November 23, 2022

The Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs is pleased to announce that Marika Seigel (HU) has accepted the position of associate provost for undergraduate education and dean of the Pavlis Honors College beginning Jan. 2, 2023.

Seigel is currently an associate professor of rhetoric and technical communication in the Department of Humanities and is an inductee in the Michigan Tech Academy of Teaching Excellence. Seigel’s administrative experience includes directing the Department of Humanities Composition Program, representing her department on General Education Council and on the University Senate, and chairing the University Learning Goal 5 Committee as part of the University’s assessment program. She has also served as an educational innovation strategist with IDEAhub as part of the Tech Forward Initiative on Education for the 21st Century, through which she worked closely with the Pavlis Honors College.

“We are fortunate to have someone with such a breadth of experience in undergraduate education and an energetic commitment to honors education through the Pavlis Honors College,” said Andrew Storer, interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

Seigel will replace Jean Kampe, who is retiring in January, having served as associate provost since 2016 and dean of the Pavlis Honors College since 2021. Storer praised Kampe’s work, saying: “We are very grateful to Dr. Kampe for her enduring contributions to the University, especially her leadership in the most recent Higher Learning Commission accreditation cycle, and wish her all the best in her retirement.”

The Memorial Union Building will be closed for Thanksgiving break from tomorrow (Nov. 24) through Saturday (Nov. 26).

The MUB will reopen Sunday (Nov. 27) at 8 a.m., and will resume normal operating hours Monday (Nov. 28) at 7 a.m.

Ph.D. in Integrative Physiology candidate Jessica Bruning will defend her dissertation Monday (Nov. 28) at noon in the Great Lakes Research Center, GLRC 202. Attendance is also invited virtually via Zoom.

The title of Bruning's dissertation is "Role of Acetate in Driving Sympathoexcitatory Response Exercise and Gut Microbiome."

Her advisor is Qinghui Chen.

M.S. in Kinesiology candidate Greg Miodonski will defend his thesis Wednesday (Nov. 30) at 5 p.m. in ATDC 101 and virtually via Zoom.

The title of Miodonski's defense is "Effect of Exercise on Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus SK Channel Function in Normal and High Salt Conditions."

His advisor is Qinghui Chen.

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences will host applied cognitive science and human factors (ACSHF) Ph.D. students Anne Linja and Alex Watral at the next ACSHF forum. Their presentations will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Monday (Nov. 28) in Meese 109 and via Zoom.

Linja will present her research, titled "Through the Eyes of Tesla FSD Drivers: Tesla Drivers’ Social Media Posts Never Run Out of Gas."

Watral will present her research, titled "Sensitivity of a Robotic Hit & Avoid Task to Executive Control and Global Cognitive Changes in Healthy Aging and Cognitive Impairment."

Full abstracts can be found on our Cognitive and Learning Sciences News blog!

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar/Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) Alumni Speaker Series will take place at 3 p.m. Monday (Nov. 28) via Zoom (use passcode 843781).

CEGE alumnus David Hokanson ’92 ’96 ’04, Trussell Tech, will present "The Least Understood Components of Water Treatment and Reuse: Advanced Oxidation and Post Treatment."

Hokanson is a professional engineer and board certified environmental engineer, and holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Tech.

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

Michigan Tech hockey's Brett Thorne and Kyle Kukkonen have been named CCHA Players of the Week. Thorne is the CCHA Defenseman of the Week and Kukkonen is the CCHA Rookie of the Week.

Thorne, the Huskies' co-captain, had five assists in Tech's CCHA sweep at St. Thomas over the weekend. He had a career-high four assists Friday (Nov. 18), including a helper on Kyle Kukkonen's game-winning goal, and added an assist on MTU's first goal Saturday (Nov. 19). Thorne leads Tech defensemen with six points in eight games.

Kukkonen helped lead the Huskies to the sweep with three points on the weekend. He had a pair of goals Friday, including the game-winner on the power play in the third period, and added an assist on Tech's first goal on Saturday. Kukkonen ranks second amongst CCHA rookies with 10 points and is second on the team.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Three members of Michigan Tech's men's cross country team earned All-Region recognition and the men's squad has qualified to compete at the 2022 NCAA Championship meet.

Drew Kolodge, Clayton Sayen and Sam Lange were named All-Region Midwest runners after outstanding performances at the Midwest Regional Championships on Saturday (Nov. 19) in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Kolodge had the second-best finish ever for Michigan Tech at the Midwest Regional, placing eighth overall (31:01.05). Sayen placed 11th in the meet (31:26.97), with Lange close behind in 15th (31:35.10).

Three All-Region performers ties a program-high record set in 2019, the first year the Huskies earned a trip to the national championships. And they're headed to nationals again.

After a fourth-place team finish at the Midwest Regional Championships, the Michigan Tech men's cross country team was selected as one of 10 at-large competitors in the NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Championship. The at-large teams were announced Monday (Nov. 21).

The national championship meet will be hosted Dec. 2 in Seattle, Washington. As at-large qualifiers, the Huskies have etched their third-straight trip to the national championship. The men will race at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington, at 2:15 p.m.

Michigan Tech's first appearance at the big dance was in 2019 in Sacramento, California, where the Black & Gold placed 13th.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

No games are scheduled this week due to Thanksgiving break. 

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Esports News
Read more in the MTU Esports weekly update.

Michigan Tech men's basketball couldn't keep up with Maryville University, falling 86-77 to the Saints in their first game at the UMSL Thanksgiving Classic Tournament on Tuesday (Nov. 22) at the Mark Twain Building in St. Louis, Missouri.

Adam Hobson scored 20 points and the Huskies shot 52% in the match, but the Huskies lagged behind 31-25 in rebounds and allowed the Saints 26 trips to the free-throw line in the second half.

"Hats off to Maryville," said head coach Josh Buettner. "They were the aggressors. They went one-on-one and we didn't step up to the plate defensively. When we brought help, they made their threes. We need to learn the toughness it takes to win on the road."

The Huskies will play hosts Missouri-St. Louis at 4:15 p.m. ET today (Nov. 23) to close out the tournament. They'll continue their four-game road trip afterward, with games against Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday (Nov. 26) and St. Cloud State on Sunday (Nov. 27).

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

No. 20 Michigan Tech hockey hosts No. 10 Minnesota State this weekend at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. Friday (Nov. 25) and 6:07 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 26). 

The Huskies are 8-3-2 overall and 4-2-2 in the CCHA and are currently third in the CCHA standings. MSU is 8-4-0 overall and 5-1-0 in the CCHA. The two teams will meet again in Mankato on Feb. 24-25 to wrap up the regular season.

Fans can listen live on the radio at Mix 93.5 FM WKMJ, or online at TheMix93.com or Pasty.net. Additionally, all Michigan Tech home and CCHA games during the 2022-23 season will be livestreamed on FloHockey.tv.

Read the full preview at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Following a win at Minnesota-Crookston, Michigan Tech women's basketball has returned home to face two more Northern Sun opponents after Thanksgiving: St. Cloud State on Friday (Nov. 25) and Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday (Nov. 26).

Both are formidable foes, with the SCSU Huskies fresh off a trip to the NCAA Central Region semifinals and the Bulldogs winning back-to-back NSIC Tournament Championships. Both games will be streamed via FloSports and broadcast on Mix 93.5 FM WKMJ.

Read the preview at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Job Postings for Wednesday, Nov. 23, 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.

Department Chair, Chemistry. Apply online.

Custodian (nine months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22170RP, Facilities (AFSCME posting dates Nov. 23 to Dec. 1, 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.

Custodian (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22334, Facilities (AFSCME posting dates Nov. 23 to Dec. 1, 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.

Equipment Operator I (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #22335, Facilities (AFSCME posting dates Nov. 23 to Dec. 1, 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.

Research Coordinator, Great Lakes Research Center. 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.

Adam Wellstead (SS) and Ph.D. student Aritra Chakrabarty (environmental and energy policy) are co-authors of an article published in the International Review of Public Administration.

The article is titled "What is co-creation and how does it create public value?"

Michael Howlett of Simon Fraser University is also a co-author.

From the abstract:
Knowledge‐based policy influence organizations such as think tanks or policy hubs seek to develop public value through the kinds of knowledge utilization activities in which they are engaged. But what exactly do they do, how do they do it and how does this result in public value? While historically public managers have long been assumed to be the principal purveyors of public value, now many policy actors in their various activities claim to seek to enhance public value and can do so in a number of distinct ways requiring a reassessment of the kinds of activities and efforts they are engaged in. This paper looks at key differences between long-established organizations like think tanks and newcomers like policy labs to see how they differ in focus upon co-creation, co-design, and co-production in their search for public value.

Sarah Hoy (CFRES) was quoted by Connecticut Public Radio in a story about moose hunting season in Vermont, where a persistent infestation of winter ticks has resulted in skinnier moose, fewer calves born to cows and, of those calves born, fewer that survive their first winter. 

Vermont state wildlife biologists believe reducing the moose population will lower the number of ticks. In her quotes, Hoy called that strategy “a really risky approach, for a couple of different reasons.”

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Electric Energy Online picked up a U.S. Department of Energy press release announcing nearly $74 million in research funding awarded to 10 projects — including an $8 million award to a project led by Lei Pan (ChE) at MTU — to advance technologies and processes for electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling and reuse.

The Iron Mountain Daily News also covered the award to Michigan Tech, quoting University President Rick Koubek in the story.

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Radio Results Network and the Keweenaw Report picked up a Michigan Tech News story about Public Safety and Police Services Patrol Sgt. Beth Maatta’s work as a wildlife rehabilitator. Maatta is the only certified raptor rehab specialist in the region.

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News and Stories from Virginia Tech credited Adjunct Associate Professor Myounghoon Jeon (CS/CLS) with bringing the idea for a robot theater program from Michigan Tech to Virginia Tech.

The story profiles the Virginia Tech program, which allows researchers to study the ways children process technical information while learning the fundamentals of robotics, such as controls and basic programming.

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The Toledo Blade mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the Great Lakes Clean Hydrogen Partnership’s application to the U.S. Department of Energy to become one of 10 DOE hydrogen hubs. 

As a hub, the partnership — a consortium of Toledo-area universities, industries and businesses, as well as Michigan Tech and Michigan State University — would produce large quantities of hydrogen for major industrial customers and transit companies as necessary per DOE requirements.

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Manistee News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about craft beer adventures to be had along the Lake Superior shore. 

The story includes a blurb on the Library Restaurant on Isle Royale Street in downtown Houghton. The Library was founded in 1967 by a Michigan Tech student and began brewing operations in 1997.

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The Daily Mining Gazette picked up a Michigan Tech Athletics press release about MTU hockey players Brett Thorne and Kyle Kukkonen being named CCHA Players of the Week. 

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BVM Sports picked up a Michigan Tech Athletics press release about cross country runners Drew Kolodge, Clayton Sayen and Sam Lange earning All-Region Midwest honors.

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Grand Rapids Kids mentioned Mont Ripley, Michigan Tech’s ski hill, in a list of the 32 best ski resorts in Michigan.

University Holiday Luncheon

This year’s University Holiday Luncheon will be presented from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 in the Memorial Union Isle Royale Ballroom. All faculty and staff are welcome.

The University will cover the cost of the tickets this year, but guests will be asked to show their paper or e-ticket to attend. Tickets may be reserved online, in person or by phone (7-2073) through the SDC Ticket Office. Ticket reservations end at 5 p.m. next Wednesday (Nov. 30). We encourage you to secure your tickets early, as seating is limited.

Holiday Luncheon Menu:

• Hand Carved Roasted Turkey
• Hand Carved Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
• Italian Sausage Stuffing
• Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
• Glazed Carrots
• Green Beans Almondine
• Cranberry Sauce
• Apple Pie
• Pumpkin Pie

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No Tech Today Thursday or Friday

There will be no Tech Today published tomorrow or Friday (Nov. 24 and 25) in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Tech Today will resume on Monday (Nov. 28). To be included in Monday's newsletter, items must be submitted by noon today (Nov. 23) using our Submit a Story form.

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MTU Archives Reading Room Closed for Thanksgiving Break

The Michigan Tech Archives’ reading room is closed to patrons over Thanksgiving break. The closure began Monday (Nov. 21) and runs through Friday (Nov. 25). Normal appointment hours, which are Monday through Thursday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., will resume next Monday (Nov. 28).

Remote research requests may be submitted via copper@mtu.edu, but responses may be delayed during the closure.

On behalf of the entire Archives team, have a safe and happy break!

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No C3 Luncheon This Week

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, there will not be a C3 Luncheon this week.

The next luncheon will be held next Thursday (Dec. 1).

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

National Novel Writing Month Writing Space

Wednesday, November 23, 5:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Portage Lake District Library , Michigan Room

November is National Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! Join the Portage Lake District Library and the Van Pelt and Opie Library all month on Wednesdays from 5:00-7:30 pm in PLDL’s...

Students For Life General Meeting

Wednesday, November 23, 5 p.m.–6 p.m. | Fisher 132

Students For Life General Meeting

(Men's Basketball) Michigan Tech vs. Maryville (Mo.)

November 23, all day

Men's Basketball: Michigan Tech vs. Maryville (Mo.), UMSL Tournament

Open Enrollment Period for MTU Faculty/Staff

November 23, all day