November 7, 2025

Zhenlin Wang sees parallels between his research and his role as chair of Michigan Tech’s Department of Computer Science.

“After nearly three decades of working on cache optimization, I’ve found that some of the strategies developed in my research are surprisingly applicable to resource management within the department. Finding those parallels has been both useful and, frankly, quite fun,” he said.

Learn more about Wang’s priorities for the department and how he’s helping to realize the vision for the College of Computing in this year’s Gateway Magazine (which also features Q&As with two additional College visionaries: Charles Wallace and Yu Cai).

Manel Errando of Washington University in Saint Louis will give a talk as part of the Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) Fall 2025 Seminar Series on Monday, Nov. 10.

This event will be held in the Great Lakes Research Center. Refreshments and a social will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the GLRC Lobby on the first floor, with the lecture to follow at 4 p.m. in GLRC 202.

The title of the talk is "Relativistic jets: what happens when black holes reveal their cosmic appetite?"

Read Errando’s abstract and bio on the University Events Calendar.

Job Postings for Friday, Nov. 7, 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.

Lab Technician, Chemistry.

Administrative Aide – Shift Varies (12 months), A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum. (​UAW posting dates are Nov. 7 to Nov. 13, 2025. External applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal ​UAW applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal ​UAW posting dates.)

Senior Office Assistant, Health Research Institute. (​UAW posting dates are Nov. 7 to Nov. 13, 2025. External applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal ​UAW applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal ​UAW posting dates.)

Institute Manager, Health Research Institute.

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.

The Department of Chemical Engineering is proud to share that two of our chemical engineering Ph.D. students presented their research at the 2025 AIChE Annual Meeting, held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts, on Nov. 2-6.

Grace Dykstra presented “Customizable Electrochemical Biosensors for Point-of-Care Health Diagnostics” at the Meet the Faculty and Post-Doc Candidates poster session on Sunday, Nov. 2. She is advised by Yixin Liu.

Tara Sarvari presented “Improved Settling in Continuous Aqueous Two-Phase System” in the Advances in Bioseparations II session on Monday, Nov. 3. She is advised by Caryn Heldt.

We’re excited to see our students share their innovative research with peers from across the nation!

The Daily Mining Gazette previewed Michigan Tech’s 41 North Film Festival, which began yesterday, Nov. 6, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 9. This year's festival features award-winning films, short programs, live music and discussions with filmmakers. All events are free and open to the public.

The Auto Care Association mentioned Michigan Tech in a story announcing the 2025 Import Vehicle Community People Award winners. MTU alum Stephen Bearden ’70 received the Hall of Fame Award for his long-standing contributions to the import automotive industry.

Reduced Fee for New Study Abroad Program in Prague and Berlin

The summer 2026 study abroad program Prague and Berlin: Environmental Policy, Technology, and Management in Europe has a newly reduced program fee of $1,900.

Program details and the application link can be found on the Department of Social Sciences' Study Abroad / Study Away website.

Contact Kayla Gabehart at kgabehar@mtu.edu with questions.

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Write Letters for Deployed Service Members

Join the Young Americans for Freedom registered student organization on Monday, Nov. 10, in Fisher 230 at 7 p.m. to write letters and make artwork for our 3rd Annual Military Care Package Drive.

The letters and artwork will be shipped in care packages to deployed service members for the holiday season.

For further details on how you can support the care package drive, please see our shared Google document.

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MSE Seminar with Erico Freitas

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is hosting a seminar presented by Erico Freitas today, Nov. 7, from 3-4 p.m. in M&M 610.

Freitas will present "I just can’t get enough of SEM: Making the most of my beam-time in the SEM."

From the abstract:
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is a widely used technique for materials characterization. The most common use of SEM is electron imaging analysis, but there is so much more to it. Electron microscopy and particularly SEM is a fascinating technique and if well utilized can provide us in-depth information about the sample being investigated. Electrons are intricate entities. They are relatively easy to generate, manipulate with controlled electromagnetic fields, and collect with different detectors. This is essentially what we do in an SEM. Getting to understand the different types of signals that are generated when we strike the specimen with the beam electrons in the microscope allows us to better interpret the data we get, whether they are electron images, diffraction patterns, X-ray spectra or X-ray images. In this seminar, Dr. Erico Freitas is going to discuss some more important concepts of SEM focusing on the theory and the practical aspect of it to help the SEM users community in Michigan Tech to get the most of their beam time when performing SEM analysis.

Freitas graduated from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, where he got his bachelor's in physics (2005), master's in science education (2010), and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering (2016). He worked for the UFMG Center of Microscopy for 13 years with day-to-day operation of TEM and SEM, before joining Michigan Technological University in January 2022. He manages the STEM and the FIB in the Electron Optics Facility of the new MCFF, the Materials Characterization and Fabrication Facility. Freitas trains TEM and SEM users, and also teaches TEM lab sessions and the SEM course.

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Soup Fundraiser for Local Food Banks

An ad-hoc group of Tech students and Lutheran Campus Ministry have collaborated to set up a fundraiser to support the Western Upper Peninsula Food Bank.

Join us to support local food banks on Sunday, Nov. 9. Soup will be served from 5-8 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (1100 College Ave. in Houghton). A $5 donation is suggested for those who are able to donate, but not required. Eat as much as you need to and donate what you can.

For more info, please visit our Community Soup Dinner website. Contact Morgan at morganhg235@gmail.com with any questions.

If you would like to volunteer to help at the event or bring soup, please sign up on our website.

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

BMES Fall Industry Trip

Friday, November 7, 5:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m. | Marquette, MI

The Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Fall Industry Trip is a professional development opportunity designed to expose students to real-world biomedical engineering environments. This semester, selected BMES members will travel to Marquette, Michigan to tour two medical device companies: Exalta (formerly Resolve Surgical) and Able Medical Devices. These site visits will provide students with firsthand insight into medical device manufacturing, quality control, and engineering operations. Attendees will engage with industry professionals, observe production processes, and learn about potential career paths in the biomedical field. The trip also fosters networking, professional growth, and a deeper understanding of how classroom knowledge translates into industry practice.

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Nanowonder: Images of the Microscopic World Gallery Exhibit - Rozsa Art Galleries

Friday, November 7, 8 a.m.–9 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Art Galleries

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT For centuries, humanity has been fascinated with the microscopic world. Through advancements in technology, visually investigating this hidden landscape has become increasingly possible. One of these devices, the Hitachi Scanning Electron Microscope, allows us to see the microscopic surface of things more clearly than ever before. The Art Galleries at MTU’s Rozsa Center are proudly hosting a juried exhibition of photographs taken by the Hitachi SEM during its residency at Michigan Tech. Titled Nanowonder, this exhibition is truly collaborative and emphasizes how powerful the relationship between science and the arts can be. See beyond the surface of your stuff for free! The Hitachi Scanning Electron Microscope will be on location at the gallery reception on Friday September 26, 5-7pm. The reception is free, open to all, and light refreshments will be served. All are welcome to bring a small (approx 1"x1"), dry, flat sample to be scanned by the microscope technicians. Support for this event provided by Hitachi, ACMAL (Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory) at Michigan Tech, A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum, Michigan Tech Visual and Performing…

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PhD Defense: Ayodele James Akinola

Friday, November 7, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, Petersen Library

Rhetoric, Theory and Culture Advisor: Stefka Hristova BUILT SIMULACRA: DIGITAL MEDIA and Cultural Representation of Tourist Imaginaries in Online Reviews of Hotels and Casinos in Las Vegas Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/84991006048

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NATIONAL FIRST-GEN DAY CELEBRATION!

Friday, November 7, 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | Husky Statue

Join us Friday, November 7 at 11:30 am as we recognize and celebrate the accomplishments, resilience, and impact of first-generation college students, staff, faculty, and alumni. During the event, we’ll have a banner signing, First-Gen Day stickers and treats, a group photo, and free “I’m First” T-shirts! Also, don’t miss a special appearance by Dr. Kellie Raffaelli, our very own First-Gen Dean of Students! This event is a collaborative celebration hosted by Student Support and Mentorship, the McNair Scholars Program, Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success, and TRIO, recognizing the strength, resilience, and success of our first-gen community. Stop by to connect, celebrate, and show your support. Everyone is welcome; come enjoy food, refreshments, fun activities, and free swag!

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PhD Defense: Esther Acheampong

Friday, November 7, 12 p.m.–2 p.m. | Academic Office Building (AOB), 201

Environmental and Energy Policy Advisor: Donald Lafreniere ENHANCING COASTAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS AND POLICY IMPACTS ON SOCIOECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY IN MICHIGAN'S GREAT LAKES COMMUNITIES Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/82335185342

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In Praise of Football, Talk by Daniel Noemi Voionmaa

Friday, November 7, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, Petersen Library (318)

Join us on Friday, November 7 from 1-2 in the Petersen Library for the rescheduled talk with visiting speaker Daniel Noemi Voionmaa, "In Praise of Football: Poetics, Aesthetics, Politics, & Identities of the Ball"! Abstract: Not a long time ago, in 1930, Argentina played its first final. The Estadio Centenario was packed; perhaps a few thousand listened to it on the radio (we don’t have the exact numbers), nobody watched it on TV. Many things have changed in football (soccer) since that evening in Montevideo, in 1930, no doubt. But, also, many things remain the same. Like in life –a comparison many times drawn— football can be thought of and analyzed from many points of view: tactics and strategies on the field, attitudes of fans in the stands, the politics it involves, and a myriad of cultural and artistic artifacts and productions. Football is a mirror of our societies, but also a mask that covers and hides who we are and who we want to be. I will attempt to show how football works as a mirror and mask, and how it has produced an artistic and poetic corpus that, perhaps, is as attractive as the beautiful game itself. Daniel Noemi Voionmaa is Professor of Cultures, Societies…

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Mechanobiological and Environmental Stressors in Vascular Aging

Friday, November 7, 3 p.m.–5 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Chiara Bellini, Ph.D. Northeastern University Abstract Arterial aging manifests as a progressive loss of vascular compliance that disrupts hemodynamic regulation and increases cardiovascular risk. These changes reflect cumulative shifts in vascular mechanobiology arising from endothelial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Together, these processes compromise the ability of large arteries to withstand and respond to physiological loads. Our research program integrates experimental and computational approaches to define the mechanistic basis of vascular aging and to identify how environmental stressors accelerate these degenerative adaptations. In the first part of this seminar, I will present recent work delineating the trajectory of aortic aging in murine models. By combining biaxial mechanical testing with single-cell transcriptomics, we uncovered distinct biomechanical signatures and cell-specific remodeling pathways involving immune activation, matrix reorganization, and altered mechanotransduction mediated by Piezo-1 that collectively drive aortic stiffening. In the second part…

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PhD Defense: Adrian Moazzam

Friday, November 7, 3:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

Electrical Engineering Co-advisors: Durdu Guney and Roohollah Askari Remote Sensing Enhanced by Active Convolved Illumination and Deep Learning: Application in Ground Motion Monitoring Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/83900627186

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Women's Volleyball vs Davenport

Friday, November 7, 5 p.m.–9 p.m. | Houghton, MI

Women's Volleyball vs Davenport Houghton, MI

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Men's Ice Hockey vs Northern Michigan

Friday, November 7, 7:07 p.m.–11:07 p.m. | Houghton, MI

Men's Ice Hockey vs Northern Michigan Houghton, MI

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41 North Film Festival 2025

November 7, all day | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

PRESENTED BY 41 NORTH FILM FESTIVAL The 41 North Film Festival showcases award-winning independent films and filmmakers from around the region, country, and world. Its mission is to provide Michigan Tech students and the surrounding community with an opportunity to see new films that are currently in distribution and under discussion, as well as the chance to interact with filmmakers, producers, and other industry professionals about the art and business of cinematic storytelling. CONTENT GUIDANCE | Content varies between films, please view the website (full program available in October) to learn more about the films. Things to know SEATING | General Admission PUBLIC TICKETS | No tickets are required for this event. Plan your visit with information about parking, accessibility, Pay As You're Able ticketing, and more. Contact the Rozsa Box Office with any questions about this event via phone at 906-487-1906, or by email at rozsa@mtu.edu. View current Box Office Hours. About 41 North Film Festival The 41 North Film Festival showcases award-winning independent films and filmmakers from around the region, country, and world. Its mission is to provide Michigan Tech students…