August 15, 2024

Research Day is an annual event celebrating the research accomplishments of our campus community. This long-standing event provides opportunities for professional development, collaboration and engagement with researchers, centers, institutes, shared facilities and funders. Due to the academic calendar, Research Day is moving to December 2024 instead of the typical January date. Since we already had Research Day 2024 in January 2024, we are dubbing the Dec. 18 event as “Research Day 2024 2.0.”

Save the Date: Join us Dec. 18 at the MUB to elevate research at Michigan Tech. Registration will be open in the coming weeks.

To make Research Day 2024 2.0 even more impactful, the Research Development office is expanding planning efforts to include a steering committee. Together, we are opening our first Research Day Call for Abstracts.

We are now inviting the Michigan Tech community to submit topic suggestions or session proposals for Research Day 2024 2.0. Please tell us what you would like to hear about or what expertise you would like to present.

Submit Your Ideas: The submission form will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 20. Please submit your suggestions for topics or sessions.

Working together, we can make Research Day 2024 2.0 a truly enriching experience highlighting the breadth and depth of research at Michigan Tech. Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of it!

The Pavlis Honors College is seeking presenters for the 2024 Global and Community Engagement Conference. This annual event provides a platform for those working to impact communities locally and globally. This year’s theme, "Igniting Change Through Generosity," invites faculty, staff, students and local organizations to share their work, projects or research.

We seek proposals from individuals and groups across disciplines — faculty, staff, students and community organizations — whose work contributes to community development, global health, educational outreach, environmental sustainability, social justice, technological innovation, cultural exchange and more.

The conference will be held on Oct. 12 in the Memorial Union Ballroom, and lunch will be provided.

If interested, please submit a presentation proposal by Sept. 25. If you have any questions, please contact Darnishia Morris at dar@mtu.edu.

We invite you to join us at this year’s Global and Community Engagement Conference to showcase your impactful work and ignite change through generosity!

The Global and Community Engagement Conference is a collaboration between the Pavlis Honors College, Office of Sustainability and Resilience, Keweenaw Community Foundation, and Student Leadership and Involvement. Interested in getting involved? Please email dar@mtu.edu for more information.

The Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) congratulates the following 2024 Deans' Teaching Showcase members who have been selected to receive 2024 CTL Instructional Awards.

• Innovative or Out of Class Teaching: Christopher “Kit” Cischke (ECE)
• Large Class Teaching: First-Year Engineering Team (EF)
• Curriculum Development and Assessment: Kathryn Hannum (SS)

This year's recipients will present an overview of the efforts that led to their teaching awards at a CTL Lunch and Learn event on Sept. 10 at noon in the MUB Ballroom. Each presenter will receive formal recognition and a cash award.

Please register in advance to attend the luncheon.

The CTL would also like to thank previous instructional award recipients who were instrumental in the selection process.

We're looking for nominations for the 2025 Deans' Teaching Showcase during spring semester. Please consider suggesting (to your dean or chair) instructors who have made exceptional contributions in curriculum development, assessment, innovative or out-of-class teaching, or large class teaching.

Contact the CTL at ctl@mtu.edu for more information.

Provost Andrew Storer will hold office hours from 1:30-3:30 p.m. each Thursday during the 2024-25 academic year. Faculty, staff and students are welcome to schedule an appointment by emailing Amie Ledgerwood at asledger@mtu.edu.

In addition to scheduled office hours, the provost will also hold open office hours, which will not require an appointment. Open office hours are scheduled at the Library Cafe on the following days and times:

• Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. to noon
• Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 11 a.m. to noon
• Wednesday, March 26, from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

The information provided here is also available on the Academic Affairs website. To view it, click the Office Hours icon in the bottom right corner of the banner image at the top of the page.

The fall 2024 schedule for the Graduate Language Assessment and Support (GLAS) program is now available in Admin 405. International graduate students are welcome to sign up for a weekly recurring appointment with a coach to improve their English oral communication skills.

GLAS is a free program designed for international graduate students. Visit our webpage for more information.

All Campus Timekeepers: Due to the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 2, for the pay period ending on Sept. 14 (Bi-Weekly 19), the adjusted deadlines for payroll processing are listed below. As a department timekeeper, it is your responsibility to share this information with all employees in your department.

Please be sure that all web time approvers have a designated proxy set up.

• Status Forms — due Friday, Aug. 16, at noon
• EPAF Submissions — due Friday, Aug. 16, at noon
• Deduction Forms — due Tuesday, Aug. 27, at noon
• Electronic Time Submissions — due Friday, Aug. 30, at noon
• Web Time Entry Approvals — due Friday, Aug. 30, at 2 p.m.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

For instructions on how to set up a proxy, please visit the Quick Reference Guide for Approvers PDF.

Starting tomorrow, Aug. 16, Michigan Tech users will be prompted for an additional step when signing into a Microsoft product or online service within the Azure environment. After signing in with SSO, Microsoft will prompt the user to select a multifactor authentication (MFA) service for identity verification. Select “Approve with DUO Security” to continue with the Duo MFA process.

You can view images of the new workflow on the Michigan Tech IT News blog.

If you have any questions about the change, we can help. Contact IT at it-help@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1111.

Tickets are now on sale for the 2024/25 Rozsa Presenting Series! The series includes eight diverse and captivating events, including a film created before your eyes, dynamic displays of human strength and side-splitting stand-up comedy, offering thrilling events for all.

Tickets for the Rozsa Presenting Series are Pay As You’re Able. Get your tickets online, by calling 906-487-1906 or at the Rozsa Box Office.

Stay tuned for the full lineup of events coming to the Rozsa for the 2024-25 season — including the Michigan Tech Art, Michigan Tech Music and Michigan Tech Theatre Series, coming Tuesday, Aug. 20.

Woodland Hill Preschool, formerly known as Michigan Tech Preschool, is still accepting students for morning 3's and 4's classes, and is now introducing the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) for afternoon 4-year-olds.

The GSRP is a state-funded program and priority is given based on eligibility factors.

Woodland Hill Preschool is open to all community members. Residents of Michigan Tech's Daniell Heights Apartments receive 50% off tuition.

To learn more about registration and tuition, visit Woodland Hill Preschool.

Michigan Tech Athletics has named Sarah Dowd, Ed.D., to the position of assistant athletic director - counseling and sport psychology with the Michigan Tech Huskies.

Dowd, who joined Michigan Tech in 2019, has served as an in-house therapist to counsel student-athletes in balancing mind, body and sport for optimal mental health and well-being, and will be expanding services to include sport psychology. She also works with coaches and athletic trainers on best practices for Huskies' health and well-being and provides preventative education.

"I'm passionate about student-athlete mental health, holistic well-being and assisting student-athletes to realize and reach their potential in sport and life," Dowd said. "The opportunity to grow services beyond the existing mental health support, to now include sport psychology services, is exciting and demonstrates the department's commitment to excellence in all areas of the student-athlete experience."

She credited Suzanne Sanregret, vice president of athletics and recreation, and Michigan Tech Athletics with creating an atmosphere that benefits Huskies. "I'm appreciative of Suzanne, and the department as a whole, for prioritizing the development of a culture where holistic well-being and personal growth is emphasized for our student-athletes."

Read more at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Stephen Techtmann and Lindsay Putman (both BioSci) were quoted by The Daily Mining Gazette in a story highlighting the BioPROTEIN research project at Michigan Tech. David Shonnard, Rebecca Ong and Jeff Naber were mentioned as members of the research team for the project, which uses bacteria to break waste plastics down to be recycled into useful products, including a protein powder similar to vegemite, lubricants, gases and candle wax. The project was featured in MTU’s 2022 Research Magazine.

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Sarah Hoy (CFRES) was quoted by Bridge Michigan in a story about insights about human aging gleaned from a study of moose bones co-authored by Hoy earlier this year. The study, which linked periodontitis to severe forms of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis in moose, was the subject of a post on MTU’s Unscripted Research Blog in January.

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Danielle Meirow (SLI) was quoted by The Daily Mining Gazette in a story about the Let’s Rebuild Community program, a volunteer project that upgrades homes in the Copper Country for seniors, veterans or people with disabilities. Meirow took part in a project volunteer effort to repaint a house in Painesdale on Saturday, Aug. 10.

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Michigan Sea Grant mentioned Michigan Tech in a story recapping the Mi Fresh Fish Sail & Fry, an informational event about Michigan’s fisheries industries held July 12 in Houghton. A geoheritage presentation by MTU experts was part of the sailing portion of the event, held aboard the Inland Seas tall ship schooner.

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DBusiness mentioned Michigan Tech as a partner of Global Detroit’s entrepreneur-in-residence program, which places foreign-born entrepreneurs at universities to teach and mentor students while launching and developing their own startups.

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The Mining Journal mentioned Michigan Tech in a Q&A with Greg Lusk ’69 (B.S. Forest Management) about his book, “The Great Seney Fire, A History of the Walsh Ditch Fire of 1976.” Lusk was the assistant fire boss for the state’s suppression efforts on the Walsh Ditch Fire, also known as the Seney Fire.

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Packaging Insight mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the new chief operating officer of Wausau Coated Products: Joe Zanon ’96 (B.S. Forest Management).

Parking During Move-In: Tomorrow and Saturday

It’s an exciting time as we finalize our preparations for students to return to campus. Over two days — tomorrow and Saturday, Aug. 16 and 17 — we will welcome our first-year students as they move into their residence halls, meet new roommates, say goodbye to parents, and get their first taste of college life.

Michigan Tech’s Move-In Weekend will take place tomorrow from 12-6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The two-day Move-In event has allowed us to reduce congestion and provide a more relaxed atmosphere for our new Huskies.

If your regular parking lot is closed tomorrow, please plan to park in an alternative location (see below). This would be a huge help to the students and would also ensure you are able to leave campus more easily at the end of the day.

Parking Lots Closed Tomorrow:

• Lot 27 — Admin Visitor Lot
• Lot 11 — Black Permit Lot next to Admin
• Lot 8 — Behind Walker
• Lot 14 — Bus Stop

Recommended Alternative Lots for Tomorrow:

• Lot 33 — Meese (To avoid traffic, this lot is strongly recommended.)
• Lot 2 — Behind Academic Office Building
• Lot 10 — Commuter Lot east of the Rozsa
• Lot 12 — Between Highway 41 and the MUB
• Lot 1 — The west side of the lot is available, but will be a high-traffic area for Move-In.

Open Parking Lots for Saturday:

• Lot 10 — Commuter Lot east of the Rozsa
• Lot 33 — Meese
• All other parking lots will be closed on Saturday.

Cliff Drive Traffic Changes:

• One-way operation heading eastbound
• No parking on Cliff Drive today and tomorrow, Aug. 15 and 16

Thank You for Your Support
The Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success and Residential Living appreciate your support as we make these changes to improve the process of welcoming new students to campus, ensuring a great start to their Husky experience.

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GSG Holding Orientation Picnic

Michigan Tech master's and Ph.D. students, as well as faculty and staff, are invited to join the Graduate Student Government (GSG) for a fun afternoon in the sun at our Orientation Picnic at Hancock Beach on Monday, Aug. 19, from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Enjoy delicious food and engaging activities, and connect with fellow students. Don’t miss out on this exciting event — we hope to see you there!

Students with cars are welcome to drive themselves. For those without transportation, a shuttle bus will run every 40 minutes from the Rozsa Center to Hancock Beach between 4:30 p.m. and 7:50 p.m.

View the event flyer.

For any questions or concerns, please contact GSG Social Chair Vikram Gurrapu at gsg-social@mtu.edu.

Event Details:

• What: GSG Orientation Picnic
• When: Monday, Aug. 19, from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
• Where: Hancock Beach (Hancock Recreation Area)

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

Master's Defense: Sara Khoshnevis

Thursday, August 15, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 875

Civil Engineering Advisor: David Watkins Two-Dimensional Flood Modeling of Huron Creek in Houghton, Michigan

American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification Blended Learning Course

Thursday, August 15, 12:00–5:30 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Earn your American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification in this intensive training course located at the Michigan Tech SDC Pool August 14-18. The certification includes...

Master's Defense: Omowunmi Aworinde

Thursday, August 15, 12–1 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 101

Chemistry Advisor: Haiying Liu A COUMARIN DERIVED FLUORESCENT PROBE FOR RATIOMETRIC MONITORING OF MITOCHONDRIAL NADH IN LIVE CELLS, UNITING DUAL VISIBLE AND NEAR INFRARED...

Master's Defense: Samuel Vellequette

Thursday, August 15, 1–3 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610

Materials Science and Engineering Advisor: Paul Sanders Local Material Substitution via WAAM for Improved Fatigue and Corrosion Resistance in Cast Steel Parts

Master's Defense: Shane Spence

Thursday, August 15, 4–5 p.m.

Forest Molecular Genetics & Biotechnology Advisor: Victor Busov Contribution of the Transcription Factor RED NAC to Low Nitrogen Phenotypes in Poplar Attend Virtually:...

Independence Day Series: Cricket League

Thursday, August 15, 7:00–11:30 p.m. | Student Development Complex, Multipurpose Room

The Indian Students Association (ISA) is excited to bring back our favorite sport that excites everyone alike! We're hosting the inaugural edition of our summer cricket...

Michigan Rail Conference 2024

August 15, all day | , Schoolcraft College, Livonia, MI

Pivot to the Future August 14–16, 2024 Schoolcraft College, Livonia, MI Tentative Schedule Wednesday: Golf, Small Group Meetings, Opening Reception Thursday: Educational...