Doctoral Finishing Fellowships Fall 2017 Shiva Bhandari

Shiva Bhandari
Physics

Shiva Bhandari

Before starting my PhD program at Michigan Tech in Fall 2012, I completed my Bachelors and Master’s degree in Physics from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. My research focuses on synthesis and functionalization of Boron Nitride based nanomaterials for their electronic applications. With miniaturization of electronic devices, the size of silicon-based transistors are getting smaller. Insulating boron nitride nanomaterials functionalized with metallic nanoparticles or carbon-based nanomaterials could be the new class of transistors for future electronics.

The last 5 years at Michigan Tech has been a wonderful learning experience. Michigan Tech has provided me great learning opportunity and helped me develop personally and professionally. Besides learning to troubleshoot complex research problems, it taught me how to be a strong and a confident individual, how to be a team player and work in a diverse environment. I hope my learning experience at Michigan Tech will help me pave the way to a successful career in materials research. I am grateful to the Graduate School and the Dean’s Advisory Panel for this fellowship support. This fellowship helps me spend my full time on dissertation writing without any distraction from other teaching duties.

 

Doctoral Finishing Fellowships Fall 2017 Recipient Pei Hou

Pei Hou
Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Pei Hou

I am an Atmospheric Sciences PhD candidate in the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences. I feel very lucky to have met my advisor Dr. Shiliang Wu, who gives me lots of help and guides me to clarify my abilities and interests. My research interests lie in data analysis and modeling about the atmospheric chemistry, more specifically, the impacts of extreme air pollution meteorological events on air quality and the related prediction. The extreme air pollution meteorological events include heat waves (extremely high temperature), temperature inversion (abnormal vertical temperature profile), atmospheric stagnation (low wind speed and precipitation rates), and so on. We try to figure out how the extreme air pollution meteorological events affect the concentrations and the high pollution episodes of ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). We also make an attempt to predict the high pollution episodes with the occurrences of the extreme events. We hope our research could encourage environmental management to plan the emission regulation with the consideration of the changes in the extreme air pollution meteorological events in the context of climate change. I sincerely appreciate the help from the Finishing Fellowship supported by Graduate School, which would be a great help on both my research and dissertation.

 

Nominations sought for 2018 MAGS Thesis Award

The Executive Committee of the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) is soliciting nominations for the 2018 MAGS Distinguished Master’s Thesis Awards to recognize and reward distinguished scholarship and research at the master’s level.  Michigan Tech may nominate one candidate in each disciplinary category.

Eligible students:

  • will have earned a master of science degree between July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2017 in the fields of
    • Biological/Life Sciences OR
    • Humanities
  • will have completed an original thesis that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline
  • will not have earned a PhD (or comparable research degree) in any discipline prior to the writing of the master’s thesis

The 2019 competition will seek nominees in the fields of Social Sciences or Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering.

Please see our web page for complete details on eligibility and application procedures.

Nomination packets are due by 4pm, October 10, 2017 to the Graduate School via e-mail (gradschool@mtu.edu) or campus mail (address to Debra Charlesworth). Eligible students with a complete nomination packet will be evaluated by a panel of faculty from the University.

EndNote Workshops at Van Pelt & Opie Library

Learn how EndNote can help you easily create and manage bibliographic information and incorporate references into your writing. EndNote also offers a relatively easy way for faculty to upload citations into Digital Measures.

The “EndNote Basic” workshop will be from 1:05 to 2:15 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 26). During the session, we will cover how to create and build an EndNote “library,” add full-text documents and best practices for organizing your references. The workshop will be held in Library 242 and registration is required. Register for EndNote Basic.

The workshop “EndNote Cite While You Write” is from 2:15 to 3 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 26). Learn how to incorporate your EndNote library citations into a Microsft Word document in the particular style your manuscript requires. Attendees will also learn how to locate and import specialized output styles. Attending EndNote Basic, or prior knowledge of building and managing an EndNote library, is recommended.

This workshop is a continuation of EndNote Basic and will be held in Library 242 as well. Registration is required.

Our Library 242 instruction room has EndNote X8 installed on Windows workstations. Attendees may bring their own laptops with EndNote X8 downloaded prior to the session. Visit the library’s EndNote LibGuide to download the software and get a sneak peek at what EndNote can do for you

Click here to view all of the library’s upcoming workshops. Email library@mtu.edu with any questions.

New Bus Routes—Nights and Saturdays, Commuting or Shopping

School is meant to be challenging—overcoming obstacles is all part of learning.  Sometimes, however, an obstacle is just an obstacle.  When the Graduate School asked students about their Michigan Tech experiences and offered to help, the students jumped at the chance to speak up:  it can be hard to get around town, they said.  Our students love the bus services provided by Michigan Tech Transportation Services and the City of Houghton, but, they ventured, would it be possible to have evening routes, Saturday routes to the west Houghton commercial strip, and vehicles that could accommodate families?

After considerable planning, Transportation Services, the Graduate School, and the Graduate Student Government are pleased to announce new bus routes to address these concerns.  Effective immediately, all three student issues, as well as the needs of the campus community at large, have been addressed by the schedules described below.  This free shuttle service is available to University students, staff, and faculty.

Services available:

  • Campus Parking Shuttle– a , oop connecting the MUB to commuter lots throughout campus, including the SDC; runs through business hours.
  • Daniell Heights Loop-a small loop connecting University Housing (Daniell Heights) to the MUB; also runs through business hours.
  • Michigan Tech-City Shuttle + Daniell Heights Loop-a larger, figure-8 loop providing a second Daniell Heights/MUB run every hour but including a trip through downtown Houghton up to the commercial strip in west Houghton (Econo/Shopko, Walmart, Aspirus, Razorback) returning through town via Houghton Avenue (starts 7:00am; every hour; last loop returns to MUB at 6:45pm; a great commuter route).
  • Michigan Tech-City Shuttle Evening Loop-combines a loop around the MUB/Heights route with a ride along Sharon Avenue to the west Houghton commercial district, returning back along Sharon avenue to the Heights and MUB (Wednesday through Friday; starts 6:45 pm from the Upper Heights to West Houghton with the last loop returning to the Heights at 8:45 pm).
  • Saturday Shuttle-New New New! The University has paired with Lamers Bus Lines to provide free bus service on Saturday, Sep 23rd and 30th from Daniell Heights to the west Houghton commercial district (starts noon from the Upper Heights to the west Houghton  commercial district approximately every hour with the last loop out at 3pm.  Please note, currently this service is for students and children over the age of 4.).

Questions?  Please contact GSG President Hossein Tavakoli, or Graduate School representative Shellie Crisman. Taking a bus is convenient, energy efficient, and can even be part of a wellness plan (if you walk one way!).   Route details may be found at these links:

Shuttle schedule: http://www.mtu.edu/facilities/pdfs/shuttle-schedule.pdf

Please visit http://www.mtu.edu/maps/ for interactive Shuttle Maps or contact Transportation Services (parking@mtu.edu) with any questions.

The Reedsy National Creative Writing Scholarship and Sponsorship Program

The Reedsy National Creative Writing Scholarship is a $1,000 award granted twice annually to students with an interest in English.
You can find all the relevant details on our site—including more information about the work Reedsy does in the publishing community. Reedsy is passionate about nurturing the next generation of writers. That’s why current and incoming students at Michigan Tech University are eligible to enter the scholarship to win $1,000 to fund their education.

Application Deadline Dates: September 21, 2017 & February 21, 2018

Minimum SAT/ACT and GPA: None

School Year: 2017-2018

Majors: Creative Writing, English, Writing, Professional Writing, Liberal Arts, Theatre, Communications, New Media, Other

Value of Scholarship: $1000 Bi-annually with renewal upon reasonable progress.

Number of Scholarships Available: 1 cash, 5 sponsorship opportunities

U.S. Citizenship: Citizens and Permanent Residents

Required Student Activities: Applicants must have completed the first chapter of a novel they are currently writing, or have written but not published.

Hobbies: Creative Writing, Novel Writing, Fiction Writing, Professional Writing, Media

Contact details

Address: Reedsy Ltd. Seedcamp 4-5 Bonhill St, Shoreditch, London EC2A 4BX

Phone: 020 3108 9367

Email: scholarship@reedsy.com

Page: blog.reedsy.com/scholarship/

Professional Development Program 2017-18

The Graduate School is pleased to announce its Professional Development Program for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.  The series is coordinated through the Graduate School with funding from NSF.  The workshops are most appropriate for postdocs and 3rd and 4th year PhD students, but all interested people may attend, space permitting. Please register online so we can plan for your attendance.

PD-2017

 

Second Century Stewardship 2018 Research Fellowships

request for proposals was recently announced for the Second Century Stewardship 2018 Research Fellowships. The Second Century Stewardship initiative is a partnership among National Park Service, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Schoodic Institute.
Proposals are due October 23. There will be an informational webinar on September 13 at 1pm eastern. Those interested can register here for the webinar.
The goal of the fellowships is to support early-career researchers (assistant professors, postdocs, grad students, researchers at NGOs, etc.) to do research and communication that help NPS and other organizations adapt and respond to changing human-natural systems. The research must be relevant to Acadia National Park, but can include other areas too.
We encourage proposals from researchers in a wide range of disciplines, including natural and social sciences, and proposals that cross disciplines.
Each proposal may request up to a total of $20,000 for research over 1-2 years. The Second Century Stewardship partners will also provide mentorship, communication training and support, and other types of support for each fellow.
Sincerely,
The Second Century Stewardship Team

Shenandoah National Park Trust Research Fellowship Program Opens for Applications

Applications for the Shenandoah National Park Trust research fellowship program to facilitate and encourage scientific research in Shenandoah National Park will be accepted from September 15 to October 31, 2017. Funded by the Shenandoah National Park Trust, the grant supports field research in the physical, biological, ecological, social, and cultural sciences. The funding will support projects conducted in the park and help answer questions important to park managers. The grants are managed by Shenandoah National Park and up to $15,000 per grant will be awarded.

Shenandoah National Park offers an ideal natural laboratory in which to study a wide variety of research topics. Important science issues at the park include, but are not limited to, air pollution, water quality, habitat fragmentation, invasive exotic species, rare species conservation, recreation impacts on visitor experiences and natural resources, restoration of disturbed natural and cultural landscapes, protecting our cultural heritage, and an incomplete inventory of the park’s natural and cultural resources. Shenandoah National Park offers a diversity of landscapes across nearly 200,000 acres, including hardwood forest, rocky outcrops, mountain streams, and open meadows.

The research grant program is open to applications from undergraduate and graduate students, college and university faculty, state and federal agency scientists, private-sector research professionals, and others with appropriate backgrounds and credentials. To access the grant application and instructions, go to http://www.nps.gov/shen/naturescience/research-grant.htm. Applications will be accepted from September 15 until October 31, with grant award(s) announcedDecember 15, 2017.

www.nps.gov

Management Specialist

Shenandoah National Park

3655 US Hwy 211 East

Luray, VA 22835

540-999-3500 x. 3300 (office)  540-742-8106 (cell)

sally_hurlbert@nps.gov 

Formatting 101: New Fall Seminar Series

Students preparing a dissertation, thesis, or report are invited to a new seminar series this summer designed to answer the questions we most commonly see in the Graduate School.  Faculty and staff who assist students are also welcome to attend.  The general format will be a 30 minute presentation with time for your questions.

Our first seminar will be “Formatting 101: Using the Guide and Template.”  We’ll discuss how you can use the Guide to find the formatting rules, and the template for signature/approval pages.  Additional details:

1. Formatting 101: Using the Guide and Template

  • Date: 09/26/2017
  • Time: 4:05 – 4:55pm
  • Place: Fisher 138 or live stream

2. Formatting 101: Copyright for Dissertations and Theses

  • Date: 10/10/2017
  • Time: 4:05 – 4:55pm
  • Place: Fisher 138 or live stream

3. Formatting 101: How to Check and Fix your Document

  • Date: 10/24/2017
  • Time: 4:05 – 4:55pm
  • Place: Fisher 138 or live stream

Please register to attend on campus or to view the live stream for each of them so that we can plan for your attendance.  Individuals who register for the live stream will receive log in information three hours before the event.

All materials (including video when available) from all Graduate School seminars are archived online.