Thanksgiving break and computer maintenance

The University is closed on Thursday,  November 28th and Friday, November 29th.  When the University is closed, the “two week” rule for submitting drafts is relaxed to the next available business day.  The Graduate School does not expect students to submit drafts to the committee or the Graduate School when the University is closed (but the Pre-defense form will still calculate these dates as the “due” dates).

  • Students scheduling a defense on December 12th or 13th may submit the draft no later than 4pm on Monday, December 2nd.
  • Of course, submitting earlier is always fine.

Additionally, the University is scheduling campus wide home directory maintenance from Thursday Nov. 28, 7 p.m., through Sunday Dec. 1, 11 p.m. During this time:

  • No one will be able to use a campus computer (like one in the Library, or an office)
  • No one will be able to access their campus home directory or the Multidrive
  • Everyone will be able to use the wireless network on campus with a personal laptop
  • Everyone will be able to log into Canvas or other campus sites (like MyMichiganTech.mtu.edu)

To track progress during the upgrade please visit http://status.it.mtu.edu.

If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, about the planned upgrade, please call the User Services help desk at 487-1111 or email it-help@mtu.edu for assistance.

Michigan Tech Enters PhD Program Agreement with University in India

Mechanical engineering faculty from a private Indian university will soon be pursuing their PhDs from Michigan Tech.

The new agreement with Vidya Prathisthan, located in Baramati, India, creates a 2-plus-2 PhD program in mechanical engineering for faculty, plus a 1-plus-1 master of science program for students.

Qualifying faculty will complete the first two years of their PhD program in India, where they can take Michigan Tech courses online and graduate courses from any of the Indian Institutes of Technology (ITTs). Then they will travel to the US and spend the final two years of their program conducting research with Michigan Tech faculty advisors.

Published in Tech Today

Belote to Speak on Ecuador

Hosted by student organization Global City, local resident and former Peace Corps Volunteer (and Dean of Students) Linda Belote will present “La Mega Cooperativa Artesanal:  How Ecuadorian Indian Women Found Economic Success through Hand-Woven Beadwork” on Monday, Nov. 18, in Fisher 133 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Belote will tell the story of five indigenous women’s organizations from highland Southern Ecuador who joined together in 2010 in order to bring their handwoven beadwork jewelry to an international market. Aided by Belote and other American friends, their communities’ folk art and the story it tells has reached the US and beyond via the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market.

Pizza and snacks will be provided, and the cooperative’s beadwork will be available for purchase following the presentation. The public is welcome.

Global City is a student organization dedicated to providing a forum to address critical issues of human development such as economic development, resource distribution, and sustainability. Visit http://global.students.mtu.edu for more information.

Posted in Tech Today

GSG hosting Graduate Research Colloquium – Feb 19, 2014

Graduate Student Government is hosting our annual Graduate Research Colloquium on February 19th and 20th, 2014

What is the Graduate Research Colloquium (GRC) & where do I go for more info?
Each spring, GSG sponsors the Graduate Research Colloquium Poster & Presentation Competition. The GRC is a unique opportunity to share your research with the University community and to gain experience in presenting that research to colleagues.

Who can participate?
All graduate students are highly encouraged to participate by presenting their research in an oral presentation or creating a poster detailing their research. You can even do both!

Why should I participate?
The GRC provides graduate students a great opportunity to practice their oral or poster presentations in a friendly environment before presenting at a major conference. These presentations will help you to gain valuable feedback from judges and other audience members that can benefit your research. The GRC is also a great way to network and learn about other research that is being done on campus. Plus, cash prizes are available for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place speakers in both the poster and oral presentation sessions.

How do I submit an abstract?
We’ve made it even easier for you to participate this year! You can now submit your abstract for both a poster and oral presentation on our online submission website.

The submission deadline is Friday, November 22nd, at 11:59 PM.


Biotechnology Research Center announces Fall 2013 Travel Awards

The Biotechnology Research Center announces its Fall 2013 Travel Grants. Recipients include:

Post doctoral Research Scientist Presentation:

  • Mimi Yang (SCH) 246th American Chemical Society National Meeting (poster)
  • Lijun Zhang (EBE) MSC 2013 Adult Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Meeting (poster)

Graduate Student Presentations:

  • Faten Dhawi Almuhanna (IBMB) International Plant and Animal Genome XXII Meeting (poster)
  • Ran An (ECM) SciX 2013 Conference (poster)
  • David Chadderdon (ECM) 2013 AIChE Annual Conference (podium)
  • Kristina Flesher (FAE) International Annual Meetings of ASA, CSSA, and SSSA (poster)
  • Azhang Hamlekhan (MEEM) TMS 2014 Annual Meeting & Exhibition (podium)
  • Sean Hopkins (EBE) ) 246th American Chemical Society National Meeting (poster)
  • Maryam Khaksari (ECM) SciX 2013 Conference (poster)
  • Connor McCarthy (EBE) 246th American Chemical Society National Meeting (poster)
  • Ramkumar Mohan (SBL) The Midwest Islet Club Meeting (poster)
  • Ji Qi (ECM) 2013 AIChE Annual Conference (podium)
  • Aparupa Sengupta (SBL) Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (podium)
  • Emily Shearier (EBE) TERMIS-AM 2013 Conference and Exposition (poster)
  • Maria Tafur (ECM) 2013 AIChE Annual Conference (podium)
  • Le Xin (ECM) 2013 AIChE Annual Conference (podium and poster)

Published in Tech Today

U.S. EPA Research Funding Opportunity – Student Competition in Sustainability

Applications are open for the EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Program for the 2014-2015 school year.

The deadline for application is TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17th, 11:59pm EASTERN TIME.

Official Request for Applications and instructions on how to apply here:  11th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability

For general program information, visit: www.epa.gov/p3

Library Matters: Upcoming November Workshops

The Van Pelt and Opie Library is offering three workshops in November.

Basic Patent Searching
Wednesday, Nov. 13, 5:30-7 p.m.
This workshop will cover basic patent searching in the USPTO website database using the recommended “Seven Step Strategy.” We will discuss why keyword searching of patents must be supplemented with a classification search; how to identify relevant patent classes and search within them; and how to cross-reference related classes.
Click here to register.

Advanced Patent Searching
Tuesday, Nov. 19, 5:30-7 p.m.
This workshop will cover other database options aside from the USPTO website to search for patents, including patents issued in countries other than the US. We will explore Espacenet, PatentScope and Google Patents; and discuss some advanced searching strategies.
Click here to register.

Citation Searching for Faculty and Graduate Students
Thursday, Nov. 14, 12-1 p.m.
This workshop will demonstrate finding articles that cite your articles in a variety of databases that the library offers. We will also discuss methods of estimating impact factor.
Click here to register.

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Lucchesi at slucches@mtu.edu or 7-3379.

Published in Tech Today

Grand Opening of the Patent and Trademark Resource Center

Today at the Library: Grand Opening of the Patent and Trademark Resource Center.

Even if you were not able to register for the day’s events, please consider joining some of the events including the ribbon-cutting in the Opie Reading Room at 11 a.m.  Lunch to follow offers the opportunity to meet representatives from the U.S. Patent Office as well as representatives from the offices of Michigan’s congressional delegation. The full schedule of events may be found online.

The Van Pelt and Opie Library’s new distinction as a patent and trademark resource center was featured on the US Patent and Trademark Office website.

Published in Tech Today.

NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) Program

NASA announces a call for graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program for the 2014-2015 academic year.  This call for fellowship proposals solicits applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines.

The deadline for NEW applications is February 3, 2014, and the deadline for RENEWAL applications is March 17, 2014.

100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund grant competition

Partners of the Americas, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and the U.S. Department of State are pleased to announce two new grant competitions as part of President Barack Obama’s 100,000 Strong in the Americas Initiative.

100,000 Strong in the Americas is the administration’s signature education initiative in the Western Hemisphere designed to foster region-wide prosperity through increased higher education collaboration.  The first round of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund grant competition is NOW OPEN for eligible higher educational institutions.

There are three steps to apply:

1.) Read the RFP for information and determine that your institution is eligible

  • RFP 1 (Sponsored by the US Department of State): Capacity-Building Program to Reach 100k Strong. Institutions in the following countries may apply:  Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Mexico.
  • RFP 2 (Sponsored by Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation): Promoting Study Abroad in STEM and Sustainable Development. Institutions in the following countries may apply:  Chile, Peru, United States.

2.) Join the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Network

3.) Apply via the online grant application before the deadline(s) listed

  • RFP 1 – November 8, 2013 / 5:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time
  • RFP 2 – November 8, 2013 / 5:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time

For institutions not eligible for Round 1, you may still Join the Innovation Network to receive the latest information about new competitions.  One application per institution per round.  Institutions may apply for multiple rounds.

Please note: The Innovation Fund provides grants to institutions; it does not provide individual scholarships or accept applications from individuals.