January 15, 2024

Due to the generous support of The DeVlieg Foundation, the Graduate School is happy to accept nominations for 2024 summer fellowships.

All graduate programs may nominate one eligible Ph.D. student per program. The recipient will receive a stipend for summer 2024 plus tuition support (1 credit or 3 research credits for Ph.D. candidates). Eligible students will meet all of the following criteria:

1. Must be a graduate student in the field supported by the DeVlieg Foundation:
   
   1. Engineering
2. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
3. Must be enrolled in a Ph.D. program.
4. Must be nominated by student’s graduate program. Each Ph.D. program may nominate one student if the research conducted is related to the field(s) supported by The DeVlieg Foundation.
5. Must not be supported by another funding mechanism while supported by The DeVlieg Foundation (part-time job, fellowship, GTA, GRA, etc.).

Nominations are due no later than 4 p.m. Feb. 6 to the Graduate School. Graduate programs will upload their nominee's application as a single PDF file no later than 4 p.m. Feb. 6.

Please see our webpage for details on the application procedure and materials needed. Each program may determine its own internal selection procedure.

Please contact the Graduate School at gradschool@mtu.edu with any questions.

President Koubek will continue to hold regularly scheduled open office hours during the spring 2024 semester for all faculty, staff and students on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Please contact Heather Herman at hlherman@mtu.edu if you would like to schedule an appointment.

The Center for Educational Outreach (CEO) is hosting a Planning and Paying for College event on Wednesday (Jan. 17) from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building. This is a free, family-friendly event. Pizza and refreshments will be served.

Please view our event flyer for more information.

For details and to register, visit our Planning and Paying for College - Registration form. The registration deadline has been extended to tomorrow (Jan. 16).

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has recently announced that the premium processing fees for certain applications will be increased starting Feb. 26. This increase applies to several eligible forms and categories. For the convenience of those who usually work with HR Immigration and Visa Services at Michigan Tech, please find the updated fees for commonly handled petitions.

• Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (all other available Form I-129 classifications (H-1B, TN-1 and TN-2))
  Previous Fee: $2,500.
  New Fee: $2,805.

• Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (employment-based (EB) classifications EB1, EB2)
  Previous Fee: $2,500.
  New Fee: $2,805.

For more information regarding this announcement, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services How Do I Request Premium Processing? page. Questions can be directed to Michigan Tech's HR Immigration and Visa Services through our HR Support Center Portal, by emailing hr-help@mtu.edu or by calling 906-487-2280.

A reminder to all: The Art in Silico computational art exhibition is back for its second year, and the submission window is open until March 4!

This exciting event is situated at the intersection of contemporary art and computing. Submissions may take the form of (but are not limited to) digital art, AI art, robotics, video, audio, interactive artworks, coding, performance and/or traditional media. As long as the artwork addresses some aspect of computing — that’s what this show is all about.

Submissions are open for anyone: We encourage submission from community members and Michigan Tech staff/students/faculty alike.

Submit your art at the Art in Silico webpage (details on the schedule will soon be posted on that page as well).

Questions can be directed to silico-art-l@mtu.edu.

The Sustainability Film & Discussion Series begins Thursday (Jan. 18) at Michigan Tech.

Series Details:

• When: Third Thursday of each month, from January to May, at 7 p.m.
• Where: Fisher 135 or 138 (refreshments in lobby)
• Cost: Free. $5 donations are greatly appreciated — make a donation to the Sustainable Film Series.

Now in its 14th year, the Sustainability Film & Discussion Series continues to bring relevant and provocative films to Michigan Tech’s campus to spur discussion and reflection amongst faculty, staff and students at Michigan Tech, as well as the entire Keweenaw community. The series provides an opportunity for people of diverse ages, backgrounds and life experiences to engage in meaningful discussion facilitated by a local expert on the topic.

This year, films will be shown at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, January to May, in Fisher Hall on MTU's main campus. Everyone is welcome to attend. Each film will be followed by a discussion with refreshments and coffee. All films are free. A suggested $5 donation is appreciated.

Film Schedule:

• "2040" — Jan. 18, Fisher 135
  The film producer, a father, asks, "What will be the legacy that I leave for my 4-year-old daughter?" This hopeful documentary looks at the technologies that we already have that could greatly contribute to reversing climate change by 2040.
  
  
• "The Seeds of Vandana Shiva" — Feb. 15, Fisher 138
  Explore the interconnectedness of seeds, food, environment and social justice through the remarkable life story of the Gandhian eco-activist and agro-ecologist, Vandana Shiva.
  
  
• "Going Circular" — March 21, Fisher 138
  Imagine a future where we mimic the genius of nature — to re-calibrate the way humankind lives, breathes, builds — respecting the limits of our resources and transforming the modern world. The film investigates the concept of circularity, an economic system that eliminates waste and saves the planet’s resources, and offers concrete solutions to move toward a more circular economy.
  
  
• "Climate Sisu" — April 18, Fisher 135
  Take a journey through Michigan in search of community knowledge about climate action, resilience, adaptation and education. Climate SISU offers an urgent, yet optimistic call for climate action.
  
  
• "The Engine Inside" — May 16, Fisher 138
  Follow the lives of six individuals from around the globe who have devoted themselves to a simple, age-old machine — the bicycle. Witness how bicycles have the potential to transform lives and contribute to a better world.

The film series is coordinated by the Michigan Tech Office of Sustainability and Resilience. Film sponsors include Michigan Tech's Department of Social Sciences, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, Center for Science and Environmental Outreach, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Sustainability Demonstration House, Students for Sustainability, and Keweenaw Youth for Climate Action, as well as the Keweenaw Co-Op, Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Keweenaw Land Trust, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Friends of the Land of Keweenaw, and WUP MiSTEM.

Professor Holly Hassel (HU) was invited to compete in the "Jeopardy!" Season 39 Champions Wildcard Tournament, and will appear in a quarterfinal episode airing next Monday (Jan. 22) at 7 p.m.

Hassel previously earned a victory on the game show in June 2023, making her eligible to compete in the wildcard tournament, which taped in early January.

The Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) will have a Jeopardy Challenge as this month's KIP Seminar on Friday (Jan. 19) from 3-4 p.m. in ATDC 101.

Graduate students from KIP and the Central Michigan University DPT program will test their knowledge related to anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, exercise assessment and prescription, public health and more.

Job Postings for Monday, Jan. 15, 2024

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email humanresources@mtu.edu. For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

IT Security Analyst, Information Technology. Apply online.

Assistant Research Engineer – Software Developer, Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI). Apply online.
Contact: Michelle Wienert

Research Engineer I – Software Developer, Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI). Apply online.
Contact: Michelle Wienert

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.

Jeffrey Naber (ME-EM/APSRC) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received a $2,540,848 research and development co-op joint agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).

The project is titled "A low GHG advanced SI engine that can operate on NG and NG/H2 blends with diesel-equivalent performance for off-road applications."

Zach Stanchina (APSRC), Jaclyn Johnson (ME-EM/APSRC), Radheshyam Tewari (ME-EM/APSRC) and Wayne Gersie (ODI/APSRC) are co-PIs on this potential three-year project.

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Weihua Zhou (AC/ICC) is the PI on a project that received a $427,307 research and development grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The project is titled "Multi-modality Image Fusion to Improve Coronary Revascularization in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease."

Jingfeng Jiang (BioMed/ICC) is a co-PI on this potential three-year project.

The Daily Mining Gazette published a story about the Huskies Pep Band’s candlelight vigil for senior Kenny Bragg (anthropology) held Jan. 10 at the Husky Statue. Dean of Students Kellie Raffaelli, Carl Blair (SS), undergraduate students Kiera Watson and Betty Jo Swajanen, and Emily Vincent ’23 (B.A. Chemistry) were quoted in the story, and undergraduate R.J. Slater was mentioned.

Bragg died in a house explosion downstate Dec. 30, with his parents Hope ’95 (B.S. Forestry) and Don ’92 ’95 (B.S. M.S. Forestry) and sister Elizabeth.

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Raymond Shaw (Physics) was quoted by Physics Today in a story about an elegant graph plotting the distributions of the average accelerations of more than 500,000 snowflakes along an inverted V-shaped curve.

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Zhanping You (CEGE) was pictured by the Escanaba Daily Press alongside a story about the completion of road projects in 2023 in Dickinson County, with some roads resurfaced using a mix of recycled tire rubber and asphalt. The story was picked up from the Iron Mountain Daily News.

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Tara Bal (CFRES) was quoted by the Mining Journal in a story about the threat invasive earthworms pose to the Great Lakes Region’s hardwood forests. Fieldwork photos featuring MTU graduate students Shelby Lane-Clark (forest ecology and management) and Manuel Anderson (applied ecology) accompanied the story, which was originally published by Michigan State University’s Spartan Newsroom.

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Michigan Tech undergraduate Eli Schaefer (geospatial engineering) was interviewed by MLive for a story about his astounding videos of a cougar bringing down a deer and dragging it off. The videos were captured by Schaefer's trail cameras in December. Detroit’s WWJ 950 Newsradio picked up the story.

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Crain’s Detroit Business mentioned Michigan Tech in a story covering the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s announcement of a total $4.6 million in grants and matching funds awarded to eight institutes for higher education to support semiconductor education and training programs. MTU’s share is $838,000 according to a press release from Michigan Tech News in December.

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Detroit Catholic’s Detroit Stories podcast mentioned Michigan Tech in its 67th episode, with guests including Ben Hasse, pastor and director of campus ministry at St. Albert the Great University Parish in Houghton. Hasse talked about St. Al’s annual tradition of building an ice chapel during Winter Carnival.

IPEC Seed Research Grants

The Institute for Policy, Ethics, and Culture (IPEC) is inviting submissions for Seed Research Grants.

IPEC Seed Research Grants will be awarded to individuals and groups to conduct preliminary research that will lead to a larger external grant proposal. Proposals should be in the following research areas without any priority:

1. Social Media and Society,
2. Human Machine Culture,
3. Justice and Security in Energy Transitions,
4. Ethics in STEM, and
5. Algorithmic Culture.

Evaluation criteria include:

1. Potential for future/continuous external funding,
2. Previous research experience and productivity,
3. Scholarly merit of the proposed research project,
4. Potential for extended/continuous research program, and
5. Potential for future collaborative work.

Interested applicants shall submit the IPEC Seed Research Grant Application by Feb. 16. The maximum funding amount is $5,000 with an expected average of $2,500. All full-time faculty members are eligible to apply. Awardees are expected to submit a report upon completion of the project.

For further information, contact us at ipec@mtu.edu.

IPEC addresses the policy implications, ethical considerations and cultural significance of the massive changes and disruptive forces currently underway. By bringing policy, ethics and culture into the center of inquiry, IPEC creates collaborations on topics key to understanding technocultural change: issues such as algorithmic culture, medicine, biotechnology and ethics; technology and autonomy; surveillance and privacy; and reconfiguring human relationships in and with a changing environment.

IPEC brings together a diversity of knowledge holders — faculty, staff and community partners — to collaborate on and support research, policy, sharing and teaching that responds to the changing technological environment.

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2024 Annual Steam Shutdown

The annual steam shutdown for 2024 will take place the week following Spring Commencement, from April 28 through May 3 (weather permitting).

This outage is required to provide maintenance and service of the boilers and steam distribution system on campus. This planned maintenance improves the reliability of our system and reduces the likelihood of an unplanned failure during the winter heating season.

Note: There will not be heat or hot water in the affected buildings during the steam shutdown. There will be no distilled water available from the steam-driven stills. Steam-driven autoclaves/sterilizers will not be operational.

Annual steam shutdown dates/times:

• Begins: Sunday, April 28, at noon
• Ends: Friday, May 3, at noon

Buildings affected:

Administration Building
ROTC Building
Academic Office Building
Annex Building
Electrical Energy Resources Center
Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building
Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts
Walker Arts and Humanities Center
Minerals and Materials Engineering Building
Grover C. Dillman Hall
Fisher Hall
J. R. Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library
U. J. Noblet Forestry Building
H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex
Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building
R. L. Smith Building (MEEM)
Student Development Complex
Kanwal and Ann Rekhi Hall
Douglass Houghton Hall
Memorial Union Building
Wadsworth Hall
McNair Hall
Central Energy Plant
Facilities Management
Hillside Place
Great Lakes Research Center

If there are questions or concerns with this plan, contact Steve Store, energy plant manager, at 906-487-2706 (office), 906-390-6336 (cell) or scstore@mtu.edu.

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Mileage Rate Changes

The Internal Revenue Service has announced the mileage rates for 2024. As of Jan. 1, the standard mileage rate for business travel is 67 cents per mile. The mileage rate for moving purposes is 21 cents per mile.

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REHS Resilience Campaign

For Week 1 and Week 2 of the spring semester, Residence Education and Housing Services (REHS) is hosting a campaign focused on resilience from a mental health lens.

Some of the best ways to develop resilience are: fostering an internal locus of control and growth mindset, maintaining strong social connections, regulating your emotions and practicing self-compassion (for more info, visit VeryWellMind's What Is Resilience? page).

Resilience means strong mental health! During the campaign, we’ll share more information on our social media: @michigantechresed on Instagram.

How to get involved:

• Talk to your students about resilience and the connection to good mental health practices.
• Make a gratitude tree by printing our Gratitude Tree Activity PDF, writing things/people you’re grateful for on the leaves, and assembling the tree. Post it in your office (bonus points if you email a picture to housing@mtu.edu to show us!).
• Share your own methods for relieving stress and practicing resilience with us at housing@mtu.edu. We may implement them in future campaigns!

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CISR Research Discussion: 'Mass Timber Research at Michigan Tech and Beyond'

On Thursday (Jan. 18) from noon to 1 p.m. in Library 103 (or virtually via Zoom), join a discussion on upcoming opportunities for team proposals in the thematic area of mass timber research.

Panelists Mark Rudnicki and Xinfeng Xie (both CFRES) will seed the conversation. Attendees will also get a chance to learn more about Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience (CISR) resources to support research development. Feel free to bring lunch.

Add the event to your Google Calendar.

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NSF I-Corps Program Registration Now Open

Are you interested in taking your idea, technology or process commercial? Entrepreneurially minded faculty, staff, students and community are invited to attend the Great Lakes Region Hub National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Program offered at Michigan Tech.

Course Description:
The NSF I-Corps lean startup program spans five weeks. Using the scientific process, customer discovery and the business model canvas, teams will work to validate key business hypotheses and develop a business model.

Course Benefits:
Upon completing the workshop and the customer discovery interviews (30), you or your team may be eligible for a mini grant of up to $1,000. Funds may be reimbursed for customer discovery interview expenses.

Teams who complete the program may become eligible for the NSF I-Corps National Teams program and a $50,000 grant.

Participation in the workshop can lead to qualification for research and other funding from several granting agencies, including the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs and various state and regional programs.

Past participants have reported that they saved time and money by better understanding potential applications of their technology, experienced improved engagement with teams and improved their ability to receive add-on funding.

Our cohort will meet virtually on the following dates:

• Monday, Jan. 29, 4-6:30 p.m. EST
• Monday, Feb. 5, 4-6 p.m. EST
• Monday, Feb. 19, 4-6 p.m. EST 
• Monday, March 4, 4-7 p.m. EST

To participate, please register for the program by Jan. 25. After registration, a Zoom link will be sent via a Google Calendar invite.

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Academic Departments Invited to Join Mind Trekkers in Green Bay

The Center for Educational Outreach (CEO) would like to invite all Michigan Tech academic departments to join us at the upcoming Mind Trekkers festival in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Feb. 15 and 16. The event will host an expected 2,000 middle school students, sparking their curiosity and showcasing education and career opportunities.

Departments participating in the event would host a brief hands-on demonstration for the students to engage with and have the opportunity to showcase their programs and future career opportunities.

To learn more, please reach out to Jannah Tumey at jrtumey@mtu.edu.

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Looking for Final Judges for Royalty Coronation

As Winter Carnival is quickly approaching, the Royalty Committee of Blue Key National Honor Society is looking for faculty and staff participation in this year's Royalty Competition.

Any and all faculty and staff are encouraged to volunteer to be a finalist judge for the Royalty Competition. The Royalty Committee is looking for an additional 3-5 finalist judges.

Being a finalist judge includes judging on Sunday (Jan. 21) beginning at 9 a.m. and ending around noon on the first floor of Fisher Hall. Lunch will be provided. In addition, as a finalist judge, it is pertinent that you attend the talent/stage appearance on Feb. 3 during the Royalty Coronation at 7 p.m.

If you are interested and able to commit, please send an email to bkqueens@mtu.edu with your information by Thursday (Jan. 18) at 5 p.m.

Thank you!

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Requesting Interview Spaces for Spring Career Fair!

Career Services is excited to be hosting the 2024 Spring Career Fair Forged by Nucor at Michigan Tech on Feb. 13! As we have done in the past, Interview Day will be Feb. 14, and we need your help.

In order to provide the best interview experience for both students and employers, we are requesting office and room spaces for interviews on campus. Please submit any available rooms to be included for our Interview Day schedule using our Rooms for Interviews form.

On average, there are over a thousand individual interviews conducted on campus following Career Fair.​​

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to CareerFair@mtu.edu.

We are looking forward to another great Career Fair this spring!

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

Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Brunch

Monday, January 15, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom

The Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Planning Committee is proud to announce the 35th Annual MLK Jr Day Celebration on Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10 AM in the Ballroom of...

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Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Parent & Child Aquatics - Spring 2024 Session 1

Monday, January 15, 5:10–5:50 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 - Spring 2024 Session 1

Monday, January 15, 5:10–5:50 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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Trivia Night

Monday, January 15, 7–8 p.m. | WADS Cherry Room

Come answer some silly little questions :)