March 26, 2025

The Essential Education Implementation Leadership Team is offering the following workshops for faculty and instructors, intended to prepare those teaching courses associated with Essential Education for the launch of Michigan Tech’s Essential Education program this fall.

Registration is open for the following sessions:

• Workshop No. 1*
  Monday, March 31, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  MUB Alumni Lounge B
  This workshop will provide a brief overview of Essential Ed, walk you through how to complete the Essential Ed Course Planning Tool and connect courses to the Essential Ed framework, and help you align your course with the Essential Abilities.

• Workshop No. 2*
  Tuesday, April 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  MUB Alumni Lounge B
  In this workshop, you will learn about Husky Folio and walk through the process of students uploading an assignment and reflection to Husky Folio. It also covers continuous improvement for Essential Abilities, and how to complete instructor Essential Ability reporting.

Register for Workshops No. 1 and/or No. 2.

* Please note: If there is interest, we will offer an additional session of Workshops No. 1 and No. 2 on the morning of April 29, the Tuesday after finals week.

The Essential Education Implementation Leadership Team appreciates the SHAPE academic units that have allowed us to conduct these Essential Ed Workshops as part of their unit meetings. We hope that those faculty not able to attend can take advantage of these additional workshop sessions.

Thank you to the campus community for your continued support and feedback, and for contributing solutions to challenges that may arise as the build-out of Michigan Tech’s student-centered Essential Education program continues.

If you have any questions regarding the rollout of Essential Education in fall 2025, please email them to essential-ed-l@mtu.edu.

Financial Services and Operations (FSO) will periodically be sharing information regarding a specific topic to increase awareness and knowledge in an “FSO — Did You Know?” article. If there is an FSO topic that you’d like to learn more about, please email fso@mtu.edu.

Returning Cash Advances
If you have funds remaining from your cash advance upon your return from travel, there are two ways to return the funds to the University.

1. Return the cash at the Cashier’s Office using the Cash Advance Deposit Form.
   1. Funds can be returned via cash, in person at the Cashier’s Office. Please complete all fill-able sections of the Cash Advance Deposit Form. This form must be submitted with payment when returning your cash advances. The receipt provided to you by the cashier will need to be uploaded to Concur to clear the cash advance.
2. Return via credit/debit card or electronic check using the Online Payment Portal NON-Student.
   1. To make payments toward outstanding travel expenses, such as cash advances, choose the “Travel Repayment” selection. Please enter all required information (i.e., index, travel start date and travel destination). The receipt or confirmation email from the payment portal will need to be uploaded to Concur to clear the cash advance.
   2. Please note: There is a 2.3% service charge for online credit/debit card payments.

When submitting your travel report in Concur, be sure to add an expense on your report for the returned amount. Under “Add Expense,” search for account code “A113-Cash Advance Returned.” Enter the amount being returned and attach the receipt from the online payment or Cashier’s Office.

Additional information on handling cash advances in Concur can be found in the Michigan Tech Concur Training Guide. If you have questions regarding Concur, please email concur@mtu.edu.

The Department of Psychology and Human Factors will host Michael Walker at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (ACSHF) Forum, being held on Monday, March 31, from 2-3 p.m. in M&M 610.

Walker is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at MTU and will present "Virtual and Mixed Reality Interfaces for Human-Robot Interaction."

From the abstract:
Despite advances made in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) research, robot usage and collaboration has remained limited in modern society due to the difficulties of human-robot teaming. Advanced 3D extended reality technologies are poised to address via the design of immersive interfaces that support collaboration, supervision, and teleoperation of robots in both collocated and remote field settings. This research talk will present novel extended reality robot interface designs and their empirical evaluation in user study experiments that utilize real robots and emulate human-robot teaming tasks found in the real world (e.g., manufacturing, disaster response, etc.). Findings from this work demonstrate how human-robot teaming efficiency and cohesion can be enhanced by immersive interfaces in structured and unstructured real-world scenarios.

The next Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Graduate Seminar speaker will present at 2 p.m. tomorrow, March 27, in EERC 103.

Michael D. Shields will present "The Nexus of Machine Learning, Physics-based Modeling, and Uncertainty Quantification."

Shields received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics from Columbia University in 2010 and was employed as a research engineer in computational mechanics thereafter. Shields now serves as an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, director of the Center on High-Throughput Materials for Extremes (HT-MAX), with a secondary appointment in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and as a fellow of the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute.

Furthermore, for his work in uncertainty quantification (UQ), Shields was awarded the ONR Young Investigator Award, the NSF CAREER Award, the DOE Early Career Award and the Johns Hopkins University Catalyst Award, developing the open-source UQpy software with his group for computational, mathematical and physical UQ systems.

Job Posting for Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email humanresources@mtu.edu. For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Coordinator of Community Conduct, Academic and Community Conduct. Apply online.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Accommodations are available. If you require any auxiliary aids, services, or other accommodations to apply for employment, or for an interview, at Michigan Technological University, please notify the Human Resources office at 906-487-2280 or humanresources@mtu.edu.

Ph.D. students Will Johnston, Janith Godakawela and Kara Hardy from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) recently visited NASA Langley Research Center to present their project “AeroFeathers” at the NASA Acoustics Technical Working Group Meeting.

“AeroFeathers: 3D Printed Airfoils Inspired by the Quiet Flight of Owls,” funded by the NASA University Student Research Challenge, uses 3D printing to create bio-inspired, quieter propeller blades modeled after the silent flight of owls for aerospace applications. The project originates from Michigan Tech’s Mechanics, Acoustics, and Dynamics Lab (MADLab) led by MAE Associate Professor Bhisham Sharma.

At the meeting, the team engaged with leading acoustics experts from industry, academia and government, receiving valuable feedback on acoustic characterization methods and expanding their professional network. They also toured several NASA test facilities, including the new wind tunnel at the Flight Dynamics Research Facility, gaining firsthand insight into cutting-edge aerodynamics and acoustic research.

Jared Wolfe (CFRES) was quoted by Cornell Lab of Ornithology's AllAboutBirds.org in stories about his study on tropical forest bird declines, which found that climate change, including increased temperatures and reduced rainfall, significantly affects bird survival rates in Brazil’s rainforests.

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The Buzz mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Michigan’s economic transformation, with the state strategically building innovation ecosystems in areas like semiconductor research and quantum computing. 

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The Detroit Free Press and Lansing State Journal mentioned Michigan Tech in stories about the potential impact of federal funding cuts from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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My UP Now mentioned Michigan Tech men's basketball junior guard Marcus Tomashek in a story about his selection to the NABC All-District First Team.

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Medical Xpress mentioned Michigan Tech alum Yiyou Gu ’17 (Ph.D. Biological Sciences) in a story about a recent study assessing the effectiveness of a monoclonal antibody based therapy developed for mucormycosis, a type of fungal infection. Gu's Ph.D. advisor at MTU was Guiliang Tang (BioSci).

2025 African Cultural and Variety Night

The African Students Organization here at Michigan Tech is inviting all the staff and students of Michigan Tech to their annual African Cultural and Variety Night.

Join us for a vibrant celebration of African Night. Experience a rich tapestry of food, music and cultural dance as we showcase the unique traditions. Delight your taste buds with delicious cuisine, immerse yourself in captivating rhythms and melodies, and witness stunning cultural dress displays. Each performance and presentation offers a glimpse into the heart of African culture, making this an unforgettable journey!

Event Details:

• What: 2025 African Cultural and Variety Night
• When: Saturday, March 29, from 6-11:59 p.m.
• Where: MUB Ballroom
• Tickets: Sign Up and Secure Your Ticket.

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Join Us for Give Back to the Pack

Mark your calendars! Michigan Tech’s 24-hour giving challenge, Give Back to the Pack, returns at noon on April 8, bringing together alumni, friends, faculty, staff and families in philanthropic support of the University.

Every gift, regardless of size, makes a difference. Our goal is to encourage participation from as many community members as possible.

Beyond making a gift to the area of your choosing, we invite you to participate in Give Back to the Pack by becoming an ambassador. As an ambassador, you will play a crucial role in raising awareness and creating shared momentum around the challenge. By leveraging your personal (or departmental) channels, especially through social media, you can help us reach a broader audience and inspire others to join us in giving back to Michigan Tech.

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Make a Gift: You don’t have to wait until April 8! Your gift today will count toward our Give Back to the Pack matches, challenges and totals.

• Become an Ambassador: Sign up to become an ambassador and receive exclusive access to the Give Back to the Pack Ambassador Toolkit. Encourage your friends and family to support Tech by becoming ambassadors, too!

• Find Your Challenge: Participate in a challenge or match to maximize your impact. Match and challenge opportunities from some of our most generous donors are just starting to be posted to the site. Check back often to see what new match and challenge opportunities have been added!

We invite you to visit the Give Back to the Pack website to learn more, and look forward to celebrating the joy of giving with you on April 8-9!

For questions related to Give Back to the Pack, contact Sana Dicks at sdicks@mtu.edu.

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Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale Ends Today

The last day of the Friends of the Michigan Tech Library Annual Book Sale is today, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for students, members and the general public.

The book sale is being held in the ballroom on the second floor of the Memorial Union Building (MUB). Parking is available at meters and in a pay lot adjacent to the MUB.

Don’t forget that during the last hour of the sale (today from 3-4 p.m.) we have our $5 bag sale! $5 for all the books you can fit in a brown paper grocery bag!

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Spring Commencement Volunteers Still Needed

The Commencement Team is seeking volunteers for Michigan Tech's upcoming Spring Commencement ceremonies. We need volunteers to help with pre-ceremony setup, serve as greeters and ushers, coordinate graduate check-in, and assist guests with special seating accommodations.

More information regarding the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies can be found on the Commencement website. Please sign up by April 16 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!

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VPR Research Series: 'Intellectual Property and Research'

Join the Research Development team for the VPR Research Series presentation “Intellectual Property and Research” by Jim Baker, senior associate vice president for research, innovation.

The event will take place virtually tomorrow, March 27, from 12-1 p.m.

Join the VPR Research Series Presentation on Zoom.

We'll be digging into some technical details to better define what intellectual property (IP) encompasses, what it doesn't, and how it relates to academic research pursuits. While the session is not intended to focus on commercialization as an aspect of IP, we will touch on the connections of IP to translational and applied research activities.

This session will help researchers better understand the fundamentals of IP rights and connections across a range of issues relevant to academic researchers.

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Artificial Intelligence Colloquium Series: Final Presentation

The last presentation of this spring's MTU Artificial Intelligence Colloquium Series is today, March 26, at noon in EERC 216.

Data science master's student Nirmal Loganathan will be presenting "Machine Learning-based Lane Detection and Lateral Offset Estimation Model for Vehicle Following Applications."

Food and refreshments will be provided.

From the abstract:
Precisely understanding the driving environment and determining the vehicle's accurate position is crucial for a safe automated maneuver. vehicle following systems that offer higher energy efficiency by precisely following a lead vehicle, the relative position of the ego vehicle to lane center is a key measure to a safe automated speed and steering control. This article presents a novel Enhanced Lane Detection technique with centimeter-level accuracy in estimating the vehicle offset from the lane center using the front-facing camera. Leveraging state-of-the-art computer vision models, the Enhanced Lane Detection technique utilizes YOLOv8 image segmentation, trained on a diverse world driving scenarios dataset, to detect the driving lane. To measure the vehicle lateral offset, our model introduces a novel calibration method using nine reference markers aligned with the vehicle perspective and converts the lane offset from image coordinates to world measurements. This design minimizes the sensitivity of offset estimation to lane detection accuracy and vehicle orientation. Compared to the existing deep learning-based depth perception models and stereo vision systems, our calibration method significantly improves postprocessing time and minimizes the impacts of the processing delay on the vehicle following system energy efficiency. To assess the accuracy and processing time, we implemented the model on an instrumented L4-capable vehicle and conducted automated vehicle following tests in a controlled environment. In our tests, the model achieved a high level of accuracy, with a biased error of only 0.214 m and a random walk error standard deviation of 0.135 m, demonstrating its reliability across various environmental conditions and ensuring precise lane tracking. Results demonstrate reliable performance across various environmental conditions and sensor noise levels, ensuring precise lane tracking and enhanced automated maneuvering.

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This Week's C-Cubed Luncheon Menu

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 27:

• Pork Sandwich (PR)
• BBQ Tofu “Steak” (PR)
• Macaroni & 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 have your event automatically appear, please submit them to the University Events Calendar.

Isle Royale Art Exhibition - Michigan Tech Art

Wednesday, March 26, 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...

Friends of the Michigan Tech Library Book Sale

Wednesday, March 26, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom A

Come visit our annual book sale! For 2025 it will be held: 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 25 for students (free) and members ($20 memberships sold at the door)10 a.m. to 4 p.m....

Artificial Intelligence Colloquium

Wednesday, March 26, 12–1 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 216

The Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) and its Center for Artificial Intelligence (AI) are excited to announce a new event series: The AI Colloquium Series. This...

Master's Defense: Giovanna Bobnock

Wednesday, March 26, 1–2 p.m. | Rekhi Hall, G005

Chemistry Advisor: Marina Tanasova ESTERASE-DEPENDENT RED-TO-BLUE FLUORESCENCE COLOR CHANGE IN COUMARINS: SMALL FLUOROPHORES FOR LIVE DEAD CELL SENSING

Café Français - French Conversation Hour

Wednesday, March 26, 4–5 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, 120C

Parlez-vous français? Join us! French conversation hour will take place in Walker 120C (in the HDMZ) twice monthly on Wednesdays through March. Whether you are a complete...

SoundGirls General Meeting!

Wednesday, March 26, 5–6 p.m. | Walker 210

Join us in Walker 210 at 5pm every Wednesday for our general meeting!

Weekly Meeting

Wednesday, March 26, 5–6 p.m. | Fourth Floor of the MEEM

We meet on the fourth floor of the MEEM to discuss plans for the week and work on on going projects. All are welcome to attend.

How can I be Saved?

Wednesday, March 26, 6–7 p.m. | 1st Floor, Opie Van Pelt Library

A bible study geared towards the salvific work of Christ on the Cross

All About Housing and Dining

Wednesday, March 26, 7–8 p.m.

Interested in learning more about residential life and dining on campus? Join us virtually to hear from a panel of Tech resident assistants (RAs) and ask them any questions...

Modern Languages Film Series: The Beast

Wednesday, March 26, 7 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 135

Modern Languages at Michigan Tech is proud to present our Spring 2025 Film Series! The Beast is a 2023 French film in which, "In the near future the rise of AI has led to...