April 1, 2024

April is Autism Acceptance Month, a yearly observance to promote understanding, inclusion and self-advocacy for autistic members of our community. At Michigan Tech, we aim to go beyond awareness and actively celebrate the diversity of minds and perspectives that autistic students, faculty and staff bring to our Husky family.

Acceptance is a crucial first step, but true inclusion means recognizing and valuing the distinct contributions of our autistic community members.

Read more about the history of the month, creating an autism-inclusive Michigan Tech and ways you can get involved on the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Newsblog.

Have you noticed the teal ribbons around trees throughout campus? April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the teal ribbons are a nationally recognized symbol for sexual assault awareness.

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network), Women ages 18-24 are at an elevated risk of sexual assault: among undergraduate students, 26.4% of females and 6.8% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation. Among graduate and professional students, the statistics are 9.7% of females and 2.5% of males.

Title IX has partnered with Copper Shores Support and Community Outreach to host several events during April to raise awareness and help educate students, staff and faculty about ways to keep themselves safe on campus.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month Events:

• Husky Hour — Healthy Relationships
  Thursday, April 4, from 3-4 p.m. in Wads G17/19
  Hosted by Title IX and the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being
  
  
• SAVE and Title IX Table the Library
  Tuesday, April 9, from 12-2:30 p.m.
  
  
• Title IX Presents Sex Rules
  Thursday, April 11, from 6-8:30 p.m. in M&M U115
  Presentation by Briana Hansen
  
  
• Cover the Cruiser with Public Safety and Copper Shores
  Friday, April 12, from 1-4 p.m.
  
  
• Puppy Parade
  Thursday, April 25, from 5-7:30 p.m. at Quincy Green, Hancock

Please join us for all of our events! For more information, contact Dawn Corwin at dmcorwin@mtu.edu.

Mark your calendars! Michigan Tech’s 24-hour giving challenge, Give Back to the Pack, returns at noon on April 10, bringing together alumni, friends, faculty, staff and families in philanthropic support of the University.

Every gift, regardless of size, makes a difference. Our goal is to encourage participation from as many community members as possible.

Beyond making a gift to the area of your choosing, another way to participate in Give Back to the Pack is by becoming an ambassador. As an ambassador, you will play a crucial role in raising awareness and driving traffic to the site. By leveraging your personal channels, especially through social media, you can help us reach a broader audience and inspire others to join us in giving back to Michigan Tech.

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Make a Gift: Your gift today will count toward our giving challenge total.
• Become an Ambassador: Encourage your friends and family to support Tech by becoming a Give Back to the Pack ambassador.
• Find your Challenge: Participate in a challenge or match to maximize your impact.

We invite you to visit the Give Back to the Pack website to learn more, and look forward to celebrating the joy of giving with you on April 10-11!

Did you miss the Undergraduate Research Internship Program (URIP) application deadline? Don’t worry, the deadline has been extended to Friday (April 5) at 5 p.m.!

The Pavlis Honors College (PHC) invites you to embark on an enriching journey through URIP for the 2024-25 academic year. URIP provides an opportunity to establish a beneficial collaboration between an undergraduate student and a faculty research mentor.

With the deadline extended, now is the time to seize the opportunity. The internship program will run from September 2024 through mid-March 2025 and is open to any undergraduate student on campus with an identified faculty research mentor. Faculty and students who are already working together are welcome to apply.

Visit the PHC's URIP website for application details and take the first step toward becoming an undergraduate research intern.

For guidance or assistance during the application process, please reach out to Rob Handler at rhandler@mtu.edu. We're here to support you every step of the way.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive into research, expand your knowledge and leave your mark on the world. Apply now and join us in shaping the future!

University Chemical Stores is having a sale on many items, with discounts up to 75%. Take advantage of these prices now; items are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and won't be available after May 17.

A list of currently discounted items is available on our clearance spreadsheet, and additional product information can be obtained via our catalog or by emailing us at chemstores@mtu.edu.

To stock up on these products while they're available, please submit our online order requisition form.

On Jan. 30, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a final rule to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees for the first time since 2016.

This final rule goes into effect today (April 1).

The new fee schedule can be accessed at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule page.

Join us tomorrow (April 2) for the last Peña of the semester!

Come unwind and meet new people at the Spanish Conversation Hour, all while you refresh your Spanish! We'll play board games and chat.

Everybody is welcome. We will meet from 5-6 p.m. in the HDMZ (Humanities Digital Media Zone), Walker 120A.

Video Game Jazz Ensemble — Friday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Michigan Tech Jazz
Rozsa Center Backstage
Presented by Michigan Tech Music

It’s your last chance to step behind the curtain and into the Rozsa’s backstage jazz club in the 2023/2024 season! Experience an exhilarating evening of video game jazz covers performed by Michigan Tech Jazz’s own Video Game Jazz Ensemble.

Tickets:
General Public: Tickets are Pay As You're Able for this Michigan Tech Music event. Purchase your tickets through the Rozsa Box Office online 24/7, or on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in person or by calling 906-487-1906.

Students: Reserve your tickets (included with your Experience Tech fee) online. Bring your HuskyCard to use your student tickets or tap in for Student Rush.
_ _ _ _ _

Coming Soon!

Purple Hearts by C.S. Wallace — April 10-13
Directed by Nich Radcliffe
McArdle Theatre
Presented by Michigan Tech Theatre

Spring Fling Student Art Showcase — April 12-16
Artist Reception — April 12
Rozsa Art Galleries
Presented by Michigan Tech Art

Menu for Thursday (April 4):

• BBQ Brisket (AD, AG)
• Bun (Soy, Gluten, Egg, Dairy)
• BBQ Tofu (Vegan, Soy, AG, AD)
• Pasta Salad (Vegetarian, Gluten, AD)
• Crispy Onions (Vegan, Gluten, AD)
• Mac and Cheese (Vegetarian, Dairy, Gluten, Egg)
• Garlic Green Beans (Vegan, AD, AG)
• Mashed Potatoes (Vegetarian, Dairy, AG)
• Coleslaw (Vegetarian, Egg, AG)

Join Carved and Crafted Catering for this week's C3 Luncheon. The luncheon is held each week on Thursday 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, or C-Cubed, lunch buffet menus are created and prepared by Chef Luis Delgado 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 and cookies are available free to all attendees.

The buffet lunch is $15 per person. Cash, credit cards and gift cards are accepted. Gift cards can be purchased in the Memorial Union office (MUB 101).

We look forward to seeing you at our next luncheon!

AG = Avoiding Gluten
AD = Avoiding Dairy

William Frantz ’11 (B.S. in Computer Science) will present a Department of Computer Science (CS) Colloquium lecture on Friday (April 5) from 3-4 p.m. in Rekhi 214 and via Zoom online meeting.

Frantz’s talk is titled “The Big Shift.”

This talk is part of the Department of Computer Science alumni lecture series, “Our Golden Years: Behind Us, Or Still Ahead?”

Join the Zoom meeting.

Read the talk abstract and speaker bio on the Computing News Blog.

Carter Mashburn from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), University of Colorado Boulder, will present this week's Physics Colloquium.

Mashburn's presentation is titled "Dual-Frequency Comb Spectroscopy: An Emerging Tool for Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy."

The seminar will be presented in person at 4 p.m. Thursday (April 4) in Fisher 139.

Read the abstract and speaker bio at the University Events Calendar.

M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering candidate Md Abu Bakr Siddique will present his master's defense on Friday (April 5) at 8 a.m. in person in EERC 501 and virtually via Zoom.

The title of the defense is "The Integration of Neuromorphic Computing in Autonomous Robotic Systems."

Siddique is advised by Hongyu An.

The Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences will host Kristin Kolodge at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (ACSHF) Forum, being held today (April 1) from 2-3 p.m. in Meese 109 and via Zoom.

The topic of today's forum is "Is the Auto Industry Right for Me?"

As a human factors professional, what does a career in the automotive industry look like, and why is that skill set so critical? Hear Kolodge, an MTU alumna and nearly 30-year veteran in the automotive industry, describe her journey at Fiat Chrysler (now Stellantis) and J.D. Power, where she has developed automotive features, created new human machine interface (HMI) processes and new user experience research centered around the customer’s interaction with their vehicle.

The Michigan Tech track and field squads opened the season at the St. Norbert's Twilight last Thursday (March 28), with Huskies winning 11 individual events and a relay — and second-year pole vaulter Landon Cosby "crushing" his previous school record.

"We had a nice day on the track and in the field today with multiple athletes showing some really nice form despite cool, breezy conditions," head coach Robert Young said. "This team has put in some great work through the winter and we are already starting to see the fruits of those labors. It was great to see Landon crush his school record with a provisional mark we knew he was capable of producing. Hopefully, he can keep this growth going to make the national meet."

Cosby won the men's pole vault with a vault of 16-1.25, clearing the height on his first attempt and bettering his school-record mark of 15-9 set last season.

See all the student-athletes' performances at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Sponsored Programs Two-Tiered Deadline Structure

The Sponsored Programs Office is providing a reminder of the two-tier internal deadline structure. This structure includes all pre-proposals, proposals and letters of intent. The two-tier structure includes deadlines for all final internal, nontechnical and technical documents.

All final internal and nontechnical related sponsor documents are due to Sponsored Programs no later than 7 a.m. five business days before the sponsor deadline. If applicable, the application package must be completed in the appropriate submission system (Research.gov, Grants.gov Workspace, NIH ASSIST, etc.) except for the budget forms, which are to be completed by Sponsored Programs personnel.

Internal documents include the completed and approved Cayuse proposal form, budget approved by Sponsored Programs, budget justification and cost share approval document(s), if applicable.

Nontechnical document requirements vary by sponsor or funding opportunity and include items such as a biographical sketch or CV; current and pending support form; letters of support; cost proposal volume; data management plan; and facilities, equipment, and other resources documents, as well as any sponsor-specific required budget forms.

All final technical related documents are due to Sponsored Programs no later than 7 a.m. on the day of the sponsor deadline. Technical documents include items such as the project summary, project description, research strategy, technical volume, specific aims and references cited. The assigned analyst will assist in identifying the nontechnical and technical related documents needed for each proposal submission.

For proposals that include subawards, all required subrecipient documents are due to Sponsored Programs no later than 5 p.m. 10 business days before the sponsor deadline to allow time for a compliance review, correspondence with subrecipient personnel and incorporation into the proposal package.

Please contact Sponsored Programs at 906-487-2226 or spo-l@mtu.edu if you have any questions.

*****

MS Defense: Cassandra Reed-VanDam, CFRES

M.S. in Applied Ecology candidate Cassandra Reed-VanDam will present their master's defense at 10 a.m. today (April 1) in person in GLRC 202.

Reed-VanDam's defense is titled "Restoration is Repairing Relationships: Bridging Indigenous and Western Sciences to Assess the Socio-ecological Restoration of Wild Rice (Zizania Palustris) on Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Homelands."

Reed-VanDam is advised by Val Gagnon, and committee members include Rod Chimner (CFRES), Noel Urban (CEGE) and Erin Johnston of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.

From the abstract:
Manoomin (wild rice, Zizania palustris) is an ecologically and culturally significant plant relative for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC). Historically, manoomin was present across much of the Great Lakes, however their presence has declined since the early 1900s and by 1990, virtually disappeared within KBIC homelands. Employing ethnography, surveys, focus groups, and conversations with Ojibwa knowledge holders, this research defined successful manoomin restoration for KBIC and developed socio-ecological attributes and indicators to assess restoration presented in the Medicine Wheel Framework for Manoomin Restoration. Surface water, sediment, and pore water samples at 6 different manoomin sites were analyzed to contribute to a comprehensive database on manoomin conditions and to test the feasibility of the Framework. The Framework offers visual insight into how balanced attributes are between Teachings, Ecosystem Relationships, Response to Challenges, and Manoomin Health, offering a model to bridge Indigenous and Western science to assess manoomin restoration efforts.

*****

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar with Jessica Alger

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar will take place at 3 p.m. today (April 1) in GLRC 202.

Jessica Alger, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, Michigan Tech, will present "Urban Green Space and Flood Risk Equity."

Read the abstract on the University Events Calendar.

*****

Get Ready for Design Expo 2024

Please save the date for Michigan Tech’s 24th Design Expo! It's happening April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first floor of the Van Pelt and Opie Library and in the MUB Ballroom.

Design Expo is an annual event that highlights hands-on, discovery-based learning with a showcase of Enterprise, Senior Design/Capstone and other team projects from all across the Michigan Tech campus.

Design Expo Showcase
More than a thousand students will showcase their work and compete for awards. A panel of judges will view and critique project videos created by each team, then come to the Design Expo Showcase to meet the teams and ask questions live and in person. This year, 25 first-year engineering teams will also participate, showcasing their work in the MUB Ballroom.

Design Expo Social Hour and Awards Ceremony
After judging concludes at 2 p.m. April 16, everyone's invited to a social hour at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts starting at 2:30 p.m., with light refreshments, entertainment and door prizes. Then, at 3:30 p.m., we will begin the Design Expo Awards Ceremony, where student teams will be recognized — and more than $3,000 in cash will be awarded.

Sign Up To Be a Judge
We welcome individuals from various professions, disciplines and backgrounds to serve as distinguished judges. It’s not too late! Sign up to be a judge at mtu.edu/expo.

Questions?
Design Expo is hosted by the Enterprise Program and the College of Engineering. All events are free and open to the public. Any questions? Contact Michael Banyas at mgbanyas@mtu.edu.

*****

Family Fun Day at Marsin Nature Retreat

Looking for some fun activities to do with your kiddos while they're on spring break? Join the Keweenaw Land Trust tomorrow (April 2) from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Marsin Nature Retreat for a fun family event organized by students in Michigan Tech's Nature Psychology course.

The event will include a variety of activities for children of all ages. Many of the activities will be outdoors, so please dress appropriately for the weather. Visit the Keweenaw Land Trust's Family Fun Day at Martin page for more details.

Event Details:

• What: Family Fun Day at Marsin Nature Retreat
• When: Tuesday, April 2, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Where: Marsin Nature Retreat, 52864 Red Brick Road, Houghton, Michigan

*****

Talk: 'Nationalism in the Modern World' with David Kaplan

Join us for lunch and a talk by visiting geographic scientist Dave Kaplan today (April 1) from noon to 1 p.m. in AOB 201.

Kaplan will discuss how nationalism is inextricably linked to geography and explore how different permutations of nationalism all feature territory prominently through examples around the world.

This visit is made possible by the American Association of Geographers and Gamma Theta Upsilon, and through collaboration with the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at Northern Michigan University.

Joe Shawhan (ATH) was quoted by WLUC TV6 in a story tracking the Michigan Tech hockey team’s arrival in Providence, Rhode Island, for their NCAA regional semifinal game last Friday (March 29).

*****

The Iron Mountain Daily News previewed the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming concert in Crystal Falls, Michigan. The KSO will perform at the Crystal Theatre at 7 p.m. on Thursday (April 4).

*****

The Mining Journal mentioned Michigan Tech in a story detailing funding allocations for Michigan projects in the recently signed federal budget bill — including $250,000 to support MTU research in advanced materials and critical minerals. The story was picked up from the Iron Mountain Daily News.

*****

ABC 10 covered the Parade of Nations’ call for logo submissions from K-12 Keweenaw student artists. The story was picked up by the Keweenaw Report.

*****

The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech hockey forward Alex Nordstrom in a story summarizing local skaters’ contributions to the college and junior hockey playoff scene.

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

Master's Defense: Cassandra Reed-VanDam

Monday, April 1, 10–11 a.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Applied Ecology Advisor: Valoree Gagnon RESTORATION IS REPAIRING RELATIONSHIPS: BRIDGING INDIGENOUS AND WESTERN SCIENCES TO ASSESS THE SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF WILD...

PhD Defense: Justin Cassell

Monday, April 1, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 215

Applied Physics Advisor: Alexander Kostinski ON THE ENERGY TRANSFER IN COLLISIONS OF CURVED SHOCK FRONTS IN FLOWING SOLIDS

Master's Defense: Ellianna Sempek

Monday, April 1, 2–3 p.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 743

Biological Sciences Advisor: Xiaoqing Tang Investigating the Mitochondrial Function of microRNA-483 Deficient Pancreatic Islets Attend Virtually: ...

Urban Green Space and Flood Risk Equity

Monday, April 1, 3 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar Jessica Alger, PhD Candidate, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, Michigan Tech Abstract: Urban...

PhD Defense: Shashank Pathrudkar

Monday, April 1, 4–5 p.m. | R. L. Smith Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building (MEEM), 208

Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Advisor: Susanta Ghosh Machine Learning for Electronic Structure Prediction

Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Parent & Child Aquatics - Spring 2024 Session 2

Monday, April 1, 5:10–5:50 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...

Huskies Group Swim Lessons - Preschool Aquatics - Spring 2024 Session 2

Monday, April 1, 5:10–5:50 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....