August 29, 2024

The start of Michigan Tech's fall semester has arrived, so Equal Opportunity Compliance and Student Disability Services would like to remind the campus community about the University's obligation and commitment to providing equal access to all educational programs, activities and services for students with disabilities, per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Access can be provided in several ways: by providing aids and services necessary for effective communication, like CART (communication access real-time translation) services and assistive listening devices; by modifying policies, practices and procedures, such as testing accommodations and access to campus facilities for service animals; and by providing architectural access to buildings, including residential facilities.

Reasonable accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis and must be designed to meet the specific needs of the individual. Student accommodations at Michigan Tech are provided through Student Disability Services. Employee accommodations are provided through the ADA coordinator in Equal Opportunity Compliance.

Please visit the Education ADA Fact Sheet from the ADA National Network for more information.

Looking to incorporate voter engagement information into your class this semester? The Voter Engagement Coalition at Michigan Tech has once again added a Voter Engagement module to Canvas Commons for the Michigan Tech community to utilize as they see fit. Content covered includes a brief introduction to voting in the U.S., as well as information about MTU students' historic voting rates, voter registration, options for casting your ballot, and resources to assist in becoming an informed voter.

We are proud to continue offering this resource to our campus community. Learn more about voter engagement at Michigan Tech.

If you have feedback on the module, interest in other voter engagement efforts on campus, or questions, please contact Danielle Meirow at dlmeirow@mtu.edu.

The Department of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) is pleased to have invited three candidates to Michigan Tech's campus to interview for the position of executive director of the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts.

Candidate Presentation
The third candidate, Gerard Gibbs, will give a public presentation at 2 p.m. tomorrow, Aug. 30, in the Rozsa's north mezzanine.

All members of the Michigan Tech community are welcome to attend. A meet and greet will follow the presentation.

Please remember to submit check requests for disbursements from Michigan Tech Fund Endowed Funds to mtfchecks@mtu.edu by Sept. 16 to meet the deadline for the Sept. 25 payment date.

Michigan Tech Theatre is holding auditions for our fall semester production of Tennessee Williams’ play, “The Glass Menagerie.” Auditions will be held Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 6-10 p.m., and are open to all students, faculty, staff and members of the off-campus community.

Interested individuals may contact production director Nich Radcliffe (VPA) at nradclif@mtu.edu, or sign up directly on the Glass Menagerie Audition Sheet.

Actors are asked to prepare a monologue not more than two minutes in length, but may choose to read a monologue provided at the audition instead.

Come be a part of this exciting multimedia production of the play that launched Tennessee Williams to Broadway fame!

Performances are Nov. 13-16.

The Rotaract Club at Michigan Tech is looking for an advisor.

Rotaract clubs bring together people ages 18 and older to exchange ideas with leaders in the community, develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun through service. In communities worldwide, Rotary and Rotaract members work side-by-side to take action through service. From big cities to rural villages, Rotaract is changing communities everywhere.

Our Michigan Tech Chapter is supported by the Houghton and Hancock Rotary Clubs.

If you are a faculty or staff member who enjoys helping others through service and acts of kindness, please contact us with any questions you might have or to express an interest in being our advisor. We appreciate your support.

Please reach out to Austin Jordan at aujordan@mtu.edu for more info/any questions.

Are you looking to make your course materials more accessible and affordable for students? Join us on Sept. 17 at noon for a Lunch and Learn session, co-sponsored by the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the Committee for Accessible and Affordable Learning Materials (CAALM).

During this session, we'll explore three key focus areas:

• Inclusive Access Program Updates: Learn about the latest updates to our Inclusive Access program from Campus Store staff. This initiative offers textbooks and publisher courseware to students at reduced costs, helping to ease the financial burden on your students.

• Open Educational Resources (OERs): Discover how to find and use OERs in your courses. Bree Carlson, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP), will share how she applies open educational practices and leverages generative artificial intelligence tools in her classes to create engaging materials.

• Accessibility of Course Materials: Learn how to check the accessibility of your course materials and explore tools that can help remove digital barriers, ensuring all students can fully participate in your classes.

Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your teaching practices while enjoying lunch with colleagues. We look forward to seeing you there!

Accommodation requests (including dietary) can be made on the Lunch and Learn registration form or by contacting Jess Hendrickson at jelhendr@mtu.edu or 906-487-2275.

The Office of Continuous Improvement (OCI) is offering a virtual workshop where you can earn a Lean White Belt.

The workshop, "Processes, Flow, and Waste: Lean Fundamentals (Virtual)," will be offered twice:

• Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon
• Wednesday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to noon

In this fun and interactive workshop, you’ll practice visualizing the fundamental Lean concepts of flow and waste and see how you can apply them to your job right away. These tools can assist you in your efforts to create the best possible experience for students, faculty, staff and other customers. Lean White Belt certification is awarded to those who satisfactorily complete all requirements for this workshop.

To see the workshop description and register, complete our brief Upcoming Michigan Tech Lean Courses form or visit our website. Once registered, we'll add you to a calendar event for the course.

This workshop will be taught virtually using Zoom and Miro. There will be a couple of brief activities before and after the workshop to demonstrate application of concepts, then you'll receive a certificate. There’s no cost to Michigan Tech employees.

This stand-alone workshop is part of the Lean Basics workshop series. It can be taken independently, or, if you complete the requirements for all five workshops in the series, we’ll award you a Lean Yellow Belt certificate!

For more information, email improvement@mtu.edu.

Job Postings for Thursday, Aug. 29, 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.

Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Apply online.

Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development, Athletics. 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.

Robert Handler (ChE/GLRC) is the principal investigator on a project that has received a $262,537 research and development co-op joint agreeement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service.

The project is titled "Evaluating the Sustainable Production of Engineered BioCarbon for Coal Combustion Residual (CCR) Remediation from Fuel Reduction Treatments in the Superior National Forest (SNF)."

This is a potential three-year project.

Shawn Brueshaber (MAE) is traveling to attend the International Society for Atmospheric Research using Remotely piloted Aircraft (ISARRA) 2024 conference, being held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from Sept. 3-14.

ISARRA is a member-based, nonprofit society for all scientists doing atmospheric and earth science research, and the ISARRA 2024 Tulsa Conference will be hosted by the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE) at Oklahoma State University.

The event is supported in part by the Weather Intelligent Navigation Data and Models for Aviation Planning (WINDMAP) project through the NASA University Leadership Initiative (ULI) program and the LaunchPad Center through the U.S. Economic Development Administration's Build Back Better Regional Challenge (EDA BBBRC).

Roman Sidortsov (SS) was quoted by Michigan Advance, Great Lakes Now, Yahoo! News and 15 other regional news outlets in a story discussing past and future energy transitions in the Upper Peninsula. Sidortsov suggested that distributed generation might be better suited to the geography of the Upper Peninsula than large, centralized power plants. The story was picked up from Interlochen Public Radio News.

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Phil Milbrath (ATH) was quoted by The Daily Mining Gazette in a story highlighting Michigan Tech football’s special teams squad. Multiple Huskies were mentioned in the story.

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UPword mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the Laurium Manor Inn’s recent ranking as the nation’s No. 3 best historical bed-and-breakfast. The inn’s owners, Julie and Dave Sprenger, are Husky alumni.

Applications Open for Visiting Professor Program

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.

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Woodland Hill Preschool Still Accepting Students

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.

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Banner System Maintenance Tonight

A production system maintenance window is scheduled for today, Aug. 29, from 10-11:59 p.m. The following production services will be unavailable during that time:

• apps.mtu.edu
• Banner
• Banweb
• MyMichiganTech
• Aspire
• Course Tools
• Housing Apartments Wait List
• OAP Rental System
• Oracle Reports
• 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.

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Physics Colloquium with Yong Meng Sua

Yong Meng Sua from the Stevens Institute of Technology will present at a Physics Colloquium this week. The seminar will be held in person at 4 p.m. today, Aug. 29, in Fisher 139.

Sua's presentation is titled "Single Photon Ranging, Sensing and Imaging – Beyond Time Frequency Filtering."

Read Sua's abstract and bio at the University Events Calendar.

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First Friday Social

Join Graduate Student Government (GSG) for an exciting hangout! Mingle, explore and unlock Houghton’s hidden gems with Bob Wenc. All grad students, faculty and staff are welcome to drop in at the Grad Commons for a First Friday Social on Sept. 6 from 5-7 p.m.

We’ve got food, fun and plenty of surprises planned. And hey, if you’re planning to visit the beverages stand, don’t forget to have your ID (passport, driver’s license or state ID) handy. See you there!

Event Details:

• What: First Friday Social
• When: Friday, Sept. 6, from 5-7 p.m.
• Where: Grad Commons Patio, located at 207 East Street (across US-41 from the Van Pelt and Obie Library)
• RSVP: No RSVP is required

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

Organized by the Graduate Student Government (GSG).

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No Tech Today on Monday

Tech Today will not publish on Monday, Sept. 2, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Submissions for Tuesday, Sept. 3, are due by noon tomorrow, Aug. 30.

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

Get to Know Your Library

Thursday, August 29, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | Van Pelt and Opie Library

Activities will be hosted throughout the week at the Reference Desk of the Library 9AM-5PM! Drop in to get to know the Library staff and all of the amazing resources that are...

Cornhole Challenge with Silver Wings

Thursday, August 29, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Walker Lawn

Silver Wings will be hosting a Cornhole Challenge for people to prove their skills! Get to know a little bit about what we do as an organization while besting your friends....

Sip, Solve, Support! with the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being

Thursday, August 29, 1–3 p.m. | Van Pelt and Opie Library Enterance

You’ve heard the legend of root beer floats? Stop by and reveal the truth! The Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being is ready to help you uncover unique ways to...

Off-Road Vehicle Display with Four Wheelers at Michigan Tech

Thursday, August 29, 3–4 p.m. | Lot 14

Come visit the MTU 4x4 Club, to learn about the club and see who we are, and to check out some cool off-roading vehicles!

First Year Students - Making the Most of Career Fair

Thursday, August 29, 4–5 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, B002

Learn about what to expect from career fair, why you should go and how to prepare.

Physics Colloquium with Yong Meng Sua

Thursday, August 29, 4–5 p.m. | fisher hall, 139

Yong Meng Sua from Stevens Institute of Technology will present at this week's Physics Colloquium. Yong Meng Sua's presentation is titled "Single Photon Ranging, Sensing...

Statistical Mechanics of Grain Boundaries

Thursday, August 29, 4 p.m. | R. L. Smith Building (MEEM), 112

MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Nikhil Admal, PhD Assistant Professor, Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign...

Meet and Greet with Undergraduate Student Government

Thursday, August 29, 5–6 p.m. | Walker Lawn

Come learn about Undergraduate Student Government. There will be games and prizes!

Weekly OVC Meeting

Thursday, August 29, 5–6 p.m. | Fisher 325

Join us for our weekly meeting to discuss and decide on our trip for the upcoming weekend. These meetings will also cover any club or outdoor-related announcements and news.

Mountain Bike Ride with Copper Country Cycling Club

Thursday, August 29, 5:30–6:30 p.m. | Nordic Wax Center

Everybody with a mountain bike and a helmet is welcome! Come join the Copper Country Cycling Club (C4) at the Waxing Center right outside of the Tech trails. We will ride as a...

Brainiac Battle: Quiz Bowl Showdown with Quiz Bowl

Thursday, August 29, 6–7 p.m. | Fisher Hall 230

Join us for an electrifying trivia extravaganza where teams go head-to-head in a battle of wits! With categories ranging from history to pop culture, participants will engage...

Origami with Mu Beta Psi

Thursday, August 29, 6–7 p.m. | Fisher 132

Come work on origami with Mu Beta Psi! We will supply paper and guidelines for people to make their own origami creations. No skills are required to come have fun with us!

SDC Broomball

Thursday, August 29, 6–7 p.m. | MacInnes Ice Arena

IRHC Broomball is hosting SDC Broomball! Come try one of Michigan Tech's most beloved tradition at the SDC Ice Arena Thursday August 29th at 6pm! Can't wait to see you there.

Football at Bemidji State

Thursday, August 29, 7–10 p.m. | Bemidji, Minn.

Football at Bemidji State Bemidji, Minn.