March 16, 2022

Celebrate Open Education Week with the Van Pelt and Opie Library by participating in our weeklong discussion. Today, the Library wants to know: What’s preventing you from using Open Educational materials in the classroom? Tell us your thoughts, share the discussion, and follow along in the OE Week discussion section of the Library’s Open Educational Resources (OER) page.

If one roadblock to utilizing OERs is knowing where to look, you’re in luck! The Library is available for consultations on locating OERs that will work for your courses — and we have a few tips for beginning the search. The Open Textbook Library (OTL) is a great place to start. Born out of the University of Minnesota in 2012 and supported by the Open Education Network, the OTL offers 999 open textbooks that may be freely used and adapted. Because the Van Pelt and Opie Library is an allied member of the Open Education Network, instructors are able to review every work in the OTL in order to help the academic community evaluate the quality of the materials.

Another great source for finding OERs is OASIS: Openly Available Sources Integrated Search, developed at SUNY Genesio’s Milne Library. This database indexes open content from over 100 sources, including the OTL, allowing users to search through over 400,000 records. A user-friendly interface enables simple searches using keywords, by type of OERs (textbooks, modules, podcasts, etc.) or by subject.

For more information on OTL and OASIS and for a list of additional sources of OERs, check out the Library’s OER page. To schedule a consultation with a librarian to discuss OERs for your classroom, email library@mtu.edu or submit a consultation request form.

There are just two days left to nominate individuals or groups for the Student Leadership Awards!

The annual Student Leadership Awards recognize leadership, achievement and excellence at Michigan Tech. While the deadline to nominate students for some awards has passed, there is still time to nominate someone in the Michigan Tech community for the following:

• Clair M. Donovan Award
• Outstanding Future Alumni Award
• Exceptional Enthusiasm as a Student Leader
• Exceptional Leadership in Student Governance
• Rising Star of the Year
• Student Employee of the Year
• Student Organization Advisor of the Year
• Exceptional Civic Engagement Award
• Exceptional Program of the Year
• Most Improved Student Organization
• Student Organization of the Year

Do you know someone who deserves recognition in one of these areas? Nominate them today! Nominations are due by noon Friday (March 18). The 28th Annual Student Leadership Awards celebration will be held April 15 at 6 p.m. and nominators will be invited to attend.

Please visit the Student Leadership Awards website to read the award descriptions, review the requirements of each award and access the nomination forms. If you have any questions or concerns about the awards, please contact SLI at activities@mtu.edu or 7-1963.

Reggie Conquest is an actor and comedian from West Philadelphia, where he started his comedy career at the legendary Laff House. He has written for TruTV’s "Impractical Jokers" and has been featured at a wide variety of comedy festivals.

Get ready for a night of laughter and grab your friends for a show you won’t want to miss! This event will take place March 25 at 10 p.m. in the MUB Ballroom and contains college humor.

Happy St. Urho’s and St. Patrick’s Day! Shop with us and get 15% off green and purple minerals today and tomorrow (March 16 and 17). Purple and green minerals include amethyst, grape agate, labradorite and more!

Don’t forget that even if you live far away, you can always check out our Facebook Gift Shop Album and order through Facebook Messenger.

The Department of Humanities (HU) is pleased to announce that Christian Johnson has been selected as our 2022 Humanities Departmental Scholar. Johnson is pursuing a double degree in English and biology with a pre-health professions minor.

Stephanie Carpenter, assistant professor of creative writing, describes Johnson as “an inventive, dynamic writer and an engaged, generous participant in discussions of published and student works.” Ron Strickland, professor of literature, calls him “the kind of well-rounded student whom I, as a Humanities professor at Michigan Tech, take a special joy in teaching; a STEM-focused student with a passion and a talent for literature!”

Read more about Johnson’s accomplishments at blogs.mtu.edu/humanities.

If you're considering submitting a CAREER proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2022, please consider attending this session at noon tomorrow (March 17) to learn more about the program and how it differs from other NSF and other early-career research programs.

In 2022, Michigan Tech's Office of Research Development and the Health Research Institute are partnering to work with faculty from all disciplines as they plan, prepare and submit CAREER proposals. This is the first of several events designed to prepare you for your submission in July.

Please direct any questions to rd-l@mtu.edu.

Judith Perlinger (CEGE) will present as part of the Chemistry Seminar Series at 3 p.m. Friday (March 18) in Chem Sci 101 and via Zoom.

Perlinger's seminar is titled "What Gets Measured Gets Managed: Analytical Chemistry Developments and the Recovery of Lake Superior from Historical PCB Contamination."

Stephen Techtmann (BioSci) will give the 2022 Michigan Tech Research Forum (MTRF) Distinguished Lecture on April 6. The event will be held in MUB Ballroom A. The lecture will begin at 4:30 p.m., with 30 minutes before and after the lecture for in-person attendees to network.

Techtmann’s presentation is titled "Trash to Treasure: Using Microbial Communities to Convert Plastic into Food." Additional details can be found on the MTRF website.

The MTRF is presented by the Office of the Provost with support from the Office of the Vice President for Research. The forum showcases and celebrates the work of Michigan Tech researchers and aims to strengthen discussions in our community. All are welcome, including the general public.

The Professional Development Committee at the Graduate Student Government (GSG) and MTU’s Career Services are collaborating to bring you a three-part seminar dedicated to navigating careers for scientists. Panels will be made up of professionals across academia and industry within different departments and disciplines. These panels will feature brief speaker introductions, questions about their backgrounds, public Q&A and breakout rooms for discipline-specific questions.

The third panel, which will be held at 6 p.m. tomorrow (March 17), will feature MTU affiliates from the Departments of Cognitive and Learning Sciences (CLS), Social Sciences (SS), and Humanities (HU). Our prestigious panelists include:

Cognitive and Learning Sciences:

• Brandon Perelman earned his Ph.D. in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors from MTU and is now the human-autonomy teaming ERP program manager at Army Research Laboratory.
  
  
• Hannah North earned her M.S. in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors from MTU and now is a senior UX researcher at Sleep Number Corp. Between her M.S. and current job, she also was employed as a senior human experience researcher at Kohler and a user experience designer/analyst at Imperial Supplies.

Social Sciences:

• John Arnold earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Heritage and Archeology from MTU and is now the historical architect at the Keweenaw Historical National Park.
  
  
• G. Edzordzi Agbozo earned his Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture from MTU and is now an assistant professor of English at the University of North Carolina – Wilmington.

Humanities:

• Hua Wang earned her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Technical Communication from MTU and is now the senior lecturer in the Engineering Communications Program at Cornell University.
  
  
• Maria Bergstrom earned her Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan and is now a lecturer and academic advisor here at MTU in the Department of Humanities.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity! Register to attend.

What’s copyright and what does it have to do with your dissertation? Do you need permission to use someone else's figure or image, or an article you wrote? Should you make your thesis open access? And what is a Creative Commons license? Get the answers to these and other questions at the library workshop: "Copyright and Your Dissertation, Thesis, or Master’s Report."

In this workshop, you’ll learn the role U.S. copyright law plays in writing and publishing your report, thesis or dissertation. We will explore the legal use of copyrighted material, publishing agreements, Creative Commons licensing and the role of Michigan Tech’s institutional repository, Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech. After this workshop you will be prepared to make informed decisions about using copyrighted material and the publishing options for your dissertation, thesis or master’s report.

Please join us in Library 244 at noon on Monday (March 21). Registration is required.

The next Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (ME-EM) Graduate Seminar Speaker will be held at 4 p.m. tomorrow (March 17) in MEEM 112.

During this session, Leanne Jensen will present “The Digital Thread: A Framework for Industry 4.0.”

Jensen is an associate technical fellow at The Boeing Company focused on model-based human engineering. Her 20-plus years of experience in product development and manufacturing environments provides a solid foundation for model-based enterprise and Industry 4.0.

Michigan Tech hockey's Brian Halonen, Trenton Bliss, Blake Pietila and Colin Swoyer have been named All-CCHA players.

Halonen was honored on the All-CCHA First Team while, Bliss, Pietila and Swoyer were named to the All-CCHA Second Team.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech men's basketball has announced combo guard Dan Gherezgher of Brookfield, Wisconsin, has signed a national letter of intent to join the Huskies for the 2022-23 season.

Gherezgher, a 6-foot-3-inch senior, averaged 19 points, five rebounds and 2.5 assists for the Brookfield East Spartans this winter. He was selected First Team All-Greater Metro Conference and ranked inside the GMC Top 25 for the state of Wisconsin.

"We believe the sky is the limit for Dan," said Michigan Tech head coach Josh Buettner. "I couldn't be more excited to have him join our talented recruiting class. He is a tremendous player and person."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Posting for Wednesday, March 16, 2022

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.

Director, Career Services. 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.

9&10 News published a story on Michigan Tech alumna Kim Nowack's selection as Woman of the Year by the Michigan Chapter of the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS).

Nowack, the current bridge director of the Mackinac Bridge Authority, received the award March 10 during the WTS Michigan Chapter’s 2022 Scholarship and Recognition Awards Banquet in Howell, Michigan.

Sustainability Film Discussion: 'Pumped Dry'

In recognition of the theme for 2022 World Water Day — "Groundwater - Making the Invisible Visible" — the film discussed this month for the 2022 Sustainability Film Series will be "Pumped Dry: The Global Crisis of Vanishing Groundwater."

The film is available on Netflix and YouTube at no charge. The facilitated discussion led by John Gierke (GMES) will be from 7-8 p.m. tomorrow (March 17). There is no charge to participate. A $5 suggested donation per film to support the film series is appreciated. Make your donation online.

Please register to receive the Zoom link to participate in the facilitated discussion.

Film Description
Around the world, so much water is pumped from the ground that aquifers are being rapidly depleted and wells are going dry. Released in 2018, "Pumped Dry" investigates the consequences of this emerging crisis in several of the world’s hotspots of groundwater depletion. These are stories about people on four continents confronting questions of how to safeguard their aquifers for the future — and in some cases, how to cope as the water runs out. Film Warning: Some viewers may want to fast forward past a disturbing image at the 10- to 11-minute mark during talk of farmer suicides triggered by crop failures due to drought.

Discussion Facilitator
John Gierke (GMES) grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, within a mile of the St. Mary’s River. The river likely played the largest role in his environmental interests, as he spent countless hours trolling, casting, and spearing for fish. Since 1990, he has been teaching and researching groundwater hydrology in the Keweenaw; aquifer systems in Nicaragua and Ecuador; and studies of groundwater contamination in Lower Michigan, Ohio, Utah and Delaware. He has advised graduate students who served in the Peace Corps and conducted groundwater projects in Central America, Africa and the Philippines. He is the principal investigator on a project focused on adaptations to climate change in the Dry Corridor region of El Salvador. In addition, he and his wife operate a commercial blueberry farm that utilizes groundwater for drip irrigation using solar power.

Film Series
The Sustainability Film Series and Facilitated Discussions are cosponsored by MTU's Sustainability Demonstration House; Great Lakes Research Center; College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Department of Social Sciences Sustainability Sciences Program; Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering; Students for Sustainability; and Tech Forward Initiative on Sustainability and Resilience. Cosponsors outside MTU include the Friends of the Land of Keweenaw, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Keweenaw Land Trust, Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and Refill UP.

Questions? Contact film series coordinator Joan Chadde at jchadde@mtu.edu or 906-487-3341.

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ICC Sponsored Lecture

Jason A. Engerman, assistant professor in the digital media technologies department at East Stroudsburg University, along with Manjuli Gupta, a graduate student studying professional and secondary education at East Stroudsburg University, will present a virtual lecture at 2 p.m. today (March 16) via Zoom.

Engerman and Gupta will discuss the results of a research project exploring technologically advanced living-learning spaces for enhanced educational growth. Their talk is titled “ESportU’s Digital Warrior Camp’s Culturally Relevant Computing Living Learning Community: Impacting Learner Attitudes, Awareness, and Motivation Towards STEM Careers.”

The talk is sponsored by the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) and the ICC’s Human-Centered Computing (HCC) research group.

Read more on the ICC Blog.

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Announcing the Advanced Metal 3D Printing Center

The Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (ME-EM) is pleased to announce a new facility for campus and external users, the Advanced Metal 3D Printing Center.

The center houses a powder bed fusion 3D Systems DMP Flex 350 Metal Printer and is staffed by research engineers Russell Stein of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and Jacob Lundin of ME-EM. The new printer will allow for manufacturing of complex geometries from several metal options.

The center is open for print project requests and general inquiries. Users do not need to operate the printer. They need only submit a 3D model in one of various standard formats. Best practices are posted for those learning additive manufacturing, especially in the use of metals. Use rates are posted, and the staff are available for project consultations.

The printing center is located on the first floor of the Minerals and Materials Building (M&M), but most print project requests will be handled remotely.

The Polymeric Additive Manufacturing Facility is nearby, operated as part of the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (MMET) machine shop. That 3D polymer printer is available for student and faculty research as well.

The metal printer acquisition was made possible by the generosity of ME-EM alumni, including a discount on the system from full service supplier Scarlett Inc. The owner of Scarlett Inc., Jim Scarlett, is a mechanical engineering technology alumnus.

ME-EM, MSE and MMET together operate the metal 3D printing center in the College of Engineering. All are welcome to submit a print request.

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CS Faculty Candidate Presentation Today

Bo Dong, faculty candidate for the Department of Computer Science (CS), will present a virtual lecture today (March 16) at 3 p.m. via Zoom.

Dong's presentation, titled “Bioinspired Sensing and Processing,” introduces his research, which encompasses the development of imaging systems and computational algorithms to endow the system with bioplausible homeostasis and apply it to real-world applications.

Dong is a visiting researcher from the Department of Computer Science, Princeton University. He is also a volunteer research advisor in the School of Computer Science and Technology at the Dalian University of Technology, China.

Read more about Dong's presentation on the Computing News Blog.

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Don Keranen Jazz Festival

Join Michigan Tech Jazz Ensembles, special guest Caroline Davis and the Alumni Jazz Band for the Don Keranen Memorial Jazz Festival this Friday and Saturday (March 18 and 19).

To celebrate 55 years of jazz at Michigan Tech, Director of Jazz Studies Adam Meckler (VPA) is growing the annual concert into a two-day festival:

• Day One — Friday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m.
  The Video Game Jazz Ensemble will kick off the festival on Friday with jazz covers of excellent video game music. Then the R&D Big Band will take the stage with a mix of music by Dizzy Gillespie, Fred Sturm, Horace Silver, Thad Jones and Herbie Hancock. The Workshop Brass Band will close the concert with energetic New Orleans-style jams. 
  
  • Post-Show Jam Session:  If you're looking for more at the end of the night, head over to the Orpheum for a Jazz Jam Session following the show ($10 cover), featuring Mike Christianson, Mike Irish, Dan Fuhrmann, Tim Havens and Adam Johnson, plus special guests.
    
    
• Day Two — Saturday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m.
  Saturday's show opens with the DK Jazz Fest 2022 Alumni Jazz Band, conducted by Adam Meckler and Mike Irish (director of jazz studies 1991-2018) and featuring Jazz Band alumni. Then, headliner Caroline Davis, saxophonist, takes the stage with the Jazz Lab Band. "We are incredibly lucky to have Caroline Davis in from New York City to be featured as our guest artist," says Meckler. "Caroline is one of my favorite musicians today." Together with the Jazz Lab Band, Davis — whose work has garnered praise from NPR, The New York Times, The Wire, DownBeat, and JazzTimes — will perform her original work and pieces by Thad Jones and Carla Bley. 
  • Post-Show Reception: The festival will wrap with a post-show reception in the Rozsa Lobby, with live music by the Midland Saxophone Quartet, MTU jazz alum Larry Carbary, and Jon Van Regenmorter, John Anderson and Tim Lemke.

TICKETS:
Tickets for each evening are $15 for adults and $5 for youth. Michigan Tech students can attend and bring a friend for free with Experience Tech Fee. Get your tickets online or by phone at 906-487-2858. The Rozsa Box Office will also be open for ticket purchases an hour before the performance.

Can't making in person, but still want to see the concerts? Stream them live (post-show jam session and post-show reception will not be streamed).

NOTE: Face coverings are strongly recommended for this performance. Please visit the Rozsa COVID-19 Policies for the most up-to-date information.

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MSE Seminar: 'High Entropy Ceramics'

Corey Oses will present a seminar titled “High Entropy Ceramics” from 11 a.m. to noon tomorrow (March 17) in M&M 610.

Oses is currently a postdoctoral assistant in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Duke University.

Read the abstract and more about Oses' research background.

Join the seminar via Zoom.

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HU Faculty Candidate Presentation Today

Sheng Zou, candidate for an assistant professor of digital media position in the Department of Humanities (HU), will present a research talk on campus today (March 16) from 1-2:30 p.m. in Walker 120C. Virtual attendance is also invited via Zoom.

Zou's talk is titled “Refracting Digitization: Social Media, Ideotainment, and Emotional Governance in China.”

From the abstract:
New media technologies, logics, and sensibilities have fueled the rise of hybrid media forms that stealthily finesse and blur the line between manipulative and autotelic communication. In particular, the increasing convergence of digital propaganda, news, and entertainment poses new threats to democratic self-government. Against this backdrop, this talk casts light on the restyling of propaganda in China, particularly the role of Chinese state-run media in the making of ideotainment – propaganda packaged in sleek and entertaining formats. Building upon Bourdieu’s field theory, my research illuminates Chinese state-run media’s capacity to refract and remediate external pressures, such as digitization, to enhance their status and the resilience of the political regime. 

Zou is a postdoctoral research fellow at University of Michigan’s International Institute. He received his Ph.D. in Communication and Media Studies from Stanford University. His research interests include digital media and society, global media industries, platformized news and the politics of algorithms. His dissertation examines the shifting paradigm of propaganda and emotional governance in China, with emphasis on the entanglement of ideological persuasion and online entertainment.

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

Master's Defense: Matthew Spencer

Wednesday, March 16, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 214

Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisor: Jeremy Bos Off Road Autonomous Vehicle Modeling and Repeatability Using Real World Telemetry Via Simulation Attend Virtually:...

HCC Speaker Series: Jason A. Engerman and Manjuli Gupta, East Stroudsburg University

Wednesday, March 16, 2 p.m.–3 p.m.

Dr. Jason A. Engerman, assistant professor in the Digital Technologies department at East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, PA, along with Ms. Manjuli Gupta, a...

CS Faculty Candidate Lecture: Bo Dong

Wednesday, March 16, 3 p.m.–4 p.m.

CS faculty candidate Bo Dong, Visiting Researcher, Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, will present a virtual lecture on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at 3:00...

Winter Carnival Open Forum

Wednesday, March 16, 5 p.m.–6 p.m. | Memorial Union Building Ballroom A1

We would like to invite everyone and anyone to an open forum about this past Winter Carnival. This forum will be held in Mub Ballroom A1 on March 16th from 5-6pm. This will...

Monthly General Meeting _ Spring 2022

Wednesday, March 16, 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...

Open Rock Climbing

Wednesday, March 16, 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...

College of Sciences and Arts Hangout

Wednesday, March 16, 7 p.m.–8 p.m.

Michigan Tech's College of Sciences and Arts is excited to meet you! Join us (virtually) to hear current students share more about their experiences, meet faculty members, and...

USG Weekly Meeting

Wednesday, March 16, 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | MUB Alumni Lounge - 107 B&C

This meeting includes weekly updates from all representatives, liaison positions, and committees. Official business carried out by USG is conducted throughout old and new...

Cricket Tournament Spring 2022

Wednesday, March 16, 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,...