October 16, 2023

Midterm grades are due at noon today (Oct. 16).

Midterm grades must be submitted for all first-year students and transfer students with fewer than 30 credits. The Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success coordinates outreach to these students based on the midterm grades submitted. This supports timely intervention for students who may be experiencing academic and/or other difficulties.

Electronic Grade Submission
Instructors have two options for electronic grade submission. They may submit grades via Banner Self-Service by going directly into Banweb, entering grades and then clicking submit. Those with larger class sizes where grades have already been totaled in Canvas may submit grades via Canvas by going to CourseTools and using the Grade Wizard to first extract them from Canvas and then submit them to Banner.

If grades are submitted using Banner Self-Service, only the students who require a midterm grade will appear. For those who submit their grades via Canvas, a first-year student column has been added to identify these students in your course grade book.

Satisfactory grades (A-C) should be entered as “SA” and Unsatisfactory grades (CD-F) as “UN”.

Midterm grades are for full-semester courses only. Grades not turned in by the deadline will have an M (missing) grade assigned.

As the Michigan Tech Testing Center starts our 10th year of operation, we will be bringing you tips and fun facts — one each week for 10 weeks.

Week 7 Fun Facts: Several ways the Testing Center helps combat cheating are by providing lockers for student items; not allowing cell phones, watches or other electronics; and using the closed-circuit cameras over every desk to watch for inappropriate activity. "Yes, even those watches," we often say. What looks like an analog watch could still receive messages.

Week 7 Tip: This week, the Testing Center brings you suggestions on how to combat cheating:

• Ensure guidelines are set up clearly in the syllabus to state if collaboration or use of past work are allowed.
• Print the exam on colored paper (a different color for each examination).
• Use different versions of the exam.
• Use Canvas to enable question banks.
• Allow all materials.
• Seat students at a distance.
• Walk around the room looking for disallowed materials.
• Require students to sign an academic integrity contract.

If the Testing Center can assist you or your students, please reach out to us at techtesting-l@mtu.edu or 906-487-1001.

A production system maintenance window is scheduled for Oct. 29 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The following production services will be unavailable during that time:

• Banner
• Banweb
• MyMichiganTech
• Aspire
• Confluence
• Course Tools
• Fischer/mylogin.mtu.edu
• mtu.edu/tips
• OAP Rental System
• Oracle Reports
• Papercut Printing
• Perceptive Content (Imagenow)
• Pinnacle
• Sunapsis
• UC4/Appworx
• Virtual Cashiering
• WebFocus

For questions or concerns, we can help. Contact us at it-help@mtu.edu or call 7-1111.

The Arnold Air Society (AAS), in collaboration with the Air Force ROTC, is a dynamic student organization committed to advancing national defense education, fostering professional development and actively engaging in community service. At Michigan Technological University, there are currently 22 active members. On a broader scale, the AAS extends its reach nationwide, with a membership of over 2,000 students from 115 universities across 48 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. This organization operates under the guidance of student leaders, broken up into operational units to include local squadron commanders, 11 regional staff and a national staff, who collectively steer its activities and initiatives throughout the academic year.

In early April 2023, nine MTU students were elected to assume nationwide leadership roles as the national staff of the AAS. This outstanding achievement began with months of preparation, culminating in the development of a vision and strategic goals for the organization. They then presented these to an audience of hundreds of cadets at the 2023 National Conclave in Las Vegas. The conclave recognized the Michigan Tech cadets’ efforts and chose them to be this year’s national leaders of the organization. As leaders, they shoulder responsibilities that encompass overseeing training programs and service hour tracking, managing awards and scholarships, and leveraging their computer coding expertise to streamline registration data for over 2,000 cadets.

In September, our MTU cadets, serving as national staff, had a valuable experience attending the Air and Space Forces Association National Convention in National Harbor, Maryland. During the event, they collaborated with representatives from 11 different universities to strategize for the upcoming year. Moreover, they had the privilege of attending keynote addresses delivered by prominent military and industry leaders, such as the chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., and the chief of space operations, Gen. B. Chance Saltzman. They also engaged in small-group Q&A sessions with many high-ranking military and civilian officials.

From this valuable experience, these cadets were able to bring back their experiences and actively seek out new avenues for enhancing opportunities in their organization. They have initiated dialogues with industry leaders to expand the availability of technical internships for AAS cadets nationwide. Furthermore, their creative endeavors in the realm of social media aim to spotlight the organization's remarkable service initiatives in local communities while igniting the enthusiasm in new student members to serve.

The 2023-24 Michigan Tech AAS National Staff Roster:

• Kyle DeNeef (mechanical engineering), national commander
• Eliya Huebner (biochemistry), national vice commander
• Carinn Tryon (mechanical engineering), national director of operations
• Jack Dedrick (computer science), national director of information management
• Brandon Collins (mechanical engineering), national director of support
• Sam Russ (computer science), national director of financial management
• Catherine Prince (mechanical engineering), national director of training
• Cody Scholz (civil engineering), national director of public affairs
• Jonathan Willis (physics), national director of joint relations

Jeffrey D. Naber is the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Award, presented annually by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Naber is the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics’ (ME-EM’s) Richard and Elizabeth Henes Professor in Energy Systems and director of the Advanced Power Systems Research Center (APSRC/APS Labs) at Michigan Technological University. He was honored with the award at the ASME’s 2023 ICE Forward Conference, held Oct. 8-11 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The ASME ICE Award recognizes eminent achievement or distinguished contribution over a substantial period of time, which may result from research, innovation or education in advancing the art of engineering in the field of internal combustion engines; or in directing the efforts and accomplishments of those engaged in engineering practice in the design, development, application and operation of internal combustion engines.

Naber, the recipient of Michigan Tech's 2022 Research Award, was nominated for ASME ICE Award recognition by Seong-Young Lee (ME-EM).

Please join us for the next Department of Mathematical Sciences (Math) Seminar, taking place tomorrow (Oct. 17) from 1-2 p.m. in Fisher 230.

Our special guest speaker will be Guosheng Fu, assistant professor from the University of Notre Dame.

Fu's presentation is titled "Finite elements meet optimal transport on a Schrodinger bridge."

Reza Foudazi from the University of Oklahoma will be presenting at this week's Physics Colloquium. The seminar will be presented in person at 4 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 19) in Fisher 139.

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

Another second-place finish for the Huskies!

The Sailing Club at Michigan Tech traveled all the way to Larchmont, New York, this past weekend to compete in the 2023 Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta, held Oct. 7-8.

Competing with over 30 other college sailing teams from three different countries, the Huskies managed to sail Hornet to a second-place finish in the J105 class. Photos from the regatta are available online.

For more information about the Sailing Club at Michigan Tech, visit our website or email mtu.sailing.ebaord@gmail.com.

Job Postings for Monday, Oct. 16, 2023

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email humanresources@mtu.edu. For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Assistant Teaching Professor – Nursing, Biological Sciences. Apply online.
Contact: Lori Sullivan

Director of Marketing and Outreach, College of Business. Apply online.
Contact: Laura Shawhan

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.

David Sproule '15 (B.S. Biomedical Engineering/Exercise Science) and Professor Emeritus Bill Sproule (CEGE) are co-authors of a paper published in the Society for International Hockey's 2023 Hockey Research Journal.

The paper is titled "Hockey Helmets - History, Standards, and Ratings."

Ryan Williams (GLRC) is the principal investigator on a project that has received a $219,997 research and development grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps of Engineers.

The project is titled "Estimation, interpolation, and mapping of soil strength by leveraging pre-existing remotely sensed information."

This is a potential two-year project.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Advancing Access and Equity

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and all members of the Michigan Tech community are encouraged to participate. This year's theme, "Advancing Access and Equity," reflects the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present, and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices that benefit employers and employees.

For specific ideas about how the Michigan Tech community can support National Disability Employment Awareness Month, visit the Office of Disability Employment Policy's webpage. Suggestions range from simple, such as putting up a poster, to comprehensive, such as hosting a disability education program for your department.

We all play an important part in fostering a more inclusive workplace, whether in-person or online, one where every person is recognized for their abilities — every day of every month.

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CISR Research Discussion on Mobility Infrastructure

On Oct. 26 from noon to 1 p.m. in Library 103 (or on Zoom), join the Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience (CISR) for a discussion on upcoming opportunities for team proposals in the thematic area of "Mobility Infrastructure: Sustainability, Resilience, and Current/Future Research Direction."

Panelists will seed the conversation: Jeff Naber (ME-EM) and Pasi Lautala and Tim Colling (both CEGE) will take part in person, and Jamie Leonard and Eric McDonald from the Michigan Clean Cities Coalition will join remotely.

Attendees will also get a chance to learn more about CISR resources to support research development. Feel free to bring lunch.

Add the event to your Google Calendar.

If you are interested in this area of research but are unable to attend, please email Alan Turnquist at alturnqu@mtu.edu and we will provide you with a summary and an opportunity to join subsequent discussions.

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On-Campus 2023 Flu Shot Clinics

Michigan Tech, in collaboration with UP Health System – Portage, would like to remind the campus community about our remaining on-campus flu shot clinics scheduled for this fall:

• Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Rozsa Lobby
• Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 4-6 p.m. — SDC Wood Gym Balcony

A few things to remember for this year’s flu shot clinics:

• There's no need to make an appointment — all flu shot clinics are walk-in friendly.
• Be sure to have a valid copy of your insurance card (or a very clear picture of the front and back of the card) with you when you arrive.
• Be sure to fill out the Influenza Vaccination Authorization Form before you arrive.
• Flu shots are $40 for those who do not have insurance, payable by cash, check or credit card.

Full details on the flu clinics can be found by visiting the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being webpage, and questions can be directed to counseling@mtu.edu.

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Virtual Interest Session: MTU's Online Health Informatics Program

Save the Date: Join us next Monday (Oct. 23) for a 45-minute virtual interest session on one of Michigan Tech’s most in-demand online programs: the online Master of Science in Health Informatics.

In this session, MS in Health Informatics Program Director Guy Hembroff, associate professor in applied computing, and David Lawrence, vice president for Global Campus and continuing education, will explain the details of this versatile, customizable online program, such as its stackable certificates. You’ll also discover how this program allows you to leverage your previous computational, clinical, cybersecurity or data science background.

Interest Session Details:

• When: Monday, Oct. 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
• Where: Online via Zoom webinar
• Registration: Register to attend the interest session

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Phone/Voicemail System Upgrades

On Thursday (Oct. 19), starting at 9 a.m., Michigan Tech IT will be working with a vendor to apply upgrades to the campus phone and voicemail systems. Phones will continue to operate as normal and fail over to backup systems if necessary. Incoming and outgoing calls will be unavailable during a phone reboot, which will only take a few minutes.

The voicemail system will also be upgraded at this time. We’re testing the migration process now and will alert you ahead of time if there are any changes you’ll need to make.

If you have any questions or concerns, we can help. Contact us at it-help@mtu.edu or call 7-1111.

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Final Reminder: MSGC Applications Due

Proposals for funding through the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) are due soon:

• Wednesday, Oct. 18, by noon — Internal deadline for pre-college education, public outreach, teacher training and research seed grant proposals.
• Wednesday, Nov. 8, by noon — Internal deadline for undergraduate and graduate fellowship proposals.
• Wednesday, Nov. 15, by 5 p.m. — Final materials, after review and approval by SPO, must be uploaded to MSGC by the applicant.

Proposals exceeding stated page limits or submitted without prior review by Michigan Tech will not be considered for funding. Women, underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply to all MSGC funding opportunities. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for fellowship grants.

New for 2023! All proposals must be processed internally through Cayuse.

For instructions detailing proposal submission procedures and requirements, visit the Resources for the Michigan Space Grant Consortium webpage.

For more information, contact Mia Kemppainen in the Graduate School at miaw@mtu.edu or call 906-487-2326.

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EPSSI Seminar with Ogochukwu Enekwizu

Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) guest Ogochukwu (Ogo) Enekwizu, research associate of the Environmental and Climate Sciences Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory, will give a talk today (Oct 16) at 4 p.m. In M&M U113.

Details are available on the University Events Calendar.

Enekwizu's talk is titled "The Atmospheric Aging and Impacts of Black Carbon."

From the abstract:
Black carbon (BC) particles originating from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning contribute substantially to climate warming both directly through the absorption of solar radiation (aerosol-radiation interactions), and indirectly by changing cloud properties such as cloud amount and lifetime (aerosol-cloud interactions). Quantifying the radiative impacts of these BC particles remains a significant challenge that ultimately stems from a poor understanding of the fundamental mechanisms governing the evolution of the structural, chemical, optical, and hygroscopic properties of these particles, and their large spatial and temporal heterogeneity during atmospheric transport. In this seminar, I will highlight some of my past work on the effects of coating distribution and evolving aggregate morphology on the optical properties of aged BC particles (from fossil fuel combustion), and my current work on quantifying the impacts of cloud processing on the size distribution of BC particles formed from biomass burning (wildfires) and the subsequent changes in optical properties resulting from these interactions. Specific results include experimentally constrained modeling simulations of BC optical properties and laboratory measurements of the cloud droplet activation of BC particles.

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CEGE Grad Info Night

Do you have questions about graduate school?

Join the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) faculty and graduate students, as well as the MTU Graduate School, for Grad Info Night tomorrow (Oct. 17) at 5:30 p.m. in the Eighth Floor Dow Atrium.

Learn about why you should consider graduate school, the accelerated and online M.S. program, the application process, financial aid and much more.

Pizza will be provided!

This event is sponsored by CEGE and the MTU Graduate School.

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ACSHF Forum with Chikondi Sepula, Blessings Hwaca

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences will host Chikondi Sepula and Blessings Hwaca from Rhodes University at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (ACSHF) Forum.

There will be two presentations from 2-3 p.m. today (Oct. 16) via Zoom from Grahamstown, South Africa.

The first presentation is titled "Exploring the Development of Computational Thinking Skills among Pre-Service Teachers through Visual Programming: An Interventionist Case Study."

The title of the second presentation is "Working with Secondary School Educators’ on the development of Computational Thinking through lesson planning."

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

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CFRES Hosting Natural Resources Career Fair Tomorrow

Michigan Tech’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) invites you to attend the Natural Resources Career Fair 2023 tomorrow (Oct. 17) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the U. J. Noblet Forestry Building.

The fair features regional companies and agencies that recruit students and graduates of our forestry, wildlife ecology, applied ecology, sustainability, and natural resource majors — or any current student who may have an interest in a natural-resource-related career!

Presentations by companies and agencies will be given today (Oct. 16) from 6-8 p.m. EST in Noblet G002. The varying topics will focus on application processes, job potential and company highlights. A "mixer" will take place after the presentations to allow students time to talk to employers.

The Natural Resources Career Fair runs tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., allowing students to engage with approximately 24 employers from companies and agencies such as the Departments of Natural Resources from Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota; the U.S. Forest Service; KBIC Fire; Weyerhaeuser; Bartlett Tree Experts; Philmont Scout Ranch; Davey Resource Group; Besse Forest Products; and more!

For questions, contact Krause, CFRES outreach coordinator, at elkrause@mtu.edu with the subject line "Career Fair."

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

Layered in Between: Prints by Erin Hoffman Presented by Michigan Tech Art

Monday, October 16, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Galleries A-Space

Erin Hoffman is an artist and printmaker from Muskegon, Michigan, who deals primarily with political and social concerns. Through the presentation of mismatched ideas and...

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Natural Resource Career Fair Prep

Monday, October 16, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | U.J. Noblet Forestry Building, Atrium

Get ready to introduce yourself with confidence! We will review your resume, help you prepare your personal introduction and prep you for interviews.

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MATLAB Workshop

Monday, October 16, 2 p.m.–4 p.m. | Online

Free MATLAB Workshop! Women in Physics is hosting a MATLAB workshop that is available to anyone who is interested. It is a 7 week course that will begin with the basic...

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A Stochastic Wind-Surge-Wave Model for Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Coastal Power Infrastructure

Monday, October 16, 3 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Yousef Darestani, Assistant Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, Michigan Tech Biography Yousef Darestani...

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EPSSI Seminar: Dr. Ogochukwu (Ogo) Enekwizu

Monday, October 16, 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), Room U113

Dr. Ogochukwu (Ogo) Enekwizu, Research Associate of the Environmental and Climate Sciences Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory, will give a talk on Monday, Oct 16th...

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Halloween Movies and Coloring

Monday, October 16, 5 p.m.–6 p.m. | Fisher 130

Join WiCS for a spooky movie and some Halloween coloring pages! Estimated 5-6:00pm (materials provided).

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Race Practice

Monday, October 16, 5 p.m.–8 p.m. | East Houghton Waterfront Park

Race practices are pretty casual. We set a few marks in the portage and have a few races on Monday and Wednesday nights. Anyone is welcome to attend, regardless of sailing...

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Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Parent & Child Aquatics Fall 2023 Session 1

Monday, October 16, 5:10 p.m.–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Ages 6 months to 3 years. Come make a splash in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Parent and Child Aquatics levels are being offered at the SDC Pool for ages 6...

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Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Parent & Child Aquatics Fall 2023 Session 1

Monday, October 16, 5:10 p.m.–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Ages 6 months to 3 years. Come make a splash in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Parent and Child Aquatics levels are being offered at the SDC Pool for ages 6...

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Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Preschool Aquatics Fall 2023 Session 1

Monday, October 16, 5:10 p.m.–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Ages 4-5 years. Come make a splash in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Preschool Aquatics levels are being offered at the SDC Pool for ages 4 to 5 years old. ...

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Law Club Weekly Meeting

Monday, October 16, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Library 103

Objectives: 1. To provide a pre-professional organization for those who are planning to pursue a legal career or those who are interested in the legal field. 2. To prepare...

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Natural Resources Career Presentations

Monday, October 16, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. | U.J. Noblet Forestry Building, G004

Are you interested in exploring exciting career opportunities in the natural resource sector? There will be a series of presentations from natural resource companies the...