October 23, 2023

Michigan Technological University has received its first STARS Gold Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) in recognition of the University’s achievements in sustainability.

After being awarded a STARS Silver Rating in 2020, Michigan Tech is one of only five public universities in Michigan to earn gold in 2023. STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. The framework offers points in five categories — academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership — that add up to a final score.

“This accomplishment is a testament to years of work by an active community of faculty, staff and students across campus,” said Alan Turnquist, director of sustainability and resilience at Michigan Tech. “For decades the people of Michigan Tech have worked to advance sustainability in everything from research and teaching to planning and facilities management. We’re proud to finally see all the hard work pay off and be recognized.”

Read more about MTU’s STARS Gold Rating at Michigan Tech News.

Former Michigan Technological University President Dale F. Stein passed away Oct. 9 in Tucson, Arizona. He served as Michigan Tech’s president from August 1979 until his retirement in 1991.

Prior to Stein's presidency, he served as head of the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and vice president of academic affairs at Michigan Tech. He was inducted into the University’s Academy of Metallurgical and Materials Engineers as part of the inaugural 1996 class.

Stein held a Bachelor of Science in Metallurgy from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. in Metallurgy from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He began his career with the General Electric Company, then taught at the University of Minnesota, advancing to the rank of professor before coming to MTU in 1971.

He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a fellow of ASM, and a fellow and past president of the American Institute of Mining Engineering’s Metallurgical Society.

The Van Pelt and Opie Library invites the Michigan Tech community to celebrate International Open Access Week, a time we highlight and learn about the potential benefits of Open Access (OA) for academics and researchers. Open access to information — the free, immediate, online access to the results of scholarly research, and the right to use and reuse those results as you need — has the power to transform the way research and scientific inquiry are conducted. It has direct and widespread implications for academia, medicine, science and industry, and for society as a whole.

The library will be publishing an article in Tech Today every day this week to feature services that enable our patrons to engage with and contribute to the breadth of OA knowledge shared worldwide.

Tomorrow (Oct. 24), we’ll discuss predatory publishing, one of the challenges researchers face in deciding where to publish journal articles. This issue can be especially confounding when adding the element of publishing OA. Fortunately, the library can help in navigating this question. Check back tomorrow to learn more!

Michigan Tech, in collaboration with UP Health System – Portage, would like to remind the campus community about our one remaining on-campus flu shot clinic scheduled for this fall:

• Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 4-6 p.m. — SDC Wood Gym Balcony

A few things to remember for this year’s flu shot clinics:

• There's no need to make an appointment — all flu shot clinics are walk-in friendly.
• Be sure to have a valid copy of your insurance card (or a very clear picture of the front and back of the card) with you when you arrive.
• Be sure to fill out the Influenza Vaccination Authorization Form before you arrive.
• Flu shots are $40 for those who do not have insurance, payable by cash, check or credit card.

Full details on the flu clinics can be found by visiting the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being webpage, and questions can be directed to counseling@mtu.edu.

Nominations are now open for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Excellence in Teaching Awards. Michigan Tech may nominate one student at the M.S. and Ph.D. level. Each graduate program may nominate one student at the M.S. and Ph.D. level. Nominations are due to the Graduate School no later than 4 p.m. Dec. 13.

Eligible students:

• Will have been enrolled at Michigan Tech during the 2023 calendar year and have a teaching appointment.
• Will have earned the Michigan Tech Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award.
• Will have an excellent teaching portfolio and student evaluations.

See the application page for complete details on what is required for a nomination.

As the Michigan Tech Testing Center starts our 10th year of operation, we will be bringing you tips and fun facts — one each week for 10 weeks.

Week 8 Fun Facts: The Testing Center puts out a survey after each semester asking the students how we can help them better in the future. We use that information to adapt our services to find better ways to meet the needs of students. If instructors have suggestions, we are always open to them.

Some of the things students have asked for that we may or may not be able to provide: sunglasses, fidget toys, blinders, coffee, mints, a white noise machine and a cooler-temperature space.

Week 8 Tip: Students at Michigan Tech may have accommodations that include needing an extra-quiet space, longer testing time, the presence of service animals, the ability to make noise or talk during the exam, the use of extra testing aids, or leave to test blood sugar or eat.

The Testing Center is equipped to handle all these situations with discretion. If your student needs something above and beyond, let us know and we will do what we can to assist them.

If the Testing Center can assist you or your students, please reach out to us at techtesting-l@mtu.edu or 906-487-1001.

Haunted Smelter Tours — Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 26-28
Location: Quincy Smelter
Presented by: Michigan Tech Theatre, the Quincy Mine Hoist Association and the Keweenaw National Historic Park Advisory Commission

Join us this Halloween season at the Quincy Smelter for a haunted experience that you won’t forget! These 15-minute tours start every 10 minutes from 7-10:30 p.m. 

Tickets:
Tickets for this event can be purchased online from the Quincy Mine Hoist Association.

There is no Student Rush for this event.
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Backstage Jazz: Music from Television, Movies, and Video Games — Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28, at 7:30 p.m.
Location: Backstage at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts
Presented by: Michigan Tech Music
Performed by: Michigan Tech Jazz

Head backstage for a rad evening of jazz covers of your favorite music from TV, movies and video games. Music from movies like "Austin Powers" and "Spider-Man," TV shows like "Sanford and Son" and "Family Guy," anime shows like "Cowboy Bebop," and many of your favorite video games!

• Friday's bands: The R&D Big Band along with the New Orleans stylings of the Workshop Brass Band.

• Saturday's bands: The Video Game Jazz Ensemble and Tech's premier Jazz ensemble, the Jazz Lab Band. Enjoy a multimedia experience featuring clips of the original movies and shows created by Mikah Kotajarvi. 

Tickets:
Faculty, Staff, and General Public: Get your tickets online, at 906-487-1906, or at the Rozsa Box Office from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Students: Reserve your tickets (included with the Experience Tech fee) online and bring your HuskyCard to use your student tickets or tap in for Student Rush.
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Layered In Between: Prints by Erin Hoffman Exhibit — Through Saturday, Nov. 4
Location: Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space
Presented by: Michigan Tech Art

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 assemblages, her art serves as a prompt to critical thought and new conclusions.

A-Space Gallery Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Saturday: 1-8 p.m.

Hassan Masoud (ME-EM/Math) has been named an editorial board member and associate editor of the Journal of Engineering Mathematics.

Established in 1967 and now published by Springer Nature, the Journal of Engineering Mathematics promotes the application of mathematics to problems from engineering and applied sciences.

Nursing undergraduate students will administer flu vaccines to MTU students, faculty, staff and their families during the flu clinic organized by the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being in partnership with UP Health System – Portage.

The clinic is scheduled tomorrow (Oct. 24) from 4-6 p.m. and will take place in the SDC Gym.

Please remember that all walk-in appointments are free to students, faculty and staff with a valid insurance provider card.

Aurora White ’16 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) has been selected by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) as the 2023 Most Promising Engineer.

The professional award was presented at the 2023 AISES National Conference, held Oct. 19-21 in Spokane, Washington.

White, currently a torque security calibration engineer for Stellantis, is an active member of the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. She earned her M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Oakland University (OU) in Rochester, Michigan.

"I am so excited to represent my community, MTU, OU and Stellantis," said White.

"I have been a part of AISES since I was an undergrad at Michigan Tech. I was the AISES Michigan Tech secretary and then president," wrote White in a LinkedIn post. "AISES has always made me feel like I belong and have a purpose," she continued. "I have strived to incorporate my culture/traditions into every aspect of my life, whether it is at home or in the workplace."

As an undergraduate student at Michigan Tech, White was an active member in the Engineering Ambassadors and Women's Leadership Council. She studied abroad at the Leibniz University Hannover, Germany, and received internships with GE Aviation Mechanical Engineering; the Wind Energy Science, Engineering, and Policy Program at Iowa State University; and Indian Health Services.

She was also active in outreach activities, presenting at Family Engineering events in Baraga, L'Anse and Detroit with coordinator Joan Chadde, and presenting virtually as part of the Michigan Space Grant Consortium grant project "Native American Women in STEM & Natural Resources' in spring 2020.

"It means the world to me when I hear from younger students that I am a role model or someone that they look up to," said White. "I want to make the 7-year-old me proud that I had big dreams for the future. I want to inspire our Indigenous youth to show them that all things are possible."

Did you know that Michigan Tech hosts a regional Patent and Trademark Research Center (PTRC) which is part of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s nationwide program, and that we have intellectual property experts right here on Tech’s campus? If you have questions about intellectual property (IP), join us for a talk titled “Protect Your Innovation.”

Michigan Tech IP expert, licensed patent agent (LPA) and Associate Vice President for Research Administration Jim Baker and PTRC expert and Librarian Annelise Doll together will provide us with compelling IP scenarios and discuss the fundamentals of IP, including patents, trademarks, licensing and trade secrets.

What practical considerations are involved in protecting your idea and how might IP protections be used as a tool to develop your innovation? Included will be a discussion on how to initiate a prior art discovery with freely available resources at Michigan Tech's PTRC.

This event is open to the public. Register in advance by Nov. 4. We will meet Nov. 7 from 4-6 p.m. in Library 244.

Husky Innovate is proud to announce the newest Experience Innovation trip. This year, we are headed to Detroit! Students across disciplines who would like to participate are encouraged to submit our student application.

What makes a strong innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem and why are companies drawn to Detroit? One could argue that Detroit is the most innovative city in the Midwest. From Motown music to the Big Three automobile manufacturers, Detroit has a rich history that positions it as a regional hub for innovation and technology development. Detroit companies are making an impact in global markets, and up-and-coming startups find that they have the resources they need to fuel their growth.

Michigan Tech students are invited to an immersive innovation experience in Detroit featuring tours of Michigan Central, Ford Motor Company’s mobility innovation district (including a meet-and-greet); the Michigan Founders Fund, led by DUO Security co-founder Dug Song; Dow Venture Capital; and a collection of startup companies that you may not have heard of yet, but are on their way to becoming household names.

Here are just a few compelling reasons why students should consider joining us on this adventure to Detroit:

• Networking Opportunities: These trips offer a unique chance to connect with established entrepreneurs, successful business leaders and like-minded peers. Networking with individuals who have practical experience can open doors to mentorship, internships and future career opportunities.
• Inspiration and Motivation: Meeting entrepreneurs and visiting startups can be incredibly inspiring. Students often leave these trips with a renewed sense of purpose and motivation to pursue their entrepreneurial ideas and projects.
• Resume Enhancement: Participation in such trips can significantly enhance a student’s resume. It demonstrates a proactive approach to learning and a genuine interest in entrepreneurship and innovation, which can make them stand out to potential employers or investors.
• Clarifying Career Goals: Touring startups and meeting entrepreneurs can help students clarify their career goals. They may discover new interests or confirm existing passions, helping them make informed decisions about their future paths.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: These experiences can foster an entrepreneurial mindset characterized by creativity, resilience, adaptability and a willingness to take calculated risks, which are valuable attributes in any career.
• Academic Complement: Experience Innovation trips can complement academic coursework by providing real-world context to what students learn in class. This practical application of knowledge can enhance their understanding of business concepts.
• Personal Growth: These trips often lead to personal growth. Students develop self-confidence, improve communication skills and become more adaptable to new environments and challenges.

Understanding what fuels innovation is best understood by experiencing it firsthand. This opportunity is offered by Husky Innovate’s key collaborators, Pavlis Honors College, the Office of Innovation and Commercialization and the College of Business. Get a window into the regional innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) community, have a chance to ask your questions firsthand and learn what drives entrepreneurship. Students are encouraged to apply early, as space is limited.

Tatyana G. Karabencheva-Christova 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. Thursday (Oct. 26) in M&M U113.

Karabencheva-Christova’s presentation is titled "Revealing Catalytic Strategies of Metalloenzymes."

From the abstract:
More than 30% of all human enzymes with essential physiological functions contain metal ions in their active sites. Therefore, metalloenzymes are critical therapeutic targets in developing inhibitors and drugs. The discovery of effective therapeutics that target metalloenzymes requires a thorough understanding of metalloenzymes' structure and catalytic strategies. Computational chemistry methods have become a powerful tool for exploring the structure and revealing mechanistic insights into metalloenzyme catalysis, which cannot be obtained experimentally. Applying multilevel computational chemistry methods, we explored the catalytic mechanisms and structure-function relationships of two large groups of metalloenzymes: (1) zinc (II)-dependent matrix metalloproteinases and (2) non-heme Iron (II)-containing enzymes. In particular, the research implements multilevel computational chemistry methods to explore the conformational diversity of enzyme-substrate complexes and to study enzyme reaction mechanisms within the natural protein environment. These findings illuminate atomic and electronic scale details, which cannot be obtained by experimental techniques. Ultimately, the research provides insights into the structure-function relationships of metal-containing enzymes that permit fundamental advances in artificial metalloenzymes design, chemical biology, and drug discovery.

Luke Bowman (GMES) and Erika Vye (GLRC/GMES) represented Michigan Tech at the Geological Society of America’s annual meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Oct. 14-18. Both presented in a session titled “Field-Based Geoscience Education: Advances in Research, Program Evaluation, Pedagogy, and Curriculum.”

Bowman shared an oral presentation titled “Community Involvement in Building and Testing A Flash-Flood Model for Simulating Flood Frequency” (with co-authors Natalea Cohen, John Gierke, Vanessa Bailey, Hannah Lukasik, Shannon McAvoy, Mario Hugo Mendez, Susan Toivonen and David Yates).

Vye shared an oral presentation titled “The Keweenaw Geoheritage Summer Internship: Exploring Our Shared Relationships with Land and Water” (with co-author Amanda Gonczi).

Vye also supported and co-authored two first-time student presentations in a session titled “The Stories of Geoheritage.” The presentations were:

• “Connecting Geology, Mining, & Fish Sovereignty in the Keweenaw” by Naomi Smith (Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College), and
• “Bridging Knowledges - Using Geospatial Technology to Support Place-Based Geoheritage Learning” by Steph Fones (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) with co-authors Daniel Lizzadro-McPherson and Naomi Smith.

Fones and Smith participated in an eight-week Keweenaw Geoheritage internship at MTU in summer 2023. This work was supported by NSF Award #2136139: "EAGER: Geoheritage and Two-Eyed Seeing - Advances in Interdisciplinary Earth Science Research, Learning, and Inclusion through Shared Ways of Knowing." Vye is the project's principal investigator.

Yu Cai (AC/IC/ICC) was quoted by All About Cookies in a story addressing online privacy and security concerning internet cookies. Cai shared insights on the importance of not blindly accepting internet cookies and provided guidance on assessing whether a website is retaining unnecessary personal information.

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Mary Ellen Miller (MTRI) was quoted by Michigan Radio in a story evaluating using natural landscapes to help handle increased flooding in metro Detroit. Miller is using topography and water level data to evaluate the flood water storage capacity of the city’s wetlands. 

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The Keweenaw Report picked up a Michigan Tech News story about Quinn Riordan (applied ecology and environmental science) being selected as a recipient of the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service.

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Lake Superior Magazine mentioned the Department of Visual and Performing Arts in a blurb previewing the Haunted Smelter Tours at the Quincy Smelter next week from Thursday to Saturday (Oct. 26-28).

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The ’Gander mentioned the Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team in a story about a 1954 hockey game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Marquette Branch Prison. The Huskies donated hockey equipment to the Marquette Prison Pirates — the first prison hockey team in the U.S. — for the game.

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Michigan Tech hockey’s Blake Pietila was mentioned by North Dakota’s Grand Forks Herald in a story discussing whether smaller goalies still have a place in college hockey.

Virtual Interest Session: MTU's Online Health Informatics Program

Join us today (Oct. 23) for a 45-minute virtual interest session on one of Michigan Tech’s most in-demand online programs: the online Master of Science in Health Informatics.

In this session, MS in Health Informatics Program Director Guy Hembroff, associate professor in applied computing, and David Lawrence, vice president for Global Campus and continuing education, will explain the details of this versatile, customizable online program, such as its stackable certificates. You’ll also discover how this program allows you to leverage your previous computational, clinical, cybersecurity or data science background.

Interest Session Details:

• When: Monday, Oct. 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
• Where: Online via Zoom webinar
• Registration: Register to attend the interest session

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Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

On Wednesday (Oct. 25), Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® will return to Michigan Tech. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is the International Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence. Students will have the opportunity to walk in women's high-heeled shoes to actively confront gender stereotypes and expectations. This event will be an opportunity to raise awareness and support for the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter, a safe place in the Houghton community for survivors of domestic violence and their children.

Join us to support the shelter and raise awareness Wednesday at 1 p.m. outside of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI). You can support in many ways, including walking to support the cause, giving monetary or supply donations, or just stopping by to learn more!

Volunteers are also needed for this event. If you would like to volunteer, please complete the Volunteer Sign-Up.

We hope to see you there!

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PhD Proposal Defense: Saket Chaturvedi, CS

Ph.D. student Saket Chaturvedi will present his dissertation proposal tomorrow (Oct. 24) from 8:30-10:30 a.m. in Rekhi 101 and via Zoom online meeting.

The title of Chaturvedi's proposal is “Securing Autonomous Driving: Backdoor Attacks on Multimodal Fusion Methods.”

Join the Zoom meeting.

Read the proposal abstract on the Computing News Blog.

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RSVP Open Enrollment Ends Oct. 31

The Retirement Supplemental Voluntary Program (RSVP) is a voluntary retirement program offered to eligible Michigan Tech employees. The enrollment period during which an employee may sign their RSVP election ends Oct. 31.

Employees electing the monetary retirement option must retire on or before June 30, 2024. The monetary retirement option provides a benefit equal to 20% of the eligible employee’s annual salary (nine-month salary for faculty), up to the cap amount of $55,000 at the time of their actual retirement date.

For further clarification, please see the RSVP policy and the RSVP matrix, which explains the gradual phase-out of all RSVP options.

Prior to electing RSVP, employees must meet with the Joanne Chalgren in the Benefits Office for a confidential meeting to verify eligibility. RSVP program information may be found online.

RSVP questions may be directed to Joanne Chalgren in Benefits Services at 906-487-2517 or benefits@mtu.edu.

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Friends of the Library Annual Lecture

The Friends of the Michigan Tech Library will have their Annual Meeting today (Oct. 23) from 4-6 p.m. in the East Reading Room of the Van Pelt and Opie Library.

Mark F. Rowe will be giving a talk on "The 1926 Wreck of the City of Bangor," in which he will tell the tale of the ill-fated ship and its cargo of brand-new Chrysler automobiles destined for Duluth. Come hear about her grounding east of Copper Harbor, the salvage of the cars, the salvage of the ship and the current display at the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse history museum.

Refreshments will be served and all are welcome.

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SDH Open House and Tenant Applications

The tenants of the Sustainability Demonstration House (SDH) would like to invite you to our upcoming Sustainability Open House on Oct. 27 from 6-8 p.m. We will have interactive demos of our sustainable systems (including composting, hydroponics, aquaponics, a solar array, a beehive, energy-efficient appliances, a zero-waste household and many more) and fun sustainability games. We hope you will be able to stop by!

Apply to live at the SDH! The deadline to apply is Nov. 6 at noon. A QR code to the application is included in our Open House flyer. Please email your applications to sdh@mtu.edu. We encourage you to apply and share this application with anyone who is interested.

The SDH is located at 21680 Woodland Road, just down the road from East McNair. Parking is available at East McNair, Hillside and Lot 10E.

Please see our flyer for more information. Feel free to email sdh@mtu.edu if you have any questions.

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Virtual Workshop: 'Finding the Source of the Problem'

The Office of Continuous Improvement is offering a virtual workshop, "Finding the Source of the Problem: Root Cause Analysis and Decision-Making Tools," on Thursday (Oct. 26) from 9 a.m. to noon.

Practice with several fun tools for exploring the how, what and why of the gap between how things are and how you want them to be, brainstorming possible causes and using decision-making tools to select the most likely root cause to pursue. These tools can assist you in your efforts to create the best possible experience for students, faculty, staff and other customers.

To see the workshop description and register, complete our brief form or visit our website. Once registered, we'll add you to a calendar event for the course. This workshop will be taught virtually using Zoom and Miro. There will be a brief pre-work assignment before the workshop, and you'll receive a certificate after completing a post-work assignment.

This stand-alone workshop is part of the Lean Basics workshop series. It can be taken independently, or, if you participate in all five workshops in the series, a Lean Yellow Belt certification is awarded to those who satisfactorily complete all requirements. For more information, email improvement@mtu.edu.

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Volunteers Needed for 41 North Film Festival!

Be a part of the action and volunteer with 41 North Film Festival. This year’s festival will take place Nov. 2-5, and we need your help to make it happen! We welcome film enthusiasts, members of the campus community and local area residents. Individuals and groups are invited to join us as volunteers.

Our volunteers help us keep 41 North free and open to the public and are an integral part of the festival. Volunteers may assist with welcoming festival attendees, ushering and answering general questions regarding the festival and films. Help is needed for any and all of the four days of the festival: Thursday through Sunday. Volunteer for one film or for the whole festival — it’s up to you! Our core group of volunteers who are able to commit to multiple volunteer shifts receive a free T-shirt as a thank-you. We look forward to having you on our team!

What do I do when volunteering at 41N?
As a volunteer usher, you play a critical role in creating a joyful experience at arts events. With Rozsa and 41N leadership, you and other ushers work together to greet guests, admit folks into the theater, assist with seating and wayfinding, connect guests to venue accommodations, and support effective crowdflow and emergency procedures. Usher roles will be decided as a team at the beginning of the volunteer shift.

I am / would like to be a 41N core volunteer!
41N relies on volunteer support, and volunteers who commit to serving for a notable part of the weekend-long festival are recognized as the core 41N volunteer group with T-shirts. To sign-up for the 41N core volunteer group and to confirm schedule/service levels, contact Allison Neely at alneely@mtu.edu.

What do I wear and bring?
Wear clothes and shoes that you’re comfortable in! Please make sure they are free from stains and tears. The core group of 41N volunteers will receive 41N T-shirts. The Rozsa will provide a purple ushering bib-style apron to be worn over your clothes. You are welcome to bring a water bottle, and we encourage you to leave valuables at home.

How do I prepare for the event?
No experience is needed. All the training you need will take place the day of the show, before guests arrive. If you're arriving by car and don't require an accessible parking spot, please park in Lot 14 next to the Walker Arts and Humanities Center, as we're doing our best to keep the closest spots available for the show's audience. Ensure you arrive at or before the shift start time, and check in with the front-of-house lead in the Rozsa lobby for a brief orientation.

The 41 North Film Festival spans four days and showcases award-winning independent films and filmmakers from around the region, country and world. Its mission is to provide Michigan Tech students and the surrounding community with an opportunity to critically engage films that are currently in distribution and under discussion, as well as the chance to interact with filmmakers, producers and other industry professionals about the art and business of cinematic storytelling.

Visit the volunteer registration page on GivePulse and search for 41N to sign up for individual volunteer shifts, or contact our volunteer coordinator, Allison Neely, at alneely@mtu.edu or 906-487-2816.

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Navigating Parenthood While Thriving as an Academic

The provost’s office will host a session focused on strategies to integrate faculty roles as an academic and a parent. The event will take place Thursday (Oct. 26) from 1-2:30 p.m. in Admin 404.

The session will include viewing an Academic Impressions webcast, followed by a discussion about the issues raised in the webcast.

Please indicate that you plan to attend by completing our RSVP form.

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Tick Collection Resumed Due to Spike in Adult Ticks

The Crowdsourcing Ticks Project at Michigan Tech is being continued throughout fall 2023 due to a sharp increase in the number of adult ticks. 

The Genomic Sequencing Lab at MTU 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 the fall, please bring any ticks you find to the collection box on the Michigan Tech campus:

• Collection Box Location: U. J. Noblet Forestry Building — Main Entrance

Current Results from Community Tick Submission
Of 891 ticks collected and submitted to the lab, current testing results are as follows: 

• 135 Lyme positive ticks
• 42 Anaplasma positive ticks
• 299 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. 

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.

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EPSSI Seminar with Mary Herrmann-Foley

Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) guest Mary Herrmann-Foley, manager central support for the PetroSigns SSW application at Shell, will give a talk today (Oct. 23) at 4 p.m. in M&M U113.

The talk is titled "Role of Subsurface Engineering and Geology in the Energy Transition World."

Details are available on the University Events Calendar.

From the abstract:
The world is in the midst of the first “truly global energy crisis” the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its World Energy Outlook in October 2022. It’s multidimensional and is coming with the challenge of global warming and the need to reduce / eliminate CO2 emissions. We are all experiencing the impact of rising CO2 in the atmosphere: ocean levels rising, more intense storms, and rising temperatures with corresponding impact on us and the environment around us. Conflicting pressures linked to continued high energy demand, the need for energy security, and the imperative for a reduction in CO2 emissions is driving unprecedented renewable energy growth. This presentation will touch on the challenges related to these conflicting pressures and how existing and start-up energy companies are addressing some of these challenges through numerous renewable energy and carbon sequestration options, particularly focusing on the crucial role subsurface engineering and geology can and are playing in this journey. Highlights of the current situation in Michigan and some related business opportunities will also be discussed.

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

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

Monday, October 23, 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...

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Advocates and Allies Workshop

Monday, October 23, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom A1 and A2

Have you noticed that different people have vastly different experiences in classes, meetings, informal and formal events, and other interactions on campus? Ever noticed that...

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CTL Lunch and Learn: Essential Education Experience

Monday, October 23, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library

Join the Center for Teaching and Learning for the following opportunity: Monday, October 23, 2023, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm ...

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MATLAB Workshop

Monday, October 23, 2 p.m.–4 p.m. | Online

Free MATLAB Workshop! Women in Physics is hosting a MATLAB workshop that is available to anyone who is interested. It is a 7 week course that will begin with the basic...

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Community Research on Climate and Urban Science (CROCUS)

Monday, October 23, 3 p.m.

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Dr. Jiali Wang, Atmospheric Scientist, Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory CROCUS studies urban climate...

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EPSSI Seminar: Mary Herrmann-Foley, MBA

Monday, October 23, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), Room U113

Mary Herrmann-Foley, Manager Central Support PetroSigns SSW application at Shell will give a talk on Monday, Oct 23rd at 4:00 pm In M&M U113. Role of Subsurface Engineering...

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Mark Rowe presents “The 1926 Wreck of The City of Bangor”

Monday, October 23, 4 p.m.–6 p.m. | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library, East Reading Room

The Friends of the Michigan Tech Library annual membership meeting will include a short business meeting and elections for the Friends of the Michigan Tech Library. Come hear...

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Race Practice

Monday, October 23, 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...

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Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Parent & Child Aquatics Fall 2023 Session 2

Monday, October 23, 5:10 p.m.–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Ages 6 months to 3 years. Come make a splash in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Parent and Child Aquatics levels are being offered at the SDC Pool for ages 6...

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Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Preschool Aquatics Fall 2023 Session 2

Monday, October 23, 5:10 p.m.–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Ages 4-5 years. Come make a splash in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Preschool Aquatics levels are being offered at the SDC Pool for ages 4 to 5 years old....

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Law Club Weekly Meeting

Monday, October 23, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Library 103

Objectives: 1. 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. 2. To prepare...

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Tech in 10 Minutes

Monday, October 23, 9 p.m.–10 p.m.

Join us for ten minutes to learn more about Michigan's flagship technological university and why we should be at the top of your list!

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Campus Barbershop

October 23, all day

Sign up for an appointment today: https://getsquire.com/booking/book/the-good-life-barber-lounge-marquette

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Winter Coat & Boot Drive

October 23, all day | Michigan Tech Campus, Various locations on campus and in the community

The Husky Closet Collective is seeking winter coat and boot donations for the Clothing Closet at Michigan Tech. To help keep our Huskies warm, we need to secure donations of...