October 29, 2021

Michigan Tech is one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review.

Michigan Tech is featured in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2022 Edition, released on Oct. 26.

The 420 schools featured in the guide were chosen by The Princeton Review based on its survey of administrators at 835 colleges in 2020-21 about their institutions’ commitments to the environment and sustainability. The company's editors analyzed more than 25 survey data points to select the schools.

“It’s great for Michigan Tech to receive recognition for all the hard work that students, staff and faculty have put into sustainability over the years,” said Alan Turnquist, MTU's director of sustainability and resilience. “Our biggest challenges lie in front of us, though, and the question is how we can turn these early successes into a long arc toward a more sustainable and resilient future.”

"We strongly recommend Michigan Tech to students who care about the environment and want to study and live at a green college," said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief. “Michigan Tech offers excellent academics and demonstrates a commitment to sustainability that is exemplary on many counts.”

Franek noted that The Princeton Review has seen an increasing level of interest among students in attending colleges with green practices, programs and offerings. Of the more than 11,000 college applicants who participated in The Princeton Review's 2021 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 78% said that having information about a college's commitment to the environment would affect their decision to apply to or attend a school. This was a 12% increase over the 66% so indicating on the company’s 2020 survey. A report on the findings of the survey, which also polled parents of college applicants, is downloadable online.

The profiles of schools in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges include "Green Facts" sections detailing such matters as the availability of transportation alternatives on campus and the percentage of the college food budget spent on local/organic food. The profiles also provide information about the schools' admission requirements, cost, financial aid and student body demographics.

In MTU's profile, The Princeton Review notes: “Michigan Tech is home to a dynamic range of sustainability research centers, including the Center for Water and Society, the Ecosystem Science Center, the Wood-to-Wheels research project for wood-based biofuel, and the Center for Environmentally Benign Functional Materials.”

Dennis Livesay, the Dave House Dean of Computing, has announced that Dukka KC has been appointed associate dean of research (ADR) for the College of Computing.

KC, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science, started at Michigan Tech this semester, coming to the College from Wichita State University. His expertise is in applied deep learning and bioinformatics.

As ADR, KC will guide the College’s research activities, working across the College to grow its sponsored research portfolio. He will track and oversee the administrative functions of research and, more importantly, mentor new faculty and help identify and build large interdisciplinary research teams.

KC takes over from Tim Havens, who has accepted the role of director of Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center.

Read more on the Computing Newsblog.

Dennis Livesay, the Dave House Dean of Computing, has announced that Laura Brown has been appointed director of data science initiatives, a new leadership position within the College of Computing that reinforces the growing importance of data science in both the College’s strategic growth priorities and the industries the College serves.

Brown will guide the College’s focus on growing enrollment in the M.S. in Data Science, work to identify new data science degree opportunities and assist in developing broad research teams across the University.

“Laura has provided exemplary leadership in data science to the College and University for years. This new role formalizes her role, while also setting our expectations even higher,” said Livesay. “Growing data science at Michigan Tech is one of our biggest priorities.”

The Night Parking Ban goes into effect at midnight Sunday (Oct. 31) and remains in effect until April 30, 2022.

During this time, parking is prohibited on campus between the hours of 2 a.m. and 7 a.m., except as follows:

• Michigan Tech employees with shifts prior to 7 a.m. who have an assigned parking location (email parking@mtu.edu if you have not yet been assigned a location).
• Occupants of University Housing with a valid residential parking permit in their specified lot.
• Visitors with purchased permits (contact Transportation Services to be assigned a designated parking location).

Individuals who need to request parking past 2 a.m. must call Michigan Tech Public Safety and Police Services at 906-487-2216 after 1 a.m. to be assigned a designated parking space. In order to request permission to remain parked on campus, you will need to provide the following information in your request to Public Safety:

• Name
• Reason for request
• Campus location
• Phone number
• Vehicle information (license plate number and the make, model and color of the vehicle).
• Permit number

Those granted permission to park on campus after 2 a.m. will be assigned a parking spot in a designated lot or in one of the three designated meter areas (meters will need to be paid). Vehicles must be moved prior to 6 a.m. unless alternate arrangements have been given prior approval.

This parking ban is in effect regardless of the amount of snow on the ground.

Visitor Parking Permits
Permits can be purchased Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Transportation Services in the Administration Building, Room 100, or online at the Michigan Tech Parking Portal. If a visitor is arriving after 4 p.m., the overnight permit should be purchased with the next day’s date to allow for overnight parking. Visitors will be assigned a designated parking location, usually Lot 26 or Lot 24, depending on the dates of their visit and on-campus events taking place during their stay.

Exception: Daniell Heights visitor permits are required 24/7, and Hillside meters require payment 24/7 (via the Parkmobile App, using quarters, or a visitor permit).

Email parking@mtu.edu with further questions.

Starting on Monday (Nov. 1), you may notice a new look to Michigan Tech’s Duo two-step login authentication. This is due to Duo’s updated Universal Prompt, which makes it easier to use the “Remember me for 30 days” feature and gives the prompt a more modern look and feel.

For users of Safari and other browsers that block third-party cookies, this update should also allow you to use the "Remember me" feature with all of the default browser settings.

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

Today’s ADVANCE post celebrates STEMinists—young role models for women in STEM—and the positive influence that faculty can have on the success of students. Specifically, we note how women and under-represented faculty in STEM serve as role models, whether through their presence in classrooms and labs or in professional associations such as WIA or AISES’s Lighting the Pathway program.

In this American Psychological Association Science Brief on her research into women’s experiences in STEM fields, Isis Settles (University of Michigan) describes studies that document the structural and interpersonal challenges that discourage women from remaining in STEM fields. However, she also found evidence for a protective factor associated with resilience. She concludes: “Strong gender identification may help women in STEM to function well (both psychologically and in terms of their academic/work performance).” The website STEMinists offers an inspiring example of such an identity by providing dozens of short biographies of young women who have navigated college and secured fulfilling careers in STEM. It is heartening that these young women seem to hold a woman-in-STEM identity as central to their STEM careers and we applaud STEM women faculty as role models.

Today’s feature was shared with us by David Flaspohler (CFRES). 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.

Doctoral candidate Xiang Zhou (ME-EM) will present their Ph.D. defense
Tuesday (Nov. 2) at 8 a.m. This virtual defense will be held online only. Attendance is invited via Zoom. 

Zhou's defense is titled "Electrical Power Take-off System Design and Performance Assessment for Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter."

Please join us today (Oct. 29), from 3-4 p.m. for this month's Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) Seminar. The event will be held virtually through Zoom.

Wouter Hoogkamer will present on "How biomechanics helped to break the 2-hour marathon barrier."

Hoogkamer is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he runs the Integrative Locomotion Laboratory (UMILL). He uses a comprehensive approach to study human locomotion, integrating neurophysiology, biomechanics and energetics.

Hoogkamer’s work covers the full health spectrum, from gait neuromechanics in individuals with cerebellar damage to running energetics in sub-elite marathon runners. His work on running shoes, cooperative drafting and course design might have played a tiny role in how Eliud Kipchoge broke the two-hour marathon barrier. After obtaining master’s degrees in civil engineering and human movement sciences in the Netherlands, he lived in Belgium (Ph.D.) and Colorado (postdoc).

Please contact the KIP main office for the Zoom meeting information at kip@mtu.edu or 906-487-2715.

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences will host speaker Jeff Pettibone (assistant professor of psychology at Finlandia University) at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors forum.

The presentation, "Dopamine Dynamics in Adaptive Decision Making,” will take place from 4-5 p.m. today (Oct. 29) in the Harold Meese Center (Meese), Room 109, and via Zoom.

Pettibone will present about how adaptive decision-making relies on a distributed network of neural substrates that learn associations between behaviors and outcomes to ultimately shape and direct future behavior.

The Michigan Tech football team takes on No. 7 Grand Valley State for the second time this fall tomorrow (Oct. 30) at 3 p.m. at Lubbers Stadium.

Fans can listen to the game free on Mix 93.5 FM with Josh Ylitalo on play-by-play. The Lakers handled the Huskies 44-21 at Kearly Stadium on Sept. 25.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The No. 18 nationally ranked Michigan Tech hockey team travels to Clarkson for a non-conference road series this weekend.

The Huskies and Golden Knights meet at 7 p.m. tonight (Oct. 29) and 7:30 p.m. tomorrow (Oct. 30) at Cheel Arena.

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

Michigan Tech's soccer team will play one game Sunday (Oct. 31) at noon as they host Saginaw Valley State at Kearly Stadium. 

The Huskies, 10-5 overall and 7-4 in the GLIAC, will honor their 11 graduating seniors after the game.

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

Michigan Tech men's cross country was ranked No. 25 in this week's USTFCAAA Division II National Rankings Poll.

The Huskies also clocked in at No. 6 in the Midwest Region. It is the third time the Huskies have been ranked nationally this fall and their highest position on the list to date.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Posting for Friday, Oct. 29, 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. 

Administrative Aide 7 (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #21178RPRP, Human Resources (UAW posting Oct. 29 to Nov. 4, 2021 — internal UAW applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal 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.

In a report on the Michigan House Energy Committee’s talks concerning accessible solar energy, WLUC TV6 noted that two Michigan Tech students testified before the committee and interviewed student Robert Hazen.

Face Coverings Required Indoors on Campus

While Michigan Tech is at Health and Safety Level Two, face coverings must be worn indoors. This applies to all students, employees and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.

Michigan Tech strongly recommends that all employees and students 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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Mentoring for Associate Professors

Advanced Career Management (ACM) will offer an open “Office Hour” for mid-career faculty Nov. 1-5. The event will pair an associate-level faculty member with a full professor to discuss career-related topics. The theme of this event is “Upgrade Your Profile.” Participating faculty can raise any career-related topics but are encouraged to review CVs and discuss strategies for accomplishing high-value career goals.

Associate professors who are interested in participating should email advance-mtu@mtu.edu with their contact information. The ADVANCE office will suggest a one-hour meeting time based on calendar availabilities for the mentor and mentee. Both an in-person location and a Zoom link will be provided. Participating mentors include Will Cantrell (associate provost; dean of the Graduate School; professor, Physics), Shiyue Fang (professor, Chem), Adrienne Minnerick (professor, ChE) and Judith Perlinger (CEGE) — see the ADVANCE Newsblog for mentor biosketches.

The ACM program is an initiative of ADVANCE at Michigan Tech, an NSF-funded initiative dedicated to improving faculty career success, retention, diversity, equity and inclusion.

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Diwali Night at Michigan Tech on Saturday

The Indian Students Association (ISA) is organizing Diwali Night on Saturday (Oct. 30). We have been celebrating the Diwali Festival on campus for more than 15 years!

Join us for a grand eight-course dinner buffet at the MUB and musical and dance performances at the Rozsa Center.

Event Outline

• Food — 5:30-7 p.m. in the MUB Commons and MUB Ballroom
• Festival — 7:30-9 p.m. in the Rozsa Center

Ticket Location

Tickets are available online, at the SDC Ticketing Office and at the MUB on Saturday evening.

Ticket Prices

• $10 — Students
• $12 — Staff/ Community/General Public

We can't wait to see you all there!

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RTC Colloquium

Please join us Monday (Nov. 1) at noon for the fall ’21 Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture (RTC) Colloquium No. 1: Continued Conversations from the Midwest Popular Culture Association.

This colloquium will be held from 12-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Topics include:

• Talk 1 — "Sakura is Useless: Deconstructing Damaging Discourse with Feminist Theory," led by Kendall Belopavlovich, RTC Ph.D. candidate.
  
  From the abstract:
  This essay addresses the problematic gender representations of the main characters of the anime Naruto, and Naruto Shippuden (2002-2017). A complicated love triangle between two male ninja and one female kunoichi presents fuel for a narrative that centers on core themes of war, violence, and love. A feminist theoretical perspective is applied to a critical discourse analysis of fan discourse on YouTube videos and textual analysis of the show, where main female protagonist Sakura Haruno is examined through the concepts of popular feminism and popular misogyny. ... Taken from an English-language studies perspective, this essay focuses on the interpretation of Sakura’s character as it is found in the English-translated version of the show and through English-language fan discourses.
  
  
• Talk 2 — "Science Fiction as Protest Literature in Kurt Vonnegut's 'Slaughterhouse-Five,'" led by Samantha Quade, RTC Ph.D. candidate.
  
  From the abstract:
  This presentation will investigate the science fiction themes used in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse 5 as a form of humanistic protest literature that actively protests the dehumanization of war. Before analyzing textual examples of such themes, protest literature and protest more broadly will be discussed and defined to show the differences between protest as is commonly understood and the protest seen in fiction. From there Vonnegut’s work will be contextualized with science fiction, anti-war writing, and humanism, all of which he is known for as an author, describing some of his other works and interviews in order to show his propensity for human responsibility for one another (seen in his relationship to science fiction and humanism), along with his complex relationship with war and the military. The heart of the analysis will then focus on examples from Slaughterhouse 5, specifically Vonnegut’s use of aliens/alien abduction and time travel. 

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Film Board Presenting 'A Quiet Place Part II'

This week, the Film Board presents “A Quiet Place Part II,” rated PG-13 for terror, violence and bloody/disturbing images.

Showings:

• Friday, Oct. 29 — 5:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 30 — 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.

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

Hyperconnection: A New Series by Tiffany Lange

Friday, October 29, 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...

The Misinformation Edition Exhibition

Friday, October 29, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library

Glass Room: Misinformation Edition explores how social media and the web have changed the way we read information and react to it. It exposes new types of influencers, the new...

Cori Champagne: "Apparel for the Anthropocene"

Friday, October 29, 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...

PhD Defense: Ninad Mohale

Friday, October 29, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610

Materials Science and Engineering Advisor: Walter Milligan Role of ETA Phase Evolution on Creep Properties of Nickel Base Superalloys Used in Electric Power Generation...

Board Game Group

Friday, October 29, 3 p.m.–5 p.m. | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library, 243

Are you worn out at the end of the week and just want to hang out and play a game? Then this group is for you! We will chill and play strategy-based board games. The goal is...

ICC Distinguished Lecture: Dr. Doina Caragea, Kansas State University

Friday, October 29, 3 p.m.

The Institute of Computing and Cybersystems will present a Distinguished Lecture by Dr. Doina Caragea on Friday, October 29, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. Dr. Caragea is a professor and...

ACSHF Forum: Jeff Pettibone, Assistant Professor of Psychology (Finlandia University)

Friday, October 29, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Harold Meese Center, 109

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences will host speaker Jeff Pettibone (Assistant Professor of Psychology at Finlandia University) at the next Applied Cognitive...

HCC Speaker Series: Dr. Jeff Pettibone

Friday, October 29, 4 p.m. | Harold Meese Center, 109

Dr. Jeff Pettibone, assistant professor of psychology at Finlandia University, will present his lecture, "Dopamine Dynamics in Adaptive Decision Making," on Friday, October...

Film Board Presents: A Quiet Place 2

Friday, October 29, 5:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m. | Fisher 135

Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture...

Food and Beer Pairing

Friday, October 29, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. | MUB Ballroom

Join MUB Board and Chef Eric Karvonen for a night of Transylvanian-themed food and beer. During this event, you will enjoy learning to pair different types of beer with a...

Haunted Smelter Tour

Friday, October 29, 7 p.m.–10 p.m. | Quincy Smelter (Ripley)

The Department of Visual and Performing Arts and the Keweenaw National Historic Park Advisory Commission announce their Halloween collaboration “An Horrific Transformation”,...

Range Day

Friday, October 29, 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.

"Black (& Gold) Tuesday...no Friday"

Friday, October 29, 7:30 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

You've heard them at hockey. At basketball. At football. In parades. But you have never heard them like this. Get your tickets September 1 to witness the Huskies Pep Band as...

Film Board Presents: A Quiet Place 2

Friday, October 29, 8:30 p.m.–11:00 p.m. | Fisher 135

Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture...

Comedian Melissa McGillicuddy

Friday, October 29, 10 p.m.–11 p.m. | MUB Ballroom

Join us for a night of laughs on Friday, October 29th at 10pm in the MUB Ballroom! Melissa McGillicuddy is a stand-up comedian based in Sacramento, California. Being an only...

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Friday, October 29, 11 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (R) Starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bosstwick Let's do the time warp again with #rozsarocky. This kinky rock & roll science...

Film Board Presents: A Quiet Place 2

Friday, October 29, 11:30–1:30 a.m. | Fisher 135

Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture...

(Men's Ice Hockey) Michigan Tech at Clarkson

October 29, all day

Men's Ice Hockey: Michigan Tech at Clarkson