November 4, 2024

Putting together the annual 41 North Film Festival takes tenacity, curiosity and an entire community of support. Just ask Erin Smith, director of the Humanities Digital Media Zone and teaching professor in digital media and cinema for the Department of Humanities.

Smith began the event in 2006 as the Northern Lights Film Festival so her students could experience films with a live audience. Now, the film festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary from Nov. 7-10 with a lineup of 20 independent films — including a one-of-a-kind documentary about musician Brian Eno. Thanks to generative artificial intelligence, the film is created uniquely each time it is shown.

Other films explore hummingbird rescue, a small-town radio telescope, the business of grief in a world with AI, and how we measure happiness.

Take a look at what inspires the festival, hear how it has grown over the years and preview some of this year's highlights at Michigan Tech News.

The University invited three candidates to interview for the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Senior Vice President for Administration position. Candidate interviews will be conducted over two days and will include a presentation of their vision for research at Michigan Tech at an open forum.

Candidate Open Forum Presentation:
Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m. in MUB Ballroom B
CFO candidate Lillian Wanjagi will provide a public presentation titled “Academic Finance and Administration: A Vision for Michigan Tech” at an open forum tomorrow, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m. in Ballroom B of the Memorial Union.

Candidate resumes, cover letters, interview dates and open forum information can be viewed at the Chief Financial Officer Search page. A Michigan Tech login is required to view candidate information.

The search committee encourages the campus community to attend and to provide feedback by completing the anonymous comment form provided on the candidate webpage. Feedback forms will be posted immediately following each candidate's visit and remain available for 72 hours following the last candidate’s visit.

Recordings of the candidate presentations will be available to those who are unable to attend because of a valid scheduling conflict, those working 100% remotely and those who have accommodations. Please contact the Office of the President at hlherman@mtu.edu to request access.

The Student Affairs CommUNITY Education Team invites members of our campus community to join the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and community guests for a Diverse Dialogues event in recognition and support of Native American Heritage Month.

Guests include:

• Waaseyaaban-nooji'iwe Landgren
• Anna Lindgren
• Ford Schoonover
• Jonathan Oleson
• Jenna Messer
• Larissa Juip
• Robin Chosa
• Reece Redeye-Desposito
• Jerry Jondreau

Diverse Dialogues provides a platform for students, faculty and staff to engage in meaningful conversations about inclusion and the power of diverse perspectives. We strive to learn about others' experiences through open communication to increase the sense of belonging for all Michigan Tech Huskies.

This event will be held on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 3 p.m. in EERC 214. Light refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there!

Join the Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success in celebrating National First-Generation College Student Day on Friday, Nov. 8! This event is dedicated to honoring the achievements, resilience and contributions of first-generation college students, staff, faculty and alumni within our campus community.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, we invite you to stop by our table on the first floor of the Van Pelt and Opie Library to grab a treat, sign a commemorative banner, pick up a First-Gen Day sticker, and celebrate alongside our first-gen community. At noon, join us for a group photo at the Husky Statue (weather permitting) to highlight the collective spirit of first-gen students and their allies. Limited “I’m First” T-shirts will also be available for first-gen students.

The Wahtera Center is hosting this special event in partnership with Michigan Tech’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion and Center for Educational Outreach, as well as MTU’s GEAR UP, TRIO McNair Scholars and TRIO Pre-College programs, reflecting our collective dedication to empowering first-generation students on their academic journeys.

Everyone in the Michigan Tech community is welcome! For more details, contact success@mtu.edu.

Chelsea Schelly (SS/CISR) has been invited to serve on the advisory committee for the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s Community & Worker Economic Transition Office.

The advisory committee will begin meeting next month to assist with the development of a statewide community and worker economic transition plan.

P.A.W.S. (Peer Awareness for Well-being and Support) is a newly adopted program at Michigan Tech that equips students with the knowledge and tools to effectively recognize the signs of a mental health crisis, give appropriate and supportive aid, and refer a peer who is struggling to professional mental health resources. The program seeks to involve students from multiple backgrounds and experiences who are natural, key peer supporters on campus and want to help bring a higher level of mental health awareness and advocacy to the Michigan Tech community.

Promoting student mental health and well-being is a whole-campus effort, and Michigan Tech students are crucial in helping to support student mental health on campus. Research shows that students who struggle with mental health often reach out to their peers first, while a smaller percentage reach out to their on-campus counseling center.

Over six weeks of training, P.A.W.S. gives students the skills to help their peers experiencing crisis or distress. Participants meet each week for one hour. The core purpose of P.A.W.S. is to increase the number of peer support leaders on campus who are trained to identify and confidently refer their peers to the appropriate professional mental health resources, and who embrace a holistic approach to well-being by expanding and enriching the network of support on campus.

Once students have completed the six-week training program, they are considered members of the P.A.W.S. network for the remainder of their time at Michigan Tech. Completing this program will open up future opportunities for participating in mental health and well-being advocacy on campus, getting involved in future continuing education or peer programs, and being a leader in promoting mental health resources on campus. With only six weeks of training, students will learn valuable skills that are useful even after their years at Michigan Tech.

Each week brings up a new topic for students to discuss with peers in their group:

• Session 1: What is Mental Health?: Acceptance and Avoidance
• Session 2: Core Supportive Skills
• Session 3: Depression and Anxiety
• Session 4: High-Risk Coping Strategies & Behaviors
• Session 5: Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors
• Session 6: Helping Others Get Help

Faculty, staff and students who are passionate about mental health awareness on campus are invited to nominate a student for the P.A.W.S. spring 2025 cohort. Nominated students must have at least one year left in their academic program and will receive an email requesting a completed application form and their schedule availability. Nominations are accepted year-round, but please submit nominations for spring 2025 by Nov. 17.

Limited spots are available. Nominees not accepted into this cohort will be waitlisted for the next semester.

To Learn More: Visit our information table in the Van Pelt and Opie Library from Nov. 11-17, check out our website, or email us at PAWS@mtu.edu.

The University Senate will convene Meeting 706 at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, in Chem Sci 102.

Those within the University community unable to attend in person have the option to attend the University Senate meeting via Zoom. Please note: You will need to log in to your MTU Zoom account to join the virtual meeting.

Senators are responsible for making their constituents aware of the agenda for this meeting. Senators who are unable to attend should arrange for their alternates to attend in their place.

View the agenda to Meeting 706.

Carved and Crafted Catering at Michigan Technological University invites you to join 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). All faculty and staff, along with their guests, are invited.

Menu for Thursday, Nov. 7:

• Chicken Tikka Masala (AG) (PR)
• Potato, Garbanzo and Pea Coconut Curry (VG) (AG)
• Basmati Rice (VG) (AG)
• Garam Cauliflower and Chickpea (VG) (AG) (CF)
• Garlic Naan (V) (PR)
• Kachumber Salad (VG) (AG)

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, tea and cookies are available free to all attendees. All vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items on the buffet are labeled for easy identification. No takeout service or personal containers are 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 join the C-Cubed Luncheon Email List and receive weekly menus, please complete the sign-up form.

Ali Ebnenasir, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science (CS), will present a Computer Science Colloquium on Friday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. in Rekhi 214.

The title of the talk is “Making Headway on the Simplest Unsolved Math Problem Through the Specification and Generation of Convergence Stairs.”

Read Ebnenasir’s talk abstract on the Computing News Blog.

Nicholas MacDonald, assistant professor at the University of Mississippi, will present at this week's Physics Colloquium.

The seminar will be presented at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, in Fisher 139. A coffee hour will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Fisher Hall Lobby.

MacDonald's presentation is titled "Listening to Multimessenger Sirens: Modeling & Monitoring Blazar Jets Across the Electromagnetic Spectrum."

Read McDonald's abstract and bio at the University Events Calendar.

Thomas Werner (BioSci) was quoted by Lake Superior Magazine in a story about his discovery of a rare Drosophila narragansett fruit fly, unseen for over 60 years and thought to be extinct. Werner captured the silver-faced fly on the Maasto Hiihto public recreation trail in Hancock. The discovery was the subject of a Michigan Tech News story.

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Stephen Techtmann (BioSci) was quoted by Crain’s Detroit Business in a story about his research, funded by DARPA, which explores the potential of turning plastic into food through plastic-devouring microbes. The research was also highlighted in MTU’s 2022 Research Magazine. 

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Business Wire, Yahoo! Finance and 20 additional outlets mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Michigan’s “You Can in Michigan” talent attraction campaign. As part of the campaign, the Michigan Talent Solutions Division awarded 268 scholarships and has 1,049 students participating in the Michigander Scholars program at participating Michigan universities, including Michigan Tech.

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WZMQ 19 News mentioned Michigan Tech men’s basketball in a story covering the 2024-25 GLIAC Preseason Poll results. The Huskies were picked to tie for sixth by league coaches, and guard Marcus Tomashek was named the GLIAC Preseason Player of the Year.

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Maryland’s Daily Record named Michigan Tech alumna Julia Jasken ’03 (Ph.D. Rhetoric and Technical Communication) to its 2024 Higher Education Power List. The story included a Q&A with Jasken, who is president of McDaniel College and the second woman to lead the institution in its 154-year history.

Fall 2024 WIA Breakfast Social

Please join Women in the Academy (WIA) for a breakfast celebrating the fall semester. Stop by the MUB Ballroom A1 anytime between 7.30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 14. Continental breakfast and coffee will be provided.

Although no formal program is planned, this time will provide opportunities for open table discussions and networking. Hope to see you there!

Submit your RSVP by tomorrow, Nov. 5, to help us organize the event.

This event is supported by the Office of the Provost.

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EPSSI Seminar with Gerald Feldman

An Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) Seminar will take place today, Nov. 4, at 4 p.m. in M&M U113.

Guest speaker Gerald Feldman, professor at George Washington University, will talk on "Establishing a Collaborative Student-Centered Learning Environment using the SCALE-UP Pedagogy."

Read Feldman's abstract and bio at the EPSSI's Fall 2024 Seminar Series page.

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Second Annual Military Care Package Drive

Young Americans for Freedom at Michigan Tech invites campus and Keweenaw community members to participate in our second annual Military Care Package Drive. The drive began Saturday, Nov. 2, and runs to Nov. 16. It will send care packages containing food, hygiene products and entertainment items, as well as handmade letters and artwork, to deployed service members. We aim to bring hope, joy and the comforts of home to deployed troops throughout the holiday season.

You can contribute by:

• Donating items from our list, hand-writing letters, or making artwork. Drop-off locations are:
  • Matt’s Auto Body and Glass — 47170 Highway M-26, Atlantic Mine
  • Superior Family Chiropractic — 41950 Wilson Memorial Dr., Chassell
  • Sunflower Books and Coffee — 528 Quincy St., Hancock
  • Pat’s Foods — 801 Market St., Hancock
  • Van Pelt and Opie Library — Michigan Tech
  • Email amleagje@mtu.edu for a large pickup.
• Donating to our Liberty and Freedom Fund. Money raised will support shipping costs and purchasing additional goods.
• Purchasing items from our Amazon Wish List.
• Sharing the address of your deployed family member or friend to our ShipThrifty account so we can send them a package.
• Following our Instagram and Facebook for updates.
• Getting your business involved by donating money, a product you sell, or letters from your employees. Donors will be recognized in a recap email to the community.

If you are interested in working with us to help support our troops, please contact us at amleagje@mtu.edu for additional information or with questions. We would love to share more information with you, and meet either virtually or in person.

Thank you for your support, and let's make this drive a success together, supporting those who risk their lives for our freedom, and thanking them for their service.

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Midyear Commencement Volunteers Still Needed

The Commencement Team is still seeking volunteers for the 2024 Midyear Commencement ceremony, which will take place on Dec. 14 at 10:30 a.m. in the SDC Varsity Gym. 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.

There are also opportunities to volunteer on the days leading up to Midyear Commencement — on Dec. 12 during setup and on Dec. 13 during rehearsal — if that works better for your schedule. More information regarding the ceremony is available on the Commencement website.

Please sign up by Dec. 6 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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Final Call for 3 Minute Thesis Competition

The Graduate Student Government (GSG) is inviting students and faculty to the annual 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, which will be held on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the MUB Ballroom. The preliminary rounds are being held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the finals from 6-8 p.m.

All graduate students interested in participating should register via our 3MT 2024 Registration form no later than today, Nov. 4.

Faculty who are interested and willing to offer one hour to serve as judges for the 3MT competition can register via our 3MT 2024 Judges Sign Up form.

Graduate students who are willing to serve as volunteers for the event can register via our 3MT 2024 Volunteer Sign Up form.

For inquiries, email gsg-research@mtu.edu. For full event information, visit GSG's 3MT page.

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

Electron Microscopy Consultation Sessions

Monday, November 4, 1 p.m.–4 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 607

As part of ACMAL actions to strengthen the electron microscopy user base at Tech, Dr. Erico Freitas is offering a few hours of free-of-charge consultations in November for the ACMAL users community. The EM consultation sessions will take place on Mondays afternoon and Dr. Freitas hopes to use his expertise on the field to discuss aspects of electron microscopy (SEM & TEM), microanalysis (EDS & EELS) experiments and data analysis, including sample preparation, to help ACMAL users to make the most of their beam time in our Electron Microscopy Facility. To book a time, please use this form (https://forms.gle/ipPPM8runDAxjyoU6)

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Hot Cocoa/Lemonade Handout

Monday, November 4, 1 p.m.–4 p.m. | Fisher Rock Garden

Come join us and keep cool or warm (weather dependent) and learn about who Christ is in the Fisher Rock Garden

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Quantifying the Impact of Liquid Water on Snow Albedo for Improved Climate Modeling

Monday, November 4, 3 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Alden Adolph, Assistant Professor, Engineering Fundamentals and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Michigan Technological University Abstract The naturally high albedo (or reflectivity) of snow provides a strong control on earth’s surface energy balance. Because of this critical role, accurately reproducing snow albedo is essential for effective climate modeling. Even in the Arctic, the already prevalent periods of wet snow are increasing due to more frequent rain on snow events and increased extent and duration of glacial surface melt; however, nearly all existing snow albedo models employ albedo schemes designed for dry snow. These models play a key role during snow melt because of the amplifying effects of the snow albedo feedback process, where melting snow leads to lower albedo, higher temperatures, and further snow melt. Therefore, explicitly incorporating the effects of liquid water content on snow albedo is a critical next step in improving model accuracy. This presentation will discuss analytical modeling and field observation approaches to quantifying the impact of liquid water on snow albedo. Preliminary results indicate that…

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Master's Defense: William Hanson

Monday, November 4, 3:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 201

Chemical Engineering Advisor: Lei Pan ANALYTICAL AND MACHINE LEARNING MODELING OF DIRECT CARBONATION OF NATURAL SILICATE MINERALS

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EPSSI Seminar: Prof. Gerald Feldman

Monday, November 4, 4 p.m.–6 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), Room U113

This event will be held in M&M U113. Prof. Gerald Feldman of George Washington University will give a talk on Monday, November 4. The title of the talk is "Establishing a Collaborative Student-Centered Learning Environment using the SCALE-UP Pedagogy." Abstract: The time-honored conventional lecture (“teaching by telling”) has been shown to be an ineffective mode of instruction for science classes. For the enhancement of critical thinking skills and the development of problem-solving abilities, collaborative group-learning environments have proven to be far more effective. In the SCALE-UP pedagogical approach, students sit at round tables in groups of three — in this configuration, they carry out a variety of pencil/paper exercises (“ponderables”) using small whiteboards and perform hands-on activities such as demos and labs (“tangibles”) throughout the class period. Formal lecture is reduced to a minimal level, and the instructor serves more as a “coach” to facilitate the academic “drills” that the students perform. Prof. Feldman will present an overview of the SCALE-UP concept and I will outline the details of its implementation at George Washington University over the past…

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Python Workshop

Monday, November 4, 5 p.m.–7 p.m. | Rekhi 113

A free, in person, python workshop for beginners!

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Parent & Child Aquatics - Session 2

Monday, November 4, 5:10 p.m.–6:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Parent & Child Aquatics levels are being offered at the SDC Pool for ages 6 months to 3 years old. A parent is required to be in the water with each participant.

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Preschool Aquatics - Session 2

Monday, November 4, 5:10 p.m.–6:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash this in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Preschool Aquatics levels are being offered at the SDC Pool for ages 4 to 5 years old. Space will be provided for personal items on the pool deck. Goggles are highly recommended. Showering is required before entering the water. Class size is limited.

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Healthy Relationships - One Love

Monday, November 4, 6:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | McNair Hall

This is a 90-minute informational session about what Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships look like. Using material from the One Love Foundation. One Love Foundation is a national non-profit to end relationship abuse. They empower young people with tools and resources to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and bring life-saving prevention education to their communities. We will watch videos, use handouts, and have an open dialogue about relationships. We will talk through different scenarios giving each other advice, helpful tips, and resources to help each husky have a safe and successful time at MTU.

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ASCE November Meeting - GEI Consultants

Monday, November 4, 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | Dillman 320

ASCE is proud to host our guest Stuart Kogge, PWS from GEI Consultants who has come to share his extensive knowledge on wetlands, mussels, aquatic biomes, and environmental coordination. This event is highly recommended for all civil engineers curious about environmental coordination as well as environmental engineers looking for insight into their potential future careers. For more information on our presenter Stu Kogge please see the following link: https://www.geiconsultants.com/?team=stuart-kogge

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Freedom Week Kickoff Party

Monday, November 4, 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | Fisher 231

Join YAF during our regular meeting time for a fun-filled potluck! Bring a dish to pass if you are able and enjoy some fun card and yard games.