September 20, 2024

Gary Campbell (COB) was recently a guest on the podcast “Journals 101,” which hosts discussions about the world of academic publishing. The podcast was hosted by Brian Lucey, professor of international finance and commodities at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

In the podcast, Campbell discussed his work as reviewer and editor of Resources Policy, an international journal devoted to the economics and policy issues related to mineral and fossil fuel extraction, production and use. Campbell has been reviewing papers for the journal for close to 40 years, and for the past 12 years he has been editor-in-chief. Campbell will step down from the editor role this December.

Listen to the podcast or read more on the College of Business Newsblog.

The Advocates and Allies program at Michigan Tech is seeking interested faculty and staff to join our efforts to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and a sense of belonging (DEIS) on campus.

The program is comprised of two teams:

• Advocates Team — A group of faculty and staff men who work to improve the campus culture and work environment at MTU for women and underrepresented groups. The group meets about once a month and members take on projects and/or tasks they are interested in based on their available time.

• Advocates & Allies Advisory Board (A3B) — A group of underrepresented individuals on the basis of gender, ethnicity, race, disability status, sexuality, etc., who work to guide and advise the Advocates Team.

When advocating for policies and practices, the goal is that the A3B and Advocates will work closely together with the belief that well-intentioned ideas translate into policies and practices that most effectively achieve the goals of equity.

More details on the goals of the Advocates and Allies program are available on the A3B and Advocates Team Interest Form and on the program’s website.

Please complete the interest form by Oct. 15 in order to be considered.

The Advocates and Allies program was developed by ADVANCE at Michigan Tech, an NSF-funded initiative dedicated to increasing faculty retention, improving campus climate and enhancing the career success of our faculty, and is now supported by Engagement and Belonging.

Stop by the Fall Study Away Fair on Thursday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. near the Husky Statue to learn more about the various study away opportunities available to MTU students!

International Programs and Services (IPS) will have representatives and resources available from several different study away program types and international education opportunities.

Attending the Fall Study Away Fair is a great way to gain an initial understanding of:

• Spring break and summer faculty-led programs
• Semester international exchange university partnerships
• National student exchange partnerships (U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
• Summer research projects
• European project semester (Senior Design) partnerships
• Summer and semester programs (study, intern, research and service work) available through our partner study abroad organizations
• Study Abroad Scholarship opportunities
• Modern Language and Global Business minors
• Peace Corps Prep certificate
• And more!

After the fair, be sure to visit MTU Study Away to learn more and schedule an appointment to discuss how you can get started!

On Monday, Sept. 23, from 3-5 p.m., the Michigan Tech student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) will be hosting a Career Fair Mixer.

The mixer is an event for all chemical engineers across Tech to meet industry professionals and make connections. This event will be held outdoors on the patio between the MEEM and Chem Sci. Companies and recruiters attending this event have been invited to speak with students and to talk about their positions and the companies they work for.

CITGO, Georgia-Pacific, ChemDesign, Dow, Amcor, Kimberly-Clark, Corteva, Marathon and USG are among the list of companies that have made plans to attend.

If you are interested in attending, please feel free to stop by and make some industry connections.

Is your child looking for a new challenge? Sign up now for the Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP) Youth Indoor Rock Climbing Class and let them climb our wall! We try to meet each participant at their level and encourage them to challenge themselves.

Dates/Times:

• Rock Climbing Class dates are Oct. 11, Oct. 18, Nov. 1 and Nov. 8.
  Participants will be divided into two groups depending on age:
  
  • Ages 5-8 — 4-4:50 p.m.
    Classes will be spent letting students get used to climbing and allowing them to safely explore the climbing world while having fun.
  • Ages 9-14 — 5-5:50 p.m.
    We aim to help students improve their climbing skills with advice and technique to help them and build their confidence as climbers. All equipment will be provided including shoes, harnesses, and helmets.

For more information, visit Michigan Tech Recreation's Youth Rock Climbing Class page.

Wilderness First Responder (WFR) is the definitive course in medical training for outdoor educators, guides, search and rescue team members and others who work or play in remote areas. The curriculum is comprehensive and practical, including all of the essential principles and skills required to assess and manage medical problems in isolated and extreme environments. The on-site instruction that follows reinforces and expands on the knowledge already acquired. Because students arrive familiar with the didactic material, on-site daytime training can focus on wilderness and rescue scenarios and practical skills.

The course is offered through a hybrid five-day format for individuals and sponsors with less time available for on-site training. It requires 30 hours of preparation prior to the first in-person session. Students must register at least three weeks before the course date. All students must complete all required e-learning prior to arrival at the course. Participants must be 18 years or older. Cost is $800 per participant.

Course Dates:

• Session 1 — Dec. 16-20 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Session 2 — Feb. 24-28 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, visit Michigan Tech Recreation's Wilderness First Responder Course page.

Come hike Mount Baldy with the Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP)! Registration is open now for this Oct. 12 trip. We will hike to the top of Mount Baldy and stop to eat lunch and view the panoramic fall colors! On our way back to town, we will get a chance to stop at the Jampot and Jacob's Falls, as well as Eagle River Falls before arriving back to campus.

Date/Times:

• Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit Michigan Tech Recreation. We’ll see you on the trail!

Come check out Copper Harbor with the Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP) during fall break. Registration is open for this Oct. 19 trip — sign up today!

We will be canoeing around the harbor, looking at the fall colors and enjoying nature. We will spend around 90 minutes paddling around the harbor before heading back to campus.

Date/Times:

• Saturday, Oct. 19, from 2-6 p.m.

For more information, visit Michigan Tech Recreation. We’ll see you in the harbor!

Professor M. Bartley Seigel (HU) will be featured in Michigan Words, a statewide billboard campaign celebrating poetry by contemporary Michigan poets.

Michigan Words was developed by Michigan Poetry Laureate Nandi Comer as part of her 2023-24 tenure. The campaign is funded by a fellowship from the Academy of American Poets, which, in turn, is funded by the Mellon Foundation. Posters will also be going up in public libraries across the state.

More information is provided at the Library of Michigan website.

The Michigan Tech soccer team is set to open GLIAC play in Houghton.

The Huskies are hosting Davenport today, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m. and No. 1 Grand Valley State on Sunday, Sept. 22, at noon. The opening weekend will also serve as Parents Weekend for MTU.

Watch MTU Soccer on FloSports. A subscription required — a discount is available for students.

Read the soccer preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Michigan Tech volleyball begins GLIAC play this weekend on the road.

The Huskies (4-3) are taking on Purdue Northwest today, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. ET. Their trip wraps up at UW-Parkside tomorrow, Sept. 21, at 5 p.m. ET.

Watch MTU Volleyball on FloSports. A subscription required — a discount is available for students.

Read the volleyball preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Michigan Tech cross country teams are back in action today, Sept. 20, at the Roy Griak Invitational, hosted by the University of Minnesota at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in St. Paul.

Michigan Tech has 23 men competing in the Jo Rider Men's Maroon race at 12:30 p.m. and 17 women racing in the Suzy Wilson Women's Maroon race at 1:15 p.m. The men's race has 28 teams competing and the women's race contains 29 teams.

Live results of the event will be posted by PrimeTime Timing.

Read the cross country preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Michigan Tech men's basketball has announced this year's Basketball Raffle Fundraiser Event will take place on Oct. 26 from 7-9 p.m. at the banquet hall of Bonfire Steakhouse in Houghton, located at 408 Montezuma Ave.

Those planning to attend must RSVP by Oct. 18. Tickets are available through current players and members of the coaching staff (MBB office: 906-487-1575).

The event will feature a Reverse Raffle where all tickets go into a drum and the last ticket drawn out is the winner of a large cash grand prize. Seven additional prizes will be drawn. Proceeds will help fund a future international trip for the team.

Read more and see ticket prices at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Eight former Michigan Tech hockey players are at NHL training camps that began this week. The NHL regular season starts on Oct. 4.

• Arvid Caderoth — LA Kings
• Pheonix Copley — LA Kings
• Brian Halonen — New Jersey Devils
• Michael Karow — Dallas Stars
• Jujhar Khaira — Tampa Bay Lightning
• Jake Lucchini — Nashville Predators
• Logan Pietila — Pittsburgh Penguins
• Matt Roy — Washington Capitals

Read about their NHL careers at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Job Postings for Friday, Sept. 20, 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.

Cook's Helper (nine months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24270, 24287, Dining Services (AFSCME posting dates Sept. 20 to Sept. 26, 2024 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Food Service Helper (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24245, Dining Services (AFSCME posting dates Sept. 20 to Sept. 26, 2024 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Custodian (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24284, Facilities Management (AFSCME posting dates Sept. 20 to Sept. 26, 2024 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Building Mechanic III (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24285, Facilities Management (AFSCME posting dates Sept. 20 to Sept. 26, 2024 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Building Mechanic I (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24286, Facilities Management (AFSCME posting dates Sept. 20 to Sept. 26, 2024 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Office Assistant (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24293, Athletics and Recreation (UAW posting dates Sept. 20 to Sept. 26, 2024 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal UAW applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal UAW posting dates). 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.

Shari Stockero (PsyHF/RISE) is the principal investigator on a project that has received a $383,350 research and development grant from the National Science Foundation.

The project is titled "Collaborative Research: Designing a Teacher Learning Sequence for Building on Mathematical Opportunities in Student Thinking."

This is a potential four-year project.

A team including Michigan Tech research groups led by Greg Odegard (MAE) and Ravi Pandey (Physics) has published a research article in Nature Communications.

The article is titled "Implementing reactivity in molecular dynamics simulations with harmonic force fields."

The research groups of Hendrik Heinz of the University of Colorado Boulder, Adri van Duin of Penn State, and Pieter J. in ‘t Veld of BASF, Germany, collaborated on the study.

The research highlights the development of the Reactive INTERFACE Force Field (IFF-R) for molecular dynamics simulations for various material systems, including molecules, nanotubes, metals and polymer composites. The newly developed IFF-R, which incorporates specific chemical environments and electronic structure effects as needed, is both accurate and efficient, requiring significantly fewer computational resources relative to current reactive force fields to predict the structural and mechanical properties of complex biological and material structures, from atomic to micrometer scales.

The work was partially supported by grant NNX17AJ32G from the NASA Space Technology Research Institute for Ultra-Strong Composites by Computational Design to Michigan Tech.

*****

M. Bartley Seigel (HU) is the author of a book of poetry published by Wayne State University Press.

The book is titled "In the Bone-Cracking Cold: Poems."

From the press:
Artfully wrought poems tracing the intimate contours of self, nature, and history. Immersed in the rugged beauty and complex history of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, M. Bartley Seigel steers his second poetry collection through the terrain of the tangible and the mythical to capture the essence of the region's mining towns and dense forests and the vastness of Lake Superior. Through a cumulation of sonnets, prose poems, and open forms, In the Bone-Cracking Cold unfolds across a year, beginning and ending in winter. Seigel carefully weaves and unravels the complexities of love and loss, the legacy of colonialism, and the deep bond between nature, people, and place. Poems like 'Beach Glass' highlight Seigel's lyricism, while his series of sonnets and a variety of open forms reveal joyfully flexible innovation. With a voice that is both striking and unpretentious, Seigel's poems remain hopeful regardless of uncertainty and curious despite the threat of apathy, inviting readers to connect with a landscape as iconic as it is misunderstood.

Chris Trevino (VPA) was a guest on Episode 277 of the “Tonebenders” sound design podcast, released Sept. 12. In the episode, titled “Field Recording For The National Parks Service with Chris Trevino,” he discussed his recent two-week field expedition to record natural soundscapes on Isle Royale. The trip was part of an ongoing contract with the National Park Service to develop a digital soundscape program for the park.

*****

Kristin Brzeski (CFRES) was mentioned by Mississippi State University as a partner in a $2.1 million grant project funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. The project aims to study red wolf ancestry among wild canines along the Gulf Coast to further conservation efforts for the critically endangered species.

*****

Travis White (GLRC) was quoted by UpNorthLive and WSBT 22 News in stories about an autonomous surface vessel showcased at the Lakebed 2030 Conference in Traverse City. In partnership with Ocean Infinity, the vessel aims to map the Great Lakes by 2030. White emphasized the importance of the project, noting that less than 15% of the lakes have been mapped at high resolution.

*****

UPword mentioned Jason Makela (MAE) in a feature about Finnish traditions and the continued use of Finnish saunas in the Upper Peninsula. Makela discussed his connection to the tradition and his sauna company, Takka Saunas, which will soon be opening in Hancock.

*****

USCHO.com, WZMQ 19 News and The Keweenaw Report, and USCHO.com covered the announcement of Raymond Brice ’20 (B.S. Civil Engineering) being named an assistant coach for Michigan Tech hockey. Brice, a former Huskies captain, returns to Tech as the Huskies prepare for the 2024-25 season.

*****

The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned the upcoming Tech Trails Trot on Oct. 5. The event, a fundraiser for Michigan Tech’s cross country and track and field teams, will feature a 10K (Husky Gold), a 5K (Husky Black), and a 2K for children (Little Huskies). Michigan Tech athletes are helping organize the races and will participate.

*****

UPword highlighted the fall 2024 growth of Michigan Tech’s student body in a story about increasing enrollment across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula universities. The numbers were originally announced Sept. 9 by Michigan Tech News. 

*****

TechCentury mentioned R. Cory Heigl ’99 (B.S. Scientific and Technical Communication) in a story about his appointment as general manager of Peninsula Fiber Network.

Chemistry Seminar with Dennis Livesay

Dennis Livesay, professor and dean of the College of Computing at Michigan Technological University, will be presenting at this week's Chemistry Seminar.

The seminar will be held in person from 3-4 p.m. today, Sept. 20, in Chem Sci 101.

Livesay’s presentation is titled "Does Nature Love Chemistry and Physics as Much as I Do? Integrating First-Principles and Empirical Descriptions of Protein Family Evolution.”

From the abstract:
The main goal of my research is to elucidate the molecular origins of protein family evolution. How does nature conserve function across a protein family despite significant sequence and structure variability? Conversely, what are the consequences of divergence within a family of proteins that, at a high level, do the same thing? In this presentation, I will explore these questions through the lens of protein dynamics using a combination of computational biophysics and bioinformatics methods. I will start by discussing the large and long-range impacts of single point mutations on protein dynamics, and will then introduce the idea of compensation where additional mutations can reestablish evolutionarily important features. Finally, I will conclude by applying our techniques to understand the evolutionary pressures impacting β-lactamase evolution, which underlies many antibiotic resistance mechanisms.

Livesay currently serves as the Dave House Dean of Computing at Michigan Technological University. He came to Michigan Tech with broad administrative experience and has previously had tenured/tenure-track appointments in departments of applied computing, bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, chemistry, and computer science. He received his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Livesay’s research interests are in computational biophysics and bioinformatics with a specific focus on protein family sequence/structure/function relationships, especially as related to how physicochemical properties vary with evolutionary divergence. During his research career, Livesay’s lab was continuously funded by external grants, primarily from the National Institutes of Health and MedImmune, a large biotech company. He has been a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Research Corporation and the W.M. Keck Foundation, and has served on the editorial board of seven journals, including BMC Bioinformatics and PLOS Computational Biology, two of the top journals in the discipline.

*****

Tomorrow: The Henes Workshop on Computational Mathematics

Tomorrow, 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"

*****

Math Colloquium with Yanzhao Cao

The Department of Mathematical Sciences (Math) will host a Math Colloquium today, Sept. 19, from 1-1:50 p.m. in Fisher 327B.

Yanzhao Cao from Auburn University will present "Machine Learning with Stochastic Differential Equations."

Cao will demonstrate the pivotal role that stochastic, particularly Itô calculus, can play in advancing modern artificial intelligence methods.

*****

PhD Opportunity in Chemical Engineering

Maria Gencoglu's research group in the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) at Michigan Technological University is seeking applications for a Ph.D. position starting in spring 2025. The research will focus on biomaterial-based platforms for cancer tissue engineering. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Gencoglu began her tenure-track position as an assistant professor at Michigan Tech in August 2024. Her research interests include cancer tissue engineering, scaffold-based disease modeling, molecular mechanisms of diseases, and 3D organoids and spheroids models.

Motivated candidates with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in chemical engineering, biomedical engineering or bioengineering are encouraged to apply. Candidates with experience in the previously mentioned areas are preferred.

How to Apply: Interested candidates should email the following documents to Gencoglu at mgencogl@mtu.edu with the subject “Ph.D. Application_FirstName_LastName”.

• A cover letter detailing your research interests and relevant experience
• A detailed CV or resume

All potential graduate students must apply and be accepted to the graduate program in chemical engineering. For further information, please contact the Graduate School at Michigan Tech.

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

Cross Country at Roy Griak Invitational

Friday, September 20, 12–3 a.m. | Minneapolis, Minn.

Cross Country at Roy Griak Invitational Minneapolis, Minn.

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

Friday, September 20, 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...

Mechanical Engineering Careers At Nucor

Friday, September 20, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. | R.L. Smith Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building (MEEM), ME-EM Lobby

Meet with representatives from Nucor and learn about the career opportunities available in the steel industry.

GM Energy Day

Friday, September 20, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. | Campus Mall, CareerFEST Tent

Explore GM Energy Innovations future technology and take a ride in a current GM product.

Career Closet

Friday, September 20, 3–6 p.m. | Wadsworth Hall, G04W

The Career Closet is a give-away of gently worn business clothing to assist students in preparing for Career Fair and other career opportunities. In order to provide as many...

Flow-Mediated Mechanisms of Endothelial Cell Resilience

Friday, September 20, 3–4 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Julia Jeannine Mack University of California, Los Angeles Abstract The luminal surface of blood vessels is comprised of a monolayer...

Women's Soccer vs Davenport

Friday, September 20, 6–9 p.m. | Sherman Field

Women's Soccer vs Davenport Houghton, Mich.

Women's Volleyball at Purdue Northwest

Friday, September 20, 7–10 p.m. | Hammond, Ind.

Women's Volleyball at Purdue Northwest Hammond, Ind.

Wilderness First Responder 5-Day Course

September 20, all day

Wilderness First Responder (WFR) is the definitive course in medical training for outdoor educators, guides, SAR team members, and others who work or play in remote areas. The...

The Graduate School is pleased to announce the following dissertation, thesis and report defenses occurring next week. Please consider attending to learn more about our students’ scholarship and celebrate their academic accomplishments. Check the University Events Calendar for last-minute updates to times, dates and locations.