January 13, 2025

Research Development is pleased to announce Michigan Tech’s new partnership with Hanover Research, which is designed to enhance research development capacity across campus.

Hanover’s experienced staff can provide strategic research advising, proposal development support, grant-seeking advice and related services. The Michigan Tech research community is invited to learn more during a virtual introductory session scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17.

Join the Introductory Session on Zoom.

This session will provide an overview of Hanover’s services, an introduction to Michigan Tech’s points of contact at Hanover, an overview of Hanover’s on-demand online resources, and information about how to engage in the use of this new service.

Those interested in the introductory session but unable to attend should contact the Research Development team at rd-l@mtu.edu for additional information and a recording.

Calumet native and Michigan Tech alumnus George Mackey (1940-2022) spent a lifetime sharing his love for the University with his family. Now, his children are strengthening his legacy by establishing the George and Judy Mackey Memorial Endowed Scholarship to create opportunities for local students.

Mackey graduated with his bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1964, and returned to Michigan Tech to earn his MBA in 1966. Afterward, Mackey began his 35-year career with the Dow Chemical Company, where he pioneered the research for the insulation technology used on the Alaskan Pipeline — a key component that ensures the oil remains fluid and stable, even in extremely cold Arctic temperatures.

“I feel strongly that Dad would want to support a student from the area who has a desire to learn,” said Kris Marvin, Mackey’s daughter. “I couldn’t think of a better way to honor his memory than to set up this scholarship.”

Read more about Mackey’s legacy on Alumni Stories.

Provost Andrew Storer will continue to hold office hours from 1:30-3:30 p.m. each Thursday during the spring 2025 semester. Faculty, staff and students are welcome to schedule an appointment by emailing Amie Ledgerwood at asledger@mtu.edu.

In addition to scheduled office hours, the provost will also hold open office hours, which will not require an appointment. Open office hours are scheduled at Velodrome Coffee Company, located on the first floor of the Van Pelt and Opie Library, on the following days and times:

• Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 11 a.m. to noon
• Wednesday, March 26, from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

The information provided here is also available on the Academic Affairs website. To view it, click the Office Hours icon in the bottom right corner of the banner image at the top of the page.

Please join the Graduate School in congratulating Michigan Tech's Spring 2025 Finishing Fellows. Awardees will be recognized daily in Tech Today through Friday, Jan. 17.

Jessica LaReaux is a Ph.D. candidate in the Civil Engineering program at Michigan Tech. Her research focuses on water resources engineering, with an emphasis on urban green space and rainfall flood risk equity. Her work addresses critical challenges in the Great Lakes region, including the impacts of urban flooding and the role of green infrastructure in promoting urban sustainability and resilience.

Read more about LaReaux’s journey at Michigan Tech on the Graduate School Newsblog.

Please join the Graduate School in congratulating Michigan Tech's Spring 2025 Finishing Fellows. Awardees will be recognized daily in Tech Today through Friday, Jan. 17.

Yifu Deng is a Ph.D. candidate in the Computer Science program. Deng’s research focuses on near memory acceleration for approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) search. This work has centered on designing new hardware components and circuits to enable large-scale computations within memory and also implementing optimization techniques to further accelerate the search process — contributions with significant implications for ANN research work, enhancing both performance and efficiency.

Read more about Deng’s journey at Michigan Tech on the Graduate School Newsblog.

Are you moving to a new office or campus location? Michigan Tech IT wants to make sure the transition goes as smoothly as possible. Please contact us at least two weeks in advance of your move date and we will arrange to transfer your phone and computer, ensuring they are connected properly in your new space.

For questions about office and equipment moves, we can help. Email IT at it-help@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1111.

A production system maintenance window is scheduled for Jan. 26 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The following production services will be unavailable during that time:

• apps.mtu.edu
• Banner
• Banweb
• MyMichiganTech
• Aspire
• Course Tools
• OAP Rental System
• Oracle Reports
• UC4/Appworx
• Virtual Cashiering
• WebFocus

If you have any questions or concerns, we can help. Email IT at it-help@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1111.

Carved and Crafted Catering at Michigan Technological University invites faculty, staff, and their guests to 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).

Menu for Thursday, Jan. 16:

• Pork Sandwich (PR)
• BBQ Tofu “Steak” (PR)
• Macaroni and Cheese (V) (PR)
• Garden Pasta Salad (VG) (PR)
• Coleslaw (V) (AG)
• Cookie Platter (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.

Renita Horton will present as part of the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) Seminar Series on Friday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m. in person in GLRC 202 or virtually via Zoom.

Join the ChE Seminar on Zoom.

Horton will present "Heart-on-a-Chip: Modeling Environmental Impacts on the Cardiovascular System."

Read Horton's abstract and bio on the University Events Calendar. 

Horton is an assistant professor at the University of Houston and is being hosted by Adrienne Minerick (ChE).

Aleksey Smirnov (GMES/EPSSI) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received $306,011 of an expected total $469,589 research and development grant from the National Science Foundation.

The project is titled "Miocene Geomagnetic Field Behavior and Tectonic Evolution of Iceland: Absolute Paleointensity, Paleomagnetic, and Geochronological Study of the Vestfirdir Peninsula Lava Flows."

Elisa J. Piispa (GMES/EPSSI) is a co-PI on this potential two-year project.

John Vucetich (CFRES) was quoted by Spartan Newsroom in a story about the potential expansion of gray wolves across the eastern U.S. The story discussed a study on the challenges wolves face in reaching new habitats and the human factors affecting their recovery.

Additionally, Vucetich was quoted by Yahoo! News and AOL News in a story about the ongoing conflict surrounding gray wolf management in the U.S. The story, first published last August, was picked up from CBS News.

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Lincoln Sorensen (CDI) was quoted by WLUC TV6 in a story about a collaboration between Michigan Tech's Black Student Alliance and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion to create artwork for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month exhibits at the Van Pelt and Opie Library. Sorensen discussed the exhibits, which feature student and historical artwork, and highlighted the CDI's upcoming MLK Day Celebration and service projects.

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The World Resources Institute mentioned Michigan Tech’s Hybrid Electric Drive Vehicle Engineering graduate certificate program in a story about trends in electric vehicle training programs. The article highlighted how states are developing a skilled workforce to support the growing electric vehicle industry.

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WLUC TV6 interviewed Michigan Tech hockey forward Logan Morrell in a story about his breakout first season with the Huskies. Morrell discussed his journey from Arizona to Michigan Tech, his strong performance in the CCHA and the support he receives from his teammates and coaches. 

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The Iron Mountain Daily News covered Michigan Tech football defensive back and Iron Mountain native Dante Basanese being named to the 2024 Academic All-District team by College Sports Communicators.

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Grand Rapids’ 97.9 WGRD-FM mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Michigan Guinness World Record holders. The story highlighted the record for the world’s largest snowball, built by Michigan Tech ASME students in 2013, measuring 32.94 feet.

Submission and Formatting 101: Master the Dissertation, Thesis and Report Process

Students who are completing a dissertation, thesis or report are invited to join the Graduate School to learn about the resources available to them to assist in scheduling their defense, formatting their documents, and submitting their documents. In one afternoon, you can learn everything you need to be successful and complete your degree in a timely fashion! Faculty and staff who assist students with submissions are also welcome to attend. Attend the entire event, or stop in for the seminar that interests you.

• When: Tuesday, Jan. 14, from 2-4 p.m. (see a detailed schedule on our blog)
• Who: Students completing a dissertation, thesis or report; faculty and staff who assist students with submission.
• Where: Virtually via Zoom (please register to attend online and receive participation instructions) and in person in Admin 404 (room capacity is 40).
• Registration: Please register to receive handouts via email or attend online. The seminar will be available online as well as on campus.

If you are unable to join us, the event will be taped and available online after the event. The previous semester’s seminars are always available online.

Information on submitting, formatting and more can be found online for dissertations and theses or reports.

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Mileage Rate Change

The Internal Revenue Service has announced the mileage rates for 2025. As of Jan. 1, the standard milage rate for business travel is 70 cents per mile. The mileage rate for moving remains unchanged (21 cents per mile).

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Bigfoot Glowshoe 2025

Join us for our annual Bigfoot Glowshoe event, being held on the Michigan Tech Trails! The event will be a glowing good time — all are welcome and no snowshoeing experience is required. Pre-registration is required and includes beanies, glowsticks and more!

Event Details:

• What: Bigfoot Glowshoe 2025
• When: Thursday, Feb. 6, with 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. start times available
• Where: Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP) Rental Center — Tech Trails Trailhead
• Registration: Register for Bigfoot Glowshoe 2025 (pre-registration is required)

Registration Cost:

• MTU Students: $5 (snowshoe rental included)
• General Public – Bringing Snowshoes: $5
• General Public – Renting Snowshoes: $10

For more information, visit our Bigfoot Glowshoe 2025 webpage at Michigan Tech Recreation.

Questions? Email the OAP Rental Center at oap@mtu.edu or call 906-487-2290 and leave a voicemail.

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Are You Interested in Advising a Student Organization?

Student Leadership and Involvement (SLI) is looking for staff and faculty who are interested in becoming advisors for registered student organizations (RSOs). While we do not have a specific need at this time, vacancies occur regularly throughout the year due to staffing changes or the establishment of new student groups. Collecting this information before a vacancy occurs allows us to provide a smooth and efficient resource for groups who seek advice or direction on finding a new advisor.

As an advisor, you will have the chance to provide guidance and support to student leaders while fostering an environment that encourages leadership, innovation and collaboration. Learn more about being an RSO advisor on SLI's website.

To express your interest in becoming an advisor, please take a moment to fill out our Student Organization Advisor Interest Form. Your participation will not only benefit our students but also contribute to the overall enrichment of our University community.

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

How to Talk to Professionals

Monday, January 13, 4–5 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 131

In preparation for Career Fair, learn how to approach and talk to professionals such as recruiters.

Copper Country Robotics General Meeting

Monday, January 13, 5:00–6:30 p.m. | Tentatively Fisher 133

Join us for our Spring semester meetings for Copper Country Robotics happening weekly on alternating schedules to accommodate for all of our members, mentors, and volunteers....

Spring 2025 Mentor Recruitment Meeting

Monday, January 13, 5–6 p.m. | Tentatively Fisher 133

Interested in being a mentor for the 2025 FIRST Robotics Competition season, REEFSCAPE? Have no fear, Copper Country Robotics has your back! We maintain and establish...

Vastness: Art, Sound, & Meditation

January 13, all day | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library, East Reading Room

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT Vastness is an art exhibition and meditation lounge area installed at east end of the Van Pelt Opie reading room. Conceived by Anne Beffel, it...