October 13, 2021

One can easily see with the naked eye that leaving an old nail out in the rain causes rust. But observing how iron corrodes and forms new minerals, especially in water with a pinch of sodium and calcium, requires the keen eyes and sensitive nose of microscopy and spectroscopy.
 
Through three studies, a team led by Kathryn Perrine (Chem) use a new technique to tease apart the behaviors and makeup of iron mineral growths at the air-liquid-solid interface.

Read the full story at mtu.edu/news and follow @mtu_chemistry on Twitter.

Check out what's new at 1400 Townsend in the latest Michigan Tech Magazine:

• Meet Michigan Tech’s incoming class of 2021.
• Get a sneak peek at John Scott's Heart of a Husky clothing line.
• See our students roving on the moon.
• Learn more about our new human factors undergraduate degree.
• Say hello to our new Dean of Students.

Read the full story in Michigan Tech Magazine.

Former Michigan Tech Chief of Police Dan Bennett, devoted husband and father of six, passed away on Sept. 29, 2021, at the age of 59. His decade-long battle with multiple cancers ended in a draw.

Bennett was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and served as a police officer in the Chicago suburbs of Vernon Hills and deputy chief at the College of Southern Nevada before accepting the chief of police position at Michigan Tech in 2008. He was promoted to the administrative position of police commissioner and executive director of university safety and security before leaving the University in 2020. He was guided by his commitment to serving and protecting the community.

Dan is survived by his favorite wife, Trish; his six children, Richard, Jacob, Joshua, Edward, Michael and Nathan; four older siblings; extensive extended family; and his always faithful dogs, Tina and Crystal.

Funeral services will be held at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Houghton on Friday (Oct. 15). Visitation will be held at 10 a.m., funeral mass at 11 a.m. and a luncheon at noon. Services are open to the public. 

In the spirit of protecting and serving the community, please consider making a donation to the Husky Food Access Network (FAN). Monetary gifts can be made using their online giving form.

Thanks to funding from the state of Michigan for the King-Chávez-Parks (KCP) Initiative, funding for the Visiting Professor Program is now available for the 2021-22 academic year. The grant allows Michigan Tech to invite potential faculty and/or research collaborators to Michigan Tech’s campus.

University departments are invited to apply for financial support to bring visiting scholars who provide underrepresented perspectives in their field of expertise to Michigan Tech’s campus. Visitors do not need to have a terminal degree or a faculty position to qualify for support. Supported visits can last from an afternoon up to a week. While on campus, visiting professors should interact with faculty and students in the classroom, in seminars, in informal and formal group discussions, or teach a session during an academic or summer semester.

Details about the program and the steps of the application process are laid out on the Visiting Professor Program web page. 

Applications must be received several weeks before a scheduled visit for pre-approval by the state of Michigan. Funding requests can be made for up to $1,500; however, department(s) or unit(s) must provide a 1-to-1 match to KCP funds. Note: There is a blackout on visits occurring Sept. 15-30 due to the ending of the state's fiscal year on Sept. 30.

If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact Assistant Provost for Faculty Development Shari Stockero at stocker@mtu.edu or Faculty Support Coordinator Shannon Vairo at ssvairo@mtu.edu. 

The Tech Forward Initiative on Sustainability and Resilience (ISR) invites applications for educational innovation projects that increase student exposure to sustainability and resilience in formal coursework. The ISR seeks to incentivize the creation of new sustainability curricula through new and existing coursework so more students across Michigan Tech learn about sustainability, resilience and the connection of each to their domain expertise.

Applications for Educational Innovation support will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Proposals submitted before Dec. 1 will be reviewed no later than Dec. 10. We anticipate offering another opportunity in the spring of 2022, contingent on funding availability.

Proposals may include support for hourly student work, summer salary or materials/supplies to develop new courses, revamp existing courses or host workshops for educating faculty and staff on sustainability education. Proposals may also include funds to support or incentivize participation from students, faculty and staff, and/or materials or supplies for coursework innovation.

Faculty, graduate students and staff are all eligible to apply. Applications can be submitted by individuals or teams; graduate students are encouraged to collaborate with a faculty member to submit an application.

Individual awards will be made for up to $5,000. We anticipate that most awards will be in the range of $3,000-$5,000 but encourage budgets that meet the project needs. Potential applicants are encouraged to reach out with questions about their potential budget.

Submitted proposals should be no more than two pages. Each proposal should include:

• A narrative description of the proposed educational innovation. This description should include at least one stand-alone paragraph that clearly describes how this educational innovation aligns with the broader goal of ensuring all students at Michigan Tech are exposed to sustainability and resilience through the curricula, including how many students are likely to be impacted by this innovation and how this innovation will be maintained in the curriculum.
• A detailed budget and a proposed project timeline. Project work should take place no later than fall 2022. The implementation timeline is flexible but should be described in the proposal.
• Identified deliverables to be provided to ISR at the end of the project period, such as a completed syllabus, a new course proposal prepared for submission, a workshop report, etc., to be determined and described by the applicant.

The ISR Working Group will review applications and contact applicants regarding decisions.

If you have any questions about a potential project proposal, please reach out to ask! For questions and to submit your application, please email Chelsea Schelly at cschelly@mtu.edu.

Do you know a student who might be interested in learning more about Enterprise at Michigan Tech? Or a student who wants to join an Enterprise, but is not sure which team is right for them? Please take a moment to invite any and all students to Enterprise Day, happening next Wednesday (Oct. 20) from 6-8 p.m. in the Rozsa Lobby.

During this time, students will learn more about Enterprise by talking with program staff and students from various Enterprise teams, all in one place. Teams will be spread out across the Rozsa Lobby and outside, weather permitting.

Students will be able to visit with:

Alternative Energy • Aerospace • Advanced Metalworks • Blizzard Baja • Blue Marble Security • BoardSport Technologies • Built World • Clean Snowmobile • CPM, GEAR • Green Campus • Husky Game • HIDE • Hotforest • IGS • ITOxygen • MINE • Open Source • Robotic Systems • SENSE • Supermileage Systems • Velovations

For more information about each team, please visit our Enterprise Day web page. Registration is not required for interested students who would like to attend. Apple cider and donuts will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis during this event.

The use of face coverings and social distancing will be determined by MTU's Health and Safety Level on Oct. 20. Please keep an eye on the Campus Health and Safety Levels information page.

Join Athletics and Recreation in celebrating the grand opening and dedication of the new Skate Rental Center in the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena this Saturday (Oct. 16) at 12:30 p.m. 

Located on the ice level, the Skate Rental Center will offer a full inventory of skates and helmets in youth and adult sizes and provide skate-sharpening services. It will be dedicated in honor of Charlotte Jenkins and Cheryl DePuydt, and the ceremony will be followed by an open skate session with free skate rentals.

Jenkins, an undergraduate student and resident assistant, had a passion for skating and was known for loaning skates to friends, residents or anyone looking to learn to skate. DePuydt was an ardent supporter of MTU Athletics throughout her life, helping start women’s athletics at the University and forming the MTU Skating Academy.

Those unable to attend the ceremony may view a livestream of the dedication on Zoom.

This week, in collaboration with SHPE!, the Film Board presents "In The Heights," rated PG-13 for some language and suggestive references.

Showings:

• Friday, Oct. 15 — 5:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct 16 — 5:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.

Located on Michigan Tech's campus in Fisher Hall, Room 135.

Tickets are $3 and concessions are $1. We hope to see you at the movie this weekend — and have a great day.

Next May, Mark Rhodes and Kathryn Hannum (SS) will run the Study Away program "Amtrak Tourism: Trains, Cities, and Sustainability." As a pilot capstone program for Next-Gen Gen-Ed, Amtrak Tourism will allow students to explore questions of sustainability for 18 days across the western U.S.

The program will explore diverse landscapes, urban environments and tourism strategies from Glacier National Park to Sacramento, California. If the program reaches 17 students, the program fee (not including tuition) will only be $500 per student (thanks to financial support from the Department of Social Sciences and the College of Sciences and Arts).

With a capacity of 21 students and an application deadline of Nov. 5, students interested in participating are encouraged to reach out soon to Rhodes at marhodes@mtu.edu or Hannum at khannum@mtu.edu.

Students seeking more information can attend information sessions today (Oct. 13) and Oct. 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the Academic Office Building (AOB), Room 209. Details about the program are also available on the Amtrak Tourism program web page (the application process is explained in the Registration sidebar).

As MTU increases its international scope and presence, including Study Abroad, equitable Study Away options such as Amtrak Tourism will be increasingly necessary as we merge such program offerings with general education.

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar will be held virtually on Zoom at 3 p.m. Monday (Oct. 18).

Join the seminar on Zoom — the password is 169778.

Our speaker will be Steven H. Emerman, owner of Malach Consulting, who will present "What I Learned as a Scientist Helping Communities Fight Mining, Logging and Urban Development."

All are welcome.

Alexei Khalizov, associate professor in chemistry and environmental science at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, will present a seminar on Monday (Oct. 18) at 4 p.m. in the Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), Room U113.

Khalizov’s presentation is titled “Soot Restructuring in Condensation-Evaporation Cycles with Wetting and Non-Wetting Liquids.”

This seminar is sponsored by the Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI). Read the abstract at the University Events Calendar.

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has named Michigan Tech football freshman Drew Wyble its GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Wyble had an outstanding kicking and punting performance at Wayne State on Oct. 9, making a game-winning 26-yard field goal to help the Huskies to a 30-27 victory. He was 3-for-3 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points for the day, and is the first football player this fall to earn player of the week recognition.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech's Alec Broetzman and Blake Pietila have been named CCHA Players of the Week. Broetzman is the CCHA Forward of the Week and Pietila is the CCHA Goaltender of the Week.

Broetzman led all CCHA players with five points on the weekend. The co-captain had a goal each night in the nonconference sweep at No. 13 Wisconsin, including the game-winner in the first period on Saturday (Oct. 9). 

Pietila leads the CCHA with a 1.50 goals-against average and .952 save percentage. He recorded 59 saves over the weekend and backstopped Tech's penalty kill, which went 5-for-5 in the series.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The Michigan Tech hockey team is ranked No. 16 in this week's USCHO Top 20 poll.

The Huskies jumped into the poll after a nonconference sweep at Wisconsin last week to begin their season.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The Michigan Tech volleyball team is ranked No. 25 in this week's AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. The Huskies are 12-4 and sit atop the GLIAC standings with a 7-1 conference mark. They have received votes in every poll this season.

Tech is the No. 1 seed for the GLIAC at this weekend's Midwest Region Crossover in Hammond, Indiana.

Read more and see details of the Huskies' tournament matchups at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The Michigan Tech Blue Line Club is hosting its first luncheon of the season on Friday (Oct. 15) at noon in the "old" Blue Line Room outside University Images. The event is open to the public and costs $10 per person.

Tickets need to be purchased by noon today (Oct. 13) to guarantee lunch — they can be purchased online by calling the Central Ticket Office at 906-487-2073, or by visiting the Ticket Office in person before noon. Payment will not be accepted after noon today.

Club subs, chips, apple pie, coffee, lemonade and water will be served at the luncheon. Tech head coach Joe Shawhan and Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson will be on hand to talk about Friday's game.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Postings for Wednesday, Oct. 13, 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 Professor – Supply Chain and Ops Management, College of Business. Apply online.

Study Abroad / Away Program Specialist, Pavlis Honors College. 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.

John Vucetich (CFRES) was interviewed about his new book, "Restoring the Balance," by Psychology Today.

*****

Angie Carter (SS) was interviewed by CBS correspondent Michael George for a story about gender gaps in agriculture. The story aired nationally on CBS affiliate news stations, including News on 6 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

*****

Michigan Tech's Unscripted blog post on Camaro, a wave glider recently deployed to collect data in Lake Superior, was mentioned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory on its own blog.

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. 

*****

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.

*****

Copyright Workshop for Graduate Students

What’s copyright and what does it have to do with your dissertation? Do you need permission to use someone else's figure or image, or an article you wrote? Should you make your thesis open access? And what is a Creative Commons license? Get the answers to these and other questions at the library workshop: "Copyright and Your Dissertation, Thesis, or Master’s Report."

In this workshop, you’ll learn the role U.S. copyright law plays in writing and publishing your report, thesis or dissertation. We will explore the legal use of copyrighted material, publishing agreements and Creative Commons licensing, and the role of Michigan Tech’s institutional repository Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech. After this workshop, you will be prepared to make informed decisions about using copyrighted material and the publishing options for your dissertation, thesis or master’s report.

Join us tomorrow (Oct. 14) at noon in the Van Pelt and Opie Library, Room 244. Registration is required.

*****

Open Forum: Sustainability Planning for H-STEM Complex

An open forum on sustainability planning in the H-STEM Complex will be held tomorrow (Oct. 14) from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building (MUB) Alumni Lounge.

Join architects and engineers from design firm HED to learn about the proposed sustainability features of the future H-STEM Complex, and get a chance to ask questions and add your ideas.

*****

Student Research Symposium Abstract Deadline Extended

Do you have a research poster to share? Need presentation practice for conferences? Miss in-person meetings?

Take part in the seventh annual American Chemical Society (ACS) Upper Peninsula Local Section Student Research Symposium, being held Oct. 23 at Northern Michigan University.

Registration has been extended through Friday (Oct. 15) at 5 p.m. Any chemistry-related research is welcomed.

Posters can be preliminary studies, class projects or material previously presented at other meetings, conferences or colloquiums.

Awards will be given to the three top-rated poster presentations in each undergraduate and graduate category. Prize money has been increased to $75 for first place (to celebrate our local section's 75th anniversary), $50 for second place and $25 for third place.

There is no cost to attend, and free lunch and travel support (limited) will be provided.

For more information and to register for the symposium, visit the Student Research Symposium web page.

Contact Momoko Tajiri at mtajiri@mtu.edu with any questions.

*****

Tomorrow at the Rozsa

Shockingly Good Music — Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Conductor Joel Neves leads the Superior Wind Symphony in a shockingly good program of eclectic band favorites, including dramatic opera music, toe-tapping marches, a Mexican danzón and "Gandalf" from Lord of the Rings.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for youth. Michigan Tech students can attend for free and bring a friend with the Experience Tech Fee.

Note: Face coverings are required for volunteers, staff and audience members at this event. Please visit the Rozsa COVID-19 Policies for the most up-to-date information.

Tickets are available by phone at 906-487-2073, online and in person at the Central Ticketing Office in the Student Development Complex. The Rozsa Box Office will also be open for ticket purchases two hours prior to the performance. 

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

Hyperconnection: A New Series by Tiffany Lange

Wednesday, October 13, 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...

Cori Champagne: "Apparel for the Anthropocene"

Wednesday, October 13, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | U. J. Noblet Forestry Building, Upper Atrium

Apparel for the Anthropocene is presented by the Institute for Policy, Ethics and Culture at Michigan Technological University from October 10-31 in the Upper Atrium of the...

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

Wednesday, October 13, 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...

Stress Less Workshop

Wednesday, October 13, 10–11 a.m.

Ready to lower anxiety and depression? Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) practices, this 4-week structured workshop will teach you skills to grow mindfulness. ...

Campus Master Plan Town Hall

Wednesday, October 13, 12 p.m.–1 p.m.

Virtual Town Hall meeting with SmithGroup, the Campus Master Plan consultant. They will be presenting information gathered over the past 6 months, and will lead discussions...

UP & Moving Lunchtime High Noon Activity Break

Wednesday, October 13, 12:00 p.m.–12:20 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...

UP & Moving Lunchtime Noon-Thirty Activity Break

Wednesday, October 13, 12:30 p.m.–12:50 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...

Campus Master Plan Town Hall

Wednesday, October 13, 6 p.m.–7 p.m.

Virtual Town Hall Meeting with SmithGroup, the Campus Master Plan consultants. They will be presenting information gathered over the past 6 months, and will lead discussions...

Open Rock Climbing

Wednesday, October 13, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Multipurpose Room Climbing Wall

All ages (we can allow all ages to climb as long as we have the proper fitting equipment). No need to sign up, just stop by the Climbing Wall between 6 and 8 pm Monday through...