December 5, 2024

Online and on kitchen tables, the new issue of Impact Magazine is ready to read wherever you are. Get the latest news from Michigan Tech's College of Business (COB), from student accomplishments to research that helps communities steer toward a brighter economic future.

Dean Johnson, dean of the College, said Impact’s theme this year highlights the Michigan Tech difference. “College of Business students study more than business,” he said. “Science, technology, engineering and math are infused into COB courses and programs. Classes connect disciplines. Degree programs cross borders.”

Read all about it in the online version of the 2024 Impact Magazine.

With the return of winter weather, this is a reminder for departments to continue communicating procedures regarding weather-related absences.

During times when weather conditions deteriorate, each member of the University community must exercise personal judgment about their ability to get to or from campus safely. Interruptions in work due to weather are no different from other events that cause us to leave work early or arrive late.

If any employee’s work schedule is affected by winter weather, the first thing they should do is contact their supervisor directly and explain the situation. Hourly employees may use vacation or comp time to make up for hours missed due to bad weather. Exempt employees are expected to fulfill their regular job responsibilities.

Employees should contact Human Resources at 906-487-2280 with questions or concerns.

Mark your calendars! Michigan Tech’s 24-hour giving challenge, Give Back to the Pack, will return on April 8-9, 2025. Hosted by the Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving team, Give Back to the Pack is an opportunity for every Husky — alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students — to celebrate their Husky Spirit by making a gift to the area of their choosing at Michigan Tech.

Stay tuned for more details after the new year about how the campus community can get involved. Feel free to reach out to alumni@mtu.edu in the meantime.

Michigan Tech's new H-STEM Engineering and Health Sciences Complex has earned the prestigious LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, recognizing the design and performance of the building to promote human well-being, environmental stewardship and energy efficiency. The H-STEM Complex joins Hillside Place as the second LEED Gold certified building on Tech's campus.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Gold certification was awarded for the building's design, construction and use practices, which are measured across criteria including water conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste and resource management, and indoor environmental quality.

“Earning LEED Gold is a great accomplishment,” said Gregg Richards, associate vice president for facilities management. “Many people worked hard on this, committing to LEED principles through the design, demolition and construction phases of the building. We are proud that the resulting facility is now recognized for creating an exceptional user experience while also being efficient and environmentally friendly.”

A plaque to formalize the achievement of LEED Gold will be installed in spring 2025.

Central Receiving will be closed during the 2024-25 winter break for UPS and FedEx deliveries. We are unable to accept packages for departments that are closed during this time. We recommend contacting the shipper to adjust the delivery date for when your office reopens.

The dates of our winter break closure are as follows:

• Tuesday, Dec. 24, to Wednesday, Jan. 1 — Closed

We will return to regular operating hours on Jan. 2.

We would like to remind the campus community that personal packages should be specifically addressed to go directly to your department if you choose to have them shipped to campus. You can help keep our response time for delivering University packages consistent during this high-volume season and year-round by having personal packages delivered directly to your department (or your home).

To ensure timely delivery of packages directly to your department by the shipper, please ensure that you clearly provide the following information when placing an order:

• Your Complete Name
• Building Name
• Room Number
• 1400 Townsend Drive
• Houghton, MI 49931

Please contact Central Receiving at centralreceiving-l@mtu.edu should you have any questions or need assistance with special receiving or shipping needs.

The Graduate School announces the recipients of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship and the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award for the fall 2024 semester. Congratulations to all recipients.

Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship
The following recipients of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship have demonstrated academic or professional qualities that set them apart within their academic program.

• Nithin Allwayin — Physics
• Jeffrey Kabel — Physics
• Mohanish Chandurkar — Biomedical Engineering
• Ronald Stempien — Computer Science
• Shreya Joshi — Atmospheric Sciences
• James Juip — Social Sciences
• Hrishikesh Gosavi — Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Eric E. Coon — College of Business
• Casey Majhor — Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Jhuleyssy Sanchez Aguilar — Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award
The following recipients of the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award are recognized for their excellence in teaching.

• Casey Aldrich — Physics
• Philip Cuthbertson — Mathematical Sciences
• Tom Panella — College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
• Keenan Rivers — College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
• Junyao Yang — Computer Science
• Joseph Teahen — Computer Science
• Yifu Deng — Computer Science
• Caitlyn Sutherlin — Social Sciences
• Jack Smitterberg — Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Ian Quin Mattson — Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Eugene Brown Agyei — Humanities
• Sepehr Mohammadi — Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
• Libia Hazra — Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
• Kipkorir Yano — Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
• Karl Schneider — Biological Sciences
• Kara Hardy — Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Ellie Zimmerman — Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Cora Taylor — Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Troy Metz — Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Sazzad Hossain — Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Laura Albrant — Psychology and Human Factors
• Fatemeh Razaviamri — Biomedical Engineering
• Sananda Ray — Geological Mining Engineering and Sciences

For details about each award, view our Awards and Honors page.

Help your student complete the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to maximize their financial aid opportunities.

Have a high school senior(s)?
We recommend that you file prior to Jan. 1 to receive an official financial aid offer in February.

Already have a Michigan Tech student(s)?
We recommend filing the FAFSA by March 1, but no later than June 1. Returning students are packaged for financial aid in late June.

Complete the FAFSA at studentaid.gov.

Reminder: Employees with one or more years of service will need to complete a TRIP form as soon as possible in order to receive an accurate financial aid offer.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Financial Aid at finaid@mtu.edu or 906-487-2622.

It's time for this year's Forestry Club Christmas Tree Sale! We will be hosting the sale on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 4-7 p.m. in Parking Lot 14 next to Walker Lawn. If you would like to preorder a tree, please use our Christmas Tree Preorder Form.

If you don't want preorder but would rather peruse, we hope to have plenty of unclaimed trees ready to be sold! We are also planning to offer $10 tabletop-sized "Charlie Brown" trees for faculty and students for the first time officially.

Also, we invite you to stop by to see the big Christmas tree we plan to put up in the CFRES atrium!

If you have any questions regarding the sale, please feel free to reach out to Max Combs at mecombs@mtu.edu or Tristan Walk at tkwalk@mtu.edu.

Feeling stressed about finals? Join your Michigan Tech students in this biannual tradition! Take a break and join the Husky Howl, Michigan Tech’s ultimate stress-relief tradition! Meet at the Husky Statue on Dec. 7, the Saturday before finals, at 11:45 p.m., and get ready for an unforgettable night. At 11:59, we’ll all howl at the moon together, shaking off the stress and kicking off finals week with a burst of energy and Husky pride!

There’ll be music from a live DJ and the legendary Huskies Pep Band, a chance to meet Blizzard, and a selfie station to capture your howling moment. It’s the perfect way to connect with friends, let loose and get into the finals groove.

Don’t miss out — gather your pack, bring your best howl and make some memories under the Michigan Tech moonlight. See you there!

Attention all students! Stop by the Van Pelt and Opie Library tomorrow, Dec. 6, between noon and 2 p.m. Alumni Engagement staff will be handing out free stress balls to help you get through finals week!

University Images and Michigan Tech Athletics are teaming up with Toys for Tots for the annual Teddy Bear Toss at the Huskies' hockey game this Saturday, Dec. 7, at 6:07 p.m. at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Please bring new, soft stuffed animals/toys to toss onto the ice during the first intermission. All donations received will be given to Toys for Tots to benefit children in need. University Images and Michigan Tech Athletics will provide a number of stuffed Huskies toys for tossing, too, but fans are encouraged to bring new stuffed toys to the game.

Toys for Tots will also have bins set up around the concourse for toys that cannot be tossed on the ice.

Also, make sure the kids find Santa at the hockey game for a photo or a fist bump. (Fans may even see jolly old Saint Nicholas driving the Zamboni.)

Read more hockey news at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Michigan Tech women's basketball team opens the season's GLIAC slate this weekend, welcoming Parkside today, Dec. 5, and Purdue Northwest on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the SDC Gymnasium.

Today's game is slated for a 5:30 p.m. start, with Saturday's tipoff set for noon.

Watch MTU women's basketball on FloSports (subscription required — a discount is available for students).

Read the women's basketball preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

It's conference time for the Michigan Tech men's basketball team. The Huskies will play host to Parkside today, Dec. 5, and Purdue Northwest on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Today's contest is slated for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff, while Saturday's contest has a 2 p.m. start time.

Watch MTU men's basketball on FloSports (subscription required — a discount is available for students).

Read the men's basketball preview at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Michigan Tech hockey is hosting St. Thomas this weekend at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. tomorrow, Dec. 6, and at 6:07 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7.

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.

A collaborative effort among Ph.D. students Mahmood Norouzi and Adonis Amoli (both chemistry); visiting scholar Yang Zhang; Assistant Professor Yan Zhang (BioSci); undergraduate students Ashlyn Colleen Beatty and Anna Jarvi (biological sciences); and Professors Athar Ata (Chem), Thomas Werner (BioSci), and Haiying Liu (Chem) has culminated in the publication of a paper in ACS Applied Bio Materials.

The paper is titled "Deep-Red and Near-Infrared Compact Cyanine Dyes for Sensitive NAD(P)H Sensing in Live Cells and Kidney Disease Tissues."

This study highlights the development of Probes A and B, innovative deep-red and near-infrared (NIR) compact cyanine dyes, representing a significant advancement in mitochondrial NAD(P)H measurement. These probes are uniquely designed to enhance fluorescence behavior in the presence of NAD(P)H, effectively addressing challenges such as delayed responses associated with traditional near-infrared cyanine dyes. Among the innovations, Probe B stands out with its near-infrared emission and rapid detection kinetics. It excelled in monitoring dynamic NAD(P)H levels across various biological and pathological contexts. Experimental applications demonstrated its precision in detecting NAD(P)H fluctuations induced by acesulfame potassium exposure, cisplatin treatment, CoCl₂-induced hypoxia, and TLR4 activation in macrophages. Further, Probe B proved its utility in disease models by sensitively detecting metabolic changes related to kidney pathology. It also showcased its versatility in in vivo investigations, successfully monitoring dynamic metabolic shifts in fruit fly larvae subjected to starvation conditions.

This research received generous funding and resources from multiple organizations. Key acknowledgments include:

1. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R15DK137195) and the PKD Foundation (Grant 1021264) for supporting Yan Zhang’s research.
2. Contributions from the Kansas PKD Research and Translation Core Center and the Polycystic Kidney Disease Research Resource Consortium (PKD-RRC), which provided Yan Zhang with critical kidney sections for the study.
3. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH), which funded Liu’s work through awards 2R15GM114751, R15GM114751, and R15GM146206-01.
4. The National Science Foundation (Award 2117318), which supported Liu’s work, enabling the acquisition of a state-of-the-art NMR spectrometer essential for probe characterization.

This collaborative study underscores the power of teamwork and interdisciplinary research in addressing complex scientific challenges. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the funding agencies, collaborators and research centers whose support has been instrumental in advancing this transformative work.

Andrew Schaud (VPA) was quoted by the Daily Mining Gazette about the Copper Country Suzuki Association’s work in music education and the broader skills students develop through the Suzuki method. 

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Jim Baker (VPR) was mentioned by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in their announcement of Michigan’s selection for MIT’s Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (REAP). Baker will serve as a core team member representing Michigan Tech in Cohort 11, which aims to foster innovation-driven entrepreneurship across the state.

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The Keweenaw Report mentioned Mark Rhodes (SS) and his students leading a presentation on sustainable tourism practices. The program, being held today, Dec. 5, at the Advanced Technology Development Complex, will explore global heritage tourism, the Keweenaw Peninsula’s history, and connections to Visit Keweenaw and UNESCO.

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The Daily Mining Gazette covered Michigan Tech Athletics’ announcement of Cindy Pindral as the new head volleyball coach. Pindral, who was an assistant coach at Tech from 2016-22, returns to lead the program following Matt Jennings’ resignation after 13 seasons. 

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The Daily Mining Gazette covered Michigan Tech hockey goaltender Derek Mullahy and women’s basketball guard Isabella Lenz being named players of the week. Mullahy earned CCHA Goaltender of the Week honors, while Lenz was recognized as the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week.

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WLUC TV6 mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the annual Teddy Bear Toss, benefiting Toys for Tots. Fans attending the Huskies’ hockey game on Saturday, Dec. 7, against St. Thomas are encouraged to bring new stuffed toys to toss on the ice during the first intermission. Additional collection bins will be available, and attendees can meet Santa at the event.

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The Keweenaw Report mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about TRIO Talent Search Youth Program scholarships for the University’s Summer Youth Programs. Twenty-five scholarships, each worth $1,200, will help students cover program fees, meals and lodging for sessions held on campus from June through July. Applications are open until next Thursday, Dec. 12.

Physics Colloquium with Michael Wittmann

Michael Wittmann from the American Physical Society (APS) will present at this week's Physics Colloquium. Wittmann's presentation is titled "How a professional society can help departments respond to challenges in academia."

The seminar will be presented at 4 p.m. today, Dec. 5, in Fisher 139. The coffee hour will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Fisher Hall Lobby.

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

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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, Dec. 5:

• Sweet and Sour Chicken (PR)
• Asian Vegetable Stir Fry (VG)
• Basmati Rice (VG) (AG)
• Marinated Tofu (VG) (AG)
• Asian Salad (VG)
• Vegetable Spring Roll (V)

The C-Cubed lunch buffet menus are created and prepared by Chef Luis Delgado and his culinary team. As the name suggests, the meals are meant to foster conversation, community and collegiality. Attendees may bring their lunch instead of purchasing the buffet. Fruit-infused water, coffee and tea are available free to all attendees. All vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items on the buffet are labeled for easy identification. Meals are for dine-in only, and personal containers and to-go meals are not 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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BioMed Seminar Series Speaker: Sergio Fantini

The next guest speaker in the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BioMed) Seminar Series will present tomorrow, 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.

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MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker: Fei Long

The next Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Graduate Seminar Speaker will present at 4 p.m. today, Dec. 5, in R. L. Smith 112.

Fei Long will present “A Novel Smart Manufacturing Approach for Improved Plastic Waste Recycling.”

Long has more than 20 years of experience in material characterization technologies, including vibrational spectroscopy, scanning probe microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and many more. His current research focuses on innovative characterization and sustainable manufacturing for waste valorization. He is building the first solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation (STRAP) pilot plant in the Advanced Power System Laboratory at MTU and is the principal investigator and co-PI of a total of $8 million in projects.

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Volunteers Still Needed for Copper Trail Festival

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, Mind Trekkers will be hosting the OneUP Copper Trail Festival for hundreds of local middle school students at the Student Development Complex (SDC). This event showcases STEM and career fields through hands-on activities in collaboration with industry members and academic departments. Volunteers are needed in a variety of roles and times to help make this event as impactful as possible.

Lunch will be provided to all volunteers, and no STEM experience is necessary! We welcome all faculty, staff and students. To learn more about this event and to sign up, please visit our event page.

If you have any questions, please reach out to mindtrekkers@mtu.edu.

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Seminar: 'Lessons about Aquatic Invasive Species from the North Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research Program'

All are welcome to join the Ecosystem Science Center (ESC) today, Dec. 5, at 3 p.m. for a presentation by Jake Vander Zanden titled "Lessons about Aquatic Invasive Species from the North Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research Program." The presentation will take place in GLRC 202 and via Zoom. This is a joint event for ESC's Distinguished Ecologist Lecture Series and the Biology Department's Fall Seminar Series.

Join the ESC/BioSci Lecture on Zoom.

Vander Zanden is the Wayland Noland Distinguished Chair in Limnology, director of the Center for Limnology and professor of integrative biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on freshwater ecosystems, particularly the factors that degrade them, using a food web approach that integrates physical, chemical and biological aspects to understand these systems. In addition to Wisconsin lakes, he has worked in Mongolia, Denmark, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and Mexico. He was a David H. Smith Postdoctoral Fellow, a Leopold Leadership Fellow and the recipient of many awards and honors, including the IRPE Prize in Limnetic Ecology, the J.C. Stevenson Memorial Award, a Fulbright Fellowship and the UW-Madison Chancellor’s Teaching Award.

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MSE Seminar with Erico Freitas

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is hosting a seminar presented by Erico Freitas today, Dec. 5, at 1 p.m. in M&M 610.

Freitas will present "Thin foils characterization by TEM."

From the abstract:
The transmission electron microscope (TEM) is fundamentally an electron scattering instrument that enables a comprehensive study of electron transparent specimens in terms of composition and crystallographic structure down to nanometer scale and even to atomic scale. The incomparable TEM electron diffraction and imaging capabilities empowers the characterization of solid phase materials. To mention a few examples, it enables the study of microstructure, grain boundaries, coherent and incoherent precipitates, precipitate free-zones, dislocations, stacking faults and other crystallographic defects at high resolution, which provides very useful information about the properties of the analyzed material. Its ability to observe the specimen in real and in the reciprocal space makes the TEM a versatile machine to characterize features of interest in the specimen. TEM characterization of steel and alloys, for example, allows the study of crystallographic orientation between different phases within the material and as such the determination of the material properties, e.g. mechanical and corrosion behavior. In this seminar, Dr. Erico Freitas will present and discuss different TEM diffraction and imaging techniques applied to the characterization of thin foils. 

Freitas graduated from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), where he got his bachelor's in physics (2005), master's in science education (2010), and doctoral degree in materials science and engineering (2016). He worked for the UFMG Center of Microscopy from February 2009 to December 2021, with day-to-day operation of TEM, where he also managed the TEM laboratory for four years. He joined Michigan Technological University in January 2022. He manages the FEI 200kV Titan Themis STEM in the Electron Optics Facility of ACMAL, the Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory.

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

Pictures with Blizzard!

Thursday, December 5, 12–3 p.m. | Husky Statue

Come take pictures with Blizzard in front of the Husky Statue from 12-3 PM on Thursday, December 5th! Photos will be provided. (Depending on the weather, Blizzard may move to...

Plant-microbe Interactions: An Ecological Perspective

Thursday, December 5, 12:30 p.m. | U. J. Noblet Forestry Building, G002

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Present: Fall Seminar Series Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe Assistant Professor, Université de Sherbrooke High-throughput...

Lessons about Aquatic Invasive Species from the North Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research Program

Thursday, December 5, 3 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Present: Fall Seminar Series Dr. Jake Vander Zanden DELS Speaker, Professor of Integrative Biology, University of...

Graduate Seminar Speaker Series: Fei Long, PhD

Thursday, December 5, 4 p.m.

MAE Graduate Seminar SpeakerFei Long, PhDSeminarThursday, December 5 @ 4 pm in R.L. Smith 112“A Novel Smart Manufacturing Approach for Improved Plastic Waste Recycling” ...

Huskies Swim Training - Session 2

Thursday, December 5, 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...

Physics Colloquium with Michael Wittmann

Thursday, December 5, 4–5 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 139

Michael Wittmann from the American Physical Society (APS) will present at this weeks Physics Colloquium. Michael's presenation is titled "How a professional society can...

Physics Colloquium with Michael Wittmann

Thursday, December 5, 4:00–4:50 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 139

APS Head of Education, Michael Wittman, will present at this week's Physics Colloquium. The title of Wittmann's presentation will be announced at a later date. The seminar...

Learn to Swim Levels 1-5 - Session 2

Thursday, December 5, 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...