November 10, 2021

The Institute of Computing and Cybersystems' (ICC's) Human-Centered Computing (HCC) research group will host its fourth annual HCC Research Expo tomorrow (Nov. 11) in conjunction with World Usability Day 2021.

Presented by the ICC and the HCC research group, the expo showcases the interdisciplinary HCC research happening across campus and provides a forum for Michigan Tech students to explore HCC research opportunities, tour labs and engage in virtual discussions.

A keynote lecture from cybersecurity expert Rick Wash of Michigan State University will take place at 2 p.m. via Zoom. An expert on the human aspects of cybersecurity, Wash is an associate professor in the Department of Media and Information at MSU. Join the virtual lecture.

Also during the day-long event, participants can visit VR-Huskies, an exciting virtual social platform that leverages 360-degree panorama technology. Projects, brief research talks and lab tours will be available on demand for attendees to browse at leisure.

Read more on the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems Blog.

Michigan Tech was highlighted in the Sustainable Campus Index for contributions to the L’Anse Community Solar Project.

The project brought together a team of engineering researchers and students from the Alternative Energy Enterprise, advised by Jay Meldrum (KRC), to work with local and state partners to bring solar to the Community of L’Anse, while meeting the needs of lower income residents. The project successfully installed 340 panels and had a 100% subscription rate after six months. Read more about the project in the Sustainable Campus Index PDF (page 55).

The Sustainable Campus Index highlights innovative and high-impact sustainability initiatives from institutions that participate in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Reporting (STARS) program. Michigan Tech earned a Silver rating in their first STARS submission in October 2020.

Michigan Tech Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) is pleased to be able to offer authorized Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety certification courses through our online Safety Skills Learning Management System.

For details and pricing, please visit our touch net store.

These programs are 10-hour and 30-hour online training programs that focus on general industry and construction. Training programs lasting 10 hours are designed for entry-level workers, while 30-hour programs are more advanced and intended for supervisors and workers with some safety responsibilities.

Training covers workers' rights, common workplace hazards and controls, and other high-level information about workplace safety. Topics include fire safety, electrical safety, hazard communication, walking/working surfaces, personal protective equipment and others specific to the chosen program.

Our 100% online OSHA-authorized courses give you 24/7 access to vital workplace safety training. You can complete the course at your own pace and earn an official OSHA 10 or 30 card from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) — a common requirement for employment in construction and other industries.

All questions can be directed to EHS at ehs-help@mtu.edu.

Salary Verifications
Salary verifications that are sent to Payroll must be requested at least 48 hours in advance. The department requesting the salary verification must include the individual's full name, M number and position number.

Federal Form W-4
The information supplied on the Federal Form W-4 form is used to determine the amount of federal income tax to withhold from your paychecks. Failure to submit a Form W-4 or submitting an invalid form will default your Form W-4 to a status of single with no adjustments. This could result in the incorrect amount of federal taxes being withheld from your paycheck.

Form W-4 must be the current year's form. The W-4 cannot be completed in pencil. The W-4 must be signed. If the W-4 is completed in pencil, is not the current year or is unsigned, it will be invalid. If the W-4 is invalid, the withholding amounts will be entered as a default setting of single with no adjustments until a valid form is received.

The Federal Form W-4 needs to be completed only once unless there is a change in address or tax status, or you claim exempt from federal withholding. Employees who claim exempt on their Federal Form W-4 will be asked to complete a new Federal Form W-4 before Feb. 15 of each calendar year.

Basic Instructions:

• Step 1 — Personal Information:
  
  • Name: Write your name in the style of Blizzard T. Husky:
    • First Name
    • Middle Initial (if you have a middle name)
    • Last (or Family) Name
  • Social Security Number: Leave blank if you do not have one.
  • Home Address: Write your local address, not your home country address.
    Marital Status: Employees who are married may select “married,” but withhold at a higher “single” rate.
• Step 2 — Multiple Jobs or Spouse Works:
  • Complete this section if you hold more than one job or are married filing jointly and your spouse also works. Complete this section only if it applies to you.
• Step 3 — Claim Dependents:
  • Enter dependent information as instructed and put the total on line 3. Complete this section only if it applies to you.
• Step 4 — Other Adjustments (optional):
  • Complete this section only if it applies to you. Enter information in fields a.-c. as applicable:
    1. Enter other income.
    2. Enter other deductions (use worksheet on page 3).
    3. Enter extra withholding.
• Step 5 — Sign and Date.

The next Mathematical Sciences Weekly Colloquium will take place at 1 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 12) via Zoom (the passcode is 939790).

Our guest speaker will be Yanxing Zhao, associate professor at George Washington University. His presentation is titled "Supervised Optimal Transport."

The ICC's Joint Center for Biocomputing and Digital Health will host a lecture on Monday (Nov. 15) from noon to 1 p.m. in Kanwal and Ann Rehki Hall (Rekhi), Room 214.

Yousef Darestani (CEGE) will present "Application of Machine Learning in Probabilistic Risk Assessment of Biomedical Systems: A Case Study for Transcatheter Valves."

Read more on the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems Blog.

Are you interested in developing skills that will assist you in facilitating difficult conversations? Our last session filled up quickly, so we are offering this workshop once again. Please join us Dec. 15 from 10-11:30 a.m. for Level 1 of a Facilitating Difficult Conversations workshop.

This in-person workshop is open to all faculty and staff members. The workshop will provide foundational information and practice for handling uncomfortable work and/or peer situations in a respectful and professional manner. ​

​The number of participants is limited, so please complete the RSVP form to save your spot. Once you are signed up, you will receive a calendar invitation, which will include the location.

For more information, contact Institutional Equity at 906-487-3310 or equity@mtu.edu.

The next ME-EM Graduate Seminar Speaker presentation will be held at 4 p.m. tomorrow (Nov. 11) in Fisher Hall, Room 135, or via Zoom.

At this seminar, Amitabh Narain will present "A Combined Active and Passive Enhanced Micro-nucleation Flow- boiling Approach that Enables Development of New Science and its Applications."

Narain is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Tech.

Please register to attend. In the registration questionnaire, the "student enrolled in MEEM 6000 in Fall 2021" option is intended for students enrolled in MEEM 6000. The "visitor" option is for all other internal and external attendees.

Jin Pan, Ph.D. student at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, will present a virtual seminar on Monday (Nov. 15) at 4 p.m. via Zoom.

Pan’s presentation is titled “Environmental contamination by SARS-CoV-2 in quarantine and isolation dormitories.”

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

Register in advance for the Zoom seminar. Please register early!

The Department of Chemistry is holding a special two-part seminar Friday (Nov. 12) via Zoom.

R. Lee Penn will host a diversity, equity and inclusion discussion, titled "Serving as Effective Allies in STEM,” from 2-3 p.m., followed by their chemistry seminar, “Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Reactive Environments,” which will be presented from 3-4 p.m.

Penn is the Merck Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities campus and the director of undergraduate studies for the chemistry department.

Penn’s research group focuses on fundamental formation and growth mechanisms of nanoparticles, green methods for making nanomaterials and the roles nanoparticles play in chemical transformations in the environment.

Penn is a Distinguished University Teaching Professor and they have received numerous awards for advocacy for the LGBT community, including:

• Community Excellence award from the University of Minnesota’s Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life
• Charlotte Stribel Equity Award from the University Office for Equity and Diversity's Women's Center (2016-17)
• Breaking the Silence Award from the University of Minnesota's Gay Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Programs Office (2014)

Penn is also an Institute on the Environment Resident Fellow and an ACS Fellow and won the Horace T. Morse University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education in 2015.

All are welcome!

All-Region honorees for the 2021 NCAA Division II Cross Country season were recognized on Monday (Nov. 8) by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association — and Michigan Tech junior Clayton Sayen has earned the distinction for the second time.

Sayen has had an outstanding season for the Huskies this fall, helping Tech to second place in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and fourth place at the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Championships on Saturday (Nov. 6).

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The Michigan Tech volleyball team is ranked No. 21 in this week's AVCA Division II Coaches Poll, moving up one spot from last week.

The Huskies are 20-5 and sit atop the GLIAC standings with a 12-1 conference mark.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Following a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships, Michigan Tech men's cross country team has qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships.

The Huskies were selected as one of 10 at-large teams decided on by committee, joining 33 other teams participating in the championship.

This is the second time the Huskies have qualified for the NCAA Championships in program history. Their first appearance on the national stage was in 2019-20 in Sacramento, California (Tech finished 13th).

The championships will be held Nov. 20 in Saint Leo, Florida, at The Abbey Course. Saint Leo University and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission will serve as hosts. The men's race begins at 9:45 a.m.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Posting for Wednesday, Nov. 10, 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. 

INTERNAL POSTING

Lecturer – Wildlife Ecology, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. 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.

Pasi Lautala (CEGE) was interviewed for an NBC News report on Amtrak’s plans to use the $66 billion in funding it receives from the newly passed federal infrastructure bill to advance rail projects.

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A Zoom Q&A with Art Cullen, editor of the Storm Lake (Iowa) Times, and Beth Levison, co-director of the movie “Storm Lake,” was covered by the Daily Mining Gazette.

The Q&A was moderated by Sue Collins (HU) as part of the 41 North Film Festival and followed a screening of “Storm Lake” at the Rozsa Center.

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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Campus Master Plan Town Halls

Please help us plan for the physical campus of tomorrow's Michigan Technological University!

On Monday (Nov. 15) we will be holding three live and in-person town hall sessions to discuss, review and get feedback on potential planning solutions to the issues facing our campus today and in the future.

Topics we will be discussing will be posted on the Campus Master Plan website late on Friday (Nov. 12).

The town hall sessions will be held in the Alumni Lounge at the MUB at noon, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. We are looking forward to some lively discussions with students, faculty and staff!

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Nominations Open for the 2021 Staff Making a Difference Awards

Staff Council invites the campus community to submit nominations for the 2021 Making a Difference Awards. Nominations are now open and regular full-time and part-time staff are eligible. All faculty and staff are invited to submit a nomination of a deserving colleague or write a letter in support of a nomination.

The categories are:

• Above and Beyond
• Behind the Scenes
• Legacy Award
• Outstanding Leader
• Rookie Award
• Serving Others
• Unsung Hero

Award recipients will receive $500, after taxes. Past recipients are not eligible again until five years after their award year and are listed on the Staff Council web page.

Please follow these steps:

1. Review and choose the award criteria.
2. Create your nomination letter.
3. Collect your letters of support (no more than three, one-page letters).
4. Complete the nomination form.

Please note that you will need to be prepared to upload your nomination letter and each letter of support as individual files in the nomination form before exiting it. Otherwise, it will be lost, as the system will not automatically save it.

Nominations will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Nov. 19.

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Keynote on Science Communication and Bad Info

Dietram Scheufele will present a keynote presentation titled “Misinformed about the 'Infodemic'? Science's ongoing struggle with misinformation” today (Nov. 10) from 5-7 p.m. at the Van Pelt and Opie Library.

Scheufele is the Taylor-Bascom Chair and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and co-chair at the National Academy of Sciences. 

This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

A livestream and Q&A of the event will be available via Zoom.

This talk cautions against thinking about potential interventions primarily in ways that operationalizes being “misinformed” in terms of individuated evidence-incongruent beliefs. Most importantly, informational interventions targeted toward recipients of information underappreciate (a) the power of algorithmically targeted (mis)information, and (b) the policy complexities surrounding uncertain, emerging science.

This keynote is part of the Bad Information Project, which is made possible in part by a grant from the Michigan Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and by funding from the Department of Humanities.

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MTTI Hosting Discussion on MDOT Call for Project Ideas

The Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI) will host a meeting and discussions to promote collaboration on the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT's) recent call for project ideas, which address MDOT’s research priorities for fiscal years 2023-25. MTTI and MTU have had a good working relationship on research projects through the years, which we hope to build upon across campus.

The meeting will be held tomorrow (Nov. 11) from 11 a.m. to noon in Grover C. Dillman Hall (Dillman), Room 309A, or you can join via Zoom.

Please RSVP to Pam Hannon at prhannon@mtu.edu if you plan to attend. A PDF listing of previously identified research objectives by area is available.

Research ideas are due to MDOT by Dec. 3 and can be submitted by individual researchers online.

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

The Misinformation Edition Exhibition

Wednesday, November 10, 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...

2022 Open Enrollment Forum

Wednesday, November 10, 9:30–10:30 a.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballrooms B1 and B2

2022 Open Enrollment will begin on Nov. 15 and run until 5PM on Nov. 29. Benefit Services will be hosting two Benefit Forums for employees to learn about their 2022 benefit...

2022 Open Enrollment Forum

Wednesday, November 10, 9:30–10:30 a.m. | Memorial Union Building (Ballroom B1 & B2), 1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931, USA

CTL Technical Workshop: Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word or Google Docs

Wednesday, November 10, 10–11 a.m. | Library, 242

CTL Technical Workshop: Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word or Google Docs https://mtu.libcal.com/event/8423020

Master's Defense: Ryan Williams

Wednesday, November 10, 10–11 a.m.

Geographic Information Science Co-advisors: Mickey Jarvi and Michael Hyslop Mapping Michigan's Changing Great Lakes Coastlines Through Time Attend Virtually:...

Battery Materials Technology Symposium

Wednesday, November 10, 11 a.m.

Join us for a live presentation of the latest research in battery materials technology from the heart of the American automotive industry. NOTE: Times are Pacific time...

UP & Moving Lunchtime High Noon Activity Break

Wednesday, November 10, 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, November 10, 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...

Writing letters to veterans!

Wednesday, November 10, 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. | Walker 143

Please join us in Walker 143 to write letters and construct care packages for local veterans in preparation for Veterans Day! All veterans to whom we are writing live in The...

“Misinformed about the 'Infodemic'? Science's ongoing struggle with misinformation” Dr. Dietram Scheufele

Wednesday, November 10, 5 p.m.–7 p.m. | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library, East Reading Room

Dr. Dietram A. Scheufele is the Taylor-Bascom Chair in Science Communication and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and in the...

Design Your Career Lab Week 2 of 3

Wednesday, November 10, 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 211

You have a unique opportunity to conceive, design, prototype, try out, change, and forge your career. Although you've worked hard for your degree, it isn't required to define...

Open Rock Climbing

Wednesday, November 10, 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...

Green Bay Michigan Tech Night

Wednesday, November 10, 6:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m. | Olde 41, Duck Blind Room

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