January 26, 2026

Michigan Tech’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is reaching new heights in this year's issue of MAE Magazine, now available in print and online. In this year’s issue, discover how engineers are piloting at-scale breakthroughs in recycling systems, using 3D printing to make quieter propellor blades for drones and fans, studying atmospheres across the solar system, taking the hassle out of snow removal, and much more!

In his Letter from the Chair, Distinguished Professor Jason R. Blough celebrates the department’s new bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and welcomes incoming students and faculty to Michigan Tech. 

“MAE is accelerating both our research and enrollment to reach new heights in the future,” said Blough. “We are generating excitement and energy on campus and look forward to continuing to hit new highs in everything we do!”

Explore the new issue of MAE Magazine now!

The William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2026 Distinguished Teaching Awards, recognizing exceptional contributions to Michigan Tech’s instructional mission.

These 10 finalists were selected based on more than 38,000 student ratings of instruction responses.

Assistant Professor/Assistant Teaching Professor Finalists:

• Estela Mira Barreda (HU), assistant teaching professor

• Claire Danielson (BioSci), assistant teaching professor

• Gord Paterson (BioSci), assistant teaching professor

• Ian Raymond (HU), assistant teaching professor

• Laura Sieders (COB), assistant teaching professor

Associate Professor/Associate Teaching Professor/Professor/Teaching Professor/Professor of Practice Finalists:

• Zack Fredin (CEGE), associate teaching professor

• Terri Frew (VPA), associate teaching professor

• Evan Kane (CFRES), professor

• Stephanie Rowe (HU), associate teaching professor

• Victoria Walters (AC), professor of practice

The selection committee now invites comments from students, staff, faculty and alumni to inform their future deliberations. Comments for the finalists are due by March 27 and can be submitted online.

The process for determining the Distinguished Teaching Award recipients from this list of finalists also involves an optional additional survey of their spring 2026 classes. The selection committee makes the final determination of the award recipients. The 2026 Distinguished Teaching Awards will be formally announced in June.

For more information, contact the CTL at ctl@mtu.edu.

The Graduate Student Support Group begins meeting on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 10 a.m. in Admin 313. This weekly support group provides graduate students an opportunity to discuss challenges, manage stress, build community and enhance overall well-being in a confidential and welcoming environment. Through peer-to-peer emotional support, participants can reduce feelings of isolation, promote academic progress and prevent burnout.

The group is facilitated by the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being and is open to graduate students seeking connection and support outside of their academic departments. The group will meet weekly on Thursdays at 10 a.m. until April 16.

For more information about services offered by the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being, visit our website.

Department of Physics graduate students will be presenting their research progress at this week's Physics Colloquium:

• Kumar Neupane (advised by Yoke Khin Yap)
• Nilanjana Ghosh (advised by Petra Huentemeyer)

This will be an in-person event. The students will give their talks at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29, in Fisher 139.

Event details, including the students' presentation titles and abstracts, are available on the University Events Calendar.

The RTC Research Forum returns at noon this Friday, Jan. 30, in the Petersen Library, with Briana Bettin (CS/PHF) presenting "GEN-AI: GENtrified Anthropological Illusionaries." 

From the abstract:
Gentrification impacts a wide array of neighborhoods and communities within our analog world. While the same physical impacts may not be present, our computationally connected digital world may not be so different. In this talk, the aesthetics, process, and impacts of physical gentrification will begin to be critically compared and metaphorically mapped to aspects of Internet history, web communities, and application developments. Through this lens, we will further explore the current state of generative artificial intelligence (“gen-ai”), and the ways these software artifacts presently contribute to re-producing and re-presenting gentrification.

We hope you will join us for this highly anticipated talk, and for the exciting presentations we have scheduled for February and beyond!

Women’s Rights Are Human Rights
Reception: Friday, Jan. 30, 2026 | 5-7 p.m.
Exhibit Dates: Friday, Jan. 30, to March 28 during regular gallery hours
Rozsa Galleries A-Space
Michigan Tech Art Series

Join artists and Rozsa Art Galleries Director Terri Frew from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, in the Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space for the opening reception for "Women's Rights are Human Rights: International Posters on Gender-based Inequality, Violence, and Discrimination," a fitting title for an exhibition of women’s rights and advocacy posters, as it was a term used in the women’s rights movement and was the title of an important speech given by Hillary Rodham Clinton in 1995 at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.

“The artworks being featured are from a larger collection of international posters created to address the subject of gender inequality, discrimination, and gender-based violence," said Frew, who chose these selections with the local audience in mind. “Posters, and the image in general, can indeed be powerful tools for social commentary. I hope that visitors walk away with a greater appreciation for the poster as a medium for social change, and that viewers are brought further into the Feminist conversation being supported by this collection.”

Enjoy refreshments and comments from Frew while examining the exhibit. Feminist rock band A Certain Rage will play a set in the Rozsa Lobby from 6-6:30 p.m.

COB Dean Semifinalist Presenting at Open Forum

The College of Business (COB) Dean Search Committee has invited three semifinalist candidates to Michigan Tech for on-campus interviews.

Candidate 2 Open Forum Presentation:
Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 2 p.m. in Chem Sci 102

The second candidate’s interview will be held today and tomorrow, Jan. 26 and 27. The candidate will present their administrative philosophy and vision for COB at an open forum at 2 p.m. tomorrow in the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, Chem Sci 102.

Information on all candidates, interview dates and open forum information can be viewed at the Academic Affairs Dean Search page. A Michigan Tech login is required to view resumes and provide comment. The open forums will be video recorded and posted to the website for viewing.

The COB Dean Search Committee encourages the campus community to interact with each candidate during the interviews and to provide feedback by completing the anonymous comment form provided at the website. Feedback forms will close at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6.

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Spring 2026 Career Fair: Key Details and Volunteer Opportunities

Spring Career Fair takes place on Feb. 17 from noon to 5 p.m. in the Student Development Complex. Details can be found on the Career Services website. Please reach out to us at career@mtu.edu with any questions.

In preparation for the event, we’re seeking volunteers from across the Michigan Tech community to help make the event a success.

A variety of shifts, tasks and roles are available, offering flexible ways for faculty and staff to participate. Your support helps create a welcoming, meaningful experience for students and employers, and contributes directly to the career readiness and future success of our Huskies.

If you’re interested in assisting, please visit the Spring Career Fair Volunteer Sign‑Up Form to select a shift that fits your schedule.

Thank you for your time, energy and continued commitment to our students!

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Michigan Tech Robotics Initiative Hosting Rollout Event Tomorrow

The Michigan Tech Robotics Initiative is a new group at Michigan Tech with the goal of bringing together faculty, students and laboratories from across the University to advance robotics research, education and innovation. 

Headed by Jung Yun Bae (MAE/AC), the initiative will be hosting its rollout event tomorrow, Jan. 27, at noon in the MUB Alumni Lounge. Food and refreshments will be provided.

For more information, visit the Michigan Tech Robotics Initiative website.

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2025 Electronic W-2 Forms Available in Ellucian Experience

Electronic 2025 W-2 Wage and Tax Statements are now available in Ellucian Experience.

To access your W-2, log in to Experience and navigate to the Payroll Card > Tax Forms > W-2 Wage and Tax Statement, then select tax year 2025.

All employees who worked in 2025 continue to have Experience access for W-2 retrieval, even if they are no longer a current employee. Paper copies of 2025 W-2 forms were scheduled to be mailed no later than Jan. 20 to the employee mailing address on file.

For issues accessing Experience, contact Michigan Tech IT at it-help@mtu.edu. For assistance with 2024 and prior W-2s, or if you notice an issue with your W-2, contact Payroll Services at payroll@mtu.edu.

Due to new IRS regulations, Payroll Services will mail separate overtime (OT) statements to eligible employees by the first week of February 2026.

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CISR Research Discussion with Amy Landis

Please join the Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience (CISR) for the first of our spring research discussions. Amy Landis, professor of chemical engineering and College of Engineering associate dean for graduate and online education, will give a research presentation and share in a discussion.

CISR Research Discussion with Amy Landis:
Tuesday, Jan. 27, at noon in the Library East Reading Room 
Add the Discussion to Your Google Calendar.

There will be refreshments and good company; please join!

This event is hosted by the Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience, a research center in Michigan Tech's Great Lakes Research Center research institute.

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

New Huskies Orientation Presentation Session

Monday, January 26, 8:30–11:30 a.m.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Art Display

Monday, January 26, 12–1 p.m. | Opie Van Pelt Library Exhibit Space

Michigan Technological University invites students, staff, faculty, and community members to submit original artwork honoring the legacy and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As part of the 2026 MLK Day Celebration and the theme “United through Service,” this exhibit showcases creative reflections on justice, unity, service, and Dr. King’s enduring influence. All submitted pieces will be displayed in the Van Pelt and Opie Library Exhibit Area from Friday, January 16th through Monday, January 26th. Artwork will also be featured during the MLK Celebration Dinner so attendees can enjoy and engage with the pieces. We welcome visual art of all forms—including drawings, paintings, graphic art, photography, mixed media, and written or illustrated tributes. Submission Link: https://forms.gle/gq9FChe13jkoPFkC7 Submission Deadline: Prior to the exhibit opening on January 16th Join us in celebrating the power of art, activism, and community as we honor Dr. King’s message and highlight the creativity of our campus and local youth.

Beyond Single Toxicants: A Whole-Plant View of Soybean Stress

Monday, January 26, 3 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 103

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Celina Maria Monzon, Postdoc, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, Michigan Tech Abstract: The presence of emerging contaminants in agricultural environments raises increasing concern regarding their impacts on crop development, food safety, and ecosystem health. Among these contaminants, antibiotics (such as ciprofloxacin) are frequently detected in soils due to manure and sewage sludge application or irrigation with contaminated water, yet their effects on plants—particularly in combination with widely used herbicides—remain poorly understood. In this study, done in Argentina, we investigated the effects of ciprofloxacin, applied alone and in combination with glyphosate, on soybean (Glycine max) development under controlled growth chamber conditions. In this seminar, I will show how ciprofloxacin induces dose-dependent phytotoxic effects in soybean—affecting growth, physiology, and key metabolic pathways—how these effects are partially modulated under co-exposure with glyphosate, and how metabolomic profiling reveals early, subtle biochemical disruptions in energy, amino acid, and lipid metabolism that are not evident from conventional measurements, underscoring the need to assess realistic pharmaceutical–herbicide mixtures in agricultural systems. Bio: Dr. Celina Monzón was born and raised in Argentina, where she earned her B.S. in Biochemistry (2006) and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry (2014) from the National Northeastern University, focusing on pharmaceutical quantification methods. Following postdoctoral training in chemometric analysis of biological samples (2014-2016), she was awarded a Fulbright Visiting Scholar fellowship to work at the University of Washington (2019-2020), where she shifted her research focus to environmental chemistry and pioneered applications of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography for metabolomic analysis in fish. She completed a Master's in Education in 2020, reflecting her commitment to teaching. Since 2018, Dr. Monzón has served as an Assistant Researcher at CONICET (Argentina's National Research Council) and as an Associate Professor of Instrumental Analysis at the National Northeastern University. She is currently a visiting scholar at Michigan Technological University, investigating contamination in Great Lakes fish.

Huskies Swim Training - Session 1

Monday, January 26, 4–5 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Huskies Swim Training is a program that provides additional attention and competitive guidance to advanced swimmers looking to focus on stroke technique and efficiency. Sessions will be designed to improve swimming through stroke drills and swimming sets focused on endurance, speed, and race strategy. Coaches will provide feedback and stroke correction in a group environment with an emphasis on promoting a love for competitive swimming and lifelong skills such as discipline, dedication, and teamwork. Come be part of the pack! Competitve swimming opportunities are now availabe to current Huskies Swim Training participants!

AIChE General Meeting

Monday, January 26, 5–6 p.m. | ChemSci 211

Join AIChE for a virtual presentation from Sequence and free pizza! Sequence works with life sciences clients to improve the process of bringing life-changing therapies to life. They provide commissioning, qualification and verification (CQV) and digital solutions to biopharmaceutical companies. All are welcome!

Parent & Child Aquatics (Ages 6 mo-3 yrs) - Session 1

Monday, January 26, 5:10–5:50 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.

Preschool Aquatics (Ages 4-5 years) - Session 1

Monday, January 26, 5:10–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash 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.