April 8, 2025

Michigan Tech’s 24-hour giving challenge begins at noon today, April 8! As members of our Husky community, we invite you to consider joining us as we strive for campuswide participation. Make your gift before Give Back to the Pack ends at noon tomorrow, April 9. No matter the size, every gift makes a difference in the lives of our students and community!

Here's how you can get involved:

1. Make a Gift: Visit the Give Back to the Pack website to make a contribution to the area of your choosing and help us reach our goals.

2. Spread the Word: Share your participation in #GiveBackToThePack on social media to show your Husky pride!

3. Maximize Your Impact: Amplify your gift by taking part in our matches, challenges, and giving day leaderboards!

Visit the Give Back to the Pack website to make your gift and be part of this special day!

Career Services is pleased to announce two additions to the team:

Assistant Director for Academic and Career Integration
Beginning April 14, Liz Fujita ’12 (B.S. Mathematical Sciences/Social Sciences) will serve as the assistant director for academic and career integration. In this role, Fujita will provide focused direction toward the integration and enhancement of a career development ecosystem into the University’s academic and curricular activities. This newly created position will include engaging with faculty to initiate collaborative partnerships, align department- and college-level learning outcomes and career readiness competencies, and support student career development through data-driven best practices.

Fujita is a proud Michigan Tech alumna who earned her master's in educational policy, organization and leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2019. She is returning to the University after serving as the director of collegiate programs for the national body of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. Prior to embarking with SASE, Fujita spent the first 10-plus years of her higher ed career at Michigan Tech, most recently as the director for foundation relations. Additionally, she is a co-advisor (with colleague Jim Desrochers) and tournament director for the Quiz Bowl Club. Away from campus, you'll find her reading, tending to her massive vegetable garden, or out running, biking and cross-country skiing.

Senior Career Advisor
Beginning June 2, Beth Fitzpatrick will serve as Career Services’ senior career advisor. In this role, Fitzpatrick will assist in providing students and alumni with innovative career exploration and development services. She will also provide enhanced job search assistance for full-time, co-op and internship opportunities; promote relationships with employers to enhance recruitment; and develop and present on-campus and community workshops and seminars.

A Houghton native, Fitzpatrick earned her bachelor’s in English education from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and her Master of Education in Counseling from the University of New Hampshire. She has been in higher education for 17 years at three different universities. She worked in Career Services at MTU for four years before taking over as director of admissions in 2021. She resides in Houghton with her husband, dog, chickens and newborn daughter.

Career Services would like to thank Natasha Chopp (VPR), Susan Liebau (Chem), Steve Patchin (APUE) and Len Switzer (Enterprise) for serving on the search committee.

Please join us in congratulating Liz and Beth on their appointments.

This is the third entry in an eight-part series celebrating the Enterprise Program's inaugural Enterprise Distinguished Service Awards.

Our third award profile highlights the contributions of Rick Berkey.

“My role with Enterprise has truly been multifaceted,” says Berkey, Michigan Tech’s director of Global Campus and continuing education. “I joined in 2006 as the sponsored projects manager and I worked with corporate partners to get projects for the students. My professional background was in industry — I worked in the automotive and defense sectors — so it made sense that I would enter higher education that way. But I wanted interaction with students. Two years later, Jim Hertel, an instructor in the engineering fundamentals department, was looking for someone to take over advising the Supermileage Systems Enterprise, so I raised my hand and stepped into that role in fall 2008. And it was a great decision.”

Read more on the Enterprise Blog.

About the Awards
Created in celebration of the Enterprise Program's 25 years at Michigan Tech, the Enterprise Distinguished Service Awards recognize the dedication and exceptional contributions of advisors and champions who have played pivotal roles in shaping the program’s success.

The inaugural recipients are Brett Hamlin (EF), Glen Archer (ECE), Rick Berkey (MTGC), Jason Blough (MAE), Brad King (MAE), Robert Pastel (CS/PsyHF), Tony Rogers (ChE) and Christopher “Kit” Cischke (ECE).

Each of the award winners has more than 15 years of service within Enterprise, dedicating their time and expertise to guide teams, ensure student success and advance the program’s discovery-based learning mission, as well as foster industry collaborations and strengthen the bridge between academia and industry.

The Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (MMET) and the College of Computing (CC) inducted 16 Michigan Tech students into Michigan Tech’s Delta Zeta Chapter of the Epsilon Pi Tau Honor Society on April 1.

Epsilon Pi Tau is the international honor society for professions in technology, recognizing students and technology professionals for academic excellence.

Congratulations to the Delta Zeta Chapter's spring 2025 Epsilon Pi Tau initiates:

• Uttam Bellamkonda (health informatics)
• Nicholas Brummeler (cybersecurity)
• Kameron Chung (health informatics)
• Samuel Currie (mechanical engineering technology)
• Sucharitha Reddy Dammareddygari (health informatics)
• Bright Frimpong (manufacturing engineering)
• Nathanael Jewell (mechanical engineering technology)
• Christopher Kloha (health informatics)
• Amaturrahman Raihanah Medlock (health informatics)
• Gideon Owusu (health informatics)
• Emma Pearson (mechanical engineering technology)
• Jacob Pfaff (mechanical engineering technology)
• Logan Pokorski (mechanical engineering technology)
• Caden Swanson (cybersecurity)
• Trace Wilke (mechanical engineering technology)
• Nicholas Wyatt (mechatronics)

For more information, contact Delta Zeta Chapter trustee John Irwin (MMET) at jlirwin@mtu.edu or co-trustee Todd Arney (CC) at toarney@mtu.edu, or visit Epsilon Pi Tau’s website.

Beginning April 28, the University will shift to our summer hours schedule. The core hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., meaning all offices must be staffed during these hours.

Employees are expected to fulfill their usual full-time or part-time obligations. Employee work schedules during this time must be coordinated with, and approved by, their supervisor.

Regular office hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) will resume on Aug. 11.

The University Senate will convene Meeting 719 at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, in Chem Sci 102.

Those within the University community unable to attend in person have the option to attend the University Senate meeting 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 719.

Join the Keweenaw Wild Ones and Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA) for the eighth annual Keweenaw Native Plant Symposium on Saturday, April 12. Register today to hear from featured speakers including nationally known horticulturalist and native landscape designer Kim Eierman. Registration is free.

Eierman’s talk, “Selling Native Plants with Cues to Care,” focuses on ways gardeners can assure their communities that their native plantings are tended spaces.

Additional presentations will include "Butterfly Bonanza: Native Plants for Butterflies and Moths,” by Michelle Wietek-Stephens of U.P. Native Plants, and "Pollinators in the Woods? Exploring the Many Ways Wild Bees Nest and Forage in Woody Habitats," by Kass Urban-Mead of the Xerces Society for Invertebrates.

The symposium is sponsored by Keweenaw Wild Ones, KISMA, the Keweenaw Land Trust and the Michigan State University Extension Master Gardener Program.

Baylor College Ph.D. candidate and MTU Department of Biological Sciences (BioSci) alumna Tessa Steenwinkel will be presenting from 3-4 p.m. in Rekhi G005 this Thursday, April 10. The presentation will also be available via Zoom.

Join the BioSci Seminar on Zoom.

Steenwinkel's presentation is titled “A new mouse model based on a family with polycystic ovary syndrome.”

From the abstract:
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the primary cause of anovulatory infertility worldwide. Up to 10% of all women of reproductive age are affected by PCOS and experience hormonal imbalance, excessive androgens, or polycystic ovaries. In addition, PCOS is frequently associated with insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, and an increased likelihood of developing depression or anxiety. So far, genome-wide association studies have identified many genetic risk loci, including heterozygous polymorphisms in ligands and receptors belonging to the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) superfamily. More recently, the Rare and Atypical Diabetes Network (RADIANT) identified a monogenic variant in SMAD5, one of the ligand-activated transcription factors of the TGFβ superfamily, in a woman with atypical diabetes and PCOS. This variant was subsequently found in her daughter who also has PCOS. The focus of my dissertation research is how this genetic variant alters SMAD5 function and its systemic effect in vivo. To study this, our lab generated the homologous point mutation in SMAD5 in mice using CRISPR/Cas9. In my talk, I will discuss our current work demonstrating that homozygous Smad5^KI/KI mice have partial sub-lethality and that the heterozygous Smad^5KI+ mice have alterations in their reproductive and metabolic health. Overall, we show that several key PCOS traits are present in these mice, providing a potentially valuable model to help unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying PCOS in women.

Justine Nakintu, lecturer at Mbarara University of Science and Technology and research associate in the Department of Earth, Environment and Geographical Sciences, will be presenting at this week's Chemistry Seminar. The seminar will be held in person at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 11, in Chem Sci 101.

Nakintu's presentation is titled “Expanding the utilization potential of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus).”

From the abstract:
A jackfruit plant thrives in tropical/subtropical environments and bears the largest tree borne-fruit in the world weighing up to 50 kg. Consumption of jackfruit has multiple benefits including improving digestion, strengthening bones, delaying wrinkle development, improving blood circulation, and boosting immunity. Several studies have reported its anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous and anti-diabetic properties among others attributed to its nutrient and phytochemical richness. However, the jackfruit’s edible portion (pulps) accounts for only 15-20% of the fruit weight and the remaining 80-85% (seed, rind, rags, and rachis) are discarded as waste. The fruit also has a very short shelf life of a maximum of five days and its bulkiness makes transportation particularly for export almost impossible. In this project, we are exploring the nutrient and phytochemical composition of jackfruit including the non-edible parts to inform their utilization. We are also developing long shelf-life value added products including wine, biscuits and plant milk to extend the utilization period as well as make the transportation easier for access to a wider community.

Nakintu completed her Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Biology in 2021. She is a lecturer at Mbarara University of Science and Technology and a research associate in the Department of Earth, Environment and Geographical Sciences, collaborating with the Department of Chemistry, Northern Michigan University. She is the principal investigator of the project “Jackfruit agroclimatic suitability and value addition: implications for crop diversification and food security in Uganda” funded by the American Association of University Women.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is hosting a seminar presented by Eddie Austin, Ochsner Therapy and Wellness, New Orleans, Louisiana, at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, in EERC 501.

Austin’s presentation is titled “Motion Capture Used in Clinical Treatment for a Patient with a Gunshot Wound.”

From the abstract:
In this presentation, the speaker will review a case study of how motion capture is utilized in a clinical, research, and design realm. This case study involves an individual that was referred for lower back pain. His history was complex and included a gunshot wound to the head nearly 20 years previous. As a result of the gunshot wound, a traumatic brain injury was incurred. The injury caused paralysis and weakness to much of the right arm and leg musculature. In this study, a typical physical therapy assessment was incorporated along with a motion capture analysis to determine impairments and a course of treatment. Analysis of gait revealed significant portions of the gait (walking) cycle that were impaired. In parallel with physical therapy treatment, a senior design student group was also recruited to develop a novel lower extremity device to address the gait anomalies. Additionally, the speaker will briefly cover other projects in the clinical setup.

Austin serves as research supervisor of therapy services, physical therapist and occupational therapist at Ochsner Therapy and Wellness in New Orleans. He earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in 2021 from Louisiana State University. Prior to that, he received his B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Northeast Louisiana University and his M.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of Texas Medical Branch. He is also adjunct faculty at South College, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Austin has contributed to sports medicine and biomechanics research at Ochsner Medical Center, focusing on injury prevention, rehabilitation and return-to-sport metrics. His work includes motion capture analysis for functional movement, strength assessments related to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and concussion recovery, and grant development for advanced biomechanical interventions across athletic and pediatric populations.

For more information, contact Jin Choi, Ph.D., in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Join the Rhetoric, Theory and Culture (RTC) program this Friday, April 11, for the final RTC Brown Bag of the semester: "Vamp & Godmother? Contradictions of Theda Bara and Gendered War Work" presented by Sue Collins.

The talk will take place from 12-1 p.m. in the Petersen Library (Walker 318). All are welcome!

From the abstract:
This talk focuses on the peculiar case of Theda Bara, a Hollywood actress who became famous for her ethnic-Other “vamp” movie character and public persona. In 1918, Bara was appointed “Godmother” to the 158th Infantry Regiment from Arizona. The practice of godmothering had started early in World War I but was prohibited in France and Britain after 1915 due to suspicions of sexual misconduct between women and their “godsons,” as well as fears about its potential for espionage. When the U.S. intervened in 1917, godmothering was discouraged by the Department of War, with exceptions made for female screen idols who offered government officials a useful mechanism by which to help promote troop morale and the will to fight. Bara’s promiscuous, even adulterous persona, however, ostensibly threatened conventional morality among men and women, and the “wholesome” model of “soldier-citizen” the camps aimed to cultivate among the men. Accordingly, her films were banned in the training camps. I explore the logic of Bara as godmother through an analysis of Hollywood’s star system in the 1910s and how its discursive construction of stardom intersects with Foucault’s discussion of discourse and sexuality.

Job Postings for Tuesday, April 8, 2025

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.

Senior Office Assistant (40 hours, 12 months), ​Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (UAW posting dates April 8 to April 14, 2025 — 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.

College Marketing and Communications Manager, University Marketing and Communications. Apply online.

Programmer / Analyst, Information Technology. 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.

TIME Magazine mentioned Kristin Brzeski (CFRES) in a story about Colossal Biosciences’ work to revive extinct species using genetic engineering. The story highlighted Colossal’s successful efforts to bring back the dire wolf and discussed how the company’s methods could also contribute to efforts aimed at saving endangered species like the red wolf. The story was picked up by Yahoo! News Canada.

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The Lansing City Pulse quoted Roman Sidortsov (SS) in a story about the Upper Peninsula’s leadership in renewable energy development. Sidortsov discussed the role of local energy production in reducing electricity costs and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on the region’s renewable energy growth. 

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The Keweenaw Report and My UP Now quoted Sarah Bell (HU) in stories about her keynote at Michigan Tech’s Art in Silico event. Bell discussed the intersection of artificial intelligence and the humanities, focusing on the history of singing machines and the ethical implications of AI-created voices. 

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Vermont’s Burlington Free Press, Yahoo! News, Seacoast Online and five additional news outlets referenced Michigan Tech’s What are the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)? webpage in stories about the northern lights being visible in parts of the United States, including northern Vermont, New York and New Hampshire.

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The Keweenaw Report mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the snowfall totals for the 2024-25 winter season in Keweenaw County. The report highlighted that this winter has already surpassed 300 inches of snow, making it the fourth snowiest season on record for the region since 1890.

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Ontario’s Telegraph-Journal mentioned former Michigan Tech hockey players Dave and Mike Draper in a story about their late brother, Bruce Draper, a former Toronto Maple Leaf who passed away from leukemia at the age of 24.

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College Hockey News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the 1975 national championship team, celebrating the Huskies’ victory over Minnesota. The article featured memories from former Huskies Bruce Abbey, Bill Steele, Jim Murray, and Mike Zuke.

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Minnesota’s West Central Tribune mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the promotion of Sarah Lamers ’16 (B.S. Chemical Engineering) to director of operations at Loftness.

Celebrating Our Huskies: Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week

The Graduate School is excited to announce that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has officially proclaimed this week, April 7-11, as Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week in the state of Michigan. This significant recognition, championed by the Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU), shines a light on the crucial role and immense value that graduate and professional students bring to our universities and the entire state.

During this special week, the Graduate School wants to take a moment to express our sincere pride in each and every one of our graduate and professional students. Their commitment to scholarship, tireless pursuit of knowledge through research, and dedication to mastering their chosen fields are truly commendable.

We witness firsthand our students’ late nights in the lab, thoughtful discussions in seminars, and the innovative ideas they bring to life. The accomplishments of our graduate students, both big and small, contribute significantly to the vibrant intellectual environment of Michigan Tech and have a lasting impact.

Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week is a chance for the entire University community to acknowledge and celebrate the vital role that graduate students play in our community.

Read the Governor's Full Proclamation.

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

PhD Defense: Aritra Chakrabarty

Tuesday, April 8, 8–10 a.m. | Administration and Student Services Building, 404

Environmental and Energy Policy Advisor: Mark Rouleau Energy Equity in India's Renewable Energy Transition A Policy Design Agenda Attend Virtually:...

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Master's Defense: Justin Anthony

Tuesday, April 8, 9–10 a.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 875

Civil Engineering Advisor: Stephen Morse Z97 Impact Testing of Thin Glass

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PhD Defense: Hunter Stoddard

Tuesday, April 8, 10–11 a.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 201

Chemical Engineering Advisor: Rebecca Ong COMMUNITY DIVERSITY AND MAKEUP AFFECT THE CAPACITY FOR BIOCONVERSION OF CHEMICALLY DECONSTRUCTED PET WASTE INTO BIOMASS Attend...

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Master's Defense: Ronald Schwandt

Tuesday, April 8, 1–2 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 104

Chemistry Advisor: Rudy Luck MICROWAVE ASSISTED SYNTHESES AND CHARACTERIZATIONS OF NEAR-INFRARED RATIOMETRIC PROBES FOR MITOCHONDRIAL pH DETECTION AND MONITORING

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Master's Defense: Robert Hazen

Tuesday, April 8, 3–4 p.m. | Administration and Student Services Building, 404

Industrial Heritage and Archaeology Advisor: Melissa Baird LAND REMATRIATION: UTILIZING THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND DEVELOPING TRIBAL HOMELAND TERRITORIES...

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Spring 2025: Girls' Basketball Little Huskies

Tuesday, April 8, 4–6 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Multipurpose Room, Varsity Gym

This camp is open to girls in grades 2 through 5. Learning skills, working in a team, and having fun: that’s Michigan Tech’s Little Huskies girls’ basketball camp. It’s a...

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Stammtisch

Tuesday, April 8, 4:30–5:30 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, 120C HDMZ

Join us for German conversation and get to know the German-speaking community at Michigan Tech!

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NCSA General Meeting

Tuesday, April 8, 6–7 p.m. | Chem-Sci 102

A weekly meeting where we cover what's going on in the organization, often followed by a guest presenter, then discussion of what's going on in the world of tech.

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CommUNITY Conversations: Pride and Faith

Tuesday, April 8, 6:30–7:30 p.m. | EERC 214

The Student Affairs CommUNITY Education Team invites members of our campus community to join us while we explore LGBTQIA+ identities and faith. Speakers include: - Julia...

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Bible Study - John

Tuesday, April 8, 7:00–8:45 p.m. | His House Campus House

Join us as we continue to study the Gospel of John this semester! Who is Jesus? Who did he claim to be? If you are a seasoned Christian or just exploring your...

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Macrame Plant Hangers - Husky Hobbies

Tuesday, April 8, 7–9 p.m. | The Makerspace (MUB Basement)

Come learn to make macrame plant hangers with Craft Club and the Plant and Garden Club! All supplies and instructions will be included, and so will plants!

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Serve The King Main Meeting

Tuesday, April 8, 7–9 p.m. | Wads G42W

Want to learn who Christ is? Why we sin? Why the world is in it's current state? Join us as we preach Christ crucified and risen, salvation to all who believe. Pizza...