September 29, 2023

Construction preparations at the future site of East Hall, the University’s new residence hall, will begin on Monday (Oct. 2). The construction area will be east of the Rozsa Center in the former Temporary Parking Lot 10. Students with Guaranteed Commuter parking permits in Lot 10 have already been contacted directly with instructions about where to park when construction begins. Parking for students, faculty and staff with other permits should not be affected during this initial phase of construction.

Construction Prep & Pedestrian Routes
Next week, crews will mobilize equipment and set up temporary roads, pathways and sidewalks. Pedestrian traffic will be limited to the existing sidewalk along Cliff Drive while fencing is installed around the construction site. Later in the week, demolition of the parking lot will begin.

For the rest of the 2023-24 academic year, pedestrian traffic will be routed along the south side of the construction site on a temporary walkway. The building foundations will be constructed through late November or early December, as weather allows.

Seventh Avenue Parking Lot Updates
Construction has begun on the new parking lot on Seventh Avenue for students with Standard Commuter parking permits. We expect a gravel version of this lot with 340 parking spaces to be ready for use sometime in November. The opening of this lot will be announced in Tech Today, and Transportation Services will directly contact all impacted parking permit holders.

Construction Timelines
Wall panels for East Hall will be constructed off-site during the winter months, and construction work will resume at both sites in spring 2024.

Paving, striping and other work on the new Seventh Avenue parking lot will be completed in May 2024. East Hall is projected to open in fall 2025. In the meantime, construction progress will be streamed through a new East Hall Construction webcam, available on Michigan Tech's Webcams page beginning Monday morning.

We appreciate your patience and understanding over the next two months. As always, please use caution around construction sites and follow all posted signage, as there will be heavy equipment going in and out frequently.

On Monday (Oct. 2), construction begins on the new Michigan Tech residence hall to the east of the Rozsa, and there will be some changes to Rozsa event parking. 

Rest assured, we have carefully considered these changes to ensure easy access to parking for all the great events at the Rozsa. Much of our parking remains unchanged. 

For most events, parking will be similar to your previous experience. Accessible parking spaces will remain the same. General parking will be available in Lot 5 (just east of the Rozsa) and Lot 8 (north of the Walker Arts and Humanities Center). 

Please note the following changes:

• Temporary Lot 10, located east of Lot 5, will no longer be available for parking.

• Clear signage will help direct traffic to Rozsa event parking in Lot 14 (accessible from US-41) and Temporary Lot 26 (accessible from US-41 and Cliff Drive).

• Rozsa event parking in Lot 8 and Lot 5 is accessible from Cliff Drive, which has been converted to a one-way road. Event goers should enter Cliff Drive on the west side of campus, closest to downtown Houghton.

Get a visual with our Interactive Rozsa Event Parking Map.

We still recommend arriving approximately 30 minutes before events. If you park in Temporary Lot 26 for Rozsa events, you can expect an extra five minutes of travel from your car to the venue. For McArdle Theatre events, we suggest parking in Lot 8 or Lot 14, which are closest to the main entrance of McArdle Theatre through the Walker building. 

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. The Rozsa team and Michigan Tech Transportation Services are committed to providing extra communication, signage and assistance during this transition. Your continued support allows us to bring exceptional performances and create memorable experiences for Michigan Tech and broader Keweenaw communities. We look forward to welcoming you to upcoming shows.

The Graduate School proudly announces the recipients of the doctoral Finishing Fellowships for the fall 2023 semester. Congratulations to all nominees and recipients.

• Benjamin Barrios Cerda — Environmental Engineering
• Komal Chillar — Chemistry
• Hrishikesh Suhas Gosavi — Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
• Tauseef Ibne Mamun — Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors
• Susan Mathai — Atmospheric Sciences
• Monica Mame Soma Nyansa — Chemistry
• Adelina Oronova — Chemistry
• Elise M. Rosky — Physics
• Hanrui Su — Environmental Engineering
• Mehnaz Tabassum — Electrical Engineering
• Ponkrshnan Thiagarajan — Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
• Ann Varghese — Chemistry
• Chen Zhao — Computational Science and Engineering
• Katherine E. Higdon — Forest Science
• Dong Min Kim — Environmental and Energy Policy

For more details about recipients, see their student profiles on our blog.

The College of Engineering (CoE) Dean Search Committee will be holding another open meeting for Michigan Tech faculty, staff and students on Tuesday (Oct. 3) at 8:10 a.m. in the MUB Ballroom A1.

The search committee is looking for input on the position description at this meeting.

Virtual meetings are one of the ways faculty and students connect and collaborate. Here are some reminders to make sure your Zoom meetings are secure and run as smoothly as possible:

• To host a meeting, remember to sign in and claim your Michigan Tech Zoom account. By signing in at the Michigan Tech Zoom portal, you’ll have access to the Michigan Tech Zoom license that gives you features beyond the free basic account.

• When scheduling a meeting, secure your meeting from unwanted disruption by enabling a security option. You can choose a waiting room or passcode, or require your attendees to sign in with their Michigan Tech Zoom account. You can also enable meeting registration and have attendees register prior to the meeting. For more information, please refer to our support article on Zoom meeting security.

• If you are hosting a public meeting or event, do not share the meeting link on social media. Instead, consider listing contact information for someone who can provide a link upon request.

• Don’t use your Personal Meeting ID for public events. You should only use your Personal Meeting for meetings with persons you know. The waiting list feature is enabled on your Personal Meeting ID by default.

• Every faculty, staff and student has access to a Michigan Tech Zoom meeting license that will accommodate up to 300 concurrent users. If you are hosting a public event that will exceed this capacity, contact IT to check on the availability of a Zoom Webinar license for the event.

If you have any questions about Zoom, we can help. Contact IT at it-help@mtu.edu or call 7-1111.

Registration for Fall Session 2 Youth Aquatics Programs opens on Wednesday (Oct. 4) at 8 a.m.!

• Huskies Group Swim Lessons Parent & Child Aquatics (ages 6 months to 3 years)
• Huskies Group Swim Lessons Preschool Aquatics (ages 4-5 years)
• Huskies Group Swim Lessons Learn to Swim Levels 1-5 (ages 6-17 years)
• Huskies Swim Clinic (ages 6-17 years)

Registration for Fall Sessions 2 and 3 Adult Aquatics Programs are open now!

• Adult Huskies Swim Training (ages 18 or older) — Registration closes Thursday (Oct. 5)
• Adult Huskies Swim Lessons (ages 18 or older) — Registration closes Nov. 2

Questions? Contact Aquatics Manager Annie Bengry at ambengry@mtu.edu or 906-487-2995.

Join the Department of Social Sciences (SS) on Monday (Oct. 2) at noon in AOB 201 or virtually on Zoom for a talk with Instructor Todd Holmstrom on Michigan Tech's international engagement.

Universities are motivated to engage internationally for various reasons. Some focus on budget imperatives while others are driven by academic collaborations. Few approach international engagement with an integrated plan that links to their strategic planning. Conversely, foreign universities have a much clearer objective when engaging U.S. institutions but too often focus on the marquee names associated with America's Ivy League. Nonetheless, international engagement is a force multiplier for education in both directions.

Michigan Tech has a number of assets that could be applied internationally to further its academic, research and organizational goals. This talk will explore those resources as well as the Department of Social Sciences' role in facilitating greater international engagement at Michigan Tech.

Holmstrom is a retired member of the U.S. senior foreign service. Though focused on foreign policy formulation and execution in Washington, D.C., and overseas, he had a special interest throughout his career in promoting people-to-people exchanges between countries. While leading three diplomatic posts overseas, Holmstrom became especially interested in how U.S. universities engaged with their counterparts in his host countries.

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences will host Leanne Jensen, Ph.D., at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (ACSHF) Forum on Monday (Oct. 2) in Meese 109, from 2-3 p.m.

Jensen holds a prominent role in the aerospace industry as a member of The Boeing Company’s Technical Fellowship, focusing on human performance technology and human factors engineering. Her work has led to several invention awards related to human reliability and productivity, including a pending patent for a model-based systems engineering approach to advanced product quality planning, solidifying her reputation as an innovative thought leader. Her expertise in developing and implementing human-centric solutions has enabled organizations to achieve higher levels of safety, productivity, quality and operational excellence.

Read Jensen's full bio and abstract on our Cognitive and Learning Sciences News blog!

Michigan Tech volleyball continues its five-match home stand this weekend at the SDC Gym.

The Huskies host Lake Superior State at 7 p.m. today (Sept. 29). The weekend wraps up at 4 p.m. on Homecoming, tomorrow (Sept. 30), against Ferris State.

J&J Broadcasting will carry both volleyball matches on Mix 93.5 WKMJ-FM. Fans can also listen online at Pasty.net or on the TuneIn app. The matches will be livestreamed on FloSports (a subscription is required — discounts are available for students).

Fans who purchase tickets to tomorrow's Homecoming football game against Davenport can attend the volleyball match versus Ferris State for half price. Take your football ticket to the SDC Ticket Office to claim your discount.

Read the match previews at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Posting for Friday, Sept. 29, 2023

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.

IT Security Analyst, Information Technology. 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.

Evan Kane (CFRES/ESC) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received a $25,000 research and development co-op joint agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service.

The project is titled "Radiocarbon and carbon cycle research."

This is a potential five-year project.

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Hassan Masoud (ME-EM/GLRC) is the PI on a project that has received a $42,519 research and development contract cost from the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

The project is titled "Harnessing perforated heave plates to improve the efficiency of two-body WECs."

Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) Director Tim Havens and GLRC staff members Jamey Anderson, assistant director of marine operation; research engineers Hayden Henderson, Travis White and Anthony Arnold; and senior research scientist Jason Summers attended the Lakebed 2030 Conference, held in Traverse City, Michigan, on Sept. 19-21.

MTU was a collaborator in several presentations, and some were co-authored by Anthony Arnold and GLRC research engineer Joe Geisz (not in attendance).

Lakebed 2030 Presentations:

• "Mapping Benthic Substrate from AUV Images to Lake- Wide Using Machine Learning: Challenges and Lessons Learned"
  Presenter: Phil Wernette, USGS (co-author: Joseph Geisz)

• "Comparing Substrate Classification Model Accuracy Using AUV Ground-Truthing Information and Simulated Traditional Approaches"
  Presenter: Sam Pecoraro, USGS (co-authors: Anthony Arnold and Joseph Geisz)

• "Lakebed Habitat Mapping Using Multiband Backscatter"
  Presenter: Matt Holland, NORBIT (co-author: Anthony Arnold)

Lakebed 2030 was followed by the Smart Ships Coalition Workshop, held Sept. 21-22 in Traverse City and organized and led by Travis White.

Pasi Lautala (CEGE) was quoted by the Boston Globe in a story about an extension railroad track in Massachusetts that has narrowed dangerously in recent months, forcing trains to slow for safety.

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The U.S. National Science Foundation mentioned Michigan Tech in a news release announcing its Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) investment of $18.8 million, awarded to 27 teams at U.S. colleges and universities. MTU will receive $999,930 to fund a project led by principal investigator Aleksandr Sergeyev (AC) and co-PIs Vinh Nguyen (ME-EM), Scott Kuhl (CS), David Labyak (MMET) and Paniz Hazaveh (AC).

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Michigan Tech football’s Drew Wyble and MTU hockey transfer Austen Swankler were mentioned in a WLUC TV6 segment aired Tuesday (Sept. 26). 

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The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech’s Lakeshore Center in a story about the building’s designer, architect Karin Cooper.

Scheduled Water Outage To Affect ROTC, AOB, Annex Building

The Department of Facilities Management has scheduled water main repair work on the east side of the ROTC Building today (Sept. 29) at 5 a.m.

Performance of the work will require that water service be shut off at the Academic Office Building, the ROTC Building and the Annex Building. The scheduled work is expected to be completed by 9 a.m.

Please contact Facilities Management at 906-487-2303 with any questions.

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Math Seminar with Zhiqiang Cai

Please join us for the next Department of Mathematical Sciences (Math) Seminar, taking place today (Sept. 29). The event will be held in Fisher 327B from 1-2 p.m.

Our guest speaker will be Zhiqiang Cai, professor of mathematics at Purdue University.

The presentation is titled "Neural Nets and Numerical PDEs."

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ChE Seminar Series Speaker: Alan Nelson

Alan Nelson will present as part of the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) Seminar Series today (Sept. 29) at 10 a.m. in person in Chem Sci 102 and virtually via Zoom.

Nelson will present "The Energy Transition: Paving a Way to a Decarbonized Future."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

Nelson is the vice president of technology at SLB, and previously was senior vice president of battery materials for Redwood Materials, chief technology officer for Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC), chief technology officer and CEO of New Business Development for Johnson Matthey, global R&D director for Dow Chemical Co. and associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of Alberta, Canada. He is also the 2024 president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

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Chemistry Seminar with Marina Tanasova

Marina Tanasova from the Department of Chemistry at Michigan Technological University will be presenting at this week's Chemistry Seminar. The seminar will be held in person at 3 p.m. today (Sept. 29) in Chem Sci 101.

Tanasova’s presentation is titled "Expanding a toolkit for chemical biology research: Molecular probes for sugar transporters."

From the abstract:
Answering questions in life sciences relies on the availability of experimental tools that can target specific biochemical processes and answer basic science questions. Despite the 100-year history of sugar transport and its role in health and disease, targeting sugar transporters remains a significant challenge. In my laboratory, we work on providing specific tools to target and modulate the activity of facilitative sugar transporters - GLUTs to foster a better understanding of links between sugars and health disparities. Approaching GLUT targeting relies on understanding sugar transport distribution in the multi-GLUT environment of mammalian cells and designing molecular probes that, while competing with natural substrates in a complete nutritional environment, could exert a diverse range of actions varying from activity reporters, bioactive cargo carriers, and inhibitors. In this presentation, our endeavors and successes in designing transporter-specific probes and their potential applications as biochemical and biomedical tools will be discussed.

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

Layered in Between: Prints by Erin Hoffman Presented by Michigan Tech Art

Friday, September 29, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Galleries A-Space

Erin Hoffman is an artist and printmaker from Muskegon, Michigan, who deals primarily with political and social concerns. Through the presentation of mismatched ideas and assemblages, her art serves as a prompt for critical thought and new conclusions. CONTENT GUIDANCE | war PRESENTER | Michigan Tech Art VENUE | Rozsa Galleries A-Space EXHIBIT OPEN | September 15 - November 4 HOURS | M-F 8 A.M.-8 P.M. AND SA 1-8 P.M. ARTIST STATEMENT I feel that one experiences and draws conclusions about the world through the assembly of mismatched ideas and sensorial memories. Sometimes the associations of these ideas are seemingly random and other times there are lines that can be drawn between them that may lead to overarching truths or conclusions. I hope my work will lead viewers to new conclusions. My work uses printed and hand drawn/painted imagery taken from historical references to reflect on current social and political issues. About Erin Hoffman has been involved in the art community since early childhood. She was first published at age six in a local Fort Wayne, Indiana newspaper, “The Sentinel” for her visual interpretation of “A Sunny Day.” She is currently a full-time tenured…

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The Energy Transition: Paving a Way to a Decarbonized Future

Friday, September 29, 10 a.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Chemical Engineering Seminar Alan Nelson Vice President Technology SLB New Energy Abstract Climate change is our most serious generational challenge. While history has shown Earth’s climate in a constant state of flux, current global warming is happening now at an unprecedented rate not seen in the past 10,000 years. Carbon dioxide levels rose to peak at 421 ppm in May 2023, the highest carbon dioxide reading since reliable instrument data began 63 years ago, and evidence shows it is also at a level not seen since well before the start of human history. That is, we are approaching levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere not seen since more than 4 million years ago. Not only is carbon dioxide now at its highest levels in the chronicles of mankind, but one would have to go all the way back beyond the beginning of this history – to the Pliocene Epoch (4.1 to 4.5 million years ago) to find a time when Earth's atmosphere held a similar amount of carbon dioxide. The last time this happened there were catastrophic events. A majority of global carbon dioxide (equivalent) emissions are energy-related. Through decarbonizing energy supplies and industrial operations, and innovating new…

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Mathematical Sciences Seminar Series Speaker: Dr. Zhiqiang Cai

Friday, September 29, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 327B

Title: Neural Nets and Numerical PDEs Abstract: In this talk, I will present our recent works on neural networks (NNs) and its application in numerical PDEs. The first part of the talk is to use NNs to numerically solve scalar linear and nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws whose solutions are discontinuous. I will show that the NN-based method for this type of problems has an advantage over the mesh-based methods in terms of the number of degrees of freedom. The second part of the talk is on our adaptive network enhancement (ANE) method. The ANE method is developed to address a fundamental, open question on how to automatically design an optimal NN architecture for approximating functions and solutions of PDEs within a prescribed accuracy. Moreover, to train the resulting non-convex optimization problem, the ANE method provides a natural process of obtaining a good nitialization.

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Fall Color Tour

Friday, September 29, 3 p.m.–7 p.m. | Mont Ripley Ski Area

Fall color tours take you on a chairlift ride for viewing spectacular fall colors and overlooking the Michigan Tech campus from the top of Mont Ripley. Tickets are valid for one round-trip ride on Mont Ripley's Copper Hoist Chairlift. Proceeds from color tours benefit Mont Ripley chair lift improvement projects, Mont Ripley's Volunteer Ski Patrol, and the new Copper Country Snowsports Club.

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Homecoming Cardboard Boat Races (and Design Competition)

Friday, September 29, 4 p.m.–6 p.m. | Kestner Waterfront Park

Come celebrate Homecoming by watching the cardboard boat races! Races begin at 4 PM. There is a FREE shuttle that will leave from the MUB and the SDC to take students to and from the Houghton Waterfront Park. There is limited parking, so we recommend the shuttle. They will start around 3 PM and will run until the end of the races.

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Homecoming: Cardboard Boat Races

Friday, September 29, 4 p.m.–6 p.m. | Kestner Waterfront Park

Come celebrate Homecoming by watching the cardboard boat races! Races begin at 4 PM. There is a FREE shuttle that will leave from the MUB and the SDC to take students to and from the Houghton Waterfront Park. There is limited parking, so we recommend the shuttle. They will start around 3 PM and will run until the end of the races.

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Illuminating the Mechanical Adaptation of Musculoskeletal Interfaces

Friday, September 29, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Dr. Megan Killian University of Michigan Abstract The bones of our skeleton get their shape from the transfer of mechanical loads applied by muscles at tendon attachment sites. These tendon-bone attachments are subject to dynamic loads throughout our lifespan, and changes to bone shape are often most sensitive during periods of growth and development. The research she will present focuses on the important role of mechanical loading during growth of the tendon and its attachment to bone. She will highlight some of her recent work using optogenetic tools, which can be leveraged to induce skeletal muscle contractions simply with blue light. This allows us to study how changes in the structure and function of tendon and bone are influenced by increased mechanical loading in live animals. Bio She is an alumna of Michigan Tech—BS ‘05 and PhD ’10 in Biomedical Engineering—and a former member of the Women’s Cross Country, Nordic Ski, and Track and Field teams. In her current role as an Assistant Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Michigan, she lead an independent research laboratory focused on pediatric musculoskeletal biology…

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Portage Waterway Cruising

Friday, September 29, 5 p.m.–6 p.m. | East Houghton Waterfront Park

The Sailing Club at Michigan Tech has weekly cruises on the Portage Waterway, most Friday nights in the fall semester (weather permitting). No previous sailing experience is necessary. Everyone is welcome to attend.

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Film Board Presents: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Friday, September 29, 5:30 p.m.–7:50 p.m. | Fisher 135 Michigan Tech

Join Film Board this weekend as we show Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse! Tickets are $3 and concessions are $1. Showings are on Friday 9/29, Saturday 9/30, and Sunday 10/1 in Fisher 135! More information on our website https://filmboard.mtu.edu/

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(Women's Soccer) Davenport vs. Michigan Tech

Friday, September 29, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. | Sherman Field

Women's Soccer: Davenport vs. Michigan Tech

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(Women's Volleyball) Lake Superior State vs. Michigan Tech

Friday, September 29, 7 p.m.–10 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Wood Gym

Women's Volleyball: Lake Superior State vs. Michigan Tech

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Homecoming: Fans in the Stands for Volleyball

Friday, September 29, 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | SDC Varsity Gym

Join your favorite registered Homecoming team to show support for our athletes at the Huskies Volleyball Game on Friday, Sept. 29 at 7:00 PM. Bring your friends and wear the flair! Registered Homecoming teams will compete for bringing the most people to the game. Location: SDC Varsity Gym MTU Huskies versus Lake Superior State University Lakers

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Film Board Presents: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Friday, September 29, 8:30 p.m.–10:50 p.m. | Fisher 135 Michigan Tech

Join Film Board this weekend as we show Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse! Tickets are $3 and concessions are $1. Showings are on Friday 9/29, Saturday 9/30, and Sunday 10/1 in Fisher 135! More information on our website https://filmboard.mtu.edu/

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Film Board Presents: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Friday, September 29, 11:30–1:50 a.m. | Fisher 135 Michigan Tech

Join Film Board this weekend as we show Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse! Tickets are $3 and concessions are $1. Showings are on Friday 9/29, Saturday 9/30, and Sunday 10/1 in Fisher 135! More information on our website https://filmboard.mtu.edu/

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Little Huskies Volleyball Club

September 29, all day | Student Development Complex (SDC), Varsity Wood Gym

Focus on fun while you learn to play volleyball! Our Little Huskies Volleyball Club is the perfect way to explore the basics of an active and energetic sport. Once you get into the game, you'll be spiking like a champ. Post-game clinics, game admission, and team pen pals are all part of the fun! Reigstration closes September 12! The camp will occur after home volleyball matches. Participants can wear their club shirts to Women's Volleyball home matches for free admission!

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Support Pack Weekend (formerly Family Weekend) - 9/29/2023 & 9/30/2023

September 29, all day

Fall is coming and Michigan Tech is looking forward to celebrating events in a safe and healthy way. With that in mind, we are planning Family Weekend for Friday and Saturday, September 29 and 30. It's a weekend for parents and families to come and visit their students, explore campus, and see the local sights.