October 11, 2024

Earlier this fall, the Michigan Tech College of Sciences and Arts (CSA) gathered to celebrate the induction of five remarkable and accomplished alumni into the CSA Academy. This year’s CSA Academy inductees are Kimberly Hilton, Gary A. Karicky M.D., Leann Nitschke M.D., Carly Robinson and Ping Yang.

CSA Dean LaReesa Wolfenbarger hosted the ceremony honoring the alumni and their contributions to a better tomorrow, which run the gamut from advancing scientific discovery to serving the nation and their communities through defense readiness, health care, education and public engagement.

Learn more about the honorees’ accomplishments and access their full alumni profiles on the College of Sciences and Arts Newsblog.

The Essential Education Steering Committee has finalized the following documents:

• Proposal Form: The Essential Education Proposal & List Change Form can be used to either propose a new course for one of the Essential Education course lists or to switch courses between lists.

• Requirements for Course Lists: The Requirements for Course Lists document provides a list of required and desirable elements for each Essential Ed course list.

The deadline to submit proposals has been extended to Oct. 25.

Google doc versions of the proposal form specific for new Michigan Tech courses and existing Michigan Tech courses are also provided to help you draft content for the proposal form; however, please submit your proposals using the proposal form.

For questions, please contact Steve Patchin at shpatchi@mtu.edu.

The Van Pelt and Opie Library has invited three candidates to interview for the Collections Strategist Librarian position. Each candidate will give a presentation on the challenges and potential strategies to address the issue of increasing subscription costs.

Members of the Michigan Tech community are invited to attend the candidate presentations scheduled for Oct. 18, Oct. 21 and Oct. 23. All presentations will take place in the East Reading Room of the library at 11 a.m. and last one hour, which includes 15 minutes for questions and answers. For those who cannot attend, recordings of the presentations will be made available.

The search committee encourages and welcomes feedback from the campus community. A feedback form will be made available through both the library’s website and a Tech Today posting following each candidate visit. Feedback will be collected through Oct. 29.

Candidate resumes, itineraries and the presentation topic are available upon request. Please contact Nora Allred at nsallred@mtu.edu or Angela Badke at ambadke@mtu.edu for access.

Tonight, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m., experience the captivating sounds of Hub New Music as they make their Upper Peninsula debut in an intimate concert in McArdle Theatre. The Detroit-based boundary-pushing quartet, celebrated for fresh and bold music that lives on the edge of contemporary classical music, invites you to immerse yourself in a dynamic performance that ignites the imagination.

Coordinated by Libby Meyer (VPA), the mind behind Michigan Tech’s “New Music in the Mine” concerts, the Hub New Music concert is part of the 2024/25 Rozsa Presenting Series. The 60-minute concert will include five pieces written just for Hub, including a special work-in-progress performance of Daniel Wohl’s new work, “Mirage,” with the composer in attendance.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear Hub New Music up close, where the power of their artistry meets the warmth of an intimate McArdle concert.

Concert Details:

• What: Rozsa Presenting Series Performance by Hub New Music
• When: Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: McArdle Theatre

Get Tickets.

The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra (KSO) performs “Sibelius Symphony No. 2,” its first concert of the 2024/25 Michigan Tech Music Series, at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 12, at the Rozsa Center. This 90-minute concert includes three works that will appeal to fans of Finnish culture, symphony and choral music.

Conducted by Jared Anderson (VPA), the first half of the concert opens with a piece by Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, and then the Michigan Tech Concert Choir will join the KSO for a performance of a work by Brahms. The second act features the title piece, Symphony No. 2 by Jean Sibelius. Inspired by nature and Nordic mythology, Sibelius’ music is renowned for capturing the essence of Finnish culture, making it a perfect season opener for the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra.

Concert Details:

• What: Sibelius Symphony No. 2 with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra
• When: Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

Get Tickets.

Mark your calendar! Registration for Session 2 of Fall 2024 Michigan Tech Aquatics programs closes on Wednesday, Oct. 16!

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.

Michigan Tech hockey is opening the regular season against Alaska at home for the second straight season. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. tonight, Oct. 11, and 6:07 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 12, at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Tech played three games against Alaska last season with an overtime win, a tie and shootout win, and a loss.

Fans can listen to Michigan Tech hockey live on the radio at Mix 93.5 WKMJ-FM or online at TheMix93.com or Pasty.net.

Watch MTU hockey on Midco Sports Plus 2 (subscription required).

Read the hockey preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Michigan Tech cross country squads are back in action tomorrow, Oct. 12, at the Lewis Crossover Invitational hosted by Lewis University.

Due to field sizes, this year the Lewis Crossover will have a championship race (limited to 12 per roster) and an open race.

Race Schedule:

10:45 a.m. — Men's 6,000m Race
11:30 a.m. — Women's 8,000m Race
12:15 p.m. — Women's Open 6,000m Race
1 p.m. — Men's Open 8,000m Race

Live results and a livestream of the meet can be found on the Michigan Tech Athletics' Live Events page. In addition, The Stride Report will be on-site doing live color commentary on their YouTube channel and holding post-race interviews.

Read the cross country preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Oct. 5-12 is Student-Athlete Mental Health Awareness Week. Throughout this week, Michigan Tech Athletics is highlighting its commitment to eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health. Student-athletes, coaches and staff are sporting a green ribbon in solidarity with those experiencing mental health challenges.

To all those struggling, you don't have to walk alone or suffer in silence. Dial 988 to start the conversation. We look toward a future free from mental health stigma, because each and every one of us has mental health, and mental health matters.

Job Postings for Friday, Oct. 11, 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.

Associate Dean – Graduate and Online Education, College of Engineering. Apply online.

Assistant Professor – Environmental Data Science and Biostatistics, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. Apply online.

Postdoctoral Scholar – Dissolved Organic Matter Biogeochemistry, Biological Sciences. Apply online.

Administrative Aide (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24309, Psychology and Human Factors (UAW posting dates Oct. 11 to Oct. 17, 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.

Administrative Aide (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24316, Financial Services and Operations (UAW posting dates Oct. 11 to Oct. 17, 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.

Shardul Tiwari ’22 (Ph.D. Environmental and Energy Policy), Zoé Ketola ’23 (M.S. Environmental and Energy Policy), Chelsea Schelly (SS) and Eric Boyer-Cole ’22 (B.S. Policy and Community Development) are collaborators on a paper published in Rural Sociology.

The paper is titled "Energy Service Security for Public Health Resilience: Perception and Concerns in Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan."

The paper reports on a study that was funded by the Natural Hazards Center to examine the linkages between energy services access, public health and community resilience in the Western U.P.

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Ph.D. candidate Thi Mai Anh Tran (forest science), Valoree S. Gagnon (CFRES) and Chelsea Schelly (SS) are co-authors of a paper published in Forests, Trees and Livelihoods.

The paper is titled “A review of traditional ecological knowledge in resilient livelihoods and forest ecosystems: lessons for restoration sciences and practices.”

Tiffany Lewis (Physics) was quoted by Physics Today in an article describing the challenges and responsibilities faced by early-career faculty. Lewis’ comments described her strategies for writing research proposals, group building and management, and lecture preparation.

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University President Rick Koubek was quoted by WLUC TV6 in a story about the Wake Up Keweenaw breakfast, where he discussed the university’s strong student attendance. Koubek emphasized maintaining traditions and community support to ensure future success.

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Education News Canada mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about research led by Adjunct Professor Joshua Pearce (MSE). Pearce and his Michigan Tech collaborators are exploring the use of microbial processes to convert plastic waste into edible biomass as part of a project funded by DARPA.

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The Conversation published an article written by Adjunct Professor Joshua Pearce (MSE) about the economic advantages of going off-grid with solar and battery systems. Pearce’s study highlights the potential cost savings while also raising concerns about various environmental impacts. The story was picked up by 10 additional news outlets.

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The Keweenaw Report mentioned Michigan Tech’s Blue Key Honor Society and undergraduate student Alexa Hooganboom in a story about MTU’s 2025 Winter Carnival, taking place Feb. 5-8.

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ExecutiveGov mentioned Michigan Tech alumnus Keith DeVries ’98 (B.S. Electrical Engineering) in a story about his promotion to director of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) program.

Production System Maintenance on Sunday

A production system maintenance window is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 13, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The following production services will be unavailable during that time:

• Apps.mtu.edu
• Banner
• Banweb
• MyMichiganTech
• Aspire
• Course Tools
• Fischer/mylogin.mtu.edu
• mtu.edu/tips
• OAP Rental System
• Oracle Reports
• Papercut Printing
• Perceptive Content (Imagenow)
• Pinnacle
• Sunapsis
• 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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IPEC Membership Social Tonight

The Institute for Policy, Ethics, and Culture (IPEC) is hosting a membership social in Walker 139 tonight, Oct. 11, from 5-7 p.m.

New, prospective and returning members of IPEC are welcome to join us for an evening of welcoming all back to campus for the fall semester. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow IPEC members, make new connections and discuss your research.

Refreshments will be provided.

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Chemistry Seminar with Tatyana G. Karabencheva-Christova

Tatyana G. Karabencheva-Christova, from the Department of Chemistry at Michigan Technological University, will be presenting at this week's Chemistry Seminar.

The seminar will be held in person at 3-4 p.m. today, Oct. 11, in Chem Sci 101.

Karabencheva-Christova’s presentation is titled “Revealing Catalytic Strategies of Metalloenzymes.”

From the abstract:
More than 30% of all enzymes with essential physiological functions contain metal ions in their active sites. Therefore, metalloenzymes are critical therapeutic targets in developing inhibitors and drugs. The discovery of effective therapeutics that target metalloenzymes requires a thorough understanding of metalloenzymes' structure and catalytic strategies. Computational chemistry methods have become a powerful tool for exploring the structure and revealing mechanistic insights into metalloenzyme catalysis, which cannot be obtained experimentally. Applying multilevel computational chemistry methods, we explored the catalytic mechanisms and structure-function relationships of two large groups of metalloenzymes: (1) zinc (II)-dependent matrix metalloproteinases and (2) non-heme Iron (II)-containing enzymes. In particular, the research implements multilevel computational chemistry methods to explore the conformational diversity of enzyme-substrate complexes and to study enzyme reaction mechanisms within the natural protein environment, as well to explore the role of clinically important mutations on metalloenzyme mechanisms. These findings illuminate atomic and electronic scale details, which cannot be obtained by experimental techniques. Ultimately, the research provides insights into the structure-function relationships of metal-containing enzymes that permit fundamental advances in artificial metalloenzymes design, chemical biology, and drug discovery.

Karabencheva-Christova began her independent faculty career in 2011 as an assistant professor at Northumbria University, U.K., where she later became a tenured associate professor. In 2017, she joined the Department of Chemistry at MTU as a research associate professor, and in 2019, she transitioned to a tenure-track associate professor role. Since 2022, she has been a tenured associate professor.

Over her 13-plus years in academia, Karabencheva-Christova has built a strong track record in scholarship, external funding and student advising. At MTU, her research group is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She has previously received support from the European Commission, the European Molecular Biology Organization, and High-Performance Computing-Europe. She has been a visiting scholar at Stanford University. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of ChemPhysChem, is an associate editor for the Journal of Computational Biophysics and Chemistry, and has acted as a volume editor/co-editor for the Elsevier Book Series “Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology.” She has also co-edited special issues for the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (MDPI).

Karabencheva-Christova serves on review panels for the NIH, NSF and EU, and reviews for the U.S. Department of Energy, American Chemical Society, and Royal Society of Chemistry journals. Her group’s research has been featured on the covers of several peer-reviewed journals.

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SPARC Mobile Atmospheric Research Laboratory Visiting MTU Today

A National Science Foundation (NSF) mobile atmospheric research laboratory is visiting Michigan Tech today, Oct. 11, and the campus community is invited to tour the facility.

The SSEC Portable Atmospheric Research Center (SPARC), a 35-foot towable trailer housed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Space Science and Engineering Center, will be open for touring anytime from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today near the Husky Statue.

The trailer is visiting the Keweenaw Peninsula from Oct. 10-23 as part of an NSF-funded education and outreach project called “Lake Induced Trapping Along the Superior Coast,” or LITESC. The SPARC trailer’s advanced instruments are able to characterize the lowest 1-2 kilometers of the atmosphere, called the atmospheric boundary layer. The objective of the NSF project is to characterize atmospheric structure and how that structure traps air constituents.

LITESC augments another research project funded by the Environmental Protection Agency on the effects of lake breezes and temperature inversions on air quality on the Keweenaw. As part of these projects, a team of Michigan Tech scientists and engineers will conduct measurements of the Keweenaw atmosphere in various locations during the SPARC facility’s visit, said Professor Judith Perlinger (CEGE), principal investigator of the NSF project and lead scientist of the air quality aspects of the EPA project.

Led by Perlinger, Assistant Professor Shawn Brueshaber (MAE) and Postdoctoral Scholar Sandeep Chaudhry (CEGE), 20 MTU students will assist in taking measurements alongside University of Wisconsin-Madison students led by UW Professor Ankur Desai. The measurements will be conducted in sync with sampling for the EPA project.

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Faculty Volunteers Needed for Winter Carnival Judging!

It is already time to begin preparing for this year's Winter Carnival, hosted by the Blue Key National Honor Society at Michigan Technological University. Blue Key is responsible for many of the events that make up Winter Carnival, one of these being the Royalty Coronation!

We are looking for faculty volunteers who would be interested in being a preliminary judge for this year's Royalty candidates. Preliminary judging will take place on Nov. 16 beginning at 8 a.m. in the Wads Cherry Room (Wads 138W). The length of the preliminary judging will depend on the number of candidates, but will run no later than 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided. In addition, you will also receive two free tickets to the Winter Carnival coronation, scheduled for Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Rozsa.

If you are interested and able to commit, please email bkroyalty@mtu.edu no later than Nov. 1.

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Campus Dining Survey Seeks Your Feedback

Michigan Tech Dining Services requests your participation in a campus dining survey.

Tell us what you think! From the food offered at retail locations to the residential dining halls, we want to know what you think about Husky Eats. Your feedback is extremely important to us and will be used to help us create a happier, tastier dining experience as we reinvent the dining here on campus.

The survey should only take 8-10 minutes to complete. All survey entries will be entered into a drawing for the ultimate MTU Gift Bundle!

Get started on the survey now!

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

Friday, October 11, 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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Board of Trustees Meeting

Friday, October 11, 9 a.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom B

Regular meeting of Michigan Technological University Board of Trustees

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Graduating and Still Looking?

Friday, October 11, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | Administration and Student Services Building, 220 Career Services

Are you graduating soon and need help finding a job? Come in for a coffee and chat with one of our career advisors. We can help tailor your search, review your resume, bounce...

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Advocates and Allies Fall Workshop

Friday, October 11, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Alumni Lounge

Have you noticed that different people have vastly different experiences in classes, meetings, informal and formal events, and other interactions on campus? Ever notice that...

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Auto enthusiasts LSPR spectator guide

Friday, October 11, 12–1 p.m. | Lot 10E

Hello everyone Attached is a guide for those planning to spectate Lake Superior Performance Rally. We plan to meet at old lot10E (lot 26) a link to a Google maps pin is...

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Cookies & Coloring

Friday, October 11, 1–3 p.m. | CDI Basement

De-stress with an afternoon of adult coloring and learn more about what the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being offers! Located in the basement of CDI and hosted...

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Distinguished Lecture Series by Professor Massimo Moraldi

Friday, October 11, 1–2 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 327

The Elizabeth and Richard Henes Center for Quantum Phenomena is pleased to announce that Professor Massimo Moraldi, from the University of Florence and Michigan Tech...

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Enhancing and Diversify Sources of Critical Materials: Developing Technologies for Mitigating Supply Chain Risks

Friday, October 11, 1 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 201

Chemical Engineering Seminar Thomas Lograsso Ames National Laboratory Abstract Unlocking new sources of critical materials for the clean energy transition has a number of...

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Scalable and Structural Human Cell-Derived Extracellular Matrix for Cardiovascular and Skin Tissue Regeneration

Friday, October 11, 3–4 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Feng Zhao Texas A&M University Abstract Human cell-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) closely mimics the native tissue...

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Transformational (Not Transactional) Philanthropy with Lisa Dietlin

Friday, October 11, 3:00–4:30 p.m. | Lakeshore Center, 123

Join the Keweenaw Community Foundation and the Pavlis Honors College for an insightful session on building meaningful, long-lasting donor relationships in today’s evolving...

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PADI Open Water SCUBA Course

Friday, October 11, 4–7 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), SDC Pool & SDC Room 238

This PADI Open Water Diver Course is conducted over two weekends and includes: 10 hours of academic instruction (some coursework to be completed independently), 10 hours of...

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Python Workshop

Friday, October 11, 5–6 p.m. | Rekhi 113

A free, in person, python workshop for beginners!

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Men's Ice Hockey vs Alaska

Friday, October 11, 7:07–10:07 p.m. | John MacInnes Student Ice Arena

Men's Ice Hockey vs Alaska Houghton, Mich.

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Hub New Music - Rozsa Presenting Series

Friday, October 11, 7:30 p.m. | McArdle Theatre

ROZSA PRESENTING SERIES EVENT Called “contemporary chamber trailblazers” by the Boston Globe, Hub New Music is a “nimble quartet of winds and strings” (NPR) forging new...