March 31, 2022

Plastic-sourced protein powder developed by Michigan Tech researchers could help solve two prominent global issues: hunger and plastic pollution.

Stephen Techtmann (BioSci) and an interdisciplinary team of engineers, chemists and biologists are breaking landfill- and ocean-clogging plastics down to be recycled into useful products, like lubricants — or in what Techtmann sees as a more impactful discovery, edible protein powder.

Learn more about the project and its implications for the greater good in Michigan Tech's 2022 Research Magazine.

The campus community is invited to attend the Computing[MTU] Showcase, running Monday through Wednesday (April 4-6). Please join us for a full slate of talks, discussion panels, workshops and more conducted by MTU alumni, distinguished guests, faculty and students.

All events will take place both on campus and virtually. Showcase events and refreshments are free, but registration is requested.

The showcase is hosted by Michigan Tech’s College of Computing and the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems.

Register and view the showcase schedule, event descriptions and speaker bios on the Computing[MTU] Showcase Schedule page.

Due to the weather-related University closure on March 23, 2022, the following FAQs should be used to help employees submit their time for hours reported on the current biweekly pay period.

Please contact Payroll Services at 906-487-2130 or by email at payroll@mtu.edu with any questions.

University Closure FAQs:

1: How do staff members indicate time off for the closure?

1. Exempt staff who were instructed not to report to work from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. or were instructed not to report to work after 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, will receive pay for their scheduled workday. It is not necessary to record the closure time on the time sheet.
2. Non-exempt, hourly employees should use the Snow/Emergency Closure (350) earnings code to be compensated for hours due to the University closure.
3. For employees using web time entry, those who have already started their timesheet for the pay period may need to restart their time sheet to access the Snow/Emergency Closure (350) earnings code.

2. What if an employee was already to be scheduled off during these times?

1. If an employee was already scheduled to be off during these times or called in sick, the employee would not use the 350 earn code and would still report the earn code(s) that apply.

3. What if I worked during the closure? Do I get the time off at a later date?

1. Yes. Hourly staff who were required to work during the University closure receive compensatory time equal to the number of hours worked between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. or between 4 p.m and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. The amount of time worked should be recorded as both time worked and compensatory time earned. The compensatory time earned will be recorded as straight time, meaning that one hour worked will be recorded as both one hour at regular pay and one hour of compensatory time earned. Instructions on how to record comp time can be found on the Human Resources News Blog.

4. Where/how do I charge closure time for soft-funded employees?

1. Closure hours for soft dollar employees should be reported the same way as all other employees, using the Snow/Emergency Closure (350) earnings code.
2. For employees using web time entry, those who have already started their timesheet for the pay period may need to restart their time sheet to access the Snow/Emergency Closure (350) earnings code.

5. As a temporary employee, do I get hours for the closure?

1. No. Only regular employees receive snow/emergency closure.

Menu for Today (March 31):

• Chicken Tikka Masala (Gluten Free)
• Tofu Tikka Masala (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)
• Basmati Rice (Gluten Free, Vegan)
• Cauliflower Masala (Gluten Free, Vegan)
• Cabbage Raita (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)
• Tomato Cucumber Salad
• Warm Flat Bread

Dining Services presents this week's C-Cubed Luncheon being held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today (March 31) 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.

The Pavlis Honors College announces the winners of the 2022 Undergraduate Research Symposium:

• First Place: Sophia Bancker, Medical Laboratory Science — “The Role of Orexin A in Salt Sensitive Hypertension” 
• First Place: Ellie Sempek, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology — “Understanding the Impact of Different Virus Purification Techniques on Virus Physicochemical Properties” 
• Third Place: Drew Rosales, Applied Math plus Computer Engineering — “Incremental Geometric Multi-Resolution Analysis”
• Honorable Mention: Andrew Zampaloni, Chemistry — “Quantum-Chemical Explorations into the Nucleation Mechanism of the 2:1 HMX/CL-20 Co-Crystal through analysis of Small Structural Oligomers”
• Honorable Mention: Ayodotun Aluko, Biomedical Engineering — “Characterization of the Focused Ultrasound Effect on Active Agent Release Behavior from Fibrin Composite Hydrogels for Tendon Repair”

The students who presented this year represented a wide array of science and engineering disciplines and highlighted the diversity of research areas at Michigan Tech. Judges from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines volunteered their time to evaluate participants’ posters.

Congratulations to all of the presenters on a job well done, and thank you to faculty, staff and students who judged the symposium this year.

The College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) would like to invite you to attend a presentation by lecturer in applied forestry candidate James Schmierer at 11 a.m. tomorrow (April 1) in Noblet 108.

Schmierer's presentation is titled "Teaching Seminar: Natural Resource Management Lecturer and Capstone and Teaching Philosophy." 

The next Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (ME-EM) Graduate Seminar will be held virtually at 4 p.m. today (March 31).

Rui Huang will present “Mechanical Interactions between 2D Materials: Adhesion, Friction and Moiré.”

Huang joined the University of Texas at Austin as an assistant professor in September 2002 and was promoted to associate professor in 2008 and professor in 2014. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in solid mechanics and materials.

Join the seminar via Zoom.

Faculty, staff and students are invited to participate in Pathways of Women in STEM: Resiliency, Advocacy, and Inclusive Success, a hybrid in-person/Zoom symposium being held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday (April 5) in Alumni Lounge A-C. This symposium was originally held at the fall 2021 national meeting of the American Chemical Society, and is being re-created at Michigan Tech.

Following a welcome and introduction from 11:45 a.m. until noon, four distinguished speakers will present remotely for 30 minutes each, followed by a Q&A session from 2-2:30 p.m. A Middle Eastern buffet-style lunch will be served starting at 11:30 a.m. So you can come and go as you wish, Alumni Lounges A and B will be arranged for lunch seating and Alumni Lounge C for row seating. To provide us with estimates of how many people to expect for lunch, virtually only, and in total, please register in advance.

Thank you to these sponsoring units: ADVANCE, Office of the President, Office of the Provost, Graduate School, College of Engineering, College of Sciences and Arts, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, and Departments of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering; Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics; Biological Sciences; Mathematical Sciences; and Chemistry.

Bala Chaudhary is an assistant professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College. She was awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to study microbial dispersal and ways to promote racial equity in the environmental sciences.

Labs are our scientific homes — the frontlines of where inclusion and belonging are fostered, or where exclusion, marginalization and discrimination occur. As scientists are increasingly acknowledging the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in science, there is a need for clear direction on how to take antiracist action.

In this Strategies for Antiracist Action in STEM webinar, Chaudhary will present guidelines for developing antiracist policies and action along with discussion in an effort to promote racial and ethnic diversity, equity and inclusion.

Join us from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday (April 6) for this webinar presentation and Q&A. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

The GLIAC has announced the All-Academic and All-Academic Excellence Teams for the winter semester, honoring 25 Huskies with recognition. Of those, 22 were recognized on the All-Academic Excellence Team.

The All-Academic Team honors student-athletes who carry a cumulative GPA of 3.0-3.49. The Academic Excellence Team honors student-athletes who carry a GPA of 3.50-4.0.

Grades are based on marks from the fall semester of 2021. To receive recognition, student-athletes must be active members on the roster at the end of the season and not a freshman or a first-year transfer student.

See the Huskies honored at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Postings for Thursday, March 31, 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.

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement – Community Programming, Advancement and Alumni Engagement. Apply online.

Custodian (12 months/ 40 hours/ second shift) #22082, Facilities (AFSCME posting March 31 to April 6, 2022 — internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Food Service Helper (nine months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22083, Dining Services (AFSCME posting March 31 to April 6, 2022 — 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.

Kari Henquinet (SS/PHC) is a co-author of an essay published in Trends and Insights.

The essay is titled "Crafting International Education from the Middle."

The Trends and Insights series is authored by respected leaders in the field of international education and from the extended NAFSA community that highlights social, economic, political and higher education system trends affecting international higher education. The essay highlights several international and global education initiatives at Michigan Tech.

Shan Zhou (SS) presented a paper at the 2021 Association of Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM) Fall Research Conference held in Austin, Texas, on March 27.

The paper is titled “Integrating Justice Considerations in Energy Policy Design: An Analysis of Solar Justice Policies in the United States.”

Adam Wellstead and graduate student Dane Kim (SS) are co-authors.

Physics Colloquium

Jean-Francois Bisson of the University of Moncton will be presenting at this week's Physics Colloquium. Please join the virtual presentation at 4 p.m. today (March 31) via Zoom.

Bisson's presentation is titled "Exceptional Points in the Polarization Space with Anisotropic Materials."

Register in advance for this event. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the event.

Read the abstract and find out more about Bisson's research background on the University Events Calendar.

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Michigan Tech Preschool Registration Opening Soon

Michigan Tech Preschool is a nonprofit, fully licensed institution for early childhood education. We are looking forward to enrollment for next year! We will be opening the 2022-23 registration for returning families on April 4, and for all other interested families on April 11.

Eligible children must be 3 or 4 years old by Dec. 1, 2022, and be fully toilet trained by the first day of school. For more information or to register, please visit our website.

For questions, please contact the preschool via Facebook Messenger, or call 7-2720.

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MTU Hosting First Great Lakes Encounter Symposium

Michigan Tech is hosting the first Great Lakes Encounter Symposium from June 1 to June 4.

The symposium, facilitated by a small business entity of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), will feature policymakers, industry leaders, regional stakeholders and leading experts. It aims to challenge the status quo and facilitate dialogue in the areas of environment, energy, economy, climate and safety to critically address challenges with recommendation and solutions.

Early-bird registration for the hybrid event (some content virtual and full content in person) ends today (March 31). For more information, visit the Great Lakes Encounter Symposium website.

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BioSci Seminar

The next Biological Sciences Seminar will be presented by Kyle Costa (BioSci) from 3-4 p.m. today (March 31) via Zoom.

Costa's presentation is titled "Formate metabolism in methanogenic archaea."

From the abstract:
Methanogenic archaea (methanogens) are responsible for producing most of the methane found on Earth and are essential for efficient remineralization of organic carbon in anoxic environments. Most methanogens are thought to specialize in the use of hydrogen as an electron donor for growth, but many are additionally capable of using formate. In natural and industrial settings, methanogens are often found growing with partner organisms in syntrophy (Gr. – eating together) where the partner organism provides hydrogen or formate for methanogenesis. However, it is unclear whether one substrate is preferred or if substrate preference can impact rates of methanogenesis. Here, I will discuss how we use genetic and biochemical techniques to understand formate metabolism in methanogens across scales, from enzyme to community levels.

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CS Faculty Candidate Lecture

Department of Computer Science (CS) faculty candidate Wenbin Zhang, postdoctoral associate, Carnegie Mellon University, will present a virtual lecture at 1 p.m. today (March 31) via Zoom.

Zhang’s research investigates the theoretical foundations of machine learning with a focus on societal impact and welfare. The title of his talk is "Fairness and Graph Deep Generation through the Lens of Time."

Read more on the Computing News Blog.

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MSE Seminar with Alexandra Glover

Alexandra Glover, research and development engineer with Sigma Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, will present at a Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Seminar at 10 a.m. today (March 31) in M&M 610 and via Zoom.

Glover's presentation is titled "Exploring Structure-Property Relationships in Double Soaked Medium Mn Steels by Multi-Scale, in-situ and ex-situ Characterization."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

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MSE Seminar with Joshua Mueller

Joshua Mueller, research and development engineer with the Dynamic-Structure Design and Engineering Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, will present at a Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Seminar at 10 a.m. tomorrow (April 1) in M&M 610 and via Zoom.

Mueller's presentation is titled "Phase Transformations and Mn Partitioning for Austenite Retention in Duplex Steels."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

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UP Regional Blood Drive

The MTU Society of Medical Laboratory Scientists (SMLS) will be hosting a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow (April 1) in the Douglass Houghton Hall Ballroom.

All donated blood stays in the Upper Peninsula and you can save up to three lives with one donation! Students, staff and community members are welcome.

Sign up for a time slot. Walk-ins are also encouraged if your availability does not match up with an open slot!

Any questions? Email Victoria at vlchenie@mtu.edu. 

Heroes come in all types… come help SMLS save lives!

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Demonstrations to Support Ukraine

Canterbury House Student Organization will have The Walk for Ukraine every Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. Meet at the Houghton side of the bridge. Some flags and signs are available.

We will also have a demonstration in support of Ukraine today (March 31) at 2 p.m. at the Husky Statue.

See resources on how to support Ukraine at SupportUkraineNow.org and  RazomForUkraine.org. 

Also see the Yoopers for Ukraine Facebook group.

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COVID-19 Community Town Hall

Join us tonight (March 31) from 7-8 p.m. for the COVID-19 Community Town Hall. Town hall moderators Steven Elmer and Kelly Kamm (HRI/KIP) will discuss a range of pandemic-related issues.

Organized by the Health Research Institute at Michigan Tech, the 60-minute town hall broadcast can be heard live at 7 p.m. on local radio stations 97.7 The Wolf (WOLV-FM) and Q107 (WMQT-FM) or viewed through a Zoom webinar and Facebook Live. The town hall can also be viewed on ABC 10 on Sunday (April 3) at noon.

For more information, past broadcasts and webinar links, visit the COVID-19 Town Hall Series website.

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

Exploring Structure-Property Relationships in Double Soaked Medium Mn Steels by Multi-Scale, in-situ and ex-situ Characterization

Thursday, March 31, 10 a.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610

Materials Science and Engineering Seminar Dr. Alexandra Glover Research and Development Engineer Sigma Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory Abstract Understanding the...

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Building Emotional Strength

Thursday, March 31, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

Unhappy and don't know what to do about it? Life is messy, but you can rise above it all. In this three-week workshop, learn how to understand your emotions and keep them from...

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Master's Defense: Megan Morgenstern

Thursday, March 31, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 126

Applied Physics Advisor: Claudio Mazzoleni Optical and Single Particle Properties of North Atlantic Free Tropospheric Aerosols Attend Virtually:...

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CS Faculty Candidate: Wenbin Zhang

Thursday, March 31, 1 p.m.–2 p.m.

Department of Computing Science faculty candidate Dr. Wenbin Zhang, postdoctoral associate, Carnegie Mellon University, will present a virtual lecture on Thursday, March 31,...

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Demonstrations to Support Ukraine

Thursday, March 31, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. | Husky Statue

We will have a demonstration in support of Ukraine on Thursday (March 31) at 2 PM at the Husky Statue. See resources on how to support Ukraine at SupportUkraineNow.org and ...

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Biological Science Seminar Series - Dr. Kyle Costa

Thursday, March 31, 3 p.m.–4 p.m.

Kyle Costa Assistant Professor Department of Plant and Microbial Biology University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Formate metabolism in methanogenic archaea Abstract:...

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Master's Defense: Zayne Knuth

Thursday, March 31, 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 743

Biological Sciences Advisor: Paul Goetsch Comparative Genomic Analysis of Three Cell Lines with Ovarian Cancer Testis Genes Attend Virtually:...

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Workplace Excellence Training - Understanding the Employer's Perspective

Thursday, March 31, 3:00 p.m.–3:50 p.m. | Administration and Student Services Building, 220 Career Services

Get ready to win at one of our five free workshops. These workshops are presented by MichiganWorks! and will cover communication, time management, understanding the employer's...

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Mechanical Interactions between 2D Materials: Adhesion, Friction and Moiré

Thursday, March 31, 4 p.m.

ME-EM Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Rui Huang, PhD University of Texas at Austin Abstract Atomically thin 2D materials such as graphene are promising...

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Youth Indoor Rock Climbing Spring 2022 Session 3

Thursday, March 31, 4:00 p.m.–4:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Climbing Wall

Is your child looking for a new challenge? Sign up now for the OAP Youth Indoor Rock Climbing Class and let them climb our wall! We try to meet each participant at their level...

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Friends of the Michigan Tech Library Book Sale

Thursday, March 31, 5 p.m.–7 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom

Come visit our annual book sale! For 2022 it will be held: 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 31, 2022 for students (free) and members ($20 memberships sold at the door)10 a.m....

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Adult Huskies Swim Lessons Spring 2022 Session 3

Thursday, March 31, 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...

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Adult Huskies Swim Training Spring 2022 Session 3

Thursday, March 31, 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...

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The Lode - Weekly Meeting

Thursday, March 31, 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. | Fisher 126

Join the Lode (Michigan Tech's student newspaper) for our weekly general meeting! This is a great way to see if the Lode is a good fit for you. We are always looking for...

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Monthly General Meeting _ Spring 2022

Thursday, March 31, 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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Open Rock Climbing

Thursday, March 31, 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...

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Be Well Huskies

Thursday, March 31, 7 p.m.–8 p.m.

Join us (virtually) to learn more about all the things our Mental Health and Well-being Center has to offer—from individual counseling, to medication management, workshops,...

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Fuse - Regular Meeting

Thursday, March 31, 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | Evangel Church

Come join us! We start with a dinner and social time followed by our student-led worship and then a message! Our messages range from panels of Tech faculty, to our pastors,...

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The Thanksgiving Play by Wolf's Head Theatre Co

Thursday, March 31, 7 p.m. |

ROZSA PRESENTING SERIES The Thanksgiving Play By Larissa Fasthorse Directed by Jaime Weeder Performed by Wolf's Head Theatre Company Dinner at 6:45 p.m.

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Physics Colloquium - Dr. Jean-Francois Bisson

March 31, all day

Dr. Jean-Francois Bisson of University of Moncton will be presenting at this week's physics colloquium. Please join the presentation on Thursday, March 31st at 4:00pm via...