With the increased enrollment of students who openly identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (GLBTQ), the Michigan Tech Safe Place Program is designed to be a comprehensive and in-depth resource to better prepare faculty, staff, and graduate assistants to address the needs of these students. The training program addresses a wide range of terms that GLBTQ students use to define their identities, issues that GLBTQ students often deal with during the coming out process, concerns that GLBTQ students face both in and out of the classroom, ways that faculty, staff, and graduate assistants can create inclusive classroom and office environments, where faculty, staff, and graduate assistants can refer students who need to report harassment, and the on- and off-campus resources available to students. All graduate students are invited to participate in the program. The spring 2013 training times and the online registration form are available at http://safeplace.mtu.edu/register.php.
Interesting stories about and for our students.
Drivers of many new cars will have better taillights, thanks to a partnership between Michigan Technological University students and 3M.
Michigan Tech’s Consumer Products Manufacturing and Blue Marble Security Enterprise–teams of students that take on challenges faced by industry–tested 3M’s Uniform Lighting Lens (ULL), investigating the optical properties of the material. Four years later, that material is now on the market and will be debuting on more cars in the near future.
The project was “a good example of getting students involved with problems of interest to industry,” said Brett Spigarelli, a PhD candidate is chemical engineering at Michigan Tech and advisor to the Consumer Products Manufacturing Enterprise. on Mountain native, said. “It’s a lot of what you do when you get out there on the job,” explained Spigarelli, an Iron Mountain native who worked on the 3M project as an undergraduate at Michigan Tech.
ULL is designed to better disperse the light of LEDs (light emitting diode), increasing effectiveness while still enjoying the same energy savings compared to halogen bulbs. The challenge was in applying ULL, a film, in industrial applications and ensuring that it would hold up to the manufacturing process. This was where 3M asked Michigan Tech students to step in early in 2009.
For the full story, see taillight.
Published in TechToday by Kevin Hodur, creative writer
Christy Oslund, coordinator of Student Disability Services, wrote the chapter, “Building a Professional Ethos on LinkedIn,” which is included in the text, “Online Credibility and Digital Ethos: Evaluating Computer-Mediated Communication,” (2012, IGI Global). This collection was edited by Michigan Tech Humanities alumni Moe Folk ’09 and Shawn Apostle ’11.
During the 2012 – 2013 academic year, the King-Chavez-Parks Initiative is piloting a partnership with the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity, an independent faculty development center that is 100% dedicated to supporting graduate students, post-docs, and faculty members in making successful transitions throughout their academic careers.
The NCFDD provides the following opportunities for Fellows:
DISCUSSION FORUM
Provides Fellows with access to private, moderated discussion forums. This is the online community where members gather to discuss skills and strategies that will increase productivity and work/life balance, as well as problem-solve, exchange support, and experience peer-mentoring. The NCFDD’s most popular forum is the Monthly Writing Challenge. It’s a great place to go if Fellows want support in establishing a daily writing practice.
MONTHLY TELE-WORKSHOPS
Each month, the NCFFD hosts a tele-workshop that digs into one of the 10 Keys to Thriving in the Academy. Additionally, each month they host a guest expert on the topics that members have requested. If Fellows are unable to attend the workshops live, don’t worry. The NCFDD records each one and provides access to the audio, slides and transcripts. That way, Fellows can enjoy the materials at their convenience.
MONDAY MOTIVATOR
Fellows will receive a weekly email that includes a productivity tip as well as a little electronic support and encouragement.
MONTHLY BUDDY MATCH
For Fellows who would like a writing buddy, the NCFFD will match members at the beginning of each month.
Please consider joining this online community where you can share, connect, exchange, and grow in the skills that will help you to truly thrive in your academic career.
Contact Michelle Snitgen of the Lansing, MI, KCP Intiative, with any questions (517-373-0273) or snitgenm@michigan.gov.
The Biotechnology Research Center Announces the Recipients for its Fall 2012 Travel Grants
Graduate Recipients include:
- Tayloria Adams (ECM); 2012 AIChE Annual Meeting (poster)
- Felix Adom (ECM); 2012 AIChE Annual Meeting (podium)
- Zainab I. Alshoug (ECM); 2012 AIChE Annual Meeting (poster)
- Ran An (ECM); 2012 AIChE Annual Meeting (poster)
- Xiaochu Ding (SCH); POLY-ACS 9th Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research Symposium (poster)
- Stephanie Hamilton (EBE); American Society of Biomechanics Annual Meeting (poster)
- Sean Hopkins (EBE); BMES 2012 Annual Conference (poster)
- Robert Larson (SBL); SLEEP 2012 26th Annual Meeting (poster)
- Venkata Ramana R. Pidatala (SBL); ASA, CSSA and SSSA Annual Meetings (poster)
- Aparupa Sengupta (SBL); Society for Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (poster)
- Maria Tafur Agudelo (ECM); 2012 AIChE Annual Meeting (podium)
- Khrupa S. Vijayaragavan (ECM); 2012 AIChE Annual Meeting (podium)
- Shuaicheng Wang (SMAG); The Genetic Analysis Workshops (podium and poster)
- Xu Xiang (SCH); 245th ACS National Meeting (poster)
- Chungja Yang (ECM); 2012 AIChE Annual Meeting (poster)
- Huan Yang (SBL); SLEEP 2012 26th Annual Meeting (poster)
- Jingtuo Zhang (SCH); 244th ACS National Meeting (poster)
Published in TechToday
Do you know any students looking for a great experience? On Thursday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m., they can interview for the chance to join a special Spring Break trip. The Silicon Valley Experience 2013 will take 15 lucky students to visit California’s technology and innovation hub from March 10 to 15.
To win a spot at the significantly reduced cost of $300, all they have to do is answer one question in 90 seconds: “Why would I like to work and live in Silicon Valley?” Their answer will be given to the trip coordinators, and final trip participants will be selected and notified before the end of the semester.
This year, the participants will tour of some of the most innovative companies on the west coast. Last year, the group visited Google, Brocade, Cisco, Kyocera, Plug and Play, and other companies.
This event is open to both undergrad and graduate students of all majors. They should email Professor Russ Louks (SBE) at rwlouks@mtu.edu with your name, major and year by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 5, to participate. A schedule will be sent out early on Dec. 6 with the time you will be interviewed in AOB 101.
For more information, see Silicon Valley, or contact Louks at rwlouks@mtu.edu or Assistant Professor Andre Laplume (SBE) at aolaplum@mtu.edu .
Printed in TechToday
Graduate student Leo Ureel will give a presentation on Twitter for the Online at the Library session at 9 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 29, at the Portage Lake District Library.
In the session, participants will learn the meaning of internet terms, such as “tweet,” “follow” and “hash-tag.” Everyone will create a Twitter account and send messages using the service.
If you plan to attend, contact the CS department at 487-2209.
For more information, contact Leo Ureel at ureel@mtu.edu .
Published in TechToday
Patrick Bowen, a doctoral student in materials science and engineering, has been awarded a Predoctoral Fellowship from the American Heart Association.
Bowen will receive $52,000 over two years to support his research on the development of bioabsorbable, zinc-based stents. Stents are typically made of magnesium and are inserted in blood vessels that are blocked or nearly blocked to restore blood flow.
Professor Jarek Drelich (MSE) is Bowen’s advisor, with Associate Professor Jeremy Goldman (Biomedical Engineering) proving additional direction to his research.
Published in TechToday
Thursday was Usability Day around the world, and this was the fifth year Michigan Tech was involved. The event celebrates usability, when technologies or procedures make sense to us and when we can learn–and remember–how to use them, make few errors and feel satisfied with our experiences.
We caught up with a couple of projects taking place at Tech.
The Human Interface Design Enterprise was showing off their driver simulator in Rekhi Hall.
It was one of a couple of major projects the group has taken on, according to Margo Woller-Carter, a PhD student in applied cognitive science and human factors.
“We are using a Uconnect system from Chrysler to test for driver distraction,” she said. “We designed this driver simulator to use with it, and we will also be doing some eye-tracking for them.” Uconnect was a multimedia system on steroids: entertainment, phone, navigation, voice command, controls, and wifi: perfect for testing for distractions. The Enterprise was in the second year of a three-year contract with Chrysler.
And on this day, there was plenty of distraction going on: radio playing, Uconnect with lots of buttons to play with, a road ahead on the computer screen, and many people walking in and out of the room. Students took turns behind the wheel of the 60 mph simulation. Some did a little off-roading and even off-globing.
Woller-Carter said they also have some work with the HVAC folks at Chrysler, including a smartphone app for adjusting temperature from anywhere in the car.
One key to all their app work is to keep them user friendly. “There are so many bad apps today,” said second-year computer engineering major Andrew Timmerman. He, too, took a turn on the simulator, exploring some of the features of the Uconnect: estimated time to complete the required number of laps at 60, various gauge settings, including temperature, etc.
The eye-tracking will be an interesting undertaking, the assembled students thought. Eye-tracking is a method employed in usability studies where sensors record where humans’ eyes are focused. Currently, eye-tracking uses six sensor points on the face and it loses accuracy when you move your head. That has important ramifications when you are analyzing distractions.
The HIDE plan might include adding more sensor points to prevent data loss, Woller-Carter said.
“Or we might just come up with a whole new system,” she said.
She also said it was important for the two teams (design and evaluation) to see the whole design process, to not just design or test.
Read more in Tech Today
by Dennis Walikainen, senior editor
Jackie Huntoon, dean of the Graduate School and associate provost for graduate education, has been named to the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) executive committee.
Huntoon joins new members Berry H. (Nick) Tew, Jr., state geologist of Alabama and director of the geological survey of Alabama; and Dorian Kuper, cofounder and president of Kuper Consulting LLC. The new members of the AGI Executive Committee will be installed at the Friends of AGI Reception during the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.
According to AGI, Huntoon, “through her work as dean and at numerous geoscience societies and agencies, has helped increase diversity and strengthen the geosciences as a whole.”
Founded in 1948, the American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists.
Published in Tech Today