On Campus Meeting Regarding Lift Bridge Plans – Dec. 18

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will share plans for the major maintenance project on the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, scheduled to begin later this month, at a meeting on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Fisher 138.

Residents, community stakeholders and business owners can review the plans for construction and ask questions of MDOT staff members and contractor representatives.

MDOT will perform upgrades and preventive maintenance work on the lift bridge between Houghton and Hancock from mid-December 2014 to mid-April 2016. This $8.3 million project includes lift cable replacement, balance chain maintenance, electrical and mechanical upgrades, security system improvements, spot painting and new barrier gates.

The project will require two long-term nighttime closures of the bridge and numerous short-term closures.

Originally posted in Tech Today (12/9/2014)

Extended Library Hours (Dec 7-19)

The Van Pelt and Opie Library will be open 24/7 from Sunday, Dec. 7, (11:59 p.m.) through Friday, Dec. 19, when the library will resume regular hours and close at 10 p.m. As always, when the library’s main building is closed, access is available to enrolled students, as well as faculty and staff, through the west entrance where there is an area that includes 70 workstations, a printer, snacks and comfortable seating.

Originally posted in Tech Today (12/5/2014)

DOE Summer 2015 opportunity for STEM Students

The Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) Program provides students with an opportunity to gain and develop research skills with the Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy for 10 weeks over the summer. For 20 years, this program has increased awareness of DOE research opportunities to students pursuing STEM degrees (science, technology, engineering and math). The goal of the program is to improve opportunities for women and minority students in these fields, however all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply.  Stipends start at $600 per week and eligible Fellows will receive an additional travel and housing allowance.

For more information, visit http://orise.orau.gov/mlef/.

Eligibility

  • Be at least 18 years of age at time of application;
  • Be a U.S. Citizen;
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0;
  • Be currently enrolled full-time in an accredited college or university (sophomore year or higher) or had a Ph.D. conferred on or after January 2, 2014 in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) degree

Application closes Friday, January 2, 2015
click
http://orise.orau.gov/mlef/ to get started NOW!

Diwali Night: Saturday Dec 6

Diwali Night, the Indian festival of lights, has become a tradition far from its Indian roots—at Michigan Tech. This Saturday, Dec. 6, is Diwali Night at Tech, hosted by the Indian Students Association (ISA).

Dinner, served from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Commons, will include Hara Bhara Kabab—a vegetable patty  stuffed with spinach, potatoes and green peas; Chicken Mughlai—a cashew curry chicken; Paneer Kadai—a vegetarian entree of cottage cheese in tomato-based curry; pita bread; Kashmiri Pulav—Basmati rice cooked in Indian spices and dried fruits; and Vermicelli Kheer—a dessert of flavored vermicelli pudding with milk and sugar.

After dinner, there will be a performance at 7:30 p.m. at the Rozsa Center, on the theme “The Wonder Years,” focusing on college life with friends. The Indian Students Association band will play Indian music. Drama and dance will include Indian classical Bharatnatyam, from southern India; folk dances including Bhangra or Punjabi from North India, and Lavani, which is Maharashtrian folk dancing from the West of India, and the Western hip-hop.

There are various legends about the origin of Diwali. Some believe it to be the celebration of the marriage of Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. In Bengal, the festival is dedicated to the worship of Kali, the dark goddess of strength. Ganesha, the elephant-headed god who is the symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom is also worshipped in most Hindu homes during Diwali. The festival also commemorates the return of Rama, along with Sita and Lakshman, from his 14-year exile and the vanquishing of the demon-king Ravana.

Tickets include dinner and the performance. The cost is $15 for the general public and $8 for ISA members.

Tickets for the event are available at the following:

  • Rozsa Center webpage
  • SDC Ticket Office—in person or by calling 7-2073
  • MUB Commons Promotion Desk—11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Dec. 5
  • Rozsa Box Office—Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m. for the performance  only

Originally posted in Tech Today (12/3/2014)

Hult Prize: million dollar challenge

Call for applicants! Final deadline for applications is December 21, 2014.

Apply now by visiting www.hultprize.org

We are excited to invite you to apply to the 6th annual Hult Prize! Each year, the Hult Prize awards US$ one million in start-up capital to the team of students that creates the top sustainable start-up which can solve President Bill Clinton’s challenge.

This year, we are tackling early childhood education and will hold regional rounds of competition in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai and Shanghai.

Applying is easy, and does not require you to submit an idea! Open to every college and university student on the planet, we are calling on you to create the next big company that gives children around the world access to early education. If you advance to one of the regional final rounds, you will then pitch your start-up enterprise to a panel of esteemed judges. One winning team per region will advance to our summer accelerator program and compete in the Global Finals which is hosted by President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in September.  The winner will take home one million dollars to launch their new company that will change the world!

Join the world’s largest student competition and crowdsourcing platform for social good and compete to launch the next bid idea that will change the world!

Missing your bike?

During the Thanksgiving break, bicycles were picked up throughout campus that were not at a designated winter bike rack. The bicycles are currently at Facilities Management.

If you cannot locate your bicycle, please stop by the Facilities Building, Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., or contact Public Safety and Police Services at 7-2216. To retrieve your bicycle, you must present your student ID, and the bicycle will have to be registered with the Department of Public Safety and Police Services upon release.

The only winter bike racks on campus are located at the Van Pelt Library, DHH, McNair Hall and Wadsworth Hall.

Originally posted in Tech Today (12/2/2014)

Formatting help available for dissertations, theses, and reports

Are you working on formatting corrections for your dissertation, thesis, or report?  Do you need help?

Join Harriet King, coordinator of the Graduate School Communications Assistance Program for group work hours in the Library. These workshops are provided at no charge to students working on a dissertation, thesis, or report. Harriet is skilled with MS Office, Open Office, and Adobe Acrobat Pro, and can provide group tutoring and assistance during these open times:

  • Wednesday, December 3, 2014, 1-5pm – Library 242
  • Friday, December 5, 2014, 1-5pm – Library 242
  • Monday, December 8, 2014, 9am-1pm – Library 244
  • Tuesday, December 9, 2014, 1-3pm – Library 244
  • Wednesday, December 10, 2014, , 9am-1pm – Library 244
  • Thursday, December 11, 2014, 1-3pm – Library 244
  • Monday, December 15, 2014, 10am – 1pm – Library 242
  • Tuesday, December 16, 2014, 10am – 1pm – Library 242
  • Wednesday, December 17, 2014 , 10am – 1pm – Library 242

These rooms are equipped with PCs with University software, or you may bring your own laptop.

If you need additional help or prefer one-on-one assistance, please contact Harriet to arrange for times and inquire about the services available.

Clean water PhD project gets press

Research by PhD student Bas Wijnen (MSE) and his collaborators Jerry Anzalone (MSE) and Joshua Pearce (MSE/ECE) was highlighted in Make Magazine and covered by 3D Print.

Their work describes a water quality testing device made with open source components and 3D printing, with a focus on portability and low cost (paper available on academia.edu). This device would facilitate the testing of water quality in the field, before and after an intervention like the salt-enhanced solar water disinfection method previously developed by Pearce’s research group.

Originally announced in Tech Today (11/26/2014)

ORAU Big Data Postdoc

ORAU is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate with an interest in big data and excellent communication skills. The position requires skills in analysis of large data sets, and will involve development of white papers and other communications, both for technical audiences and general scientific audiences. The key skill set is communication, both to technical and non-technical audiences, and writing samples are requested from potential candidates. The holder of the position would develop connections with the 114 ORAU member universities as well as expert staff at ORAU. The appointment can begin as early as December 15, 2014 and the current funding extends through September 30, 2015. There is potential for mutually agreeable extension. Applicants can express interest or apply through the ORAU online Career Center at http://www.orau.org/careers/.