Category: News

Interesting stories about and for our students.

Tech International Grad Student Enrollment Bucks National Trend

First-time international graduate student enrollment is up 3 percent nationwide this year. At Michigan Tech, it’s increased more than 16 percent.

Why is Michigan Tech bucking the trend?

“There are a couple of reasons,” says Jacque Smith, director of marketing for the Graduate School. “First, it has to do with the types and quality of programs we offer.”  Many of Michigan Tech’s programs are in STEM fields. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. These specialties–which have long been a focus at Michigan Tech, especially in graduate education–are in growing demand around the world.  Also, interest in the MBA program is growing, according to recruiters worldwide. The MBA program is offered through the School of Business and Economics.

“Our programs and research are what the world wants,” Smith says, and the numbers seem to be proving that point. The largest gains among first-time international graduate student enrollment nationwide were in the physical and earth sciences, at 9 percent, while engineering rose 3 percent. However, at Michigan Tech, first-time international graduate student enrollment in engineering rose 20.4 percent.

The Council of Graduate Schools, which released the enrollment report, also said that overall (not just first-time) international graduate student enrollment rose only 1 percent nationally in 2010, down from 2 and 3 percent in 2009 and 2008, respectively. During the same time, Tech’s overall international graduate student enrollment increased 13.5 percent.  Michigan Tech’s growth also bucked a trend among Midwest schools, whose international graduate student enrollment showed no growth overall.

Nationally, the countries contributing the largest number of first-time international grad students were China, with 20 percent, and the Middle East and Turkey with 7 percent. India and South Korea showed 3 percent declines nationwide. At Michigan Tech, however, numbers of first-time international graduate students from India increased 18.5 percent.

“It’s a reflection of our global recruiting efforts,” Smith says. “For example, our faculty members’ research is growing in prominence, and our alumni are making impacts all over the world that help us to recruit students in their home countries.”  And when those international students do enroll at Tech, they bring some impressive credentials with them.

According to the Graduate School, international students are often among the top candidates for admission to graduate programs nationwide.  “They bring global perspectives to our campus and community and help our domestic students gain experiences with other cultures,” Smith notes. “They also help everyone on campus learn more about what is happening in other parts of the world and how events are viewed by people from different cultures,” says Dean Jackie Huntoon (Graduate School).

Approximately 45 percent of Michigan Tech’s graduate students are from abroad, and India and China make up more than 70 percent of international graduate student enrollment here.  “The international students who come to our campus continue to help the University become better known and respected around the world,” Huntoon adds. “They also contribute to economic development, in Michigan and elsewhere, where they help fill corporations’ needs for STEM-educated people.”

Published in Tech Today.

Rewarding Those Who Have Served the US

Michigan Tech has instituted a new fellowship program for graduate students who have served in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or the military.

In its first semester of operation, the National Service Graduate Fellowship covers as much as 30 percent of tuition, but its benefits extend beyond financial assistance.

“Through this program, we are getting more nontraditional students to campus who bring a different perspective to the classroom,” said Professor Blair Orr (SFRES). “They have a lot to contribute from their experiences.”

Orr is in charge of Tech’s Peace Corps Master’s International program, one of the three programs involved in the initiative.

Lt. Col. Kerry Beaghan, of the Air Force ROTC program, agrees that the type of student the program attracts is “very atypical.”

“They’re older military personnel, who maybe tried college earlier in their lives,” she says. “Or they might have enlisted right out of high school, and now they are interested in an education and must juggle family and school and financing. This program helps them.”

For the military personnel, the new post-911 GI Bill includes a housing allowance at some schools and, depending on the level of the service, their spouses or children might also benefit from the tuition reduction, Beaghan says.

In the planning for the military component of the fellowship, Beaghan credits Dallas Eubanks, former head of Michigan Tech’s Army ROTC, for his help in crafting this new program.

“We had to decide whom do we include and what to include,” she says.

Natiffany Mathews, a master’s student in industrial archaeology, did her AmeriCorps service on the New Mexico/Texas border, in poor school districts, and she chose Michigan Tech because of the fellowship and the opportunity to teach and do research.

“It’s been a different type of experience–awesome–especially the teaching,” she says. “With college courses, we are constantly changing things up. It’s very dynamic.”

Overall, the fellowship was paramount for her. “I don’t think I could have come here without it,” she says. “We needed the extra funding, and my husband was having trouble finding work here. We had expenses moving here, too.”

She had visited the area previously and fell in love with the people, especially Associate Professor Tim Scarlett (Social Sciences), and the industrial archaeology program. Another draw: Tech treated her in a fair and timely manner. “Another school never returned my phone calls and was always slow responding to emails.”

Jacque Smith, director of marketing for the Graduate School, says the fellowship fills a gap. “Graduate students in programs that focus primarily on career preparation, instead of research, often have to fund more of their education themselves. As the costs keep increasing, it can become harder for these students to attend grad school.”

Mariah Maggio, who was in Peace Corps Masters International Program and is a recipient of a fellowship, didn’t have any viable options to return to graduate school two years after her volunteer service in the Philippines ended.

“With the limited financial resources resulting from life as a Peace Corps volunteer, followed by work with a grassroots international organization, the fellowship was a decisive factor in my being able to enroll in Tech’s environmental policy master’s program,” she explains.

Maggio is thankful that the fellowship recognizes her service. As well, she adds, being a returned Peace Corps volunteer on the campus is a very rich experience because of the community and camaraderie that exist among those who have volunteered.

“You can not only reflect on your experience with fellow returned volunteers, but you also engage with prospective volunteers and really build on the work the Peace Corps is doing,” she says.

“We are fortunate that Tech recognizes returned Peace Corps volunteers as eligible candidates for the fellowship,” she adds. “To be valued after volunteering in such a way that supports returning to graduate school is an amazing initiative of this University and reinforces the ideal that Michigan Tech is playing an important role in fostering leaders for a global future.”

Jacqueline Huntoon, dean of the Graduate School, says the fellowship helps the University achieve its strategic plan, which includes an effort to attract students who bring diverse perspectives to the campus and the program.

“They demonstrate to others the opportunities for providing service to their communities, the nation and the world,” she concludes.

by Dennis Walikainen, senior editor

Published in Tech Today

Orientation just around the corner – and Graduate School open limited hours during the holiday

Graduate School orientation is just around the corner – January 7, 2011. New students from fall and spring semester are invited to attend our session.  Online registration for the event is now closed.  Students who were unable to register on line and who attend orientation will be accommodated as space permits.

The University is closed on December 23rd, 24th, 30th, and 31st. No offices will be open on these days, or on the weekend.

The Graduate School will have limited staff available December 27-29th.  Contact the Graduate School at 906-487-2327 to be directed to a staff member who is available.

Other University offices will be operating with limited staff and/or hours.  Human Resources is maintaining a centralized list.

Graduates featured in Daily Mining Gazette

Joshua Carlson, one of our recent graduates.

Michigan Tech held its Midyear Commencement this past Saturday, with the Board of Control granting 292 bachelor’s degree, 85 master’s degrees, and 24 doctorates.

Two of these students, Casey Rudkin and Josh Carlson, were featured in the Daily Mining Gazette.  Casey earned her doctorate in Rhetoric and Technical Communication, and Josh earned his doctorate in Chemical Engineering.

Andrew Willemsen to represent Michigan Tech in MAGS competition

Andrew Willemsen
Andrew Willemsen, Michigan Tech’s representative for the 2011 MAGS Distinguished Thesis Award
The Graduate School is pleased to announce that Andrew Willemsen is Michigan Tech’s nominee for the 2011 Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools Distinguished Thesis Award.  Mr. Willemsen was nominated by his advisor, Dr. M. Rao of the Department of Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics.

His thesis, “Objective Metric for Assessing the Perceived Annoyance of Impulsive Sounds” developed a new method to objectively quantify the overall sound quality of electro-mechanical devices.  This method could improve the design process for these devices by replacing current subjective sound evaluation methods, which are typically expensive, time-consuming, and difficult to quantify.

Professor, Alumni Receive High Honors at International Army Conference

Tech Alumnus Mark Griep, Mechanical Engineering PhD
2008 Tech Alumnus Mark Griep, Mechanical Engineering PhD
A Michigan Tech professor, two alumni and a research colleague have received the US Army’s highest award for research at the Army Science Conference in Orlando, Fla., last week.

The four won the best paper in the nanotechnology division, one of 18 categories, and the prestigious Paul A. Siple Award for the overall outstanding technical paper presented at the conference.

The lead author on the paper is Tech alumnus Mark Griep, who earned a PhD in mechanical engineering in 2008. Griep now works at the Army Research Laboratory at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. The paper was based on research he did at Tech for his PhD and during summer research for the Army.

Griep’s advisor, Professor Craig Friedrich, who holds the Robbins Chair in Sustainable Design and Manufacturing, is a coauthor of the paper. Friedrich is also associate chair and director of graduate studies in the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics.

Other coauthors include Shashi Karna, a senior scientist at the Army Research Laboratory and a member of the ME-EM External Advisory Board; and alumnus Eric Winder, who earned a PhD in biological sciences in 2010 and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest Laboratory near Seattle. Winder was advised by Friedrich and retired professor John Adler.

The paper, which was singled out among more than 800 abstracts submitted, is titled “Nanoscale Bioelectronics for Real-Time Target Sensing.” It describes the integration of biological materials with electronics to create a sensor that could be up to three times more optically sensitive than current technology.  Such systems are envisioned for sensors small enough to be carried by a small projectile fired by a soldier or dropped from an unmanned aerial vehicle to determine the possible presence of chemical or biological materials.  Because protein can activate individual transistors, a small electronic chip containing thousands of transistors could sense multiple toxins.   A real-time, electronics-based biosensor will have a wide array of military and civilian applications, potentially leading to extremely sensitive, small, low-power, stand-alone, sensing arrays.

One potential application: They may also be useful for bio-solar cells.

These award-winning papers were selected for originality of subject matter, relevance to the scientific discipline and the Army, potential impact on current and future soldiers, soundness of scientific methodology, and clarity of the presentation.  The Siple Award recognizes the accomplishments of Army scientists and engineers. It is named after Paul A. Siple, a scientist, intellectual and scientific attaché.  The ASC conference attracted more than 1,500 representatives of government, academia and industry from the US and 25 countries.

For more information about the conference, visit: http://armyscienceconference.com/.

Published in Tech Today.

International Student is Gazette Cookbook Finalist

The Daily Mining Gazette is publishing a cookbook, and it invited readers to submit recipes for consideration. A panel of judges at the newspaper has chosen finalists from more than 100 recipes submitted, and Tech international student Komal Tayal’s tandoori chicken was one of the top three selected. She and the other finalists will cook their dishes for a taste-off at the Gazette next week. Winners will have their recipes, photos and stories included in the cookbook.

Tayal is a graduate student in mechanical engineering. She cooked tandoori chicken for Khana Khazana last week.

Published in Tech Today.

Khana Khazana Visits Thailand and India

Student chefs from Thailand and India will cook for the final Khana Khazana (food treasure) before winter break, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, in the Memorial Union Food Court.

The international lunch will feature pad Thai cooked by Parawee Pumwongpitak, a graduate student in materials science and engineering, and mutter paneer, naan and kesariya doodh, prepared by Sahil Thakkar, an undergraduate in electrical engineering technology. Mutter paneer is a curry made with green peas and Indian cheese, served with Indian bread called naan. Kesariya Doodh is a milk beverage with saffron and nuts. Pad Thai is a Thai favorite made with stir-fried noodles, bean sprouts and shrimp.

A full meal costs $6. The entrees (pad Thai and mutter paneer with naan) are available a la carte for $3. The beverage is available by itself for $2.

Khana Khazana is a collaboration of international students and Dining Services. It is open to the campus and the community.

Published in Tech Today.

US Rep. Stupak is Commencement Speaker

Congressman Bart Stupak will address nearly 300 graduates at Midyear Commencement ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 11.  A total of 242 students will be receiving bachelor’s degrees. In addition, 26 master’s degrees and 18 doctorates will be awarded.

Stupak will receive an Honorary Doctorate in Environmental and Energy Policy. He is retiring in January after 18 years of service to Michigan’s 1st Congressional District.  He is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and, as the ranking Democrat, chair of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.  Before his election in 1992, Stupak was a Michigan state representative and worked as an Escanaba police officer and Michigan State Police trooper. He also practiced law.   A graduate of Gladstone High School, he earned an associate degree from Northwestern Michigan College, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Northern Michigan University and a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing.

Health care has been a priority for Stupak since he was elected to Congress, when he pledged not to accept the insurance that members of Congress receive until all Americans could have access to that same quality health care.  He has been a leader in the international effort to ban the sale and diversion of the Great Lakes and opposed the drilling for oil and gas beneath the Great Lakes.  Stupak founded and cochaired the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, a bipartisan organization that provides the law enforcement community with an avenue to participate in the legislative process.   He has been a leader in homeland security, particularly in connection with programs to train and equip local law enforcement officers and other first responders. In addition, Stupak cochairs the Congressional Northern Border Caucus.

Published in Tech Today.

A Christmas Carol at the Calumet Theatre

A ballet/dance performance of  “A Christmas Carol,” featuring a cast of many Tech students, will be at the Calumet Theatre at 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3, and at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4.

Donna Armistead, of International Programs and Services, is the choreographer.

These students will perform:

  • Paige Borel (Business Management)
  • Allison Strome (Business Management)
  • Jared Berryman (Exercise Science)
  • Josh Stuempges (Chemical Engineering)
  • Joseph Massoglia (Mechanical Engineering)
  • Cassi Warsinski (Biomedical Engineering)

Scrooge will be played by John Griebel ’09 (MS, Industrial Archaeology).

As well, the dance will feature children of faculty and staff.