Graduate School Newsblog

Faculty, Grad Students Design Activities for High School Biology Competition

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Published in Tech Today

The 20th Annual Department of Biological Sciences Bio-Athlon for high school students will be held Wednesday, May 5, on campus. The Bio-Athlon is the department’s outreach program, which serves to stimulate interest and problem solving in biology among area youth. Sixty students from 15 Upper Peninsula high schools will participate in activities designed by Michigan Tech faculty members and graduate students of the department.

Each team will be comprised of four students, who will not have had formal course work in biology beyond the traditional sophomore-level high school general biology class. All teams will tackle the same four problems:

* “Dissection,” designed by Associate Professor Ronald Gratz

* “Windows to the Microscopic World: Freshwater Algae Unite!” designed by doctoral candidates Meagan Harless and Sarah Kiemle

* “Field Identification,” designed by Associate Professor Robert Keen

* “Fundamental Biological Principles,” designed by Professor of Practice Karyn Fay, Senior Lecturer Alice Soldan and graduate student Tara Waybrant

Students will be judged on organizational skills, knowledge of facts and concepts, laboratory skills and creativity.

Each member of the first-place team will receive a $200 US savings bond; the second-place team will receive a $100 US savings bond; and the third-place team will receive a $50 US savings bond. As well, a plaque will be awarded to each of the three teams. Every participant will receive a certificate of participation and a Bio-Athlon T-shirt.

Funding is provided by Michigan Tech Admissions, the Department of Biological Sciences, the Michigan Tech Fund and the following alumni: Mark Cowan, M.D.; Robert DellAngelo, M.D.; Olive Cornish Kimball, D.Ed., Ph.D.; and Sandra Lewin, of the Michigan Tech Fund.

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Spring Graduates – May 11, 2009 deadline

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To graduate in the spring semester 2009, graduate students must have all final paperwork submitted and approved no later than May 11th by 4pm.  All forms are online with a detailed list for each degree type.  Final items typically include:

  • A final thesis, report, or dissertation
  • Binding order form (TD-Bindery, theses and dissertations)
  • Life After Michigan Tech form
  • Report on Final Oral Examination (M6/D8)
  • Survey of Earned Doctorates (for PhD students only)

Students should contact Nancy Byers Sprague for questions related to degree auditing, and Debra Charlesworth for questions related to theses and dissertations.

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Board of Control Approves Nine New Degrees

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Published in Tech Today
By Marcia Goodrich, senior writer

Nine new degree programs–most of them in computer engineering and business–were approved last Friday at the Board of Control meeting.

The board’s action included final approval for a Master of Science and a PhD in Computer Engineering, which were initially approved at the Board’s March meeting and sent to the State Academic Affairs Office for review and endorsement. Computer engineering is a hybrid discipline born of computer science and electrical engineering.

One of the seven new degree program proposals approved to advance to the State Academic Affairs Office is a Master of Science and PhD in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors.

Applied cognitive science applies the principles of cognitive psychology to develop practical solutions for real-world problems such as effective teaching methods.

Human factors is a multi-disciplinary science within the framework of cognitive science that focuses on human needs in the design of products, work processes and technological systems. It is an emerging discipline critical to technological advancement.

The six remaining new degree proposals are all for bachelor of science degrees with majors in various business disciplines, including accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and operations and systems management.

The new BS degrees replace the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with concentrations in specialty areas, which the School of Business and Economics now offers. The BS adds recognition to the degree and should help increase the job placement rates at graduation.

“These new degree programs will enable Michigan Tech to remain ahead of the curve–academically and in terms of preparing students for a changing job market,” said President Glenn Mroz.

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SFRES Honors Students and Faculty with Awards and Laughs

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Tech Today

Submitted by Carrie Richards, SFRES

Guests enjoyed an evening of tributes and humor when students, faculty and staff gathered at the School’s atrium for the annual Forest Jubilee Night. A creative menu featured foods from the forest that ranged from elk meatballs to wild blueberry cobbler.

Dean Peg Gale presented awards to

* Marcella Campione–Outstanding Senior in Forestry

* Laura Kangas–Outstanding Senior in Applied Ecology and Environmental Science

* Daniel Wilber–Outstanding Senior in Wildlife Ecology and Management

* Chris Miller–Outstanding Graduate Student Award

* Nicholas Windmuller–Outstanding Service Award (undergraduate)

* Trevor Hahka–Outstanding Service Award (graduate student)

* Jennifer Kopinski–School Scholar

* Auriel Van Der Laar–Woman of Promise

The students recognized the hard work and dedication of their mentors by presenting awards to

* Associate Professor Robert Froese–Outstanding Teaching Award (faculty)

* Wilfred Previant–Outstanding Teaching Award (graduate student)

* Director of Recruitment and Development Chris Hohnholt–Outstanding Staff member

Some not-so-serious awards were also given with the highlight of the evening going to the “Faculty Member Who Looks Most Like a Pirate.”

* First place–Robert Froese, earning the designation of Captain

* Second place–John Vucetich (his Johnny Depp likeness was noted), earning him the designation of First Mate

* Third place–Mike Hyslop earned a mop for swabbing and the designation of Deckhand

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Graduate Research Supplements (GRS)to Current ENG Awards to Broaden Participation

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NSF

Directorate for Engineering

Award Size and Duration: The Principal Investigator may request a GRS for twelve months, renewable annually, for the duration of the research grant for a maximum period of three years for an individual student.  The supplements are nontransferable and may only include graduate student stipend and tuition support consistent with academic institutional practices.  Indirect costs are not permitted; however, an administration allowance limited to 25 percent of the student stipend may be included.

Award Information: Anticipated funding for GRS in FY 2009 is $1,950,000, pending the availability of funds. The estimated number of supplements to be awarded will be 45-50.

Submission Deadline: The deadline for submission of this supplement request is May 26, 2009.

A request for funding of a GRS should be made by the Principal Investigator of an existing ENG award. Only one new Ph.D. student for GRS may be supported under each research grant.  GRS candidates must be United States citizens or nationals, or permanent resident aliens of the United States. The graduate students must be newly enrolled in, or planning to pursue the Ph.D. degree in engineering disciplines. Renewal for a second or third year supplement requires a report on the progress of the student toward the Ph.D. degree and availability of funds in the program.

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Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants in the Directorate for Biological Sciences (DDIG)

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NSF

DUE DATES

Full Proposal Deadline Date:  November 20, 2009

Third Friday in November, Annually Thereafter

For electronic submission of proposals, the proposals MUST be submitted by 5:00 PM submitter’s time.

SYNOPSIS

The National Science Foundation awards Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants in selected areas of the biological sciences. These grants provide partial support of doctoral dissertation research to improve the overall quality of research. Allowed are costs for doctoral candidates to participate in scientific meetings, to conduct research in specialized facilities or field settings, and to expand an existing body of dissertation research.

See solicitation.

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Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) and HBCU Research Infrastructure for Science and Engineering (RISE)

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NSF

DUE DATES

Full Proposal Deadline Date:  August 25, 2009

Innovation through Institutional Integration

SYNOPSIS

The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program makes resources available to enhance the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research. CREST promotes the development of new knowledge, enhancements of the research productivity of individual faculty, and an expanded presence of students historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines.

See solicitation.

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Hydrologic Sciences

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NSF

DUE DATES

Full Proposal Deadline Date:  June 1, 2009

June 1, Annually Thereafter

Full Proposal Deadline Date:  December 5, 2009

December 5, Annually Thereafter

SYNOPSIS

Hydrologic Sciences focuses on the flow of water and transport processes within streams, soils, and aquifers. Particular attention is given to spatial and temporal heterogeneity of fluxes and storages of water, particles, and chemicals coupling across interfaces with the landscape, microbial communities, and coastal environments, to upscaling and downscaling given these heterogeneities and interfaces and how these processes are altered by climate and land use changes. Studies may address aqueous geochemistry as well as physical, chemical, and biological processes within water bodies. These studies commonly involve expertise from many basic sciences and mathematics, and proposals often require joint review with related programs.

See solicitation

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University-Industry Cooperative Research Programs in the Mathematical Sciences (UICRP)

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NSF

DUE DATES

Full Proposal Deadline Date:  June 2, 2009

June, Annually Thereafter

It is in the national interest to provide more opportunities for mathematical scientists to have the experience of conducting research in an industrial environment and for industrial scientists to return periodically to academia, to acquire new knowledge, and to move it efficiently into technology. The Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) supports this relationship through the university-industry postdoctoral research fellowships, university-industry senior research fellowships, industry-based graduate research assistantships, and industry-based graduate cooperative fellowships described in program solicitation.

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Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences (OEDG)

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NSF

Full Proposal Deadline Date:  May 1, 2009

OEDG Planning Grant Proposals Only

Full Proposal Deadline Date:  November 3, 2009

OEDG Planning Grant Proposals Only

This new Track supports planning workshops, conferences, symposia and related short-term activities that facilitate either: 1) development of new strategic plans to implement systemic, community-wide programs to broaden participation in the geosciences; or, 2) development of new partnerships or collaborations between multiple institutions seeking to establish sustainable projects that address the goals of the OEDG program.

See NSF for full description

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