September 24, 2021

Mechanical engineering researchers at Michigan Tech have created a way to make a 3D-printable nanocomposite polymeric ink that uses carbon nanotubes (CNTs) — known for their high tensile strength and lightness.

The exploration of process, morphology and properties of polymeric inks is the subject of an article recently published in the journal Additive Manufacturing by Parisa Pour Shahid Saeed Abadi (ME-EM) and graduate student Masoud Kasraie.

The conductivity of Abadi and Kasraie’s nanomaterial ink is an exceptionally handy trait that gives the printed epoxy the potential to double as electrical wiring — whether in a circuit board, an airplane’s wing or in 3D-printed actuators for guiding catheters in blood vessels. The ink has more useful traits, too — including strength and the ability to self-heal.

Read the full story on mtu.edu/news.

The Cliff Drive detour is scheduled to end next week on Thursday (Sept. 30). Traffic going in both directions will return to US-41 at that time.

With students back on campus, please pay particular attention. Watch for pedestrians who may be crossing in or walking along construction zones.

Drivers and pedestrians are reminded to stay alert while in and around construction zones, follow all appropriate directions and be aware of changing traffic patterns.

For updates and to view the interactive campus map, visit the US-41 Road Project web page.

The Board of Trustees will meet Oct. 8 from 9-11 a.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom B, and public attendance is welcome.

Members of the public are invited to make public comments to the board in accordance with the Board of Trustees Bylaw 1.14. Those who wish to address items in the agenda, and who have filed their intent with the acting secretary of the board as required by Bylaw 1.14, will be limited to five minutes. Those addressing general topics are limited to three minutes.

If you wish to provide public comments to the Board of Trustees, please submit your intent to John Lehman, acting secretary to the Board of Trustees, at jblehman@mtu.edu. The deadline to submit your intent is next Friday (Oct. 1).

ETOM, the Educational Technology Organization of Michigan, has their Fall 2021 Virtual Conference coming up Nov. 5. Michigan Tech is a member institution.

The focus of the fall conference is on faculty — what they need to hear and what they have to say! The theme this year is "Charting a New Path Forward." What can we adopt that went well? What can we leave behind that didn't contribute to student success? What should we be prepared for in the future?

Faculty and staff are encouraged to submit a proposal for ETOM's Fall Conference. The deadline for proposals is Oct. 5. You will be informed if your proposal is accepted soon after that.

You can contact Thom Freeman at tfreeman@mtu.edu with questions.

The Husky Food Access Network (Husky FAN) is asking our fellow Huskies to help support daily operations for the food pantry. Having volunteers is a crucial part in tackling food insecurity across campus.

We are located in Fisher Hall, Room 135 (in the space formerly known as the Aftermath Cafe). Currently, we have distributed 205 pounds of food this fall with the help of four volunteers!

More volunteers will allow us to better serve our campus community and spread awareness about Husky FAN! If you are interested or have any questions about the food pantry, contact us at huskyfan@mtu.edu.

Volunteers are able to schedule their own hours to best suit their schedule.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Husky FAN — we are truly grateful and proud to serve our fellow Huskies!

It's the most fun event of the year, and it's happening for the 22nd year.

The 22nd annual MTU Drag Show is tomorrow (Sept. 25) at 8 p.m. in the Student Development Complex (SDC) Wood Gym. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Drag artists have been a source of joy for the LGBTQIA+ community and this night will be no different. We have some fantastic talent coming to MTU, and we are expecting a night of absolute fun and incredible energy. Everyone is accepted and wanted, so come out and prepare to have a blast!!

Masks are encouraged but not required.

MTU students get in free. For others, tickets are $3 for students and $7 for general admittance. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the show or online — they are available now at mtu.universitytickets.com.

Huskies love to give back! Come help out the local and campus community at our fifth annual Homecoming Shirt Swap. This is a great way to reclaim our Husky community spirit!

By simply donating a gently used piece of clothing, winter gear or anything else on the suggested donation list, you can get a limited edition 2021 Homecoming shirt! (While supplies and sizes last. Only one shirt per person, please.)

The Homecoming Shirt Swap will take place at the MUB Circle on Monday (Sept. 27) from 2 p.m. until Homecoming shirts are gone.

Donations will be given to the Husky FAN food pantry, Barbara Kettle Gundlach Center and Social Sciences Winter Clothing Drive.

Questions? Please reach out to Rochelle Spencer at raspence@mtu.edu.

Social media has become a powerful network of sharing and featuring scientific results, but gender disparities in research dissemination persists. A recent article in PNAS tracked online social media mentions of published scientific findings and discovered that research published by women doesn't get the same number of posts or mentions as research published by male scientists.

Women’s representation in social media is lower than would be expected based upon their publication activity. This discovery is consistent with research findings previously discussed in our Weekly Roundup post concerning citation rates. Given this disparity, universities may need to reconsider using mentions and citation rates as a measure of performance.

Today’s feature was shared with us by the ADVANCE PI Team. If you have an article you think we should feature, please email it to advance-mtu@mtu.edu and we will consider adding it to the ADVANCE Weekly Roundup.

The ADVANCE Weekly Roundup is brought to you by ADVANCE at Michigan Tech, an NSF-funded initiative dedicated to improving faculty career success, retention, diversity, equity and inclusion. Past articles are available on the ADVANCE Newsblog.

To learn more about our featured topic, our mission, programming efforts, and to check out our growing collection of resources, contact us or visit our website.

The next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (ACSHF) Forum will be held from 2-3 p.m. on Monday (Sept. 27) in the Harold Meese Center (Meese), Room 109. Virtual attendance is also invited via Zoom.

There will be two speakers: Darnishia Morris and Isaac Flint, both ACSHF graduate students.

Morris will be presenting "Understanding Student Persistence Factors Through the Cognitive Appraisal Theory."

Flint will present "An Exploration of the Neurocognitive and Physiological Contributors to Motor Control During Obstacle Avoidance."

Read the abstracts at the University Events Calendar.

Jingfeng Jiang (BioMed) will present a Department of Computer Science (CS) lecture next Friday (Oct. 1) at 3 p.m. in Kanwal and Ann Rekhi Hall (Rekhi), Room 214.

Jiang's talk is titled "Translating Biomechanical Imaging Into Clinical Workflow: Experience and Insight."

Jiang's research work straddles the border between biomechanics and biomedical imaging. He is actively developing image-based computational tools for easily transforming raw biomedical imaging data into simple but clinically/biologically relevant biomechanical parameters of soft tissue pathologies (e.g., elasticity) and blood flow characteristics (e.g., kinetic energy).

Michigan Tech men's cross-country stayed at No. 27 while women's cross country was ranked No. 28 (down two positions) in this week's United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCAAA) National Rankings Poll.

The Huskies remained at No. 5 and No. 8 in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region polls, respectively.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech's volleyball team is on the road this weekend, traveling to GLIAC North Division opponents Lake Superior State and Northwood.

The Huskies and Lakers play tonight (Sept. 24) at 6:30 p.m. at Bud Cooper Gym. Tomorrow (Sept. 25), Tech and Northwood meet at 5 p.m. at Riepma Arena.

Read more and find ways to tune in at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Several members of the Michigan Tech men's tennis team will compete at the ITA Midwest Regional Tournament, which starts today in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The tournament begins today (Sept. 24) and ends Sunday (Sept. 26). The event features individual player competition in singles and doubles with a seeded bracket including players from each institution in the region. Grand Valley State is hosting.

This year, the Huskies are represented by Vitor Jordao, Andrew Freel, Nikolai Prosjankyov, Ricardo Nunez, Eli Pinnoo, Ambarish Rao and Adam Fenjiro. 

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Postings for Friday, Sept. 24, 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. 

Associate Controller, Financial Services and Operations. Apply online.

Coordinator of Research and Marketing Programs, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics. Apply online.

Custodian (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #21091RPRP, Facilities (AFSCME posting Sept. 24 to Sept. 30, 2021 — internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Equipment Operator I (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #21247, Facilities
(AFSCME posting Sept. 24 to Sept. 30, 2021 — internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Graphic Design Specialist, University Marketing and Communications. Apply online.

Maintenance Mechanic (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #21248, Facilities (AFSCME posting Sept. 24 to Sept. 30, 2021 — internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Parking Enforcement Agent, Transportation Services. Apply online.

Senior Media Systems Engineer, Information Technology. 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.

Sarah Green (Chem/IPEC) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received a $180,815 other sponsored activities grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The project is titled "Collaborative Conference: The Road to Glasgow: A Pre-COP Conference for the Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education."

A Michigan Tech news story on Parisa Pour Shahid Saeed Abadi (ME-EM) and graduate student Masoud Kasraie’s creation of a new process for making 3D-printable polymer nanocomposite polymeric ink was reprinted by Phys.org.

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Environmental and energy policy graduate student Marie Richards was quoted in a story by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians’ newspaper, Win Awenen Nisitotung, on the return of ancestral remains displayed in a German museum for almost a century. Richards is a repatriation officer and historic preservation specialist for the Sault Tribe.

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A profile on student-athlete Lindy Oujiri, who is an outside hitter for the Women’s Volleyball team, ran in The Daily Mining Gazette.

Face Coverings Required in Classrooms, Labs, Library

Michigan Tech remains at Health and Safety Level Two. Face coverings are required in certain locations — classrooms and laboratories during classes and lab courses, and in the library — and may also be required during instructors' office hours. In all other settings, face coverings are encouraged but not required. This applies to all students, employees, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.

Michigan Tech strongly recommends that all employees and students receive the COVID-19 vaccine and continue with handwashing and hand-sanitizing practices, especially in light of the virulence of the COVID-19 delta variant. Please be aware that if you are exposed to COVID-19, quarantine guidelines vary depending on vaccination status. 

In Level Two, students and employees are not required to monitor their symptoms daily prior to coming to campus. But, individuals should be mindful of their own symptoms. A useful monitoring tool is available from the CDC. 

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On-Demand COVID-19 Testing Available on Campus

Walk-in, on-demand COVID-19 testing is available to Michigan Tech students and employees during the fall 2021 semester.

Testing is located in the Datolite Room at the MUB on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. There is no cost to be tested, and no appointment is needed. 

Read more COVID-19 Testing Information on the MTU Flex website.

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Stay Physically Active with UP and Moving

The UP and Moving Program in the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) is offering guided physical activity workouts open to students, staff, faculty and community members.

The program provides live and recorded home-based workouts online, through social media and on TV. No equipment is needed and workouts can be done right from the comfort of your home. All ages and abilities are welcome.

The program's goal is to keep adults in the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin physically active and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The program is supported in part by a Community Health Impact Grant through the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

Our Weekly Virtual Workout Schedule:

• Monday, 5:30 p.m. — Strength/High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT) (approx. 45 minutes)
• Wednesday, noon and 12:30 p.m. — Lunchtime Movement Session (approx. 20 minutes)
• Thursday, 9:30 a.m. — Agility, Balance and Aerobic Workout (approx. 45 minutes)
• Saturday, 10 a.m. — Surprise Workout (approx. 45 minutes)

Our shorter Wednesday lunchtime activity (noon and 12:30 p.m.) is a great way to take a quick movement break from prolonged sitting/computer work! This session can be done right from the office, desk or home.

All workouts are recorded and available to watch on our website through a YouTube channel. For more information about UP and Moving, visit us online or contact Steve Elmer (KIP) at sjelmer@mtu.edu. 

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Participants Needed for Type 2 Diabetes and Physical Activity Study

The Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) is recruiting participants for a research study involving Type 2 diabetes.

The study will focus on health, and Fitbits will be provided to the participants to monitor daily exercise and physical activity. Participants will be asked to complete questionnaires on physical activity, nutrition and lifestyle. The study will last 13 weeks and give compensation for participation. People with and without Type 2 Diabetes are eligible.

Eligible participants:
• Are 65-80 years old
• Have a smartphone or tablet
• Are NOT diagnosed with a neurological condition or disorder
• Do NOT have any foot ulcers
• Do NOT have any amputations
• Do NOT currently have cancer and have NOT recently undergone cancer treatment
• Are NOT legally blind
• Do NOT have Type 1 diabetes

For more information, please contact Carolyn Duncan at caduncan@mtu.edu or 906-487-2147, or visit the study website.

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Mathematical Sciences Distinguished Lecture Series

Please join us today (Sept. 24) for a seminar given by distinguished guest speaker Chi-Wang Shu as part of the Department of Mathematical Sciences Distinguished Lecture Series. The talk will be held from 1-2 p.m. in Fisher Hall, Room 327B.

The topic is "Stability of time discretizations for semi-discrete high order schemes for time-dependent PDEs."

Shu is the Theodore B. Stowell university professor of applied mathematics and director of graduate studies at Brown University.

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Joint Environmental Engineering/Chemistry Graduate Seminar

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar will be a joint seminar with the Chemistry Department. It will take place at 3 p.m. on Monday (Sept. 27) in the Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), Room 202.

Jiehong Guo of the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, will give a presentation titled "Fate and Transport of Emerging Organic Contaminants in the Great Lakes Environment and the Identification of Biomarkers of Carcinogens Associated with Tobacco Exposure."

All are welcome.

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

Hyperconnection: A New Series by Tiffany Lange

Friday, September 24, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Gallery: A-Space

Tiffany Lange’s newest series “Hyperconnection”, examines overstimulation and anxiousness through abstraction. After a year of increased screen time during quarantine and...

PhD Defense: Ruiting Zhan

Friday, September 24, 8–9 a.m.

Chemical Engineering Advisor: Lei Pan Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Using Mineral Processing Methods Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/87598726535

The Spirit of the Hunt: Ecological Art Exhibit & Public Wolf Discussion

Friday, September 24, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | U. J. Noblet Forestry Building, Atrium and G002

Art Exhibit: August 30-October 15 Monday-Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm Noblet Atrium, Michigan Tech College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Opening...

PhD Defense: Sandip Aryal

Friday, September 24, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 227

Physics Advisor: Ranjit Pati A Computational Study of Properties of Core-Shell Nanowire Heterostructures Using Density Functional Theory

(Men's Tennis) Michigan Tech vs. Michigan Tech

Friday, September 24, 12 p.m.–3 p.m. | Gates Tennis Center

Men's Tennis: Michigan Tech vs. Michigan Tech, ITA Midwest Regional Tournament - Grand Valley St Hosts

Stability of Time Discretizations for Semi-Discrete High Order Schemes for Time-Dependent PDEs

Friday, September 24, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 0327B

Stability of time discretizations for semi-discrete high order schemes for time-dependent PDEs Chi-Wang Shu Division of Applied Mathematics Brown University Providence, RI...

(Women's Volleyball) Michigan Tech at Lake Superior State

Friday, September 24, 6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

Women's Volleyball: Michigan Tech at Lake Superior State

Range Day

Friday, September 24, 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | SDC Shooting Range

Students are allowed to come down to the range to either use their own firearms or the firearms provided by the club.

Roy Griak Invitational - Hosted by Minnesota

September 24, all day

Roy Griak Invitational - Hosted by Minnesota, Les Bolstadt Golf Course, 10:30 AM (Men's Maroon) / 11:15 AM (Women's Maroon)