March 17, 2025

For over 15 years, Michigan Tech’s Rail Transportation Program (RTP) has been committed to developing tomorrow’s leaders in rail engineering. Now, that experience is paying off with more students enrolled in rail courses and an expansion in rail research conducted here at Tech.

As part of the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI) and Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE), the RTP has served as a beacon of research, education and innovation for rail enthusiasts from high school students to expert faculty and everyone in between.

“Michigan Tech is one of a fairly few universities in the U.S. that has a program concentrating on rail transportation education and research,” said Pasi Lautala, College of Engineering associate dean of research and MTTI/RTP director. “One of the things that makes us unique is the interdisciplinary approach we’ve taken since the formation of the program.”

Learn more about the RTP’s history and accomplishments at the College of Engineering Blog.

Applications are being accepted for the KCP Future Faculty Fellowship, a program funded by the state of Michigan. The purpose of the King-Chávez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship Program is to increase the pool of academically and economically disadvantaged candidates pursuing faculty teaching careers in postsecondary education.

Funding may begin in fall 2025. Applications are due no later than 4 p.m. on April 28.

Applicants will complete the following steps:

• Review the eligibility criteria to ensure eligibility (see step 1)
• Gather the materials needed for an application (see step 2)
• Create an account on the MiLogin for Citizens portal (see step 3)
• Submit an application on the MiLogin portal (see step 4)

KCP fellowships provide students up to $20,000 (M.S. students) or $35,000 (Ph.D. students) to pursue their degrees. Funds may be used to support students, including faculty and staff, pursuing degrees at Michigan Tech. For Michigan Tech students, the Graduate School and nominating department must also contribute matching funds to help support the student.

Complete information about eligibility criteria and materials needed for an application is available on our webpage. Please note that applications will be submitted through the MILogin Citizens Portal. Questions about eligibility or the application procedure can be directed to Debra Charlesworth at ddc@mtu.edu.

Michigan Tech is excited to host the GenCyber program's fourth Microchips and Robotics Training Camp for high school and community college students on April 19-20.

Building on the success of the previous three camps, which received enthusiastic participation and numerous inquiries about future sessions, this hands-on learning experience offers a great opportunity to explore cutting-edge technologies. Participants will engage in microchip programming, industrial robotics and cybersecurity, gaining real-world skills while collaborating with peers.

All four Microchips and Robotics Training Camps cover the same content; therefore, previous participants should not register for the fourth camp.

The camp is completely free for all participants, and a travel allowance is available to support attendees ($200 for local participants and $1,200 for non-local participants). Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and accommodation. These camps are made possible through support from the National Science Foundation and are led by Michigan Tech faculty.

To apply, visit Michigan Tech's GenCyber Camps page. Spots are limited, so apply today!

Michigan Tech's Indigenous student organization, the Biskaabiiyaang Collective (formerly AISES at Michigan Tech), and Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College are co-hosting a powwow.

Come join us at the Gates Tennis Center on Saturday, March 22. Everybody is welcome! The first Grand Entry dance is at noon, the Deadliest Uncles and Aunties competition is at 3 p.m., and the second Grand Entry is at 6 p.m.

On the first day of spring, Thursday, March 20, receive 20% off one item* at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum’s gift shop. With home decor, mineral kits, games, international to local specimens, and more — the gift shop has exciting items for everyone!

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

* Cannot be combined with other discounts. Exclusions apply.

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, March 20:

• Meatball Sub
• Ratatouille with Cannellini Beans (V) (VG)
• Italian Vegetables (V) (VG)
• Minestrone Soup (V) (VG)
• Italian Chopped Salad
• 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.

Please join the Department of Computer Science (CS) on Wednesday, March 19, at 3 p.m. in Rekhi G005 for a research presentation by tenure-track faculty candidate Jie Wu, following the social hour in Rekhi 218 (coffee and snacks).

The title of Wu's presentation is "Building Trustworthy and Safe AIware with Systems Thinking."

From the abstract:
As we transition from software to AIware (i.e., AI-powered software), ensuring the reliability and safety of AIware becomes paramount, especially in the age of Large Language Models (LLMs). In this talk, I will introduce a systems thinking approach to address trustworthiness issues in AIware, emphasizing the importance of connections, feedback loops, layers, and new processes. I will demonstrate this approach through a series of works. First, I focus on the truthfulness of Code LLMs through a newly developed benchmark called HumanEvalComm, which evaluates their ability to ask clarifying questions. Second, I further highlight the development of the LLM-agent framework, Okanagan, and the instruction fine-tuning method, ClarifyCoder, to enhance the communication skills of Code LLMs. Finally, I share how systems thinking can address the collaboration challenges when building products with AI components.

Wu is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia. His research lies at the intersection of software engineering (SE) and AI, focusing on trustworthy AIware (i.e., AI-powered software). He received his Ph.D. from George Washington University, where he studied automated online controlled experiments. He received his M.S. and B.S. at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Before his postdoctoral fellowship, he worked as a software engineer for a decade in the industry at Snap Inc., Microsoft, and a startup. He was a research intern at Google Research and Microsoft Research.

Wu has published in top venues, including ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology, Foundations of Software Engineering, AAAI, IJCAI, etc. His single-author paper was recognized as a Best Paper Award candidate at the IEEE/ACM 3rd International Conference on AI Engineering (CAIN 2024). He serves as a program committee member of different tracks for SE conferences, including RAIE 2025, CAIN 2025, SANER 2025, ASE 2024 and FSE 2024. More information is available on Wu's website.

Ana W. Migwan (Lindgren), first-year master's student in the Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture program in the Department of Humanities, is the author of a poem published in West Trestle Review.

The poem, titled "Picking bloodroot for deer lady," is Migwan's first publication.

Migwan, from Marquette, is an enrolled member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.

The National Academy of Engineering mentioned Ishi Keenum (CEGE) in a story about her research on antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater. Keenum presented at the 2025 NAE National meeting, highlighting her work to improve wastewater treatment and address public health concerns related to water reuse. 

*****

Washtenaw County's Sun Times News quoted Professor Emeritus/Dean Emeritus Terry Sharik (CFRES) in a story about his proposal for new tree plantings along Mill Creek in Dexter. Sharik presented the plan to replace struggling trees with resilient Carolina poplars to enhance biodiversity and address wildlife pressures.

*****

The Keweenaw Report ran a preview story about the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems' upcoming Art in Silico exhibition. The event will feature a keynote by Sarah Bell (HU) and student artwork, with activities including an AI Art Workshop and a creative workshop led by speaker Martin Krzywinski.

*****

The Daily Mining Gazette covered 2024-25 All-GLIAC postseason honors received by Michigan Tech men’s basketball's Josh Buettner and Marcus Tomashek and women’s basketball's Isabella Lenz. Buettner was named GLIAC Coach of the Year, Tomashek was honored as GLIAC Player of the Year, and Lenz earned All-GLIAC First Team and All-Defensive Team honors.

*****

The Daily Mining Gazette covered Michigan Tech hockey’s Chase Pietila being named CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year and Elias Jansson honored as CCHA Rookie of the Year. Pietila and Jansson also earned spots on the All-CCHA First Team and CCHA All-Rookie team, respectively.

Faculty Invited to Participate in 2025 Spring Commencement Ceremonies

This year there will again be two Spring Commencement ceremonies at Michigan Tech. The graduate student ceremony will take place on April 25 at 3 p.m and the undergraduate student ceremony will take place on April 26 at 10:30 a.m. Both ceremonies will be held in the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Michigan Tech faculty are cordially invited to participate in the faculty procession to support students in their department at either ceremony. Faculty presence means a great deal to the students and their families. Members of the procession wear regalia, march in the procession and sit as a group to show support for the graduates.

To participate in the graduate student ceremony on April 25 and/or the undergraduate student ceremony on April 26, please submit the Commencement Participation Form by March 28.

We hope you will join us to celebrate our graduating Huskies!

*****

McArdle Mural Unveiling and Reception Today

Please join us today, March 17, for a reception and art opening in celebration of the new McArdle Lobby Mural from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Walker Arts and Humanities Center.

Department of Visual and Performing Arts students in the class Scenic Art & Illustration painted a 50-foot mural in the McArdle Theatre lobby. The mural is inspired by art history, from Edgar Degas to Frida Khalo and Cy Twombly.

Student artists will be on-site to answer questions. There will be light refreshments available; everyone is welcome.

*****

YAF Speaker Event with Ian Haworth

The Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) chapter at Michigan Tech will host Ian Haworth for a speaking event on Thursday, March 20, in Fisher 139. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the event will start at 7 p.m.

Haworth is a conservative writer, speaker and podcast host. Originally from the United Kingdom, he moved to the United States after graduating from Oxford University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science. Before entering the world of political commentary, Haworth worked in Silicon Valley as a software engineer, spending almost four years working at Facebook. During this time, he served on Facebook's misinformation and fact-checking teams.

The event is free and open to the public. Following his speech, Haworth will participate in a Q&A discussion with members of the audience.

This event is sponsored by the Young Americas Foundation as part of the Preserving American Liberty & Freedom Lecture Series.

*****

ACSHF Forum: Grad Student Presentations

The Department of Psychology and Human Factors (PsyHF) will host two speakers at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors Forum: Laura Albrant and Kat Rawhouser, both ACSHF Ph.D. students. Their presentations will be from 2-3 p.m. today, March 17, in M&M 610.

Albrant will present "Examining Student Resolutions of Automated Critiques."

Rawhouser will present "Lessons from Needs Assessments."

*****

Genomic Technologies Themed Coffee Hour

You are invited to an informal genomic technologies themed coffee hour sponsored by the Ecosystem Science Center in the atrium of the U. J. Noblet Forestry Building today, March 17, at 2 p.m.

Students, staff and faculty with an interest in genomic technologies and its applications are welcome to attend this great opportunity to socialize with colleagues across centers, institutes and colleges.

Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided. We hope to see you there!

*****

Environmental Engineering Faculty Candidate Seminar with Han Qiu

Please join the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) on Wednesday, March 19, at 10 a.m. in GLRC 202, for a research presentation* by faculty candidate Han Qiu, research scientist at the University of Texas at Dallas.

The title of Qiu's presentation is "Towards Next-Generation Integrated Hydrologic, Ecological, and Water Quality Modeling."

* Please note: This seminar will take the place of the Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar this week. There will not be a seminar today, March 17.

From the abstract:
Climate variations intensify water resource constraints by altering precipitation patterns, raising temperatures, and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events. These shifts not only impact water availability but also exacerbate hydrologic extremes and degrade water quality through the mobilization of contaminants during floods. Water, food, and energy are foundational to human survival, economic stability, and ecosystem health. However, despite their critical interconnections, these systems are often underrepresented in global change assessments, limiting our understanding of their cascading impacts on socio-economic sectors such as agriculture, energy, public health, and urban development. Integrated hydrologic, ecological, agricultural, and water quality modeling is essential for capturing the complex interactions that govern water cycles and resource management in an era of rapid environmental change. Traditional modeling approaches often operate in isolation, restricting their ability to fully represent the feedback mechanisms between hydrologic, ecological, agricultural, and biogeochemical processes. Advancing next-generation integrated models will enhance our capacity to assess system-wide responses, inform sustainable resource management strategies, and improve resilience to climate-driven environmental challenges. In this seminar, I will present my efforts to enhance the modeling capabilities of integrated land surface, hydrologic, and water quality models to improve predictions of Earth's water, energy, and biogeochemical cycles, as well as key water quality variables. I develop and implement novel methodologies to enhance model coupling, scalability, and predictive accuracy, incorporating advances in hyper-resolution parallelized modeling. I will highlight the development and application of next-generation modeling approaches as powerful tools for sustainable water resource management, agroecosystem resilience, and environmental health applications. Additionally, I will introduce my work in coupled human-Earth system modeling, emphasizing the connections between environmental, agricultural, and ecological sciences and critical global challenges such as energy transitions, food security, and environmental sustainability. Finally, I will discuss my research in applying artificial intelligence (AI) to hydrology and environmental engineering, including advancements in physics-informed and explainable AI, to further enhance predictive capabilities and system understanding.

Qiu is a research scientist in the Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, working with Dean David Hyndman. Qiu obtained a Ph.D. in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Michigan State University and received postdoctoral training at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Qiu's research focuses on addressing critical global environmental and Earth system challenges. Qiu employs interdisciplinary approaches to unravel the complex interconnections among shifting water resources, water quality dynamics, land-atmosphere interactions, soil and water biogeochemistry, and nutrient and carbon cycles. Qiu's work integrates process-based modeling, data assimilation, high-performance computing and artificial intelligence to enhance predictive capabilities across diverse environmental systems.

Additionally, Qiu's research explores ecosystem resilience and environmental sustainability within various socioeconomic sectors — including energy transitions, land use change, food security and environmental health — by leveraging coupled human-Earth system modeling approaches to understand global change impacts and inform sustainable solutions.

*****

Chem Stores Limited Services Today

Chem Stores will have limited services today, March 17.

Chem Stores will be open during regular hours, from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1-4:30 p.m. Stock orders will be filled in.

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

Isle Royale Art Exhibition - Michigan Tech Art

Monday, March 17, 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...

What it Means to be a Husky: Fort Myers Event

Monday, March 17, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | The Forest Country Club

Join fellow Michigan Tech alumni and friends on Monday, March 17, for a delicious brunch and a presentation of What it Means to be a Husky - Through the Lens of Leadership &...

PhD Defense: Joshua Kemppainen

Monday, March 17, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | R. L. Smith Building (MEEM), 1021

Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Advisor: Gregory Odegard Molecular modeling methods and applications for accelerating polymerization and pyrolysis studies ...

Let's Talk

Monday, March 17, 1–3 p.m. | Hamar House Basement

Let’s Talk allows students to have a brief conversation with an MTU counselor. This meeting is free, informal, & confidential for all students who'd like some additional...

Master's Defense: Alexis Tater

Monday, March 17, 1–2 p.m. | Academic Office Building (AOB), 201

Sustainable Communities Advisor: Chelsea Schelly Climate Planning, Energy Sovereignty, and Electric Vehi cle Perceptions among Michigan's Tribal Nations Attend Virtually:...

ACSHF Forum: Laura Albrant, ACSHF PhD Student, & Kat Rawhouser, ACSHF PhD Student

Monday, March 17, 2–3 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610

The Department of Psychology and Human Factors will host two speakers at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors forum on Monday, March 17, 2025. Laura Albrant,...

Hot Cocoa Handout

Monday, March 17, 2–4 p.m. | Husky Statue

We offer free Hot Chocolate to all students from2 to 4pm near the Husky Statue every Monday!

WiP Machine Learning Workshop

Monday, March 17, 4–5 p.m. | Fisher Hall 231

A beginners friendly guide to the ins and outs of Machine Learning. Lessons weekly every Monday at 4:00-5:00 PM in Fisher Hall 231 with a hybrid option availible.

Lets Talk

Monday, March 17, 6–8 p.m. | Wadsworth Hall 124W

Not sure if counseling is right for you? Try Let’s Talk! This informal and confidential service is a chance to chat with a Michigan Tech counselor about mental health...

Psalm Bible Study

Monday, March 17, 7–8 p.m. | Wads Cafe

Want to see how the bible handles emotions? How it instructs us in righteousness? Eat cafe food, talk through the psalms, learn and grow with Pastor Brandon Charbonneau.