April 17, 2025

When Dean Michelle Scherer joined Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering in July 2024, she arrived with a mission statement: We need every engineer. Her words spurred a new initiative that is delivering on that mission by preparing undergraduate students for careers in engineering research and development.

The College of Engineering’s Research Experience for Undergraduate Students (REU) pairs students of all academic years, even their first, with renowned Michigan Tech faculty members working on projects spanning from underwater communication by autonomous vehicles to transformative approaches in recycling and beyond.

“For Tech, as a newly classified R1 university, I think creating these kinds of long-term research experiences for undergraduates is an important way to make sure the benefits of being an R1 university are integrated into Tech student experience,” said Scherer.

Learn more about the REU program and meet three faculty-student pairs already working on their research projects at Michigan Tech's Unscripted Research Blog.

Research from the laboratory of Yoke Khin Yap (Physics) was the subject of an unsolicited companion article published by Scilights, a weekly journal that showcases the most interesting research across the physical sciences published in AIP Publishing scientific journals.

The companion article, titled “Expanding the biomedical potential of boron nitride,” highlights the group's recently published research on high-brightness probes (HBPs) synthesized using boron nitride dots.

Yap's group found that high-brightness probes enable gene sequence detection even without electron-multiplying charged-coupled detectors, as HBPs can provide signals more than 10 times higher than organic dyes. The publication was announced in Tech Today on April 11.

Articles featured in Scilights are "science highlights" selected by the journal editors of AIP Publishing, a subsidiary of the American Institute of Physics. Scilight's focus and coverage includes summarizing newly published research and emphasizing its significance to a particular field.

Michigan Tech's Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Council hosted their annual Greek Week event from March 30 through April 6.

Despite less-than-ideal weather conditions, the event saw enthusiastic participation from students who refused to let the elements dampen their spirits. There were indoor and outdoor activities that ranged from dizzy bats and human-pyramid building to cornhole tournaments and presidents races. Additional activities rounded out the event, providing something for everyone regardless of athletic ability or competitive spirit. Not only did the students in Greek Life participate in fun games, but they also helped out with a spring cleanup at the end of the week!

"The turnout exceeded our expectations given the weather," said Tom Gutierrez, IFC vice president of community engagement.

The winner of Greek Week 2025 was Sigma Tau Gamma, who earned the most points over the week. They also won overall in 2024.

To learn more about Greek Life, visit the Student Leadership and Involvement website. Additionally, visit Michigan Tech's Interfraternity Council on Instagram @mtu_ifc and Tech's Panhellenic Council on Instagram @mtu_panhellenic.

Please join the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) for our Friday Seminar Series tomorrow, April 18, from 3-4 p.m. in Noblet G002, followed by a social in the Forestry Atrium.

Jared Wolfe, assistant professor and wildlife ecologist in CFRES, will present “Testing the Blueprint of Extinction in the Tropics,” a field-based test of a conceptual extinction model, using a large-scale rainfall experiment in the Amazon to uncover the ecological factors driving the decline of tropical forest birds.

Eric Kumar and Chris Parlette from Corsha will give a seminar on the quickly growing cybersecurity company today, April 17, at noon in EERC 314.

The seminar is titled “Bridging the Identity Gap in Industrial Networks.”

Info for Faculty:
Corsha’s work focuses on zero-trust architectures for securing machine-to-machine communications — particularly relevant in the manufacturing space. Their experience with funding from Manufacturing USA Institutes could offer valuable insight or partnership opportunities for your next research proposal.

Info for Students:
Corsha has a strong connection with Michigan Tech, having offered internships and career opportunities to MTU students in the past. This is a great chance to learn about the company, expand your network and explore future possibilities.

Food and refreshments will be provided.

Event Details:

• What: “Bridging the Identity Gap in Industrial Networks” presented by Corsha's Eric Kumar and Chris Parlette
• When: Thursday, April 17, at noon
• Where: EERC 314

Job Posting for Thursday, April 17, 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.

Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor, Humanities. 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.

Ana Dyreson (MAE/GLRC) is the principal investigator on a project that has received a $299,930 research and development contract from Sandia National Laboratories.

The project is titled "Strategies and Technologies for Operationally Resilient and Maximally-available Solar (STORMS)."

This is a potential 32-month project.

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Hayden Henderson (GLRC) is the principal investigator of a project awarded $15,000 by the University of Michigan's Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

The project is titled “Great Lakes Evaporation Flux Measurement Support.”

Nagesh Hatti and Len Switzer (both Enterprise) were quoted and multiple student Enterprise team members were mentioned by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story about Michigan Tech’s 25th annual Design Expo on April 15. Hatti and Michigan Tech students Lily VanHevel and Daegan Sayles-Devine were also quoted by WZMQ 19 News, and previews of the event were published by the Keweenaw Report and K-Bear 102 WHKB-FM.

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Professor Emeritus Barry Solomon (SS) was quoted by Riverbank News in Oakdale, California, in a story about WalletHub’s 2025 Greenest States report. Solomon discussed the importance of renewable energy policies and their role in creating a greener future.

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Yahoo! News and six additional outlets referenced Michigan Tech’s What are the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)? webpage in a story about the potential visibility of the aurora borealis across New Hampshire on April 15. The story was picked up from Seacoast Online.

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The Keweenaw Report mentioned Michigan Tech’s Sustainability Film Series in a story about the screening of the documentary “Common Ground.” The film, which explores innovations in agriculture and sustainable food systems, will be shown tonight, April 17, at 7 p.m. in Fisher 135.

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The Daily Mining Gazette covered Michigan Tech men’s basketball junior guard Marcus Tomashek receiving the 2024-25 GLIAC Commissioner’s Award. Tomashek was recognized for his athletic achievements and academic excellence, including a 3.70 GPA while leading the Huskies to a GLIAC regular season title and NCAA Tournament berth.

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Sustainability Magazine mentioned Michigan Tech alum Eryn Devola (B.S. M.S. Mechanical Engineering) in a story about her participation in May's Sustainability LIVE Chicago event.

Tonight: Sustainability Film: 'Common Ground'

The 2025 Sustainability Film Series, coordinated by Michigan Tech Office of Sustainability and Resilience, will present April’s film “Common Ground” at 7 p.m. tonight, April 17, in Fisher 135. The film is free and everyone is welcome to attend. The film will be followed by a facilitated discussion and refreshments.

Add “Common Ground” to your Google Calendar.

“Common Ground” digs into the regenerative agriculture movement and considers how working to heal our soils holds the power to mitigate climate change, restore ecosystems and build a more equitable food system, while hearing from diverse voices working together to create a sustainable future.

Film sponsors include the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Keweenaw Co-op, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, WUP MiSTEM Network, Friends of the Land of Keweenaw (FOLK), Keweenaw Land Trust, and Michigan Tech's Office of Sustainability and Resilience and Hardwood Mass Timber Institute.

Series Details:

• What: 15th Annual Sustainability Film Series
• When: Third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., through May
• Where: Fisher 135 or 138 (refreshments in lobby)
• Cost: Free! $5 donations are greatly appreciated. You can make a donation online to support the Sustainable Film Series.

Upcoming Film:

“Water for Life” — May 15, Fisher 135
Hear the powerful stories of Berta Cáceres, Francisco Pineda and Alberto Curamil — three Indigenous leaders who fought to protect their water resources from exploitation by governments and corporations, despite facing threats, corruption and violence, all while advocating for environmental justice and Indigenous rights.

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MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker: Shelby Hutchens

The next Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Graduate Seminar speaker will present at 2 p.m. today, April 17, in EERC 103.

Shelby Hutchens will present “Failing in many ways: On the path to understanding fracture in highly deformable solids.”

Hutchens is an associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, starting her path in chemical engineering at Oklahoma State (B.S.) and Caltech (M.S. and Ph.D.), before evolving toward a current focus on mechanics of materials.

Awarded with an National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2017 and identified as an emerging investigator by Soft Matter in 2021, Hutchens is passionate about uncovering the fundamental physics underlying the mechanical performance of soft and bio-inspired materials and aims to contribute to the development of universal fracture criteria in soft solids.

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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 17:

• Chicken Tikka Masala (AG) (PR)
• Potato, Garbanzo and Pea Coconut Curry (VG) (AG)
• Basmati Rice (VG) (AG)
• Garam Cauliflower and Chickpea (VG) (AG) (CF)
• Garlic Naan (V) (PR)
• Kachumber Salad (VG) (AG)

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.

Master's Defense: Bryan Lowney

Thursday, April 17, 9–10 a.m. | Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, 610

Geophysics Advisor: Gregory Waite A Seismological Investigation of Ground Deformation from Meteotsunami and Seiche Activity on Lake Michigan

Plant Sale

Thursday, April 17, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. | U.J. Noblet Forestry building atrium

The Women in Natural Resources Club will be holding our annual plant sale on April 16th and 17th from 10am - 2pm in the U.J. Noblet Forestry building atrium. We will be...

Virtual Info Session on the Online Civil MS

Thursday, April 17, 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Join representatives from the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering and members of the Global Campus team for a short Zoom webinar that unpacks the...

Failing in many ways: On the path to understanding fracture in highly deformable solids

Thursday, April 17, 2–3 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 103

MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Shelby Hutchens, PhD University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Abstract We are comprised of and interact with highly...

Spring 2025: Boys' Basketball Little Huskies

Thursday, April 17, 4–6 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Varsity Gym

Learning skills, working as a team, and having fun: that’s Michigan Tech’s Little Huskies boys’ basketball camp. It’s about the best introduction to basketball you can...

General Meeting

Thursday, April 17, 6–7 p.m. | Fisher 130

Come learn about German language and culture!

TNT (Thursday Night Thing)

Thursday, April 17, 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,...