December 6, 2022

There is still time for you to help the Alumni Board of Directors identify outstanding alumni and friends for recognition during the 2023 Alumni Awards program, but not much! The nomination period closes Dec. 31, so be sure to submit your nomination soon.

The five distinct Alumni Award categories include:

• Outstanding Young Alumni
• Honorary Alumni
• Outstanding Service
• Humanitarian
• Distinguished Alumni (the highest honor)

Check out each unique webpage to review award definitions and their respective nomination forms. Call 906-487-2400 or write to us at alumni@mtu.edu if you have any questions or concerns. Remember that nominations will close Dec. 31.

Jan. 17-20, the second week of the spring semester, Husky Innovate will host innovation-themed talks and events, including the Bob Mark Business Model Pitch Competition.

Started by Michigan Tech’s University Innovation Fellows (UIFs) in 2015, Innovation Week is a celebration of innovation across our Tech community. Students, faculty, staff and community are invited.

Check out our lineup at the Innovation Week page. Register early for locations and Zoom links!

The University Senate will convene Meeting 680 at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow (Dec. 7) in Dow 642.

Those within the University community unable to attend in person have the option to attend via Zoom. Please note: You will need to log in to your MTU Zoom account to join the virtual meeting.

Senators are responsible for making their constituents aware of the agenda for this meeting. Senators who are unable to attend should arrange for their alternates to attend in their place.

View the agenda to Meeting 680.

The Michigan Tech Figure Skating Club and the Copper Country Skating Academy (CCSA) would like to invite you to their Holiday Skating Recital. The show is at 7 p.m. on Thursday (Dec. 8) in the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

The Michigan Tech Figure Skating Club will be presenting an (abbreviated!) version of "The Nutcracker," featuring Michigan Tech students and University staff.

Admission is free — the show is our holiday gift to the community.

Menu for Thursday (Dec. 8):

• Tangy BBQ Beef Brisket (Gluten Friendly)
• Scallion Corn Cake (Vegetarian)
• Baked Beans (Gluten Friendly, Vegetarian)
• Apple Almond Coleslaw (Gluten Friendly, Vegan)
• Baked Macaroni & Cheese (Vegan)
• Roasted Green Beans & Cauliflower (Gluten Friendly, Vegetarian)

Dining Services presents the final C3 Luncheon for the semester, 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 this Google form. To join the C3 Google group and receive weekly menus, email business-support@mtu.edu.

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Section at Michigan Technological University is excited to announce the creation of the SWE Section at Michigan Tech Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship is in honor of our alumnae and alumni who have been part of our section since 1976.

Eight years ago, in 2014, we hosted the SWE Region H Conference. With the funds received from SWE, we began saving with the goal of establishing an endowed scholarship. At long last, we have met our goal and will begin awarding an annual $1,000 endowed scholarship in 2026 to an active SWE section member. This new scholarship is in addition to the current section scholarships being awarded annually.

The scholarship will be open to any active SWE member at Michigan Tech. Details regarding the scholarship application process will be announced in 2026. The process will mirror our current scholarship application where students complete a short essay, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and provide a copy of their resume and a letter of recommendation.

The section greatly appreciates the guidance and assistance we received from James Desrochers and Elizabeth Hoy. We thank the University and our current and alumni members for their support.

If you'd like to support the SWE Endowed Scholarship, you can contribute via check or credit card.

Visit mtu.edu/givenow for online donations or to find the mail-in form.

Key points:

1. Gift Type is “Make a one time gift”
2. Enter your gift amount
3. Gift Designation: Select “Other” and enter “SWE Endowed Scholarship #5471"

The Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC), the ICC’s Center for Biocomputing and Digital Health (BDH) and the Health Research Institute (HRI) will present lectures by graduate students Chen Zhao (applied computing) and Xuewei Cao (mathematical sciences) on Friday (Dec. 9) from 3-4 p.m. in M&M U115. Faculty, students and staff are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Chen Zhao will present “Multi-view information fusion using multi-view variational autoencoders to predict proximal femoral strength.”

Xuewei Cao will present “Gene selection and genetic association test by incorporating the genetic networks.”

Read more on the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems blog.

Michigan Tech men's basketball went winless on the road this weekend, dropping to 0-2 in GLIAC play, 2-7 overall as they concluded a six-game road trip. 

The Huskies failed to find their scoring touch and fell 72-49 at Wisconsin-Parkside on Thursday (Dec. 1) at De Simone Gymnasium.

Adam Hobson knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Huskies their first lead 14-13 but the Rangers had a 28-16 edge at halftime after back-to-back triples. They pulled away in the second half assisted by 18 Tech turnovers, extending the margin to 26 by the one-minute mark.

"I think we did well defensively to start playing zone and then switching to man," said head coach Josh Buettner. "Even with the turnovers, we were hanging in there. Unfortunately, after they went on a little run before the half we never really recovered. We focused so much on being better defensively this week and we did that, but we just couldn't score tonight. Our passing was not good with seven assists and 18 turnovers. We just have to keep working hard to improve."

Against Purdue Northwest, Michigan Tech led by nine at halftime but could not overcome a deficit in the final minutes, succumbing to the Pride 73-68 on Saturday (Dec. 3) at John Friend Court in conference play.

"Our competitive spirit was closer to what it needs to be this afternoon," said Buettner. "We still have to get rid of our unforced errors and missed assignments if we are going to start winning, especially on the road."

Despite the loss, Michigan Tech shot 50% from the field (25-for-50). Hobson led the squad with 19 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech women's basketball lost to Wisconsin-Parkside and held out for a win against Purdue Northwest in two high-scoring contests.

The Huskies were outpaced by the Rangers, losing 86-80 in GLIAC women's basketball Thursday (Dec. 1) at De Simone Gymnasium.

Both teams shot over 50% from the floor and Sara Dax impressed with 26 points (9-9), seven rebounds and a pair of assists. Ellie Mackay also posted a big offensive night with 24 points (9-18) and four rebounds. 

"You can't give up 86 points and expect to win," said head coach Sam Clayton. "Obviously we have to be able to defend better. They made a lot of shots, but with an offensive team like that, we can't be giving up as many layups as we did either."

Against Purdue Northwest, Michigan Tech used a big third quarter to notch their seventh win of the season, 86-83 on Saturday (Dec. 3) at John Friend Court.

Rondorf went 7-for-7 from the field for a team-high 23 points. Katelyn Meister hit a jump shot with 33 seconds to play in the fourth quarter for a four-point lead, but the Pride struck back with a 3-pointer. Dax and Rondorf both made it to the free-throw line and hit three of four in the final 22 seconds and the Huskies held on to win.

Four MTU players notched double figures: Rondorf (23), Isabella Lenz (17), Mackay (15) and Dax (14). Tech shot 30-for-52 (58%) overall, including 12-for-21 (57%) from beyond the arc. Michigan Tech also passed 16 assists and limited turnovers to 11.

"We made some mistakes tonight but we shot the ball well," said Clayton. "A lot of people contributed, which was great to see, and while we weren't able to shut down their top two scorers, we still found a way to win."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The No. 18 Michigan Tech men's cross country team ran to a program-best finish, placing 10th among the nation's best at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships at the Chambers Creek Regional Park on Friday (Dec. 2).

The men of Michigan Tech earned a top 10 finish, scoring 327 points — just seven points shy of the eighth-place team. 

"I am so thrilled with how our men performed," head coach Kristina Owen said. "This is a historic result for our program, and I am so proud of our men who gave it absolutely everything they had out there."

"You could see the body language on our team was all positive and they were excited to race and be successful," assistant head coach Robert Young said. "I thought coming into this race if everyone had their best race, we would be a top 10 team, and I'm very proud of their performances."

Two Huskies had All-America performances: Clayton Sayen (30:13.7) and  Drew Kolodge (30:21.8), placing 16th and 28th, respectively.

Sayen's finish is the best in Tech history. 

Rounding out the Huskies' top three was Sam Lange (30:45.4), who was just shy of earning All-America status with his 49th-place finish.

Read more results from nationals at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

No. 18 Michigan Tech hockey split their series against Northern Michigan University over the weekend.

The Huskies fell 4-3 in overtime at Northern Michigan on Friday (Dec. 2). Tech never trailed until the Wildcats' shorthanded game-winning goal with 80 seconds left.

"I thought we played hard and had some guys step up," Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. "We had the game won but gave it up late. We seem to struggle when it turns into a skill game."

On Saturday (Dec. 3), Ryland Mosley scored a pair of goals, breaking a 1-1 tie and lifting the Huskies to a 3-1 victory in front of a sold-out crowd at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

The Huskies improved to 10-4-3 overall and 6-3-3 in the CCHA.

"I really couldn't be happier with how we played from the goaltender on out tonight and how we played in the third period," Shawhan said. "It was a great college hockey game and weekend. The atmosphere and quality of play were excellent at both buildings."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Tuesday (Dec. 6)
• Huskies Drive Time, 7:30-8 a.m. on Mix 93 WKMJ

Friday (Dec. 9)
• Women's Basketball vs. Lake Superior State, 5:30 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ
• Men's Basketball vs. Lake Superior State, 7:30 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ

Saturday (Dec. 10)
• Nordic Skiing at Duluth SuperTour

Sunday (Dec. 11)
• Nordic Skiing at Duluth SuperTour
• Women's Basketball vs. Ferris State, 1 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ
• Men's Basketball vs. Ferris State, 3 p.m. at SDC Gym on Mix 93 WKMJ

Gord Paterson and Jill Olin (BioSci/GLRC) are co-authors of a research manuscript published in Freshwater Biology.

The manuscript is titled "Combined tracers reveal the multi-dimensionality of resource partitioning among sympatric forage fish."

Additional co-authors on the publication include graduate student Nicole Saavedra of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York; and Scott Rush of Mississippi State University.

The paper is available online.

Simon Carn (GMES) was quoted by SciTechDaily in a story picked up from NASA’s Earth Observatory about the eruption of Mauna Loa in Hawaii.

*****

The Daily Mining Gazette quoted Ph.D. student Hossein Tavakoli (environmental engineering), Kellie Raffaelli (SA/IPS), Crystal McLeod (CSMHW), Lindsey Wells (CTT/CEGE) and Wallace Southerland III in a story about a panel event held Friday (Dec. 2) at the Memorial Union Building. 

The panel of Michigan Tech administrators and student representatives discussed ways the University can help Iranian students deal with the strain of ongoing protests over the treatment of women in Iran.

The event was organized by the Iranian Community at Michigan Tech.

*****

The Daily Mining Gazette published a guest editorial written by Tara Bal and Sigrid Resh (CFRES/ESC) advising that pruning oak trees in winter can help protect them against oak wilt, a disease caused by a fungus that blocks water and sap nutrients from moving through a tree’s cells.

Oak wilt is spread locally through root contact and over farther distance by sap beetles, according to the article.

*****

Undergraduate student Ethan Blough (mechanical engineering) was quoted by WLUC TV6 in a story about an appreciation luncheon hosted by Michigan Tech fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha members for area first responders, who helped save their fraternity house in Houghton from a fire in June.

The story was picked up by Michigan News Source.

*****

Keweenaw Now published a blog post written by Ph.D. student Aritra Chakrabarty (environmental and energy policy) about the “organized chaos” of the COP27 climate conference, held in November in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

Chakrabarty was a member of Michigan Tech’s delegation to COP27.

*****

The Montana Standard mentioned Michigan Tech and quoted alumna Jessica Daignault ’21 (Ph.D., civil engineering) in a story about Daignault and a master’s student’s attendance at the COP27 climate conference, held in November in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

Daignault is an assistant professor of civil engineering at Montana Technological University.

*****

WLUC TV6 and BVM Sports picked up a Michigan Tech Athletics press release announcing the Michigan Tech cross country men’s squad’s 10th-place, program-best finish at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships.

The event was held at the Chambers Creek Regional Park in Seattle, Washington, on Friday (Dec. 2). Prior to the race, MTU was ranked No. 18 in the nation. 

*****

ClickOnDetroit featured photos from Michigan Tech’s 100th Winter Carnival in 2021 in a short article with basic info about the event, including the dates of Carnival 2022: Feb. 8-11.

The story was picked up in Houston and San Antonio, Texas; Roanoke, Virginia; and Florida.

Virtual Lunch and Learn: 'Navigating Market Volatility'

Join Jeremy Young, Fidelity panelist, for a virtual Lunch and Learn tomorrow (Dec. 7) at noon.

If you’re concerned about the current market downturns, this workshop, "Navigating Market Volatility," will review what is happening in the markets and why — and help answer your questions.

Registration for this workshop is required. Register on Webex.

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

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

Huskies Group Swim Lessons and Huskies Swim Clinic

Tuesday, December 6, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash with us! Registration for the following Spring 2023 Session 1 programs opens Wednesday, December 7th at 8:00am! American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim...

Session 1 Spring 2023 Huskies Swim Clinic and Huskies Learn to Swim

Tuesday, December 6, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash with us! Registration for the following Spring 2023 Session 1 programs opens Wednesday, December 7th at 8:00am! American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim...

Cookie Decorating

Tuesday, December 6, 12 p.m.–2 p.m. | Library (Exhibit Hall)

Come and decorate (and eat) cookies with the Well-being Ambassadors in the Library! A fun stress-reduction activity where you can do some baking and show off your creativity...

VPR Research Series: Update on Federal Research Funding and NSF Organizational Changes

Tuesday, December 6, 12 p.m.–1 p.m.

Join us as we present the next session of the VPR Research Series: a virtual presentation led by Federal Science Partners (Michigan Tech’s Washington, D.C., based policy...

Adult Huskies Swim Lessons Fall 2022 Session 3

Tuesday, December 6, 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...

Adult Huskies Swim Training Fall 2022 Session 3

Tuesday, December 6, 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...

Forestry Club Christmas Tree Sale 2022

Tuesday, December 6, 5 p.m.–8 p.m. | Campus Lot 14

The annual forestry Club Christmas tree sale will be taking place Tuesday December 6th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on lot 14 near the broomball courts. It is highly recommended...

NCSA General Meeting

Tuesday, December 6, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Chemical Sciences Building 108

NCSA, the Networking and Computing Student Association serves to provide educational opportunities to students interested in all facets of computing. Come join our weekly...

General Meeting

Tuesday, December 6, 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | Fisher Hall

During general meetings, we'll learn about the Assertion Evidence method of slide design, classroom management, and presentation delivery. We'll also have opportunities to...

HALO Weekly Meeting

Tuesday, December 6, 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | MUB Makerspace

Come to the MUB Makerspace from 7-8 every Tuesday to build Legos with us and participate in some fun challenges! Meetings are by no means mandatory, and anyone is welcome to...

Virtual Husky Hangout for Civil and Environmental Engineering

Tuesday, December 6, 7 p.m.–8 p.m.

What is the value of a degree in civil or environmental engineering from Michigan Tech? Come join us (virtually) to hear from one of our alumni about how Michigan Tech helped...

Adult and Youth Huskies Tennis Lessons

December 6, 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...