October 10, 2022

Effective today (Oct. 10), Pengfei Xue (CEGE/GLRC) will become the Great Lakes Research Center’s first associate director.

Established in 2013, the Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) has grown to include more than 100 affiliated faculty and research staff, achieving $9.2 million in new research awards and $7.1 million in research expenditures in fiscal year 2022. The GLRC’s portfolio includes core research in the areas of Great Lakes science and system processes, sustainability and marine technology adaptation.

Xue, an associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE), will lead the GLRC’s Hydrodynamics, Climate, and Environment Research Team, and contribute to the center’s long-term strategy development.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to support Dr. Xue’s appointment as associate director,” stated Tim Havens, director of the GLRC. “His leading hydrodynamic modeling research has been a shining example of the high-quality research going on at the GLRC, and his commitment to the strategic growth of the GLRC is evident in his mentoring of new scientists and engineers in his group. I’m thrilled to welcome him to the GLRC executive team.”

“I am proud of Pengfei’s success and the impact his research has had. He is an expert in the development of numerical models and computer simulations for the Great Lakes, as well as environmental risk analysis, seasonal forecasting and regional climate change, ” said Audra Morse, CEGE department chair. “More importantly, the appointment acknowledges the impact Pengfei has had on his colleagues and the work he will continue in an effort to support his colleagues’ growth as scholars.”

Midterm grades submission will open at noon today (Oct. 10) and will close at noon next Monday (Oct. 17).

Midterm grades must be submitted for all first-year students and transfer students with fewer than 30 credits. The Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success coordinates outreach to these students based on the midterm grades submitted. This supports timely intervention for students who may be experiencing academic and/or other difficulties.

Electronic Grade Submission
Instructors have two options for electronic grade submission. They may submit grades via Banner Self-Service by going directly into Banweb, entering grades and then clicking submit. Those with larger class sizes where grades have already been totaled in Canvas may submit grades via Canvas by going to CourseTools and using the Grade Wizard to first extract them from Canvas and then submit them to Banner.

If grades are submitted using Banner Self-Service, only the students who require a midterm grade will appear. For those who submit their grades via Canvas, a first-year student column has been added to identify these students in your course grade book.

Satisfactory grades (A-C) should be entered as “SA” and Unsatisfactory grades (CD-F) as “UN”.

Midterm grades are for full-semester courses only. Grades not turned in by the deadline will have an M (missing) grade assigned.

Proposals for funding through the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) are due soon:

• Wednesday, Oct. 19, by noon — Internal deadline for pre-college education, public outreach, teacher training and research seed grant proposals.
  
  
• Wednesday, Nov. 9, by noon — Internal deadline for undergraduate and graduate fellowship proposals.
  
  
• Wednesday, Nov. 16, by 5 p.m. — Final materials, after review and approval by SPO, 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.

For instructions detailing proposal submission procedures and requirements, visit the Graduate School's MSGC page.

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

Michigan Tech is just a couple short weeks away from our largest annual day of service — Make a Difference Day! Last year, nearly 500 Huskies gave back at service sites across the Keweenaw region. We anticipate an even higher number of volunteers for this year’s event, which will take place Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Do you know of an organization, agency or community member who could use the assistance of volunteers? We can help! Request support yourself by completing our site registration form or pass it on to others who would benefit from having some Husky Helpers. Past activities completed by our volunteers include organizing donations, chopping wood, cleaning storage facilities, fall lawn cleanup, trail maintenance and more.

Our entire community — faculty, staff and students — are also invited to volunteer. Volunteers can register on GivePulse, our community service website. If you would like to register with members of a group, please include the group name when signing up.

The final deadline to register is next Monday (Oct. 17) at 8 a.m. Every registered volunteer will receive a free Make a Difference Day T-shirt!

Check-in for volunteers will begin at 8:45 a.m. Oct. 22 in the MUB Ballroom, where information will be distributed before groups travel to their service locations. Most locations will require your group to drive.

Want to learn more about the event? Check out our website. Thank you for your help to make a difference in our community!

Would you like University Senate meetings to be at a different time? Do you feel strongly that they should stay the way they are?

The Senate Ad-hoc Committee to Evaluate the Timing of Senate Meetings is hosting an open forum to discuss the challenges our constituents face regarding the timing of Senate meetings and solicit input on the subject. The Senate currently meets on alternating Wednesdays beginning at 5:30 p.m. with no set ending time.

The forum will be held Oct. 21 from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom.

If you are unable to make the meeting and want to share your opinion, or if you would like to join the committee, please email senate-meeting-time-evaluation-l@mtu.edu.

Please join us tomorrow (Oct. 11) for an hour of laid-back Francophone setting with French natives and other Francophiles. All levels welcome. Walker 120C, from 5-6 p.m.

Café Français meets every second Tuesday: Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 8 and Nov. 29.

Friends and family are welcome!

Join us Tuesday (Oct. 11) for la Peña, the Spanish Conversation Hour. Come unwind and meet new people while you refresh your Spanish! Everybody is welcome. We will meet from 5-6 p.m. in the HDMZ (Humanities Digital Media Zone), Walker 120A.

Other la Peña dates this semester: Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 8, Nov. 29

The College of Sciences and Arts (CSA) dean’s office is partnering with the Copper Country ISD to host the Copper Country Math Circle. Students in grades 2-5 who are excited about mathematics are invited to attend.

The math circle's first meeting is Thursday (Oct. 13) from 6:30-8 p.m. in Michigan Tech's Van Pelt and Opie Library, Room 243/244. Meetings will be held on one Thursday evening per month thereafter. David Hemmer, CSA dean and professor of mathematical sciences, will run the circle, assisted by MTU student Ben Wireman.

Math circles are informal gatherings where students work on interesting problems or topics in mathematics. Through problem-solving and interactive exploration, students develop an excitement and appreciation of mathematics. Math circles are not intended to accelerate the traditional school curriculum, but to explore interesting topics not normally seen in the classroom.

There is no charge to participate, but registration is required. For more information, including registration information, please visit the Copper Country Math Circle website.

The fall social for Women in the Academy (WIA) has been rescheduled and moved to a new location!

WIA is pleased to host a fall social to welcome new faculty to campus, rekindle connections and social interactions that have been on hold over the past few years, and enjoy some morning fellowship.

Please join us from 8:30-10 a.m. Oct. 20 in the Great Lakes Research Center, GLRC 202, for coffee and a light breakfast. We'll have tables set with conversation starters, and also will share plans for activities this semester. Make sure to bring along any new women faculty in your departments!

See details on the University Events Calendar.

Registration for the second session of Fall Adult and Youth Tennis Programs will open soon! Classes begin the week of Oct. 24 and run through mid-December (no classes Thanksgiving week).

Visit Michigan Tech Recreation's Gates Tennis Center webpage for more information about adult and youth tennis lessons, as well as pickleball lessons. Private tennis and pickleball lessons are also available.

See you on the courts!

"R.U.R." — 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15 and Oct. 20-22
Presented by Michigan Tech Sound, Michigan Tech Music and ROBOT101

Michigan Tech Theatre performs the 1920 dystopian play "R.U.R: Rossum's Universal Robots" in McArdle Theater. Witness a world of robots in revolt against the limited human population in this semi-staged radio drama. A post-performance discussion will take place following Saturday's performance.

How to Attend:

• Faculty, staff and general public: Reserve your tickets online or call 906-487-1906.
• Students: Bring your Student ID to get free Student Rush tickets for you and a friend, or email rozsa@mtu.edu to skip the line and reserve your tickets in advance.
• Can't make it in person? Stream it live.

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Unquiet Earth — Saturday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Presented by Michigan Tech Music
Performed by the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra

The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Joel Neves, presents a concert that blends fresh new work, a rediscovered gem and beloved favorites.

How to Attend:

• Faculty, staff and general public: Reserve your tickets online or call 906-487-1906.
• Students: Bring your Student ID to get free Student Rush tickets for you and a friend, or email rozsa@mtu.edu to skip the line and reserve your tickets in advance.
• Can't make it in person? Stream it live.

Laura Fierce of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will be presenting at the next Physics Colloquium.

The seminar will be presented in person at 4 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 13) in Fisher 139.

Fierce's presentation is titled "Multi-Scale Modeling of Aerosol Interactions with Clouds and Radiation."

Read the abstract at the University Events Calendar.

Brad Austin, director of the Marquette Solid Waste Management Authority, will be on campus Wednesday (Oct. 12) from 1-2 p.m. to talk about trends, challenges and opportunities for reducing solid waste and increasing recycling in the Upper Peninsula.

Please join us in person in Library 103 or virtually via Zoom.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2023 Amtrak Tourism: Trains, Cities, and Sustainability faculty-led study away. The program is only $1,000 plus tuition, and makes six stops over 19 days where students can earn 6-10 HASS and PE credits.

Anyone interested is welcome to attend an informational session in the Academic Office Building Commons (AOB 209) at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow (Oct. 11) and/or Oct. 26. There will be snacks.

You can also reach out to the faculty director and co-director directly: Mark Rhodes at marhodes@mtu.edu and Kathryn Hannum at khannum@mtu.edu.

Job Postings for Monday, Oct. 10, 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 Professor, Applied Computing. Apply online.

Assistant Teaching Professor, Applied Computing. Apply online.

Postdoctoral Scholar – Computational Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering. 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.

Brad King (ME-EM) was quoted by ABC 10 in a story on the new rocket factory opened by his company, Orbion Space Technology. 

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Lake Superior Magazine mentioned Michigan Tech in its “Around the Circle This Week” section, highlighting the "New Music in the Mine" concert Oct. 6 and the Haunted Mine Tours planned later this month. 

The 2018 Michigan Tech News story on the Haunted Mine Tours written by Cyndi Perkins (UMC) was mentioned in the blurb.

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The Cadillac News mentioned Michigan Tech in a profile of Zach Fredrickson ’15 ’16 (B.S., M.S., accounting), who was one of the professionals profiled in a special “Twenty Under 40” section.

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The Keweenaw Report published a story on Michigan Tech Homecoming activities and Family Weekend events taking place over the weekend.

Husky Health Checklist Reminder

Remember to complete your Husky Health Checklist with the activities you completed between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2022, to earn up to $450 in health incentives for benefits-eligible employees.

Jan. 9, 2023, is the last day to submit Husky Health Checklists for the 2022 reporting period. The 2022 Husky Health payout incentives will be received in early 2023.

Check out the Husky Health website for more information and links to webinars and fitness programs that count toward the Husky Health incentive. Find out more information about Husky Health and other wellness benefits by visiting our website.

Questions? Contact the Benefits Office or call 906-487-2517.

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Nominations Open: 2023 MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Thesis Award

Nominations are now open for the 2023 MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Thesis Award. Please submit nominations to the Graduate School no later than 4 p.m. tomorrow (Oct. 11), following our online instructions.

This year, nominations are being accepted from dissertations in the fields of:

1. Social Sciences
2. Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering

Michigan Tech may nominate one student in each field. Master’s students who have completed all of their degree requirements between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2022, are eligible. The fields of competition for 2024 will be Humanities and Biological and Life Sciences.

Nominations must be delivered to Debra Charlesworth in the Graduate School no later than 4 p.m. tomorrow. Please email nominations to gradschool@mtu.edu.

Contact Debra Charlesworth at gradschool@mtu.edu if you have any questions about the competition.

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Jeff Naber Presenting MTRF Distinguished Lecture

University Professor Jeff Naber (ME-EM) will be featured at the Michigan Tech Research Forum (MTRF) on Wednesday (Oct. 12). The event will be held in the Memorial Union Ballroom A. The lecture will begin at 4:30 p.m., with 30 minutes before and after the lecture for networking. Light refreshments will be provided.

Naber’s presentation is titled “The Changing Landscape in Transportation Energy Utilization.” Additional details can be found on the MTRF website.

The MTRF is presented by the Office of the Provost with support from the Vice President for Research Office. 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.

View a schedule and additional information on the Distinguished Lecture Series page.

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CTL Instructional Award: Loredana Valenzano-Slough

The Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) will recognize Loredana Valenzano-Slough (Chem) as the recipient of the CTL Instructional Award for Large Class Teaching on Thursday (Oct. 13) at 3:45 p.m. in the Library East Reading Room. She was selected for the award after her nomination via the Deans’ Teaching Showcase during the spring 2022 semester.

Please plan to join us in recognizing Valenzano-Slough by registering for the event.

Valenzano-Slough’s presentation: "Physical Chemistry is Dead… Long Live Physical Chemistry!"

From the abstract:
As the name suggests, Physical Chemistry (PChem) is heavily dependent on physics, which is heavily dependent on math and problem-solving reasoning. In time, it became evident that students struggling the most in PChem were those lacking practice in math. To help the students, I started to spend some of the PChem class time in “math review sessions” to give them practical suggestions on how to approach and use the necessary mathematical tools (multivariable derivatives, power series, and integrals). I soon realized though, that this was not enough and that they needed more first-hand practice on the actual use of such tools and their applications toward solving PChem problems. For this reason, I designed a “Math for (applications) in PChem I” online 1-credit course which exposes students to those mathematical concepts used in PChem but concentrate on their actual applications and problem-solving techniques.

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SRC-Squared Panel Discussion on Circular Economy

You are invited to the second meeting of the Sustainable and Resilient Communities Social Network and Research Collaborative (SRC-Squared) for the 2022-23 academic year!

SRC-Squared is hosted by the Tech Forward Initiative for Sustainability and Resilience, and the goal is to build community around research collaborations centered on sustainability and resilience. SRC-Squared meets monthly throughout the academic year.

This meeting of SRC-Squared is focused on circular economy research. A panel of researchers will each share a specific research project focused on some aspect of circular economy research, and a discussion will follow, focusing on opportunities for collaboration and how our work could be expanded in this area.

The panel members for this meeting are Erin Syth (VPR), Rebecca Ong (ChE), David Shonnard (ChE), Shan Zhou (SS) and Tim Eisele (ChE).

Details:

• What: SRC-Squared Panel Discussion on Circular Economy Research, hosted by the Tech Forward Initiative on Sustainability and Resilience
• When: Thursday, Oct. 13, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Where: Dow 875 or via Zoom

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CEGE Grad Info Night

Do you have questions about graduate school? Join Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) faculty and graduate students, as well as the MTU Graduate School, for Grad Info Night tonight (Oct. 10) at 6 p.m. in Dow 875 or virtually via Zoom (use passcode 372825).

Learn about why you should consider graduate school, the accelerated and online M.S. program, application process, financial aid and much more.

This event is sponsored by Chi Epsilon, CEGE, and the MTU Graduate School.

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Idea Pitch Competition Winners and Acknowledgements

Entrepreneurship starts with an innovative idea. Last Tuesday (Oct. 4) at Husky Innovate’s Idea Pitch Competition, eight students pitched their ideas to a panel of seven judges and to audience members, taking a step in their journey as entrepreneurs. Thanks to all contestants, and congratulations to our award winners!

• First Place: Anastasia Motta with The Droplet ($200)
• Second Place: Cassandra Nash with College Friendly Cabinets ($100)
• Third Place: Alex Bos with The SELF Couch ($50)
• Honorable Mention: Ruby Alhajjar with Monitoring System for Microbial Influence ($25)
• Audience Favorite: Noel Kamdem-Tegue with Black Earth Rising, a food truck ($25)
• Social Impact Award: Cethan Magnan with School Swap ($100)

Thank you to those who gave their time and resources to make the evening a success:

• Our sponsors: Dean Johnson, Elham Asgari, and Dan and Jane Green.
• Our judges: Elham Asgari, Erich Petushek, Mark Rudnicki, Dan Green, Briana Tucker, Jason Mack and Rourke Sylvain.
• Our emcee: Bayle Golden.
• Our marketing team: Jessie Stapleton and Eugene Agyei.

The Idea Pitch Competition is the first of three pitch events hosted by Husky Innovate each year. Our next pitch event is the Bob Mark Business Model Competition on Jan. 19, a legacy event that celebrates entrepreneurship and pays tribute to the late COB Professor of Practice Bob Mark. Contestants pitch the key components of their business models, including value proposition, customer segment and product market fit. To compete, register for the competition now.

For competitors, watch for preparation workshops, such as the Business Model Bootcamp and Explaining Your Market Opportunity. Reach out to Husky Innovate at huskyinnovate@mtu.edu for more information.

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EPSSI Seminar Featuring ONERA Research Scientist

Join the Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) today (Oct. 10) at 4 p.m. as we hear from Romain Ceolato, research scientist at ONERA — Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales, or The French Aerospace Laboratory — managed by the French Ministry of Defense.

Ceolato will be presenting "Light-scattering by Irregularly Shaped Particles including Black Carbon: Application to Elastic Backscatter Lidar."

Find details and read the abstract at the University Events Calendar.

The talk will be given live in M&M U113 and virtually via Zoom (use passcode 931966).

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Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar will take place at 3 p.m. today (Oct. 10) in the Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), GLRC 202.

Professor Bruce Lee of the Michigan Tech Department of Biomedical Engineering will present "Antipathogenic biomaterials based on mussel-inspired chemistry."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

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

The Rozsa Galleries Present: Arabesque

Monday, October 10, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Galleries A-Space

THE ROZSA GALLERIES PRESENT ARABESQUE AN ART EXHIBITION OF THE WORKS OF CLEMENT YEH AND TOMAS CO FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 THROUGH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022 GALLERY HOURS: M-F 8...

Poster Session: Computing[MTU] Showcase

Monday, October 10, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom A

The College of Computing and the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) will host a research poster session on Monday, October 10, 2022, at 1:00 pm, in MUB Ballroom...

Antipathogenic biomaterials based on mussel-inspired chemistry

Monday, October 10, 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Bruce Lee, Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan Technological University Abstract: Marine mussels secrete...

EPSSI Seminar: Dr. Romain Ceolato, Research Scientist, ONERA, France

Monday, October 10, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), Room U113

Light-scattering by Irregularly Shaped Particles including Black Carbon: Application to Elastic Backscatter Lidar Light-scattering provides rich information on a large range...

Monday Study Sessions!

Monday, October 10, 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Fisher Hall 232

Get together with your peers to work on professional, personal and academic activities with help from undergrad and grad physics buddies! When: Every Monday evening from 5:30...

CEGE Grad Info Night

Monday, October 10, 6 p.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 875

Do you have questions about graduate school? Join the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) faculty and graduate students, as well as the MTU...

How to be a Good Ally Presentation

Monday, October 10, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Dillman 214

Come to this event to learn how to be a good ally to the LGBTQIA+ community and beyond. Presentation will feature both staff and students to give a variety of viewpoints.

Mixing Lasers with the Atmosphere

Monday, October 10, 6 p.m.

Husky Bites presents Special Guest Mike Roggemann Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Michigan Technological University Atmospheric turbulence—a pervasive...

SAE Aero Design Weekly Meeting

Monday, October 10, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. | SAE Aero Lab, MEEM 703

SAE Aero Design aims to offer valuable experience to Michigan Tech students of all majors interested in an extracurricular engineering & design opportunity. Come join our...

Keweenaw Socialists @ MTU General Meeting

Monday, October 10, 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | Fisher 325

Discussion of current club projects and planned socials as well as notable recent news. The meeting will be hybrid in-person and on Zoom. Following the organized portion of...