April 10, 2025

Effective Dec. 22, 2025, the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones) produced by certain foreign manufacturers will be prohibited on all federal grants and contracts, including work performed by subcontractors.

These restrictions stem from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.240-1, "Prohibition on UAS Manufactured or Assembled by American Security Drone Act-Covered Foreign Entities," and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) 1260H regulations. These measures aim to protect sensitive research data and prevent potential security risks.

Michigan Tech researchers should plan on verifying drone equipment compliance before proposal submission and throughout your project lifecycle.

What You Need to Do:

• Verify that you are not using a prohibited UAS on your federal government grants and contracts.
• Check the manufacturer of any drones used in your research against the following resources:
  • Approved drone manufacturers
  • Prohibited drone manufacturers
  • Search for sanctions

Important Note: Be sure to identify the actual manufacturer name of your equipment. For example, DJI drones are produced by SZ DJI Technologies.

For questions or further guidance on verification procedures, please contact the Research Security Office at researchsecurity-l@mtu.edu.

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

Our fifth award profile highlights the contributions of Glen Archer.

Archer, a teaching professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, first came to Michigan Tech as a major in the United States Air Force to work with the University’s AFROTC program. After retiring from military service, Archer stayed on at the University to earn his Ph.D. and eventually joined the faculty. He has served as faculty advisor for the Blue Marble Security Enterprise (BMSE) since 2006.

“The original advisor for BMSE was [former Michigan Tech professor] David Stone,” says Archer. “After 9/11, he thought there would be interest in creating an Enterprise with a homeland security focus, so he basically spun BMSE off of the Wireless Communications Enterprise, which he had helped found and was advising.”

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.

Benefits Services and Financial Aid strongly encourage students to submit their TRIP (Tuition Reduction Incentive Program) application forms for fall 2025 by April 25 to ensure timely processing. Students should turn these forms in as soon as they have them completed, and no later than July 1.

A TRIP application form can be obtained from the Additional Benefits page. The form is to be signed by the eligible employee/retiree and student. One application form is to be completed for each semester.

Tonight is opening night for the Michigan Tech production of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" with Michigan Tech Theatre and the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. The musical opens tonight, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, presented by the Michigan Tech Theatre Series.

The show will also be performed tomorrow and Saturday, April 11 and 12, also at 7:30 p.m.

"Sweeney Todd" is a dark, witty and Tony Award-winning tale of love, murder and revenge. Set against the backdrop of 19th century London, the musical tells the tale of a barber driven to madness by injustice. Accompanied by the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Joel Neves, the production features a talented cast of community members and Michigan Tech faculty, staff and students. It will be director Nich Radcliffe’s first musical production at Michigan Tech.

“I think anyone who has seen the show before will have a terrific time with the unique elements in our production. And anyone who hasn’t seen the show before will have a wonderful first experience with this legendary piece from the musical theatre canon,” said Radcliffe.

You couldn’t ask for a more entertaining option for an evening out. Tickets are still available for all three shows!

Get Tickets for "Sweeney Todd"

Content Guidance: This dark musical thriller includes coarse language, sexual assault, murder, suggested nudity, smoking and other substances, cannibalism, haze, and flashing and strobing lights.

Plan Your Visit: We expect this event to be a full house and encourage guests to plan their arrival time accordingly. Free parking is available on Michigan Tech’s campus on weekends and after 4 p.m. on weekdays. For Rozsa events, we recommend Lots 5, 8, 10, and 14 and along Cliff Drive for the most convenient parking. Carpooling is encouraged. Please obey all posted signage. Seating will begin 30 minutes before the event start time. This is a general admission event, and we ask guests to fill in empty seats to help accommodate everyone.

Michigan Tech and the Parade of Nations Planning Committee are excited to announce the return of the annual Parade of Nations on Sept. 20.

The Parade of Nations is a longstanding tradition in the Keweenaw that showcases the region’s rich cultural representation and commitment to global unity. This year’s theme, “Games Around the World,” invites the community to celebrate the joy, unity and cultural richness of play and sport across continents.

The event will begin with a vibrant parade through downtown Houghton featuring colorful floats, cultural attire and flags representing the more than 50 nations that Michigan Tech students and community members call home.

Following the parade, the festivities continue at Dee Stadium in Houghton with the Multicultural Festival, where attendees can enjoy international cuisine, live performances, vendors and kids activities.

The Parade of Nations is free and open to the public. Local businesses and MTU student organizations are encouraged to participate in the parade or as vendors at the Multicultural Festival.

Registration details, sponsorship opportunities and volunteer sign-up information found at the Parade of Nations page.

The Department of Psychology and Human Factors will host two speakers at the next Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (ACSHF) Forum: Jennifer Drewyor and Brandon Woolman, both ACSHF Ph.D. students. Their presentations will be from 2-3 p.m. on Monday, April 14, in M&M 610.

Drewyor will present "Scaffolding Computational Thinking Through Visual Programming: An Exploratory Pre-Post Study of Knowledge Transfer."

Woolman will present "A Robotic Object Hit and Avoid Task is Sensitive to Executive Dysfunction in Older Adults with Signs of Dementia."

Tomorrow, April 11, the Department of Mathematical Sciences (Math) is pleased to welcome our own David Hemmer for a colloquium at 1 p.m. in Fisher 327B.

Hemmer will present "Some New Identities in the Character Tables of Symmetric Groups."

From the abstract:
We will give an introduction to representation theory, in particular for finite symmetric groups. We also introduce the closely related area of symmetric polynomials. The irreducible characters of the symmetric group $\Sigma_n$ are labelled by partitions $\lambda \vdash n$. For a partition $\lambda$ of $n$, Tewadros recently defined an unusual set, called $Ev(\lambda)$, of partitions of $2n$, and gave some conjectural identities in the character table of symmetric groups related to this set. We prove part of this conjecture. This leads to some fascinating combinatorics related to Motzkin paths, Riordan numbers and standard Young tableaux.

This is joint work with Karlee Westrem and Armin Straub.

Jaclyn Johnson (MAE) was announced by the Michigan Association of State Universities as one of “three Michigan professors who are leaders in their field and passionately dedicated to student success” selected as recipients of the 2025 Distinguished Professor of the Year Award. The announcement was picked up by the Daily Mining Gazette and WNMU-FM. Johnson was also mentioned by Grand Valley State University.

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Hayden Henderson (GLRC) appeared in a Great Lakes Now episode titled “Battling Invaders & Exploring Hidden Habitats.” In the episode’s second segment, “Meet the Scientists Exploring the Lakes' Hidden Habitats,” Henderson discusses the technologies used at the Great Lakes Research Center in benthic habitat mapping, documenting and classifying the organisms and geology at the bottoms of the Great Lakes.

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WLUC TV6 quoted Erin Smith (HU) in a story about the state organization Michigan Humanities suspending grantmaking opportunities and programs due to federal funding cuts. Smith is the director of Michigan Tech’s 41 North Film Festival, which received a grant from the organization in 2024.

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Lansing’s 730 WVFN-AM mentioned Kristin Brzeski (CFRES) in a story about Colossal Biosciences’ work to revive extinct species, including their recent revival of dire wolf traits using genetic engineering.

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UPword quoted Andrew Barnard (VPR) and John Lehman (URE) in a story about Michigan Tech joining the University Research Corridor. The article highlighted how the partnership will expand the University’s research impact and strengthen MTU’s position as a key player in economic development and innovation in Michigan.

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WalletHub interviewed Professor Emeritus Barry Solomon (SS) in a Q&A about policies to make communities more environmentally friendly. Solomon discussed the importance of strong renewable energy policies, stricter pollution standards, and sustainable practices in agriculture and construction to support greener living.

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Michigan Tech senior undergraduate Connor Tokie (civil engineering/environmental engineering) was quoted by UPword in a story about Michigan Tech’s hosting of the 2025 Eastern Great Lakes ASCE Student Symposium. Tokie co-captains MTU’s Steel Bridge team, competing Saturday, April 12, at the Gates Tennis Center.

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The Air Force Materiel Command mentioned Michigan Tech in stories about the 16th annual Aerospace Propulsion Outreach Program (APOP) conference. The event will feature innovative aerospace propulsion concepts presented by engineering students from 19 universities, including MTU.

2025 Upper Peninsula Teaching and Learning Conference Registration Now Open!

Registration for the 2025 Upper Peninsula Teaching and Learning Conference (UP-TLC) is now open!

Register for the UP-TLC at Sched. You will receive an email when session selections become available.

Conference Schedule and Pricing:

• Thursday, May 8: Preconference Sessions
  Ticket Price: $45
  Includes Thursday preconference session admission, snacks and a parking pass (if needed). Registration also grants entry to "A Night at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum," featuring museum tours, hors d'oeuvres and networking opportunities.

• Friday, May 9: Full-Day Conference
  Ticket Price: $95
  Includes access to all scheduled Friday sessions; breakfast, lunch and snacks; and a parking pass (if needed).

Conference Tracks:

• AI in Education — Explore the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools and other machine learning applications to enhance the teaching and learning process. Topics may include leveraging AI for course design optimization, AI-driven student tutoring (such as custom GPT systems) and AI-assisted grading and feedback systems. Presenters might also explore AI’s role in adaptive learning technologies and predictive analytics for student success.

• Inclusive Teaching — Learn about strategies and tools for creating more inclusive learning environments. Topics may include the accessibility of course materials, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies and the use of EdTech tools that help ensure all students have equal opportunities to succeed. Presenters can highlight practices that promote equity, remove barriers and enhance the overall student experience for learners from diverse backgrounds and abilities.

• Active Learning and Student Engagement — Learn about strategies and tools that foster active participation in face-to-face and online environments. Topic areas may include active learning techniques like interactive lectures, or team-based and problem-based learning. Additional strategies like case studies, peer teaching and the flipped classroom model are also appropriate. Presenters may also highlight digital tools that encourage collaboration, real-time feedback and dynamic student participation in diverse learning settings.

• Innovative Strategies in Education — Discover forward-thinking teaching practices and pedagogical approaches designed to enhance learning. Topics may include mastery-based learning, the use of learning portfolios, gamification and the integration of emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. Presenters may showcase strategies that support improved learning outcomes and foster critical thinking in all teaching modalities.

Billing Information:

Universities and colleges have been assigned a University Billing Code* that attendees can enter during registration to charge their institution. Attendees without a University Billing Code will receive instructions for payment via the MTU Techshop.

* For MTU: Each college has a unique billing code provided to the dean and college director of administration. Registrants should use the appropriate code corresponding to the designated index.

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Keweenaw Native Plant Symposium

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.

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BioSci Seminar Series Speaker: Tessa Steenwinkel

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 today, 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.

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ECE Seminar with Eddie Austin

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. today, 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.

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MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker: Alden Adolph

The next Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Graduate Seminar speaker will present at 2 p.m. today, April 10, in EERC 103.

Alden Adolph will present "How Snow Optics and Thermodynamics Can Inform Climate Modeling."

Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, and holding passions for her family, athletics and cross-country skiing, Adolph received a B.A. and B.E. from Dartmouth College in engineering sciences with a concentration in mechanical engineering. She further went on to earn her Ph.D. from the same institution in 2017. Prior to working at MTU, Adolph was an associate professor at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Adolph's current research program is being supported by an NSF CAREER Award. Her past studies have focused on gas transport in snow, snow optics and thermodynamics using a variety of tools such as field observations, controlled experiments, modeling and remote sensing. Her credentials further expand over a decade of fieldwork in seasonal snow and participation in three field research campaigns to the Greenland Ice Sheet.

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Today's C-Cubed Luncheon Menu

Carved and Crafted Catering at Michigan Technological University invites faculty, staff, and their guests to the C-Cubed Luncheon, held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Thursday in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge (MUB 107).

Menu for Thursday, April 10:

• Barbecue Beef Brisket
• Chimichurri Charred Cauliflower (VG) (AG)
• Macaroni & Cheese (V) (PR)
• Coleslaw (V) (AG)
• Cookie Platter (V)

The 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 and tea are available free to all attendees. All vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items on the buffet are labeled for easy identification. Meals are for dine-in only, and personal containers and to-go meals are not permitted.

The buffet lunch is $15.50 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 C-Cubed feedback using C-Cubed Survey/Comments form. To join the C-Cubed Luncheon Email List and receive weekly menus, please complete the sign-up form.

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

PhD Defense: Abel Andres Reyes Angulo

Thursday, April 10, 10–11 a.m. | Fisher Hall, 327B

Computational Science and Engineering Co-advisors: Guy Hembroff and Sidike Paheding Generalizing medical image segmentation task with efficient deep learning models Attend...

Master's Defense: Theophilus Asumah

Thursday, April 10, 1–2 p.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 619

Geological Engineering Advisor: Roohollah Askari Review of Geologic Hydrogen

Master's Defense: Weichao Weng

Thursday, April 10, 1–2 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 218

Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisor: Jeremy Bos CHARACTERIZING ADVERSE WINTER CONDITIONS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SEVERE WEATHER DATASETS Attend Virtually:...

PhD Defense: Rhiannon Turner

Thursday, April 10, 1:30–2:30 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 325

Physics Advisor: Petra Huentemeyer Studying the Hadronic Nature of Ultra-High-Energy Galactic Gamma Ray Emission Using HAWC and SWGO Attend Virtually:...

How Snow Optics and Thermodynamics Can Inform Climate Modeling

Thursday, April 10, 2–3 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 103

MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Alden Adolph, PhD Michigan Technological University Abstract The naturally high albedo (or reflectivity) of snow...

Biological Sciences Seminar Series - A new mouse model based on a family with polycystic ovary syndrome

Thursday, April 10, 3–4 p.m. | Rekhi Hall, G005

Tessa Steenwinkel, PhD Candidate Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine Abstract: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the primary cause of...

Spring 2025: Girls' Basketball Little Huskies

Thursday, April 10, 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...

Poetry Night!

Thursday, April 10, 5–6 p.m. | Walker 107

The Creative Writing Club is hosting a Poetry Night in honor of National Poetry Month! Come to the Writing Center at 5pm on Thursday, April 10th to read your own work or a...

Sweeney Todd - Michigan Tech Theatre and the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra

Thursday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

MICHIGAN TECH THEATRE SERIES EVENT Attend the dark, witty and Tony Award-winning tale of love, murder and revenge set against the backdrop of 19th century London. This tasty,...

TNT (Thursday Night Thing)

Thursday, April 10, 8–9 p.m. | Forestry G002

Come to our weekly large group meeting to hang out, have fun, and grow closer to God! These meetings include two worship sets, an activity, a talk given by one of our members,...