November 3, 2022

The deadline for employees to submit claims for their 2022 Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is March 31, 2023. Health care and dependent care claims during the 2022 calendar year are eligible if the date of service was in 2022. Any money remaining in the account after this date is forfeited per IRS regulations.

Dependent care claims require an invoice or receipt from the provider. All medical, dental and optical claims should be processed through your insurance plans before submitting them to your health care reimbursement account.

Attach the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) or a claim summary from your insurance plan to the claim form when submitting a claim. For expenses not processed through insurance, submit the itemized receipt.

More information and the FSA claim form can be found online on the Human Resources Flex Spending webpage.

For questions, contact Benefits Services at benefits@mtu.edu or call 7-2517.

Michigan Tech is among 63 universities, colleges and trade schools recognized by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency as Veteran-Friendly Schools (VFS) for 2022.

Tech received Gold status based on our veteran-centric services and programs.

According to the press release, the Michigan Veteran-Friendly Schools Program recognizes academic institutions committed to supporting the needs of veterans and military-connected students. These institutions are awarded Gold-, Silver- and Bronze-level status. Any academic institution or training facility in Michigan eligible to receive veteran education benefits can apply for the program.

Michigan Tech Recreation and the Sledcats are hosting a free Sled Hockey Clinic and Scrimmage on Saturday (Nov. 5) at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The event begins at noon and ends at 5 p.m.

The clinic is open to all ages and abilities and equipment will be provided. Register online to participate.

Clinic instruction will be provided by members of the Sledcats sled hockey team from Marquette, and scrimmages will be played. You can also come to spin around the ice and enjoy a new way to ice skate. It will be fun for people with and without disabilities!

Other partners for the event include SAIL Disability Network of the Upper Peninsula, ELK (Equipment Loans of the Keweenaw), Michigan Tech's Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology, and U.P. Adventure Company.

Read more about sled hockey and see the event poster at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Please join us next Thursday (Nov. 10) from noon to 1 p.m. in the MUB Superior Room, B001.

Essential oils can be found everywhere from big-box stores to online shops to individual distributors to gas stations. You may find yourself asking questions like: Are all essential oils created equal? What should I look for in an essential oil company? Are oils safe? Do essential oils actually work?

Join Kemmy Taylor (KIP) and Emily Betterly of Superior Essentials as they walk you through, step by step, the ins and outs of what essential oils are and why they are so powerful, as well as provide practical ways you can incorporate them into your everyday life, essentially making over your medicine cabinet.

Taylor is a holistic chiropractor and certified essential oil coach, as well as an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology here at Michigan Tech. She and Betterly have a passion for teaching others, both in our local community and beyond, how to safely and effectively use essential oils to support health. You will walk away from this session feeling empowered to use them in your daily routine.

Please email benefits@mtu.edu to reserve your seat today!

This Lunch and Learn counts toward Option 2 in your Husky Health Checklist.

Follow Michigan Tech Wellness on Facebook for upcoming health and wellness initiatives supported by the Benefits Office, which may count toward your 2022 Husky Health Checklist.

Young Americans for Freedom will be hosting their Third Annual Freedom Week from Monday to next Friday (Nov. 7-11).

Freedom Week is held this week because it encompasses the Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall and Veterans Day. The week will be kicked off by speaker Jorge Galicia, followed by two other events: the celebration of the Fall of the Berlin Wall and Veterans Speak!, where some of our local veterans share their experience.

Schedule of Events:

• Speaker: Jorge Galicia
  Monday, Nov. 7 — 7 p.m. in MUB Ballroom A2
  Galicia is one of 4 million Venezuelans who have fled their country following its economic, social and political collapse. Living under socialism showed Galicia the dangers of letting the state grow. From a very young age, he has been speaking out about the very real damages caused by socialism and has made it his life’s mission to win the fight.
  
  
• Celebrating the 33rd Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
  Wednesday, Nov. 9 — 9 a.m. on Walker Lawn
  
  
• Veterans Speak!
  Thursday, Nov. 10 — 7 p.m. in M&M 610
  Veterans share their experiences and how serving their country impacted their lives.

Please join us in celebrating our freedom and honoring those who serve!

Editor's Note: The lecture is being held at 3 p.m., not 4 p.m. The time has been updated in the story.

Join the Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) on Monday (Nov. 7) at 3 p.m. as we hear from Professor Jonathan Overpeck, an interdisciplinary climate scientist, William B. Stapp Collegiate Professor of Environmental Education and the Samuel A. Graham Dean of the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan.

Overpeck will present “Climate Change, Drought and Global Aridification: Understanding Confidence.”

Read the event details at the University Events Calendar and join the presentation via Zoom (use passcode 843781).

This talk will focus on one of the sharpest edges of the growing global climate crisis: hydrologic extremes and water security. Special attention will be focused on understanding how to assess and assign confidence estimates to projections of future change.

Overpeck has written 220 published works on climate and the environmental sciences. He served as Working Group I coordinating lead author for the Nobel Prize–winning IPCC Fourth Assessment (2007), and also as Working Group II lead author for the IPCC Fifth Assessment (2014).

Overpeck has carried out climate research programs on six continents, focused on understanding drought and megadrought dynamics (and risk) the world over, and has also served as the lead investigator of Climate Assessment for the Southwest and the SW Climate Science Center — two major programs focused on regional climate adaptation. He has appeared and testified before Congress multiple times, is a Fellow of AGU and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and tweets about environmental and climate-related issues @GreatLakesPeck.

Distinguished Professor John Vucetich (CFRES) will be featured at the Michigan Tech Research Forum (MTRF) on Dec. 1. 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 in-person attendees to network.

Vucetich’s presentation is titled "What is an endangered species?"

Read the research statement on the Distinguished Lecture Series page.

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

Additional details can be found on the MTRF website.

Please join the Ecosystem Science Center (ESC) today (Nov. 3) from 3-4 p.m. in person in GLRC 202 or virtually via Zoom for the Distinguished Ecologist Lecture Series (DELS) seminar by Professor Marc Cadotte from the University of Toronto. All are welcome, and please feel free to disseminate to interested students, staff and colleagues. Note that this seminar is a rescheduling of Cadotte's postponed seminar from Oct. 6.

Cadotte's presentation is titled "The Importance of Biodiversity in a Human World."

Cadotte is a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto-Scarborough. He is a community ecologist investigating the links between biodiversity and ecosystem function, how to predict and control invasive species and how environmental change influences the delivery of ecosystem services.

Cadotte has published widely on pioneering methods for measuring biodiversity and quantifying species differences. In this joint Biology/Distinguished Ecologist Lecture Seminar, Cadotte will examine how human activities and species invasions alter biodiversity patterns and how we can conserve and manage natural and urban ecosystems to maximize biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide.

Join the Vice President for Research Office (VPR) as we present the next session of the VPR Research Series with a virtual presentation led by VPR, the Van Pelt and Opie Library, the Great Lakes Research Center and the Geospatial Research Facility.

The session will be held Nov. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom.

This session will provide an introduction to recent developments in research data management, which are being driven in part by the evolving requirements of many research sponsors, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and others. In particular, we will discuss changes coming to NIH requirements, effective January 2023.

The session will include an overview of Michigan Tech’s policy on research data, as well as practical resources available at Michigan Tech to assist with data management needs (e.g., online resources at the Van Pelt and Opie Library, the Data Management Plan tool, and Digital Commons). In addition, the panel will share practical tips and examples from data management planning on recent projects.

A Q&A session will follow the presentation for attendees to ask questions and engage with the presenters to dig deeper into specific topics of interest.

The next speaker in the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics's Graduate Seminar Series will present at 4 p.m. today (Nov. 3) in MEEM 112.

Kathryn Maupin will present “Enhancing Computational Simulation with Physics- and Data-Informed Surrogate Models.”

Maupin is a senior member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories. Her research focuses on model form error quantification and multi-objective surrogate modeling.

The Michigan Tech soccer team fell 3-1 to Ferris State in the GLIAC quarterfinals on Tuesday (Nov. 1) in Big Rapids at the Bulldog Soccer Field.

"Tough way to end the season today with a third loss to Ferris State, but I thought that our student-athletes gave it their all and left it all out on the field," head coach Bulut Ozturk said. "Super thankful for our seniors. They gave everything to the program for the last four to six years and we will truly miss them."

"Wishing Ferris State the best as they move forward in the GLIAC tournament," Ozturk added.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The Michigan Tech cross country teams are prepped to begin postseason competition as they travel to New Boston, Michigan, for the GLIAC Conference Championships, being held at Willow Metropark tomorrow (Nov. 4).

The women's team will compete first, with the gun going off at 11 a.m. The men's race will follow at 11:45 a.m.

A livestream of the championships will be available on FloSports. Results of the championships can be found after the event under "GLIAC Cross Country Championship 2022" at the Superior Timing website.

Last year, MTU's men's team ran to a runner-up finish while the women's team placed fourth.

Read the preview at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Posting for Thursday, Nov. 3, 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, Physics. 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.

Erin Smith (HU) was quoted by the Mining Journal in a story about the 41 North Film Festival, which begins today (Nov. 3) at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts and has “something for everyone,” including films by Husky alum Kalvin Hartwig. 

The festival kickoff and Hartwig’s alumni connection were also mentioned by the Keweenaw Report.

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WLUC TV6 mentioned Michigan Tech’s Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity in a story about the annual food drive being held for Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly in Hancock.

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The Keweenaw Report picked up a Michigan Tech News story about a new research expenditures record set by the University in fiscal year 2022.

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WaterWorld Magazine mentioned Michigan Tech in a story on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Action Plan, which awarded almost $2 million in grants to support alternative wastewater treatment technologies in lagoon and pond systems.

Michigan Tech was listed as one of the grant recipients, with a $998,293 award for a project to deploy and test a floating treatment wetland system in a northern Michigan lagoon.

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E&E News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about grants awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to scientists researching biotechnological methods of combating fungal white-nose syndrome in bats.

Michigan Tech received a grant to test two methods of cooling temperatures in bat hibernacula in order to slow the growth of the fungus. 

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Traverse City Business News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story profiling three Grand Traverse area engineering businesses. One of them, Machin Engineering, was founded by Husky alumnus Patrick Machin (civil engineering).

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The Ticker and 9&10 News mentioned Michigan Tech in stories about a partnership supporting the development of a new Freshwater Research and Innovation Center in Traverse City. 

Michigan Tech, Northwestern Michigan College, 20Fathoms, Discovery Center & Pier and Traverse Connect have partnered in support of the project.

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The Lansing City Pulse mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the benefits and challenges of building with mass timber. The story was previously published by Great Lakes Echo, the Spartan Newsroom and the Detroit News. 

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The Daily Mining Gazette picked up a Michigan Tech Athletics press release about MTU hockey’s Blake Pietila being named the CCHA Goaltender of the Week.

Applications Sought: Sustainability and Resilience Education Innovations

The Tech Forward Initiative for Sustainability and Resilience (ISR) at Michigan Tech invites applications for educational innovation projects that increase student exposure to sustainability and resilience in formal coursework. The ISR seeks to incentivize the creation of new sustainability curricula through new and existing coursework so more students across Michigan Tech learn about sustainability, resilience and the connection of each to their domain expertise.

Applications for Educational Innovation support will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Proposals submitted before Dec. 1 will be reviewed no later than Dec. 10. We anticipate offering another opportunity in spring 2023, contingent on funding availability.

Proposals may include support for hourly student work, summer salary or materials/supplies to develop new courses, revamp existing courses or host workshops for educating faculty and/or staff on sustainability education. Proposals may also include funds to support or incentivize participation from students, faculty and/or staff, and/or materials or supplies for coursework innovation.

Faculty, graduate students, and staff are all eligible to apply. Applications can be submitted by individuals or teams; graduate students are encouraged to collaborate with a faculty member to submit an application.

Individual awards will be made for up to $5,000; we anticipate most awards will be in the range of $3,000 to $5,000, but encourage budgets that meet the project needs. Potential applicants are encouraged to reach out with questions about their potential budget.

Submitted proposals should be no more than two pages. Each proposal should include:

• A narrative description of the proposed educational innovation. This description should include at least one stand-alone paragraph that clearly describes how this educational innovation aligns with the broader goal of ensuring all students at Michigan Tech are exposed to sustainability and resilience through the curricula, including how many students are likely to be impacted by this innovation and how this innovation will be maintained in the curriculum.
  
  
• A detailed budget and a proposed project timeline. Project work should take place no later than fall 2023; the implementation timeline is flexible but should be described in the proposal.
  
  
• A list of deliverables to be provided to ISR at the end of the project period, such as a completed syllabus, a new course proposal prepared for submission, a workshop report, etc., to be determined and described by the applicant.

If you have any questions about a potential project proposal, please reach out to ask! The ISR Working Group (ISR WG) will review applications and contact applicants regarding decisions. For questions and to submit your application, please email Robert Handler at rhandler@mtu.edu.

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SRC-Squared Panel Discussion: Michigan Tech as a Living Lab

Join the Sustainable and Resilient Communities Social Network and Research Collaborative (SRC-Squared) next Thursday (Nov. 10) from 12:30-1:30 p.m. to discuss how we can use our campus as a teaching tool and lab for a more sustainable future.

Attendance is invited in person in Dow 875 or virtually via Zoom.

Michigan Tech has a rich history of experiential learning and applied research. Transitioning our campus and community to a more sustainable model will afford opportunities to build off that tradition, converting our campus into a living laboratory for sustainability and linking our operational management with our teaching and research missions.

This discussion will highlight some of the ways in which faculty are using campus/community as a place for applied learning, and explore opportunities for future growth and expansion of the concept.

Panelists for this meeting include Richelle Winkler (SS), Brian Barkdoll (CEGE) and Rod Chimner (CFRES).

The discussion will be moderated by Alan Turnquist, director of sustainability and resilience.

The Sustainable and Resilient Communities Social Network and Research Collaborative (SRC-Squared) is hosted by the Tech Forward Initiative for Sustainability and Resilience.

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ECE Guest Speaker: Shekhar Bhansali

Shekhar Bhansali, distinguished university professor and Lucent CALA Technologies distinguished professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Florida International University, will present "Addressing Unmet Needs in Woundcare Management" at 10 a.m. today (Nov. 3) in EERC 501.

The presentation can also be viewed on Zoom. You will need to sign in using your MTU ISO login credentials.

Bhansali is a former NSF Electrical Communications and Cyber Security (ECCS) Division director (2020-22). He has advised 25 postdoctoral fellows, and 65 Ph.D. and master's students. He is an elected fellow of AAAS, AIMBE, ECS, NAI and IOP. His visit is sponsored by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Michigan Tech.

From the abstract: 
Wounds that do not heal over long periods of time (3 months) are classified as Chronic wounds. They manifest themselves in patients that have underlying diseases like poorly controlled diabetes. Chronic wounds need to be managed to prevent complications, preserve tissue function, and facilitate healing. Current practice for wound evaluation and wound management includes visually recording the wound area and wound depth to assess healing progress. The need to visit a clinic at least once every week results in poor patient compliance and long term complications with inferior health outcomes.

Our research focuses on leveraging advances in electrochemical sensing, fabrication techniques and electronics to develop a new class of affordable wound dressings that enable quantitative measurements of markers of wound healing. In this talk, a novel sensor chemistry, its in-vitro and initial in-vivo results are presented. This biosensor was fabricated by immobilizing uricase (UOx) , a natural catalyst for Uric Acid (an indicator for wound status) as the enzyme. UA is immobilized on a flexible electrode along with Au nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) and gold nanoparticles (Au) in an FCA matrix to ensure seamless electron transfer. The sensor was attached to gauze and used on patients for proof of principle.

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Physics Colloquium: Yoke Khin Yap

Michigan Tech Professor Yoke Khin Yap (Physics) will present at the next Physics Colloquium.

The in-person seminar will take place at 4 p.m. today (Nov. 3) in Fisher 139.

Yap's presentation is titled "Fundamentals of Journal Paper Writing and the Implication for Proposal and Report Development."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

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This Week’s C3 Luncheon

Menu for Thursday (Nov. 3):

• Swedish Meatballs
• Egg Noodles (Vegetarian)
• Oven Roasted Carrots (Gluten-Friendly, Vegan)
• Green Peas and Roasted Mushrooms (Gluten-Friendly, Vegan)
• Harvest Kale Salad (Gluten Friendly, Vegan)

Dining Services presents this week's C3 Luncheon, being held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge (MUB 107). All faculty and staff, along with their guests, are invited.

The C3 lunch buffet menus are created and prepared by executive chef Michael Landini 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 C3 feedback using our Google form. To join the C3 Google group and receive weekly menus, email business-support@mtu.edu.

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MS Defense: Timothy Stone, SS

M.S. in Industrial Heritage and Archaeology candidate Timothy Stone will defend his thesis today (Nov. 3) at 1 p.m. in GLRC 202.

Stone's project is titled "Deep Mapping the Daily Spaces and Health of Children in the Historic Industrial City."

Stone's work utilizes GIS to map and analyze the health and risks to children in industrial cities.

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

The Rozsa Galleries Present: Arabesque

Thursday, November 3, 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...

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Addressing Unmet Needs in Woundcare Management

Thursday, November 3, 10 a.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 501

Electrical and Computer Engineering Seminar Dr. Shekhar Bhansali Distinguished University Professor and Lucent CALA Technologies Distinguished Professor Department of...

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Master's Defense: Timothy Stone

Thursday, November 3, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Industrial Heritage & Archaeology Advisor: Donald Lafreniere Deep Mapping the Daily Spaces and Health of Children in the Historic Industrial City Attend Virtually:...

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Internship Draft Day

Thursday, November 3, 2:00 p.m.–5:15 p.m.

Join companies and students at Lambeau Field in a chance to get in-person interviews for internships and full-time jobs. You must register in advance at...

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Internship Draft Day

Thursday, November 3, 2:00 p.m.–5:15 p.m.

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The Importance of Biodiversity in a Human World by Dr. Marc Cadotte

Thursday, November 3, 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

The Ecosystem Science Center and the Department of Biological Sciences welcome invited guest Dr. Marc Cadotte, Professor at the University of Toronto-Scarborough, as part of...

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Enhancing Computational Simulation with Physics- and Data-Informed Surrogate Models

Thursday, November 3, 4 p.m. | R. L. Smith Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building (MEEM), 112

ME-EM Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Kathryn Maupin, PhD Sandia National Laboratories Abstract Computational simulation has allowed scientists to...

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LEED Green Associate Program Training

Thursday, November 3, 4 p.m.–6 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 211

Who: Open to MTU Students and Employees Dates: The class will be held on five Thursdays, starting October 13, 2022. Time: 4–6 p.m. Location: Chem Sci 211 Instructor: Joe...

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Physics Colloquium - Dr. Yoke Khin Yap

Thursday, November 3, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 139

Michigan Tech Physics Professor, Yoke Khin Yap will be presenting at the next Physics Colloquium. Please join the in-person presentation at 4:00 PM EST (November 3). ...

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Adult Huskies Swim Lessons Fall 2022 Session 2

Thursday, November 3, 5:00 p.m.–5:50 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 Fall 2022 Session 2

Thursday, November 3, 5:00 p.m.–5:50 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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Traveling Tech Talks: A Conversation on Human Factors Engineering and User Experience

Thursday, November 3, 7 p.m. | The Museum of Flight - View Lounge

We are excited to announce a new Michigan Tech alumni event tradition: Traveling Tech Talks. This new series will be hosted in different regions, showcasing the personal and...

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(Women's Basketball) Michigan Tech at Wis.-Green Bay

Thursday, November 3, 8 p.m.–11 p.m.

Women's Basketball: Michigan Tech at Wis.-Green Bay, Exhibition - Kress Center

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41 North Film Festival

November 3, all day | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

The 41 North Film Festival showcases recent independent films and filmmakers from around the region, country, and world. For more information and a complete list of films,...

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Adult and Youth Huskies Tennis Lessons

November 3, all day | Gates Tennis Center

Youth Tennis Lessons: After school and weekend Youth Huskies Group Tennis Lessons are back this fall! Join by age group and level for some fun on the tennis courts! October 24...