His body is comfortably here on Earth. But for the last several years, Dilworth has poured all his professional skill and passion into a game-changing scientific project that is now hitching a ride on the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer. Launched by NASA Sept. 6. LADEE (dubbed “laddie”) left its Earth orbit Oct. 2 and entered a lunar orbit Oct. 6. Soon, the technical project that Dilworth has been working on at MIT Lincoln Laboratory for the last four years will spring into action.

“I’ve supported the Lunar Laser . . .]]>Mon, 07 Oct 2013 13:22:11 -0700 http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/october/story98005.htmlFolks on the Michigan Technological University campus have another place to sip a Starbucks and relax outdoors. The John Rovano Patio, between the Van Pelt and Opie Library and Rehki Hall, affords a new place to chill, before it’s too chilly.

Lynn Watson, University gardener, says she had to work between the two “pale expanses of the library and Rekhi Hall” and “black slate at eye level, which can further isolate a person from a natural setting.”

The result is the patio and two new gardens, one of which is a strip between two sidewalks. They all run north and south.

Watson views the . . .]]>Mon, 07 Oct 2013 05:56:29 -0700 http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/october/story97974.htmlHousing and Residential Life at Michigan Technological University has rolled out the welcome mat for 13 students at a very special residence hall.

The Honors House, building number 82 on the campus map and formerly the Ruppe House, is a next-door neighbor of the University Residence on Woodland Road. The headquarters for Michigan Tech’s Honors Institute, the Honors House is home to nine honors students and provides ample space for the group’s operations. The remaining four beds are filled by non-honors students who have returned to campus after at least one year of study.

The idea of converting the Ruppe House—previously used for . . .]]>Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:35:52 -0700 http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/october/story97966.html3D printing isn’t just cheaper, it’s also greener, says Michigan Technological University’s Joshua Pearce.

Even Pearce, an aficionado of the make-it-yourself-and-save technology, was surprised at his study’s results. It showed that making stuff on a 3D printer uses less energy—and therefore releases less carbon dioxide—than producing it en masse in a factory and shipping it to a warehouse.

Most 3D printers for home use, like the RepRap used in this study, are about the size of microwave ovens. They work by melting filament, usually plastic, and depositing it layer by layer in a specific pattern. Free designs for thousands of products are available . . .]]>Thu, 03 Oct 2013 08:59:03 -0700 http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/october/story97929.htmlNasser Alaraje will be spending the spring semester halfway around the world. He is bringing his expertise in reconfigurable computing to Qatar University as a Fulbright Scholar.

Alaraje is an associate professor in the School of Technology and program chair of electrical engineering technology.

“Qatar is a technology hub, and despite its small size it has become a major player in the Middle East,” Alaraje said, in large part because it actively promotes higher education. Qatar University is the country’s only national university, but in its Education City, Qatar also hosts branch campuses of eight universities from the US, the UK, and France.

This . . .]]>Wed, 02 Oct 2013 12:15:44 -0700 http://blogs.mtu.edu/gradschool/2013/10/02/gre%C2%AE-revised-general-test-%E2%80%93-information-sessions/Wed, 02 Oct 2013 10:51:31 -0700 http://blogs.mtu.edu/gradschool/2013/10/02/additional-endnote-workshops-october-10-2013/Wed, 02 Oct 2013 10:06:57 -0700 http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/october/story97909.htmlThe world is a vast place with a deep history. Scientists try to capture it all, but they cannot identify all the details. That is where you, the citizen, comes in. A group of students and faculty from Michigan Tech are trying to bridge the gap between citizens and scientists with multiple smartphone applications, especially the EthnoApp.

Cyber Citizens is the name of the project, and it is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The project’s goal is building smartphone applications and websites to help citizens and scientists acquire environmental information.

Led by Alex Mayer, a professor of civil and environmental engineering . . .]]>Wed, 02 Oct 2013 07:23:33 -0700 http://blogs.mtu.edu/gradschool/2013/10/01/october-first-friday-social-at-the-van-pelt-and-opie-library/Tue, 01 Oct 2013 07:22:31 -0700 http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/september/story97732.htmlA brighter, better, longer-lasting dental implant may soon be on its way to your dentist’s office.

Dental implants are posts, usually made of titanium, that are surgically placed into the jawbone and topped with artificial teeth. More than dentures or bridges, implants mimic the look and feel of natural teeth. While most dental implants are successful, a small percentage fail and either fall out or must be removed. A scientist at Michigan Technological University wants to lower that rate to zero using nanotechnology.

“Dental implants can greatly improve the lives of people who need them,” said Tolou Shokuhfar, an assistant professor of mechanical . . .]]>Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:55:31 -0700