January 31, 2025

A team led by Michigan Technological University researcher Jared Wolfe (CFRES) is the first to uncover why long-lived rainforest birds are declining in an untouched environment historically considered a stable refuge. Their findings are alarming.

The results of the team's 27-year study, "Climate change aggravates bird mortality in pristine tropical forests," were recently published in Science Advances. They reveal that rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall have played a key role in drastically reduced survival rates in dozens of bird species — in some individual species by as much as 50%.

"This study signals an emerging crisis for birds in one of the world's most biodiverse regions," said Wolfe.

Read the details of the study's findings on Michigan Tech's Unscripted Research Blog.

Researchers from Michigan Tech and the University of California, Los Angeles are collaborating on a machine learning model that aims to break the cubic scaling barrier of quantum mechanics. Susanta Ghosh, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), says the new model has the potential to expand and transform the scientific capacity to accelerate materials research, opening avenues for future groundbreaking discoveries.

"Not only is our new model exceptionally accurate, it significantly accelerates computations compared to traditional KSDFT," says Ghosh. "The result is that simulations of even multimillion-atom systems are now attainable."

The team’s results, titled "Electronic Structure Prediction of Multi-million Atom Systems Through Uncertainty Quantification Enabled Transfer Learning," were published last fall in npj Computational Materials.

Read more about Ghosh and his team in MAE Magazine.

The Office of the Provost would like to inform all University instructors of two recently approved University Senate proposals that update Senate Policy 312.1: Syllabus Requirement for all Courses at Michigan Technological University.

• Senate Proposal 3-25: To align with current student-learning assessment practices, the 10th bullet in Senate Policy 312.1 regarding required syllabus content has changed to read: “As part of the university's commitment to curricular quality, student work products may be used to evaluate how well Michigan Tech students are achieving programmatic learning outcomes. Findings are used to inform future course and curricular improvements to support student learning but are not used to evaluate specific students and individual instructors.”
  
  The syllabus templates, noted below, have also been updated with this language in the “University Policies” section.
  
  
• Senate Proposal 9-25: Requires all course instructors to provide enrolled students with syllabus information in the Canvas learning management system. The syllabus information can be provided on a Canvas content page, as an accessible course syllabus document uploaded and linked in the Canvas course, or as a URL link to the course syllabus in the Canvas course. This requirement is effective for classes beginning in fall 2025.
  
  The Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) offers accessible syllabus templates to instructors in both Microsoft Word and Google Docs formats. Contact the CTL at ctl@mtu.edu with any questions.

College of Sciences and Arts Dean LaReesa Wolfenbarger has selected Paul Goetsch, assistant professor of biological sciences, for the Deans’ Teaching Showcase.

Goetsch will be recognized at an end-of-term event with other spring showcase members and is a candidate for the CTL Instructional Award Series.

Goetsch was nominated for his innovative teaching of introductory-level laboratories and in particular for pioneering course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) at MTU.

Casey Huckins, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, summarized the rationale for the nomination. “Dr. Goetsch exemplifies the teacher-scholar model through his CUREs project, which is a pedagogical approach he is implementing to bring the joy and the promise of scientific discovery into the classroom so that students experience and engage with that process of data discovery, analysis and communication in real time. In addition, he is guiding the next generation of teachers and scholars to do the same through his mentorship. Emily Washeleski is a Biological Sciences Ph.D. student advised by Dr. Goetsch and she is actively involved with the development and teaching of the CUREs project in the genetics classroom.”

In spring 2024, Goetsch implemented a CURE in BL2210 Genetics Lab. In contrast to traditional labs designed to reinforce lecture concepts, the CURE provided an entry to authentic research experiences and promoted discovery, collaboration and communication of science. When implemented in introductory courses like Genetics, CUREs expose a large student population to research while still early in their undergraduate career. This exposure positively impacts student persistence and graduation with STEM degrees and positively influences student attitudes and perceptions about their learning, scientific skills and the value of learning.

CUREs are demanding courses for faculty to develop and implement. They require the design of an original but accessible research-based curriculum, the ability to work with a larger number of students than what might be feasible in a research laboratory, and the use of research-quality resources for teaching. Consistent with best practices, Goetsch designed the course to complement his lab’s research so that the experiments and data collected by students addressed existing, timely research questions being pursued in his lab.

Wolfenbarger nominated Goetsch for “using high-impact learning practices, particularly given the challenges for designing and implementing these in one of the most difficult courses in the life sciences.”

“Not only are these challenging to develop and implement, students may have negative responses initially because they are uncomfortable with the failures that happen as a part of authentic research,” said Wolfenbarger. “Typically though, they come around as they become more invested in the experiments.”

“I appreciate … that you’re less concerned about the correctness of the results of the experiments but more so teaching students’ (sic) what it’s like to work in a lab and how to troubleshoot and draw conclusions from the mistakes that inevitably happen along the way,” one student commented. “I like the integration into the professional research aspect of your course. Keep engaging students and having fun in this lab!” said another.

Goetsch proposed developing CUREs as part of the broader impacts of his NSF CAREER Award, and plans to develop four more in the next few years.

Read more about CUREs in the journals CBE—Life Sciences Education and PLOS ONE.

Professor Emeritus Bill Sproule (CEGE) has been selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Transportation and Development Institute to receive the 2025 James Laurie Prize. The award recognizes over three decades of invaluable contributions and service by Sproule to the ASCE T&DI’s Automated People Movers Committee and the transportation planning and engineering community.

The award will be presented in June at the ASCE International Conference on Transportation and Development in Glendale, Arizona.

The James Laurie Prize was established by ASCE in 1912 to honor its first president. Since the mid-1960s, the award has been given annually to an ASCE member who has made significant contributions to the advancement of transportation engineering.

Sproule has served on several ASCE transportation committees, has been the proceedings editor/co-editor for 10 ASCE International Conferences on Automated People Movers (APMs) and two ASCE International Air Transportation Conferences, has published several papers, and has made numerous presentations at ASCE conferences. In 2008, he was recognized with ASCE’s Robert Horonjeff Award for his leadership and work in airport engineering and planning.

Nominations are now open to celebrate and recognize the individual and group efforts of students involved across campus at the 31st Annual Student Leadership Awards! The nomination deadline for all awards is March 9 by midnight.

Each week leading up to the nomination deadline, we will highlight two awards for which you could nominate an outstanding member of our community!

• William and Josephine Balconi Community Service Award: The William and Josephine Balconi Community Service Award honors students who demonstrate meaningful contributions to their community, regardless of their background or field of study. This award was established by Dr. David and Marie Blum in memory of Marie’s parents, Josephine and William Balconi. Known for their kindness, warmth and dedication to helping others, the Balconis lived in the Houghton area and left a legacy of selfless service. Through this award, their spirit of generosity continues to inspire and recognize students who share their commitment to making a difference. Help us celebrate the next generation of change-makers! Students eligible for this award are rising seniors with at least one remaining semester who intend to graduate from Michigan Tech. Your nominee has the chance to win a $5,000 scholarship if selected. Nominate a deserving student who exemplifies these values!

• Gail and Glenn Mroz Emeritus President Leadership Award: The Gail and Glenn Mroz Emeritus President Leadership Award recognizes students who demonstrate exceptional leadership abilities through their activities at Michigan Tech or philanthropic efforts that benefit the University and the greater Keweenaw community. This prestigious award celebrates individuals who lead with humility, integrity and an unyielding will to make a difference. Whether through inspiring others, driving positive change or supporting the community with purpose, the ideal recipient is a leader who leaves a lasting impact. Nominate an outstanding leader today! Students eligible for this award are first-year, second-year and junior undergraduates or continuing graduate students. Your nominee has the chance to win a $3,000 scholarship if selected. Help us honor a student whose leadership inspires those around them!

Find more information about all the awards and nomination forms on the Student Leadership Awards webpage.

The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum is celebrating Winter Carnival with a 15% Off Sale* from Monday, Feb. 3, through next Saturday, Feb. 8, in the gift shop. With home decor, mineral kits, games, international to local specimens and more, the gift shop has exciting items for everyone!

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Museum admission is waived for Michigan Tech students, staff and faculty with a valid Tech ID.

*Exclusions apply. Cannot be combined with other discounts.

The Department of Social Sciences (SS) is pleased to be hosting candidates for on-campus interviews for the position of department chair.

The third of five candidates, Joan Brehm, professor of sociology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Illinois State University, will present a department leadership seminar on Monday, Feb. 3, from 12-12:45 p.m. in AOB 201.

Brehm will also present a research seminar on Tuesday, Feb. 4, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Admin 404. The research seminar is titled “Interdisciplinary and Engaged Sustainable Water Scholarship: The Value of Social Science.”

All members of the Michigan Tech community are welcome to attend. Both presentations are also available on Zoom.

Join the SS Department Chair Seminar on Zoom.

A research team from the Department of Chemistry led by Professor Christo Z. Christov has published an article in ACS Catalysis.

The team comprises Ph.D. students Midhun George Thomas (first author) and Simahudeen Bathir J.S. Rifayee.

The article is titled "How Do Variants of Residues in the First Coordination Sphere, Second Coordination Sphere, and Remote Areas Influence the Catalytic Mechanism of Non-Heme Fe(II)/2-Oxoglutarate Dependent Ethylene-Forming Enzyme?"

The article provides deep insights into the effects of substitutions of residues from the second coordination sphere (SCS) on the catalytic mechanism of the non-heme Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenase ethylene forming enzyme (EFE). EFE is currently very intensively explored as a target for the biological production of ethylene at an industrial scale and as an alternative to conventional technologies for ethylene production. The study delineates the complex multidimensional atomistic and electronic structural effects of variations of SCS residues on the different catalytic steps of the enzyme mechanism of EFE.

This work affirms Michigan Tech as a world-leading center for computational chemistry of the ethylene-forming enzyme — a very exciting and intensively developed target in enzyme redesign for biological production of ethylene.

The study was supported by National Science Foundation grant 2203630 awarded to Christov.

The Daily News of Galveston County, Texas, quoted Kristin Brzeski (CFRES) in a story about coyote sightings and attacks in Galveston. Brzeski shared insights on coyotes’ behavior, noting that while pet attacks remain relatively rare, researchers are studying island coyotes’ diet to learn more about what they eat.

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Green Bay’s WFRV-TV Local 5 quoted Cassy Tefft de Muñoz (CEO) in a story about Michigan Tech's Mind Trekkers hosting over 2,000 middle schoolers from northeast Wisconsin at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College for STEM experiences. Tefft de Muñoz discussed the importance of providing hands-on opportunities for students to experiment and explore technologies.

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Forbes mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about workplace ageism and its impact on employees and businesses. The article highlighted the Open Sustainability Technology Lab’s development of the first low-cost open-source metal 3D printer. The success of the project was credited to the multigenerational team’s collaboration and willingness to learn from each other.

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Michigan Tech student Skyler Spitzley, president of Blue Key, was quoted by My UP Now, 102.3 WGRT-FM and the Keweenaw Report in stories about the excitement building for Michigan Tech’s 2025 Winter Carnival. Spitzley discussed how the Carnival fosters a sense of unity and shared excitement, highlighting the upcoming events and activities.

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The Daily Mining Gazette covered Michigan Tech student groups’ efforts as they work on snow statues for the 2025 Winter Carnival. The Carnival, sponsored by Blue Key National Honor Society, has seen an increased interest, with more participants than last year. Michigan Tech students Brynn Santi, Blue Key statue chair, and Grant Peek, Phi Kappa Tau recruitment chair, were quoted in the story.

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The Soo Leader mentioned the Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI) in a story about the U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes Oil Spill Center of Expertise’s funding announcement for fiscal year 2025. MTRI is a partner on a project focused on uncrewed detection of submerged oil using UV fluorometry.

2024 Electronic W-2s Now Available on Banner Self Service 9

Electronic 2024 W-2s are now available for all employees who have consented to an electronic copy. Paper W-2 forms were mailed out Monday, Jan. 27, to all 2024 employees.

Electronic 2024 W-2 Tax and Wage Statements can be found on Banner Self Service 9.

How to Access Your 2024 Electronic W-2:

1. Click on the link above and log in with your Michigan Tech username and password. On your Employee Dashboard, scroll down to and click on Taxes. In the dropdown, click on W-2 Wage and Tax Statement.
2. On the W-2 Wage and Tax Statement page, use the Tax Year dropdown to select 2024 and click Display.
3. To retrieve a PDF version*, scroll to the bottom of your W-2 and click Printable W-2.

* Human Resources encourages MTU employees to print and save a copy for future reference.

If you would like to receive an electronic copy of your W-2, it's not too late. Follow the directions in Step 1, but in the Taxes dropdown, click Electronic Regulatory Consent and then Select Electronic Consent (W-2 and 1095-C). Click the box under "My Choice" to consent to receive your W-2 electronically, then click Submit.

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CS Faculty Candidate Presentation with Congyi Zhang

Please join the Department of Computer Science (CS) on Monday, Feb. 3, at 3 p.m. in Rekhi G005 for a research presentation by tenure-track faculty candidate Congyi Zhang, following the social hour in Rekhi 218 (coffee and snacks).

The title of Zhang's presentation is "3D Shape Modeling and Processing for Digital Content Production."

From the abstract:
3D content lies at the heart of everything from games and movies to the metaverse. Creating and representing 3D content is important across computer graphics, virtual reality, and many other applications. While professionals rely on specialized modeling and rendering tools to manipulate and visualize 3D shapes, creating usable 3D content remains a significant challenge for non-professionals. My research tackles this barrier by exploring interactive methods to democratize 3D content creation. In the same vein, I will discuss the theory and methods for representing 3D shapes using emerging neural representations, which offer several advantages over traditional mesh surfaces and enable new applications. I will also present techniques for faithfully and efficiently extracting conventional mesh surfaces from neural representations. Finally, I will outline my research vision and plan, highlighting the integration of digital humans, neural shape representations, and generative models in 3D computer graphics applications.

Zhang is a postdoctoral research and teaching fellow at the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia. Before joining UBC, he held positions as a research associate at the University of Hong Kong and a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Germany. Zhang earned his Ph.D. degree in computer science at Peking University and his B.S. degree in mathematics at Fudan University. He has published numerous papers in top-tier conferences and journals, including SIGGRAPH, SIGGRAPH Asia, IEEE VR, CHI, ICCV and TVCG. His research interests encompass computer graphics, human-computer interaction and deep learning in visual computing.

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Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar will take place at 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3, in GLRC 202.

"Optimizing U.S. PET and PolyolefinPackaging Supply Chains in a Circular Economy" will be presented by:

• Utkarsh S. Chaudhari, Department of Chemical Engineering, Michigan Technological University
• David Watkins, Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, Michigan Technological University
• David R. Shonnard, Research Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Read the environmental engineering seminar abstract on the University Events Calendar.

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

Isle Royale Art Exhibition - Michigan Tech Art

Friday, January 31, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Galleries A-Space

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT Enter into a world of artistic expression inspired by the wilderness of Isle Royale. The artworks showcased in this exhibition have all been...

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Graduating and Still Looking

Friday, January 31, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | Administration and Student Services Building, 220 Career Services

Are you graduating in April? Are you still looking for your first opportunity out of college? Join us Friday mornings for coffee and discuss possibilities and strategies for...

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Second Chemical Engineering Department Chair Candidate Seminar

Friday, January 31, 10 a.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

The Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) would like to invite you to attend the seminar given by the second department chair candidate. A research seminar will be held at...

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Humanities Brown Bag: Great Lakes Romanticism with Mark Lounibos

Friday, January 31, 12–1 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, Petersen Library

Humanities’ Brown Bag talks kick off again on Friday, January 31 at 12pm in the Petersen Library with “Great Lakes Romanticism” a talk by Assistant Teaching Professor of...

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Blizzard's 28th Birthday Party

Friday, January 31, 3:00–4:30 p.m. | MUB Commons

Join SLI and MUB Board in celebrating our beloved Blizzard's 28th Birthday Party! There will be cake, awesome music, a phenomenal craft, and a doggy donation drive! Blizzard...

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Insect Respiratory Mechanics: A Blueprint forNext-Generation Infusion Pumps

Friday, January 31, 3–4 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 104

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Anne E. Staples Virginia Tech Abstract Insect respiration is characterized by therapid transport of respiratory gases and efficient...

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Ladies Bible Study

Friday, January 31, 3–4 p.m. | 1st Floor, Opie Van Pelt Library

Want to learn about women of the Bible? The Do's and Don't of lady wisdom and the harlot? Join Rachel and Gabby as they teach through the ladies of the bible. This is a...

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"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" - Film Board Movie

Friday, January 31, 5:30–7:30 p.m. | Fisher 135

Come watch "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" a classic comedy about a group of teenagers who take the most epic day off and out in metro Chicago! This 1986 comedy is a fan favorite...

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Volleyball Middle School Development League

Friday, January 31, 6:00–7:30 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Multipurpose Room

A four-week developmental program for middle school girls in grades 6, 7, & 8 to learn and improve their skills in preparation for the upcoming interscholastic season. This...

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Curling

Friday, January 31, 7 p.m.–12 a.m. | Calumet Drill House

Winter Carnival Special Event for participating organizations. In curling teams slide stones across a sheet of ice toward a target similar to a bulls eye. Points are awarded...

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"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" - Film Board Movie

Friday, January 31, 8:30–10:30 p.m. | Fisher 135

Come watch "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" a classic comedy about a group of teenagers who take the most epic day off and out in metro Chicago! This 1986 comedy is a fan favorite...

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"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" - Film Board Movie

Friday, January 31, 11:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m. | Fisher 135

Come watch "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" a classic comedy about a group of teenagers who take the most epic day off and out in metro Chicago! This 1986 comedy is a fan favorite...