Category Archives: Events

Welcome and Invite to Reunion Celebration on Friday, August 2

Adrienne Minerick

Dear Alumni, Colleagues and Friends,

Welcome to Michigan Tech’s new College of Computing! By now you’ve received the latest Michigan Tech magazine and have read the announcement of Michigan Tech’s newest college. This is an exciting time at Michigan Tech as we reimagine existing programs, add new majors, and pursue innovative new initiatives to prepare our graduates—and Michigan Tech—for Industry 4.0!

As you saw in the magazine, Michigan Tech embraces an exciting, diverse learning and research community. Computing and information science are an essential part of it all. Computing skills and computational thinking are essential in virtually all fields and job markets today, and Michigan Tech’s College of Computing is in position to ensure all our graduates are prepared, comfortable, and agile in a world in which cyber-technologies influence virtually everything.

The new College of Computing (CC) merges a talented, forward-thinking, innovative group of faculty and staff. We oversee core undergraduate degrees in Computer Network and System Administration (CNSA), Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering Technology, and Software Engineering, with minors in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Data Acquisition and Industrial Control.  Our graduate degrees include Computer Science (MS and PhD), Cybersecurity, Data Science, Health Informatics, and Mechatronics. On the research front, CC faculty and students are developing innovative software and hardware solutions to address today’s societal, technological, and sustainable challenges. Visit www.mtu.edu/computing to learn more.

I am pleased to introduce myself as the founding Dean of the College of Computing, effective July 1, 2019. It is an honor to help launch the College of Computing and assist in positioning Michigan Tech for this new era.

By way of my background, I am a chemical engineering BS graduate of Michigan Tech (’98); I completed my MS and PhD in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame du lac (USA). I returned to Michigan Tech in 2010, and am currently a Professor of Chemical Engineering. I have also served the University as Associate Dean for Research and Innovation for the College of Engineering, Assistant to the Provost for Faculty Development, and Dean of the School of Technology.

As you may know, Michigan Tech’s Alumni Reunion is just around the corner, August 1-3, 2019. Graduates from all years and majors are welcome, and we sincerely hope to reconnect with many of you—our computing/software and electronics/robotics alumni!

At a special celebration Friday, August 2, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., we’ll be sharing additional information about the College of Computing, and showing off some of our senior design projects. It is our hope that you’ll gain a few new and fun memories at this event.  Please join us outside Rekhi Hall (weather permitting) or on the second floor of Rekhi Hall for this wonderful opportunity to catch up with everyone and share your best—and perhaps even some of your worst—Michigan Tech memories! Ice cream and light refreshments will be served. The event is free and guests and family members are welcome.

Please let us know if you’re able to attend this College of Computing event, and register for the Reunion, at www.mtu.edu/alumni/connect/reunion. We look forward to seeing you in Houghton!

Best regards,

Adrienne Minerick, PhD

Dean, College of Computing

CSR Workshop – 2019

Michigan Tech hosted the workshop “Exploring Computer Science Research” Friday – Sunday (April 5-7). The workshop was one of 15 Google has sponsored in the U.S. and was organized by four CS Faculty: Leo Ureel, Linda Ott, Jean Mayo and Laura Brown. The workshop was for women and underrepresented groups to explore research and graduate school opportunities in computer science.

There were 26 attendees from six universities or colleges across Michigan and Wisconsin. Over the course of the weekend each student got to participate in a research experience, investigating a research question with a faculty mentor. Topics included:

  • Machine Vision – Robert Pastel
  • Data Science in Energy Systems – Laura Brown
  • Cybersecurity and Privacy in Storage Systems – Bo Chen
  • Agent-based Simulations in Education – Leo Ureel
  • Human Computer Interactions: Natural Language Processing for Assistive Technologies – Keith Vertanen

After learning about and working on their research topics, the students presented out to the group. In addition to their research experiences, attendees learned about different job opportunities after graduate school, heard how to apply to graduate schools and talked to current graduate students about the graduate school experience and their research.

Guest speakers included Niloofar Gheissari and Anja Gruenheid, two Google employees, Pushpalatha Murthy, Dean of the Graduate School and Robin Hunicke, our keynote speaker from the University of California Santa Cruz and Funomena.

Students Invited to Apply for Spring Break Trip to Silicon Valley

Tech Today announces:

Aspiring student entrepreneurs and innovators are invited to apply for the Michigan Tech Silicon Valley Experience, a spring break tour of California Bay Area companies that includes meetings with entrepreneurs and Michigan Tech alumni who are leaders in their field.

The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 8, and the application form can be found at SVE Experience 2019 Application. Up to fifteen students will be selected for this experience. Major funding for the trip is provided by Michigan Tech alumnus Kanwal Rekhi, as well as the Pavlis Honors College Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship and the School of Business and Economics in collaboration with 14 Floors.

Silicon Valley is known for its software giants, high-tech startups, Fortune 1,000 companies, innovative culture and entrepreneurial ecosystem—the environment that affects local/regional entrepreneurship, such as culture, policies, talent, entrepreneurial organizations, regional resources, and networks.

The Silicon Valley Experience will showcase multiple perspectives of a day in the life of successful entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers, and business leaders. This tour will provide an interactive opportunity for students to discover more about a variety of industry settings, to sample various innovative corporate cultures through tours and presentations, and to meet and talk with successful alumni entrepreneurs.

Students who are accepted will have the opportunity to:

  • Tour companies like Google, Netflix, Hewlett Packard, Facebook, Ford, Clari, BYTON, Twilio, Autodesk, Waymo, the Porter Vineyard, as well as recent Michigan Tech alumnus startup, Handshake
  • Meet with entrepreneurs and innovators
  • Talk with Michigan Tech alumni who are leaders in their field
  • Get answers to your real-world business, innovation, and leadership questions
  • Gain firsthand knowledge of the enterprises that are revolutionizing global business

Lodging, some food and ground transportation to and from toured companies will be covered. Students will be responsible for arranging and paying for their own air travel. As part of the student application, students will create a two-minute video describing how they will share their experience with the University community upon completion of their travel in order to positively contribute to our entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Students who have a demonstrated financial need can apply for a limited travel scholarship. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Casper.

by Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship

Sign Up for Computer Programming Lessons

Young students sitting at computersThe Department of Computer Science at Michigan Tech is offering local middle and high school students hands-on instruction in the basics of computer programming and computer science. Copper Country Coders meets each Saturday during the academic year from 1 to 3 p.m., starting this Saturday (Sept. 15) at Rekhi Hall, room 112.

Computer Science faculty and students will teach the fundamentals of programming, starting with simple languages like HTML and Scratch and progressing to the well-known and widely used Java language.

Beginning students use their new programming skills to create their own games and computer art. They also get exposure to physical applications of programming, such as mobile computing, microcontrollers and 3D printing.

We ask for a suggested donation of $60 to help pay for student teachers and computer access. To register or for more information, contact Charles Wallace, 7-3431.

Code Ninjas Rescheduled, Registration Open

The Code Ninjas Workshop, originally scheduled for June 18-23, was rescheduled due to this month’s flooding. New dates have been scheduled and registration is now open.

The Code Ninjas Workshop for middle school girls is July 16 – 21. Code Ninjas is for girls interested in programming computers, making websites and helping everyone use technology. Presenting the workshop are Sarah Larkin-Driscoll, a second-year student and Miriam Eikenberry-Ureel, an incoming freshman. Both are from the Computer Science Department.

Are you interested in web design? Building smartphone apps? Programming a video game? Do you wonder what it might be like to be color-blind? What about someone who can’t comfortably tap on an iPhone? How can computers help a speech-impaired person talk?

Join us for a week-long workshop where girls in grades 6 – 9 explore, design and program web pages and apps for special needs groups. They’ll make a web page with special settings for color-blind users. Explore using a mobile device from an elderly person’s point of view. Program a video game and then make custom controls. Make a web-based game with custom links and resizable text. Learn about careers in game development, web design and usability testing. Meet other girls interested in computing. Tour a research lab where people use computers to create better lives.

Workshop Dates:

  • Noon to 3:30 p.m. July 16—Web Design Basics
  • Noon to 3:30 p.m. July 17—Web Design for the Visually Impaired
  • Noon to 3:30 p.m. July 18—Web Design for Mobile Devices
  • Noon to 3:30 p.m. July 19—Game design for special needs
  • Noon to 3:30 p.m. July 20—Make a game controller
  • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 21—Design a program of your choice

The workshops are located in Rekhi Hall 112. Space is limited, so register for this free workshop by Monday, July 9. No prior programming experience is necessary. Questions? Contact aspire-l@mtu.edu .

This workshop is sponsored by an AspireIT grant from the National Center for Women & Information Technology and facilitated by the Michigan Tech Computer Science Department.