Graduate School Newsblog

Michigan Tech Partners With IBM in Global Rail Innovation Center

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Tech Today

by Jennifer Donovan, public relations director

When IBM set its sights on becoming an international rail transportation leader, one of the first university partners they turned to was Michigan Tech. Michigan Tech’s Rail Transportation Program is an emerging player educating future leaders for the rail industry.

Today, as IBM unveils plans for its Global Rail Innovation Center in Beijing, Pasi Lautala, director of the Rail Transportation Program, and graduate student Shane Ferrell will represent Michigan Tech.

“Countries worldwide are recognizing the importance of rail transportation and are accelerating their efforts to develop 21st-century rail systems,” said Lautala. “With its Global Rail Innovation Center, IBM is modeling a new way of thinking, one that is not bound by national borders. Michigan Tech is honored that IBM has recognized our leadership in rail-related research and education and has invited us to participate in such a groundbreaking effort.”

Michigan Tech’s Rail Transportation Program, established in fall 2007 as part of the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute, has attracted strong support from the railroad industry. Its corporate sponsors include CSX, Union Pacific and CN. CN gave Michigan Tech $250,000 this spring to establish the Rail Transportation Education Center, a physical home for the Rail Transportation Program.

The program’s innovative Summer in Finland has already integrated an international component as part of an interdisciplinary approach to rail education, and an initiative to establish a multidisciplinary certificate in rail transportation and engineering is currently in progress.

Michigan Tech joins Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Joseph M. Sussman; Judge Quentin L. Kopp, chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority; the German railroad Deutsche Bahn; Motorola; Railinc Corporation (a subsidiary of the American Association of Railroads) and Sabre (a travel network) as initial members of the new center’s advisory board.

Based at IBM’s China Business Innovation Center, the Global Rail Innovation Center will focus on developing technologies that can increase railroad capacity, efficiency, speed and safety while improving customer service.

“The global demand for rail is outpacing capacity, and today’s aging infrastructure and technology won’t support the transportation needs of the future,” said Keith Dierkx, director of the new center. “Through the Global Rail Innovation Center, IBM is committed to working with our partners to develop and implement smarter rail systems around the world. Railroads are energy efficient and can help cities manage traffic congestion, improve environmental conditions and increase economic competitiveness.”

The rise of high-speed passenger rail and smarter freight rail systems presents an enormous challenge and an opportunity for the information technology and rail industries. IBM already has researchers and consultants working on high-speed rail projects around the world, including Australia, China, France, the Netherlands, Russia, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.

IBM chose Beijing as its rail innovation hub because of China’s rapid advances in rail. In China, investment in railway transportation has tripled over the last year and is expected to reach 600 billion yuan (approximately $88 billion) by 2012.

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Research Associateship Programs Application Period Now Open

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The National Research Council of the National Academies sponsors a number of awards for graduate, postdoctoral and senior researchers at federal laboratories. These awards provide generous stipends ($42,000 – $74,000 per year for recent Ph.D. recipients and higher for additional experience), and the opportunity to do independent research in some of the best-equipped and staffed laboratories in the U.S. Research opportunities are open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and for some of the laboratories, foreign nationals.

Applications now available. Submission deadline is August 1.  Support Document deadline is August 15th.

For more information visit Research Associate Programs

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Fall Finishing Fellowship Applications Due June 26th

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Applications for fall Finishing Fellowships are now open.  The Graduate School anticipates funding up to 10 fellowships per semester with support ranging from $2,000 to full support (stipend plus tuition).  Applications are due to the Graduate School no later than 4pm on June 26th.

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 be in Research Only Mode.
  4. No other source of support for fall semester.

Refer to our web page for full details regarding eligibility, application procedure, and evaluation criteria.  Our online presentation also provides some tips to prepare your application.

Contact Debra Charlesworth or Heather Suokas with additional questions.

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National Science Foundation Proposal Writing Series, #1

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Are you or do you know of a student who would be a competitive applicant for a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship?

The Graduate School is sponsoring a series of seminars to help students apply for a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.  The first is June 18, 11am and will discuss:

  • Why apply for to the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
  • Who is eligible
  • What is a reasonable proposal writing time-line

Once you register, you will receive a confirmation with the location and a reminder of the date and time.  Space is limited, so register early!  The presentation will be available online for those unable to join us at this time.

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How to Write a Competitive, Fundable Proposal

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Join the Graduate School and Research and Sponsored Programs for a seminar on “How to Write a Competitive, Fundable Proposal”  June 16, 11 am.

Seniors and current graduate students interested in applying for external funding or a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship will gain:

  • 6 proposal writer tips
  • 7 proposal writing guidelines
  • 4 effective proposal package strategies

Once you register, you will receive a confirmation with the location and a reminder of the date and time.  Space is limited, so register early!  The presentation will be available online for those unable to join us at this time.

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An Introduction to External Funding

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Update: View this seminar online – see the items listed for June 4, 2009.  It will be online for approximately one year.

Join the Graduate School and Research and Sponsored Programs for an “Introduction to External Funding” seminar June 4, 2 pm.  Learn how to:

  • access and develop strategies for prospect searches on free internet databases,
  • understand proposal jargon,
  • evaluate grant requirements with your qualifications for eligibility
  • unravel the seemingly complex processes for proposal submissions.

To illustrate some of these concepts, we will discuss the criteria and evaluation process for Finishing Fellowships and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Once you register, you will receive a confirmation with the location and a reminder of the date and time.  Space is limited, so register early!  The seminar will be taped and available online for those unable to join us at this time.

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NSF Proposal Submission Change

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Tech Today

submitted by Sponsored Programs

Due to an expected increase in Grants.gov submissions relating to the processing of Recovery Act proposals, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has authorized agencies to use alternative methods for proposal submission and acceptance.

Effective immediately, new funding opportunities issued by NSF will require the use of FastLane to prepare and submit proposals. NSF plans to revise existing funding opportunity documents to reflect this change and to remove all active application packages from Grants.gov APPLY. Updated NSF information about available funding opportunities will be posted to Grants.gov FIND.

Once you have identified a grant opportunity, be sure to carefully read the instructions to ensure you are following proper submission procedures for that application, even if you have applied before. Grants.gov will still be the website to find all available federal grant opportunities, and all opportunities will include specific application instructions, including instructions for submitting applications outside of Grants.gov.

The following agencies will accept applications outside of Grants.gov: Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Education (DOED), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Treasury, Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Air and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and National Science Foundation (NSF). Pay close attention to the grant announcements and application instructions for these agencies.

Detailed instructions regarding the technical aspects of proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at www.fastlane.nsf.gov/ .

If you have any questions, contact the Sponsored Programs Office at 487-2226.

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Nominations open for the 2009 Distinguished Dissertation Award

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Nominations are closed for the 2009 competition.

Nominations are now open for the 2009 Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)/University Microfilms International (UMI) Distinguished Dissertation Award. This year, nominations are being accepted from dissertations in the fields of:

  1. biological and life sciences (more details)
  2. humanities/fine arts (more details)

Michigan Tech may nominate one student in each field. PhD students who have completed all of their degree requirements between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2009, are eligible.   Next year, the 2010 competition will accept nominations in the fields of social sciences and mathematics/physical sciences/engineering for students who have graduated between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2010.

A nomination packet must include the following:

  1. a completed nomination form. The form is available at http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/2009UMI_NominationForm.pdf .
  2. a 10-page abstract of the dissertation, double spaced on white letter-sized paper.
  3. optional: abstract appendices containing non-textual material such as charts, tables or figures.
  4. a letter of reference from the dissertation advisor.
  5. a letter of reference from a member of the nominee’s dissertation committee.
  6. a letter of reference from a person chosen by the nominee.
  7. a pdf file of the dissertation on a CD.

The letters of reference should address the significance and quality of the dissertation work.

Nominations should be delivered to Debra Charlesworth in the Graduate School no later than 4 p.m. on June 19. Contact Charlesworth (ddc@mtu.edu) if you have any questions about the competition.  See also the Council for Graduate School’s announcement page.

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