August 15, 2017, Vol. 23, No. 25

Explore. Share. Connect. Keweenaw Time Traveler.

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At this year’s Michigan Tech Reunion 2017, alumni and friends walked through campus using the newly launched Keweenaw Time Traveler to explore past campus maps and memories.

One of the biggest memories came from alumni remembering College Avenue running through what is now the center of campus.

Alum Tour 2The Keweenaw Time Traveler is a digital map-based project that allows users to explore how the region and its population has changed through time. Supported in part by a three-year 9,882 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the project—officially titled “Copper Country Historical Spatial Data Infrastructure”—goes by the user-friendly moniker of “Keweenaw Time Traveler.”

Michigan Tech researchers have been digitally recreating the many environmental histories or “stages” of the Copper Country using Geographic Information Science (GIS) technology. Each stage is comprised of many “scenes” or time periods, much the way a filmmaker creates a scene to contextualize the story he or she is portraying on the screen.

From more than 1,000 historical maps and archival documents scanned from our region’s archives, most of Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties have been digitally modeled from 1850-1950.

Don Lafreniere, assistant professor of geography in Michigan Tech’s Social Sciences Department says users can search historical records by name, address, place and building type by year. “They can pick a location and add their knowledge, memories and stories to share with other Copper Country enthusiasts as well as researchers,” he says.

Sarah Scarlett, assistant professor of history, says they encourage alumni to connect with the Keweenaw Time Traveler. “It’s a new place where they can connect with one another and with Michigan Tech and the area,” she says. “Alumni can share their stories and pictures about places on campus. We hope to make it fun to record that history.”

Share your memories with the Keweenaw Time Traveler Explore app. What do you remember from your time at Michigan Tech, where did you live and work?
Visit keweenawhistory.com and click on “Start the Time Traveler.”

Look forward to reading your memories at Keweenaw Time Traveler.

And, thank you to all those who attended Reunion 2017. Save the Date for Reunion 2018: August 2 to 4.

Please visit and like the Michigan Tech Alumni and Friends Facebook page to view photos and more.

Sarah

At Tech

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Alumni Honored at Awards Ceremony

Giving back. Serving others. Helping to create the future.

Eight individuals were recognized by the Michigan Technological University Alumni Board of Directors at its annual Alumni Dinner and Awards Ceremony Friday evening. The event was the centerpiece of the Alumni Reunion, which took place August 3-5.

 

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Sweet! Sugar-Coated Probe Yields Better Acid Test

A new type of nontoxic fluorescent probe could make it much easier to detect low pH in living cells.

The human body is engaged in a constant tightrope walk to maintain the right pH, because when our cells’ acid-alkaline balance goes wrong, it can go wrong in a big way.

Abnormal pH—in particular, abnormally low, . . . [ Full Story ]

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Forbes Ranks Michigan Tech 12th in Nation for Graduates’ Mid-Career Earnings

Forbes.com, a financial news website, ranks Michigan Technological University 12th in the nation for public universities whose graduates earn the highest mid-career salaries.

Michigan Tech grads’ mid-career earnings average 2,000, according to Forbes.

“This is an honor, but no surprise,” said Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz.  “With our focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics),

. . . [ Full Story ]
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Michigan Tech Board of Trustees Honors Professors, Employees

At its regular meeting in Houghton, Michigan Technological University’s Board of Trustees approved emerita/emeritus rank for retiring professors Nancy Auer and Paul Buda. Auer has been on the faculty of Michigan Tech’s Department of Biological Sciences since 1984.  Buda has served on the School of Technology faculty since 1993.

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From Greenhouse Gas to 3-D Surface-Microporous Graphene

Tiny dents in the surface of graphene greatly enhances its potential as a supercapacitor. Even better, it can be made from carbon dioxide.

A material scientist at Michigan Technological University invented a novel approach to take carbon dioxide and turn it into 3-D graphene with micropores across its surface. The process is the focus of . . . [ Full Story ]

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Women in Automotive Engineering: Girls at Michigan Tech Say “Why Not?”

Kaleigh Pare’s dad is a Michigan Tech alumnus and an engineer who recruits for Chrysler. But until she came to the Women in Automotive Engineering program at Michigan Tech, all Kaleigh, 17, knew about cars was how to drive one and change the oil—“with my father’s help.”

She recently attended the Michigan Tech Summer Youth . . . [ Full Story ]

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Cooling Off: New Chemical Engineering Department Chair is Ready for a Change

After spending nearly four decades in the same place, Michigan Tech’s new chair of Chemical Engineering is ready for a change, in more ways than one.

One of Pradeep Agrawal’s biggest challenges in his new job just might be finding suitable outerwear. The new chair of Michigan Technological University’s Department of Chemical Engineering, who began his . . . [ Full Story ]

Alumni Around the World

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Gary ’77 and Marcia Krasicky Help Create the Future for Future ROTC Cadets

By Sarah Williams

Editor’s note: Gary ’77 and Marcia Krasicky attended Reunion 2017 to visit the ROTC building and see their gift come to fruition. The Krasicky’s were presented with a plaque thanking them for their gift to Michigan Tech and for helping to create the future for ROTC cadets.

Creating the next generation of leaders . . . [ Full Story ]

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Alumnus Recognized for Recent Acheivement

The Society of Manufacturing Engineering (SME) has recognized recent Michigan Tech School of Technology mechanical engineering technology graduate Matt Benzik ’15 as one of “30 Under 30,” an honor roll of future leaders in manufacturing enegineering. In 2013, SME launched its 30 Under 30 project to honor young people who have the potential to become . . . [ Full Story ]

Big 3 event

General Motors, Fiat Chrysler and Ford Host Intern Picnic

Alumni from General Motors, Fiat Chrysler and Ford connected with the Michigan Tech students working as interns at their companies. They gathered on August 3 on Belle Isle for food, lawn games and conversations about careers in the automotive sector. A great example of Huskies helping Huskies.

Alumni Profile

Dr. Kevin C. Baker ’04 ’05

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Dr. Kevin Baker ’04 ’05 came to Michigan Tech with his parents, traveling 10 hours to visit his brother Joel Baker ’96, and realized it was the best fit for him, too. Dr. Baker was recently awarded this year’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. Read his story.

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Featured Alumni Benefits

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Career Tools for Alumni

Michigan Tech alumni exploring new employment opportunities can take advantage of a wide range of career services including:

  • Post your resume, search for jobs online using HuskyJobs
  • Participate in resume and interview skill seminars, Michigan Tech Career fairs, Industry Days and company informational meetings on campus
  • Attend regional networking events
  • Join the exclusive Michigan Tech Alumni Linkedin group.
  • Use the Career Center’s video and career planning library

Learn more or contact the Career Center (906) 487-2313, career@mtu.edu for more information.

Around the Keweenaw

Job Opportunities

On Campus

Miss the great Keweenaw lifestyle? If you’re looking for a way to get back to this awesome corner of the world, check out these positions available right here at Michigan Tech.

View a listing of our on-campus career opportunities.