Michigan Tech alumnus Rev. Dustin Larson, BS, MS in Computer Science, was quoted in the story “Campus Ministry at NMU takes on a new FOCUS,” on WRUP FM (Marquette).
Larson, who in addition to studying at MTU spent his first years in the priesthood at St. Albert the Great, is currently associate pastor of St. Michael Parish in Marquette and Chaplain of the Catholic Campus Ministry at Northern Michigan University.
Outstanding RedTeam results in Fall 2020 NCL cyber competition.
Of the 27 Michigan Tech RedTeam students who successfully completed the individual games in National CyberLeague games this fall, seven students ranked in the top 100, out of 6,011 participants. And in team play, two teams ranked in the top 100, out of 957 teams.
RedTeam exists to promote a security-driven mindset among the student population, and to provide a community and resource for those wishing to learn more about information security.
Faculty coaches to the RedTeam student organization are Asst. Prof. Bo Chen, Computer Science, and Prof. Yu Cai, Applied Computing.
This is the highest achievement MTU students have achieved in NCL individual games since we began participating in fall 2017.
Individual Rankings (6,011 Competitors)
- Jacson Ott: Ranked 52
- Trevor Hornsby: 78
- Shane Hoppe: 80
- Dakoda Patterson: 90
- Matthew Chau: 92
- Ryan Klemm: 93
- Stu Kernstock: 98
Team Rankings (957 Teams)
- RedTeam@mtu, Team 1: Ranked 22
Team members: Trevor Hornsby, Stu Kernstock, Jacson Ott, Shane Hoppe, Dakoda Patterson, Matthew Chau, Ryan Klemm - MTU Alumni Team, Team 2: Ranked 67
Team members: Jack Bergman, Jon Preuth, Trevor Taubitz
The National Cyber League (NCL) is a biannual cybersecurity competition. Open to U.S. high school and college students, the competition consists of a series of challenges that allow students to demonstrate their ability to identify hackers from forensic data, pentest and audit vulnerable websites, recover from ransomware attacks, and more.
Every year, over 10,000 students from more than 300 colleges and universities across the U.S. participate in the NCL competitions. Student players compete in the NCL to build their skills, leverage the NCL Scouting Reports for career and professional development, and to represent their school in the national Cyber Power Rankings.
Powered by Cyber Skyline, NCL provides a platform on which students can prepare and test themselves against practical cybersecurity challenges that they will likely face in the workforce, such as identifying hackers from forensic data, pentesting and audit vulnerable websites, recovering from ransomware attacks, and more.
The Cyber Power Rankings were created by Cyber Skyline in partnership with the National Cyber League (NCL). The rankings represent the ability of student competitors to perform real-world cybersecurity tasks on the Cyber Skyline platform.
The College of Computing External Advisory Board (EAB) gathered virtually on October 23, 2020, for the first meeting of the the newly-established group.
The Advisory Board members will meet periodically with College leadership to share their expertise and provide outside perspectives.
“The members bring a diverse set of backgrounds and experience,” says Dean Adrienne Minerick. “We had an excellent discussion today, and I believe the group will mesh and work well together.”
Many of the EAB members are Michigan Tech alumni and all are executives, professionals, and business owners with direct knowledge of today’s technology workplace.
“This external engagement with the College provides us with essential information related to best practices and emerging trends in the industries and organizations where our graduates work,” explains Minerick.
“I believe it will also spark innovation and keep our focus on quality, agility, and delivering the education our students will need to meet the challenges presented by today’s global workplace,” she adds.
The College of Computing advisory board will work in close communication with the advisory boards of the Departments of Applied Computing and Computer Science. Advisory board members also act as ambassadors for the College in cooperation with the Michigan Tech Office of Advancement and Gift Planning.
The College of Computing External Advisory Board members are listed below. Learn more about the EAB on our website.
- Randy Berry, Vice President of Utilities, Open Systems International Inc.
- Chen Ding, Professor, Computer Science Dept., University of Rochester
- Derek Dykens, Global Retail Industry Strategist, Splunk
- Mark Gauthier, President/Owner, Donald Engineering
- Dianne Marsh, Director of Device and Content Security, Netflix
- Pavan Muzumdar, Chief Operating Officer, Automation Alley
- Brian VanVoorst, Lead Scientist, Fellow, BBN Technologies, Raytheon
by Michael R. Meyer, Director, William G. Jackson CTL
Assistant Professor Leo Ureel, Computer Science, is among the Deans’ Teaching Showcase members who have been selected to receive 2020 CTL instructional Awards.
The awardees will make presentations next spring semester to share the work that led to their nomination.
When their presentation concludes, each will be formally recognized with a certificate and $750 in additional compensation .
Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021 — Curriculum Development: Katrina Black, Senior Lecturer in Physics
Thursday Feb. 18, 2021 — Innovative or Out of Class Teaching: Libby Meyer, Lecturer in Visual and Performing Arts and Leo Ureel, Assistant Professor in Computer Science
Tuesday, March 30, 2021 — Large Class Teaching: Kette Thomas, Associate Professor of Diverse Literature in Humanities
These events will take place from 3:30-4:30 on the dates listed. Detailed titles, topics, and registration links for each presentation will be circulated in anticipation of each event.
Many thanks to the previous CTL instructional award recipients and the Provost’s office staff who were instrumental in the selection process.
Please consider suggesting instructors whom you’ve seen make exceptional contributions in Curriculum Development, Assessment, Innovative or Out-of-Class teaching or Large Class Teaching to the appropriate chair or dean so that they can be considered for the upcoming (2021) Deans’ Teaching Showcase during spring semester.
Briana Bettin, Ph.D., Computer Science: New Degree, New Position
Read Part II: Research, Mentors, and Creative Energy
By Karen S. Johnson, Communications Director, College of Computing
Michigan Tech Ph.D. graduate Briana Bettin, Computer Science, is among six new faculty members the College of Computing welcomed this fall. Bettin is an assistant professor for the Department of Computer Science, and an affiliated assistant professor for the Cognitive and Learning Sciences department.
She is teaching courses including CS1121 Introduction to Programming in C/C++, and pursuing research and other projects with faculty and students.
In August 2020, Bettin successfully defended her dissertation, “The Stained Glass of Knowledge: On Understanding Novice Mental Models of Computing,” and was awarded her Ph.D. in Computer Science.
“I’m excited to begin my faculty journey at Michigan Tech and I look forward to helping our students continue to learn skills that will allow them to create the future,” Bettin says. “Michigan Tech has always been an amazing place for me—the opportunity to continue to give back to this place that has given me so much is something I’m very grateful for.”
Bettin says that she is excited about several interesting research projects already being planned in the College, and she looks forward to helping the College advance its educational and research visibility and standing.
Bettin is a member researcher of the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems’ new Center for Computing Education, which promotes research and learning activities related to computing education.
Neopets, HTML, CSS. Here’s how Briana Bettin got everything started.
Video games caught Bettin’s interest at a young age and as she grew older, she became interested in online games like Neopets, which allows the user to develop a profile using HTML.
“So, I became excited to learn about HTML and CSS in order to express myself in those online spaces,” she says. “This also got me interested in graphic design, and both of these things combined got me hooked on the idea of creating expressive virtual spaces.”
Bettin earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, with an Application Area in User Experience and Marketing, from Michigan Tech in spring 2014. Following, while working full time as a front-end web developer at a consulting firm, in summer 2016 she completed her master’s degree online. In fall 2016, Bettin began her Ph.D. studies.
The right fit.
“I wasn’t always sure if Computer Science was ‘right’ for someone like me,” Bettin reflects. “But my Ph.D. advisor, Dr. Linda Ott, would encourage me by reminding me of the vast opportunities in technology. And since I became aware of the interdisciplinary area of User Experience, my interest in programming has only grown!”
“Dr. Ott is absolutely amazing,” Bettin says of Professor Linda Ott, chair of the Department of Computer Science. “I am thankful for her, and I knew that having her as my adviser would be one of the best things I could hope for. Our working styles are very complementary, and she is a great motivator and supporter. Laura Brown and Nilufer Onder have also been great mentors, offering me wonderful advice and support whenever I talk to them.”
Bettin adds that Assistant Professor Leo Ureel, Computer Science, was “wonderful in helping me develop my research vision. We often bounce ideas, and he has supported my ideas and given me many opportunities to implement research ideas in the classroom. Our talks give me so much perspective and energy.”
Early teaching success, fellowships, and awards.
Bettin was a CS 1121 lab instructor from fall 2016 until fall 2019, when she became the instructor of record, teaching her first semesters as a lecturer in fall 2019 and spring 2020. That fall, she received outstanding “Average of 7 Dimensions” student evaluation scores, one of only 74 such accolades earned by faculty that semester.
But Bettin’s excellence was recognized long before, in fall 2017, when she received the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant award from Michigan Tech’s Graduate Student Government.
Bettin was awarded the King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship from the State of Michigan in fall 2018. She received several doctoral consortium stipends from organizations including Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), the Frontiers in Education Doctoral Symposium (FIE), and the Computing Research Association’s Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W).
A Google Scholar award made it possible for her to attend the 2017 Grace Hopper Celebration, which supports women in computing and organizations that view technology innovation as a strategic imperative. In fall 2019, Bettin was nominated for the prestigious MAGS Teaching Award.