June 21, 2021

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requested that Michigan Tech submit a record number of eight concept papers for proposed research projects as part of their 2021 Broad Agency Announcement.

In addition, Tech is a subcontractor for two more concept paper proposals. The paper submittal was coordinated by the Rail Transportation Program and the range of topics speaks to the diversity of Michigan Tech's expertise applicable to the rail transportation. The PIs are looking forward to FRA decisions on how many of these papers advance to full proposals.

Each of the 10 projects had a different principal investigator (PI), representing six university departments/institutes and several more co-PIs.

The project titles and their PIs include:

• Hyper- and Multi-spectral Sensing and Deep Learning for Automated Identification of Roadbed Condition, (PI, Thomas Oommen, GMES).
• Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) for Weld Enhanced Cast Steel Coupler Knuckles (PI, Paul Sanders, MSE).
• IoT Assisted Data-analytics Framework Enables Assessment of Location Based Ride Quality (LBRQ) (PI, Sriram Malladi, MEEM).
• RailStory: Using Web-based Immersive Storytelling to Attract the Next Generation of Young Women in Rail (PI, Ricardo Eiris, CEGE).
• A Risk Informed Decision-Making Framework for Coastal Railroad System Subjected to Storm Hazards and Sea Level Rise (PI, Yousef Darestani, CEGE).
• Rail Corridor Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) Framework, Factors and Models to Support Project Evaluation and Multi-Modal Comparisons (PI, Pasi Lautala, CEGE).
• Development of Infrared Thermography for Effective Rail Weld Inspection (PI, Qingli Dai, CEGE).
• Enabling Longer-distance, AI-enabled Drone-based Grade Crossing Assessment in Potentially GPS Denied Environments (PI, Colin Brooks).
• Multi-Site Simulation to Examine Driver Behavior Impact of Integrated Rail Crossing Violation Warning (RCVW) and In-Vehicle Auditory/Visual Alert (IVAA) System (PI, Elizabeth Veinott, subcontract with Virginia Tech).
• Evaluation of Non-traditional Methods of Reducing Emissions in Short Line Railroad Operations (PI, Jeremy Worm, subcontract with ASLRRA).

Dr. Daniel R. Fuhrmann, Dave House Professor of Computer Engineering, has been appointed chair of the Department of Applied Computing, effective immediately.

Dr. Fuhrmann has been interim chair of the department since its founding in 2020. Prior to joining the College of Computing, he was chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering from 2008 to 2019.

“I couldn’t be more excited,” said Dr. Dennis Livesay, the Dave House Dean of Computing. “Dan was instrumental in the creation of the College, and I know that his leadership will help the department achieve its promise. Computing is transforming every discipline and it’s hard to imagine any unit on campus reflecting that more than the Department of Applied Computing.”

Read the College of Computing blog post.

Doctoral candidate Nate Spike (ME-EM) will present his Ph.D. defense at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday (June 22) in the R. L. Smith Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building (MEEM), Room 1021. Virtual attendance is also invited via Zoom.

Spike's defense is titled "Autonomous Vehicle Obstacle Avoidance Maneuvers: Analytical and Experimental Development of Friction Surface Dependent Path Planning and Control."

Adam Durant '06, '07 will give the seminar "Solving Aviation’s Indirect Forcing from Contrail Cirrus: Results from the First Flight Operations Exercise with a Major Middle East Airline Operator" on Tuesday (June 22) at 10 a.m. The seminar will be held in Fisher 139 and will also be available via Zoom.

Durant is an alumnus of GMES department (M.S., 2006; Ph.D. 2007) who did atmospheric physics related research. He is the founder and CEO of SATAVIA, a company focused on mitigating the effects of aviation on climate.

Two Candidates to Interview for Director of Sustainability and Resilience Position

Two finalists for the University's Director of Sustainability and Resilience position will interview on campus this week on Tuesday (June 22) and Thursday (June 24).

As part of their on-campus interview, each candidate will discuss the top issues facing the future of sustainability and resilience and share their ideas on ways to address these issues at Michigan Tech.

The campus community is invited to participate in each candidate's public presentation via Zoom. Each session will last approximately 20 minutes, followed by a 25-minute Q&A session.

Please visit the Sustainability search webpage to learn more about the candidates, access the Zoom links and view the public presentation schedule and recordings.

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PhD Defense: Alexander Monroe, MSE

Doctoral candidate Alexander Monroe (MSE) will defend his dissertation at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday (June 23) in the Minerals and Materials Engineering (M&M) Building, Room 610, and via Zoom.

Monroe is advised by Paul Sanders. The title of his defense is "Thermomechanical Mechanisms That Cause Adhesion of Aluminum High Pressure Die Castings to the Die."

All are welcome to attend in person or virtually via the Zoom link.

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Fill Out the COVID-19 Symptom Monitoring Form Before Coming to Campus

If you are working on campus while the University is at Health Safety Level Two, remember that no one is permitted to come to campus with symptoms consistent with COVID-19.

Employees are required to monitor for symptoms daily before coming to campus using the Daily Symptom Monitoring Form.

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MiCUP Research Poster Presentation

Join the Center for Diversity and Inclusion from 2-4 p.m. on Thursday (June 24) in MUB Ballroom A for the MiCUP Program's Research Poster Presentation.

Students from Delta College, Grand Rapids Community College and Wayne County Community College who have been participating in research labs with Michigan Tech professors will present their research findings. Please join us in a celebration of their accomplishments.

This event is free and open to the public. Individually wrapped refreshments will be available.

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Banner Production System Maintenance on Sunday

A production system maintenance window is scheduled for Sunday (June 27) from 7-11 a.m.

The following production services will be unavailable during this time:

Banner 9 Admin Pages
Banner 8 Forms and Reports
DARS Web Audits
UC4/Appworx

If you have any questions or concerns, we can help. Contact us at it-help@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1111.

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Call for Nominations from RSO Advisors

Please consider nominating a registered student organization (RSO) you advise (and/or a student within the organization) for the Student Org Spotlight!

RSOs and students selected for the Spotlight are featured on the Student Leadership and Involvement social media and web page, highlighting your RSO and student members to a large audience.

We want to hear about outstanding leadership, amazing events and exceptional organizations! Please use the nomination form and include at least one picture for Student Leadership and Involvement to feature. Questions? Email us at rso@mtu.edu.

Mark Rhodes (SS) has published a co-authored paper titled "Refraining on necropolitics: Lyrical geographies of labor music" in the Journal of Cultural Geography.

The article explores music both across popular culture and the U.S. labor movement and finds a clear critique of both capitalism and the state. They found most musicians who address labor issues employ geographical concepts in their music: the situatedness of place, spatial inequities, and particularly a loss of control over one's own body.

Necropolitics — or the power to control someone's death — appears across many labor songs, as worker exploitation, imperialism and debt often truncate the individual, the family or broader cultural identities.

Job Postings for Monday, June 21, 2021

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email mtujobs@mtu.edu.

For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Visiting Assistant Professor, Professional and Technical Communication Humanities. Apply online.

Administrative Aide 7 (12 months/ 40 hours/ 1st Shift) Business Support Center (UAW posting June 21 to 25, 2021— External applicants will not be reviewed until after all internal applications.) 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 an interview at Michigan Technological University, please notify the Human Resources office at 906-487-2280 or mtujobs@mtu.edu.

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

Parent & Child Huskies Group Swim Lessons Summer Session 1

Monday, June 21, 9:00–9:40 a.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash this summer 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...

Preschool Huskies Group Swim Lessons Summer Session 1

Monday, June 21, 9:00–9:40 a.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash this summer 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. Social...

Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Learn to Swim Levels 1-4 Summer Session 1

Monday, June 21, 10:00–10:40 a.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash this summer in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Levels 1-4 are being offered at the SDC Pool. Social distancing will be...

Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Learn to Swim Levels 1-4 Summer Session 1

Monday, June 21, 10:00–10:40 a.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash this summer in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Levels 1-4 are being offered at the SDC Pool. Social distancing will be...

Pinterest Party!

Monday, June 21, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. | MUB Circle

Join us for a variety of fun crafts and projects - complete with lemonade and iced tea! We will have paracord bracelets and keychains, embroidery kits, birdhouses, and...

Junior Huskies Summer Swim Session 1

Monday, June 21, 4:00 p.m.–4:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash this summer in Junior Huskies Swim Clinic! This program provides additional attention and competitive guidance to proficient swimmers ages 6-17 who are...

Adult Huskies Summer Swim Session 1

Monday, June 21, 5:00 p.m.–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Adult Huskies Summer Swim provides additional attention and competitive guidance to swimmers ages 18 and older who are looking to improve their swimming skills and fitness...

UP & Moving Strength Training and High Intensity Interval Training ("HIIT")

Monday, June 21, 5:30 p.m.–6:15 p.m.

We are a group of Michigan Tech graduate students who are focused on improving the health of our community. We are contributing to the COVID-19 response by providing health...

Music in Sacred Spaces: conScience

June 21, all day

conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers, under the direction of Dr. Jared Anderson, present a series of three recorded mini-concerts in historic sacred spaces in the Copper...

Summer Youth Programs Launch

June 21, all day | Michigan Tech Campus

Summer Youth Programs (SYP) is thrilled to announce that, with extensive safety planning and health precautions underway, we plan to offer in-person programs this summer. ...

Superior Wind Symphony: Reparations

June 21, all day

The Superior Wind Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Michael Christianson, use the unique setting of the 2020-21 academic year to explore the music of Black composers in a...