August 18, 2023

Are you prepping your syllabus and course calendar for the upcoming semester? Ask us to arrange a course integrated library session or develop materials for your students. When you reach out to set up a session, a librarian will work with you to design a session customized to help your students complete assignments and stuff.

Not sure if a library session is right for you? Here are some of the wide range of topics we can explore:

• Finding, citing and evaluating peer-reviewed research for a paper
• Accessing and using disciplinary sources (technical standards, patents, multimedia, data sets)
• Scoping an information need
• Using information ethically
• Searching careers, industries and employers (collaboration with Career Services)

If you are interested in scheduling a library session or talking with a librarian about possible instruction support, fill out our Request Library or Archives Instruction Form today.

We are so excited to work with you this fall!

The Department of Humanities (HU) office will be closed today (Aug. 18) for a departmental retreat. The office will reopen on Monday (Aug. 21).

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Registration is now open for Fall Little Huskies Boys and Girls Basketball Leagues (grades 2-5) and Little Huskies Volleyball Club (grades K-5).

• Little Huskies Volleyball Club
  The Michigan Tech Little Huskies Volleyball Club is a series of 45-minute postgame skill development clinics hosted by the Michigan Tech volleyball team. Open to boys and girls in grades K-5, all participants will learn skills involving attacking, passing, setting and more. The clinics will be held after every Michigan Tech home volleyball match, from Aug. 31 to Nov. 3. Cost is $40 per participant, $35 per sibling. Registration closes on Thursday (Aug. 24).
  
  
• Little Huskies Girls Basketball League
  The Little Huskies Girls Basketball League is open to girls in grades 2-5. The league will meet Sept. 18 and Sept. 20-22, from 4-6 p.m. in the SDC Multipurpose Gym. Scrimmage dates will be posted at a later time. Under the coaching of the Michigan Tech women's basketball coaching staff, all participants will learn fundamental skills, such as ball handling, shooting and team play. Cost is $55 per participant, $30 per sibling. Registration closes on Sept. 11.
  
  
• Little Huskies Boys Basketball League
  The Little Huskies Boys Basketball League is an introductory basketball clinic with a focus on developing fundamental individual and team skills. Held inside the SDC Multipurpose Gym from 4-6 p.m. on Sept. 25-28, all participants in grades 2-5 will learn skills such as ball handling, shooting, defensive play and teamwork from the Michigan Tech men's basketball coaching staff. Scrimmage dates will be posted at a later time. Cost is $55 per participant, $30 per sibling. Registration closes on Sept. 18.

Register online or in person at the SDC Ticket Office, or call the SDC Ticket Office at 906-487-2073.

For more information, visit Michigan Tech Recreation's Fall Camps, Clinics and Tournaments webpage.

Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Theory and Culture candidate Donna Mathew will present a doctoral dissertation defense at 2 p.m. Monday (Aug. 21). This will be a virtual-only defense. Attendance is invited via Zoom.

Mathew's dissertation is titled "Has Bollywood Lost the Plot? Analyzing the Influence of Item Songs on Rape Culture in India."

From the abstract:
An item song is a provocative musical song and dance sequence that appears in Bollywood films that have little to no connection to the film’s plot, performed by an item girl for the male gaze. Contemporary Bollywood item songs have become highly contested social and political texts in the discourse surrounding rape culture in India. This research explores the socio-cultural context of rape culture in India and examines what makes item songs a popular and acceptable form of entertainment in a patriarchal, conservative society where sexualized violence against women is a major cause for concern.

The study also addresses the narrative, visual, and lyrical characteristics of ten of the most popular item songs between 2012 - 2019. Using a hybrid theoretical framework that brings together the male gaze theory, intersectionality, and postfeminism, this study analyzes the ways in which rape culture is manifested in cinematic techniques and song lyrics. I argue that item songs mirror certain characteristics and tropes that invoke rape culture. I conclude that the songs reveal four main characteristics: illicit activities and behavior, sexual objectification of the female body, alcohol abuse, and violence. The research argues that contemporary item songs are a popular source of sexist imagery and a powerful cultural influencer of sexual violence against women in India. Moreover, this study suggests that item songs desensitize the Indian public and contributes to the normalization of gang rapes in the country. Ultimately, the study emphasizes the need for the Bollywood film industry to introduce more nuanced narratives about female sexuality and stop the ongoing stereotyping, objectification, and misogyny of item songs, and recognize their wide reach and influence on the attitudes and behaviors of Indian people.

M.S. in Geophysics candidate Jessica Devlieg will present her master's defense at 3 p.m. Monday (Aug. 21) in person in Dow 610. Virtual attendance is also invited via Zoom. All are welcome to attend.

Devlieg is advised by Greg Waite, with Radwin Askari and Thomas Oommen serving as committee members.

Devlieg's defense is titled "Detection and Location of Microseismicity using Machine Learning at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala."

From the abstract:
Pacaya volcano located 30 km SW of Guatemala City, Guatemala, has been erupting intermittently since 1961. Monitoring of seismicity is crucial to understanding current activity levels within Pacaya. Traditional methods of picking these small earthquakes in this noisy environment are imprecise. Pacaya produces many small events that can easily blend in with the background noise. A possible solution for this problem is a machine learning program to pick first arrivals for these earthquakes. We tested a machine learning algorithm (S. M. Mousavi, Ellsworth, Zhu, Chuang, & Beroza, 2020) on the basis of fast and reliable seismic signal detection within a volcanic system. Four years of seismic data was used from multiple datasets, including permanent and temporary arrays from 2015 to 2022. Initially over 11,000 independent events were detected although most were unlocatable. A predetermined minimum 1D velocity model calculated by (Lanza & Waite, 2018) was initially used to locate the earthquakes. This velocity model was updated using VELEST and the locations were calculated using the new 1D velocity model. This resulted in 660 events after quality control filtering process. These events ranged in depths from -2.5 km (summit of Pacaya) to 0 km (sea level) all located directly beneath the vent. The detection process took about 2-3 hours per 15 days on each 3-component broadband seismometer. The method shows promise in providing an efficient and effective method to pick volcanic tectonic seismic events. Events at Pacaya are representative of magma movement which often increases leading up to an eruption. Further study is encouraged to better understand the accuracy and type of earthquakes picked, especially the increased level of activity during or leading up to an eruption at Pacaya volcano.

The Diversity Literacy Online Workshop (DLOW) training for the 2023-24 academic year is open for registration. Faculty should use the online registration form and please allow 24-48 hours for processing.

The DLOW is part of Michigan Tech's ongoing commitment to faculty diversity in building a supportive campus climate. Successful completion of the DLOW is required to serve on faculty hiring and tenure promotion committees. The workshop is organized as a three-week asynchronous online course in Canvas (with two to three hours of work per week) covering legal aspects of hiring and promotion processes, building literacy in recognizing unconscious bias, and cultivating diversity-centered practices. For those who have already taken the full three-week diversity literacy course, a one-week refresher course is required every four years. See the Diversity Training Status page for more information and a list of current training status for all faculty.

The workshop dates are listed below and can also be found on the training website.

Please note: Starting in 2023–24, the DLOW and the refresher now include the content formerly delivered separately as the Faculty Legal Aspects Training course. Course participants will receive the same content, but it is now integrated into a single comprehensive course. The Legal Aspects Review for Faculty Search Committees will still be required each time a member joins a search committee.

We suggest that individuals register early for fall workshop dates if they are serving on faculty search or promotion and tenure committees in the coming year. If your certification is expiring but you don't need it for immediate service, we would appreciate if you register for a spring workshop instead, as the fall enrollments can get high. If you have any questions about the DLOW and training, contact Diversity Literacy Online Workshop Administrator Sarah Fayen Scarlett at sfscarle@mtu.edu.

DLOW dates for academic year 2023-24:

Fall Refresher 1
Sept. 11-18 — Diversity Literacy Refresher Workshop

Fall Full Course
Oct. 2-30 — Diversity Literacy Full Course

Fall Refresher 2
Nov. 6-13 — Diversity Literacy Refresher Workshop

Spring Refresher 1
Jan. 15-22 — Diversity Literacy Refresher Workshop

Spring Full Course
Jan. 29-Feb 26 — Diversity Literacy Full Course

Spring Refresher 2
March 11-18 — Diversity Literacy Refresher Workshop

Job Postings for Friday, Aug. 18, 2023

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 487-2280 or email humanresources@mtu.edu. For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Assistant Professor – Sustainability and Health, Social Sciences. Apply online.

Senior Administrative Aide 9, Registrar's Office. Apply online.
Contact: Chad Arney

Administrative Aide #23220, Human Resources (UAW posting dates Aug. 18 to Aug. 24, 2023 — 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.

Assistant Manager – Memorial Union and Business Support, Memorial Union. Apply online.

Academic Advisor – TRIO Talent Search, Center for Educational Outreach. Apply online.

Academic Coordinator, Center for Educational Outreach. 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 humanresources@mtu.edu.

Mary Jennings (Rozsa) was quoted by UPWord in a story about the new Pay As You’re Able ticket payment program being introduced by the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts and the Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

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University President Rick Koubek was mentioned by the Michigan Business Network in a story about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Growing Michigan Together Council, which comprises four workgroups tasked with creating a plan to attract young people to the state and retain current residents. Koubek was selected to serve as a member of the council’s Higher Education workgroup. 

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Green Car Congress listed Michigan Tech as a partner of Sandia National Laboratories on one of six projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office. In total, the projects will receive $3.6 million.

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The Keweenaw Report covered Michigan Tech’s selection as one of 11 recipients of a total $11 million in research grants to address energy transitions in underserved communities awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Tech’s project will engage forest-dependent tribal and rural communities in northern Michigan, studying current energy systems and pathways for energy transitions that improve community well-being.

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The Huron County View in Sandusky, Michigan, mentioned MTU in a story about a phragmites removal project in the Saginaw Bay. Michigan Tech is a partner on the project, alongside the Saginaw Bay Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area, Arenac Conservation District, Michigan Natural Features Inventory and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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WLUC TV6 mentioned returning Michigan Tech students in a story about the rights of tenants and landlords. 

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The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Hancock’s Aug. 14 city council meeting, where funding for a new flex bus route from the city to Michigan Tech was approved.

Move-In Weekend Comedy: Jessi Campbell

Plan a night of fun after the busy Move-In Weekend activities. Make memories and have a good laugh with Student Leadership and Involvement's Late Night Program.

Meet up tomorrow (Aug. 19) at 9:30 p.m. at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts to see Jessi Campbell, a high-energy, likable comedian who brings her relatable stories to the stage. She takes mundane events in her life and turns them into hilarious bits. Traditional stand-up comedy with no bells and whistles needed, she makes crowds laugh with one microphone and a spotlight.

Campbell was the Campus Activities Magazine Female Performer of the Year, and performed at over 1,000 colleges nationwide. She has performed all over the world and has two Dry Bar Comedy specials.

Get a sneak peek at one of Campbell's earlier shows on YouTube.

This is a free event and the public is welcome to attend!

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

PhD Defense: Dongzhao Jin

Friday, August 18, 9–10 a.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 875

Civil Engineering Advisor: Zhanping You Discrete Element Method-based Chip Seal Application in Asphalt Pavement Maintenance Attend Virtually:...

Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz

Friday, August 18, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | South Portage Entry

The Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA) is partnering with the UP Resource Conservation and Development Council (UP RC&D) to host a landing blitz outreach event...

Move-In Weekend, 2023

Friday, August 18, 12 p.m.–6 p.m. | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library

First year Husky's move into their residence hall rooms. Watch your mymichigan tech account for the day and time you are assigned to.

American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification Course

Friday, August 18, 4 p.m.–8 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Earn your American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification in this 3-day intensive training course located at the Michigan Tech SDC Pool. The certification includes Lifeguard/First...