Three Minute Thesis Winners

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, held on Oct. 12, featured 10 speakers from departments across the University.  The competition encourages graduate students to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Six of the students who participated advanced from the preliminary heats to compete in the finals. The winner of the competition, who will advance to the Midwestern Association of Graduate School’s 3MT Competition in April, was Divya Kamath’s presentation on improving water quality with aquesous phase advanced oxidation processes. Muraleekrishnan Menon’s presentation on improving wind turbine rotors using active flow-control devices took second. The audience selected Leigh Miller’s presentation on the protection of clean water in Panama as their favorite for the People’s Choice Award.

The event was sponsored by the Graduate Student Government and the Graduate School. Thank you to all of the judges, volunteers and competitors who helped make the event a success. Originally written by Tyler Capek in TechToday, 10/20/16

3 Minute Thesis: Big Winners in Short Time

3 Minute Thesis

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition (originally conceived by The University of Queensland) celebrates both research and clear communication in a competition to get your disseratation across to a mixed non-specialist audience in only 3 minutes with only one slide. All student presenters are winners just for attempting this feat. Pictured in the photo are the winners according to the panel of judges and people’s choice award. If you missed this event this year, be sure to look for it next year.

Nominations sought for 2017 MAGS Thesis Award

The Executive Committee of the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) is soliciting nominations for the 2017 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, 2014 to June 30, 2016 in the fields of
    • Social Sciences OR
    • Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering
  • 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 2018 competition will seek nominees in the fields of Biological/Life Sciences or the Humanities.

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

Nomination packets are due by 4pm, October 18, 2016 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.

Formatting Help Sessions for Fall 2016

Are you working on formatting corrections for your dissertation, thesis, or report? Do you need help? Join the Graduate School (gradschool@mtu.edu) for group work hours. These workshops are provided at no charge to students working on a dissertation, thesis, or report. Staff will able to help with the changes required by the Graduate School for these documents in MS Office.  Assistance will also be available for converting documents to PDF from Word and how to make simple corrections and check your document in Adobe Acrobat. The workshops will be in rooms with PCs with University software, or you may bring your own laptop. Distance students may contact gradschool@mtu.edu about remote assistance during these times via web conferencing.  If you need additional help outside of these times, please contact the Graduate School.  On a limited basis, one-on-one assistance with a $30/hour fee may be available through the GS-CAP program. Please contact the Graduate School for more information.

All workshops will be held from 1-3pm on the following dates in Dillman 101 unless otherwise noted:

  • Thursday, November 10, 2016
  • Monday, November 14, 2016
  • Thursday, November 17, 2016
  • Monday, November 28, 2016 (NOTE: last day to submit for fall 2016)
  • Thursday, December 8, 2016
  • Wednesday, December 14, 2016 (NOTE: 11am – 2pm)

The K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award – Call for Nominations

Deadline for receipt of materials: October 3, 2016

The K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award recognizes graduate students who show exemplary promise as future leaders of higher education; who demonstrate a commitment to developing academic and civic responsibility in themselves and others; and whose work reflects a strong emphasis on teaching and learning.

The award honors the work of K. Patricia Cross, Professor Emerita of Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

Please go to the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders page for complete information.

Seminar on Dissertation, Thesis, or Report submission

Students planning on finishing a dissertation, thesis, or report in fall 2016 or spring 2017 are invited a seminar designed to help students understand the submission process and answer questions about it. Faculty and staff who assist students with submissions are also welcome to attend.

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

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

Graduate Student Orientation

Michigan Tech looks forward to welcoming our new graduate students at orientation

Tuesday, August 23, 2016 (for Mechanical Engineering students only)
Wednesday, August 24, 2016 (for all other students)

Orientation will introduce students to expectations for graduate students and the basics of responsible conduct for research. Students will also learn about the services available on campus to support their success. Contact theGraduate School with any questions.

Pre-registration is required.

Students who are unable to attend one of these sessions may complete anonline training and view our online resources to receive the required training.

Schedule and Description

  • 11:00am – 1:00pm: Registration in the Memorial Union Commons (ground floor)
    We’ll have lunch tickets available so you can grab lunch and socialize with other new students.
  • 11:00am – 1:00pm – Student Services Fair in the Memorial Union Commons (ground floor) (may only be offered on August 24)
    Use your lunch ticket to purchase food in the Commons, and learn about some of the great services available to you. You might even get to meet Blizzard T. Husky!
  • 1:00 – 4:30pm: Orientation program in the Memorial Union Ballroom(2nd floor)
    Attend to learn about Michigan Tech policies, and obtain the required Responsible Conduct of Research training

Questions about Graduate School orientation may be directed to Debra Charlesworth or Nicole Rubino.

IT Connect

HuskyCard Printing Events for Orientation Week

Orientation is coming. In the next few weeks there will be a lot of new students on campus. Many of you will likely assist students and answer questions.
One of the top initial questions asked is where they can pick up HuskyCards. Direct students to the MUB Ballrooms at the following times:
  • Friday, Aug. 19 from 1 to 3 p.m.

  • Saturday, Aug. 20 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • Sunday, Aug. 21 from 9 a.m. -noon

Students can expedite the process of picking up their HuskyCard by pre-submitting their HuskyCard photo to mymichigantech.mtu.edu.

Thank you for helping us welcome new students during Orientation week. If you or the students have any questions about HuskyCard printing, contact us at it-help@mtu.edu or call 7-1111.

Nominations open for the 2016 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

Nominations are now open for the 2016 Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award. Please submit nominations to the Graduate School no later than 4pm, June 20, 2016, following our online instructions. This year, nominations are being accepted from dissertations in the fields of:

  1. Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering
  2. Social Sciences (note: history is classed within the humanities and is not a field of competition in 2016)

Michigan Tech may nominate one student in each field. PhD students who have completed all of their degree requirements between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2016, are eligible. The fields of competition for 2017 will be humanities/fine arts and biological and life sciences.

Nominations must be delivered to Debra Charlesworth in the Graduate School no later than 4 p.m. on June 20, 2016; e-mail nominations to gradschool@mtu.edu are preferred.  Contact Debra Charlesworth (gradschool@mtu.edu) if you have any questions about the competition.

Fall 2016 PHF Graduate Assistantship Nominations Open

Applications for fall 2016 PHF Graduate Assistantships will be accepted beginning June 1, 2016, and are due no later than 4pm, July 7, 2016 to Dr. Debra Charlesworth in 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 participating in health-related research that is aligned with the PHF’s mission.
  2. Must be eligible for or in Research Mode at the time of application.
  3. Must be 2 years after starting the graduate program at the time of application.

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.). Preference will also be given to applicants who will complete their degree during the funding period.

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.