September 6, 2024

Michigan Technological University has signed an agreement to become the new engineering services provider for the American Center for Mobility (ACM) in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Michigan Tech and ACM have worked together for years to advance safe, sustainable, and secure technologies utilizing the technical expertise of the combined teams and the extensive capabilities available at ACM’s 500-acre proving grounds facility in Ypsilanti. Michigan Tech’s presence as engineering services provider at ACM’s historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti will complement and extend the University’s influence in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

Read more about the new partnership at Michigan Tech News. 

The old steam whistle on Michigan Tech's Central Energy Plant will be blown today to commence the K-Day noon recess!

The whistle was saved from the demolition of the Atlas Powder Company explosives plant in Senter (near Lake Linden) in the early 1960s and donated to Michigan Tech. It had been used for various signaling purposes at the plant throughout many years of the copper mining era.

The first record of the steam whistle being used to signal K-Day was on Oct. 1, 1968. Traditionally the steam whistle was blown on K-Day at 10 a.m. and noon, to signal the event to the students. This was especially important before the advent of e-mail and other forms of modern communication, especially when K-Day could occur on any one of three days depending on the weather. The whistle has also been used to greet alumni as they travel through the Portage Waterway on one of the iron ore carriers connected to their companies.

Sometime, possibly in the 1990s, the whistle broke and was stored in the Central Energy Plant basement. We recently found a Calumet resident, Paul "Fuzzy" Antilla, who knew an old timer who helped him repair it. So now, we have the whistle back!

We are still gathering information on the whistle and its history, but are excited to revive an old Michigan Tech tradition. 

Tick Talk, the crowdsourcing tick collection project conducted last year at Michigan Tech, is underway for its second year.  MTU's Genomic Sequencing Lab wants ticks from you, your family and your pets. The goal of this project is to identify the prevalence of tick-borne illnesses in the Copper Country. Please bring any ticks you find to one of two collection boxes on the Michigan Tech campus:

• U. J. Noblet Forestry Building — Main Entrance
• Great Lakes Research Center — First Floor

Current Results
Full results from the community tick submission are available on the Tick Talk Dashboard. So far:

• 1,942 ticks have been submitted to the lab in 2024
• 591 Black Legged ticks and 1,351 Brown dog ticks have been collected 
• 44% of Black Legged ticks submitted tested positive for Lyme
• 10% of Black Legged ticks submitted tested positive for Anaplasma

If you have any questions, please contact lab lead Aimee Marceau at ahmarcea@mtu.edu.

How to Remove and Preserve Ticks

1. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause its mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
4. Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by:
   1. Placing it in a sealed plastic storage bag. Multiple ticks from the same location can be placed in the same bag.
   2. Once the tick is sealed inside the plastic storage bag, bring it to a drop-off point within eight hours or place the bag with the tick in a freezer until dropping it off at Michigan Tech.
5. Follow the directions at the drop-off site to ensure the tick is properly preserved.

Applications open Sept. 1!

The Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) aims to foster awareness of, education in and research on space and Earth-related science and technology in Michigan.

Funding opportunities are available in the following categories:

Undergraduate fellowship, graduate fellowship, pre-college education, public outreach, teacher training, and research seed grants.

Deadlines:

• Oct. 23, by noon — Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal for undergraduate and graduate proposals
• Nov. 6, by noon — Internal deadline for undergraduate and graduate fellowship proposals
• Oct. 2, by noon — Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal for all other proposals
• Oct. 16, by noon — All other submissions
• Nov. 13, 2024 by 11:59 p.m. — Final materials, after review and approval by SPO, must be uploaded to MSGC by the applicant

Proposals exceeding stated page limits or submitted without prior review by Michigan Tech will not be considered for funding. Women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply to all MSGC funding opportunities. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for fellowship grants.

All proposals must be processed internally through Cayuse.

For instructions detailing proposal submission procedures and requirements, visit the Graduate School's webpage of MSGC Resources.

Michigan Tech’s Fall 2024 Career Fest and Career Fair events are right around the corner, and your involvement is key to student and alumni success!

How you can help:

• Faculty: Inform students, encourage attendance, and integrate event details into your classes.
• Staff: Promote through campus channels and assist students in preparation.
• Alumni: Share experiences, attend, network, and follow our Career Services LinkedIn for updates.

Volunteer opportunities:

• Volunteer at Career Fair.
• Offer space for Interview Day.

Mark your calendars and get involved! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Thank you! Go Huskies! 

 

Michigan Tech's TSgt. Robert E. LaMotte Squadron of the Arnold Air Society presents the annual 5K POW/MIA Run, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 5, at 9 a.m.

The run honors POW/MIA individuals and raises money for the Hubbell VFW. All proceeds support veterans in the area.

The registration fee for this event is $20. Participants can register in advance or in person the morning of the run. 

Check-in and registration will take place Oct. 5 at the ROTC Building (next to the R. L. Smith Building, aka the MEEM) on Michigan Tech's campus. Day-of registration starts at 8 a.m. The route begins at the ROTC Building on campus and circles down to the Portage Lake Lift Bridge before returning. 

There will be a raffle for all registrants after the race. The first 50 registrants receive a free T-shirt. Pre-register now!

We encourage you to come out and support your local veterans and your community!

Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) guest Bo Zhang, senior research scientist at the National Institute of Aerospace, will deliver the EPPSI Seminar and the Richard E. Honrath Memorial Lecture on Monday (Sept. 9) at 4 p.m. 

Zhang's talk is titled "Constraints from Airborne Radionuclides on Convective Transport and Aerosol Scavenging in GEOS and GEOS-Chem Global Models."

This will be a hybrid event; the speaker will be remote while the audience is encouraged to gather in M&M U113.

 For the abstract, visit the Fall 2024 EPSSI series webpage.

The Richard E. Honrath Memorial Lecture is a Joint EPSSI/Environmental Engineering graduate seminar honoring the memory of Richard E. Honrath Jr., late faculty member of the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, and a founding faculty member of the Atmospheric Sciences doctoral program. Honrath died in a tragic kayaking accident in 2009. 

Job Postings for Friday, Sept. 6, 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 Research Scientist, Chemical Engineering. Apply online.

Research Program Coordinator, Chemical Engineering. Apply online.

Research Technician, Chemical Engineering. Apply online.

Assistant Professor, College of Computing. Apply online.

Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering. 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 an interview, at Michigan Technological University, please notify the Human Resources office at 906-487-2280 or humanresources@mtu.edu.

Steven Voelker (CFRES) is the principal investigator on a project that has received a $109,201 research and development co-op joint agreement from the University of Michigan.

The project is entitled, "A Novel Assessment of Lake Trout Sensitivity to Winter and Spring Climate and Possible Interactions with Declining Prey Abundance in Lake Superior."

Gordon Paterson (BioSci) and Jill Olin (BioSci) are Co-PI's on this potential two-year project.

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Kathleen Halvorsen (VPR) is the principal investigator on a project that has received a $98,499 other sponsored activities grant from the National Science Foundation.

The project is entitled, "Planning: Research Administration Capacity Building at Emerging Research Institutions (ERIs) across the AMericAs (RACIMA)."

Mark Rouleau (SS), Amy Spahn (CEGE) and Pete Larsen (VPR) are Co-PI's on this potential one-year award.

The Daily Mining Gazette featured a story about former Michigan Tech football coach Ted Kearly, who, along with his son Tom, led the Huskies for a combined 15 years. Kearly shared memories of his time at Tech and expressed his excitement for the program's future under current coach Dan Mettlach.

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Melissa Kuhar (ATH) was quoted by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story about Michigan Tech soccer’s season-opening road games. The Huskies faced St. Cloud State on Thursday, Sept. 5, and will play their second game on Saturday, Sept. 7, against Minnesota-Duluth at 2 p.m. EST.

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Dan Mettlach (ATH) was quoted by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story about Michigan Tech football’s home opener against South Dakota Mines, which took place Thursday, Sept. 5, at Kearly Stadium.

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Kaichen Yang (ECE) was mentioned by K-State News in a story about a National Science Foundation grant aimed at enhancing cybersecurity for biological data infrastructure. Yang is a co-principal investigator on the project, which focuses on safeguarding AI applications in bioinformatics.

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The Keweenaw Report mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the 6th annual GEEK U.P. festival taking place on campus Saturday, Sept. 7. The event will support the Husky Food Access Network (Husky FAN), with attendees encouraged to donate money or nonperishable food items to the student pantry, which helps fight college food insecurity.

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MLive mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the Princeton Review's “Best 390 Colleges” rankings for 2025. Michigan Tech was one of 10 Michigan universities included in the list. The article also highlighted that Michigan Tech ranked No. 33 for best return on investment among public universities.

 

CyberHusky Training for Middle/High School Students

Michigan Tech is excited to offer free CyberHusky training to local middle and high school students. This year, we're focusing on machine learning with Python, recognizing artificial intelligence's growing significance in our daily lives.

We'll start with Python programming and then explore key machine learning techniques. Participants will also engage in cybersecurity competitions, such as CyberPatriot and the National Cyber League.

The CyberHusky program is led by professors and students from the College of Computing. Our first session will be held on Sept. 21 from 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 117 of Kanwal and Ann Rekhi Hall at Michigan Tech.

For more information and to apply, please visit the CyberHusky Team website.

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MTU Hosting Inaugural UP Accessibility Summit

Engagement and Belonging at Michigan Tech is proud to announce a partnership with the Accessible Keweenaw Initiative (AKI) in hosting the first-ever Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit (UPAS).

This groundbreaking event will take place on Sept. 26 and 27 at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts on the Michigan Tech campus. Registration is open until Sept. 20.

The summit aims to unite community planners, government entities, local businesses and organizations, education and recreation leaders, and community members. It will focus on the benefits of improving accessibility infrastructure in Upper Peninsula communities.

Read more on the Engagement and Belonging Newsblog.

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Fall Semester - Custodial Services and Laboratory Safety

All University researchers, scientists, and staff have a role to play regarding laboratory safety on campus. Facilities Management supports laboratories, shops and similar learning environments by providing regular cleaning and sanitation services. The following provides a summary of the laboratory-types and the respective services provided by building custodial staff. 

• Open Labs - Custodial staff cleans touchpoints and floors, and empties trash receptacles on a weekly basis. Laboratory personnel are responsible for cleaning horizontal surfaces, counter tops, furnishings, and fixtures.
• Teaching Labs - Custodial staff cleans touchpoints and floors, and empties trash receptacles on a daily basis. Laboratory personnel are responsible for cleaning horizontal surfaces, counter tops, furnishings, and fixtures.
• Research Labs & Shops - Facilities Management staff does not provide cleaning services. Laboratory & shop personnel are responsible for emptying trash and recycling bins. Trash should be taken to the building’s dumpster. Additional trash bags can be requested by submitting a Facilities work request. 

Laboratory personnel are encouraged to consider custodial staff when reviewing lab safety procedures and best practices for maintaining a safe work environment. Facilities staff asks that you also consider the following: 

• Follow best practices for labeling chemicals and related solutions. In the event of an emergency, accurate labeling can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of response actions.
• Glass collection boxes/buckets should be located in all laboratories with glassware and the potential for breakage. Utilize properly labeled and maintained bins for the collection of broken glassware.
• If required, review laboratory contact information for accuracy and ensure that an updated emergency response poster is printed in color and placed at the entrance to all laboratories, shops and other areas where hazardous materials are used or stored.

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

Cross Country at Phoenix Open

Friday, September 6, 12–3 a.m. | Green Bay, Wis.

Cross Country at Phoenix Open Green Bay, Wis.

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Classroom Presentation: CM2110 Sophomore level Chemical Engineering Class

Friday, September 6, 9–10 a.m. | Administration and Student Services Building, 220 Career Services

Career Fair/Interview Prep

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iClicker Basics Workshop

Friday, September 6, 10–11 a.m. | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library

Join the Center for Teaching and Learning (Technical Workshops) for the following opportunity: https://mtu.libcal.com/event/13096539

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Keweenaw Day 2024

Friday, September 6, 1–5 p.m. | Chassell Centennial Park

K-Day, short for Keweenaw Day, is an annual tradition at Michigan Tech held on the Friday of the week of Labor Day. It is a Registered Student Organization fair with around...

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Women's Volleyball vs Regis (Colo.)

Friday, September 6, 1–4 p.m. | Golden, Colo.

Women's Volleyball vs Regis (Colo.) Golden, Colo.

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Engineering Bacteria-based Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy

Friday, September 6, 3–4 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Bahareh Behkam Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech Abstract Mechanical forces and effects regulate all phenomena in...

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Minorities’s Sense of Belonging in Natural Resource

Friday, September 6, 3 p.m. | U. J. Noblet Forestry Building, 143

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Present: Fall Seminar Series Dr. Rashidah Farid Research Assistant Professory of Wildlife Ecology, Tuskegee...

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Car Smash

Friday, September 6, 5:30–8:30 p.m. | TKE House

Join the brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon for this event. We will be beating up a car. Stop by to learn more about how we can help you create lifelong relationships that enhance...

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2024 Fall Sorority Recruitment Kick-Off

Friday, September 6, 6–8 p.m. | Memorial Union Building, Ballroom

Join Sorority Life! This year's theme: Space! Friday, September 6 at 6:00 PM in the Memorial Union Building's (MUB) Ballroom, Sorority leaders will welcome potential new...

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Women's Volleyball vs Gannon

Friday, September 6, 6–9 p.m. | Golden, Colo.

Women's Volleyball vs Gannon Golden, Colo.

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Smash and Smash

Friday, September 6, 7–9 p.m. | Wadsworth Hall Lobby

Enjoy some smash burgers while playing Super Smash Bros Ultimate!!!! Please contact Alpha Phi Omega for the address, there will be people in the Wadsworth Hall lobby to give...

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2024 Rozsa Soirée feat. Gina Chávez

Friday, September 6, 7:30–10:00 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Backstage

ROZSA ANNUAL FUNDRAISER Let's raise the curtains on the 2024/25 Season at the Rozsa Soirée! Join us for an evening as we celebrate the launch of the Rozsa’s upcoming season!...