September 1, 2022

The Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) aims to foster awareness of, education in and research on space and Earth-related science and technology in Michigan.

Funding opportunities are available in the following categories:

Undergraduate fellowship, graduate fellowship, pre-college education, public outreach, teacher training and research seed grants.

Deadlines:

• Nov. 9 by noon — Internal deadline for undergraduate and graduate fellowship proposals.
• Oct. 19 by noon — All other submissions.
• Nov. 16 by 5 p.m. — Final materials, after review and approval by the Sponsored Programs Office, must be uploaded to MSGC by the applicant.

Proposals exceeding stated page limits or submitted without prior review by Michigan Tech will not be considered for funding. Women, underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply to all MSGC funding opportunities. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for fellowship grants.

For instructions detailing proposal submission procedures and requirements, visit the Resources for the Michigan Space Grant Consortium webpage.

For more information, contact Mia Kemppainen in the Graduate School at miaw@mtu.edu or call 906-487-2326.

Originally announced in Tech Today on April 26, the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of the Pavlis Honors College internal search was reposted again today (Sept. 1).

The reposting follows a summer hiatus for the committee and removal of the requirement for tenure from the required education, certifications and licensures section.

For full consideration, applications must be submitted by Sept. 23.

ADVANCE is seeking interested faculty and staff to join Advocates and Allies, a program that consists of two groups:

• Advocates Team — A group of men faculty and staff who work to improve campus culture and work environment at MTU for women and underrepresented groups. The group meets about once a month and members take on projects and/or tasks they are interested in based on their available time.
  
  
• Advocates & Allies Advisory Board (A3B) — A group of underrepresented individuals on the basis of gender, ethnicity, race, disability status, sexuality, etc., who work with the ADVANCE team to guide and advise the Advocates Team.

When advocating for policies and practices, the goal is that the A3B and Advocates will work closely together with the belief that well-intentioned ideas translate into policies and practices that most effectively achieve the goals of equity.

More details on the goals of the Advocates and Allies program are available with the A3B and Advocates Team Interest Form.

The application deadline is Sept. 15.

Faculty, staff, graduate students and Michigan Tech retirees are invited to join the Graduate Student Government (GSG) at the Grad Commons (207 E. Street) from 4-6 p.m. tomorrow (Sept. 2). Complimentary drinks and snacks will be served

Started in 2006, First Friday University Socials provide a casual setting for members of the campus community to meet new people, learn about other schools and departments, and share work and interests with colleagues.

The next scheduled First Friday Social will be Oct. 7 at the Opie Reading Room with the Van Pelt and Opie Library and the Graduate School as sponsors. If your department is interested in hosting a social during the 2022-23 academic year, please contact business-support@mtu.edu or call 906-487-2543.

View the complete 2022-23 First Friday Social Schedule.

Tomorrow (Sept. 2) will be Touchdown Friday for the season's first home football game! Receive 5% (up to 25%) off Michigan Tech apparel and souvenirs at the Campus Store and University Images for each Husky touchdown scored tonight (Sept. 1) at Kearly Stadium.

Discounts will be automatically given in store and online; some exclusions will apply.

Thank you for your patronage from the Campus Store and University Images!

The Michigan Tech Research Forum was developed to showcase and celebrate the work of Michigan Tech researchers and strengthen discussions in our community. It is a privilege and honor to announce two lectures this fall:

• University Professor Jeff Naber (ME-EM) — Wednesday, Oct. 12
• Distinguished Professor John Vucetich (CFRES) — Thursday, Dec. 1

Both lectures will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building, Ballroom A. There will be time for socializing for 30 minutes before and after the lectures. Descriptions of the topic will be included in forthcoming invitations for each event.

Michigan Tech Research Forum events are presented by the Office of the Provost in coordination with the Office of the Vice President of Research.

Please share this announcement widely and invite your colleagues as we celebrate and build upon our own Tech-grown research and scholarship talents! ​

On Sept. 23 at 10 a.m., Erin Scanlon will present a workshop titled "Implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL)."

Scanlon is an assistant professor in residence at the University of Connecticut and a founding steering committee member of the American Physical Society’s Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance (APS-IDEA). Her guest workshop will focus on concrete ways to implement UDL in STEM classes.

Scanlon, a Michigan Tech graduate, holds a B.S. and M.S. in Physics and a Ph.D. in Developmental Education with an emphasis in developmental mathematics. In addition to teaching introductory physics courses, she researches ways to move the physics community toward being more diverse, equitable, inclusive and socially just, with particular emphasis on changing social structures to support disabled people.

Participants will be asked to do some prework (a short video and some teaching practice reflection). In-person attendance is encouraged for this interactive workshop, but attendance via Zoom is an option, and the session will be recorded. Don't miss this opportunity to learn practical tips from a UDL expert who knows Michigan Tech!

Register for this workshop now.

Editor's Note: This virtual presentation by Zhen Xu on Sept. 7 has been canceled.

The Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) invites the campus community to a virtual presentation by scholar Zhen Xu, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida.

Xu will give a virtual seminar presentation, titled "Exploring Technology-Assisted Scaffolds to Support Visuospatial Thinking," on Wednesday (Sept. 7) at 3 p.m. For a Google calendar invite with Zoom link, email glrcadmin-l@mtu.edu.

Through about 60 years' research, visuospatial ability has been identified as a salient psychological characteristic of those who achieved advanced STEM degrees and STEM occupations. Research also recognizes the importance of STEM education in developing qualified STEM workforces to promote science advancement and technology innovation and cultivating STEM-literate citizenry to participate in a productive economy.

However, the importance of visuospatial thinking is under-recognized in practice, especially in K-12 education. Visuospatial thinking is barely addressed in the design of learning materials and curricula. Digital technologies have the potential to scaffold visuospatial thinking and create visuospatially rich learning environment due to their flexible, animated and interactive affordances.

This talk presents research studies that explore technology-assisted scaffolds to support visuospatial thinking in learning.

If you're looking for research or other program funding, set aside this hour on your calendar: noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday (Sept. 8).

In this session, we'll help you get your profile set up on GrantForward, Michigan Tech’s funding search database, to optimize your search for external funding, whether for research, outreach, educational program development or other scholarly activity.

Once your profile is set up, you can opt to receive notifications of funding opportunities that match your research and scholarly interests.

Join us in this Zoom session to learn more. Contact rd-l@mtu.edu if you have questions.

Get your creative energy flowing and join us for a design thinking activity in which student teams practice innovation skills. Design thinking is a human-centered design process used to solve ambiguous problems. Innovation skills are sought by companies worldwide. This interactive workshop will be held in the Alley Makerspace (MUB Basement).

To accommodate schedules, we will host this workshop twice:

• Wednesday, Sept. 7 — 4-6 p.m., Alley Makerspace
• Tuesday, Sept. 13 — 4-6 p.m., Alley Makerspace

Register for the workshop by Tuesday (Sept. 6).

Students who are completing a dissertation, thesis or report are invited to join the Graduate School to learn about the resources available to them to assist in scheduling their defense, formatting their documents and submitting their documents. In one afternoon, you can learn everything you need to be successful and complete your degree in a timely fashion! Faculty and staff who assist students with submissions are also welcome to attend. Attend the entire event or stop in for the seminar that interests you.

• When: Wednesday, Sept. 14 — 2-4 p.m. (see a detailed schedule on our blog)
• Who: Students completing a dissertation, thesis or report; faculty and staff who assist students with submission
• Where: Virtual via Zoom (register to attend online and receive participation instructions) and in person in Admin 404 (room capacity is 35).
• Registration: Please register for the event to receive handouts via email or attend online. The seminar will be available online as well as on campus.

If you are unable to join us, the event will be taped and available online after the event. The previous semester’s seminars are always available online.

Information on submitting, formatting and more can be found online for dissertations and theses or reports.

Ryan Hallowell from Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) will be available on Michigan Tech's campus on the following dates and times for one-on-one sessions:

• Tuesday, Sept. 27 — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., MUB Datolite Room
• Wednesday, Sept. 28 — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., MUB Superior Room
• Thursday, Sept. 29 — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., MUB Datolite Room

No matter where you are in life — just getting started or planning for retirement — a session with TIAA can help you create a plan for your goals. And there's no additional cost — it's part of your retirement plan. You'll get answers to these questions and more:

• Am I invested in the right mix of investments to help meet my goals?
• Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need?
• How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working?

RSVP today, as space is limited. Register for sessions with TIAA directly (click Schedule under the Your Employer category and select Michigan Tech from the dropdown menu). Or, register by calling 800-732-8353 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Michigan Tech football is poised to kick off its 100th reunion season tonight (Sept. 1) at Kearly Stadium in Houghton.

The Huskies will face the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Pioneers for the first time in program history, with kickoff at 6 p.m.

Tonight's game is Teacher Appreciation Night at Kearly Stadium. Local educators can buy a ticket and get one free by using the code HuskiesLoveTeachers at BuyHuskiesTickets.com.

Read more and find ways to tune in at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The Michigan Tech women's soccer team is prepping for their first home weekend of the season, hosting University of Minnesota Crookston tomorrow (Sept. 2) and No. 9 Bemidji State on Sunday (Sept. 4).

The contest against the Golden Eagles will start Friday at 7 p.m. The tilt against the Beavers is slated for noon on Sunday.

Read more about the teams and find ways to tune in at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Posting for Thursday, Sept. 1, 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.

Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of the Pavlis Honors College, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. 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.

Adrienne Minerick (ChE) is the principal investigator on a project that has received $236,102 from Hemex Health.

The project is a collaborative project with Hemex Health; the overall collaboration is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The project is titled "Portable, affordable, quantitative microchip, electrophoresis for hemoglobin A1C testing."

Shelly Galliah (Global Campus) is the author of a chapter in the book "Teaching Literature in the Online Classroom," published by the Modern Language Association.

The chapter is titled "Interactivity and Inclusivity in Online Discussions."

Edited by John Miller and Julie Wilhelm, this book presents methods, models and resources for teaching literature online.

MastersinCommunications.com published an in-depth scholarly interview with Jennifer Daryl Slack (HU).

The Q&A’s discussion topics include Slack’s background and education, algorithmic culture, the accessibility and approachability of cultural and media studies, the work being done by Michigan Tech’s Institute for Policy, Ethics, and Culture, and more.

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MLive mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Michigan’s “secret weapon” in the semiconductor industry — Calumet Electronics, an electronics engineering and manufacturing business located minutes away from MTU.

The University’s proximity was called out in the story as one of the business’s competitive advantages.

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Traverse City Business News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about middle-sized businesses driving the Grand Traverse area’s economy. 

The story referenced Tech’s hybrid-delivery TechMBA program as one of the programs funneling skilled professionals into the regional workforce.

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WLUC TV6 aired a pair of video segments with Michigan Tech President Rick Koubek to mark the start of fall classes.

The segments were filmed live Aug. 30 during the morning broadcast.

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MSN mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Niche.com’s 2023 college rankings for Michigan universities.

Michigan Tech ranked third in the state with an A grade.

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MSN picked up a story about Concordia University’s $12 million seawall, which has adversely affected the neighboring shoreline. Guy Meadows (GLRC) was quoted in the story.

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The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about changes to the City of Houghton’s parking rates and fines.

A new lot for Michigan Tech was created behind the city center, with an annual parking permit priced at $360. In addition, parking fines will double for repeat offenders after their third offense.

Application Support: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

The Graduate School is assisting graduate students who wish to apply for the National Science Foundation’s (NSF's) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Support includes Zoom workshops, support via Canvas modules and one-on-one writing support.

Fellowship recipients earn an annual stipend of $37,000 and a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance. To be eligible, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident, have never previously applied to GRFP while enrolled in a graduate degree program, have never earned a master’s or professional degree in any field, or completed more than one academic year in a graduate-degree-granting program. Applications are due between Oct. 17 and Oct. 21.

Workshop Details:

• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Workshop 1: Overview and tips
  
  • Date and time: Wednesday, Sept. 7, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Presenter: Sarah Isaacson, NSF GRFP support coordinator
  • Co-presenter: Deb Charlesworth, NSF GRFP reviewer
    Register for Workshop 1.
    
    
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Workshop 2: Crafting your statements (content and organization)
  
  • Date and time: Tuesday, Sept. 13, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Presenter: Sarah Isaacson, NSF GRFP support coordinator
  • Co-presenter: Deb Charlesworth, NSF GRFP reviewer
    Register for Workshop 2.

See the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program website for more details. Questions? Contact Sarah Isaacson, NSF GRFP support coordinator, at sisaacso@mtu.edu.

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Career Fair: Request for Interview Rooms

We are excited to be kicking off CareerFEST 2022 this fall, including a return to in-person Career Fair on Sept. 21! As we have done in the past, Interview Day will be Sept. 22, and we need your help.

In order to provide the best interview experience for both students and employers, we are requesting office and room spaces for interviews on campus. Please submit any available rooms to be included for our Interview Day schedule using our Google form.

On average, there are over 1,000 individual interviews conducted on campus following Career Fair.​​

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to CareerFair@mtu.edu.

We are looking forward to another great CareerFEST and Career Fair this fall!

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Physics Colloquium

Morits Linkmann of the University of Edinburgh will be presenting at the next Physics Colloquium. Please join the virtual-only presentation at 4 p.m. today (Sept. 1) via Zoom.

Linkmann's presentation is titled "Interpreted Machine Learning in Fluid Dynamics: Explaining Relaminarization Events in Wall-Bounded Shear Flows."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

Further details can be found in a recent publication in the Journal of Fluid Dynamics.

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Rozsa Season Tickets on Sale Now

Tickets are now on sale for the 2022/23 full Rozsa season, including the Presenting Series and Michigan Tech Art, Michigan Tech Music, and Michigan Tech Theatre Series!

This season, the Rozsa is bringing you events practically every week of the school year. Check out the whole season.

Tickets are available online, by calling 906-487-1906, or at the Rozsa Box Office one hour before events.

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No Tech Today on Monday

Tech Today will not publish on Monday (Sept. 5) in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Submissions for the Tuesday (Sept. 6) issue of Tech Today are due by noon tomorrow (Sept. 2).

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

Fall Blood Drive

Thursday, September 1, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | MUB Ballroom

The Fall 2022 Blood Drive will be on August 31st and September 1st from 10 AM until 4 PM in the Memorial Union Building Ballroom. The American Red Cross recommends everyone...

How to Create your Resume

Thursday, September 1, 3 p.m.–4 p.m.

Lawn Games with St. Al's

Thursday, September 1, 3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. | Walker Lawn

Enjoy the warm weather while it's here out on the lawn with St. Al's, our Catholic faith community. Yard games will be set up for all students to play while socializing with...

Continuum Mechanics Modeling and Experiments for Phase Transition Responses: From Metastable Steels to Shock-absorbing Gels

Thursday, September 1, 4 p.m. | R. L. Smith Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building (MEEM), 112

ME-EM Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Vikas Srivastava, PhD Brown University Abstract Coupled mechanics phenomena, especially those leading to phase...

Physics Colloquium - Dr. Moritz Linkmann

Thursday, September 1, 4 p.m.–5 p.m.

Moritz Linkmann of the University of Edinburgh will be presenting at the next Physics Colloquium. Please join the Zoom-only presentation at 4:00 p.m. Thursday (September 1)....

(Football) Wis.-Platteville vs. Michigan Tech

Thursday, September 1, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. | Sherman Field

Football: Wis.-Platteville vs. Michigan Tech, Kearly Stadium - Houghton, Mich.

Sorority Life Info Session and Craft Night

Thursday, September 1, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | MUB Commons

Join Panhellenic Council and sisters from our seven sororities on campus for a night of crafts! Learn more about the recruitment process and how to get involved while at...