November 4, 2022

Recognizing the need for a space on campus for Indigenous peoples and allies from all walks of life to come together in solidarity, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) would love to relaunch an AISES chapter here at Michigan Tech.

AISES is a national nonprofit organization that nurtures community building by bridging science and technology with traditional Native values. Through its educational programs, AISES provides opportunities for Indigenous peoples and allies to pursue studies in science, engineering, business and other academic arenas. AISES provides professional development training so our student leaders become technologically informed within Indigenous spaces. Won’t you be the catalyst for the advancement of Indigenous peoples with us?

We invite interested Indigenous peoples and allies to join us Wednesday (Nov. 9) from 5:30-7 p.m. in Fisher 326.

Please register in advance.

Research by Jiani Tang, a dual-enrolled Michigan Tech undergraduate/Houghton High School senior, received the second prize poster award in the 8th Annual Student Research Symposium, held in Weston Hall at Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, on Oct. 22.

Supervised by Haiying Liu (Chem), Tang is conducting undergraduate scientific research on ratiometric fluorescence detection of pH and NADH in live cells.

The research is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers R15GM114751, 2R15GM114751-02, and R15GM146206 (to H.Y. Liu).

Students, especially STEMM students, prefer male professors, according to research. Two recent studies highlighted by Inside Higher Ed show that this bias increases both during a course and as the professor ages. In one study, student evaluations of men and women instructors were similar at the beginning of the course but when students received their grades after the first exam, their evaluations for women instructors were lower than for men instructors on items that were supposedly gender-neutral. According to the researchers, “We found that bias widened after receiving grades, making this the first study to our knowledge that confirms that gender bias is fueled by feedback.”

The other study found that teaching evaluations for women faculty declined from their early-tenure, young-adulthood years to middle age, and then rebounded during later middle age. The trend was reversed for men, who received higher evaluations as they aged. The researchers observed, “Our findings show that women are rated significantly lower as they age from younger to middle age, with their lowest teaching ratings emerging at age 47. Men do not experience this drop in ratings.”

These studies add to the ongoing concerns about the role of student evaluations in various administrative decisions. Although non-numerical assessments may supplement course evaluations (as at Michigan Tech), these numbers are still often used to distinguish among faculty. As the researchers of the first study noted, “Due to the tight distribution of course evaluation scores among faculty, any differences, though commonly small and often not statistically significant, are used to make consequential decisions.” Instituting more holistic teaching assessment measures and utilizing student course evaluations primarily for teaching development rather than evaluation are among the steps these researchers recommend.

Today’s feature was shared with us by the ADVANCE PI 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.

Stay active with our Fall 2022 Adult Aquatics Programs. Registration for Session 3 programs closes today (Nov. 4). Learn more about each of these programs below.

Adult Aquatics Programs
• Session 3 dates: Nov. 8, 10, 15, 17, 29; Dec. 1, 6, 8
• Registration closes today at 11:59 p.m.

Adult Huskies Swim Training
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 levels in a group setting. Each session is programmed with a warm-up and variations of a workout for the beginner, intermediate and advanced swimmer. Participants will be provided coaching and guidance to meet their individual swimming goals!

• Class Days/Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5-5:50 p.m.

Adult Huskies Swim Lessons
Adult Huskies Swim Lessons provides aquatic education for the beginner to intermediate swimmer who is looking to become more comfortable in the water and learn the four fundamental strokes.

• Class Days/Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5-5:50 p.m.

Don't miss out on this great opportunity to stay active this fall with Adult Aquatics Programs! Register today!

This week, the Film Board is presenting "Top Gun: Maverick," which is rated PG-13.

Summary: After 30 years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads Top Gun’s elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

Showings:

• Friday, Nov. 4 — 5:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 5 — 5:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 6 — 5:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.,

Located on Michigan Tech's campus in Fisher 135.

Tickets are $3 and concessions are $1. We hope to see you at the movie this weekend and have a great day.

Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture candidate Marina Choy will present their doctoral defense at 10 a.m. Nov. 15. This will be a virtual-only defense. Attendance is invited via Zoom.

Choy's defense is titled "Articulating Nationalism Through The ‘Problem of Immigration:’ The Case of Foreign Unaccompanied Minors in France."

From the abstract:
Informed by the theory and method of articulation, this dissertation examines the growing prominence of far-right French nationalism by deconstructing contemporary cultural-political anxieties and antagonisms associated with the “problem of immigration.” It identifies three historical-political mythological formations through which (im)migrants are constituted as threats to the economic welfare, the security, and the cultural identity of the nation. These tenacious articulations take contemporary forms and remain thematic in the context of rising nationalist politics and widespread anti-immigration sentiments.

On Wednesday (Nov. 9) at noon in the Michigan Tech Memorial Union Building, Department of Humanities faculty members Stephanie Carpenter, Erin Smith and Dana van Kooy will discuss the stories we tell about robots, why we tell the stories, and the ways in which the stories inform and possibly limit our understanding of humans and technology.

Most ROBOT101 events are held both in person and via Zoom webinar. Find more information and register for the webinars at the ROBOT101 website.

ROBOT101 events are supported by:

Institute of Computing and Cybersystems | College of Computing | College of Sciences and Arts | College of Engineering | College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science | Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences | Department of Computer Science | Department of Engineering Fundamentals | Department of Humanities | Department of Social Sciences | Department of Visual and Performing Arts | 41 North Film Festival | Institute for Policy, Ethics, and Culture | Pavlis Honors College

Many gardeners know the impact deer can have on their favorite plants, from hostas to tomatoes to cabbages. On Wednesday (Nov. 9) at 7 p.m., Professor Chris Webster (CFRES) will give a Zoom talk on how white-tailed deer can also profoundly influence native plant communities.

Direct effects include loss of leaves, buds and flowers, resulting in stunting, reduced plant reproduction and eventually death. In addition, deer foraging can cause other dramatic changes, including shifts in competitive relationships, a rise in invasive species and changes to the balance of nutrients in the soil.

On the other hand, in plant communities that co-evolved with deer, the absence of deer can actually lead to declines in native plant diversity.

To attend, please register in advance for this Zoom presentation. You will receive an email with the link and a reminder.

The Department of Humanities announces a Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture (RTC) Colloquium featuring two talks in the Great Lakes Research Center on Wednesday (Nov. 9) from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

"Teaching Collaboratively Across Campus" will be about two composition pilots led by Laura Vidal Chiesa, Marika Seigel, Laura Fiss and Elizabeth Wahmhoff:

• Leveraging interdisciplinary topics in the first-year: A two-year study
  In Fall 2021, the engineering fundamentals and composition programs at Michigan Tech prototyped an interdisciplinary pilot experience that thematically linked content between curricula of traditionally dissimilar courses.
  
  
• A Historian, a Rhetorician, a Philosopher, a Literary Critic, and a Computer Scientist Walk Into a Classroom
  Read, Write, Engage is a Fall 2022 composition pilot sponsored by IDEAhub and a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Teagle Foundation. The inaugural theme accords with the ROBOT101 initiative and incorporates several of its texts, including "R.U.R.," "Klara and the Sun," and “After Yang.”

Come for the presentations and conversation!

Michigan Tech hockey's Blake Pietila has been named the CCHA Goaltender of the Month for October.

Pietila earned the honor for the fourth time in his career and was also named a runner-up for HCA National Goaltender of the Month.

Pietila led CCHA goaltenders in save percentage (.944), goals-against average (1.51) and wins (four) during October. He leads the nation with three shutouts and had a pair of games with more than 30 saves. The Howell, Michigan, native ranks seventh in the nation in save percentage (.944) and eighth in goals-against average (1.51).

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech led most of the evening but fell just short at Wisconsin-Green Bay, losing 68-64 in exhibition women's basketball Wednesday night at Kress Center. 

Ellie Mackay scored 20 points in the loss, and Isabella Lenz and Sloane Zenner also made it to double figures in the Huskies' only tune-up before the regular season begins Nov. 11 at William Jewell College.

"I'm so grateful for the opportunity to play here in Green Bay against such a high-level Division I program," said head coach Sam Clayton. "They defend so hard and make it difficult for us, especially in the paint. We had to hit some shots early and then cooled off a bit in the second half, so we'll have to learn how to adjust and score in different ways. We turned it over a bit too much in the second half and against the press, but overall, I'm so proud of our team. We competed on every possession, which was great to see."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech hockey is traveling to Bowling Green for the first CCHA road series of the season.

The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. tonight and Saturday night (Nov. 4 and 5) at the Slater Family Ice Arena.

Fans can listen live on the radio at Mix 93.5 FM WKMJ, online at TheMix93.com or Pasty.net, or by using your favorite radio streaming app.

All Michigan Tech home and CCHA games during the 2022-23 season will also be livestreamed on FloHockey.tv.

Read the preview at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

After suffering a loss to the top team in the nation on Senior Day, Michigan Tech football sets its sights on picking up a fourth straight win against Hillsdale College tomorrow (Nov. 5) at 1 p.m.

The Huskies are in search of their first road victory. They defeated the Chargers 14-10 in Houghton to open last season.

Fans can listen to the game on Mix 93.5 FM WKMJ or Pasty.net.

Read the preview at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech volleyball is wrapping up the regular season this weekend at the SDC Gym.

The Huskies host Wisconsin-Parkside today (Nov. 4) at 6 p.m. and Purdue Northwest tomorrow (Nov. 5) at 3 p.m.

The Huskies' seven seniors will be honored on the court after Saturday's match, as Carissa Beyer, Lina Espejo-Ramirez, Janie Grindland, Jillian Kuizenga, Grace Novotny, Maggie Petersen and Morgan Radtke will play their last regular season match.

Read the preview at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Postings for Friday, Nov. 4, 2022

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email mtujobs@mtu.edu.

For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Assistant Professor of Composition, Humanities. Apply online.

Custodian to BMI – Training Position (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22318RP, Facilities (AFSCME posting dates Nov. 4 to Nov. 10, 2022 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Cook (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22315, Dining (AFSCME posting dates Nov. 4 to Nov. 10, 2022 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Graphic Design Specialist, University Marketing and Communications. Apply online.

Groundsperson (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22322, Facilities (AFSCME posting dates Nov. 4 to Nov. 10, 2022 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates). Apply online.

Administrative Aide 7 (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22268RP, Financial Services and Operations (UAW posting dates Nov. 4 to Nov. 10, 2022 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal UAW applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal UAW posting dates). 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.

Haiying Liu (Chem) is a co-author of a paper published in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical.

The paper is titled "Near-infrared mitochondria-targeted fluorescent probe with a large Stokes shift for rapid and sensitive detection of cysteine/homocysteine and its bioimaging application."

*****

Haiying Liu, Rudy Luck and Marina Tanasova (Chem), Thomas Werner (BioSci), Ph.D. student Shulin Wan and undergraduate students Tara Vohs, Tessa Steenwinkel, Walter Reynolds White and Adrian Lara-Ramirez, are co-authors of a paper published in ACS Applied Bio Materials.

The paper is titled "Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probes with Amine-Incorporated Xanthene Platforms for the Detection of Hypoxia."

The research was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers R15GM114751, 2R15GM114751-02 to (H.Y. Liu) and R15GM146206 (to H.Y. Liu and R. Luck).

Rick Koubek was quoted by CBS News and CorrectSuccess in stories covering the launch of the Michigan Achievement Scholarship website. 

Statements from college and university presidents across Michigan shared their support for the scholarship program in the stories.

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John Lenters (GLRC) was quoted by Semafor in a story about climate change’s impact on the Upper Peninsula way of life.

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The Huron Daily Tribune covered a visit by Google security engineer and Michigan Tech alum Rebecca Farre ’14 (computer engineering) to Harbor Beach Schools in Harbor Beach, Michigan. 

Farre answered computer science students’ questions and told them why she went into computer engineering, what her job entails and how she navigates being a woman in a male-dominated job.

*****

WLUC TV6 mentioned Michigan Tech hockey’s Blake Pietila in a story pointing out that three of the CCHA’s five players of the month are from the Upper Peninsula. 

Pietila was named the CCHA Goaltender of the Month for October.

Assistance Needed: New Compliance Poster Released

On Oct. 19, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released their new “Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination Is Illegal” poster. This new poster replaces the “EEO is the Law” poster and poster supplement that Equal Opportunity Compliance (EOC) has previously distributed to departments.

This poster is not required for posting in your department, but you could post it in a main office location. If you have the outdated “EEO is the Law” poster and supplement posted in your department, please replace it with the new “Know Your Rights” poster. If you have it linked on your website please update to link to EOC. This poster is available on our website so it can be easily found by applicants and employees.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Equal Opportunity Compliance at eocompliance@mtu.edu.

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CS Colloquium Lecture

Yi He of Old Dominion University will present an on-campus Computer Science Colloquium lecture today (Nov. 4) at 3 p.m. in Rekhi 214. The talk is presented by the Department of Computer Science (CS).

The title of He’s talk is “Open-World Machine Learning: Paradigm, Challenges, and Prospects.”

He’s research focus lies broadly in data mining and machine learning, and specifically in online learning, data stream analytics, graph learning, recommender systems and explainable artificial intelligence.

Read more on the Computing News Blog.

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November KIP Seminar

Join us today (Nov. 4) from 3-4:30 p.m. in ATDC 101 for this month's Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) Seminar. Our guest speakers will include KIP faculty, staff and graduate students.

The seminar theme this semester is "Women in Health Science, Medicine, and Physiology." The schedule includes a great lineup of local, regional and national speakers.

Please visit the KIP Newsblog for more information.

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Conflict Resolution Workshop

Do you ever wish you knew how to handle different types of conflict better? Are you interested in learning new strategies?

Join Graduate Student Government (GSG) and Rob Bishop, director of academic conduct, in an interactive Conflict Resolution Workshop where you will learn conflict resolution strategies, identify contacts to talk to for help, and discuss how to engage in restorative dialogues to resolve interpersonal conflicts.

The workshop will be held Monday (Nov. 7) from 6-7:30 p.m. in MUB Ballroom B.

Light refreshments will be provided!

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Mathematical Sciences Seminar

The next Mathematical Sciences Colloquium will take place at 1 p.m. today (Nov. 4) in Fisher 327B.

Our guest speaker will be Shuhao Cao, assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Cao's presentation is titled "Transformer x Finite Element Methods."

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Chemistry Poster Session

Undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in chemistry are invited to share their research projects and experiences at a Chemistry Poster Session.

The poster session will be held today (Nov. 4) from 3-5 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building Alumni Lounge.

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

The Rozsa Galleries Present: Arabesque

Friday, November 4, 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...

Advocates and Allies Workshop

Friday, November 4, 12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m. | U. J. Noblet Forestry Building, 143

Have you noticed that different people have vastly different experiences in classes, meetings, informal and formal events, and other interactions on campus? Ever noticed that...

Mathematical Sciences Seminar Series (Dr. Shuhao Cao)

Friday, November 4, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 327B

Title: Transformer × Finite Element Methods Abstract: Transformer in "Attention Is All You Need" is now the ubiquitous architecture in every state-of-the-art model in Natural...

PhD Defense: Jeffrey Wiersma

Friday, November 4, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. | R. L. Smith Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building (MEEM), 1021

Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Advisor: Trisha Sain A Coupled Viscoplastic-Damage Constitutive Model for Semicrystalline Polymers Attend Virtually:...

CS Colloquium Lecture: Yi He, Old Dominion

Friday, November 4, 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Rekhi Hall, 214

Dr. Yi He of Old Dominion University will present an on-site Computer Science Colloquium lecture on November 4, 2022, at 3:00 p.m., in Rekhi Hall Room 214. The talk is...

Weekly Workshop

Friday, November 4, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | MEEM 0402

A weekly workshop to dive in and discuss the various concepts underlying LEAN and Continous Improvement. The workshop typically begins with assigning different concepts and...

(Women's Volleyball) Parkside vs. Michigan Tech

Friday, November 4, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Wood Gym

Women's Volleyball: Parkside vs. Michigan Tech

(Men's Ice Hockey) Michigan Tech at Bowling Green

Friday, November 4, 7:07 p.m.–10:07 p.m.

Men's Ice Hockey: Michigan Tech at Bowling Green

Little Huskies Volleyball Club

Friday, November 4, 8:45 p.m.–9:30 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC)

Focus on fun while you learn to play volleyball! Our Little Huskies Volleyball Club is the perfect way to explore the basics of an active and energetic sport. Once you get...

(Women's Soccer) Michigan Tech at TBD

November 4, all day

Women's Soccer: Michigan Tech at TBD, GLIAC Quarterfinals

41 North Film Festival

November 4, 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,...

Adult and Youth Huskies Tennis Lessons

November 4, 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...

GLIAC Championships - Hosted by Wayne State

November 4, all day

GLIAC Championships - Hosted by Wayne State, Willow Metropark, TBA