April 4, 2022

A new computational tool developed at Michigan Tech assists in the urgent quest to eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — known as PFAS — from community water supplies.

Daisuke Minakata (CEGE) and graduate student Rose Daily have used data science and computational chemistry to study hundreds of structurally diverse organic chemicals to predict PFAS reactivities.

“Our methods can be expanded and used to screen thousands of PFAS,” says Minakata. “The key is understanding the reactivities of solvated electrons with organic chemicals and PFAS. With that knowledge, you can screen a great number of PFAS contaminants and prioritize them for the application of advanced reduction processes to degrade — and hopefully fully destroy — PFAS.”

Read the full story on Michigan Tech News.

The month of April is recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Throughout Michigan Tech and the surrounding community, there will be many opportunities for our students, staff and faculty to engage in the dialogue surrounding this important issue.

SAAM aims to increase awareness about the causes and risk factors associated with sexual assault and to empower survivors. Below you will find events offered throughout this month by the student organization SAVE and Dial Help Inc.

• All Month — Teal Ribbons for Sexual Assault Awareness Month
  Teal ribbons will be displayed throughout campus. Teal has become the signature color for sexual assault awareness, and wearing a teal ribbon symbolizes supporting survivors of sexual violence. These ribbons are meant to create conversation on campus about how we can create a community in which all members feel safe and supported.
  
  
• All Month — “The Octopi Project”
  SAVE and Title IX are hosting “The Octopi Project” to encourage campuswide engagement during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Find teal octopi across campus and you could win a prize! All octopi have QR codes sharing information about Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The octopi are free to move about campus, and the prizes include phone wallets, Michigan Tech Masks, candy, your own octopi and more! You can also pick up a t-shirt to get entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card. 
  
  
• All Month — Streaming SAAM Films
  A variety of programs and films are available on streaming services for our campus members to view in the privacy of their own homes to learn about sexual assault, sexual violence and the journey of survivors. We encourage everyone to check out these titles to increase awareness. View at your own discretion.
  Suggested titles: "13 Reasons Why," "Athlete A," "Audrie & Daisy," "Bikram," "Boys Don’t Cry," "Cosby: The Women Speak," "The Hunting Ground," "I Am Evidence," "The Invisible War," "Maid," "Precious," "Red Roll Red," and "Surviving R. Kelly."
  
  
• All Month — Dial Help TEAL Survivor Support Group/In-Person Crafts
  Contact Paige for the Zoom link and free art supplies at 906-482-9077. Free, safe, and nonjudgmental phone support group for anyone who experienced sexual violence, past or present, including childhood abuse. You are not alone.
  
  
• Tuesday, April 5 — Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) Day of Action
  Michigan Tech Title IX and the student organization Sexual Assault & Violence Education invite you to wear teal tomorrow (April 5) for the annual Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action. Help turn social media teal — the color of sexual assault awareness and prevention — today by sharing a teal selfie using #SAAM to show support for survivors. Tag @MichiganTechSpeakUp on Instagram or Facebook and let us know why you chose to wear teal! #CopperCountrySAAM #MichiganTechSpeakUp.

Stay tuned for more SAAM events taking place later this month!

M.S. in Biological Sciences candidate Lydia Rotman will present their master's defense from 2-3:30 p.m. Monday (April 4) in Dow 743 and via Zoom.

Rotman's thesis is titled "Cancer and quiescence: Investigating how the DREAM complex and retinoblastoma regulate the cell cycle."

From the abstract:
Using flow cytometry, we confirmed that the SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell line responds to CDK inhibition but the OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cell line does not respond to CDK inhibition. Using western blot and expression analysis, we evaluated pRb and p130 response to CDK inhibition in SKOV3 cells, as compared to normal human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs). We observed that although both pRb and p130 protein remain similarly expressed throughout the cell cycle, repression of 2 cell cycle genes, CCNB2 and MCM5, in CDK inhibited cells appears to be perturbed in the SKOV3 cell line, as compared to HFF cells. This study will lay the groundwork for future studies aimed to differentiate between whether pRb or p130 dysfunction is causing cell cycle gene misregulation we observed in the SKOV3 cell line.

M.S. in Computer Science candidate Kurush Kasad will present their master's defense from 2-3 p.m. Friday (April 8) in Rekhi 101 and virtually via Zoom.

Kasad's defense is titled “Eager Scheduling of Dependent Instructions.”

Kasad is advised by Soner Onder.

Read the post on the Computing News Blog.

The College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) would like to invite you to attend a presentation by lecturer in applied forestry candidate Michael Tiller at 11 a.m. tomorrow (April 5) in Noblet 144.

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

Prepare for Design Expo and other term-end presentations the right way — with peer support, pizza and support from dedicated library and writing center staff!

All workshops listed below will take place in the library’s East Reading Room from 4-5 p.m. Please register for sessions that interest you so we don’t order too much, or worse, too little pizza!

• Tuesday, April 5 — Explain Your Project to Anybody
  Practice talking about your design in a concise, easy-to-understand way so you’re ready to share at the Expo. Come prepared to answer a few questions about your design!
  
  
• Thursday, April 7 — Communicate with Images & Visualizations
  Co-hosted with the Writing Center! Discover a range of tools and resources that will ensure your images and data are readable and appealing. The second half of the workshop will be devoted to open work time and questions.
  
  
• Wednesday, April 13 — Explain Your Project to Anybody
  A skill so important we are holding the session twice! Come to one or both!

Find registration links at the Van Pelt and Opie Library website.

Job Posting for Monday, April 4, 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.

Help Desk Consultant, Information Technology. 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.

An article co-authored by Laura Connolly (COB) was featured in the London School of Economics’ USAPP blog. The post is based on a paper published by the authors which tests the glass cliff hypothesis — the idea that women are often hired into senior management positions only when an organization is struggling — in municipal settings.

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A Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program project completed by MTRI Inc. — the commercial arm of the Michigan Tech Research Institute — was highlighted in a U.S. Department of Transportation success story. Partnered with the University, MTRI Inc. created an automated, drone-enabled highway-rail grade crossing inspection system to identify and assess the safety of crossings.

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WJMN Local 3 ran a story on the Michigan Tech Sustainability Demonstration House’s third annual waste reduction drive, planned for April 16.

Annual Steam Shutdown

Weather permitting, Michigan Tech's annual steam shutdown will take place during the week following Spring Commencement, from May 1 to May 6.

This outage is required to provide maintenance and service of the boilers and steam distribution system on campus. This planned maintenance improves the reliability of our system and reduces the likelihood of an unplanned failure during the winter heating season.

Please note: There will not be heat or hot water in the affected buildings during the steam shutdown. There will be no distilled water available from the steam-driven stills. Steam-driven autoclaves/sterilizers will not be operational.

The annual steam shutdown:

• Begins: Sunday, May 1, at noon.
• Ends: Friday, May 6, at noon.

Buildings affected are:
Administration Building
Annex
Academic Office Building (AOB)
Chemical Sciences
Central Heating Plant
Douglass Houghton Hall
Dillman
DOW
Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC)
Facilities
Fisher
Forestry
Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC)
Hillside Place
Library
McNair Hall
Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (ME-EM)
Memorial Union Building (MUB)
Minerals and Materials Engineering (M&M)
Rekhi
ROTC
Rozsa
Student Development Complex (SDC)
Wadsworth Hall
Walker

You can find more details and updates on the Facilities Management website. If you have questions or concerns with this plan, contact Energy Management or Facilities Management at 7-2303.

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Workshop: 'Preparing a Lecturer Promotion Packet'

The Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs will host a workshop, "Preparing a Lecturer Promotion Packet," on Thursday (April 7) from 3-5 p.m. The event will take place in MUB Ballroom B.

The first half of the session will focus on the mechanics of preparing a lecturer promotion packet and will include insights from senior and principal lecturers who have gone through the promotion process. The second half of the session will focus on how to input data and narratives into Digital Measures to produce a Faculty Activity Report (FAR) for the promotion packet.

All faculty are welcome; those who plan to submit a lecturer promotion package in the next couple of years are especially encouraged to attend. Faculty are welcome to attend just one part of the session as their schedule allows.

Questions can be directed to Shari Stockero, assistant provost for faculty development, at stockero@mtu.edu.

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Workshop: 'Preparing a Tenure and Promotion Packet'

The Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs will host a workshop, "Preparing a Tenure and Promotion Packet," on Friday (April 8) from 2-4 p.m. The event will take place in the MUB Alumni Lounge.

The first half of the session will focus on the mechanics of preparing a well-presented promotion and/or tenure packet and will include insights from faculty members who have served on P&T committees. The second half of the session will focus on how to input data and narratives into Digital Measures to produce a Faculty Activity Report (FAR) for the tenure and promotion package.

All faculty are welcome; those who plan to submit a tenure/promotion package in the next couple of years are especially encouraged to attend. Faculty are welcome to attend just one part of the session as their schedule allows.

Questions can be directed to Shari Stockero, assistant provost for faculty development, at stockero@mtu.edu.

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Donation Night at the Alley Makerspace

The Alley Makerspace student managers and coaches are holding Donation Night from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday (April 6) in the Alley Makerspace.

If you want to get a jump-start on spring cleaning and have making supplies to share, please consider donating them to the Alley Makerspace.

Student makers are looking for wood, fabric, crafting supplies and 3D printer filament. To make donation easier, please register your materials in advance. Thank you!

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Fifth International YEAH Virtual Conference

All students are invited to contribute to the fifth International Conference of the Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education (YEAH). The virtual conference will take place from 5-8 p.m. on April 21.

This year's theme is "Global Actions for Environment, Justice and Sustainability." We invite contributions from classes, teams or individuals; multiple types of delivery are welcome, e.g., short talk, e-poster, video, slides or other modes. Topics can relate to any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and can take any disciplinary lens.

Please submit your abstract and register to participate by April 13.

Michigan Tech is a YEAH participating institution. Find more information and a registration link at YEAH-net.org.

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PhD Defense: Ariana Smies, BioMed

Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering candidate Ariana Smies will defend her doctoral dissertation at 3 p.m. tomorrow (April 5). This event can be attended in person in M&M 610 or virtually via Zoom.

Smies' dissertation is titled "An Antimicrobial Polydopamine Surface Coating to Reduce Biofouling on Telemetry Tags Used in Marine Conservation Practices."

She is advised by Sean Kirkpatrick and Rupak Rajachar.

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Attend the Computing[MTU] Showcase April 4-6

The campus community is invited to attend the Computing[MTU] Showcase, running today 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.

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CFRES Lecturer Candidate Seminar

The College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) would like to invite you to attend a presentation by lecturer in applied forestry candidate Paul Doruska at 11 a.m. today (April 4) in Noblet 108.

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

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ACSHF Forum: Grad Student Presentation

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences will host applied cognitive science and human factors (ACSHF) Ph.D. student Shruti Amre at the next ACSHF forum.

Amre's presentation, titled “Keep Your Hands on the Wheel: The Effect of Driver Engagement Strategies on Change Detection, Mind Wandering, and Gaze Behavior,” will be held from 2-3 p.m. today (April 4) in Meese 109.

From the abstract:
Advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) have revolutionized traditional driving by enabling drivers to relinquish operational control of the vehicle to automation for part of the total drive. These features only work under certain pre-defined conditions and require drivers to be attentive to their surroundings. While the features are engaged, there is an increased risk associated with drivers losing awareness of their environment. Popular manufacturers like Tesla requires drivers to have their hands-on-the-wheel while Cadillac’s ADAS requires drivers to keep their eyes-on-the road. We utilized a low-fidelity simulation and eye-tracking to examine the effects of hands-on-the-wheel and eyes-on-the-road driver engagement strategies on change detection, mind wandering, and gaze behavior in a semi-autonomous driving task.

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Pathways of Women in STEM Symposium

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. tomorrow (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.

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

Teal Ribbons

Monday, April 4, 12:00 a.m.–11:45 p.m. | Campus!

Have you seen teal ribbons? Help raise awareness for Sexual Assault Awareness Month by scanning the QR code and participating in SAVE and Title IX's Octopi project and get the...

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Tech Arts Festival

Monday, April 4, 12:00 a.m.–11:45 p.m. | Memorial Union Buliding

Tech Arts Fest - A Day in the Keweenaw – Join us in celebrating the beauty of our snowy home with the Michigan Tech Arts Festival, from Monday, April 4 to Saturday, April...

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Master's Defense: Ian Herzog

Monday, April 4, 9–10 a.m. | Rekhi Hall, G009

Physics Advisor: Petra Huentemeyer A Spectral and Energy Morphology Analysis of Gamma Ray Source HAWC J2031+415 Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/5347264781

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Master's Defense: Emily Lindback

Monday, April 4, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | R. L. Smith Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building (MEEM), 302

Forest Ecology and Management Advisor: Molly Cavaleri Common Garden Study Reveals Frost-Tolerant, Generalist Northern Seed Sources Are Best Suited to Expand Range of...

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Master's Defense: Dongzhao Jin

Monday, April 4, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 875

Civil Engineering Advisor: Zhanping You Ground Tire Rubber Asphalt for Durable Pavements on HEA Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/82366417446

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ACSHF Forum: Grad Student Presentation

Monday, April 4, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. | Harold Meese Center, 109

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences will host ACSHF PhD Student Shruti Amre at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors forum. The presentation,...

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Master's Defense: Lydia Rotman

Monday, April 4, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 743

Biological Sciences Advisor: Paul Goetsch Cancer and Quiescence: Investigating How the DREAM Complex and Retinoblastoma Regulate the Cell Cycle Attend Virtually:...

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Master's Defense: Olivia Joy Ghormley

Monday, April 4, 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Academic Office Building (AOB), 201

Environmental & Energy Policy Advisor: Richelle Winkler Perspectives on New Wilderness Area Designations in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Attend Virtually:...

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Sustainable Wastewater Treatment: Resources Recovery as Methane and Struvite from Next Generation Anaerobic Digestion Systems

Monday, April 4, 3 p.m.–4 p.m.

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Hossain M Azam, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of the District of Columbia (UDC), Washington, DC Abstract: Traditional...

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Youth Indoor Rock Climbing Spring 2022 Session 3

Monday, April 4, 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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Butterflies, Moths, and Fruit Flies in the Keweenaw

Monday, April 4, 6 p.m.

Husky Bites presents Special Guest Thomas Werner Associate Professor, Biological Sciences Michigan Technological University Co-host Tessa Steenwinkel '20 '21...

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Monthly General Meeting _ Spring 2022

Monday, April 4, 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

Monday, April 4, 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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Panel Discussion: Computing at MTU: Past, Present, and Future

Monday, April 4, 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

As part of the Computing[MTU] showcase, April 4-6, 2022, a panel discussion, "Computing at MTU: Past, Present, and Future," will take place April 4, 7-8:30 p.m., in the Rozsa...

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Trivia Night w/ Triangle Fraternity

Monday, April 4, 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | Fisher Hall 326

Meet the brothers of Triangle Fraternity and participate in some competition. Free snacks will be provided!

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Weekly Meeting

Monday, April 4, 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | Wadsworth Hall Annex

Come hang out and play some chess.

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Computing[MTU] Showcase

April 4, all day | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballrooms A, B, and C

The Institute of Computing and Cybersystems and the College of Computing will present a showcase of faculty and student research April 4-6, 2022, in the Rozsa Center and the...