February 25, 2022

Keweenaw, Houghton, Baraga, Gogebic, Iron, and Ontonagon County residents are invited to take a survey about our local food systems. The survey is the first of its kind in our region. We hope to learn more about food access as well as local food culture, including preserving, hunting, gardening and fishing.

This survey is part of a research project that will inform future programs for the Western Upper Peninsula. The project is being conducted by Angie Carter (SS) in partnership with the Western Upper Peninsula Food Systems Collaborative and sponsored by the Portage Health Foundation.

Surveys will begin to be mailed to a random selection of area residents beginning the first week of March. The survey is also available online now until March 31 for interested residents. The online survey is administered through Survey Monkey. IP addresses of those who complete the survey will not be collected by Survey Monkey or MTU. 

We estimate the survey should take 20-30 minutes to complete. Only one person per household may complete the survey. The survey is open to all Keweenaw, Houghton, Baraga, Gogebic, Iron, and Ontonagon County residents 18 years of age or older.

If you have any questions regarding this research study, please contact Angie Carter at ancarter@mtu.edu, 906-487-1431, or Department of Social Sciences, 1400 Townsend Dr., Houghton, MI 49931.

The Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success is hiring orientation team leaders (OTLs) for Orientation 2022. This is a great opportunity for students to learn more about campus opportunities and resources, refine communication and leadership skills, connect with their peers and help welcome our newest Huskies.

The commitment is for Aug. 13-27 for training and O-Week. Students can learn more and apply online. If you know a student who would be a great fit for this role, please encourage them to apply.

The deadline to apply is March 14.

The electronic Form 1095-Cs are now available on Banweb for all employees who have consented to an electronic copy. Paper copies of the Form 1095-Cs were mailed out Thursday (Feb. 24).

Form 1095-C is an annual reporting form as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and provides information about the health coverage offered by your employer.

The Association of Women in Science (AWIS) recently issued this statement in response to a high-level director’s resignation from a key government STEM office. Their statement calls out an ongoing pattern (both at the national and local level) of institutional negligence in which organizational leaders have regularly failed to proactively respond to practices of discrimination, harassment and bullying in a timely manner. They instead dismiss the importance or impact of discriminatory events, leading to a public perception that nothing is being addressed — a perception that demoralizes institutional climate.

Vetting candidates for leadership should include careful assessment of these issues. If issues arise after hire, proactive responses are important; organizations must enforce a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and harassment. The AWIS statement repeats a common example in which women and faculty of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are frequently mistaken for a staff occupational identity — and we note that this example itself perpetuates inequity, both for those faculty and for those whose occupation is implicitly disparaged. Routing out the systemic patterns of discrimination that have become commonplace is difficult and requires vigilance and a demonstrated commitment to zero tolerance.

Today’s feature was shared with us by the ADVANCE Team. 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.

A diverse, multitalented group of Michigan Tech students, faculty and staff members have been awarded fellowships and grants totaling an impressive $55,701 from the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) for its 2022-23 funding cycle. This funding is sponsored by NASA.

Seismic amplitude-based lahar tracking, agriculture and food security, the effects of heavy metals on vegetation, and job shadowing aerospace and earth systems careers: these are just a few of the exciting, innovative projects that received funding.

The MSGC reflects NASA’s interests and promotes awareness, research and education in “space-related science and technology in Michigan.” To achieve this goal, the consortium not only funds fellowships and scholarships for STEM students, but also financially supports curriculum enhancement and faculty development. The MSGC is also deeply committed to supporting and upholding NASA’s policy of diversity and inclusion.

Congratulations to the winners and best of luck on your projects.

Thank you for representing Michigan Tech and making our University community proud!

Michigan Tech undergraduates who received $4,000 research fellowships are:

• Brendan Harville (GMES) — “Seismic Amplitude-Based Lahar Tracking for Real-Time Hazard Assessment” with Greg Waite (GMES)
• Sierra Williams (CFRES) — “Understanding the Controls of Solute Transport by Streamflow Using Concentration-Discharge Relationship in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan” with Fengjing Liu (CFRES)

Michigan Tech graduate students who received $5,000 research fellowships are:

• Espree Essig (GMES) — “Analyzing the Effects of Heavy Metals on Vegetation Hyperspectral Reflectance Properties in the Mid-Continent Rift, USA” with Chad Deering (GMES)
• Caleb Kaminski (GMES) — “Investigation of Ground-Penetrating Radar Interactions with Basaltic Substrate for Future Lunar Missions” with Aleksey Smirnov (GMES)
• Katherine Langfield (GMES) — “Structural Characteristics of the Keweenaw and Hancock Faults in the Midcontinent Rift System and Possible Relationship to the Grenville Mountain Belt” with James DeGraff (GMES)
• Tyler LeMahieu (CEGE) — “Assessing Flood Resilience in Constructed Streambeds: Flume Comparison of Design Methodologies” with Brian Barkdoll (CEGE)
• Paolo Rivera Gonzalez (GMES) — “Impacts of La Canícula (“Dog Days of Summer”) on Agriculture and Food Security in Salvadoran communities in the Central American Dry Corridor” with Kari Henquinet (SS)
• Erican Santiago (BioMed) — “Perchlorate Detection Using a Graphene Oxide-Based Biosensor” with Hyeun Joong Yoon (BioMed)
• Kyle Schwiebert (Math) — “LES-C Turbulence Models and Their Applications in Aerodynamic Phenomena” with Alexander Labovsky (Math)

Michigan Tech faculty and staff members who received $2,200 or more for pre-college outreach and research seed programs are:

• Paul van Susante (ME-EM) — Hands-On NASA-Oriented Experiences for Student Groups (HONES): “Lunabotics Competition Robot”
• Jannah Tumey (Center for Educational Outreach) — “Tomorrow's Talent Series: Exploring Aerospace & Earth System Careers Through Virtual Job-Shadowing”
• Xinyu Ye (CEGE) — “Analyzing the Effects of Potential Climate and Land-Use Changes on Hydrologic Processes of Maumee River Watershed Using a Coupled Atmosphere-Lake-Land Modeling System”

Dean Janet Callahan has selected Timothy Eisele, associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, as our seventh 2022 Deans' Teaching Showcase member.

Eisele will be recognized at an end-of-term event with other showcase members and is also a candidate for the CTL Instructional Award Series.

Eisele was selected for his record of engaging students in the classroom through hands-on experiential learning and relating material to real-world examples and his own research.

Among the variety of classes taught by Eisele are courses focused on the extraction of metal ions from fluids. While these align with his research expertise, available textbooks often don't include the latest research in the field. Eisele fills that gap by working continuously to improve his class notes and handouts each year. He also develops unique in-class demonstrations and laboratories that elucidate these current topics. His priority is to make these accessible and connected to his students’ world. For example, in Hydrometallurgy/Pyrometallurgy, there is a copper electrowinning experiment students are able to conduct entirely at home. Eisele's philosophy focuses on helping students develop a deep understanding of the subject material, so they can internalize what they are learning and remain engaged.

Callahan especially appreciates this ability to find and do science outside of the lab. "Dr. Eisele finds experiments to do — even in his own backyard," she notes. "I recently had him as a guest for Michigan Tech's Zoom webinar series, Husky Bites, where he relayed how he has developed a way to extract manganese and iron by using naturally occurring anaerobic iron-dissolving organisms."

Chemical Engineering chair Pradeep Agrawal highlighted two other distinguishing features of Eisele's teaching: his passion and genuine concern for engaging students. “The students readily sense his enthusiasm for the subject matter and his desire to engage them with the material," writes Agrawal, who emphasizes that Eisele’s willingness to take time to relate class topics to the real world — while also respecting the parameters of being a student in today's pandemic context — helps students as they master difficult topics.

"Active learning, enthusiasm for the subject, clear explanations and a strongly organized course are descriptors that align with Eisele's approach to teaching," summarized Callahan. "It is a pleasure to nominate Dr. Eisele for the Dean's Teaching Showcase."

No. 14 Michigan Tech hockey will host No. 1 Minnesota State to wrap up the regular season.

The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. tonight (Feb. 25) and 6:07 p.m. tomorrow (Feb. 26) at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

On Senior Day (tomorrow, Feb. 26), Trenton Bliss, Alec Broetzman, Tyrell Buckley, Eric Gotz, Brian Halonen, Michael Karow, Justin Misiak, Tommy Parrottino, Mark Sinclair and Colin Swoyer will be honored after the game.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Face Coverings Required Indoors on Campus until 5 p.m. Today

Michigan Tech remains at Health and Safety Level Two until 5 p.m. today (Feb. 25). While at Level Two, face coverings must be worn indoors. This applies to all students, employees and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. 

At 5 p.m., MTU will move to Health and Safety Level One. At Level One,  face coverings will no longer be required on campus — though they will continue to be encouraged.

Michigan Tech also continues to strongly recommend 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. 

If you are exposed to COVID-19, follow guidance for quarantine and isolation from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

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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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Last Research Presentation by Assistant Professor of Communication Candidate

You're invited to the last research presentation by a candidate for an assistant professor of communication position (HU) this week:

Jason Archer: 1-2:30 p.m. today (Feb. 25), Walker 120C, "The Engineer, the Robot, and the Surgeon: Centering Touch in Human-Machine Communication."

Archer, who earned his Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Illinois at Chicago, focuses on human-machine communication, human augmentics and haptics. The recipient of a National Science Foundation IGERT fellowship in electronic privacy and security, Archer is published in New Media & Society, proceedings of CHI and the forthcoming Sage Handbook on Human-Machine Communication.

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Mathematical Sciences Colloquium

The next Mathematical Sciences Weekly Colloquium will take place at 1 p.m. today (Feb. 25) via Zoom (use passcode 038185).

Our guest speaker will be Yiran Wang of Emory University.

Wang's presentation is titled "Mathematical Problems in Cosmological X-ray Tomography."

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Seminar: Volcanic Mudflows in Volcan de Fuego, Guatemala

Guest speaker Ashley Bosa, Ph.D. student in geosciences from Boise State University, and Gustavo Bejar Lopes, Ph.D. student from GMES, will be presenting a geoseminar at 4 p.m. today (Feb. 25) in Dow 610 and via Zoom.

The seminar is titled "Geophysical Monitoring and Characterization of Lahars in Volcan de Fuego, Guatemala."

From the abstract:
Lahars, or volcanic mudflows, are one of the most devastating natural volcanic hazards. This seminar presents analyses of several secondary rain-triggered lahar events at Volcán Fuego in Guatemala with seismo-acoustic sensors, time-lapse cameras, and a network of weather stations deployed along the Las Lajas ravine on the southeast side of the volcano. Here, we will explore some methodologies used to quantify and assess changes in energetics, velocity, and stage height over the duration of these flows, as well as their occurrence and tools for monitoring.

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

Board of Trustees Meeting

Friday, February 25, 9–11 a.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom B

Regular meeting of the Michigan Technological University Board of Trustees

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Designing Computational Tools and High-Throughput Experimental Strategies for Purifying Biotherapeutics

Friday, February 25, 10–11 a.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 201

Chemical Engineering Seminar proudly presents Dr. Nick Vecchiarello Massachusetts Institute of Technology Faculty Candidate Research Abstract Biomanufacturing is a...

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"Mathematical Problems in Cosmological X-ray Tomography"

Friday, February 25, 1 p.m.–2 p.m.

Abstract: Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the radiation remnant from the Big Bang and is considered as a primary source of information regarding the early universe....

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Eweek Escape Room

Friday, February 25, 4 p.m.–7 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom A2

Happy National Engineers Week, aka Eweek! Join Mind Trekkers for an engineering Escape Room experience that is truly above and beyond! No need to be an engineer or engineering...

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MTU Hockey vs Minnesota State Hockey Viewing - Tucson, AZ

Friday, February 25, 4:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. | The Canyon's Crown Restaurant and Pub

Cheer on MTU Hockey in a Matchup with Minnesota State Join your fellow Michigan Tech alumni, friends, and family from the Tucson, AZ area for a game viewing party and cheer...

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Film Board Presents: Encanto

Friday, February 25, 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Fisher 135

The Madrigals are an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child...

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Escape Rooms

Friday, February 25, 6 p.m.–10 p.m. | MUB Alumni Lounge

Do you have what it takes to escape? Come test your skills in the escape rooms in the MUB Alumni Lounge! The room themes are crime scene investigator, time traveler, and...

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Monthly General Meeting _ Spring 2022

Friday, February 25, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Chem Sci. 211

Hi folks, This mail serves to notify us that we will be having our monthly general meeting on the last Wednesday of the month 6 - 7 PM at Chem Sci. 211 or via Zoom. Feel...

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(Men's Ice Hockey) Minnesota State vs. Michigan Tech

Friday, February 25, 7:07 p.m.–10:07 p.m. | John MacInnes Student Ice Arena

Men's Ice Hockey: Minnesota State vs. Michigan Tech, Winter Carnival

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An Evening of 1 Acts: Show A

Friday, February 25, 7:30 p.m. | McArdle Theatre

Buckle in for an evening of one-act plays written by female writers and dealing with the diverse elements of female identity. This inter-collegiate will include original plays...

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Casino Night

Friday, February 25, 8 p.m.–9 p.m. | Kappa Delta Psi

Casino night (2/25) 8:00-Come to the KDY house to play with and against the brothers in assorted casino games like Blackjack, Poker, and etc.

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Film Board Presents: Encanto

Friday, February 25, 8:30 p.m.–10:30 p.m. | Fisher 135

The Madrigals are an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child...

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Cricket Tournament Spring 2022

Friday, February 25, 10–12 a.m. | SDC Multipurpose Room

Cricket Club MTU in partnership with Indian Students Association (ISA) has organized Tennis Ball Cricket Tournament for boys. DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION: Sunday January 30,...

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Film Board Presents: Encanto

Friday, February 25, 11:30–1:30 a.m. | Fisher 135

The Madrigals are an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child...