September 27, 2023

The campus community and the general public are invited to Showcase[AI] at Michigan Tech, an on-campus event focused on the diverse and game-changing effects of artificial intelligence hosted by the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) and the College of Computing.

Showcase[AI] includes talks, panels, workshops and interactive events exploring the excitement and controversy surrounding the intuitive automated systems that are affecting more and more aspects of daily life, including health, industry and computing. The showcase runs from 6 p.m. next Wednesday (Oct. 4) to 5 p.m. next Friday (Oct. 6).

Get more details and find out how to register for events at Michigan Tech News.

Greetings All,

The Husky Food Access Network (FAN) needs your help! Last year was a huge success and we gave out over 7,000 pounds of food. Please consider donating to help us continue to fight food insecurity on the Michigan Tech campus this year. We accept any non-expired, nonperishable goods as well as basic toiletries.

Food can be donated in the gray bin outside the Husky FAN pantry located in Fisher Hall. Please also follow us on social media on Facebook and Instagram. Lastly, check out our schedule to find out when we will be open next.

The College of Engineering (CoE) Dean Search Committee will be holding an open meeting for Michigan Tech faculty, staff and students on Friday (Sept. 29) at 8:10 a.m. in the Memorial Union Building Alumni Lounge.

This will be the search committee's kickoff meeting, and it will include initial discussions regarding the job description and the search process.

Mont Ripley will once again be offering chairlift rides to Michigan Tech students and community members for fall color viewing. Come see the spectacular fall colors and view Michigan Tech's campus from the top of Mont Ripley!

Bring the entire family for Michigan Tech Family Weekend:

• Friday, Sept. 29, from 3-7 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 1, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Or come see the colors on the following weekends:

• Saturday, Oct. 7, from 12-6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 8, from 12-6:30 p.m.
  
  
• Saturday, Oct. 14, from 12-6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 15, from 12-6:30 p.m.

Dates and times are subject to change due to weather and colors.
Check Mont Ripley's website or our Facebook page for updates.

Ticket Information
Advance tickets can be purchased online. Tickets purchased at the lift are cash only. Prices are $10 for adults and $8 for Michigan Tech students with ID. Children 10 and under ride free with an adult.

Proceeds from color tours benefit Mont Ripley's chair lift improvement projects, Mont Ripley’s Volunteer Ski Patrol, and the new Copper Country Snowsports Club.

The People of the Heart Water Walkers will host the fifth annual Water Walk to honor water gifts Oct. 7-9.

The Water Walk is conducted through Anishinaabe ceremonial protocol with traditional understandings of the natural environment. Anishinaabekweg from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community will assist in the walk. In this work, women lead the ceremony carrying a copper vessel filled with nibi, the Anishinaabe word for water. The water continually moves through the 1842 ceded territory throughout the day. An eagle staff is carried beside them as protector.

All are welcome to join in this important work for water. Please be welcome to connect anywhere along the route (see below). If you are able, please consider donating food or money to help us feed the walkers. Donations will enable our cooking team to provide breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks to the walkers. To donate, please sign up online. 

Water Walk Route:

• Saturday, Oct. 7 — Sunrise ceremony at Astor Shipwreck Park, Copper Harbor; we will walk toward Mohawk, Michigan (following M26 to the Eagle River cutoff road).
• Sunday, Oct. 8 — Water lifts near Mohawk; we will walk toward Chassell, Michigan (following M26 from Calumet/Laurium).
• Monday, Oct. 9 — Water lifts near Chassell; we will walk to Sand Point Lighthouse in Baraga, Michigan.

The conclusion of the three-day event coincides with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This annual day of celebration, which falls on Oct. 9, honors the peoples, histories and cultures of Indigenous populations across the Americas.

For more information about the walk, visit the People of the Heart Water Walkers' Facebook page.

Sponsors of the walk include the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Campaign of Upper Michigan, the Western Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Region, and the Mariner North in Copper Harbor.

People of the Heart Water Walkers joins those of all colors, faiths and philosophies to work together for life’s most precious gift — nibi.

Nancy French (MTRI) last week presented in the opening session of "Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Wildland Fires: A Workshop" presented by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM).

The primary purpose of the workshop was to identify gaps and opportunities in data and models, and changes in land stewardship, that can inform and enhance strategies to limit wildland fire greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and associated threats to "net-zero" emissions targets. French presented this as a charge to participants, representing the workshop's planning committee.

The slides presented in plenary sessions and a recording of the three-day workshop can be found at the NASEM website.

Are you passionate about making higher education more accessible and affordable for your students? Make plans to attend the next CTL Lunch and Learn on Oct. 10 at noon in the MUB Alumni Lounge, featuring the Committee for Accessible and Affordable Learning Materials (CAALM).

During the luncheon, members of CAALM will introduce the committee's mission and discuss three critical areas of focus that promise to improve the way we approach course materials:

1. Enhancing Course Material Affordability:
   Discover how inclusive access agreements with publishers can help reduce the burden of expensive textbooks and course materials. We'll shed light on innovative strategies to make education more cost-effective without compromising quality.

2. Embracing Open Educational Resources:
   Explore the world of open educational resources (OERs) and learn how to find course materials tailored to your discipline. There is a wealth of freely available resources that can enrich your curriculum while reducing financial strain on your students.

3. Ensuring Digital Accessibility:
   It's time to ensure that your instructional materials are inclusive for all students, regardless of their abilities. We’ll share insights on the importance of the digital accessibility of course materials, including eBooks, PDF documents, slide presentations and video recordings.

This Lunch and Learn event promises to be a source of inspiration, innovation and collaboration. Lunch will be provided to those who register in advance. We look forward to seeing you there! Contact the CTL at ctl@mtu.edu with any questions.

Save the Date: Join us next Wednesday (Oct. 4) from noon to 1 p.m. for the next session in the Vice President for Research Office (VPR) Research Series: "SciENcv: Creating Biosketches, C&P Docs, and Changes to NSF PAPPG."

As of Oct. 23, the National Science Foundation (NSF) will begin requiring that all senior personnel listed on NSF proposals use an online tool called SciENcv to prepare their biographical sketch and current and pending support forms, which are required proposal elements. Those unfamiliar with SciENcv have been able to use fillable PDF forms; this flexibility will end in October, so this session is for anyone interested in NSF proposals who has not yet learned the SciENcv system.

The session will cover all steps, from sign-up to producing the required documents; no prior experience is necessary. This session will also briefly cover recent changes to the NSF Proposal and Awards Policy and Procedures Guide.

Join us on Zoom next Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. to learn how you can create and maintain your biographical sketch and current and pending support documents in SciENcv. Once you get the initial setup done, you'll be able to easily make any updates and generate biosketches and current and pending documents that are compliant with the current rules of the agency.

Note: This will be the final session offered on SciENcv before the NSF requirements go into effect Oct. 23.

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

Please join us for the next Department of Mathematical Sciences (Math) Seminar, taking place Friday (Sept. 29). The event will be held in Fisher 327B from 1-2 p.m.

Our guest speaker will be Zhiqiang Cai, professor of mathematics at Purdue University.

The presentation is titled "Neural Nets and Numerical PDEs."

Alan Nelson will present as part of the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) Seminar Series on Friday (Sept. 29) at 10 a.m. in person in Chem Sci 102 and virtually via Zoom.

Nelson will present "The Energy Transition: Paving a Way to a Decarbonized Future."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

Nelson is the vice president of technology at SLB, and previously was senior vice president of battery materials for Redwood Materials, chief technology officer for Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC), chief technology officer and CEO of New Business Development for Johnson Matthey, global R&D director for Dow Chemical Co. and associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of Alberta, Canada. He is also the 2024 president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Marina Tanasova from the Department of Chemistry at Michigan Technological University will be presenting at this week's Chemistry Seminar. The seminar will be held in person at 3 p.m. Friday (Sept. 29) in Chem Sci 101.

Tanasova’s presentation is titled "Expanding a toolkit for chemical biology research: Molecular probes for sugar transporters."

From the abstract:
Answering questions in life sciences relies on the availability of experimental tools that can target specific biochemical processes and answer basic science questions. Despite the 100-year history of sugar transport and its role in health and disease, targeting sugar transporters remains a significant challenge. In my laboratory, we work on providing specific tools to target and modulate the activity of facilitative sugar transporters - GLUTs to foster a better understanding of links between sugars and health disparities. Approaching GLUT targeting relies on understanding sugar transport distribution in the multi-GLUT environment of mammalian cells and designing molecular probes that, while competing with natural substrates in a complete nutritional environment, could exert a diverse range of actions varying from activity reporters, bioactive cargo carriers, and inhibitors. In this presentation, our endeavors and successes in designing transporter-specific probes and their potential applications as biochemical and biomedical tools will be discussed.

The next Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (ME-EM) Graduate Seminar speaker will present at 4 p.m. tomorrow (Sept. 28) in MEEM 112.

Danan Dou will present “Fields of Opportunities in a Growing World.”

Dou is a John Deere fellow and an SAE fellow. Currently, he is the chief technologist of John Deere Power Systems. He previously served as John Deere's manager of aftertreatment technologies and the manager of advanced power systems engineering until 2020.

Michigan Tech soccer's goalkeeper Gracie VanLangevelde has been tabbed GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week.

VanLangevelde earned a shutout Friday (Sept. 22) at Saginaw Valley State in the 0-0 draw, accounting for five saves. She followed up with two saves on 11 shots from Ferris State on Sunday (Sept. 24) to earn the 2-1 victory. She also averaged a 0.50 goals-against average for the weekend.

This marks the first honor of the season for VanLangevelde, who has helped the Huskies to a 3-0-1 conference record — their best start in over a decade.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The Michigan Tech hockey team was ranked No. 10 in the Preseason DCU/USCHO.com Top 20 Poll.

The Huskies' 2023-24 season begins with the U.S. Hockey HOF Game at No. 17 Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 7, followed by back-to-back home nonconference weekends against Alaska and Wisconsin.

Tech was ranked No. 13 in the final DCU/USCHO.com Top 20 and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls at the end of last season.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Wednesday (Sept. 27)
• Valorant vs. Purdue Northwest, 7 p.m. NACE Varsity Premier
• Call of Duty vs. Ferris State, 7 p.m. NACE Varsity Plus

Thursday (Sept. 28)
• Super Smash Bros: Ultimate vs. DePaul, 7 p.m. NACE Varsity Premier.
• Super Smash Bros: Ultimate B vs. Ferris State, 7 p.m. NACE Varsity Plus.

Friday (Sept. 29)
• Counter-Strike: GO vs. University of Mississippi, 7 p.m. NACE Varsity Premier. 

Saturday (Sept. 30)
• Overwatch 2 vs. Michigan State, 2 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. Activision Blizzard Collegiate.

Times are subject to change. Check Twitter @MTUEsports for updates.

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Esports News
Read more in the MTU Esports weekly update.

Watch MTU Esports on Twitch.

Carsten Külheim (CFRES/ESC) is the co-author of a paper accepted for publication in G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics.

The paper is titled "A haplotype-resolved chromosome-scale genome for Quercus rubra L. provides insights into the genetics of adaptive traits for red oak species."

An early view version of the paper is available online.

Pengfei Xue (CEGE/GLRC) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received a $87,011 research and development co-op joint agreement from the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research – University of Michigan.

The project is titled "Model Intercomparison of Phytoplankton Dynamics in the Great Lakes."

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Wenbin Zhang (CS/ICC) is the PI on a project that has received a $175,000 research and development grant from the National Science Foundation.

The project is titled "CRII: III: Rethinking Fairness: Fairness as a Survival Analysis."

This is a potential two-year project.

Robert Schneider (Math) was interviewed by RANGE Magazine for a story about a recently released documentary chronicling the founding of the Elephant 6 Recording Co. Schneider is the lead singer of the Apples in Stereo, one of the bands featured in the documentary.

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MLive mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the closure of a busy Muskegon intersection as part of a construction pilot project testing a concrete/recycled tire material mixture. MTU researchers will test the paving material on the bases of noise, wear, joint performance, cracking and freeze/thaw durability, according to the story.

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The Keweenaw Report picked up a Michigan Tech News story about the upcoming Showcase[AI], being held on campus next week from Oct. 4-6. The showcase is presented by MTU’s Institute of Computing and Cybersystems and the College of Computing.

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The Flint Beat and DBusiness mentioned Michigan Tech in stories about Smart Asset’s ranking of Michigan colleges by their graduates’ starting salaries. Michigan Tech was No. 2 on the list at $71,100. Kettering University ranked first with $75,700.

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The Daily Mining Gazette covered MTU soccer goaltender Gracie VanLangevelde being named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week and MTU football kicker/punter Drew Wyble being named GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week.

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WLUC TV6, WJMN Local 3, the Rink Live and Trib Total Media covered the transfer of former Bowling Green hockey forward Austen Swankler to Michigan Tech.

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The Keweenaw Report ran a story summarizing Michigan Tech’s Homecoming events, happening this week (Sept. 25-30) with the theme of “101 Huskies.”

Research Study Looking for Participants

We are seeking people to participate in an automated driving paid research study. Participants will complete three simulated semi-autonomous driving tasks in the driving simulator in addition to surveys about their driving experiences. The experiment session will take approximately 90 minutes, and participants will receive $20 for their time.

Additionally, participants must meet the following requirements:

• They must be between the ages of 18-30 years.
• They must have a valid U.S. driver’s license with at least two years of
• driving experience in the U.S.
• They must not wear glasses and must have normal or correct-to-normal vision with contact lenses.

If you are interested in participating in this study, sign up on Calendly.

For more information, please contact mtustarlab@gmail.com.

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MTTI Luncheon: Learn About Transportation/Mobility Research Opportunities

Ever considered transportation/mobility as potential research area? Or looked for a team to join and use your expertise for the topic areas?

If either of these questions piqued your curiosity, join the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI) for a general members and friends luncheon tomorrow Thursday (Sept. 28) from 12-1:30 p.m. in the Ballroom B2/B3 of the Memorial Union. 

The luncheon is open to all researchers on campus.

After lunch, we will briefly introduce the Institute and its services, and then discuss three upcoming transportation research opportunities:

• The upcoming federal ARPA-Infrastructure (ARPA-I) program,
• MDOT's request for research ideas toward future funding cycles, and
• Michigan Tech's participation in the development of the largest surface transportation center by ENSCO and Federal Transportation Administrations in Pueblo, Colorado.

Luncheon Schedule:

• 12:00-12:30 p.m. — Lunch
• 12:30-12:45 p.m. — Brief MTTI Update
• 12:45-1:30 p.m. — Transportation funding opportunities: ARPA-I, MDOT, TTC Pueblo/ENSCO

Please complete the MTTI General Membership Meeting form if you plan to attend.

Join us in person or via Zoom.

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Last Days to Drop Off Ticks

Saturday (Sept. 30) is the last day of tick collection for the Crowdsourcing Ticks Project at Michigan Tech.

Current Results from Community Tick Submission
Of 819 ticks collected and submitted to the lab, current testing results are as follows: 

• 131 Lyme positive ticks
• 42 Anaplasma positive ticks
• 287 Rickettsia positive ticks
• 8 positives for Ehrlichia
• 0 positives for Babesia and Tularemia

Top locations for disease-positive ticks include Maasto Hiihto Trails, Chassell, Stanton-Liminga Road and Pilgrim River Trails. Several disease-positive ticks were submitted from unknown locations. Please note that not all Rickettsia bacteria cause disease — we will be performing sequencing analysis to determine the types of Rickettsia found in those ticks.

If you have any questions, please contact Aimee Marceau, sequencing lab lead, at ahmarcea@mtu.edu. 

 Crowdsourcing Ticks Project at MTU Ends Saturday
The Genomic Sequencing Lab wants ticks from you, your family and your pets. The goal of this project is to identify the prevalence of tick-borne illnesses in the Copper Country. Through Saturday (Sept. 30), please bring any ticks you find to one of two collection boxes on the Michigan Tech campus:

• U. J. Noblet Forestry Building — Main Entrance
• Great Lakes Research Center at 100 Phoenix Drive — Building Lobby

How to Remove and Preserve Ticks

1. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause its mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
4. Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by:
   1. Placing it in a sealed plastic storage bag. Multiple ticks from the same location can be placed in the same bag.
   2. Once the tick is sealed inside the plastic storage bag, bring it to a drop-off point within eight hours or place the bag with the tick in a freezer until dropping it off at Michigan Tech.
5. Follow the directions at the drop-off site to ensure the tick is properly preserved.

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

Study Abroad Information Session Summer Track A. Topics in Germany: Landscapes and Cityscapes by Foot and Public Transportation

Wednesday, September 27, 4:30 a.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, 120C

Explore southeastern Germany and Berlin by foot, bus, UBahn and train while you learn about Germany's complex history and current events. May 6-22, 2024. Program fee...

Layered in Between: Prints by Erin Hoffman Presented by Michigan Tech Art

Wednesday, September 27, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Galleries A-Space

Erin Hoffman is an artist and printmaker from Muskegon, Michigan, who deals primarily with political and social concerns. Through the presentation of mismatched ideas and...

Boys' Basketball Little Huskies

Wednesday, September 27, 4 p.m.–6 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC)

Learning skills, working as a team, and having fun: that’s Michigan Tech’s Boys’ Basketball Little Huskies League. It’s about the best introduction to basketball you can...

Perseverance Not Perfection

Wednesday, September 27, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610

Materials Science and Engineering Seminar Greg Bouse Abstract Greg will use examples from his own personal experience and highlight what it takes to become invaluable to a...

Race Practice

Wednesday, September 27, 5 p.m.–8 p.m. | East Houghton Waterfront Park

Race practices are pretty casual. We set a few marks in the portage and have a few races on Monday and Wednesday nights. Anyone is welcome to attend, regardless of sailing...

Students For Life General Meeting

Wednesday, September 27, 5 p.m.–6 p.m. | Fisher 133

Students For Life General Meeting

Trivia Competition (for Registered Homecoming Teams)

Wednesday, September 27, 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | Wads Annex

Registered Homecoming Teams will compete for smartest team of huskies. Good luck! For Participants Competing: Up to 5 people on a team Class C must have genders...

USG Weekly Meeting

Wednesday, September 27, 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | MUB Alumni Lounge

This meeting includes weekly updates from all representatives, liaison positions, and committees. Official business carried out by USG is conducted throughout old and new...