV Scholars qualify for up to $10,000 in scholarship dollars upon acceptance of a qualifying internship or job in Michigan’s EV/mobility tech industry.

The Michigan Tech EV Scholars program is presented by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the College of Computing. EV Scholars is an initiative of the Talent Action Team, a public/private consortium convened by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

Learn more on the EV Scholars website.

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

Michigan Tech Art Presents: Me, You, and Us

Wednesday, February 15, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. |

MICHIGAN TECH ART PRESENTS Me, You, and Us ART EXHIBITION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2023 THROUGH SATURDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2023 A-SPACE HOURS: M-F 8 A.M.-8 P.M.

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Interview without Fear

Wednesday, February 15, 11:00–11:30 a.m. | Administration and Student Services Building, 220 Career Services

Interview without fear or surprise, after all, it's not the Spanish Inquisition!

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Prepare for Career Fair!

Wednesday, February 15, 2:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. | Administration and Student Services Building, 220 Career Services

Everything you need to know about Career Fair and how to prepare for it.

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Michigan Tech Research Forum - Petra Huentemeyer

Wednesday, February 15, 3:45 p.m.–5:15 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom A

Please join us at the Michigan Tech Research Forum on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, for a presentation by Distinguished Professor Petra Huentemeyer (Physics) titled Viewing...

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Finance Your Innovation

Wednesday, February 15, 4 p.m.–5 p.m.

Finance Your Innovation with Patrick Visser Register by 2/13/23 Interested in competing at this year’s New Venture Challenge (NVC)? Getting ready to try to raise capital...

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Fossil Fuel Divestment at MTU - INFO SESSION

Wednesday, February 15, 5 p.m.–6 p.m. | Fisher Hall

Did you know MTU invests ~$1 million in fossil fuel companies? Come to this info session to hear updates from KYCA about the student-led campaign for ethical investment...

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Students For Life General Meeting

Wednesday, February 15, 5 p.m.–6 p.m. | Fisher 133

Students For Life General Meeting

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Kimberly Clark Info Session

Wednesday, February 15, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 101

Join members of Kimberly Clark to learn more about their company and what it is like to work for them. The event will be held in ChemSci 101 on Wed. Feb 15th at 6 PM

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SAE Aero Design Bi-Weekly Meetings

Wednesday, February 15, 6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | MEEM 703

SAE Aero Design aims to offer valuable experience to Michigan Tech students of all majors interested in an extracurricular engineering & design opportunity. Come join our...

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Wednesday Learn to Ski and Snowboard Program

Wednesday, February 15, 6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Mont Ripley Ski Area

Wednesdays 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...

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Law Club Weekly Meeting

Wednesday, February 15, 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | Library 103

Our objective is to provide a pre-professional organization for those who are planning to pursue a legal career or those who are interested in the legal field. Meetings will...

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

February 15, 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...