August 30, 2024

The Van Pelt and Opie Library (VPOL) and College of Business (COB) at Michigan Tech are pleased to announce their newest partnership to provide the campus with access to the high-quality business resources of The Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal is a major U.S. newspaper with a focus on business-, economic- and market-related content. Upon setting up an account, you will gain access to current articles, newsletters, videos, podcasts and more. An account will also allow you to access content directly through the WSJ app, downloadable through whichever platform your device uses (e.g., Google Play, Apple Store, etc.). Instructors can also use the WSJ Instructor Suite to curate classroom content.

Students, faculty and staff at Michigan Tech can activate their complimentary subscription through the library’s webpage or by visiting WSJ.com/MTU. Those who currently pay for an existing WSJ subscription may call 1-800-JOURNAL and mention they are switching to their school-sponsored subscription. Partial refunds will be made.

The VPOL and COB also partner to supply campus with access to the Bloomberg Terminal, which provides coverage on financial markets, industries, companies, securities and countries. Rapid access to news, data, third-party and proprietary research and analytics, and trading tools are available through a dedicated on-site terminal located on the second floor of the library in the Business and Entrepreneurial Space.

Please reach out to library@mtu.edu for more information.

More than 800 first-year engineering Huskies turned out for the College of Engineering’s (COE’s) annual lecture, designed especially for them. The First-Year Engineering Series lecture took place Monday, Aug. 26, at the Rozsa Center, hosted by the Department of Engineering Fundamentals. This year's featured lecturer was chemical engineering alumna Jessica Elwell ’02 ’03.

“Jessica told the fascinating and inspiring story of how she and her team at OxEon Energy worked with NASA to figure out how to make oxygen from in-situ resources on Mars (Yes, Mars!),” said COE Dean Michelle Scherer. “She also shared her journey to being chief operating officer at OxEon and how she has been able to focus her work on her passion of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and sustainable fuels.”

Scherer said Elwell’s words of wisdom reinforced why it’s important to move outside the comfort zone to try new things and to remember that engineering design requires failing many times until you find the solution.

Read more about the lecture series and Elwell’s accomplishments on the College of Engineering Blog.

Proposals are being solicited for the Research Excellence Fund (REF) program, an internal award of the Vice President for Research Office.

Proposals must be started and routed for approval in Cayuse by the internal deadline of Oct. 1. Final proposals are due no later than 5 p.m. Oct. 8, and must be uploaded electronically in Cayuse. This due date will be strictly enforced based on the timestamp marked in the Cayuse system. Early submission is encouraged.

Please note that the program has changed in a number of ways in recent years. Be sure to download the current documents and review the current guidance carefully. Changes implemented recently include a limit of one REF Research Seed award per principal investigator during their eligibility period; expansion of Scholarship and Creativity Grant eligibility to include teaching faculty; and the addition of an optional presubmission review for compliance with REF guidelines.

For additional information, see the Research Excellence Fund webpage. Questions can be directed to REF-l@mtu.edu.

The Essential Education leadership team is setting up weekly office hours to support the Michigan Tech campus community as we implement the new Essential Education curriculum. Individuals, department committees and other working groups are welcome to attend for consultations, including but not limited to the following topics:

• Revising degree audits and flowcharts to make the most of Essential Ed requirements
• Tips for building an Essential Ed minor
• How to build an Essential Education Experience course
• What are in Essential Ed seminar modules?
• How is Essential Education assessed?
• How have well-being and success courses changed?
• What is folio thinking and how do ePortfolios support it?

The first two Essential Ed office hours will be held in the Library 103 conference room from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and the following week on Thursday, Sept. 12.

The complete calendar of Essential Ed office hours for the fall semester can be found on the Essential Education Newsblog. Special guests and topics are noted on the calendar, and we will update the schedule as we answer requests for deeper dives with our content experts.

For further information or questions, contact Steve Patchin, project manager for Essential Education implementation, at shpatchi@mtu.edu.

The Diversity Literacy Online Workshop training (DLOW) for the 2024-25 academic year remains open for registration; however, all fall refresher courses are full. There is still plenty of space in the full courses (both fall and spring) and in the two spring refresher courses.

If your DLOW status is only valid through spring 2025, please register for one of the spring refresher courses. If you are new faculty, please consider registering for one of the full courses. The workshop dates can be found on the training website. Faculty should use the online registration form (scroll down to the bottom of the page) and please allow 48 hours for processing.

See the Diversity Training Status page for a list of current training status for all faculty (ISO sign-on required).

This workshop is part of Michigan Tech's ongoing commitment to faculty diversity in building a supportive campus climate. Up-to-date DLOW training status is required to serve on faculty hiring and tenure and promotion committees. The workshop is organized as a three-week asynchronous online course in Canvas (with 2-3 hours of work per week) covering legal aspects of hiring and promotion processes, building literacy in recognizing unconscious bias, and cultivating diversity-centered practices.

For those who have already taken the full three-week course, there are one-week refresher courses that engage with new research and current best practices with respect to hiring and retention of a diverse faculty. A refresher course is required once every four years to maintain a current status. Those with expired status are required to take the full course.

DLOW training cannot be offered on demand, so we appreciate everyone's proactive attention to maintaining training status. The provost's office will not grant exceptions to serve on search committees or PTR committees for faculty who are not current on their DLOW training.

Please note: Exceptions will not be made if your status expires while on sabbatical. Please enroll in a course before you leave on sabbatical to maintain your status.

The DLOW course content and format continue to be managed by faculty members in collaboration with Michigan Tech's Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX office, distinguishing it from other training courses at the University. Course content and format are reviewed and revised annually to continuously adapt to the landscape of DEI initiatives and needs at Michigan Tech with support from the Office of the Provost.

If you have any questions about the Diversity Literacy Online Workshop and training, contact Sarah Fayen Scarlett, DLOW coordinator, at sfscarle@mtu.edu.

K-Day, short for Keweenaw Day, is an annual tradition at Michigan Tech held on the Friday after Labor Day. It is a registered student organization fair with around 200 groups in attendance. Each year on K-Day, classes release at noon so our students can learn about ways to get involved and connected at Tech. This year, K-Day is next Friday, Sept. 6, from 1-5 p.m. at Chassell Centennial Park.

K-Day typically sees around 3,500-4,000 students participate, so be sure to check out this amazing event so you don't miss out! 

K-Day would not be possible without all the help from our volunteers. There are volunteer opportunities all day long. You can sign up to help out on our K-Day 2024 Volunteer Sign-Up.

If you advise a student organization, this is also a great opportunity to connect with your members and have some fun.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Taylor Piering at rso@mtu.edu.

Michigan Tech's cross country teams were both picked to finish near the middle of the league in the GLIAC's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Polls.

In the men's poll, the Huskies were selected to finish fourth, receiving 59 points in the poll. The Husky women were tabbed to finish fifth, receiving 64 points. Grand Valley State was the preseason favorite in both, with nine first-place votes on the women's ballot and 10 first-place votes in the men's poll.

Read about MTU's returning runners at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Michigan Tech volleyball has a BSN Team Shop open until Thursday, Sept. 5. Purchase exclusive Nike and BSN products and support your Huskies!

Visit the MTU Volleyball Team Shop.

Job Posting for Friday, Aug. 30, 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.

Finance and Planning Analyst, Budget and Planning. 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.

Hoda Hatoum (BioMed/ICC/HRI) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received a $200,000 research and development grant from the American Heart Association.

The project is titled "A novel transcatheter mitral valve replacement device."

This is a potential two-year project.

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Trista Vick-Majors (BioSci/GLRC) is the PI on a project that has received a $108,350 research and development co-op joint agreement from the University of Michigan - Michigan Sea Grant.

The project is titled "An Ecosystem-Scale Approach to Understanding Changing Winters in the Great Lakes."

Gordon Paterson (BioSci/GLRC) is a co-PI on this potential two-year project.

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Bo Xiao (CEGE/COB/ICC) is the PI on a project that has received a $287,667 research and development grant from the National Science Foundation.

The project is titled "Cyber Training: Pilot: Cognitive and Generative AI-driven Cyber-Infrastructure Training Platform for Construction Education."

Shane Mueller (PsyHF/ICC) is a co-PI on this potential two-year project.

Lakes Letter, the quarterly newsletter of the International Association for Great Lakes Research, published an article written by Tim Havens (CS/ICC/GLRC) about the high-frequency radar technology installed by Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center in the Straits of Mackinac to enhance maritime safety and environmental monitoring. A temporary system put into place in 2019 was featured in the Tech’s 2020 Research Magazine. In 2021, permanent high-frequency radar masts went up, according to Michigan Tech News.

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Roman Sidortsov (SS) was quoted by The Iron Mountain Daily News 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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Jennifer Becker (CEGE/BioSci) was mentioned by The Keweenaw Report as the recipient of Michigan Tech’s 2024 Faculty Distinguished Service Award. The award was announced Aug. 22 by Michigan Tech News.

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City College of New York mentioned Michigan Tech and the Great Lakes Research Center in a story about a visit by the United Arab Emirates’ rain enhancement program team to CCNY physics lab and other “key research centers specializing in advanced technology and water sustainability in Michigan and New York.”

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Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo’s WWMT News Channel 3 mentioned Michigan Tech as a collaborator on a WMU-led project awarded $5 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to help curtail the impacts of climate change by advancing commercial-scale carbon capture, transport and storage.

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The Ticker mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about an upcoming ceremony in honor of the finalization of articles for the Freshwater Center, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to managing and owning the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center at Traverse City’s Discovery Pier. MTU is a collaborator on the research and innovation facility.

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The Keweenaw Report covered Michigan Tech’s soft launch of shared modules for Michigan Tech seminars as part of the Essential Education program. The story appeared Aug. 26 in Tech Today.

Updated Business Hours at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum

Beginning Monday, Sept. 2 (Labor Day), the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum will be open Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission to the museum is waived for MTU students, faculty and staff with a valid Tech ID.

Thank you for a busy and exciting summer!

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Rozsa Center Executive Director Candidate Presentation

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. today, 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.

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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 today, Aug. 30.

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

Get to Know Your Library

Friday, August 30, 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...

Meet and Greet with African Students Organization

Friday, August 30, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Campus Entrance to Fisher

Join The President and all 10 executives to learn about the African Student Organization.

Vehicle Display with Supermileage Systems Enterprise

Friday, August 30, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Walker Lawn

The Supermileage Enterprise will be on walker lawn showing off our vehicle and answering any questions about our team.

In-CLUE-sive Pizza Party

Friday, August 30, 1:30–3:30 p.m. | Center for Diversity and Inclusion Lawn

It’s no mystery; discover your slice of Domino's Pizza, which has been generously donated to welcome students back to campus! Student Organizations affiliated with CDI will...

Functional poly(ionic liquids) design and their biomedical applications

Friday, August 30, 3–4 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Bo Liu Jilin University Abstract Functional poly(ionic liquids) (PILs) are emerging as promising materials for biomedical...

Join PHAT! with the Pre-Health Association

Friday, August 30, 3–4 p.m. | Across from the CDI

PHAT will be hosting an information booth about all of the different career and volunteer events we will be putting on this upcoming academic calendar! Stop by for some free...

Board Game Night with Gamers Anonymous

Friday, August 30, 6–7 p.m. | Fisher 129-130

Come to our O-Week meeting to relax, make new friends, and play some board games with Gamers Anonymous! Feel free to bring some of your own favorite games, or try some of our...

Dryland Dog Demo with the Mushing Club

Friday, August 30, 6–7 p.m. | Tech Trails Isle Royale Loop

Join the Mushing Club in a Dryland Dog Demo in which you'll experience the thrill of dog powered sports at the Tech Trails! Learn what it is like to have a dog pull you on a...

Trivia Night with the Arctic Rangers

Friday, August 30, 7–8 p.m. | ROTC Building 101

Senior ROTC Cadets/Arctic Ranger members will host a Trivia evening with a planned agenda and questions.

Black Out Dance with the Black Student Association

Friday, August 30, 8:30–9:30 p.m. | Walker Lawn

Come out to Walker Lawn for the Black Student Association's Black Out Dance! Music, Dancing, Snacks, and even glowsticks! Enjoy a fun night of dancing and music to kick off...