August 21, 2023

The Equity Advisor Program is seeking faculty who are interested in joining the program for the 2023-24 academic year. Equity advisors serve as nonvoting members of faculty and department search committees (outside of their own department) to help the committee attend to diversity, equity, inclusion and sense of belonging (DEIS) throughout the search process and assist in ensuring that federal, state and University employment laws/policies are followed.

Equity advisors should be associate rank or higher faculty (either tenure-track or instructional-track faculty) at Michigan Tech, be current on Diversity Literacy and Faculty Hiring Legal Aspects courses, and commit to attending an in-person training workshop that will be held Sept. 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Equity advisors will receive a stipend of $400 per search to acknowledge their service contribution. More information about the role of the equity advisor is available on the Equity Advisors webpage.

Interested faculty members should complete the Equity Advisor for Faculty Search Teams: 2023-2024 interest form by Friday (Aug. 25).

If you have questions about this program, please contact Shari Stockero, assistant provost for faculty development, at stockero@mtu.edu.

Are you interested in taking your idea, technology or process commercial? Entrepreneurially minded faculty, staff, students and community are invited to attend the Great Lakes Region Hub National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Program offered at Michigan Tech.

Course Description
The NSF I-Corps lean startup program spans five weeks. Using the scientific process, customer discovery and the business model canvas, teams will work to validate key business hypotheses and develop a business model.

Course Benefits
Upon completion of the workshop and the customer discovery interviews (30), you or your team may be eligible for a mini-grant of up to $1,000. Funds may be reimbursed for customer discovery interview expenses.

Teams who complete the program may become eligible for the NSF I-Corps National Teams program and a $50,000 grant.

Participation in the workshop can lead to qualification for research and other funding from several granting agencies, including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs and various state and regional programs.

Past participants have reported that they saved time and money by better understanding potential applications of their technology, experienced improved engagement with teams and improved their ability to receive add-on funding.

Our cohort will meet virtually on the following dates:

• Monday, Sept. 11 — 4-6:30 p.m. EST
• Monday, Sept. 18 — 4-6 p.m. EST
• Monday, Oct. 2 — 4-6 p.m. EST
• Monday, Oct. 9 — 4-7 p.m. EST

To participate, please register for the program by Sept. 8. After registration, a Zoom link will be sent via a Google Calendar invite.

A representative from UnitedHealthcare (UHC), our student health insurance provider, will be on campus to give a presentation on the student health insurance plan and answer students' questions regarding health insurance.

The presentation will be Wednesday (Aug. 23) at 10:30 a.m. in Admin 404. Students can also join via Zoom, and a recording will be available for those who cannot attend.

Refreshments and snacks will be provided for those who attend in person. Please register for the UHC Health Insurance Forum if you plan on attending in person to ensure enough refreshments.

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences (CLS) office will be closed tomorrow (Aug. 22) for a departmental retreat. The office will reopen on Wednesday (Aug. 23).

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Calling all ages — everyone is welcome to request a flag that represents their home country or heritage, or a country they support for Parade of Nations. Signs displaying the country's name will also be distributed.

The 2023 Parade of Nations begins at 11 a.m. on Sept. 16 at the Quincy Green in Hancock and ends at the Dee Stadium in Houghton.

Registered participants may pick up their requested flag on the day of the parade between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. from the First United Methodist Church at 401 Quincy Street. The parade will then line up on the Quincy Green.

Flags can be requested online using the 2023 Flag Request Form. In the event that multiple individuals request a flag for the same nation, materials will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional participants are invited to join their nation on the Quincy Green to walk in the parade.

Registrations received after Sept. 9 will be considered, but are not guaranteed.

Bulut Ozturk (ATH) and multiple Michigan Tech women’s soccer student-athletes were quoted by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story about the team’s rebuilding progress and hopes for the 2023 season.

*****

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation mentioned Michigan Tech’s partnership with Eagle Mine in a story about the Upper Peninsula’s advantageous community spirit.

*****

MLive covered Michigan Tech and eight other Michigan universities being selected for inclusion on the Princeton Review's list of the best 389 colleges in the U.S.

MTU Parade of Nations Calls for Participants in 'Fairy Tales from Around the World' Float Parade

MTU Parade of Nations, an esteemed cultural celebration event since 1989, is thrilled to announce its call for participants to join the upcoming "Fairy Tales from Around the World" Float Parade. The event will take place in Houghton and Hancock, celebrating the rich cultural diversity of the Keweenaw region. We cordially invite the entire community, including MTU students, to participate in this extravaganza of multiculturalism and ethnic diversity.

We encourage community members, students, organizations and businesses to come together and design imaginative floats that represent various fairy tales from different cultures. Whether you're a seasoned parade participant or a newcomer, this is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the Keweenaw's vibrant cultural tapestry and spread joy throughout the community.

The Parade of Nations Float Parade is not only about celebrating cultures but also about rewarding creativity. Float participants stand a chance to win a coveted cash prize for the best float. So, let your creativity run wild and be prepared to wow the spectators with your extraordinary designs!

The 2023 Parade of Nations begins at 11 a.m. on Sept. 16 at the Quincy Green in Hancock and ends at the Dee Stadium in Houghton. To register for the parade and find more information about participation guidelines, please visit the official Parade of Nations website.

There, you'll find all the necessary details to enter and participate in this unforgettable celebration of multiculturalism and ethnic diversity.

About the MTU Parade of Nations
The Parade of Nations, a cherished tradition since 1989, has been at the forefront of celebrating the rich cultural diversity in the Keweenaw region. Our mission is to unite people through a shared appreciation of diverse cultures, fostering mutual understanding and highlighting the value of multiculturalism in our society.

*****

Construction Continues on Alumni Way Gateway Project

With the return of faculty and students to campus, we wanted to remind everyone that construction on the west end of Alumni Way will continue through the end of October.

Please be aware that the following areas will be impacted by this construction:

• Vehicle Traffic — Detours will be marked and traffic will be directed through Parking Lot 1 to Cliff Drive.

• Pedestrian Traffic — Sidewalks will not be available from the corner of Highway 41 and Cliff Drive until the end of the construction zone. Pedestrian traffic will be directed around the construction zone fencing and through Parking Lot 1.

• Parking — Metered parking spaces at the west end of Alumni Way will not be available. Lot 1 will have fewer parking spaces along the southwest side of the parking lot (across from the Administration Building).

• Building Access — Main building access to the Administration Building and Alumni House will not be impacted.

• Noise — While we will do our best to keep disruptions to a minimum, construction noise will occur.

For a detailed map of the detours and area of construction, visit the Facilities Management website. If you have questions or concerns, please email facilities@mtu.edu.

*****

PhD Defense: Donna Mathew, HU

Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Theory and Culture candidate Donna Mathew will present a doctoral dissertation defense at 2 p.m. today (Aug. 21). This will be a virtual-only defense. Attendance is invited via Zoom.

Mathew's dissertation is titled "Has Bollywood Lost the Plot? Analyzing the Influence of Item Songs on Rape Culture in India."

From the abstract:
An item song is a provocative musical song and dance sequence that appears in Bollywood films that have little to no connection to the film’s plot, performed by an item girl for the male gaze. Contemporary Bollywood item songs have become highly contested social and political texts in the discourse surrounding rape culture in India. This research explores the socio-cultural context of rape culture in India and examines what makes item songs a popular and acceptable form of entertainment in a patriarchal, conservative society where sexualized violence against women is a major cause for concern.

The study also addresses the narrative, visual, and lyrical characteristics of ten of the most popular item songs between 2012 - 2019. Using a hybrid theoretical framework that brings together the male gaze theory, intersectionality, and postfeminism, this study analyzes the ways in which rape culture is manifested in cinematic techniques and song lyrics. I argue that item songs mirror certain characteristics and tropes that invoke rape culture. I conclude that the songs reveal four main characteristics: illicit activities and behavior, sexual objectification of the female body, alcohol abuse, and violence. The research argues that contemporary item songs are a popular source of sexist imagery and a powerful cultural influencer of sexual violence against women in India. Moreover, this study suggests that item songs desensitize the Indian public and contributes to the normalization of gang rapes in the country. Ultimately, the study emphasizes the need for the Bollywood film industry to introduce more nuanced narratives about female sexuality and stop the ongoing stereotyping, objectification, and misogyny of item songs, and recognize their wide reach and influence on the attitudes and behaviors of Indian people.

*****

MS Defense: Jessica Devlieg, GMES

M.S. in Geophysics candidate Jessica Devlieg will present her master's defense at 3 p.m. today (Aug. 21) in person in Dow 610. Virtual attendance is also invited via Zoom. All are welcome to attend.

Devlieg is advised by Greg Waite, with Radwin Askari and Thomas Oommen serving as committee members.

Devlieg's defense is titled "Detection and Location of Microseismicity using Machine Learning at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala."

From the abstract:
Pacaya volcano located 30 km SW of Guatemala City, Guatemala, has been erupting intermittently since 1961. Monitoring of seismicity is crucial to understanding current activity levels within Pacaya. Traditional methods of picking these small earthquakes in this noisy environment are imprecise. Pacaya produces many small events that can easily blend in with the background noise. A possible solution for this problem is a machine learning program to pick first arrivals for these earthquakes. We tested a machine learning algorithm (S. M. Mousavi, Ellsworth, Zhu, Chuang, & Beroza, 2020) on the basis of fast and reliable seismic signal detection within a volcanic system. Four years of seismic data was used from multiple datasets, including permanent and temporary arrays from 2015 to 2022. Initially over 11,000 independent events were detected although most were unlocatable. A predetermined minimum 1D velocity model calculated by (Lanza & Waite, 2018) was initially used to locate the earthquakes. This velocity model was updated using VELEST and the locations were calculated using the new 1D velocity model. This resulted in 660 events after quality control filtering process. These events ranged in depths from -2.5 km (summit of Pacaya) to 0 km (sea level) all located directly beneath the vent. The detection process took about 2-3 hours per 15 days on each 3-component broadband seismometer. The method shows promise in providing an efficient and effective method to pick volcanic tectonic seismic events. Events at Pacaya are representative of magma movement which often increases leading up to an eruption. Further study is encouraged to better understand the accuracy and type of earthquakes picked, especially the increased level of activity during or leading up to an eruption at Pacaya volcano.

*****

Diversity Literacy Online Workshop Registration Is Open

The Diversity Literacy Online Workshop (DLOW) training for the 2023-24 academic year is open for registration. Faculty should use the online registration form and please allow 24-48 hours for processing.

The DLOW is part of Michigan Tech's ongoing commitment to faculty diversity in building a supportive campus climate. Successful completion of the DLOW is required to serve on faculty hiring and tenure promotion committees. The workshop is organized as a three-week asynchronous online course in Canvas (with two to three hours of work per week) covering legal aspects of hiring and promotion processes, building literacy in recognizing unconscious bias, and cultivating diversity-centered practices. For those who have already taken the full three-week diversity literacy course, a one-week refresher course is required every four years. See the Diversity Training Status page for more information and a list of current training status for all faculty.

The workshop dates are listed below and can also be found on the training website.

Please note: Starting in 2023–24, the DLOW and the refresher now include the content formerly delivered separately as the Faculty Legal Aspects Training course. Course participants will receive the same content, but it is now integrated into a single comprehensive course. The Legal Aspects Review for Faculty Search Committees will still be required each time a member joins a search committee.

We suggest that individuals register early for fall workshop dates if they are serving on faculty search or promotion and tenure committees in the coming year. If your certification is expiring but you don't need it for immediate service, we would appreciate if you register for a spring workshop instead, as the fall enrollments can get high. If you have any questions about the DLOW and training, contact Diversity Literacy Online Workshop Administrator Sarah Fayen Scarlett at sfscarle@mtu.edu.

DLOW dates for academic year 2023-24:

Fall Refresher 1
Sept. 11-18 — Diversity Literacy Refresher Workshop

Fall Full Course
Oct. 2-30 — Diversity Literacy Full Course

Fall Refresher 2
Nov. 6-13 — Diversity Literacy Refresher Workshop

Spring Refresher 1
Jan. 15-22 — Diversity Literacy Refresher Workshop

Spring Full Course
Jan. 29-Feb 26 — Diversity Literacy Full Course

Spring Refresher 2
March 11-18 — Diversity Literacy Refresher Workshop

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

Undergraduate Fall Orientation 2023

Monday, August 21, 8 a.m. | Michigan Tech Campus

As a first-year student, you will participate in a week-long program as a member of a team of 15-25 students who share your area of study. In 2023, the first year orientation...

Master's Defense: Lisa Casper

Monday, August 21, 10–11 a.m. | Harold Meese Center, Meese 109

Applied Cognitive Science & Human Factors Advisor: Elizabeth Veinott Supporting Team Innovation with Design Thinking Cogniti Attend Virtually:...

PhD Defense: Donna Susan Mathew

Monday, August 21, 2 p.m.–3 p.m.

Rhetoric, Theory and Culture Advisor: Ketty Thomas Has Bollywood Lost the Plot? Analyzing the Influence of Item Songs on Rape Culture in India Attend Virtually:...

PhD Defense: Oindabi Mukherjee

Monday, August 21, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Physics Advisor: Robert Nemiroff A Search for Compact Object Dark Matter in the Universe Utilizing Gravitational Millilensing of Gamma-ray Bursts Attend Virtually:...

Modern Languages Open House

Monday, August 21, 2:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, 120A

The Modern Languages Open House will take place on Monday, August 21st, from 2:30–4:00 pm in the Walker Building HDMZ, 120A (first floor). This will be a great opportunity to...

Master's Defense: Jessica Devlieg

Monday, August 21, 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 610

Geophysics Advisor: Gregory Waite Detection and Location of Microseismicity using Machine Learning at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala Attend Virtually:...

Prince's Point Bonfire

Monday, August 21, 9 p.m.–11 p.m. | Prince's Point

Come meet the Concrete Canoe team down by the lake!

Sustainability and S'mores

Monday, August 21, 9 p.m.–11 p.m. | Prince's Point

Join us at Prince's Point on August 21, 2023, from 9 to 11 pm for s'mores with Students for Sustainability. S'more supplies will be provided, but supplies are limited. Vegan...