October 30, 2023

The J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library (VPOL) employees have been awarded a 2023 Citation of Excellence for exemplifying excellence in customer service. The Library of Michigan Foundation and the Library of Michigan support this annual award, which is open to public, school, academic and special libraries across the state of Michigan.

“Good libraries help meet the needs of their users. Great libraries change communities for the better. The J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library has become a central part of Michigan Technological University and made the Houghton and Hancock area a better place to live,” said Randy Riley, Michigan's state librarian, after presenting the award.

Receiving it reaffirms the VPOL’s dedication to fostering a welcoming and enriching learning environment. We are proud to share this achievement with the entire Michigan Tech community. We are especially grateful to collaborators who added letters of support that highlighted the VPOL’s high level of service.

Erin Matas, library director, has been consistently supportive and celebratory since news of the citation. “I’m grateful and inspired by our library’s selection for this prestigious award,” said Matas. “It’s a heartfelt and well-deserved acknowledgement of the efforts of our library employees and the tremendous support we receive from our local community and valued partners at Michigan Technological University. Libraries truly play a transformative role in shaping vibrant communities.”

Nine representatives from the VPOL, from nearly all library departments, accepted the award on Oct. 18 at the Michigan Library Association’s Annual Conference. Keep an eye out for information about a celebration in the library soon!

The 41 North Film Festival is still seeking volunteers to assist with this year’s event, scheduled for this week from Thursday through Sunday (Nov. 2-5). We welcome film enthusiasts, members of the campus community and local area residents. Individuals and groups are invited to join us as volunteers.

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, by email at alneely@mtu.edu or by phone at 906-487-2816. Note: Shorter shifts have been added for those who can commit to a smaller amount of time — specifically on Saturday (Nov. 4).

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 the 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 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.

The Infinite Loop is seeking submissions of original undergraduate research papers for the inaugural Journal for Undergraduate Research and Applied Computing. The journal welcomes submissions from undergraduates of all majors. Its scope includes interdisciplinary research and applications of computing in diverse fields, such as data science, health informatics, information technology and digital humanities. Papers should describe student research conducted at Michigan Tech or an independent applied computing project of significant depth.

The deadline for fall 2023 submissions is Friday (Nov. 3) at 11:59 p.m. All papers will undergo a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the highest standards of academic integrity and quality. Submissions should be 1,000 to 8,000 words in length (not including references), conform to IEEE Style Guidelines, contain at least 10 references, and have at least three figures, tables or code snippets.

Papers can be submitted on the Infinite Loop website.

Learn more on the Infinite Loop blog.

Greetings All,

The Van Pelt and Opie Library has now become a donation drop-off location for the Husky Food Access Network (FAN)! If you have a donation that you would like to drop off at the library, please bring it by the Circulation Desk located on the first floor.

Donations are also accepted in the gray bin outside the Husky FAN Pantry located in Fisher Hall. Please consider donating and aiding us in the fight against food insecurity at Michigan Tech. We accept donations of any nonexpired, nonperishable goods as well as basic toiletries.

Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to find our hours of operation and recent updates.

Does your research involve conducting a systematic literature review? If yes (or maybe), the Van Pelt and Opie Library invites you to take advantage of our trial of Covidence.

Covidence is a production tool for systematic reviews used for title/abstract screening, full-text screening, data abstraction and quality assessment. Designed to make conducting reviews more efficient and easily tracked, Covidence can be used for any kind of literature review that requires reproducible and reportable reviewing and screening.

Covidence is available on a trial basis to the Michigan Tech community through December 2023. The trial offers a demo review, and users may also import up to 500 references to use within Covidence. Getting Started with Covidence is a series of short videos that will help you navigate the Covidence interface.

To register for a Covidence account, follow these steps:

1. Sign up for Covidence (not necessary if you already have an account at another institution).
2. Send an email to library@mtu.edu requesting an invitation to the library trial.
3. Check your email for the invitation and accept.
4. Please contact library@mtu.edu with any questions.

Your feedback is very important in our decision-making process. Please take a few moments to let us know what you think of Covidence.

Registration is closing soon for the ninth annual American Chemical Society Upper Peninsula Student Research Symposium! Abstracts are being accepted now, with a deadline of 5 p.m. EST tomorrow (Oct. 31).

The symposium will be held at Northern Michigan University on Nov. 11.

This symposium is a venue for students to present their research in chemistry, chemical engineering and related fields. It is open to undergraduate, graduate, high school and community college students from the Upper Peninsula. We welcome visitors and community members! There is no cost to present and lunch will be provided. Prize money will be awarded for best posters and presentations.

For more information and to register for the symposium, visit our Student Research Symposium page. All presenters, visitors and judges, please register to ensure we have enough food ordered.

Contact Momoko Tajiri at mtajiri@mtu.edu with any questions.

The Student Research Symposium is sponsored by the Department of Chemistry at Michigan Tech.

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 9 Fun Facts: The Testing Center has been a member of the National College Testing Association (NCTA) since 2013. In May 2021, the Testing Center became certified by the standards set forth by the NCTA.

The NCTA promotes "professionalism and quality in the administration of testing services and programs." According to its website, test center certification encourages centers to self-evaluate and adhere to professional standards, and assists them in improving their testing processes and service delivery to examinees.

Week 9 Tip: When a student is suspected of academic misconduct, the proctors will verify with each other (a good reason to always try to have two proctors on shift) about what they are seeing. After the student has left, a report will be made that will include the exam information, the restrictions of the exam, and video captured by the closed-circuit system. This report is sent to the instructor and the Office of Academic and Community Conduct (OACC). The instructor will then decide how to proceed with the OACC. Recordings are kept for seven days. If an instructor has a question about behavior, the Testing Center can quickly pull up the recording to help.

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

The College of Sciences and Arts (CSA) Dean Search job posting is now live. You can view the posting on the Human Resources Job Openings webpage.

Please share the opportunity broadly within your networks. Candidates can direct questions to the search committee chairs: Dean Johnson at dean@mtu.edu and Don Lafreniere at djlafren@mtu.edu.

The Sponsored Operations Office and the Sponsored Programs Office invite the campus community to participate in an in-person training on how to create and certify a proposal using the recently implemented Cayuse Sponsored Projects software. Specifically, research-active faculty, research scientists and research support staff are invited to attend on the following date:

• Tuesday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
  Register for this session

The training will be held at the Van Pelt and Opie Library in Library 242.

If you anticipate submitting any externally funded proposals in the next year, consider attending or viewing the online training videos on the Cayuse Training webpage.

Additional information is available on our Cayuse Implementation webpage. Please reach out to Sponsored Operations at soo-l@mtu.edu with any questions.

The Career Services office will be closed tomorrow (Oct. 31) from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a department retreat. Regular office hours will resume after 2:30 p.m.

Questions during this time can be sent to career@mtu.edu. Co-op questions can be sent to co-op@mtu.edu.

Understand the strategic differences between gifting during life or at death, the tax impacts of each, and how to maximize your charitable donations. This Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) webinar offers tips for choosing organizations to benefit from and determining what asset type to donate.

The webinar will be held Thursday (Nov. 2) at 3 p.m.

Reserve your spot at TIAA.org/webinars.

Tell us what you think! From the food in the dining hall, to C-Cubed Luncheons, to retail options in the Memorial Union Building or Library Cafe, we want to know what you think about Husky Eats and dining options across campus. Your feedback is extremely important to us and will be used to help us create a happier, tastier dining experience here on campus.

The survey is open today and tomorrow (Oct. 30 and 31). It should take 8-10 minutes, and your responses are completely anonymous.

Complete the survey today!

The MTU American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) student organization is presenting the Baashkaakodin-Giizis Freezing Moon Traditional Powwow on Saturday (Nov. 4) at the Gates Tennis Center.

Doors open at 10 a.m. Grand Entries will take place at noon and 6 p.m., with a dinner break at 4 p.m.

The event will feature drum groups Four Thunders as host drum and Loon Travelers as co-host. Raistlin Awonohopay and Dana Awonohopay are the head dancers.

See the event flyer for more details.

Questions? Contact Sheila Halverson at smhalver@mtu.edu or 906-201-4244.

Make some waves and step up your swim game with Huskies Aquatics. Registration for Fall Session 3 Adult Aquatics Programs is open now:

• Adult Huskies Swim Lessons — Aquatic education for the beginner to the intermediate swimmer who is looking to become more comfortable in the water and learn the fundamental four strokes.
• Adult Huskies Swim Training — Attention and competitive guidance to swimmers looking to improve their swimming skills and fitness levels in a group setting.

Open to ages 18 and older. Fall Session 3 starts next Tuesday (Nov. 7) and ends Dec. 7, with swim sessions Tuesday and Thursday from 5-6 p.m. Registration closes Thursday (Nov. 2).

Questions? Contact Aquatics Manager Annie Bengry at ambengry@mtu.edu or 906-487-2995.

This week (Oct. 30 to Nov. 4) is your last chance to witness “Layered in Between: Prints by Erin Hoffman” in the Rozsa Art Galleries. Erin Hoffman is an artist and  printmaker from Muskegon, Michigan, who deals primarily with political and socail concerns. Through the presentation of mismatched ideas and assemblages, her art serves as a prompt to critical thought and new conclusions. 

The Rozsa Galleries are curated by Gallery Director Terri Frew. The exhibit is open today (Oct. 30) through this Saturday (Nov. 4) in the Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space.

Rozsa Art Galleries Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Saturday: 1-8 p.m.

Exhibit Details:

• What: "Layered in Between: Prints by Erin Hoffman"
• When: Now through Saturday, Nov. 4
• Where: Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space (lower level of the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts)
• Price: Free for all guests

Three shorts programs at the upcoming 41 North Film Festival will feature a selection of international animated, narrative, experimental and documentary short films.

• Animated Encounters — Thursday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m.
  Representing a variety of animated styles, Animated Encounters showcases unexpected encounters between selves, others and the world.

• Mediated States — Friday, Nov. 3, at 3:45 p.m.
  The three films in Mediated States interrogate contemporary political realities through creative approaches to representation.

• Growing Pains — Sunday, Nov. 5, at 5:45 p.m.
  The final program, Growing Pains focuses on adults and kids who often have more questions than answers. VPA faculty member Jeff Sherwood, sound designer for “Pivot Pals” (Feldman, 2022), will be in attendance and participate in a Q&A following this program.

These programs will be held in the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts and are free and open to the public. Read more about the shorts and other festival films on the festival website.

M.S. in Chemical Engineering student Joe Kulkarni will present his defense at 2 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 2). The presentation will be in person in Chem Sci 201 or virtually via Zoom.

Kulkarni's defense is titled “Hydro Cyclonic Separation of Polyester Microfibers from Washing Machine Wastewater."

His advisor is Timothy Eisele.

The College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) will host a seminar at 12:30 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 2) in Noblet G002 with speaker Gary Peter, a professor in the School of Forestry, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences at the University of Florida.

The title of Peter's talk is "Conifer Terpenes: Manipulating an Ancient Plant Defense Pathway for Improved Resistance, Renewable Chemicals, and Biofuels."

Peter studies the genetic mechanisms that control forest tree growth, wood properties, and fungal and insect resistance. He co-directs both the Cooperative Forest Genetics Research Program, which breeds loblolly and slash pine for commercial deployment, and the multidisciplinary Forest Biology Research Cooperative, which researches the interactions between genetics, silviculture and the environment on southern pine productivity, health and sustainability.

From the abstract:
Pine terpenes evolved as a primary chemical and physical defense system and are a main component of a durable, quantitative defense mechanism against pests and pathogens. The terpene defense traits are under complex genetic control. Our goal is to genetically increase constitutive terpene defenses of loblolly and slash pine. Enhanced resistance in these commercial species is critical to protect against widespread losses as biotic pressures increase due to global warming, land use change, and introduced exotic organisms. Increasing pine terpenes also is aligned well with the needs of the developing bioeconomy for renewable chemical and biofuel production. Combining population level quantitative genetics and gene discovery approaches, transcriptomics of developing secondary resin canals in the vascular cambium of stems, and single cell analysis, we are identifying candidate genes that control complex traits of terpene defenses in loblolly pine.

Dhara Trivedi from Clarkson University will be presenting at this week's Physics Colloquium. The seminar will be presented in person at 4 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 2) in Fisher 139.

Trivedi's presentation is titled "Parameters Affecting Performance of 2D Perovskites for Solar Energy Harvesting: Ab Initio Studies."

Read the abstract and speaker bio at the University Events Calendar.

Job Posting for Monday, Oct. 30, 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.

Assistant Teaching Professor – Graphic Design, Humanities. 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.

Undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from both Christov's Computational Chemistry Lab, Department of Chemistry, Michigan Tech, and Schofield’s Chemical Biology Lab, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, U.K., presented and discussed their results on computational and experimental studies on enzyme mechanisms of epigenetics at the Michigan Tech – University of Oxford Online Molecular Epigenetics Bridge on Oct. 12.

The members of the two collaborative teams participated in advanced discussions on synergizing computational chemistry and experimental chemical biology in molecular epigenetics studies. The event is planned to be performed regularly.

This activity was part of NIH grant 1R15GM139118.

Kristin Brzeski (CFRES) was mentioned by Texas’ Galveston County Daily News in a story about the withdrawal of a variance request for a housing project planned on land inhabited by coyotes that carry endangered red wolf genetics. Brzeski is one of the scientists studying the coyotes, which have been called “ghost wolves.”

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Kent Cyr (VPA) was quoted by ABC 10 in a story about the Haunted Smelter Tours held at the Quincy Smelter last Thursday to Saturday (Oct. 26-28). The tours were conducted by students in MTU’s sound design, audio production and theater programs in collaboration with the Quincy Mine Hoist Association and Keweenaw National Historical Park. The story was picked up by the Keweenaw Report.

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Adam Meckler (VPA) was quoted by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story about Michigan Tech Music’s "Backstage Jazz: Music from Television, Movies and Video Games" concerts, performed last Friday and Saturday (Oct. 27 and 28) at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts.

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Erich Petushek (CLS) was quoted by the Keweenaw Report in a story about the Health Research Institute’s second annual Upper Peninsula Medical Conference, which brought regional health care leaders to Michigan Tech last Friday and Saturday (Oct. 27 and 28). The story was picked up from ABC 10.

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MLive mentioned Michigan Tech in a story comparing fall 2023 enrollments at Michigan colleges to state and national trends. MTU was highlighted as one of three universities in the state to see positive growth over the last decade.

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The Cadillac News and more than 200 other news outlets across the U.S. picked up Stellantis Media’s story about Aurora White ’16 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) being named the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) 2023 Most Promising Engineer. White is a torque security calibration engineer for Stellantis.

Register for 'Protect Your Innovation' Talk

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 Saturday (Nov. 4). We will meet next Monday (Nov. 7) from 4-6 p.m. in Library 244.

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Applications Open for Experience Innovation Detroit Student Trip

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. The application deadline is Sunday (Nov. 6).

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CTL Coffee Chat: Navigating the AI Landscape in Teaching and Learning

Attention instructors: Let's talk AI in the classroom!

Do you have insights or questions about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education? Are you curious about how your colleagues are integrating AI into their teaching? Join us for an engaging coffee chat Thursday (Nov. 2) at 3:30 p.m. hosted by the Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), the Van Pelt and Opie Library and the Office of Academic and Community Conduct.

What We'll Discuss:

• Course Policies: Do you have an official policy on the use of AI tools in your classes?
• Student Engagement: How are you encouraging or discouraging students to utilize AI in their coursework?
• Instructor Use: How much are you using AI tools in your teaching?
• Workforce Preparedness: What skills do your students need to effectively use AI tools in their future careers?

Why You Should Attend:

• Share Best Practices: Learn from your peers and share your own experiences.
• Influence Policy: Your input may help shape institutional guidelines on AI use.
• Network: Connect with other forward-thinking educators on campus.

Coffee Chat Details:

• Topic: Navigating the AI Landscape in Teaching and Learning
• When: Thursday, Nov. 2, at 3:30 p.m.
• Where: Library East Reading Room
• Registration: Register to attend the coffee chat

Register, and make plans to be part of this conversation about the role of AI in education. Refreshments will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Night Parking Ban Starts at Midnight

Michigan Tech's Night Parking Ban goes into effect at midnight tomorrow (Oct. 31) and will remain in effect until April 30, 2024.

During the ban, parking is prohibited on campus from 2-7 a.m. except as follows:

• Michigan Tech employees with shifts prior to 7 a.m. who have an assigned parking location (email parking@mtu.edu if you have not yet been assigned a location).
• Occupants of University housing with a valid residential parking permit in their specified lot.
• Visitors with purchased permits (Transportation Services will designate an assigned parking lot).

Individuals who need to request parking past 2 a.m. need to call Michigan Tech Public Safety and Police Services at 906-487-2216 that evening to be assigned a designated parking space. To request permission to remain parked on campus, you will need to provide the following to Public Safety:

• Name
• Reason for request
• Campus location
• Phone number
• Vehicle information (license plate number and make, model and color)
• Permit number

Those granted permission to park on campus after 2 a.m. will be assigned a parking spot in a designated parking lot or in one of the three designated meter areas (meters will need to be paid). Vehicles must be moved prior to 6 a.m. unless alternate arrangements have been given prior approval.

The parking ban will remain in effect regardless of the amount of snow on the ground.

Visitor Parking Permits
Permits can be purchased from Transportation Services Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. or on the Michigan Tech Parking Portal. Visitors can park overnight in Lot 24 (park on the south side of the lot in the parking spaces closest to Sharon Avenue). If arriving after 4 p.m., the overnight permit should be purchased for the next day’s date to allow for overnight parking.

Email parking@mtu.edu with further questions.

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GSG Announces MTU's 2023 3MT Competition

​Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an international competition developed by the University of Queensland Australia. Graduate Student Government (GSG) hosts an annual competition every fall, and the winner will present at the regional levels of the competition.

Michigan Tech's 2023 3MT competition will be held next Thursday (Nov. 9). The preliminary rounds will happen from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Great Lakes Research Center in GLRC 202. The finals will be held from 6-8 p.m. in the U. J. Noblet Forestry Building in Noblet G002.

Cash prizes of $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for the people's choice award will be awarded.

The presentation schedule will be available one week prior to the event. For more information on the competition, please see GSG's 3MT webpage.

Eligibility: The competition is open to all grad students, but the regional competition is only eligible to Ph.D. students with confirmed candidacy.

The registration deadline is today (Oct. 30). Register on the 3MT webpage.

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Write-D and CFRES Welcome Write-D Facilitator Reed Arneson

Writing in the Discipline (Write-D) and the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) are pleased to welcome Reed Arneson as the College’s Write-D facilitator beginning in the second half of the fall 2023 semester.

Write-D provides a dedicated time and space for graduate students to get work done and receive support on writing projects within their discipline, such as manuscripts, research proposals, dissertations, etc. Guest speakers from the department and industry visit to present briefly on research, writing and publishing tips. This free program is open to all graduate students.

Current groups and facilitators:

• Biological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering: Catherine Rono
• Chemical Engineering: Grace Dykstra
• Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering: Miaomiao Li
• Forest Resources and Environmental Science: Reed Arneson
• Mathematical Sciences: Kyle Schwiebert
• Physics: Alyssa Horne
• Social Sciences: Aritra Chakrabarty

For more information, including times and locations, visit the Write-D webpage.

Questions? Contact Write-D Coordinator Sarah Isaacson at sisaacso@mtu.edu.

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EPSSI Seminar with Mark Moldwin

Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) guest Mark Moldwin, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering and Applied Physics at the University of Michigan and NASA's Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) director, will give a presentation today (Oct. 30) at 4 p.m. in M&M U113.

His talk is titled "Space Weather Impacts on Human Exploration of Mars."

Details are available on the University Events Calendar.

From the abstract:
When will a human explorer visit Mars? This presentation will outline the rationale, current plans, and limitations of future human exploration of Mars in the context of space weather - the dynamic space environment that impacts our space-based and ground-based technology and society. Current NASA design and engineering efforts to mitigate some of the technological, biological and psychological hurdles will be described as well as ways that you can participate in solving some of these challenges as a NASA Center Intern or in a Michigan Tech NASA Student Challenge team.

Speaker bio:
Mark Moldwin is the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering and Applied Physics at the University of Michigan. He is currently the executive director of NASA’s Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC), and principal investigator of the NASA Lunar Gateway HERMES and Geospace Dynamics Constellation magnetometers.

Moldwin received his Ph.D. in Astronomy/Space Physics from Boston University (1993) and was awarded a B.A. in Physics with Honors from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in 1987.

Moldwin’s primary research interests are magnetospheric, ionospheric and heliospheric plasma physics, magnetic sensor development and pre-college and college space science education. He has published over 200 scientific articles, essays and a textbook on these subjects. Moldwin has won numerous awards for his research, teaching, mentoring and work to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

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ACSHF Forum with Cosmas John Kathumba

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences (CLS) will host Cosmas John Kathumba from Rhodes University at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (ACSHF) Forum.

The presentation will be from 2-3 p.m. EST today (Oct. 30) via Zoom from Grahamstown, South Africa.

Kathumba will present "Promoting and investigatin the pre-service teachers’ computational thinking practical development in the physical sciences methods course."

Full abstracts can be found on the Cognitive and Learning Sciences News blog!

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 30, 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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MATLAB Workshop

Monday, October 30, 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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Smart Living Shorelines: An AI-Informed Green Strategy for Resilient Coasts

Monday, October 30, 3 p.m.

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Dr. Yi Liu, Coastal Engineer/Environmental Science Associates Abstract: Presently, more than 40% of the world’s population lives...

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EPSSI Seminar: Dr. Mark Moldwin

Monday, October 30, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), Room U113

Dr. Mark Moldwin, Professor at University of Michigan and Executive Director of NASA Michigan Space Grant Consortium, will give a talk on Monday, Oct 30th at 4:00 pm In M&M...

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

Monday, October 30, 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 30, 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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German Horror Film Series: Nosferatu

Monday, October 30, 5:30 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, 134

Get in the Halloween spirit with the acclaimed film Nosferatu, an adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula.

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Winter Coat & Boot Drive

October 30, 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...