April 21, 2025

Tabasum Hamdard ’25 didn’t know anyone when she arrived at Michigan Tech to pursue a master’s degree in data science. When she takes the podium as graduate student speaker at the University's Graduate Student Commencement exercises on Friday, April 25, there will be many familiar faces in the crowd — and Hamdard holds just as many memories of the community that welcomed her in and challenged her to accomplish her dreams.

“In a way, I didn’t choose Tech, but I’m glad Tech chose me,” says Hamdard. ”I came here not knowing what to expect, and found more than I could have planned for.”

Find out what Hamdard crossed off her bucket list at Tech and what her dreams are for the future at the Computing News Blog.

The Air Force and Army ROTC invite you to the Spring 2025 Joint Commissioning Ceremony on Friday, April 25, at 7 p.m. at the Rozsa Center.

This semester, we have seven Air Force cadets and four Army cadets commissioning. Those commissioning are from the following programs:

Civil Engineering | Computer Science | Computer Engineering | Electrical Engineering | Environmental Engineering | Ecology and Environmental Sciences | Exercise Science | Mechanical Engineering | Physics | Social Sciences

The Institute for Policy, Ethics, and Culture (IPEC) is delighted to announce its 2025 Faculty Seed Grant and Graduate Student Small Grant awardees:

Faculty Seed Grants:

• Kette Thomas (HU) and Sharvaree Sawant, Ph.D. student in Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture
• Jennifer Nish (HU)
• J. W. Hammond (HU)
• Alexandra Morrison (HU)
• Jason Archer (HU)
• Scott Marratto (HU)

Graduate Student Small Grants:

• Eugene Brown Agyei, Ph.D. student — Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture
• Lior Rosenfeld, Ph.D. student — Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture
• Rachael Hathcoat, M.S. student — Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture
• Beatrice Quarm, Ph.D. student — Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture
• Joseph Teahen, Ph.D. student — Computer Science
• Thi Mai Anh Tran, Ph.D. candidate — Forest Science
• Nila Horner, Ph.D. student — Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture
• Cornelius Fuumaale Suom-Kogle, M.S. student — Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture
• Eric Denbang Kunkuri, Ph.D. student — Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture

Registration for the 2025 Upper Peninsula Teaching and Learning Conference (UP-TLC) is now open and will close on May 2.

Register for the UP-TLC at Sched. Session selection is available!

Conference Schedule and Pricing:

• Thursday, May 8: Preconference Sessions
  Ticket Price: $45
  Includes Thursday preconference session admission, snacks and a parking pass (if needed). Registration also grants entry to "A Night at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum," featuring museum tours, hors d'oeuvres and networking opportunities.

• Friday, May 9: Full-Day Conference
  Ticket Price: $95
  Includes access to all scheduled Friday sessions; breakfast, lunch and snacks; and a parking pass (if needed).

Conference Tracks:

• AI in Education — Explore the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools and other machine learning applications to enhance the teaching and learning process. Topics may include leveraging AI for course design optimization, AI-driven student tutoring (such as custom GPT systems) and AI-assisted grading and feedback systems. Presenters might also explore AI’s role in adaptive learning technologies and predictive analytics for student success.

• Inclusive Teaching — Learn about strategies and tools for creating more inclusive learning environments. Topics may include the accessibility of course materials, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies and the use of EdTech tools that help ensure all students have equal opportunities to succeed. Presenters can highlight practices that promote equity, remove barriers and enhance the overall student experience for learners from diverse backgrounds and abilities.

• Active Learning and Student Engagement — Learn about strategies and tools that foster active participation in face-to-face and online environments. Topic areas may include active learning techniques like interactive lectures, or team-based and problem-based learning. Additional strategies like case studies, peer teaching and the flipped classroom model are also appropriate. Presenters may also highlight digital tools that encourage collaboration, real-time feedback and dynamic student participation in diverse learning settings.

• Innovative Strategies in Education — Discover forward-thinking teaching practices and pedagogical approaches designed to enhance learning. Topics may include mastery-based learning, the use of learning portfolios, gamification and the integration of emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. Presenters may showcase strategies that support improved learning outcomes and foster critical thinking in all teaching modalities.

Billing Information:

Universities and colleges have been assigned a University Billing Code* that attendees can enter during registration to charge their institution. Attendees without a University Billing Code will receive instructions for payment via the MTU Techshop.

* For MTU: Each college has a unique billing code provided to the dean and college director of administration. Registrants should use the appropriate code corresponding to the designated index.

Benefits Services and Financial Aid strongly encourage students to submit their TRIP (Tuition Reduction Incentive Program) application forms for fall 2025 by Friday, April 25, to ensure timely processing. Students should turn these forms in as soon as they have them completed, and no later than July 1.

A TRIP application form can be obtained from the Additional Benefits page. The form is to be signed by the eligible employee/retiree and student. One application form is to be completed for each semester.

Job Posting for Monday, April 21, 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.

Food Service Helper #25096 (12 months, first shift, 40 hours), Dining (AFSCME posting dates April 21 to April 25, 2025 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). 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.

WLUC TV6 quoted Angie Carter (SS) in a story about a gathering of 33 faculty and staff as part of the National Day of Action in Higher Education on April 17.

*****

Bridge Michigan quoted Laura Bourgeau-Chavez (MTRI) in a story about vernal pools. The story notes that Michigan Tech was recently awarded a $900,000 grant from NASA to continue mapping vernal pools in Michigan using lidar.

*****

Lake Superior Magazine mentioned Michigan Tech in a weekly newsletter entry about Michigan Tech Music's April 19 concert, “Considering Matthew Shepard,” performed by the Michigan Tech Concert Choir and conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers at the Rozsa Center.

*****

Canada's University Magazine mentioned Michigan Tech in a listicle about residence halls at Michigan colleges and universities.

Nominations Sought for KCP Future Faculty Fellowships

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. next Monday, 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.

*****

Summer Hours Begin at End of April

Beginning next Monday, April 28, the University will shift to our summer hours schedule. The core hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., meaning all offices must be staffed during these hours.

Employees are expected to fulfill their usual full-time or part-time obligations. Employee work schedules during this time must be coordinated with, and approved by, their supervisor.

Regular office hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) will resume on Aug. 11.

*****

MTTI Hosting Transportation & Mobility Luncheon, Poster Session with MDOT Director Brad Wieferich

The Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI), in collaboration with other centers and institutes, will be hosting Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Director Brad Wieferich for a campus visit on May 6. This will be Wieferich’s first visit to campus, and our goal is to provide a broad overview of MTU’s strengths in transportation and mobility.

In addition to a campus tour and lab visits, MTTI will be holding a Transportation & Mobility Luncheon. The event will include not only a presentation by Wieferich, but also an opportunity for Michigan Tech to highlight transportation and mobility related research in a poster session.

Tentative Schedule:

• Poster Session — 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m
• Lunch with Presentations — 12:15-12:45 p.m.

MTTI invites all faculty and students who have relevant research to join us for both the poster session and lunch. Those interested in presenting a poster and/or participating in the luncheon, please RSVP using the following links:

• RSVP for Poster Session (with/without lunch) 
• RSVP for Lunch Only

*****

TIAA Financial Consulting

Making decisions about your money can feel difficult, especially when it comes to retirement. But you don’t have to go it alone — especially since access to financial consulting is included as part of your retirement plan. Financial consulting sessions will help you determine whether you’re saving enough, invested appropriately and on track. The sessions are applicable whether you are just starting your retirement account, getting ready to retire or anywhere in-between.

Ryan Hallowell from the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) will be available on Michigan Tech's campus for one-on-one sessions from May 12 through May 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. All sessions will be held in the Memorial Union Building's Datolite Room (MUB 100).

RSVP today, as space is limited. You can register for financial consulting sessions with TIAA directly by logging in to your TIAA or guest account, then searching for "Michigan Tech" in the Institution field. When asked how you would like to meet, select "In Person at My Employer."

You can also register for a meeting by calling TIAA at 800-732-8353 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

*****

Register Now for the Essential Education Symposium

Join us next Wednesday, April 30, in the Memorial Union Building for the Essential Education Symposium, a full-day event open to all Michigan Tech faculty and staff as well as local community partners. The day begins with check-in and breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by sessions designed to deepen understanding of the Essential Education curriculum, explore innovative teaching and advising practices, and strengthen campus-community partnerships.

Lunch will feature a keynote from Shane Sutherland, founder, CEO and “chief mischief maker” of PebblePad, Michigan Tech’s ePortfolio platform. The event will wrap up with a panel of industry leaders and campus deans, followed by an awards and recognition ceremony, and will conclude at 3:15 pm.

Please register by this Wednesday, April 23, using the Michigan Tech Essential Education Symposium Registration Form.

To learn more about the agenda and session topics, visit our Essential Education blog.

Questions? Contact us at essential-ed-l@mtu.edu.

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

Psalm Bible Study

Monday, April 21, 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.