July 9, 2024

The Office of the Provost announces that applications are now being accepted for funds to support campus departments in inviting scholars, potential faculty or research collaborators to Michigan Tech’s campus for the 2024-25 academic year. This funding is available thanks to the state of Michigan's King-Chávez-Parks (KCP) Visiting Professor Program (VPP). Funds can be used for visits between Oct. 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025.

University departments or units are invited to apply for financial support to bring visiting scholars who provide underrepresented perspectives in their field of expertise to Michigan Tech’s campus. Visitors do not need a terminal degree or a faculty position to qualify for support. Supported visits can be as short as an afternoon, up to a week or longer. While on campus, visiting professors are to interact with faculty and students in the classroom, in seminars, in informal and formal group discussions, or while teaching a session during an academic or summer semester.

Applications must be received one month before a proposed visit for pre-approval by the state of Michigan. Funding requests can be made for up to $1,500. However, the department(s) or unit(s) must provide a minimum 1-to-1 match to covered expenses of KCP funds.

Learn more about the Visiting Professor Program, including its purpose and the application process. If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact Shannon Vairo, manager of partner engagement and faculty support.

Alphonse “Al” Baartmans, professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, died peacefully while surrounded by family on June 11 at the age of 84.

Baartmans had a kind heart and gentle way with people that made those around him feel welcome. His zest for life included both work and play. He enjoyed sports such as tennis, racquetball and pétanque, and played with a competitive spirit. He attended all of his children's sports games and was well known to be the loudest fan in the stands. His favorite spectator sport was soccer — he was a loyal Arsenal fan. Most of all, Baartmans cherished his time with his friends, family and grandchildren. Because of his generous nature and contagious enthusiasm, he was loved by all, and motivated family, friends, students and colleagues to reach for their dreams.

In 1954, Baartmans’ family immigrated from Holland to the United States to seek a better life, and he had to work hard at school and various jobs while learning English. At 16, he attended Upsala College and majored in mathematics and physics. At 20, he was admitted to a doctoral program in mathematics at Michigan State University. His advisor, Joe Adney, guided his course selection with an emphasis in group theory, culminating in a Ph.D. four years later.

Baartmans’ work ethic, love of mathematics and charismatic personality made him particularly gifted in serving as the chair of mathematics departments — a position he served in at universities including Michigan Tech, Southern Illinois University and the University of West Virginia. During his career in academia, he had a very productive research record and published more than 30 articles advancing fields such as group theory, combinatorics and discrete mathematics. He co-authored many of these articles with his best friend and colleague Joe Yucas from Southern Illinois University.

At 21, Baartmans married his first wife, Georgianne Hogaboam. They were married 30 years and had three boys (David, George and Sean) who were the pride and joy of his life. After he completed his doctorate, the family lived in several places, including Hancock. In 1995, he married Beverly (Beyreuther-Gimmestad), whom he met at Michigan Tech, and he was much adored by his stepdaughters, Maryann and Katherine, and their families.

In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to give.mtu.edu with the designation “Michigan Tech Fund, for a scholarship being established in memory of Dr. Alphonse Baartmans.” The scholarship will be awarded to a student pursuing graduate studies in mathematics at Michigan Tech.

A memorial service will be held Aug. 25 in Barrington, Illinois, and a memorial reception for friends and MTU faculty is planned this fall in the Houghton area. Baartmans’ ashes will be buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Aitkin, Minnesota, in the fall.

Making decisions about your money can feel difficult, especially when it comes to retirement. But you don’t have to go it alone — especially since access to financial consulting is included as part of your retirement plan. They will help you determine whether you’re saving enough, invested appropriately and on track.

Matthew Bunch and Ryan Hallowell from the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) will be available on Michigan Tech's campus for one-on-one sessions from July 29 through Aug. 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

• Matthew Bunch — Monday, July 29, to Thursday, Aug. 1
• Ryan Hallowell — Monday, Aug. 5, to Thursday, Aug. 8

RSVP today, as space is limited. You can register for sessions with TIAA directly by logging in to your TIAA or guest account, then searching for "Michigan Tech" in the Institution field. When asked how you would like to meet, select "In Person at My Employer."

You can also register for a meeting by calling TIAA at 800-732-8353 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

A production system maintenance window is scheduled for July 21 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The following production services will be unavailable during that time:

• Apps.mtu.edu
• Banner
• Banweb
• MyMichiganTech
• Aspire
• Course Tools
• Fischer/mylogin.mtu.edu
• mtu.edu/tips
• OAP Rental System
• Oracle Reports
• Papercut Printing
• Perceptive Content (Imagenow)
• Pinnacle
• Sunapsis
• UC4/Appworx
• Virtual Cashiering
• WebFocus

If you have any questions or concerns, we can help. Contact us at it-help@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1111.

The College of Sciences and Arts congratulates the Songer Research Award for Human Health recipients for the 2024-25 academic year cycle:

• Xinqian Chen — Ph.D. student in Integrative Physiology
  Project: “Exploring the role of brain-derived extracellular vesicles in salt-sensitive hypertension”
  Advisor: Zhiying (Jenny) Shan (KIP)

• Vaishali Sharma — Ph.D. student in Biological Sciences
  Project: “Antiviral efficacy of amino acid-based surfactants: A proposal for advancing human health by breaking the chain of viral infection”
  Advisors: Stephen Techtmann (BioSci) and Caryn Heldt (ChE/HRI)

“Chen and Sharma proposed innovative medically oriented research projects in human health,” said LaReesa Wolfenbarger, dean of the College. “Their projects are exciting, potentially improving human life and health outcomes. I look forward to learning more about their findings in the coming months.”

For seven years, Matthew Songer ’79 (B.S. Biological Sciences) and Laura Songer ‘80 (B.S. Biological Sciences) have generously donated funds to the College of Sciences and Arts to support a research project competition, the Songer Research Award for Human Health. The Songers’ gift supports two graduate awards of $6,000 each that fund the awarded students’ research conducted over summer 2024 and/or the following academic year in consultation with faculty members within the College.

The Songers fondly recall their excitement to engage in research, and established the award to stimulate and encourage opportunities for original research by current Michigan Tech students. The College is grateful for the Songers’ continuing interest in and support of Michigan Tech’s programs in human health and medicine.

Read more about Chen and Sharma in the College of Sciences and Arts Newsblog.

Please join the Department of Humanities (HU) for Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture student Eugene Agyei's Ph.D. proposal defense, held virtually via Zoom on Monday, July 15, from 10-11 a.m.

Agyei's Ph.D. proposal defense is titled "The Impact of Social Media Algorithms on Collective Action: A Case Study of #FixTheCountry and #EndSars."

From the abstract:
Social movements have played an important role in Africa’s democracy through collective action and contentious politics. Religion, state suppression, economic crisis and globalization played significant roles in the evolution of social movements in Africa. State suppression, for instance, served as both a barrier and a catalyst for the growth of social movements on the continent. The evolution of Web 2.0 and social media technologies intensified the activities of social movements all over the world, with mobilization, planning, and coordination of protest activities all impacted. The usefulness of social media technologies for social movements and digital activism stems from their ability to use powerful machine learning techniques and algorithms to facilitate mobilization, sorting of interactions, filtering of information, ranking and aggregating content for users.

Many scholars have sought to establish the impact of social media use on social and political change throughout the world as well as on the African continent. This research has heavily focused on the affordances of the platforms with an emphasis on their role in activism, and many have made positive connections. Although scholars have praised social media as a non-violent tool for challenging power and effectively organizing collective action as a result of its widespread use on the African continent, this study argues that the same technology also has the potential to undermine collective action.

Using a multimethod approach to analyze two case studies from Africa (#FixTheCountry and #EndSars), this dissertation seeks to explore how social media technologies can undermine the collective action of social movements, despite their potential to empower them. Specifically, this study seeks to investigate the roles social media algorithms play in shaping collective action efforts of social movements, and how they contribute to potential disruptions. It also seeks to understand the extent to which commercial and political interests embedded within social media algorithms affect the effectiveness of social movements like #FixTheCountry and #EndSars.

Please join the Department of Humanities (HU) for M.S. in Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture student Tucker Nielsen's master's thesis defense, held in person in Walker 120A and virtually via Zoom on July 19 from 2-3 p.m.

Nielsen's master's thesis is titled "Four lessons to build upon: A study of postsecondary composition classroom curriculum."

From the abstract:
Soft skills in technical professions may be valued by employers, but post-secondary students engage with a dichotomy arguing against the blend of soft and hard skills. This study utilized activities with LEGO® bricks to determine how plausible kinesthetic learning methods are within university composition classes. Four in-class activities based on the class’s four core assignments were spread across the Spring 2024 semester at Michigan Technological university. Through written reflections, lists, posters, and photos of students’ builds, students practiced and demonstrated engagement with identified composition and critical thinking skills.

Join Connor Brown for a campus presentation titled "Sensitively untangling microbial ecology and evolution in complex microbiomes through microdiversity-aware bioinformatics."

The presentation will take place in GLRC 202 next Wednesday, July 17, from 3-4 p.m.

In 2022, Brown was honored with Virginia Tech's Outstanding Doctoral Student in Interdisciplinary Programs award. He completed his Ph.D. in December 2023 and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Virginia Tech.

Michigan Tech hockey has updated its 2024-25 schedule and will now host the Alaska Nanooks on Oct. 11-12 instead of traveling to Fairbanks.

The puck will drop at 7:07 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, and 6:07 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena to begin the Huskies' regular season.

Season tickets went on sale yesterday, July 8, with early bird pricing until Aug. 5. Visit the ticket office, call 906-487-2073 or visit BuyHuskiesTickets.com to purchase yours today.

See available season ticket packages at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Job Postings for Tuesday, July 9, 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.

Food Service Helper (nine months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24200, Dining Services (AFSCME posting dates July 9 to July 15, 2024 — 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) #24201, Dining Services (AFSCME posting dates July 9 to July 15, 2024 — 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.

Cook's Helper (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24187, Dining Services (AFSCME posting dates July 9 to July 15, 2024 — 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.

Cook (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24202, Dining Services (AFSCME posting dates July 9 to July 15, 2024 — 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.

Senior Administrative Aide (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24186, Office of Advancement (UAW posting dates July 9 to July 15, 2024 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal UAW applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal UAW 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.

IEEE Spectrum mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the U.S. Department of Energy’s NEXTCAR 2 program, which is using autonomous technologies to improve vehicles’ fuel economy. The story detailed a demonstration by the program at the ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit in May. MTU was listed as a current NEXTCAR project team member, alongside the Southwest Research Institute, Ohio State University and University of California Berkeley.

*****

The Daily Mining Gazette and The Mining Journal mentioned Michigan Tech in a story offering water recreation safety tips. MTU's handling of buoys on Lake Superior was noted in relation to the Great Lakes Observing System's online Seagull program, which shows data collected by Great Lakes buoys. 

*****

The Rink Live mentioned Michigan Tech hockey defensemen Matthew Campbell and Chase Pietila and forward Isaac Gordon in a story about hockey players with CCHA ties invited to NHL development camps.

*****

Sports Illustrated mentioned Michigan Tech in a story describing the Atlanta Falcons’ new offensive coordinator as a “young, impressive offensive mind” like former Huskies wide receiver Bobby Slowik, who is currently the offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans.

*****

Northwest Colorado’s Steamboat Pilot & Today mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the new CEO of Yampa Valley Electric Association: Scott Blecke ’04 ’13 (B.S. Electrical Engineering, MBA).

*****

Buckrail of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Bridger-Teton National Forest’s new deputy forest supervisor: Bekee Hotze, who earned a master’s in forestry from MTU in 1997.

PhD Defense: Basanti Timalsina, HU

Please join the Department of Humanities (HU) for Ph.D. student Basanti Timalsina's doctoral defense, held in the Petersen Library, Walker 318, at 1 p.m. today, July 9.

Timalsina's dissertation is titled “The Rhetoric of Indian Farmers’ Protest: History, Media Representation, and Protest Narrative.”

From the abstract:
Social media has played a significant role in protest mobilization, collaboration, and communication during major protest movements such as the Arab Spring, the Black Lives Matter movement, the Occupy movement, and others. Social media’s accessibility and adaptability enable the repurposing of media content to suit users’ need. In this dissertation, I examine the active, purposeful, and strategic use of media tools and symbolic acts of resistance, as well as their impacts on the representation of the Indian farmers’ protest movement of 2020-2021. While the farmers’ protest first began locally to repeal the three controversial farm bills introduced by the Indian government, the movement later intensified and transformed into a General Strike and garnered wider national and international attention.

Indian agriculture has long been the backbone of the Indian economy, with 82% of the farmers being “small and marginal” who rely on agriculture as their source of livelihood (FAO1, para. 4). The farming communities were directly impacted by the farm bills and prompted farmers to resist the government’s move. I connect the discussion to Indian agricultural history and argue that the allied community of subaltern farmers and farmer unions provided strong support for promoting narratives of farmer identity and union history. The study engages in online mainstream media and social media content analysis, establishing connections between media framing, representation of narratives, protest mobilization, and leadership roles, which offers an activist perspective on the rhetoric of protest. I argue that media strategies for the representation of activist-led alternative and counter-narratives were effectively employed through historical referencing, memory work, and narrative integrations. Further, the involvement and support of ‘organic intellectuals’ (Gramsci, 1971), along with the negotiation strategies adopted by the farmer leaders, contributed to the sustenance and success of the protest movement.

*****

PhD Proposal Defense: Jonathan Aurand, ME-EM

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (ME-EM) Ph.D. student Jonathan Aurand will present a Ph.D. proposal defense today, July 9, at 2 p.m. in person in MEEM 908.

The Ph.D. proposal defense is titled “Evaluation of Thermoelectric Power Plant Derate Methods for Ambient Conditions and Improved Quantification of Combined Cycle Power Plant Performance in a Warming Climate.”

Aurand is advised by Ana Dyreson.

*****

A Cup of Joe with the Safety Crew

Michigan Tech’s Safety Team — Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and the Office of Risk, Insurance, Safety, Security, and Compliance (RISSC) — will host our third monthly Safety Round Table: a gathering designed for all Huskies to come together over coffee, foster relationships and delve into campus health and safety topics.

We invite all Huskies to share a cup of coffee and participate in building our campus culture of health and safety tomorrow, July 10, from 9-10 a.m. in MUB Ballroom B.

We've streamlined the agenda for our July coffee talk to allow ample time for open discussion among participants. We're eager to hear about successful initiatives that have enhanced safety culture in various departments, as well as identify areas where improvements can be made. By sharing these insights and discussing challenges across different areas, we aim to spark collaborative problem-solving and create synergies to enhance the culture of safety at Michigan Tech.

Additionally, EHS staff will be available to address your inquiries regarding integrating Safety Skills training modules into your classroom. We're also excited to offer a highly discounted Authorized OSHA 10 certification course at $25. These courses include U.S. Department of Labor-issued wallet cards and certificates. These opportunities are accessible to all Huskies.

This event provides an informal setting to engage with our campus safety professionals. It's a chance to ask any lingering questions about Michigan Tech’s safety programs, seek clarification on legal compliance matters and discover additional resources to benefit you.

Join us for a cup of coffee, meaningful conversations and a deeper understanding of how we can collectively make Michigan Tech an even safer and more supportive community.

Event Details:

• What: A Cup of Joe with the Safety Crew
• When: Wednesday, July 10, from 9-10 a.m.
• Where: MUB Ballroom B

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

PhD Defense: Basanti Timalsina

Tuesday, July 9, 1–2 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, Petersen Library

Rhetoric, Theory and Culture Advisor: Stefka Hristova The Rhetoric of Indian Farmers' Protest: History, Media Representation, and Protest Narrative

Volleyball Summer 2024 Little Huskies Camp

Tuesday, July 9, 3–5 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Varsity Gym

This camp is open to boys and girls entering grades 1 - 5 as of Fall 2024. Michigan Tech’s Little Huskies Camp is the perfect way to explore the basics of volleyball for...

Huskies Swim Training - Summer 2024 Session 2

Tuesday, July 9, 3:30–5:00 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Join us for a summer of swimming in Huskies Swim Training! This training program provides additional attention and competitive guidance to proficient swimmers ages 6-17...

Adult Huskies Swim Lessons Summer 2024

Tuesday, July 9, 5–6 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Adult Huskies Swim Lessons provides aquatic education for the beginner to the intermediate swimmer who is looking to become more comfortable in the water and learn the...

Adult Huskies Swim Training Summer 2024

Tuesday, July 9, 5–6 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Adult Huskies Swim Training provides additional attention and competitive guidance to swimmers ages 18 and older who are looking to improve their swimming skills and fitness...