November 20, 2023

Accounting for the University holiday schedule, Sponsored Programs will be closed Dec. 23 to Jan. 2. Proposals with sponsor due dates falling between these dates will need to be submitted to the sponsor by Dec. 22. The two-tier internal proposal deadlines will be adjusted accordingly.

For proposals due between Jan. 3 and Jan. 9, the first internal deadline for proposal paperwork will be adjusted to the week of Dec. 18.

Please work with your assigned Sponsored Programs analyst for specific internal paperwork due dates.

If you have any questions, please contact Sponsored Programs at 906-487-2226 or spo-l@mtu.edu.

The Memorial Union Office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through tomorrow (Nov. 21), and closed from noon on Wednesday (Nov. 22) through Sunday (Nov. 26).

The Memorial Union Building will be closed for Thanksgiving break from Thursday through Saturday (Nov. 23-25). The building will reopen and resume normal operating hours on Sunday (Nov. 26) beginning at 7 a.m.

The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum and gift shop will be closed from Thursday through Saturday (Nov. 23-25) for the Thanksgiving holiday.

We will reopen next Monday (Nov. 27), resuming normal business hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission to the museum for Michigan Tech students, staff and faculty is waived with Tech ID.

There will be no Tech Today published Thursday or Friday (Nov. 23 and 24) in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Tech Today will resume next Monday (Nov. 27). To be included in next Monday's newsletter, items must be submitted by noon Wednesday (Nov. 22) using our Submit a Story form.

Unfortunately, much of the critical dialogue in our society is carried on using buzzwords. “RINOs,” “coastal elites” and “fake news” are just a few of the terms that have a prominent place in our political lexicon. The problem is that they are often used more as hand grenades that stifle reasoned debate rather than promote it. One of the more divisive terms is “systemic racism,” and criticisms of this phrase come from both sides of the aisle. Wouldn’t we do better to jettison this kind of language in favor of more neutral terms?

Perhaps. But when a prestigious journal, Science, uses the phrase in one of its articles, “Systemic racism in science: Reactions matter,” perhaps it’s worth a second look. Not that Science is immune to overplaying its hand. Science and other similar journals are subject to bias and political winds like everyone else. But in this case, the mountain of evidence the article cites may justify the statement. If racism is real and systems are real, systemic racism is possible along many fronts, including science, engineering and other disciplines.

More than anything else, the article is a collection of other articles that point to structures that support racism across many domains in science and society. Articles from governmental departments, think tanks, the Chronicle of Higher Education, academic journals, the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, and so on present data and conclusions that highlight the issue in ecology and evolutionary biology, conservation science, earth sciences, paleontology, public health, human genetics, chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics and other disciplines.

Of course, the point is not to cite these sources as authoritative without critical examination. All research and opinions must be subject to careful scrutiny to ensure sound conclusions. The value of the article is to posit an idea and marshal evidence as opposed to anecdotal observation, which is so common in discussion about these issues. We invite everyone to examine not only this article but the extensive literature on systemic racism, including within the STEM disciplines, and use this information to become more involved in activities in support of diversity, equity, inclusion and sense of belonging at Michigan Tech.

We invite members of the Michigan Tech community to dig in and see for themselves.

Today’s feature was shared with us by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. If you have an article you think we should feature, please email it to advance-mtu@mtu.edu and we will consider adding it to the ADVANCE Monthly Roundup.

The ADVANCE Monthly Roundup is brought to you by ADVANCE at Michigan Tech, an NSF-funded initiative dedicated to improving faculty career success, retention, diversity, equity and inclusion. Past articles are available on the ADVANCE Newsblog.

To learn more about our featured topic, our mission, programming efforts, and to check out our growing collection of resources, contact us or visit our website.

The Rozsa Box Office is closed for Thanksgiving Recess today through Friday (Nov. 20-24). It will reopen at 10 a.m. on Saturday (Nov. 25) for the Home for the Holidays Gift Market. Normal Rozsa Box Office Hours — Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — resume next Monday (Nov. 27).

Tickets for upcoming events can still be purchased online throughout Thanksgiving Recess.
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25th Annual Home for the Holidays Gift Market — Saturday, Nov. 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Rozsa Lobby
Hosted by the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

The annual holiday tradition returns to the Rozsa Lobby! Gather your family for a wonderful day at this unique holiday gift market featuring high-quality, handcrafted items to decorate your home, stuff stockings, and give as the perfect gifts to your loved ones. 

This event is free and open to the public.
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Coming Soon!

Orchestral Music (Sort Of) — Friday, Dec. 1
Superior Wind Symphony 
McArdle Theatre
Presented by Michigan Tech Music

Art-O-Rama — Friday to Wednesday (Dec. 1-5)
Rozsa Art Galleries
Presented by Michigan Tech Art

Jingle Bell Pop with the Detroit Youth Choir — Saturday, Dec. 2
Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts
Presented by the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

The Institute for Policy, Ethics, and Culture (IPEC) and the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being (CSMHW) have partnered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and are pleased to offer the VA S.A.V.E. training for faculty and staff on Dec. 11 from 12-1 p.m. in the MUB Alumni Lounge (lunch will be provided).

The VA S.A.V.E. Training will help you act with care and compassion if you encounter a veteran who is in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts.

The training is open to up to 20 participants. If you are interested in attending, please complete the VA S.A.V.E. Sign-Up Form by Dec. 1.

For more information, see the event flyer and the VA S.A.V.E. Training informational handout.

Assistant Professor Weihua Zhou (AC/Math/BioMed/ECE) will present a Department of Computer Science (CS) colloquium lecture on Dec. 1 from 3-4 p.m. in Rekhi 214 and via Zoom webinar.

The title of Zhou’s talk is “Deep Learning for Multi-Modality Information Fusion in Chronic Disease Management.”

Join the Zoom webinar.

Read the talk abstract on the Computing News Blog.

Five Huskies from the Michigan Tech volleyball team have been selected for all-conference honors and first-year Husky Tess Hayes is this season's GLIAC Freshman of the Year.

Kaycee Meiners and Lindy Oujiri were honored on the All-GLIAC First Team. In addition to being this year's outstanding newcomer, Hayes was named to the All-GLIAC Second Team, and was joined by Meg Raabe. Rounding out the Huskies' honorees, Rachel Zurek was an Honorable Mention selection.

Read about these student-athletes' accomplishments at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Michigan Tech soccer team saw their season come to an end in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Huskies dropped 3-0 against the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region bracket and No. 2 nationally ranked Ashland at Ferguson Field on Thursday (Nov. 16).

"I saw a group that was unbelievably excited to be out here and they put in everything they had and worked extremely hard," head coach Turk Ozturk said. "We had a lot of positives, which is extremely important for a young team. We're graduating four seniors and we're going to miss them — they've done so much for this program. Now, we have a young team that's coming back and has this experience, is really determined and looking forward to building onto this success."

Read more at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Laura Kasson Fiss (PHC) presented a paper at the North American Victorian Studies Association (NAVSA) Conference, held Nov. 9-11 in Bloomington, Indiana.

The paper was titled "‘Go On Talking – Don’t Mind Me’: Comic Men and Class in George Grossmith (1847-1912) and Jerome K. Jerome."

Kasson Fiss also performed in the NAVSA Victorian Salon, a live music and poetry gathering, during the conference.

Husky Emergency Assistance Funds Available

The Husky Emergency Assistance Fund was established to help members of our campus community who are experiencing financial hardship. All current students, faculty and staff who have incurred emergency-related expenses and can demonstrate need are welcome to apply. The fund is supported by the generous donations of Michigan Tech alumni and friends.

To complete an application for financial assistance or donate to the fund, visit the Husky Emergency Assistance Fund website, email heaf@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1567.

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On-Campus Job Expo

Save the Date: Career Services is hosting an on-campus jobs expo on Jan. 16, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge in the MUB. Students are encouraged to come check out the job opportunities available right here on campus. Many departments will be represented.

On-campus jobs provide opportunities for Michigan Tech students. A part-time job offers income to students who need it and is an important co-curricular opportunity. As a co-curricular opportunity, on-campus work can lead to internships and co-ops, opening the door to full-time offers immediately after graduation. It can also help a student establish a strong foundation for research that leads to enhanced graduate school opportunities.

If your department has not signed up and would like to attend, please contact Career Services at careerfair@mtu.edu. It may not be too late.

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PhD Defense: Hanrui Su, MSE

Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering Hanrui Su will present a Ph.D. defense today (Nov. 20) at 2 p.m. in M&M 610.

Su is advised by Yun Hang Hu.

Su's dissertation is titled "Carbonate-Superstructured Solid Fuel Cells with Hydrocarbon Fuels."

From the abstract:
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have gained prominence as high-efficiency electric generators, yet their high operating temperatures (>800°C) present challenges in terms of system cost, complexity, and long- term durability. Lowering the operating temperature to the low-temperature range (≤ 650°C) has garnered significant attention, especially for utilizing hydrocarbons as fuels. However, the critical issue for low- temperature SOFCs is the polarization losses resulting from temperature reduction. This study presents groundbreaking research on a novel fuel cell type known as the carbonate-superstructured solid fuel cell (CSSFC). A key innovation in CSSFCs lies in the in-situ generation of a eutectic carbonate phase (Li2CO3/Na2CO3), which enhances the total ionic conductivity of the porous samarium-doped ceria (SDC) composite electrolyte by 20-fold, resulting in a six-fold increase in peak power density (PPD), reaching 215 mW cm–2 with dry methane fuel at 550°C, surpassing all reported values of electrolyte-supported SOFCs. Furthermore, we integrated photo energy into the CSSFC system by introducing light illumination into the thermal catalytic CO2 reforming of ethane in the anode, creating a thermo-photo anode process for CSSFCs. Light-enhanced fuel activation leads to an outstanding cell performance, with a record PPD of 168 mW cm−2 with ehane-CO2 fuel at 550°C, with no observed degradation over ~50 hours of operation. Additionally, incorporating finer-scale gradient anode functional layers further enhances internal reforming reactions, reduces polarization resistance, and increases PPD to 241 mW cm–2 at 550°C with ethane fuels. The CSSFCs with gradient anodes maintain excellent durability with ethane fuels for over 200 hours. In conclusion, CSSFCs offer a promising platform for efficient electrochemical energy conversion with fuel flexibility, simplified fabrication, and reduced costs.

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2024 MLK Day Prayer Vigil and Peace March

The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) and the Cooperative Campus Ministry are organizing an Interfaith Prayer Vigil and Reflection on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day),  Jan. 15, at noon in the Van Pelt and Opie Library’s East Reading Room. We invite faculty, staff and students from all faiths to share a prayer, personal reflection or excerpt from one of King’s prayers, sermons or speeches.

Following the Prayer Vigil, we invite the campus community to gather at the Husky statue at 1 p.m. for a peace march across campus to honor King and solidify our campus commitment to his life and work ensuring justice and equity for all.

If you would like to participate, please fill out our sign-up form. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Rachael Hathcoat at rehathco@mtu.edu or Jennifer Ormsbee at Jennifer@gladtidingsag.org.

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MLK Donation Deadline Extended to Jan. 5

The MLK Planning Committee is excited to announce the 35th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at Michigan Technological University! As part of this celebration, we will be hosting the banquet on Jan. 15, 2024, to celebrate the life and legacy of King.

Due to overwhelming positive responses from the campus community, we are anticipating more of our Husky family attending this year's celebration. As such, we want to ensure that students, staff and faculty have an opportunity to share in this celebratory event. Therefore, we're extending our donation deadline to Jan. 5, 2024. Your assistance allows us to provide this program free of charge and continue our collaborative efforts to provide programming that focuses on embracing diversity on the Michigan Tech campus.

We'd love your support in ensuring a successful event. Keep in mind, all sponsors will be recognized in our celebration. To initiate your donation, please email cdi@mtu.edu with your donation amount. Donations should be transferred to D96356. If you have any questions, please email cdi@mtu.edu.

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Inspire Future Talent at the OneUP Copper Trail Festival!

On Dec. 12, the Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers, with UP Michigan Works! and the MiSTEM Network, will host the OneUP Copper Trail Festival, a STEM and career expo for middle school students. The event will take place in the Michigan Tech SDC Gymnasium, with up to 800 students in attendance.

STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — should be accessible to everyone, and this event is offered at no cost to schools or exhibitors. But we need your help to make it possible. Your presence and participation as an exhibitor or volunteer will inspire hundreds of students and provide your department or organization with a unique opportunity to make a visible impact on Michigan’s next generation of workforce talent.

Campus departments, student organizations and Enterprise teams are welcome as exhibitors providing hands-on activities showcasing your programs, resources and research, or as individual volunteers in a variety of roles.

For more information and exhibitor/volunteer registration, check out our OneUP Copper Trail Festival website.

We hope you can join us!

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University Holiday Luncheon

This year’s University Holiday Luncheon will be presented from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 4 in the Memorial Union Isle Royale Ballroom. All faculty and staff are welcome.

The University will cover the cost of the tickets this year, but guests will be asked to show their paper or e-ticket to attend. Tickets may be reserved online, in-person or via phone (7-2073) through the SDC Ticket Office. Ticket reservations end at 5 p.m. on Nov. 29. We encourage you to secure your tickets early, as seating is limited.

The Holiday Luncheon Menu:

• Slow Roasted Turkey
• Garden Salad
• Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Herb Gravy
• Italian Sausage Stuffing
• Glazed Carrots
• Caramelized Cauliflower
• Cranberry Sauce
• Dinner Rolls
• Apple Pie
• Pumpkin Pie

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ChE Office Closed This Week

The Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) office will be closed this week from today to Friday (Nov. 20-24) due to remodeling and Thanksgiving break. Regular office hours will resume next Monday (Nov. 27).

The office staff will be working remotely during the closure and can still be reached via email.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

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

MATLAB Workshop

Monday, November 20, 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...

PhD Defense: Hanrui Su

Monday, November 20, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610

Engineering - Environmental Advisor: Yun Hang Hu Carbonate-Superstructured Solid Fuel Cells with Hydrocarbon Fuels

Alumni + Student Social in Warren, MI

Monday, November 20, 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Calling all Michigan Tech alumni and friends! You're invited to join us for social and desserts as we gather to connect alumni, friends, and students who are participating in...

(Women's Basketball) Ashland vs. Michigan Tech

November 20, all day | Student Development Complex (SDC), Wood Gym

Women's Basketball: Ashland vs. Michigan Tech, SDC Gymnasium - Houghton, Mich.

Experience Innovation: Detroit

November 20, all day | Detroit, MI

You are invited to Experience Innovation: Detroit! Husky Innovate will bring a group of students on a tour of Southeastern Michigan’s most innovative companies and...