December 3, 2024

It’s that time of year again — Toys for Tots have arrived at the Van Pelt and Opie Library! Stop by and see the amazing collection of toys gathered by Tammy Monette (VPOL) and her team of special elves this semester.

Your generous donations will be greatly appreciated and accepted until next Wednesday, Dec. 11. After that, the toys will be picked up and sent off to the North Pole to spread holiday cheer.

Don't miss the chance to make a difference this season!

The next guest speaker in the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BioMed) Seminar Series will present Friday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m. in person in Chem Sci 102 and virtually via Zoom.

Join the BioMed Seminar on Zoom.

Sergio Fantini from Tufts University will present "Non-invasive optical imaging of the human brain: Dual-slope techniques and coherent hemodynamics."

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

The Michigan Tech men's basketball team used a balanced attack, producing 44 points in each quarter, to prevail against St. Cloud State 88-70 in front of the home crowd for the first time this season last Wednesday, Nov. 27.

"I thought we came out pretty focused and locked in — I felt we were at the level of competitiveness we needed," Tech head coach Josh Buettner said. "We really felt like pace was going to help us against this type of team and we were a little sloppy at times, but for the most part I thought we defended well. They got to the foul line too much, but I liked the competitiveness we had on the defensive side of the ball. The biggest thing I liked offensively was the balance. It was good not relying on Marcus (Tomashek) or Dawson (Nordgaard) so much, which was really good."

Read more men's basketball news at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Michigan Tech hockey earned a shutout and a tie in their CCHA road series at Bowling Green on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29 and 30, at the Slater Family Ice Arena.

The Huskies shut out Bowling Green 3-0 on Friday. Derek Mullahy earned his second shutout of the season and the third of his career with 28 saves — including a huge breakaway save early in the game.

"Everybody on the team contributed to an important road win," Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. "Derek was outstanding and made some really big saves. That was the best game we've seen out of Viktor (Hurtig), and the whole D corps was solid."

MTU and Bowling Green skated to a 2-2 tie on Saturday. The Huskies scored twice in a span of 22 seconds in the third period to battle back from a two-goal deficit. The Falcons earned the extra CCHA point with a shootout win after overtime.

"I'm very proud of our guys. We played a pretty good game throughout," Shawhan said. "They got some opportunistic goals, with one on a bad bounce. Every point we can get adds up big time in the league standings. It would be a lot of fun to play a seven-game series between these two good hockey teams."

Read more hockey news at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Michigan Tech women's basketball team concluded the nonconference portion of its schedule with a loss and a win.

The Huskies led 53-52 with 3:10 to play in regulation, but could not hold off No. 21 nationally ranked Concordia-St. Paul down the stretch, falling 63-60 at the SDC Gymnasium on Saturday, Nov. 30.

"I thought we competed hard, and it shows that we're right there with some of the top teams. I really thought that their fourth-quarter pressure got to us — we had too many turnovers. If we're able to take care of the ball better and get some better shots, we'll be able to learn from these games," Tech head coach Sam Clayton said. "We have to be able to put four quarters together, take care of the ball and execute late game. Hopefully, we can use this as motivation for the rest of the season."

On Sunday, Dec. 1, the Huskies scored 48 points in the second half to overcome a 19-point first-quarter deficit, concluding the nonconference portion of their schedule with a 71-66 win over Winona State.

"We weren't playing like ourselves at all in the first half and had a lot of defensive mishaps," Clayton said. "It was great to see us be able to turn it around at halftime. We looked like a completely different team in the second half and Ella (Mason) deserves a huge shoutout — she came up with huge shots for us in the second half."

Read more women's basketball news at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Thursday, Dec. 5
• Women's Basketball vs. Parkside, 5:30 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ & FloCollege
• Men's Basketball vs. Parkside, 7:30 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ & FloCollege

Friday, Dec. 6
• Hockey vs. St. Thomas, 7:07 p.m. at MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Mix 93 WKMJ & Midco Sports Plus

Saturday, Dec. 7
• Nordic Skiing at Swedetown Season Opener, 10 a.m.
• Women's Basketball vs. Purdue Northwest, Noon at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ & FloCollege
• Men's Basketball vs. Purdue Northwest, 2 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ & FloCollege
• Hockey vs. St. Thomas, 6:07 p.m. at MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Mix 93 WKMJ & Midco Sports Plus

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Athletics News
Read more in the MTU Athletics weekly update.

Christopher Gilbertson (CEGE/CTT) is a principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received a $419,155 other sponsored activities contract from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).

The project is titled "Bridge Design System Ongoing Modernization and Support (2024-2029)."

Nicholas Koszykowski (CEGE/CTT) is a co-PI on this project.

Forbes quoted Michigan Tech Ph.D. candidate Miraj Kayastha (civil engineering) in a story about his research on the future of lake-effect snowstorms in a warming climate. A 2022 study co-authored by Kayastha predicts that lake-effect storm precipitation may increase by 14% by the end of the century, with significant risks posed by a shift from snowfall to rainfall.

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Joshua Pearce (MSE) was quoted by Successful Farming in a story about agrivoltaics, a practice combining agriculture and solar energy. Pearce highlighted the potential of agrivoltaics to boost crop yields while generating renewable energy, calling it a “slam dunk” opportunity for North American farmers.

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The Mining Journal covered Michigan Tech volleyball coach Matt Jennings stepping down after 13 seasons. Michigan Tech Athletics announced Jennings’ departure on Nov. 26.

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Visit Keweenaw mentioned Michigan Tech’s Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts in a story about holiday events in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Events at the Rozsa this December include Tuba Christmas, “Hallelujah!” performed by the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, and Holiday Nostalgia Night featuring “The Muppet Christmas Carol.”

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The Traverse City Record-Eagle mentioned Michigan Tech alum John Lutchko ’24 (M.S. Integrated Geospatial Technology) in a story about his appointment as director of Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Water Studies Institute. 

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Ontario’s Fort Frances Times ran a story about the late Elov Seger’s inclusion among the Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame’s 2025 inductees. The former Michigan Tech hockey defenseman was a key member of the Huskies’ 1961-62 NCAA national championship team and was inducted into the Michigan Tech Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998.

Funding Available for Visiting Scholars

Funds are still available to support campus departments to invite scholars, potential faculty or research collaborators to Michigan Tech’s campus under the state of Michigan's King-Chávez-Parks (KCP) Visiting Professor Program (VPP). Funds can be used for visits through Sept. 30, 2025.

University departments or units are encouraged to apply for financial support to bring visiting scholars who provide underrepresented perspectives in their field of expertise to Michigan Tech’s campus. Visitors do not need a terminal degree or a faculty position to qualify for support. Supported visits can be as short as an afternoon, up to a week or longer. While on campus, visiting professors are to interact with faculty and students in the classroom, in seminars, in informal and formal group discussions, or while teaching a session during an academic or summer semester.

Applications must be received one month before a proposed visit for pre-approval by the state of Michigan. Funding requests can be made for up to $1,500; however, the department(s) or unit(s) must provide a minimum 1-to-1 match to covered expenses of KCP funds.

Learn more about the Visiting Professor Program, its purpose, requirements, and the application process. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Shannon Vairo in the provost's office.

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Michigan Tech Team Wins Concept Phase of Power at Sea Prize

Team Michigan Tech, led by Assistant Professor Shangyan Zou and Professor Wayne Weaver, has just been announced as a Concept Phase winner of the DOE Power at Sea Prize. Out of 86 submissions, 20 teams were selected, and each will be awarded $10,000. The team will compete in the Development Phase that concludes in summer 2025.

Project summary:
The mission of the research team is to develop a highly efficient Power Take-Off (PTO) unit customized for Powering the Blue Economy (PBE) Wave Energy Converters (WECs) by conducting design optimization and global control development via a combined numerical and experimental approach. A multidisciplinary team at Michigan Technological University (MTU) is proposed to support this research. MTU boasts capabilities spanning modeling, simulation, control, and experimental testing of offshore structures and power systems. The wave research laboratory at MTU has a wave tank and state-of-the-art devices (e.g., low-friction PTO, Qualisys motion tracking systems, wave gauges, load cells, etc.). This facility provides highly controlled conditions that enable us to validate complex mathematical models, design innovative PTO mechanisms and controls, and test the performance of varied systems or subsystems.

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Midyear Commencement Volunteers Still Needed!

The Commencement Team is seeking 10 more volunteers for the Midyear Commencement ceremony. We need volunteers to help with pre-ceremony setup, serve as greeters, ushers, to coordinate graduate check-in, and assist guests with special seating accommodations. More information regarding the ceremonies may be found on the Commencement website.

Please sign up by Dec. 6 if you would like to volunteer. Contact Tiffany Jaeger at tiffanyj@mtu.edu if you have any questions.

This special event cannot happen without the help of our amazing Michigan Tech community!

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

The Journey - Fall Student Art Showcase - Michigan Tech Art

Tuesday, December 3, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. |

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT Join Art & Design class students as they showcase eclectic artworks created during the fall semester. CONTENT GUIDANCE

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Planning and Hosting Accessible Events

Tuesday, December 3, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Admin 404

In recognition of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Student Affairs CommUnity Education Team presents "Planning and Hosting Accessible Events." Join us for...

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Huskies Swim Training - Session 2

Tuesday, December 3, 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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Adult Huskies Swim Lessons - Session 2

Tuesday, December 3, 5–6 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Adult Huskies Swim Lessons provides aquatic education for the beginner to intermediate swimmer who is looking to become more comfortable in the water and learn the fundamental...

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Adult Huskies Swim Training - Session 2

Tuesday, December 3, 5–6 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Adult Huskies Swim Training provides additional attention and competitive guidance to swimmers ages 18 and older who are looking to improve their swimming skills and fitness...

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The Journey - Artist Reception - Michigan Tech Art

Tuesday, December 3, 5–7 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Galleries

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT Join Art & Design class students in the Rozsa Art Galleries from 5-7 p.m. on December 3, 2024, for a closing reception for the showcase of...

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Planning and Hosting Accessible Events

Tuesday, December 3, 6:00–7:15 p.m. | Rehki 214

In recognition of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Student Affairs CommUnity Education Team presents "Planning and Hosting Accessible Events." Join us for...

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Archery Tag

Tuesday, December 3, 7–9 p.m. | SDC Multi-Purpose Room

Bring some friends or make some new ones at our Archery Tag event! Bows will be provided to play tag in a maze of obstacles and more! It will be a unique experience for all...

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Bible Study - John

Tuesday, December 3, 7–9 p.m. | Campus House

Join us every Tuesday at 7:00pm for a Bible study of the Gospel of John! We investigate who Jesus is and ask questions of the text. Following our meeting we have a homecooked...

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Main Meeting!

Tuesday, December 3, 7–9 p.m. | WADS G42W

Main meeting for our organization where we listen to preaching, take communion and have fellowship

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Weekly Meeting

Tuesday, December 3, 7–9 p.m. | Guys' House

His House meets every Tuesday evening for worship, Bible study, fellowship and food! Join us at our campus house on Blanche Street! Hope to see you soon!