The Great Lakes represent almost 90 percent of the US surface freshwater, with almost one-half of that in Lake Superior alone.
Never before has the Great Lakes basin faced the magnitude of issues and stresses currently in operation—challenges that cut across all branches of science and engineering, from biology to physics, and from social science to management and policy.
Michigan Tech held its inaugural celebration of Ada Lovelace Day, an annual event held to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of women to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and to encourage young women to pursue careers in STEM fields.
Tech’s celebration involved a two-day series of events beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 16, in Fisher 139 as Professor Martha Sloan (ECE) and guest speakers Mary Long and Michelle Eggart discuss their experiences as women working in STEM fields.
On Wednesday, Oct. 17, from 8 to 10 p.m., in Fisher 135 there was a film screening of “The Gender Chip Project” followed by a panel discussion featuring female faculty and graduate students from departments across campus, including Sarah Green, Nina Mahmoudian, Laura Brown, Patty Sotirin and Kaitlyn Bunker, who discussed their experiences as women in STEM disciplines of academia.
The 2012 Lake Superior Water Festival was held at the Great Lakes Research Center
Friday, October 5, 2012. The Water Festival program
enthralled over 1,000 students in grades 4-8 classes from regional schools, in addition to triggering excitement amongst their teachers and the parent chaperones who accompanied them.
There were a total of 67 presenters volunteering their time throughout the day, in addition to 34 Michigan Tech students who served as guides leading the classes to their various sessions in and around the Great Lakes Research Center. A total of 30 different sessions on a wide range of topics related to Lake Superior and water resources were presented.
Link for photos and videos of Lake Superior Water Festival – www.wupcenter.mtu.edu/education/water_festival
Updated from From Tech Today by Marcia Goodrich, magazine editor
The Great Lakes Research Center dedication ceremony for Michigan Technological University’s newest building was on Thursday, Aug. 2. The speakers were Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz; Stephen Hicks, chair of the Board of Control; and Guy Meadows, director of Great Lakes initiatives at the GLRC.
The three-story, 50,000-square-foot center has three distinct areas: a boathouse for the University’s three research vessels and environmental monitoring buoy network, a complex of research laboratories, and a public area that includes conference facilities and space for K-12 education.
Read more about it from news media stories and view Video News Clips
Michigan Tech’s National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) is a two-week residential program that allows students to explore today’s transportation industry. During the program students learn about planes, trains, ships, and automobiles through cool hands-on activities and group projects.
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More than 50 Senior Design and two dozen Enterprise teams converged on the Memorial Union Thursday, and their projects were as impressive as they were varied.
The Union filled up early as crowds, judges, media and local school children checked out the inventive creativity on display.
Photos and a list of winners can be viewed at the www.expo.mtu.edu website
The 14th Annual Western Upper Peninsula Science Fair AND Science & Engineering Festival was held Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at the Memorial Union Building on Michigan Tech’s campus. Three hundred fifty students in grades 4-8 have entered projects into the Western UP Science Fair.
April 19 Carbon Nation – Documentary about climate change SOLUTIONS. The film is an optimistic, non-partisan film that shows tackling climate change boosts the economy, increases national & energy security and promotes health & a clean environment. (82 min.) http://www.carbonnationmovie.com/
Discussion facilitator: Dr. Sarah Green, Michigan Tech Dept. of Chemistry Dr. Sarah A. Green earned her PhD in marine chemistry from the MIT/Woods Hole Joint Program. She currently works on the Great Lakes and is chair of the Department of Chemistry at Michigan Tech.
Location: Atrium & G002 Hesterberg Hall in the Michigan Tech Forestry Building
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 pm, movies will be followed by coffee, tea, dessert and facilitated discussion
Credit: Teachers may earn 0.6 SB-CEUs for attending 4 films
Cost: FREE! $3 Suggested Donation
About the Series
The Rail Transportation Program (RTP) and the Rail Engineering and Activities Club (REAC) held the 7th Annual Railroad Night, February 21, 2012 at the Shelden Grill in the Magnuson Hotel, Houghton. This year’s keynote speaker was Kevin Kesler, Chief of the Engineer and Operating Practice Division for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). This was a great opportunirty to meet rail industry people, see photos at the Rail Transportation Program link: Railroad Night 2012 for more information.