January 20, 2022

• Researchers Break Digital Barriers
• Building Mechanics Can’t Work from Home
• Faculty Witness COVID-19 Chain Reactions 
• Turning a Layoff into Creativity
• Virtually Possible (How the Pandemic Forced Us to Rethink Data Collection)
• Data Managers Find New Pandemic Tools

As we work toward finalizing the Campus Master Plan, we're looking for feedback on the final draft. Please join us for one of two Campus Master Plan Town Hall events:

• Monday, Jan. 24 — 7 p.m. in Dillman 204 or attend virtually via Zoom. 
• Tuesday, Jan. 25 — noon in the MUB Ballroom, B2 and B3.
• Can't make the meetings? The draft plan will be posted on the Campus Master Plan website and you'll be able to comment there.

We look forward to your participation.

Proposals are being solicited for the Research Excellence Fund (REF) program, an internal award of the Vice President for Research Office.

Proposals are due no later than 5 p.m. March 3 and must be submitted electronically per the guidelines.

Please note that the program has changed in a number of respects; download the current documents and review the current guidance carefully. Those scholars, creators and researchers who started with Tech or moved into a new research role after Dec. 1, 2020, must have completed the Responsible Conduct of Research course for new researchers that took place in fall 2021 in order to be eligible to submit an REF proposal.

For additional information, see the Research Excellence Fund web page. Questions can be directed to REF-l@mtu.edu.

Faith Morrison, professor emerita (ChE), will present an illustrated livestream talk on the history of United States voting rights at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 on Zoom.

In her talk, Morrison will trace U.S. voting rights from the nation’s founding up to the present day.

This event is part of local celebrations of the 2020 centennial of women’s voting rights. All are welcome.

ADVANCE Partnership: Joining Forces is sponsoring a talk, "Stop Playing Diversity," by Monica Cox, a distinguished professor of engineering at Ohio State University and CEO of STEMinent LLC. The talk is from 4-5 p.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 25) and will be presented again from 9-10 a.m. on Thursday (Jan. 27). 

Cox will focus on how organizations can improve on their diversity growth paths, presenting perspectives on the individual and collective actions needed for academic environments to become authentically diverse.

Register for the presentation online. You can also find out more about Cross Institutional Chair Peer Mentoring Communities (CI-CPMC), including how to join, on the network's interest form.

Part 1: Absences, Leaves and Mental Health Support

New and returning graduate students are invited to join Graduate School staff from 2-3 p.m. Tuesday (Jan. 25) in MUB Alumni Lounges B and C to learn more about the processes and resources available to you to navigate situations including excused absences, medical considerations and parental leave. This presentation is the first in our Graduate Student Professional Development Series. 

We understand that graduate students have many responsibilities outside of the classroom, lab and office that at times can hinder academic success and professional development. While we in the Graduate School hope that you never experience disruptions like illness or other emergencies, we want you to know how to proceed if you encounter an unexpected situation while enrolled at Tech.

Please register soon, as space is limited to 30 students. If you cannot attend but want more information about the topics we will cover, please email Anna McClatchy, manager of outreach and retention, at ajmcclat@mtu.edu.

The next presenter in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) Alumni Speaker Series is Baron Colbert, senior engineer at Alta Vista Solutions.

Colbert will present "Rebuilding our National Transportation Infrastructure: Opportunities, Challenges, and Pathways Through the Construction Materials Testing Industry" via Zoom at 1 p.m. Tuesday (Jan. 25).

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar takes place at 3 p.m. Monday (Jan. 24) in GLRC 202 at the Great Lakes Research Center.

Susie Toivenen, environmental engineering Ph.D. student, will present "Prioritizing Lakes for Conservation: An Investigation of Phosphorus Loading Sensitivity in Wisconsin Lakes."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

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 make choices to protect themselves, such as getting vaccinated, wearing high-filtration face coverings, and practicing enhanced sanitation and physical distancing where possible — especially in light of the increased transmissibility of the COVID-19 omicron 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 spring 2022 semester.

Testing is available every week in the Rozsa Center basement Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There is no cost to be tested, and no appointment is needed. 

The consent form is now online and can be completed anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the day of your visit.

More COVID-19 Testing Information for the Michigan Tech community is available on the MTU Flex website.

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Inclusive STEM Teaching Kickoff Event

Are you a STEM instructor looking for ways to better reach all of your students? Here’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss.

Brigitte Morin (BioSci), Deb Charlesworth (GS) and Mike Meyer (CTL) have been trained as facilitators for the Inclusive STEM Teaching Project. This includes an NSF-funded mixed-mode (online and in-person) six-week course, which will be run for a limited cohort at Michigan Tech starting in March.

Don’t just believe our assertion that the thought-provoking and actionable course materials will dramatically change the way you interact with your students. You can sample this for yourself!

Morin, Charlesworth and Meyer will host a “sampler session” from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 25). (Location will be provided after registration.) Participants will be asked to preview three short videos from the course materials. During the session, we’ll provide details about the course, examples of in-person facilitated exercises and directions on how you can apply to be enrolled.

Even if you don’t think you can manage the full course this spring, you’re likely to find interesting and helpful ideas in the samples, so we hope you’ll register and plan to attend!

Questions can be directed to Morin, Charlesworth or Meyer.

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ICC Sponsored Lecture

Benjamin C. Lok of the University of Florida will present a lecture at 1 p.m. today (Jan. 20) in Rekhi 214. The lecture can also be attended virtually via Zoom.

Sponsored by the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) and the ICC’s Center for Human-Centered Computing (HCC), the lecture is titled "Measuring What Matters: Lessons Learned From Taking Virtual Patients From Research to Realization."

Lok is a professor in the Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering department at the University of Florida and an entrepreneur, having co-founded Shadow Health (now a part of Elsevier). His research focuses on using virtual humans and mixed reality to train communication skills within the areas of virtual environments, human-computer interaction and computer graphics.

Read more on the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems Blog.

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Research Data and Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech

Funding agencies are increasingly requiring researchers to make research data publicly available at the conclusion of their project when appropriate. A variety of platforms and archives exist that will satisfy this need. This virtual session will cover one option available to the Michigan Tech community: Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech, the University’s institutional repository. Join the library at noon today (Jan. 20) to learn more.

At the end of this workshop, attendees will understand how Digital Commons makes content publicly available, the advantages and limitations of the Digital Commons platform and what is required of a researcher in order to submit research data to Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech.

Registration is required for this virtual workshop. Zoom info will be provided via email to registered attendees.

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Wondr Health-Free Weight Loss Program

Learn how to lose weight and improve your health while eating the foods you love with Wondr Health.

Employee Wellness is offering active, benefits-eligible employees an opportunity to lose weight with the Wondr Health program, previously Naturally Slim. Registration is currently open through Sunday (Jan. 23) and space is limited.

The Wondr Health program has the secret to lasting weight loss and it doesn’t include starving, counting calories or eating diet food. It’s a 10-week online program with yearlong support that helps you learn how to eat to reduce your chance of getting a serious disease, like diabetes or heart disease, and increase your chances at living a longer, healthier life — for free. Lose weight, plus improve your overall health — all while eating the foods you love!

Wondr Health offers an evidence-based curriculum with the latest behavioral science and is grounded in the principles of the most effective behavioral weight loss programs. To register, please visit Michigan Tech's Wondr Health site.

Wondr Health counts toward Option 3 on your Husky Health Checklist.

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This Week's C-Cubed Luncheon Menu

Menu for today, Thursday Jan. 20:

• Thai Chicken Curry (Gluten Free)
• Tofu Chicken Curry (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)
• Jasmine Rice (Gluten Free, Vegan)
• Stir Fried Bok Choy (Gluten Free, Vegan)
• Thai Cucumber Salad (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Dining Services presents this week's C-Cubed Luncheon being held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today (Jan. 20) in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge (MUB 107). All faculty and staff, along with their guests, are invited.

The C-Cubed lunch buffet menus are created by executive chef Eric Karvonen and prepared by Karvonen and his culinary team. As the name suggests, the meals are meant to foster conversation, community and collegiality. Attendees may bring their lunch instead of purchasing the buffet. Fruit-infused water, coffee, tea, cookies and fruit are available free to all attendees.

The buffet lunch is $12 per person. Cash, credit cards and gift cards are accepted. Gift cards can be purchased in the Memorial Union office (MUB 101). You can submit C-Cubed feedback using this Google form. To join the C-Cubed Google group and receive weekly menus, email business-support@mtu.edu.

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ME-EM Graduate Seminar Speaker

The next Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (ME-EM) graduate seminar speaker will present at 4 p.m. today (Jan. 20) in Fisher 135.

Pete Worden will present “The Alpha Centauri System: A Beckoning Neighbour.”

Worden, who retired as a brigadier general from the U.S. Air Force and holds a Ph.D. in astronomy, is the chairman of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation and executive director of the foundation’s Breakthrough Initiatives.

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

Research Data and Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech

Thursday, January 20, 12:05 p.m.–12:55 p.m.

Funding agencies are increasingly requiring researchers to make research data publicly available at the conclusion of their project when appropriate. A variety of platforms...

HCC Lecture Series: Dr. Benjamin Lok, University of Florida

Thursday, January 20, 1 p.m.

Dr. Benjamin C. Lok, University of Florida, will present a virtual lecture on Thursday, January 20, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. The virtual lecture can also be viewed in...

The Alpha Centauri System: A Beckoning Neighbour

Thursday, January 20, 4 p.m. | R. L. Smith Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building (MEEM), 112

ME-EM Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Pete Worden, PhD Chairman of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation and Executive Director of the Foundation’s...

(Women's Basketball) Grand Valley State vs. Michigan Tech

Thursday, January 20, 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Wood Gym

Women's Basketball: Grand Valley State vs. Michigan Tech, SDC Gymnasium - Houghton, Mich.

Adult Huskies Swim Lessons Spring 2022 Session 1

Thursday, January 20, 5:30 p.m.–6:20 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Adult Huskies Swim Lessons provides aquatic education for the beginner to the intermediate swimmer who is looking to become more comfortable in the water and learn the...

Adult Huskies Swim Training Spring 2022 Session 1

Thursday, January 20, 5:30 p.m.–6:20 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Adult Huskies Swim Training provides additional attention and competitive guidance to swimmers ages 18 and older who are looking to improve their swimming skills and fitness...

DZ Week:

Thursday, January 20, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Delta Zeta House

Starting January 13th, Delta Zeta will be hosting a series of Recruitment Events where we welcome you to hang out, have some fun, and meet some sisters! These events are all...

MTU Alumni Pub Night at Ozone's Brewhouse

Thursday, January 20, 6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Ozone's Brewhouse

Join area alumni and friends for an MTU Pub Night at the Ozone's Brewhouse. The brewery is located at 305 Beaver St in Lansing, MI 48906. The event is on Thursday, January 20,...

Open Rock Climbing

Thursday, January 20, 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...

Virtual Oasis: Spring Involvement Fair 2022

Thursday, January 20, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. | Involvement Link

The Virtual Oasis: Spring Involvement Fair 2022 provides MTU students an opportunity to explore some of the amazing Registered Student Organizations virtually. Student...

TKE- Casino Night

Thursday, January 20, 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | TKE House

Join the brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon for this awesome event. Stop by to learn more about how we can help you create lifelong relationships that enhance educational,...

(Men's Basketball) Grand Valley State vs. Michigan Tech

Thursday, January 20, 7:30 p.m.–10:30 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Wood Gym

Men's Basketball: Grand Valley State vs. Michigan Tech, SDC Gymnasium - Houghton, Mich. - Senior Day

OAP Kayak Safety Clinic

Thursday, January 20, 8:30 p.m.–10:30 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Lap Pool

It might still be a little early to get you out on the open water, but we can help you work on your skills in the pool! Sign up now for the OAP Kayak Safety Sessions and...