2022 Midyear Commencement Ceremony: Faculty Participation

The 2022 Midyear Commencement ceremony will take place Dec. 17 at 10:30 a.m. in the SDC Varsity Gymnasium.

Michigan Tech faculty are cordially invited to participate in the faculty procession to support students in their department. Faculty presence means a great deal to the students and their families. Members of the procession wear regalia, march in the procession and sit as a group to show support for the graduates. Please submit the faculty participation form no later than Oct. 19 if you intend to take part.

Regalia guidelines are available on the Commencement website. Faculty may order caps and gowns before noon on Oct. 10 from the Campus Store’s Cap and Gown Order page to receive the lowest price. Expedited shipping fees will apply to all orders placed after that date. Orders placed after noon on Nov. 14 are not guaranteed to arrive before the commencement ceremony.

We hope you will join us!

VPR Staff Retreat on Wednesday

All Vice President for Research (VPR) offices will be closed from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 21) for a staff retreat.

To ensure you are able to meet various submission deadlines, please plan accordingly if you will need assistance from Sponsored Programs or other VPR staff members during this time period.

Invasive Species Cleanup Rescheduled

The invasive baby's breath removal originally planned for Sunday (Sept. 18) has been rescheduled. It will now be hosted by the Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA) on Sept. 25 from 1-3 p.m. at Prince's Point.

Baby's breath is invading our dunes and waterways. We are in need of volunteers to help remove it and stop the spread! This is a great volunteer opportunity — it's easy yet rewarding work. All are welcome and gloves will be provided.

This event will proceed rain or shine, but will be rescheduled if there is lightning. We hope to see you there!

Please contact Hannah Marlor at hlmarlor@mtu.edu or visit the KISMA website for more information.

ADVANCE Weekly Roundup: Hiring Rubrics Don’t Ensure Objectivity

Candidate assessment rubrics are helpful in conducting objective faculty searches but do not adequately mitigate bias according to two recent studies.

One four-year-long study of the searches in an engineering department evaluated whether hiring rubrics countered biases. The study found that search committees consistently scored women candidates lower than men on rubrics about research, although women were higher on contributions to diversity. More troubling was the finding that women candidates may be penalized on the basis of gender: The paper says female candidates face an 18% penalty for being a woman. In the other study, the criterion of “fit” used in faculty selection was found to be used to justify assessments biased in terms of race or gender. Both studies argue that while hiring rubrics cannot eliminate search biases, these measures are most useful as a basis for collective discussions about what matters in a candidate selection and why.

Michigan Tech has instituted strong measures to ensure that implicit biases do not systematically taint faculty hiring processes, including a multiphase HR hiring process with built-in equity and bias checks, the Diversity Literacy and Legal Aspects faculty workshops, and senior faculty search committee observers. Nonetheless, recognizing and countering biases in what can often seem like objective criteria and processes is up to everyone involved in faculty hiring.

Today’s feature was shared with us by the ADVANCE team. If you have an article you think we should feature, please email it to advance-mtu@mtu.edu and we will consider adding it to the ADVANCE Weekly Roundup.

The ADVANCE Weekly Roundup is brought to you by ADVANCE at Michigan Tech, an NSF-funded initiative dedicated to improving faculty career success, retention, diversity, equity and inclusion. Past articles are available on the ADVANCE Newsblog.

To learn more about our featured topic, our mission, programming efforts, and to check out our growing collection of resources, contact us or visit our website.

Lunch and Learn: Yoga

Join Brigitte Morin from Fresh Coast Yoga next Friday (Sept. 23) at noon in MUB Ballroom B1 for a lunchtime beginner's yoga sequence you could do at home or at work.

Slow stretching and deep breaths will be the center of the practice. All experience levels are welcome! Time will be included for questions, answers and eating lunch (lunch not provided).

Gently used yoga mats will be available for use (supplies are limited) and will be yours to keep. All employees who attend will be put into a drawing for a one-month unlimited pass to Fresh Coast Yoga (a $75 value!).

Please email benefits@mtu.edu to reserve your spot.

This Lunch and Learn counts toward Option 2 in your Husky Health checklist. Follow Michigan Tech Wellness on Facebook to stay up to date on all health and wellness opportunities!

Kelly Steelman Presenting at ACSHF Forum

Kelly Steelman, chair of the Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences (CLS), will kick off the academic year's forums for Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (ACSHF) with her presentation, "Science Policy in Human Factors: A Primer on the Development and Application of the Human Readiness Level Scale,” from 2-3 p.m. Monday (Sept. 19) in Meese 109 and via Zoom.

As a Science Policy Fellow for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), Steelman will talk about the work of the Science Policy group over the past several years, focusing on the development of the Human Readiness Level (HRL) Scale — a simple nine-level scale for evaluating, tracking and communicating the readiness of a technology for safe and effective human use.

From the abstract:
... the Human Readiness Level (HRL) Scale ... is modeled after the well-established Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework that is used throughout the government and industry to communicate the maturity of a technology and to support decision making about technology acquisition. The HRL scale is defined in the ANSI/HFES 400-2021 Standard and is currently being socialized throughout the government, Department of Defense, and industry. Dr. Steelman will discuss the promise of the HRL Scale and associated standard as tools for increasing awareness of the field of human factors and for establishing requirements for human-systems evaluation—and the involvement of human-systems experts—throughout the development lifecycle.

Volleyball Hosting FSU and LSSU at SDC Gym

Michigan Tech volleyball hosts Ferris State today (Sept. 16) and Lake Superior State tomorrow (Sept. 17) at the SDC Gym to wrap up a four-match homestand.

The Huskies and Bulldogs meet in a dogfight at 5 p.m. today. The first serve against the Lakers is at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

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

Maxx Fredrickson Named Director of Hockey Operations

Michigan Tech hockey coach Joe Shawhan has hired Maxx Fredrickson as the director of hockey operations.

Fredrickson has been the video coordinator in a student role over the past three seasons, but began full-time in July.

"I am pleased to welcome Maxx as a full-time member of our staff," Shawhan said. "His efforts as a student worker were invaluable and his dedication and attention to detail enhance the synergy of our entire operation."

"I am excited to continue my role with the hockey program in a full-time capacity," said Fredrickson. "I'm thankful to Joe for the opportunity, and I can't wait to get the season started."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Football Riding to Texas

Michigan Tech football flies to Wichita Falls, Texas, tomorrow (Sept. 17) to take on Midwestern State at 8 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium.

It will be the first meeting between the two Division II foes.

Fans can listen to the game on Mix 93.5 FM and online at pasty.net with Josh Ylitalo on play-by-play.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Soccer Hosting Cardinals and Bulldogs

Michigan Tech women's soccer returns to Houghton for the team's first home weekend of GLIAC competition.

Today (Sept. 16), the Huskies host Saginaw Valley at 7 p.m., while their contest at noon Sunday (Sept. 18) is against Ferris State.

Fans can catch both games on FloSports as part of the four-year media partnership with the GLIAC that began this fall.

Read about the teams at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Men’s Tennis Heading for ITA Region Tournament

Michigan Tech men's tennis will send six players the ITA Midwest Regional Tournament, being hosted tomorrow (Sept. 17) by the University of Indianapolis.

The individual tournament features singles and doubles with Division II players from the region. Sites include Center Grove High School, Center Grove Middle School North and Clark-Pleasant Middle School. Draws were released Sept. 14.

"It will be interesting to see how we do this year at the tournament," said head coach Kristin Yep. "It has been a very positive atmosphere at practice this fall and everybody is working hard every day. They push each other and support one another, which bodes well for us this season. I am excited to see how we match up against other teams in the GLIAC and other teams in the region."

Read more about the players at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

In the News

WiredFocus picked up a Michigan Tech News story about 2022 Research Award winner Jeff Naber (ME-EM/APSRC). 

*****

Jeff Naber (ME-EM/APSRC) was quoted by Grand Rapids’ WOOD TV8 in a story about the Solar Energy Regional Test Center opened last month in Calumet. Naber’s quotes were picked up from an earlier story by WJMN Local 3.

Michigan Tech partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy and Sandia National Labs to open the facility.

*****

Yahoo! News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story on low-impact cardio rowing machine workouts. The story featured a workout video by UCanRow2, a rowing instruction business created by the late Terry Smythe, who founded the Michigan Tech Rowing Club.

*****

Ph.D. student Ranit Karmakar (computer engineering) was quoted by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story previewing the 33rd Parade of Nations, being held at 11 a.m. tomorrow (Sept. 17). The parade route will start at Quincy Green in Hancock and end at Dee Stadium in Houghton.

Karmakar is a member of the food committee behind this year’s takeout-style multicultural food festival following the parade. Food will be available beginning at noon at the Dee.

*****

Husky Dolan Moles was quoted by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story about the GeekU.P. festival held Sept. 10 at the Memorial Union Building.

Moles is the secretary of the Husky Amateur Wargaming student organization, which took part in the festival.

*****

The Air Force ROTC’s MIA/POW 5K Run was the subject of an ABC 10 preview story. This year’s race is being held Oct. 1 at 11 a.m.

The event honors veterans who have not returned home and raises money for the Hubbell VFW Post.

*****

Wausau Pilot & Review mentioned the Michigan Tech section of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in a story about the first Women in Aviation Day being held at the Wausau Downtown Airport on Saturday (Sept. 17).

MTU SWE and other aviation-related organizations will be present at the event.

*****

DVIDS published a feature story on the Sept. 1 promotion of Michigan Tech alumna Juliana Strieter ’96 (B.S., civil engineering) to the rank of captain in the U.S. Navy.

Reminders

Parade of Nations Is Tomorrow

Parade of Nations is almost here. Tomorrow (Sept. 17), floats, bands, dancers and marchers carrying banners and flags of more than 60 nations will leave Quincy Green in Hancock at 11 a.m., cross the lift bridge and move up Shelden Avenue in Houghton to the Dee Stadium.

At the Dee, international students from Michigan Tech and Finlandia University will be serving food of their countries. Food is takeout only this year.

The parade will feature a banner honoring Deb Mann, a longtime member of the Parade of Nations Committee, who died in a house explosion late last month.

“Deb Mann was a powerhouse,” said Machel Borsum, chair of this year’s Parade of Nations. “She served on our planning committee for years and contributed more than I can say. We miss her, and we mourn her.”

Parade marshal this year is International Neighbors, a local group that provides friendship and programs to help international newcomers adjust, explore and experience this area. International Neighbors provides many opportunities for conversational English and was recently active in helping get Houghton and Hancock designated as International Cities of Peace.

There will be prizes for the best floats this year. Float judges are:

  • Mayra Morgan, last year’s Parade of Nations chair
  • Aila Weber, Hancock Rotary member
  • Haley Makela, Finlandia University professor

For more information, visit the Parade of Nations website or email paradeofnations@mtu.edu.

*****

Free Professional Photos for Students at Career Fair

The Office of Alumni Engagement is offering free professional headshots for students at the Fall Career Fair. A photographer from Brockit Inc. will be taking photographs from 2-6 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 21) in the SDC.

Photos will be taken first come, first served. Each student will take one test shot and then will have a limit of three posed shots.

Please sign up using the Free Professional Headshots for Students at Career Fair form if you intend to utilize this free service. RSVPing in advance is strongly encouraged. The deadline to sign up is 4 p.m. on Tuesday (Sept. 20). Photos will be emailed a few weeks after the Career Fair.

*****

Noel Urban, Carol MacLennan Presenting Torch Lake Tour

A Torch Lake Tour will be conducted tomorrow (Sept. 17) from 10 a.m. to noon by Noel Urban (CEGE) and Carol MacLennan (SS). 

Urban and MacLennan will present an on-site history of the mining industry at Torch Lake and an update on the continuing impact left behind on the lake and community. They will discuss the current projects underway by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to address the ongoing contamination of Lake Linden beach sediments and the Hubbell coal dock submerged barrels.

Contact Mary at 906-231-7205 to sign up and get directions for the tour.

Today's Campus Events

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

Smart Ships Coalition Fall Workshop

Michigan Tech will be hosing the Smart Ships Coalition Fall Workshop September 15-16, 2022. Smart Ships Coalition is an initiative that Michigan Tech is leading with...

*****

Annual Poster Sale

Need some fresh new dorm decor? Want to spice up your house walls a little? For a full week, we will be selling posters, postcards, tapestries, fairy lights, and more! There's...

*****

Interview Prep

*****

Mathematical Sciences Seminar Series (Dr. Hao-Min Zhuo)

Title: Inverse Weak Adversarial Networks (iWAN) : A Computational Method for High-dimensional Inverse Problems Abstract: In this talk, I will present a weak adversarial...

*****

GRFP Info Session

Wondering how to get funding for Graduate School? An informational session for seniors and graduate students about how to apply for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship...

*****

Minerals as Solutions to Scientific, Technological, and Societal Issues

Lecture in Celebration of the 120th Anniversary of the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum Barbara L. Dutrow Adolphe G. Gueymard Professor of Geology Louisiana State...

*****

(Women's Volleyball) Ferris State vs. Michigan Tech

Women's Volleyball: Ferris State vs. Michigan Tech

*****

Film Board Presents: Sonic 2

Join Film Board as we show Sonic 2 in Fisher 135! Tickets are $3 and concessions are $1 each. See our website for more details. https://filmboard.mtu.edu/

*****

(Women's Soccer) Saginaw Valley State vs. Michigan Tech

Women's Soccer: Saginaw Valley State vs. Michigan Tech, Senior Night

*****

Pine Mountain Music Festival Presents: Bach in the Mine

PINE MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL PRESENTS BACH IN THE MINE This concert will have limited seating and will be advance tickets only. PROGRAM Experience the music of J.S. Bach...

*****

PSR Kickoff

Sorority Life PSR Kick-off Event. Must be registered for Fall Sorority Recruitment on Campus Director to attend. https://mtu.mycampusdirector2.com/landing/

*****

Film Board Presents: Sonic 2

Join Film Board as we show Sonic 2 in Fisher 135! Tickets are $3 and concessions are $1 each. See our website for more details. https://filmboard.mtu.edu/

*****

Film Board Presents: Sonic 2

Join Film Board as we show Sonic 2 in Fisher 135! Tickets are $3 and concessions are $1 each. See our website for more details. https://filmboard.mtu.edu/