October 18, 2021

For centuries, humans have looked to nature to draw inspiration for innovation. From birds in the sky to fish in the sea, by studying what these creatures have naturally perfected over millennia, engineers create new technologies that are essential to our way of life today.

In their guest blog, Hassan Masoud and doctoral student Mitch Timm (ME-EM) share how they built a tiny, self-powered robot inspired by water-skimming insects.

The next generation of Marangoni surfers offer new ways to think about moving at the air-water interface using biomimicry.

Read more on Unscripted, the University research blog, at mtu.edu/unscripted.

Monique Wells ’99 ’02 knew from a young age that she wanted to work in STEM—and like so many Michigan Tech alumni, her career took a path she didn’t expect.

The chemical engineering major launched her professional life in industry, but switched gears to pursue a love of teaching. After spending several years teaching engineering technology to high school students, Wells returned to the corporate environment with a passion for STEM education and equity. Named DTE Energy’s director of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in February 2021, Wells reflects on her time at Tech and her vision for what DE&I efforts should mean at the workplace and in the classroom.

Read the Q&A in Michigan Tech Magazine.

The ADVANCE Initiative, Provost's Office, Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Vice President for Research Office and University Marketing and Communications have been working together over the past year to identify and begin to mitigate some of the ways that scholars, creators and researchers have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. This collaboration resulted in a session to learn specific impacts and discuss solutions.

One of the primary results of our joint work is the COVID impact statement document faculty are requested to develop and add to Digital Measures. This group has also solicited and published an ongoing Unscripted research blog series where Tech employees share how the pandemic impacted their work. In addition, the VPR office recently solicited and received proposals for funding to help mitigate financial losses to research, creative and scholarly work associated with the pandemic. Many individuals experienced significant negative impacts and applied for the funds. Unfortunately, we were unable to fund them all.

The following individuals were selected to receive one of these grants:

• Kristin Brzeski (CFRES)
• Andrew Burton (CFRES)
• Tarun Dam (Chem)
• Carolyn Duncan (KIP)
• Susanta Ghosh (ME-EM)
• Evan Kane (CFRES)
• Carsten Kulheim (CFRES)
• Claudio Mazzoleni (Physics)
• Trisha Sain (ME-EM)
• Zhiying Shan (KIP)
• Xiaoqing Tang (BioSci)
• Kevin Trewartha (KIP)

Our offices will continue to coordinate over the coming months to identify needs and solutions as we move through what are hopefully the late stages of the pandemic.

Intimate partner violence. Dating violence. Domestic violence. The terms may be different, but the behavior and consequences are the same: physical violence, sexual violence, stalking and psychological aggression by a current or former intimate partner that negatively impacts physical health, mental health, work, school, friends and more (University definitions of dating and domestic violence).

This type of violence can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, financial status, gender identity and/or sexual orientation. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in four women and one in nine men have experienced this type of violence. Despite these grim statistics, there is also hope. This violence can be prevented, and it takes all of us.

October is our opportunity to not only raise awareness, but to take action beyond being reminded of the statistics on domestic violence. By understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, recognizing signs of violence, knowing the resources and being prepared to respond for ourselves, a friend or family member, we can all be part of the solution. Learn more with online resources, look for upcoming One Love workshops and resources, find a way to give to our local Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter, wear purple and join us on campus as we walk with two student organizations: the Society of African American Men (SAAM) and Sexual Assault and Violence Education (SAVE).

#PURPLETHURSDAY — Thursday (Oct. 21)
Purple Thursday is a national day of action held every October to raise awareness about domestic violence. You can support this movement by wearing purple on Thursday (Oct. 21) to stand in solidarity with victims of domestic violence. Please take action against domestic violence by wearing purple.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® — Friday (Oct. 22)
Michigan Tech Title IX and Institutional Equity, along with SAAM and SAVE, are hosting Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® event on Friday (Oct. 22) from 1-5 p.m.

The walk will start outside of the Rozsa Center near the front entrance. This event is provided to raise awareness of sexual assault and gender violence and to give men the opportunity to put themselves in "her shoes." Men are encouraged to wear high heels during the one-mile walk. We hope that this event starts conversations about the causes, effects and solutions to ending sexual and gender violence.

Have You Seen Purple Ribbons?
The student organization SAVE decorated campus with purple ribbons in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The purple ribbons around campus are an effort to stand in solidarity and support survivors of violence. Please join SAVE in creating a community that stands up against violence.

Michigan Tech is hosting a Career Day next Monday (Oct. 25) for local employers. Our target job seekers are those looking for food service, custodial and office work. The event will take place in the MUB Ballroom and is open to all job seekers in the community.

Two sessions will be open to the public:

• Session 1 — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Session 2 — 4-7 p.m.

The Society of Medical Lab Scientists (SMLS) is hosting a blood drive on Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the campus library. All blood donated will stay in the Upper Peninsula.

Before donating, donors will complete a mini physical and donor history questionnaire inside the library, in Conference Room 103 on the first floor. The bloodmobile will be parked right outside of the library. 

Students, friends, family and community members are invited to participate — sign up to donate now. Walk-in donors are also welcome.

General information:

1. Donors must wait 8 weeks between donations.
2. Donors must be 17 years old.
3. Must be free of flu, colds, sore throat.
4. Must weigh at least 110 pounds.
5. Must have a picture ID.
6. 16-year-olds can donate with a signed consent form.

Please consider donating and help save a life!

Friday (Oct. 22) and Saturday (Oct. 23), you are invited to an extraordinary genre-bending event in our intimate Jazz club-style Backstage Jazz setting, featuring an on-stage installation by creative technologist and artist Osman Koç.

Curious about the installation? Saturday, come in to explore the Osman Koç Installation from noon to 5 p.m. The innovative creative technologist's installation will be set up to respond to your sounds and movement, and you're invited to experience it for free.
Please note: The exploration start time has been updated — it will now start at noon, instead of 10 a.m. as previously posted.

• Backstage Jazz: Jazz Meets Hiphop — Oct. 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m.
  Join Michigan Tech Jazz backstage at the James and Margaret Performance Hall in the Rozsa.
  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.
  
  
• Osman Koç Installation — Oct. 23 from noon to 5 p.m
  Backstage at the James and Margaret Performance Hall in the Rozsa.
  Please note the updated start time: The exploration will now start at noon, instead of 10 a.m. as previously posted.

Note: Face coverings are required for volunteers, staff and audience members at these events. 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 performances. 

The Indian Students Association (ISA) is organizing one of the biggest events on campus — Diwali Night — on Oct. 30.

Diwali Night will start with a grand eight-course dinner buffet at the MUB Commons and Ballroom from 5:30-7 p.m. Following dinner, we will have stage performances from the music and dance teams at the Rozsa Center from 7:30-9 p.m.

Tickets are available online and at the SDC Ticketing Office, and will also be available at the MUB the evening of the event.

Ticket Prices:

• $8 — Early bird (till Wednesday (Oct. 20)
• $10 — Students
• $12 — Staff/ Community

Hope to see you there!

ETOM, the Educational Technology Organization of Michigan, has their free Fall 2021 Virtual Conference coming up on Nov. 5. Michigan Tech is a member institution and one of our faculty will be presenting a session.

Bonni Stachowiak will give the keynote and provide a bonus workshop. Stachowiak is the dean of teaching and learning and professor of business and management at Vanguard University of Southern California. As the creator and host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, she provides a space for discussing the art and science of facilitating learning. She also explores ways to improve our productivity, so we can be more present for our students and have more peace in our lives.

Go to the ETOM Fall 2021 Virtual Conference website to see the conference schedule and register to attend.

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

Job Posting for Monday, Oct. 18, 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. 

Department Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering. 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.

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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Idea Pitch Competition

Do you have an innovative idea that could disrupt the status quo and "business as usual"? Pitch your idea at the Idea Pitch Competition. Each contestant will have two minutes to share their idea in an interactive community setting. Judges will vote to select top pitches and award cash prizes.

Husky Innovate is hosting the competition Wednesday (Oct. 20) in person from 5-7 p.m. in the Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), Room U115. To pitch, please register in advance.

Prizes will be awarded to top contestants:

• First place — $200
• Second place — $100
• Third place — $50
• Honorable mention — $25 (two prizes offered)
• Audience favorite — $25

Audience members are encouraged to attend in person, but may also attend remotely. Please email Husky Innovate at huskyinnovate@mtu.edu for the Zoom link.

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EPSSI Seminar

Alexei Khalizov, associate professor in chemistry and environmental science at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, will present a seminar today (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.

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Grammarly Pilot Coming to MTU

The Graduate Student Government (GSG) is pleased to announce that we will be launching a 60-day pilot program for the premium EDU membership of the cross-platform cloud-based writing assistant application Grammarly.

This pilot will allow Michigan Tech students, faculty and staff to use the premium features of Grammarly @EDU for free for 60 days using the Michigan Tech SSO. This premium membership upgrades the service from basic spelling and punctuation checking to a complete writing assistant experience, including tone checks, ease of reading detection and a plagiarism check.

The pilot will start next Monday (Oct. 25) and will last until Dec. 24. During and after the pilot, we will send out a survey to determine the use and the need for this service for our campus.

GSG would like to thank Undergraduate Student Government (USG) for supporting this initiative. Also, we would like to thank IT for providing the necessary technical support for the successful execution of this pilot.

GSG encourages everyone to use Grammarly as much as they can in different capacities. It can assist students with writing manuscripts, efficient emails to peers and supervisors, and regular assignments. For faculty and staff, it can assist with day-to-day email communications, proposal writing and plagiarism detection. More information on Grammarly features can be found at the Graduate Student Government website.

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please feel free to reach out to Ranit Karmakar at gsg-vp@mtu.edu. 

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

Hyperconnection: A New Series by Tiffany Lange

Monday, October 18, 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...

New Husky Orientation

Monday, October 18, 8:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Lakeshore-comm-rm123

Cori Champagne: "Apparel for the Anthropocene"

Monday, October 18, 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...

What I Learned as a Scientist Helping Communities Fight Mining, Logging and Urban Development

Monday, October 18, 3 p.m.–4 p.m.

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Steven H. Emerman, Ph.D., Owner, Malach Consulting Abstract: After retiring from teaching geophysics and hydrology, I became a...

EPSSI Seminar: Alexei Khalizov, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Monday, October 18, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), U113

Soot Restructuring in Condensation-Evaporation Cycles with Wetting and Non-Wetting Liquids Atmospheric soot is made of fractal aggregates of loosely connected graphitic...

Strength Training and High Intensity Interval Training ("HIIT")

Monday, October 18, 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...

Open Rock Climbing

Monday, October 18, 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...

Tiny House Design—Weather, Watts, and Materials

Monday, October 18, 6 p.m.

Husky Bites presents Special Guest Paul Sanders Patrick S. Horvath Endowed Professorship of Materials Science, Materials Science and Engineering Michigan Technological...

Grand Rapids Michigan Tech Night

Monday, October 18, 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Huskies are coming to Grand Rapids! Join us to hear about Michigan Technological University through student stories and experiences at a Michigan Tech Night near you. You'll...

Mini Pumpkin Painting

Monday, October 18, 8 p.m.–9 p.m. | MUB - Ballroom A

Come and join us for mini pumpkin painting in the spirit of Fall and Halloween! All supplies will be provided.