November 14, 2024

The University invited two additional candidates to interview for the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Senior Vice President for Administration position. Candidate interviews will be conducted over two days and will include a presentation of their vision for research at Michigan Tech at an open forum.

Candidate Open Forum Presentation:
Friday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. in MUB Ballroom B
CFO candidate Calvin Yu will provide a public presentation titled “Academic Finance and Administration: A Vision for Michigan Tech” at an open forum tomorrow, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. in Ballroom B of the Memorial Union.

Candidate resumes, cover letters, interview dates and open forum information can be viewed at the Chief Financial Officer Search page. A Michigan Tech login is required to view candidate information.

The search committee encourages the campus community to attend and to provide feedback by completing the anonymous comment form provided on the candidate webpage. Feedback forms will be posted immediately following each candidate's visit and remain available for 72 hours following the last candidate’s visit.

Recordings of the candidate presentations will be available to those who are unable to attend because of a valid scheduling conflict, those working 100% remotely and those who have accommodations. Please contact the Office of the President at hlherman@mtu.edu to request access.

Benefits Services would like to invite you to our Open Enrollment Support Sessions!

The 2025 Benefits Open Enrollment is an active enrollment, which means all benefits eligible employees are required to complete Open Enrollment.

• Open Enrollment Period: Begins Monday, Nov. 11, and ends Monday, Nov. 25
• Benefits Plan Year: Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025

Open Enrollment Support Sessions will be offered during the following computer lab hours with Human Resources:

• Monday, Nov. 18 — 12-5 p.m. in Fisher 330
• Wednesday, Nov. 20 — from 12-5 p.m. in Fisher 330
• Friday, Nov. 22 — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lakeshore Center 2nd Floor

If another time is needed, please contact Benefits Services to set up your 1-on-1 session at 906-487-2517 or hr-help@mtu.edu.

Accessibility best practices and guidelines for University social media accounts are now available on the Michigan Tech Social Media Blog.

Michigan Tech is committed to making digital communications accessible to everyone. These guidelines aim to help MTU employees who act as social media admins (SMAs) ensure your content enhances inclusivity and is in compliance with accessibility standards and requirements.

The blog shares best practices for social media accessibility on topics including alt text for images, closed captions for videos, use of hashtags, color contrast and readability, and use of plain language and emojis.

It also includes suggestions for testing your content's accessibility and links to resources for continued learning.

Learn More About Social Media Accessibility.

Do you have an innovative business or product idea that addresses real-world problems and opportunities? Husky Innovate invites students to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges and compete for cash prizes.

• Competition Date: Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 5-7 p.m. in M&M U115
• Registration Deadline: Sunday, Nov. 17, at 11:59 p.m.
• Prizes:
  • First Place: $500
  • Second Place: $300
  • Third Place: $200
  • Additional awards for Social Innovation and Audience Choice

Find full details and the registration link on Husky Innovate's Idea Pitch Competition 2024 webpage.

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.

Movement of Tagged Property
With recent changes in space on campus, FSO would like to remind faculty and staff that permanent location changes of tagged Michigan Tech property must be reported in a timely manner to the Property Office. A location change is considered permanent if the property will not return to its original on- or off-campus location (documented in Banner) within four weeks.

Please work with your department’s equipment coordinator to make sure location changes are reported. A list of equipment coordinators by department is available in the Property Procedures Manual.

All departments contribute to successful audits. As a reminder, our annual physical inventory provides the Office of Naval Research an assessment of the effectiveness of our property management system, including our location accuracy. Receiving positive audit opinions allows Michigan Tech to continue to receive federal funds for research and to meet government and sponsor requirements.

For questions, please contact property-l@mtu.edu.

Michigan Tech soccer fell behind by four goals during the opening 14 minutes of the GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinal against Northern Michigan. The Huskies ultimately lost to the Wildcats 5-0 at the NMU Soccer Field on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

"Today was a tough way for our season to end, but I am proud of the fight of our team all the way until the end. Northern is a solid team and has a lethal attacking group that made us pay early in the game," said Michigan Tech soccer head coach Melissa Kuhar. "We tactically tried something different due to the injuries across our backline but Northern was able to expose us on the outside and finished their chances."

"Huge thank-you to the seniors on this team for what they gave this program," Kuhar continued. "I speak for the team and myself when I say we are glad we got to go on this journey alongside them. We take this season and learn from it and get better in the offseason. Tomorrow starts the process to get better!"

Read more soccer news at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Michigan Tech volleyball will wrap up the regular season this weekend. The Huskies play at Saginaw Valley State tomorrow, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. and Lake Superior State on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m.

Watch MTU volleyball on FloSports (subscription required — a discount is available for students).

Read the volleyball preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

James DeGraff (GMES) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received $118,898 in matched grant funding from the National Park Service (NPS).

The project, titled “Preservation, Indexing, and Enhanced Utility of Historic Copper Mining Drill Hole Records,” is part of NPS’s Save America’s Treasures grant program, established in 1988 to celebrate America's premier cultural resources.

Lindsay Hiltunen (VPOL), Don Lafreniere (SS/GRF) and Erika Vye (GLRC) are co-PIs on the project, which will digitize and organize historic copper mining records from over 650 holes drilled from 1899 to 1970.

The copper mining records from this time period have both historical significance for the development of drilling technology and geologic knowledge, as well as ongoing scientific value given the current emphasis on America’s need for domestically sourced critical minerals. When complete, the project will result in digital preservation of primary source materials and enhanced utility of extracted data that will be available online to the general public via an interactive map.

NPS announced this year's grant funding in August, highlighting Michigan Tech and two other recipients in a news release. In total, the Save America’s Treasures grant program this year funded 59 projects through the Historic Preservation Fund that will preserve nationally significant sites and historic collections in 26 states and the District of Columbia.

Michigan Tech researchers had three presentations in the 2024 Railroad Environmental Conference, held from Oct. 29-30 in Urbana, Illinois. The annual conference brings together almost 400 industry and academia members annually to discuss sustainability and environmental issues related to rail transportation.

Pasi Lautala (CEGE) and Ph.D. candidate Mohammad Anas Taeb (civil engineering) presented on "Parameterized Life Cycle Information Models and Sensitivity Analysis of Embodied Carbon and Emissions of Railway Track Maintenance Activities."

Ph.D. students Amir Tajik and Saeed Sohrabi (both civil engineering) presented on "Coastal Railroads Damage Estimation and Mitigation Subjected to Storm-induced Inundation, Surge, and Wave."

Lautala, Jeremy Worm (MAE/APSRC) and Zach Stanchina (APSRC) presented on "Evaluation of Alternative Methods of Reducing Emissions in non-Tier Locomotives."

Brad King (MAE) was mentioned and Joe Panella ’82 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) was quoted by the Association for Manufacturing Technology in a story about the satellite thruster innovations at Orbion Space Technology in Houghton.

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The Daily Mining Gazette quoted Dan Mettlach (ATH) in a story on the growth of Michigan Tech’s football program under his leadership. Mettlach highlighted the team’s resilience and dedication and shared his vision for building a winning mindset across the program.

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The Keweenaw Report mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the upcoming Return North career fair, hosted by MTEC SmartZone. The event is sponsored by Michigan Tech, MTEC SmartZone and Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! and aims to connect regional employers with midcareer professionals interested in returning to the Upper Peninsula.

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WLUC TV6 mentioned Michigan Tech in a story on the recent appointment of Chelsea Rheault ’22 (B.S. Accounting) as Houghton County’s new administrator.

Physics Colloquium with Llorenç Cremonesi

Llorenç Cremonesi, postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Milan, Italy, will present at this week's Physics Colloquium. Cremonesi's presentation is titled "Radiative Properties of Dielectric and Absorbing Aggregates."

The seminar will be presented at 4 p.m. today, Nov. 14, in Fisher 139. The coffee hour will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Fisher Hall Lobby.

Read Cremonesi's abstract and bio at the University Events Calendar.

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MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker: Yuhang Hu

The next Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Graduate Seminar Speaker will present at 4 p.m. today, Nov. 14, in R. L. Smith 112.

Yuhang Hu will present "The Interplay Between Mechanics and Chemistry in Dynamic Polymers and Polymeric Gels."

Hu's research focuses on chemomechanics of soft active materials, an interdisciplinary area between mechanics and polymer chemistry. Her work involves both theory and experiment.

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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, 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, Nov. 14:

• Fajita Style Chicken Thighs (PR)
• Steak Fajita (PR)
• Portobello Fajita (VG) (CF)
• Flour Tortillas (VG)
• Tortilla Soup (V) (AG) (PR)
• Sopapillas
• Toppings:
  
  • Sour Cream (V) (AG)
  • Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese (V) (AG)
  • Pico de Gallo (VG) (AG)
  • Cuban Black Beans (VG)
  • Spanish Rice (VG) (AG)

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 $15.50 per person. Cash, credit cards and gift cards are accepted. Gift cards can be purchased in the Memorial Union Office (MUB 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.

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Seeking Local Western UP Food Recipes

My project group for SS4700 Communities and Research is designing, creating and sharing a cookbook that highlights the culinary traditions, diverse cultures and shared experiences of Western Upper Peninsula communities. Our hope is that this cookbook will have different recipes signifying the variety of cultures and food within the Western U.P. community. Our student group is collaborating with Western U.P. Food Systems Collaborative (WUPFSC) to help make and share this free and publicly available online cookbook.

If you have any recipes that you'd like to submit, fill out the Western U.P. Culture Food Recipes sharing form.

If you have any questions, please email western.cookbook@gmail.com or our advisor, Angie Carter, at ancarter@mtu.edu.

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BioSci Seminar Series Speaker: Jared Wolfe

Jared Wolfe, assistant professor of wildlife ecology in the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences at MTU, will present as part of the BioSci Seminar Series from 3-4 p.m. today, Nov. 14, in person in GLRC 202 and virtually via Zoom.

Join the BioSci Seminar on Zoom.

Wolfe’s presentation is titled “Silent Bird Declines in Pristine Tropical Forests.”

From the abstract:
Recent studies from across Central and South America have revealed alarming declines in understory tropical bird populations within pristine forests, particularly among insectivores. These findings have spurred various hypotheses to explain the declines, from physiological stress and pesticide exposure to the impacts of climate change. In this presentation, Dr. Wolfe will discuss the collaborative effort to identify the demographic drivers behind these patterns. Specifically, Dr. Wolfe’s research team used extensive mark-recapture and climate datasets from the central Amazon to examine how increasingly severe dry seasons — driven by climate change — are impacting the survival of understory bird communities. Using a hierarchical Bayesian model with 27 years of capture-mark-recapture data, they found that even a modest rise in dry season temperatures could reduce survival rates by as much as 63% across the bird community. The team’s findings, in press at Science Advances, demonstrate that rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall significantly reduce annual survival rates, likely driving the observed long-term declines. Following life history theory, they found that longer-lived species are especially vulnerable to climate change, as they are particularly sensitive to environmental changes that affect adult survival. The team hypothesizes that these extreme conditions increase physiological stress and reduce food availability, fundamentally destabilizing habitats once considered resilient. These results underscore the urgent need for targeted conservation measures that address climate impacts, even in undisturbed rainforests. By identifying the drivers of climate vulnerability, this research aims to guide international conservation initiatives, such as the United Nations’ 30x30 framework, to identify and protect tropical forests likely to serve as climate refugia in the Anthropocene.

With expertise in avian ecology, Wolfe’s research explores how environmental change affects bird populations in both temperate and tropical forests. As co-founder of Biodiversity Initiative, his work to help build conservation capacity in Central Africa resulted in the establishment of a new national park in Equatorial Guinea. He also investigates the evolution of bird molts and plumages, an often-overlooked aspect of avian ecology.

Wolfe is currently focused on large-scale climatic experiments and integrating globally significant datasets to mechanistically understand how climate change threatens biodiversity in tropical regions.

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MSE Seminar with Jonah Klemm-Toole

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is hosting a seminar presented by Jonah Klemm-Toole, assistant professor at the Colorado School of Mines, from 1-2 p.m. today, Nov. 14, in M&M 610.

Klemm-Toole will present “Modification of Additively Manufactured Ni-based Superalloys for Improved Processability and High Temperature Properties.”

From the abstract:
Laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) is an attractive processing route for gas turbine applications due to the freedom to produce highly complex designs for improved component performance. However, Ni-based superalloys that are typically used in such high temperature structural applications suffer from numerous cracking mechanisms such as solidification and strain age cracking, which limit their use with PBF-LB. In this talk, we describe our progress in eliminating cracking in solid solution and gamma prime strengthened Ni-based superalloys through inoculation-induced grain refinement. The effects of eliminating cracking through grain refinement on high temperature mechanical properties such as creep are discussed. Opportunities for the development of new alloys for LPBF are discussed.

Klemm-Toole joined the metallurgical and materials engineering (MME) department at the Colorado School of Mines as an assistant professor in fall 2020. He became interested in metallurgy through learning how to weld at a local community college during high school, and worked as a welder throughout high school and during his undergraduate education in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Florida (UF).

After graduating from UF in 2008, Klemm-Toole’s welding experience helped him get a job at Power Systems Manufacturing (PSM) in Jupiter Florida to work on welding, brazing, chemical processing, heat treating and coating of Ni and Co based superalloy castings for industrial gas turbine components.

After working at PSM for five years, he decided to continue his education at the Colorado School of Mines by pursuing a Ph.D. focused on alloy design for improved fatigue performance of nitrided gear steels. He stayed at Mines to work on advanced in-situ characterization of solidification relevant to additive manufacturing as a postdoctoral fellow. Now, as an assistant professor, he is focusing on welding and additive manufacturing of metals for demanding high temperature structural applications.

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Chemistry Seminar with Lanrong Bi

Lanrong Bi, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at Michigan Technological University, will present a Chemistry Seminar from 3-4 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 15, in Chem Sci 101.

Bi's presentation is titled "Precision Targeting for Personalized Medicine: Developing an Organelle-Specific Drug Delivery Platform."

From the abstract:
The advancement of personalized medicine depends on precise and efficient drug delivery systems that can selectively target diseased cellular components, reducing off-target effects. Organelle-targetable drug delivery platforms present a promising solution, enabling the direct delivery of therapeutic agents to specific subcellular organelles, such as mitochondria, lysosomes, and the nucleus. This approach not only enhances drug efficacy but also minimizes toxicity, addressing significant challenges in current therapies for complex diseases.

In this talk, I will discuss the development of a versatile organelle-targetable drug delivery platform tailored to meet various therapeutic needs and molecular targets. By engineering carriers with organelle-specific targeting signals and responsive release mechanisms, this platform allows for precise localization and controlled drug release within targeted organelles. Preliminary findings demonstrate the platform's potential in delivering small molecules, proteins, and nucleic acids to select organelles, setting the stage for more personalized and targeted therapeutic interventions. This organelle-targetable system has broad implications for treating diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders, providing a robust foundation for advancing personalized medicine.

Bi has a strong background in personalized medicine. With a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Peking University — ranked 14th globally in 2024 — Bi joined Michigan Tech following her tenure at Columbia University’s Genome Center. Supported by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF) and American Heart Association (AHA), she has developed a research program that drives scientific discovery while offering students meaningful academic and professional development opportunities.

Bi has over 50 publications and 10 U.S. patents, with articles published in respected journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (Impact Factor: 11.1), Journal of the American Chemical Society (Impact Factor: 14.8) and Autophagy (Impact Factor: 16). Her work has gathered over 16,660 citations, demonstrating the broad impact of Michigan Tech faculty within the scientific community.

Bi’s dedication to mentorship is evident in honors such as the Bhakta Rath Research Award, shared with her Ph.D. student Nazmiye Yapici, now an independent NSF-funded principal investigator. Another former Ph.D. student, Catherine Bammert, moved directly from Bi’s lab to a faculty role at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she now serves as an associate professor. These accomplishments highlight Michigan Tech’s dedication to nurturing future scientific leaders and fostering an environment that supports student success.

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

PhD Defense: Alexander Apostle

Thursday, November 14, 9–10 a.m. | Fisher Hall, 138

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Co-advisors: Shiyue Fang and Yinan Yuan Chemical Synthesis, and Biological Application, of Sensitive RNA Attend Virtually:...

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Getting IRB Approval For Projects With Non-MTU Team-Members

Thursday, November 14, 12–1 p.m.

Do you plan to join (or run) a human subjects research team with non-MTU collaborators? Getting IRB approval in these situations can be complicated, so on Thursday November...

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University Senate Meeting

Thursday, November 14, 12:30–1:30 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Agendas available on the Senate website. Meetings every Thursday except during academic breaks.

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Electron Microscopy Consultation Sessions

Thursday, November 14, 1–3 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 607

As part of ACMAL actions to strengthen the electron microscopy user base at Tech, Dr. Erico Freitas is offering a few hours of free-of-charge consultations in November for the...

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Open Enrollment Informational Session

Thursday, November 14, 1–2 p.m. | MUB - Ballroom A

Michigan Tech's Open Enrollment is an annual opportunity to assess your individual or family health benefits needs. This year's 2025 Benefits Open Enrollment will begin on...

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Biological Sciences Seminar Series - Silent Bird Declines in Pristine Tropical Forests

Thursday, November 14, 3–4 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Dr. Jared Wolfe, Assistant Professor College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University Summary: Recent studies from across Central...

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Husky Transfers Information Session

Thursday, November 14, 3–4 p.m.

Join us for our monthly virtual event to talk transfer. This month we feature our Transfer Services specialist and information on transferring credits. Hope you will join us!

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Huskies Swim Training - Session 2

Thursday, November 14, 4–5 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Huskies Swim Training is a program that provides additional attention and competitive guidance to advanced swimmers looking to focus on stroke technique and...

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Husky Hour: Financial Literacy

Thursday, November 14, 4–5 p.m. | MUB Alumni Lounge

In today’s complex financial landscape, understanding money management is crucial for achieving your goals. This session, led by Tucker Nielsen will cover essential topics...

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Husky Innovate: Women’s Entrepreneurship Panel

Thursday, November 14, 4:00–5:30 p.m.

Join successful woman entrepreneurs as they share their journeys, challenges, strategies, and life lessons. Gain inspiration, insights, and actionable advice to succeed in...

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Physics Colloquium with Llorenç Cremonesi

Thursday, November 14, 4:00–4:50 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 139

Dr. Llorenç Cremonesi, postdoc research fellow at University of Milan, Italy, will present at this week's Physics Colloquium. Cremonesi's presentation is titled "Radiative...

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The Interplay Between Mechanics and Chemistry in Dynamic Polymers and Polymeric Gels

Thursday, November 14, 4 p.m. | R. L. Smith Building (MEEM), 112

MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Yuhang Hu, PhD Georgia Institute of Technology Abstract A salient feature of living materials is their ability to...

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Python Workshop

Thursday, November 14, 5–6 p.m. | Rekhi 113

A free, in person, python workshop for beginners!

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Learn to Swim Levels 1-5 - Session 2

Thursday, November 14, 5:10–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Levels 1-5 are being offered at the SDC Pool. Ages 6-17 years Space will be provided for...

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Technical Communication Talk: Visualizing Data & Creating Visual Aids

Thursday, November 14, 6–7 p.m.

Ready to elevate your data presentation and communication skills' Discover the best practices for crafting impactful and engaging visual aids. Refreshments provided. Register...

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Worship Ambiance

Thursday, November 14, 7:00–8:30 p.m. | Wadsworth Hall

Experience the atmosphere of worship, our bi-weekly gathering for believers and those who yearn to have a deeper relationship with God, deepening their understanding of Jesus...

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The Glass Menagerie - Michigan Tech Theatre

Thursday, November 14, 7:30 p.m. | McArdle Theatre

MICHIGAN TECH THEATRE SERIES EVENT The play that catapulted Tennessee Williams to Broadway fame! Largely autobiographical, Tom (Williams' real name) narrates the story of his...