November 22, 2023

The Vice President for Research Office (VPR) has awarded the following Century II Campaign Endowed Equipment Fund (C2E2) awards at the recommendation of the C2E2 Committee:

• Jason Archer (HU) — Haptic Interfaces for Research, Education, and Exploration

• Carolyn Duncan (KIP) — Exploring Gaze Behavior Using Portable Eye Tracking Technology

• Ishi Keenum (CEGE) — Denovix Spectrophotometer and Fluorometer for the Measurement of Bacterial Growth and Quantification of Nucleic Acids

• Quang Tran (CEGE) — Laser Vibrometer 

• John Schneiderhan (VPOL) — Upgrading Hardware for the Van Pelt and Opie Library's 3D Printing and Scanning Service

Thank you to the C2E2 Committee members and the deans and department chairs for their time spent on this internal research award program.

For additional information on the C2E2 opportunity, visit the C2E2 website.

The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum’s annual 15% Off* Holiday Sale will begin Monday (Nov. 27) and continue through Dec. 23. The museum gift shop includes many beautiful and unique gifts, such as a wide variety of minerals, mineral lamps, agate bookends, locally handmade jewelry and much more!

The museum gallery and gift shop are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the museum for Michigan Tech students, staff and faculty is waived with a Tech ID.

* Select jewelry excluded. Cannot be combined with other discounts.

The Campus Store and University Images would like to thank you for being loyal Huskies fans, and our Customer Appreciation Days are almost here. Shop online on Monday (Nov. 27) or visit us in person next Friday (Dec. 1), and receive 20% off almost everything!

With a variety of Michigan Tech branded apparel and souvenirs, plus Upper Peninsula and Michigan themed items, you're sure to find special goodies for your Husky pack — and maybe a little something for yourself.

If you are ordering online and selecting in-store pickup at checkout, we will contact you when your order is ready!

The Campus Store will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and University Images will be open from 8 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. next Friday.

Registration for the next American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification will open next Friday (Dec. 1) at 8 a.m.

This four-day blended-learning intensive training course will take place at the Michigan Tech SDC Pool from Jan. 4-7, 2024. The certification includes Lifeguard/First Aid/CPR/AED certifications and all training materials.

All participants must be 15 years of age or older by the first date of the course (documentation required). Required water skills include the ability to swim 300 yards continuously, tread water for two minutes and complete a timed event in which participants retrieve a 10-pound brick from a depth of 7-10 feet and swim 20 yards with the object.

Online training prerequisites must be completed by the first day of classroom instruction. The instructor will contact class participants with online course information and directions. Class size is limited.

Course Details:

• Class Dates/Times:
  • Thursday, Jan. 4, from 4-5:30 p.m.
  • Friday, Jan. 5, from 4-8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Jan. 6, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Sunday, Jan. 7, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Cost: $200 per participant
• Registration Deadline: Friday, Dec. 22, at 11:59 p.m.

Discounts are available to participants who apply and are accepted to work at the SDC Pool! Contact Aquatics Manager Annie Bengry at ambengry@mtu.edu or 906-487-2995 for details.

For more information, visit Michigan Tech Recreation's ARC Lifeguard Certification page.

Ph.D. in Computer Science candidate Zhiyuan Lu will present their final oral examination (defense) on Tuesday (Nov. 28) from 8:30-10 a.m. in Rekhi 101 and via Zoom webinar.

The title of the defense is “Memory Optimizations for High-Throughput Computer Systems.”

Lu is advised by Assistant Professor Jianhui Yue (CS).

Join the Zoom webinar.

Read the defense abstract on the Computing News Blog.

Ph.D. in Computer Science candidate Dylan Gaines will present his final oral examination (defense) next Thursday (Nov. 30) at 3 p.m. via Zoom webinar.

The title of the defense is “An Ambiguous Technique for Nonvisual Text Entry.”

Gaines is advised by Associate Professor Keith Vertanen (CS).

Join the Zoom webinar.

Read the defense abstract on the Computing News Blog.

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering candidate Mehnaz Tabassum will defend her doctoral dissertation on Monday (Nov. 27) at 10 a.m. in person in EERC 501 and virtually via Zoom.

The title of the dissertation is "Advancing Vehicular Communication Systems: An Evolution From DSRC to 5G NR C-V2X Technology For Enhanced Safety, Reliability, and Efficiency In Intelligent Transportation Systems."

Tabassum is advised by Aurenice Oliveira.

Michigan Tech soccer's Cassie Bonifas and Gracie VanLangevelde have been selected to the CSC Academic All-District Team.

VanLangevelde holds a 3.91 GPA in exercise science. She was vital to the Huskies' success in 2023, ending the season with 63 career saves for a save percentage of .778 and a goals-against average of .933.

Bonifas holds a 3.69 GPA in biomedical engineering. She scored five goals this season, starting all 20 games for the Huskies, and received All-GLIAC honors for the first time in her career.

Read more about both student-athletes at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Michigan Tech soccer head coach Bulut Ozturk is thrilled to announce that four talented student-athletes have been signed to the 2024 recruiting class and are ready to make a significant impact on the soccer field

Joining the Huskies for their 2024 season are Megan Antczak, Amelia Gregory, Clare Kowalczyk and Bella Vasoli.

"These four bring diverse skills and experiences that will contribute to the continued success of our program that just reached the NCAA Tournament this season," Ozturk said.

"As we build on the momentum of a fantastic 2023 season, which saw us secure a top 3 finish in the GLIAC and make the NCAA tournament, these four talented players are key additions to our roster," he continued. "We believe they will contribute significantly to our upward trajectory in the GLIAC, the Midwest and the nation. Their bright futures in the Black and Gold uniform are a testament to their dedication and skill, and we can't wait to see them in action."

Read about the new recruits at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Michigan Tech hockey team is traveling to Minnesota State for a CCHA series this weekend in Mankato.

The puck drops at 8:07 p.m. ET on Friday (Nov. 24) and 7:07 p.m. ET on Saturday (Nov. 25) at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.

Listen live on the radio at Mix 93.5 WKMJ-FM or online at TheMix93.com or Pasty.net. Both games will be livestreamed on FloHockey (a subscription is required — discounts are available for students).

The Huskies are 4-6-3 overall and 2-2-0 in the CCHA. The Mavericks are 5-4-1 overall and 3-1-0 in the CCHA. Both teams received votes in the USCHO poll.

Read the preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Michigan Tech men's basketball team lost 64-61 to St. Cloud State at Hallenbeck Hall on Tuesday (Nov. 21).

For the third time in four games, the Huskies found themselves in a one-possession game in the final minutes of regulation before ultimately falling shy of victory.

"We didn't show the maturity I had hoped for to win on the road," head coach Josh Buettner said. "We didn't shoot it well and had some things not go our way but I wish we would've been more locked in on the things within our control."

Read more at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Michigan Tech women's basketball team continues nonconference play, heading west for tilts against NSIC foes in No. 25 nationally ranked Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State over the weekend.

The Huskies first meet UMD on Saturday (Nov. 25) before a tilt with SCSU on Sunday (Nov. 26). Both games are slated for a 3 p.m. ET tipoff. 

Of note, MTU will conclude the road trip with a clash at Concordia-St. Paul on Tuesday (Nov. 28) at 7 p.m.

Fans can listen live on the radio at Mix 93.5 WKMJ-FM or online at TheMix93.com or Pasty.net.

Read the preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Job Postings for Wednesday, Nov. 22, 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.

Building Mechanic III (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #23311, Facilities Management (AFSCME posting dates Nov. 22 to Nov. 30, 2023 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Food Service Helper (nine months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #23112, Dining Services (AFSCME posting dates Nov. 22 to Nov. 30, 2023 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Food Service Helper (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #23113, Dining Services (AFSCME posting dates Nov. 22 to Nov. 30, 2023 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). 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.

Tim Colling (CEGE/CTT) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received a $140,131 other sponsored activities joint co-op agreement from the University of New Mexico.

The project is titled "Training and Technical Assistance for Rural, Small and Tribal Municipalities and Wastewater Treatment Systems for Clean Water Act Prevention, Reduction, and Elimination of Pollution, Priority Area 2."

This is a potential two-year project.

A team from the Department of Chemistry, led by Associate Professor Tatyana Karabencheva-Christova and including Ph.D. student Ann Varghese (first author); Sodiq Waheed '23 (Ph.D. Computational Chemistry, currently a researcher at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana); postdoctoral researcher Koteswararao Gorantla; and undergraduate students Isabella DiCastri, Ciara LaRouche and Brendan Kaski, has published an article in the Journal of Physical Chemistry B.

The article is titled "Catalytic Mechanism of Collagen Hydrolysis by Zinc(II)-Dependent Matrix Metalloproteinase-1."

Professor Gregg Fields from Florida Atlantic University is a collaborator in this study.

The study reveals the catalytic mechanism of collagen hydrolysis by matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), an extensive target for drug design, for the first time via a multilevel computational chemistry approach.

The article was featured as a supplementary cover. The authors thank Sarah Atkinson (RD) for assisting with cover image preparation.

The study is funded by NIH grant 2R15GM132873-02.

Semester's Last WIBIT Wednesday at the SDC Pool

MTU students, SDC Access Pass holders (minimum one-month) and WIBIT Wednesday Pass holders, come make a splash with our inflatable pool obstacle course called the WIBIT!

Next Wednesday (Nov. 29) is the last WIBIT event of the semester for current MTU students and SDC Access Pass holders (minimum one-month). Test your individual skills on the course or challenge a friend to a race across the obstacles. The course is set up in the deep water and requires users to be able to pass our swim test. See the WIBIT rules and swim test content on our website for more information.

There are many different pieces of the WIBIT and each event will have a featured combination. Potential featured pieces include:

• The Step — This piece allows users to climb up onto the course.
• The Base — Users must make their way across a horizontal surface. Be careful how fast you move, as it can get slippery!
• The Cliff — Users must navigate either side of a slope using the handles and their balancing skills.
• V-Connect — Users must use limited footing space to navigate across the horizontal structure.
• The Bridge — Users must navigate up and over an arched structure without falling through.
• The Slope — Users must climb up a six-foot wall that leads to a slide into the pool water below!

Remaining WIBIT Date, Time and Combination:

• Wednesday, Nov. 29, from 5-8 p.m. — Step/Bridge/Cliff/Slope

Come visit us at the pool to try out your skills! For more information, visit our WIBIT page.

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Toys for Tots Donations Now Being Accepted

The Registrar's Office is again participating in the annual Toys for Tots Campaign.

While you are out shopping for the holidays, consider purchasing a toy that will benefit a local child. Donations will be accepted until 5 p.m. Dec. 15.

The program will accept new, unwrapped items for children up to age 16. The donation box is located on the first floor of the Administration Building, across from the elevators. If you have any questions about the program, contact Rodney Loonsfoot at 906-201-0064 or visit the Toys for Tots website.

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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. next Wednesday (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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A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum Thanksgiving Holiday

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

We will reopen 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.

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Memorial Union Thanksgiving Break Hours

The Memorial Union Office will be closed from noon today (Nov. 22) through Sunday (Nov. 26).

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

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No Tech Today Tomorrow or Friday

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

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

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

MATLAB Workshop

Wednesday, November 22, 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...

Experience Innovation: Detroit

November 22, 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...