Graduate School Newsblog

Nominations open for the 2023 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

Published
By

Nominations are now open for the 2023 Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award. Please submit nominations to the Graduate School no later than 4pm, June 8, 2023, following our online instructions. This year, nominations are being accepted from dissertations in the fields of:

  1. Biological and Life Sciences
  2. Humanities and Fine Arts

Michigan Tech may nominate one student in each field. PhD students who have completed all of their degree requirements between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2023, are eligible. The fields of competition for 2024 will be Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering; and Social Sciences.

Nominations must be delivered to Debra Charlesworth in the Graduate School no later than 4 p.m. on June 8, 2023; e-mail nominations to gradschool@mtu.edu are preferred.  Contact Debra Charlesworth (gradschool@mtu.edu) if you have any questions about the competition.

Continue Reading →

DeVlieg Graduate Summer 2023 Research Recipient – Tiffany Degroot

Published
By

My name is Tiff DeGroot, and I am a PhD Candidate in Forest Science in the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. I came to Michigan Tech through a winding path. In my early 20s, I waited tables and cleaned horse stalls to pay for general education courses until I could transfer into a bachelor’s program. Then I completed my BS in Biochemistry, Molecular, and Cellular Biology at the University of New Hampshire, while working nights and weekends at an indoor skydiving facility. After graduation, I saved up as much money as I could and purchased a plane ticket to South Africa to pursue my lifelong dream of studying African wildlife. I saw my first wild giraffe, tracked elephants and cheetahs, and set up camera traps to monitor leopards. When I returned to the US, I joined a global conservation non-profit, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). My position at IFAW focused on communicating conservation efforts to a broad audience. 

With a background in science and a keen interest in applied conservation, I decided to return to academia. I started by pursuing a Master’s Degree in Forest Ecology and Management at Michigan Tech. My project focused on camera trapping and noninvasive methods of mammal monitoring in Equatorial Guinea in central Africa. After one semester, I was invited to expand this project to a PhD. My project now spans multiple spatial scales, and will address mammal diversity, distribution, and communities across Equatorial Guinea. The results of this research will not only contribute to the scientific community, but will also be used to directly inform the on-the-ground management of protected areas in Equatorial Guinea. 

When I am not in the lab, coding, or sorting camera trap photos, you can usually find me in my garden, training my rescue dog, or in the pottery studio.

I am incredibly grateful to the DeVlieg Foundation for allowing me the opportunity to focus on my project this summer. With an entire semester dedicated to my work, I will make good progress towards my second publication by completing a study that compares the use of camera trapping and environmentally-derived DNA (a non-invasive genetic monitoring technique) to assess mammalian diversity in Equatorial Guinea.

Michigan Tech gratefully acknowledges support from The DeVlieg Foundation for the DeVlieg Summer Research Award.

Continue Reading →

Submission and Formatting 101: Master the Dissertation, Thesis, and Report Process

Published
By

Students who are completing a dissertation, thesis, or report are invited to join the Graduate School to learn about the resources available to them to assist in scheduling their defense, formatting their documents, and submitting their documents.  In one afternoon, you can learn everything you need to be successful and complete your degree in a timely fashion!  Faculty and staff who assist students with submissions are also welcome to attend.  Attend the entire event, or stop in for the seminar that interests you.

  • When: Wednesday, May 24, 2023, 2 – 4pm (see detailed schedule below)
  • Who: Students completing a dissertation, thesis or report; faculty and staff who assist students with submission
  • Where: Virtual and in-person (Admin 404 – limit for room is 35); (register to attend online and receive participation instructions)
  • Registration: Please register to receive handouts via email or attend online. The seminar will be available online as well as on campus.

If you are unable to join us, the event will be taped and available online after the event. The previous semester’s seminars are always available online.

Information on submitting, formatting, and more can be found online for dissertations and theses or reports.

Detailed schedule

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Submission 101
Learn what is required to submit your document to the Graduate School and the deadlines for the upcoming semester.  Best for students who are completing their degree this semester or next semester.

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Formatting 101-103
Learn about templates, checking your document with Adobe Acrobat, and how to use copyrighted materials. You’ll also learn where resources are on the web page so you can learn more about the topics that interest you.

4:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Questions

Have a question that hasn’t been answered yet? We’ll be available to answer any additional questions you have

Continue Reading →

Fall 2023 Finishing Fellowship Nominations Open

Published
By

Applications for Fall 2023 finishing fellowships are being accepted and are due no later than 4pm on June 14, 2023 to the Graduate School. Please email applications to gradschool@mtu.edu.

Instructions on the application and evaluation process are found online. Students are eligible if all of the following criteria are met:

  1. Must be a PhD student.
  2. Must expect to finish during the semester supported as a finishing fellow.
  3. Must have submitted no more than one previous application for a finishing fellowship.
  4. Must be eligible for candidacy (tuition charged at Research Mode rate) at the time of application.
  5. Must not hold a final oral examination (“defense”) prior to the start of the award semester.

Finishing Fellowships provide support to PhD candidates who are close to completing their degrees. These fellowships are available through the generosity of alumni and friends of the University. They are intended to recognize outstanding PhD candidates who are in need of financial support to finish their degrees and are also contributing to the attainment of goals outlined in The Michigan Tech Plan. The Graduate School anticipates funding up to ten fellowships with support ranging from $2000 to full support (stipend + tuition). Students who receive full support through a Finishing Fellowship may not accept any other employment. For example, students cannot be fully supported by a Finishing Fellowship and accept support as a GTA or GRA.

Continue Reading →

Fall 2023 PHF Graduate Assistantship Nominations Open

Published
By

Applications for Fall 2023 PHF Graduate Assistantships are being accepted and are due no later than 4pm, June 13, 2023 to the Graduate School. Instructions on the application and evaluation process are found online. Students are eligible if all of the following criteria are met:

  1. Must be a PhD student conducting a research or outreach project that will promote and/or improve the overall health of Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, and Ontonagon communities.
  2. Must be a PhD candidate at the time of application.
  3. Must be 2 years after starting the graduate program at the time of application.
  4. Must not be a prior recipient of a PHF Graduate Assistantship.
  5. Preference will be given to applicants with long-standing local connections to Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, or Ontonagon county.

Priority will be given to students originally from Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, or Ontonagon counties. Non-resident students and international students are encouraged to apply if their health research is applicable to health needs and job shortages of our local community (obesity research, rural health, medical informatics, drug delivery and lab testing, physical therapy, etc.).

These assistantships are available through the generosity of the Portage Health Foundation. They are intended to recognize outstanding PhD talent in health-oriented research areas. Applicants should be a catalyst for promoting and improving the overall health of Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, and Ontonagon communities through one of the following:

  • health research and technology development
  • health education or preventive and wellness initiatives
  • rural healthcare access, informatics, and assessment of care

Students who receive full support through a PHF Graduate Assistantship may not accept any other employment. For example, students cannot be fully supported by a PHF Graduate Assistantship and accept support as a GTA or GRA.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Spring 2023 Recipient – Sid Gopujkar

Published
By

I started working at the APS LABS for my Masters’ thesis in Fall 2017. The research and the people at the APS are so amazing, that it wasn’t a difficult decision to stay for my PhD. I started my PhD in Summer 2018 under the guidance of Dr. Jeremy Worm, who is the associate director of APS LABS.

Majority of my PhD work has been on gasoline engines- how they can be further improved and made more efficient. The projects I have worked on have been industrial projects for major automotive companies like General Motors, Ford, Stellantis and Nostrum Energy. The current automotive climate is all about electrification. But I believe that the internal combustion engine, which is one of the major factors that has brought civilization to the advanced stage it is at right now, still has a massive role to play in the future. But the beauty of working at the APS LABS is that you are not confined to a single subject, and get exposure to all sorts of power systems. In the last five years, I have worked with hybrid electric vehicles as well, and also on a project to consider the environmental and economic impacts of electrifying the Mackinac Island ferry.

The last five years have been memorable and fulfilling, and a lot of that is thanks to my advisor, Dr. Jeremy Worm. With the help of the Finishing Fellowship, I will be able to write the final chapter of doctoral journey (figuratively and literally), and move a step closer to my goal of becoming an academic.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Spring 2023 Recipient – Cameron Shock

Published
By

From a young age, I always wanted to understand how the world worked and took a deep interest in science. I was constantly asking big questions, such as why do objects act as they do, what happens if you keep cutting an object, and how did the universe begin. This led me to become interested in physics, which seemed to focus on the most fundamental aspects of our universe. I was drawn to the way that physicists use experiments and math to explain the behavior of matter and energy at the smallest and largest scales. I loved reading about the latest discoveries in physics and learning about the theories that scientists were developing to explain them, and wanted to understand for myself. Pursuing this goal led me to my current path.

I began my PhD in 2019 following my Masters, working under the advisory of Dr. Issei Nakamura in the Department of Physics. My research has focused on utilizing molecular dynamics simulations to model highly charged and polar liquids, with emphasis on ionic liquids and polymerized ionic liquids. These materials have potential uses as electrolytes in batteries and supercapacitors, as nanolubricants in molecular devices, for phase separation of HFCs, and much more. These materials are interesting from a fundamental physics perspective as well, since the complicated nature of their dielectric properties are not well understood in the current literature. My work has helped uncover an understanding behind these properties as well as showing the capabilities and pushing boundaries of models used to simulate these materials.

My utmost thanks to the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for awarding me this finishing fellowship. I would also like to thank my graduate advisor Dr. Issei Nakamura and the Department of Physics at Michigan Tech for the support through this process of the PhD and providing such fantastic opportunities for learning, growth, and experience.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Spring 2023 Recipient – Nikhil Mittal

Published
By

My passion for research developed early on in my life as I saw my father going to the laboratory, doing research using cool equipment. He inspired me to ask intriguing questions in life and find answers to them. My journey in biomedical research began during my undergraduate in biotechnology where I was introduced to the concepts of cell and molecular biology research and its application. In my undergrad, I got firsthand experience of working in a research lab where I learned to independently run PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and electrophoresis gels. This sparked my curiosity to further develop my career in research. That’s when I joined Michigan Tech as a master’s student in the biomedical engineering department. At Michigan Tech, I learned about the development of biomaterials and their physiological applications. During this time, I also got the opportunity to do an internship at a Biotech company.

My research experience during my master’s and internship motivated me in advancing my professional career and join PhD. In 2018, I got the opportunity to join Dr. Sangyoon Han’s Mechanobiology laboratory. My research focus is to understand the mechanism of how cells sense the stiffness of their surrounding environment. Specifically, I am investigating how and when exactly the mechanical link between a cell and its extracellular matrix (ECM), known as focal adhesions, sense different stiffness and molecules involved in the process. For this purpose, I use soft elastic gels (biomaterials), live-cell imaging microscopy, and machine learning-based image analysis to study how different ECM stiffness can affect the force transfer through these connections. Mechanical stiffness of the matrix has been known to dictate cell behavior such as their survival, proliferation, migration, altered drug response and even tumor progression. With my research, I aim to provide new insights in physiology and pathophysiology for developmental disorders, cancer progression and metastasis and designs of tissue transplantation. This is critical in determining treatment strategies for these diseases. Along with research, I was fortunate to mentor and supervise many undergraduate and masters’ students for their respective projects. I also got the opportunity to present my work at different conferences and win grants for my research.

I am grateful to my advisor Dr. Sangyoon J. Han for his continued support and guidance over my PhD years at Michigan Tech. I am also grateful to my committee and biomedical engineering department for supporting me with my PhD journey. I am thankful to the Graduate school and Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for granting me this fellowship. This fellowship will help me dedicate all of my time to complete my dissertation.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Spring 2023 Recipient – Beth Bartel

Published
By

I arrived to MTU in August 2020 as a geoscientist and science communication specialist wanting to develop into a researcher in disaster risk reduction. I now study how people live with natural hazards with the goal of improving our ability to adapt to our changing environments.

My dissertation examines evacuation processes at Fuego volcano, Guatemala, where Tech has a long history of volcanological and risk reduction research. In 2018, an eruption of Fuego volcano destroyed three populated areas; one evacuated, resulting in no casualties, while two did not, resulting in hundreds of deaths. My work aims to understand information availability, use, and limitations in evacuation decision-making during this deadly eruption and present day. The overarching goal of my research is to decrease risk to communities on the flanks of Fuego volcano through informing improved evacuation practices. The research will also inform forensic disaster research and risk reduction in other contexts as well.

This fellowship will enable me to complete my dissertation in Spring 2023 to start my next chapter, a postdoctoral Mendenhall Fellowship with the USGS Volcano Hazards Program starting in June 2023. I am proud to be joining the ranks of the many other MTU alumni working in the Natural Hazards Mission Area at the USGS. I will be the first social scientist within the Volcano Hazards Program. I am grateful to my supportive, multidisciplinary committee, for which I chose MTU. Thank you to my co-advisors Greg Waite (GMES) and Rüdiger Escobar Wolf (GMES) and committee members Luke Bowman (GMES), Angie Carter (SS), and Kari Henquinet (SS).

Continue Reading →