September 18, 2024

The Office of Alumni Engagement is excited to continue the Traveling Tech Talks alumni event series in October. These events, hosted throughout the country, showcase the journeys of alumni thought leaders in a variety of fields, and provide professional networking opportunities to attendees.

October's talk, "Traveling Tech Talks: A Journey from Bits to Qubits," will take place in Boston, Massachusetts, on Oct. 10 at the Boston Harbor Hotel. The program will feature Paul Juodawlkis '86, group leader of the Quantum Information and Integrated Nanosystems Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and will be moderated by Department of Applied Computing Chair Dan Fuhrmann.

Networking and arrivals begin at 7 p.m., the program starts at 7:30 p.m., and more networking will follow. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served, in addition to a cash bar. Smart casual attire is encouraged. Cost to attend is $15 per person, and registration before Oct. 2 is requested.

We encourage all MTU faculty, staff and friends to spread the word to Huskies in their personal networks living in the Boston area. Please reach out to Jennifer Lucas, assistant vice president for alumni engagement and annual giving, with any questions or concerns. Also, keep an eye out for future Traveling Tech Talks locations and topics to be announced.

This is a reminder to 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.

There's still time to submit your ideas. The submission form is open until 11:59 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 20. Please submit your topic or session suggestions.

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.

Save the Date: Research Day 2024 2.0 is planned Dec. 18 in the Memorial Union Building at Michigan Technological University. Registration will open in early October.

To make Research Day 2024 2.0 even more impactful, the Research Development office expanded its planning efforts to include a steering committee. Together, we opened our first Research Day Call for Abstracts in August.

Working together, we can make Research Day 2024 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 University Senate will not be holding a meeting this week due to a lack of agenda items.

Our next scheduled meeting is next Thursday, Sept. 26.

Financial Services and Operations (FSO) will periodically be sharing information regarding a specific topic to increase awareness and knowledge in an “FSO — Did You Know?” article. If there is an FSO topic that you’d like to learn more about, please email fso@mtu.edu.

Pending Concur Reports
Is your Concur report submitted but still pending? Here’s how to see who needs to approve it:

1. Open your submitted report.
2. Click on “Report Details,” then select “Report Timeline.”
3. On the left side, you’ll find the Approval Flow. Look for any names without a check mark — these are the ones who still need to review and approve.

Reach out to those folks to give them a friendly nudge!

If you have questions regarding Concur, please email concur@mtu.edu.

Join the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) every Thursday from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in Library 243 for casual conversation over coffee, where educators from across campus can come together to exchange ideas, thoughts and experiences related to teaching.

It’s an open, informal space to share strategies, learn from each other and collaborate — no agenda or presentations, just rich conversation! Come connect, relax and enjoy some time with colleagues.

Huskies rolled up their sleeves, gave blood and got the job done this September!

We are thrilled to share that during our two-day blood drive Sept. 4 and 5, a total of 427 units of blood were collected. Our new one-day record for collection is 222 units. In light of the nationwide blood shortage, we can say without a doubt that Huskies are saving lives!

Thank you to every donor, promoter and volunteer who made the drive a success. It would not have been possible without your time and dedication.

Save the date or schedule your appointment now for our next drive on Feb. 11 and 12!

To schedule your blood donation appointment or to learn more, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Mark your calendar! Registration for Session 2 of Michigan Tech Aquatics' fall 2024 programs opens next Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 8 a.m.

We offer a wide range of programs for different ages and ability levels. We look forward to seeing you at the pool!

• Adult Huskies Swim Training (ages 18 years and older)
• Adult Huskies Swim Lessons (ages 18 years and older)
• Huskies Group Swim Lessons Parent & Child Aquatics (ages 6 months to 3 years)
• Huskies Group Swim Lessons Preschool Aquatics (ages 4-5 years)
• Huskies Group Swim Lessons Learn to Swim Levels 1-5 (ages 6-17 years)
• Huskies Swim Training (ages 6-17 years)
• Adaptive Swim Lessons (ages 3-9 years)

Questions? Contact Aquatics Manager Annie Bengry at ambengry@mtu.edu or 906-487-2995.

Join Research Development for an array of exciting and informative VPR Research Series sessions planned throughout the semester, beginning with an introductory session next week on "Moving Your Research Forward with GrantForward," set for next Wednesday, Sept. 25, at from 12-1 p.m. This virtual session will cover system basics and then delve into the top use cases for researchers with our special guest, Mr. GrantForward.

2024-2025 VPR Research Series
Upcoming Sessions at a Glance:

• Oct. 1 — Strategies for Success in Graduate Recruiting
• Oct. 9 — Creating Biosketches and C&P Support Docs with SciENcv
• Oct. 24 — Falling Tree Collaborative: a Transdisciplinary Research Success Story
• Nov. 6 — Info Session – Export Controls and Foreign National Restrictions
• Dec. 18 — Save the date for Research Day!

Further details about all of these sessions and more can be found on the Research Events Calendar. We look forward to having you join us for the 2024-2025 VPR Research Series!

Any questions should be addressed to rd-l@mtu.edu.

Join the Keweenaw Community Foundation and the Pavlis Honors College at Michigan Tech for an insightful session on building meaningful, long-lasting donor relationships in today’s evolving philanthropic landscape. Lisa M. Dietlin, a nationally recognized expert in philanthropy and transformational change, will share her expertise on moving beyond transactional interactions to foster deeper, more impactful connections with donors.

This session will be held on Oct. 11 from 3-4:30 p.m. at Michigan Tech's Lakeshore Center in Room 123. It is designed for nonprofit staff, volunteers and community leaders who aim to strengthen their relationships with supporters. Dietlin will discuss how to identify donors whose values align with your mission, understand their motivations for giving and build authentic, trust-based relationships that inspire continued support.

With over two decades of experience, Dietlin will provide actionable strategies to help you navigate the complexities of modern philanthropy, master the art of "The Ask," and cultivate relationships that lead to long-term success.

Event Details:

• What: "Transformational (Not Transactional) Philanthropy" with Lisa Dietlin
• When: Friday, Oct. 11, from 3-4:30 p.m.
• Where: Michigan Tech Lakeshore Center, Room 123

About Lisa M. Dietlin
Lisa M. Dietlin is an internationally recognized expert on philanthropy, charitable giving and transformational change. A trusted advisor to the nonprofit sector, she has appeared on numerous TV and radio programs and authored several influential books on giving and personal growth. Her work focuses on helping organizations and individuals harness the power of philanthropy to create lasting, positive change.

For more details her work, visit Dietlin’s website.

This Saturday, Sept. 21, the Henes Workshop on Computational Mathematics will be held at Michigan Tech from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Fisher 328.

The Henes Workshop on Computational Mathematics is designed to bring together leading researchers to discuss cutting-edge developments in the field, including the integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence. The workshop will focus on recent advances in the use of computational techniques to solve complex mathematical problems, with applications spanning stochastic controls, dynamical systems, uncertainty quantification, inverse problems, approximation methods, etc.

The workshop is organized by Jiguang Sun (Math) of Michigan Tech and Yanfang Liu of Middle Tennessee State University and sponsored by the Center for Applied Mathematics and Statistics (CAMS), the Henes Professorship, and the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Michigan Tech.

Workshop Schedule:

• 9-9:30 a.m. — Speaker: Professor Wei Cai, Southern Methodist University
  "SOC-MartNet: A Martingale Neural Network for the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman Equation without Explicit inf_u H in Stochastic Optimal Controls"

• 9:30-10 a.m. — Speaker: Professor Isaac Harris, Purdue University
  "Anisotropic Transmission Eigenvalues with a Conductive Boundary Condition"

• 10-10:30 a.m. — Speaker: Feng Bao, Florida State University
  "An Ensemble Score Filter for Tracking High Dimensional Nonlinear Dynamical Systems"

• 10:30-10:45 a.m. — Coffee Break

• 10:45-11:15 a.m. — Speaker: Guannan Zhang, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  "Generative Machine Learning Models for Uncertainty Quantification"

• 11:15-11:45 a.m. — Speaker: Yanfang Liu, Middle Tennessee State University
  "Training-free Conditional Diffusion Model for Stochastic Dynamical Systems Learning"

• 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Speaker: Jianlin Xia, Purdue University
  "Fast solvers for neural network least-squares approximations"

The next Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Graduate Seminar Speaker will present at 4 p.m. tomorrow, Sept. 19, in MEEM 112.

Andrew Oliva will present “Experimental and Numerical Investigation of a Transonic Axial Compressor Rotor Subjected to an Inlet Stagnation Pressure Distortion.”

Oliva has over 12 years of experience running computational fluid dynamics on a variety of problems including internal subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flows as well as external hypersonic flows.

No. 20 Michigan Tech volleyball was winless over the weekend in the UP North Tournament, dropping two matches on Friday, Sept. 13, and losing to St. Cloud State on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the SDC Gym.

Friday, the Huskies lost 3-0 to both No. 14 Minnesota Duluth and Findlay. "It was not our day," Tech coach Matt Jennings said. "I thought we were sluggish in both matches today. Minnesota Duluth and Findlay are both very good teams and made very few errors."

Saturday, Tech fell 3-1 to No. 7 St. Cloud State in the final match of the tournament. The visiting Huskies won 25-18, 27-25, 21-25, and 25-18. "We fought in this one and were in it," Jennings said. "I'm disappointed in the loss but feel good that we played our best ball of the weekend today. Our good is really good, but we have some drop-offs in certain positions."

Jennings said MTU will focus on GLIAC play going forward. "Our service receive and our backcourt defense need to be more consistent, but coming out of the preseason 4-3 against some really good teams is okay."

Read more at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Michigan Tech football team elevated its win streak against Hillsdale to six following a 21-6 victory against the Chargers in front of over 1,700 fans at Kearly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14.

"I'm very proud of the guys for the win. That's a really good football team we beat, and they always are. Most times we play them, it's a battle just like this," head coach Dan Mettlach said. "I felt like we never really got into a rhythm, especially offensively, and it's the same old story three weeks in a row with the self-inflicted wounds — we take pride in playing disciplined football in every phase and just didn't get it. I'm happy with the win. I just didn't like how Michigan Tech played football today as a whole."

Read more at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Michigan Tech hockey forward Isaac Gordon has been named the CCHA Preseason Player of the Year, as voted on by the league's coaches.

The vote was a three-way tie between Gordon, Lucas Wahlin from St. Thomas, and Connor Milburn from Lake Superior State for the honor.

Gordon and MTU defenseman Chase Pietila were named to both the coaches and the media's Preseason All-CCHA Team.

Read more at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Michigan Tech football defensive back Hunter Buechel has been named week two's GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week. The honor is the first of his career.

Buechel led the Huskies with seven total tackles, two tackles for loss (12 yards), a sack (nine yards), and a forced fumble in their 21-6 win over Hillsdale. The win was the sixth straight against the Chargers, lifting Michigan Tech to a 2-0 record at Kearly Stadium this season.

Read more at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Friday, Sept. 20
• Cross Country at Roy Griak Invitational (St. Paul)
• Soccer vs. Davenport, 6 p.m. at Kearly Stadium on FloSports
• Volleyball at Purdue Northwest, 7 p.m. on FloSports

Saturday, Sept. 21
• Football at UW-Oshkosh, 1 p.m. on Mix 93 WKMJ
• Volleyball at Parkside, 5 p.m. on FloSports

Sunday, Sept. 22
• Soccer vs. Grand Valley State, Noon at Kearly Stadium on FloSports

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Athletics News
Read more in the MTU Athletics weekly update.

Wednesday, Sept. 18
• Overwatch will be taking on Campbellsville University at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 19
• Call of Duty will face off against Newberry College at 8:30 p.m.

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Esports News
Read more in the MTU Esports weekly update.

Missed a game? All past streams are available on YouTube.

A team from the Department of Chemistry at Michigan Technological University has published a research article in ChemPhysChem. The article was showcased on the journal's front cover.

The team is led by Tatyana Karabencheva-Christova and includes Ph.D. candidates Anandhu Krisnan (first author) and Sreerag Melayikandy; Ph.D. graduate Sodiq Waheed '23, currently a researcher at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana; and undergraduate students Ciara LaRouche and Meredith Paik.

The article is titled "Effects of Clinical Mutations in the Second Coordination Sphere and Remote Regions on the Catalytic Mechanism of Non-Heme Fe(II)/2-Oxoglutarate-Dependent Aspartyl Hydroxylase AspH."

Professor Christopher J. Schofield from Oxford University was a collaborator on the study.

The research highlights how clinically significant mutations in the second coordination sphere and distal regions affect the catalytic mechanism of AspH. This study is a continuation of Karabencheva-Christova’s established research at Michigan Tech on metalloenzymes.

This research is funded by NIH grant 2R15GM132873-02 to Karabencheva-Christova.

The team would like to thank Sarah Atkinson (RD) for the assistance with image preparation.

Chad Deering (GMES) was a guest on the Sept. 16 episode of Michigan Public’s “Stateside” radio show. The episode explored Deering’s work in carbon capture technology, focusing on its potential to reduce global warming and the geological challenges of storing carbon in Michigan.

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Mark Rhodes (SS) was a guest on San Francisco-based KCBS Radio’s “On Demand” radio show on Sept. 14. Rhodes spoke about the Amtrak Study Away program he leads at Michigan Tech, as well as sustainable tourism. The interview followed an article he wrote about the program, which was published by The Conversation.

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The Daily Mining Gazette quoted Michigan Tech student Callisto Cortez (theatre and electronic media performance) in a story about the eighth annual Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton. Michigan Tech's Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being was also mentioned for providing resources during the event.

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The Daily Mining Gazette, WLUC TV6, Yahoo! Sports, The Rink Live and 15 additional outlets mentioned Michigan Tech hockey players Isaac Gordon and Chase Pietila in stories about the 2024 CCHA Preseason Awards. Gordon was named CCHA Preseason Player of the Year and both he and Pietila were named to the Preseason All-CCHA Team.

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The Daily Mining Gazette covered Michigan Tech football defensive back Hunter Buechel being named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week.

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The Keweenaw Report mentioned Michigan Tech football standout Emmett Bjorn '13 (B.S. Civil Engineering) in a story about six athletes being inducted into the Calumet High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Bjorn earned seven varsity letters during his time at Calumet and went on to earn three varsity letters at MTU.

Become a Digital Accessibility Champion

Michigan Tech's Accessible Technology Working Group (ATWG) is pleased to offer a limited number of seats to staff and faculty for self-paced digital accessibility training with Deque University, a leading provider in digital accessibility education. This training is designed to enhance your skills in creating accessible digital content, ensuring that all members of the Michigan Tech community can access and benefit from the information you share.

Training Curriculum Highlights:

• Web Accessibility
• Word and Google Document Accessibility
• PDF Accessibility
• PowerPoint Accessibility
• EPUB Accessibility
• InDesign Accessibility
• iOS/Android Accessibility Features

The Deque University training offers both fast-track and in-depth courses, each featuring interactive quizzes, a final assessment, and a certificate of completion for those who successfully pass the training. Whether you regularly post instructional materials for your students in Canvas or share information and documents on a Michigan Tech website, this training will help you become a digital accessibility champion and align with University Policy 1.15: Accessible Information and Communication Technology.

To request access to this training or for more information, please contact the ATWG at accessibility-l@mtu.edu.

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CTL Faculty Development Presentation: 'Creating Impact: How to Fall in Love with Teaching Again'

How can you create an impact on students so that what you teach, like Newton’s law, stays in motion even when the initial impact is gone? Learn techniques to support creating lifelong learning desires, confidence and motivation in your students at a faculty development presentation hosted by the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL): "Creating Impact: How to Fall in Love with Teaching Again" with Angela Trego.

This course equips participants with tools that enable them to:

• Review the need for creating an impact
• Identify methods to create impact
• Understand how to implement creating an impact on students

Event Details:

• What: Creating Impact: How to Fall in Love with Teaching Again with Angela Trego
• When: Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. 
• Where: Fisher 138
• Registration: Register to attend (registration is required)

For accommodation requests or questions, please contact the CTL at 906-487-3000 or ctl@mtu.edu.

Join us for a follow-up workshop directly afterward on the three C's of the classroom! Find ways to instill curiosity, connection and value back into your classroom and your teaching!

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2024 Computing [MTU] Showcase: Student Poster Competition

The yearly Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) Student Poster Competition is back, and entries are now being accepted.

Register your student research poster before the deadline at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 27 to participate in this year’s event, which is happening on Oct. 4, the last day of the 2024 Computing [MTU] Showcase.

Winners will receive a scholarship prize. Please visit the Student Poster Competition page for more information.

Entries should be connected in some way to at least one the following areas:

• Biomedical/Digital Health
• Computing Education
• Cybersecurity
• Data Science/Artificial Intelligence
• Cyber-Physical Systems
• Human-Centered Computing
• Computer Architecture and Systems

Please reach out to icc-contact-l@mtu.edu if you have questions on poster content.

Poster printing can be covered through the ICC. Please email icc-contact-l@mtu.edu to set this up, or with any other questions.

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Bridging Communities Series

The Bridging Communities Series at Michigan Tech provides students, faculty and staff with valuable opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations that explore different perspectives and foster understanding. This collaborative initiative brings together departments across campus to offer a wide range of programming aimed at engaging our community and enhancing campus culture. Through a variety of events including workshops, panels, and more, participants will develop skills for respectful dialogue and learn to navigate challenging conversations with empathy and openness.

Bridging Communities Events

Courageous Dialogue — Wednesday, Sept. 11
This event provided a safe and supportive space for students to explore their individual comfort with different conversations, learn effective communication strategies, and practice engaging in courageous dialogue.

High-Impact Strategies for Difficult Dialogue — Thursday, Sept. 12
This workshop was designed for employees who want to learn high-impact strategies for facilitating respectful and productive conversations in various settings on campus, especially around contentious topics.

Talking Across Divides — Thursday, Sept. 12
Dr. Jackson shared strategies for navigating difficult conversations and promoting civil discourse across differences. Students and the community learned how to foster a climate of support, understanding, and respect in classrooms, on campus, and beyond.

National Voter Registration Day — Tuesday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tables will be located in the MUB Commons, the Opie Library, and Wadsworth Hall to check your voter registration status or register to vote.

Sharon McMahon — Thursday, Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Join us in welcoming "America's Government Teacher," Sharon McMahon for a free Constitution Week speaker event. 

Facilitating Difficult Conversations Workshop — Monday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m. to noon, and Monday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to noon.
Participants attend both sessions to gain foundational information for handling difficult work and/or peer conversations in a respectful and professional manner. 

Academic Freedom Decoded — Tuesday, Oct. 1, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Faculty will learn about the principles of academic freedom and engage in dialogue about how academic freedom applies in a variety of campus contexts.

Advocates and Allies Fall Workshop — Friday, Oct. 11, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Event details and registration information will be shared soon.

Global and Community Engagement Conference and Volunteer Fair — Oct. 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Global and Community Engagement Conference, themed "Igniting Change Through Generosity," celebrates efforts to address community needs through dialogue and action.

Note: Some programs are partially sponsored by the Visiting Professor Program, funded by a grant to the Office of the Provost from the State of Michigan's King-Chavez-Parks Initiative.

Build Bridges, Attend an Event!
We invite all members of the Michigan Tech community to participate and contribute to the ongoing dialogue. By engaging with different perspectives and fostering mutual understanding, we can create a more vibrant campus environment for everyone.

For more information about specific events, please visit the Michigan Tech Events Calendar and the Engagement and Belonging newsblog.

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Today's C-Cubed Luncheon Menu

Carved and Crafted Catering at Michigan Technological University invites you to join the C-Cubed Luncheon for the 2024-25 school year. The weekly luncheon is held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Thursday in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge (MUB 107). All faculty and staff, along with their guests, are invited.

Menu for Thursday, Sept. 19:

• Mediterranean Chicken Breast (AG, PR)
• Zucchini and Bulgur Stuffed Eggplant (VG)
• Mediterranean Salad (V, AG)
• Lemon Rice Pilaf (VG)
• Roasted Vegetables (V)

The C-Cubed lunch buffet menus are created and prepared by Chef Luis Delgado and his culinary team. As the name suggests, the meals are meant to foster conversation, community, and collegiality. Attendees may bring their lunch instead of purchasing the buffet. Fruit-infused water, coffee, tea, and cookies are available free to all attendees. All vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items on the buffet are labeled for easy identification. No takeout service or personal containers are permitted.

The buffet lunch is $15.49 per person. Cash, credit cards, and gift cards are accepted. Gift cards can be purchased in the Memorial Union office, room 101.

You can submit C-Cubed feedback using C-Cubed Survey/Comments form. To join the C-Cubed Luncheon Email List and receive weekly menus, please complete the sign-up form.

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

that thing between my teeth is my foot Exhibit - Michigan Tech Art

Wednesday, September 18, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT Douglas Degges is presenting two parallel artistic explorations in the Rozsa A-Space Gallery. Since the fall of 2019, Degges has been creating...

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Career Fest

Wednesday, September 18, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Stop by for a casual conversation with employers. This is a great way to practice your networking skills while learning about various companies and their career opportunities.

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First Year Students: Making the Most of Career Fair

Wednesday, September 18, 11:03 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 104B

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

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Lets Talk

Wednesday, September 18, 1–3 p.m. | CDI Basement

Let’s Talk allows students to have a brief conversation with an MTU counselor. This meeting is free, informal, & confidential for all students who would like to have a...

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Resume Review with Employers

Wednesday, September 18, 3–5 p.m. | Administration and Student Services Building, 220 Career Services

Take advantage of the opportunity to have an employer give you feedback on your resume after each Career Fest event.

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Boys' Basketball Little Huskies League

Wednesday, September 18, 4–6 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Multipurpose Gym

This league is open to boys entering grades 2 - 5 as of Fall 2024. Learning skills, working as a team, and having fun: that’s Michigan Tech’s Boys’ Basketball Little Huskies...

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Career Fair Prep: Landing a Full Time Job

Wednesday, September 18, 5–6 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 129

Learn what it takes to land a full time job in a competitive market.

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SoundGirls General Meeting!

Wednesday, September 18, 5–6 p.m. | Walker 210

SoundGirls strives to empower women and minorities in the audio industry. This year, we are working on a halloween themed reality TV show.