New Tech for an Old, Boring Profession

Yellow blocks with the Michigan Tech husky logo stacked in neat rows

Jun Dai (COB) wants to change the way accountants do their work and how the rest of us think about it.

The days of Scrooge are over. While the ledgers and ink of old are long gone, the ghost of accounting’s future is rattling chains of complex processes that instill a lingering dread in students, especially as digital transactions continue to grow. Dai, assistant professor of accounting in Michigan Technological University’s College of Business, wants to better use technology and accounting information systems (AIS) to put old-school attitudes to rest. 

Dai is also a recipient of the 2021 American Accounting Association Notable Contributions to Accounting Literature Award for a research article titled “Toward Blockchain-Based Accounting and Assurance.” In it, she explores how blockchain technology could reengineer the existing accounting and auditing procedures to make them more transparent, intelligent and automated.

Read more on mtu.edu/unscripted.

MS Defense: Akshay Soma, ME-EM

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering candidate Akshay Soma (ME-EM) will defend their thesis Friday (Aug. 6) at 2 p.m. This will be an online-only defense. Virtual attendance is invited via Zoom.

The defense is titled "Tuning longitudinal bandgaps using compliant bistable metastructural designs."

MS Defense: Aniket Vilas Beldar, ME-EM

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering candidate Aniket Vilas Beldar (ME-EM) will defend their thesis Friday (Aug. 6) at 9 a.m. in the R. L. Smith Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building (MEEM), Room 1021. Virtual attendance is also invited via Zoom.

The defense is titled "Correlated Simulation of Pseudo Transient Torque Converter Clutch Engagement Using Coupled Fluid-Structure Interaction."

Women's Basketball Ranks in Top 25 for Academics

Michigan Tech women's basketball earned a spot on the WBCA Academic Top 25, which ranks college women's basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPA inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season.

Michigan Tech topped the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) at No. 13 in NCAA Division II. The Huskies earned a combined 3.685 GPA under head coach Samantha Clayton. 

Fellow conference members Saginaw Valley State (No. 14), Davenport (No. 16) and Northwood (No. 23) were also recognized.

Read more on the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Postings

Job Postings for Thursday, Aug. 5, 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. 

Assistant Research Engineer – Applied and Computational Mathematics, Michigan Tech Research Institute. Apply online.

Administrative Aide 7 (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift), Merchandising Operations (UAW posting Aug. 5 to Aug. 11, 2021 — internal UAW applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the UAW posting dates). 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 mtujobs@mtu.edu.

New Funding

Noel Urban (CEGE/GLRC) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that received a $35,522 research and development grant from the State of Michigan, Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).

The project is titled "Data gap on responses of fish PCB content to remedial actions."

Judith Perlinger (CEGE/GLRC) is the co-PI on this project.

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Tara Bal (CFRES/ESC) is the PI on a project that has received a $28,429 research and development grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Health Protection.

This three-year project is titled "Northern Oak Wilt Modeling - Predicting Vector Timing and Risk of Spread with Climate Change."

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Chelsea Schelly (SS/GLRC) is the PI on a project that has received a $298,833 research and development grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The project is titled "EAGER: SAI: Socio-Technological Guided Enhancement of Power Infrastructure Resilience."

This is a potential two-year project.

Reminders

Get Vaccinated, Continue Washing and Sanitizing Hands

While Michigan Tech is at Health and Safety Level One, face coverings and daily symptom monitoring are no longer required. However, those who wish to continue wearing a face covering are encouraged to do so.

The MTU Flex Task Force also encourages University community members to get their vaccinations and continue with handwashing and hand-sanitizing practices.

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August Portrait Sessions by Appointment

Faculty, staff and graduate students can have their complementary professional portrait taken by University Marketing and Communications at the following sessions:

  • Noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, in the Rozsa Center Lobby
  • 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18, outdoors on campus (specific location to be announced)

Additional sessions in September will be announced at a later date.

An appointment is required and can be scheduled online. On the calendar, go to Aug. 12 or Aug. 18, choose the time you want, then click Save. Please use your mtu.edu account when scheduling a time slot.

Portraits will be emailed to the attendee four to six weeks after the session. Alternatively, departments or individuals can contact Brockway Photography at 906-482-1900 to schedule a session and purchase portraits at any time.

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Everyone's Welcome: Husky Bites Live at Alumni Reunion

What are you doing Friday (Aug. 6) at 1:30 p.m.? Join Dean Janet Callahan, along with Jeremy Bos and Darrell Robinette — the mentors and advisors of Michigan Tech’s award-winning SAE International AutoDrive Challenge team — for a live edition of Husky Bites on campus.

Titled "Autonomy at the End of the Earth," during this on-campus session of Husky Bites, Callahan, Bos and Robinette will introduce you to their wild ride — the fully autonomous vehicle “Borealis Prime,” which will be up on stage during the event at the Rosza Center. 

Register in advance to attend in person! Or, join us remotely on Zoom or live on the College of Engineering Facebook page.

Though it will take place during Michigan Tech's annual Alumni Reunion, there is no need to be a Michigan Tech student or alum to attend — everyone is welcome!

This family-friendly event is BYOC: Bring Your Own Curiosity. Grab a late lunch or just flop down on your couch. Learn something new in about 30 minutes, plus time after for Q&A.

Afterward (weather permitting), head out on the Walker Lawn. Meet the students of Team Prometheus Borealis and the Robotics Systems Enterprise, get a close look at their autonomous vehicles (including Borealis Prime) — and bring your questions, too!

Read more about this live session of Husky Bites on the College of Engineering Blog

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Parade of Nations Seeking Volunteers

The Parade of Nations is celebrating its return this year with the annual parade on Sept. 18. The parade begins at 11 a.m. in Hancock and crosses the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.

This amazing celebration of unity and culture relies on the support of community volunteers. Volunteers are needed to work before, during and after the parade to assist with tasks such as flag distribution, carrying continent banners and cleanup after the event.

Interested in helping to make this year’s parade a success? Volunteers should fill out this form and a Parade of Nations Committee member will be in touch with you about volunteering soon.

If you have any questions, please contact the Parade of Nations Committee at paradeofnations@mtu.edu.

Today's Campus Events

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

PinT 2021: 10th Parallel-in-Time Workshop

Please join us for the 10th parallel-in-time workshop, held virtually, Aug 2- 6, 2021. More details are available at the conference website: http://conferences.math.mtu.edu

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Board of Trustees Meeting

Regular meeting of the Michigan Tech Board of Trustees

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UP & Moving Aerobic Exercise, Agility, and Balance Workout

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...

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Master's Defense: Karleigh Krieg

Environmental Engineering Advisor: David Watkins Understanding the Weather- and Soil-Related Variability in Agricultural Water Footprints: Case Study of Maize and Soybeans...