December 7, 2021

Faculty and staff researchers and scholars are encouraged to save the date of Jan. 6, 2022, for the 2022 Research Day event. This event, held each year the Thursday before the start of the spring semester, brings researchers and scholars together to network, share ideas and learn from each other, and celebrate achievements of the past year.

The theme of the 2022 event will be "Scaling Up." Whether transitioning from being a mentored researcher to leading your first independent lab, seeking success post-tenure or pursuing a multimillion-dollar or transdisciplinary grant, we'll be examining a variety of topics of interest to scholars at all career stages.

Please note: Due to the uncertainty surrounding community spread of COVID-19 and the proximity to travel around the semester break, we are adjusting the schedule of the 2022 Research Day to be held entirely in a virtual format. Additional details and a full agenda will be sent out as soon as they are available.

Graduate Language Assessment and Support (GLAS) is a free program designed for international graduate students who wish to improve their English communication and cultural skills.

Through small-group conversations that matter, students gain experience participating in class discussions, responding to questions and listening effectively. GLAS coaches work with students to help them better understand U.S. university expectations and gain insight into what students and instructors expect from each other in the classroom. GLAS students who are already teaching can practice lectures or lab presentations with their coach.

All international graduate students are welcome to attend and participate in the program.

The GLAS Spring 2022 appointment schedule is now available! Visit us in the Administration Building (Admin) Room 405A to sign up for a weekly recurring appointment.

The Michigan Tech Superior Wind Symphony has released a new album, iFiesta! The album contains original music by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Raúl López Colibrí, arranged by Mike Christianson.

Based on the children's book of the same name by Hugo Gordillo, "iFiesta!" is a joy-packed, magical ride of Latin-American beats that will have you strumming, drumming and tap-tap-tapping.

Local children sang in the original concert and appear on the album, which also includes studio sessions, poetry readings and interviews.

"iFiesta!" is available as a hard-copy CD at the Michigan Tech bookstore, K.C. Bonkers and Black Ice Comics. It can also be found on Spotify, iTunes and Apple Music, or by visiting HearNow.

Song lyrics in Spanish and English can be found online.

Join us for a panel discussion with COP26 delegates from Michigan Tech, including Sarah Green, Alexis Pascaris, Kathleen Brosemer, Shardul Tiwari, Ayush Chutani, Eugene Agyei and Andrew Huston.

We will hear about their role in the conference, their experience, new things they learned and what comes next for climate action.

The forum will be held today (Dec. 7) from 5-6 p.m. in Fisher Hall, Room 139. Virtual attendance via Zoom is also available.

Please join us Friday (Dec. 10) at 3 p.m. for this month’s KIP Seminar.

Chunxiu Yu, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, will present on “Optogenetic Deep Brain Stimulation: From Neural Mechanism to Improved Therapy.”

All are welcome to attend virtually through Zoom.

Please visit the KIP Newsblog for more information about Yu and her research, as well as the Zoom meeting information.

Manas Warke is the next Biological Seminar Series presenter. The seminar will be held virtually from 3-4 p.m. on Thursday (Dec. 9) via Zoom.

Warke's presentation is titled "Developing cell culture model to investigate effects of soil-As through direct dermal exposure."

From the abstract:
Arsenic (As) is a Class I carcinogen that causes cancers of the lungs, kidneys, skin, and prostate. Chronic exposure to As is also linked to diabetes, obesity, and various cardiovascular diseases. ... Despite the ban on arsenical-pesticides since 2010, its extensive use over decades has led to the accumulation of As in the soil. ... Exposure of soil-As is a major health concern since water-soluble As can be easily absorbed by the skin. In this work, we present a pilot study on the effect of soil-As on healthy Human Immortalized Keratinocyte (HaCaT) and Human Dermal Fibroblasts (HDFa) cells.

The Michigan Tech volleyball season came to an end Friday (Dec. 3) in the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal as the No. 20 Huskies fell 3-2 to No. 16 Hillsdale. Tech ended with a 25-7 record.

The Chargers won 26-28, 27-25, 22-25, 25-16 and 15-11 to advance to the championship match against host Ferris State.

"What an amazing match," Tech coach Matt Jennings said. "It was an honor to be a part of it. From the minute it started you could feel the electricity in the gym."

"If you're going to end a season, and end some careers, this is the way you want to do it, with top-notch volleyball played by top-notch players" he continued. "It was a tough one but it was a good night."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech hockey battled No. 2 Minnesota State over the weekend, losing both games.

Friday (Dec. 3), the Huskies forced overtime before losing 2-1 in overtime to the Mavericks, who scored 31 seconds into the extra session.

"I thought we played well against the No. 2 team in the country in their rink," Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. "You can see how talented they are. We made some good adjustments that gave us some confidence as the game went on."

"I thought our goaltending was very good," Shawhan continued. "We defended well and got it to a one-shot game. They capitalized and we didn't. We're a good team but individually we still have to get a lot better."

The Huskies fell again to MSU on Saturday (Dec. 4), losing 3-1 at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. Justin Misiak scored the lone goal for the Huskies and the Mavericks scored an empty netter with 9.4 seconds left for the two-goal advantage.

"It was a good series," Shawhan said. "I'm disappointed in the outcome but not disappointed in the effort. We were much better tonight. It was an even hockey game, and we were good in the third."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The lead changed hands 21 times and Michigan Tech women's basketball came out on top 80-73 against Northwood University on Saturday (Dec. 4) at Riepma Arena in Midland, Michigan.

Ellie Mackay scored 25 points and Alex Rondorf posted 15 points and eight rebounds to help the Huskies to their third straight victory. Katelyn Meister, Clara Johnson and Sloane Zenner added nine points apiece.

Tech shot 42% and turned over the basketball just eight times to win on the road in their first conference affair of the season.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Owen White was a force in the paint and Eric Carl supplemented from the outside and the Michigan Tech men's basketball team defeated Northwood 98-75 on Saturday (Dec. 4) at Riepma Arena in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.

The Huskies scored 51 points in the first half and shot an efficient 60% overall to pick up a win in their first GLIAC matchup this season.

White led the Huskies with 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds and shot 9-for-14 from the floor. Carl broke out for 21 points on 8-12 shooting, including five of seven from 3-point range. Carl added three rebounds and one block. 

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Tuesday (Dec. 7)
• Huskies Drive Time, 7:30-8 a.m. on Mix 93 WKMJ

Thursday (Dec. 9)
• Women's Basketball vs. Lake Superior State, 5:30 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ
• Men's Basketball vs. Lake Superior State, 7:30 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ

Friday (Dec. 10)
• Nordic Skiing at Birkie SuperTour (skate)
• Hockey vs. St. Thomas, 7:07 p.m. at MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Mix 93 WKMJ

Saturday (Dec. 11)
• Nordic Skiing at Birkie SuperTour (classic sprint)
• Women's Basketball vs. Ferris State, Noon at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ
• Men's Basketball vs. Ferris State, 2 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ
• Hockey vs. St. Thomas, 6:07 p.m. at MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Mix 93 WKMJ

Sunday (Dec. 12)
• Nordic Skiing at Birkie SuperTour (classic)

Michigan Tech's opening ski weekend was highlighted by career best results by Adam Witkowski, who led the men's team with his third-place podium finish in the overall skate sprint at the Duluth SuperTour on Saturday (Dec. 4).

"The Duluth SuperTour showed that we are competitive with the very best athletes in the country," coach Tom Monahan Smith said. "For Adam, getting a podium result amongst the top athletes in the country in the SuperTour was a career day for him and we are so happy for him. He has worked so hard for this and he raced with pure confidence, tactical genius, and courage this weekend. This great start will certainly fuel his competition season ahead."

Read more about the men's and women's ski team performances at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Postings for Tuesday, Dec. 7, 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. 

Multicultural Student Success Coordinator, Center for Diversity and Inclusion. Apply online.

Baker (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #21325, Dining Services (AFSCME posting Dec. 7 to Dec. 13, 2021 — internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME 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.

Adrienne Minerick (ChE) and Milo D. Koretsky are co-authors of a guest editorial published in Chemical Engineering Education (CEE).

The editorial is titled “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Language, Concepts, and Intent Mapped Through History."

Minerick is vice-chair of the Publications Board of CEE.

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. Regular testing hours are 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. 

The last day of testing for the semester will be Dec. 16.

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

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Submit Your Proof of Vaccination or Receive an Exception by Jan. 18

Full-time, part-time, temporary and student employees of Michigan Tech are affected by the federal contractor vaccination/exception mandate, which goes into effect at Michigan Tech on Jan. 18.

Information on where to get vaccinated in the local area is available on the COVID-19 Vaccine page on the MTU Flex website.

For employees who are fully vaccinated, submitting proof of vaccination is a secure and confidential process and can be done in person or online.

Information on how to apply for a medical or religious exception to the federal mandate is posted on the Vaccination for Federal Contractors page on the MTU Flex website.

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Banner Production System Maintenance

A Banner production system maintenance window is scheduled for today (Dec. 7) from 10-11:59 p.m.

The following production services will be unavailable during that time:

Banner
Banweb
MyMichiganTech
ASPIRE
Course Tools
Housing Apartments Wait List
OAP Rental System
Oracle Reports
UC4/Appworx
Virtual Cashiering
WebFocus

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

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Café Français

Please join us today (Dec. 7) from 5-6 p.m. in the Walker Arts and Humanities Center (Walker), Room 120C, for an hour of laid-back Francophone setting with French natives and other Francophiles. All levels welcome.

This will be the last Café Français meeting for the fall semester!

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Lunch and Learn: Stress and Coping

Please join Eric Arundel, MTU clinical counselor, today (Dec. 7) from noon to 1 p.m. in the MUB Ballroom, Room B3, as he presents a Lunch and Learn on stress and coping.

Stress is the body's natural response to certain events that can cause you to feel overwhelmed and unable to cope. Everyone feels it at different times and to varying degrees. For many people, everyday stress builds to a level that seems too hard to handle. We can't control stress, but Arundel will delve deeper into what stress is and explore tools to help us handle it in a better and healthier way.

This Lunch and Learn can be counted under Option No. 2 for your Husky Health checklist.

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

Big Bean Burrito - Student Art Exhibit

Tuesday, December 7, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.

Michigan Tech sculpture, installation, and design students showcase their work in this end-of-semester art exhibit. Big Bean Burrito: Exhibit opens 8 a.m. 12/3 and closes 8...

Lunch and Learn: Stress and Coping

Tuesday, December 7, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom B3

Please join Eric Arundel, MTU Clinical Counselor, on Tuesday, Deember 7 from 12:00PM to 1:00PM in the MUB Ballroom B3, as he presents a Lunch and Learn on stress and...

Lunch and Learn: Stress and Coping

Tuesday, December 7, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. | Memorial Union Building Ballroom B3, 1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931, USA

Eric Arundel, MTU Clinical Counselor, presents a Lunch and Learn on stress and coping. Stress is the body's natural response to certain events that can cause you to feel...

Open Rock Climbing

Tuesday, December 7, 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...