The campus community is invited to join our new graduates and their families for a special reception directly after the commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 20, in the SDC Multipurpose Room.
The event is hosted by the Michigan Tech Alumni Association. For more information, contact the Alumni Relations office at 7-2400.
Originally posted in Tech Today (12/16/2014)
Deadline: 4/30/2011
Departmental Nomination Required
The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) is the leading U.S. non-governmental international education organization. CIEE creates and administers programs that allow high school and university students and educators to study and teach abroad.
Ping Doctoral Research Fellowships provide support for doctoral research focused on U.S. undergraduate study abroad. Funded through a small endowment, the Doctoral Research Fellowships are named after Dr. Charles Ping, a gifted teacher and scholar, a tireless advocate for the internationalization of U.S. higher education, President Emeritus of Ohio University, and a long-time former Chairman of the Council on IEE Board of Directors.
CIEE invites Directors of Graduate Studies (DGS) – or if a Department has no DGS, a Chair – to nominate a qualified doctoral candidate for a Ping Doctoral Research Fellowship. CIEE intends that these awards will replace some or all of a Fellow’s eight- or nine-month remuneration as a Graduate or Teaching Assistant, thereby allowing the student to make more rapid progress toward successful completion of the doctoral degree.
Fellows are therefore expected to work full-time on their own dissertation research during their Fellowship year. They may not hold additional positions or employment. Other non-service financial support that is consistent with their institution’s Graduate School policies may be permitted.
Ping Doctoral Research Fellowships are awarded through a highly competitive process. Full-time graduate students who are interested in these awards should read all of the information related to eligibility and the nomination process before they ask their Director of Graduate Studies or Department Chair to nominate them.
Nomination Deadline
Nominations with all the documentation described (three complete sets) must reach the CIEE office no later than April 30, 2011.
Contact Jodi Lehman (jglehman@mtu.edu) if interest in applying. University nomination required.
For groundbreaking work in nanotechnology, Yoke Khin Yap and Chee Huei Lee have received the University’s Bhakta Rath Research Award.
The award, endowed by 1958 alumnus Bhakta Rath and his wife, Shushama Rath, recognizes a Michigan Tech doctoral student and advisor for “exceptional research of particular value that anticipates the future needs of the nation while supporting advances in emerging technology.”
Yap, an associate professor of physics, and then-PhD student Lee (he graduated in 2010) invented a technique for synthesizing boron nitride nanotubes. Compared to their carbon-based cousins, boron nitride nanotubes have alluring qualities but, before Yap and Lee’s pioneering work, had been notoriously difficult to grow.
The researchers created veritable nano-carpets of boron nitride nanotubes and discovered they possessed a number of interesting properties: They are perfect insulators, which means they could be doped to form designer semiconductors for use in electronics that operate at high temperatures. They are among the strongest materials known and can be dispersed in organic solvents, properties that could be useful in making high-strength composites and ceramics. Plus, they shed water like a duck’s back. This quality, known as superhydrophobicity, holds at all pH levels, which means they could be used as protective coatings to shield against the strongest acids and bases.
Yap said Lee played an important role in their collaboration. “I enjoy working with Chee Huei, as he is willing to listen, think and work hard on an idea, and then he comes back to tell you much more than what you were expecting,” said Yap. “My initial ideas mature and flourish with his feedback.”
Lee has authored or coauthored 12 peer-reviewed journal papers on their nanotube research, as well as three chapters and review articles and three papers in peer-reviewed proceedings. As recipients of the Rath Award, Yap and Lee will share a $2,000 prize. Their research work is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences.
To find out more, visit the Michigan Tech News Site .
by Marcia Goodrich, senior writer
Published in Tech Today
The Office of Compliance, Integrity, and Safety at Michigan Tech will be conducting an ‘Ethics, Integrity, and Responsible Conduct of Research Workshop‘ on May 8th (Thursday) and 9th (Friday). Attendance and passing (the exam) of this 2-day workshop will fulfill the University’s graduation requirement for Responsible Conduct of Research training. Graduate students who have not completed course work fulfilling this requirement and who plan on graduating spring or summer semester are encouraged to attend.
There are different components to this workshop and the lectures will be conducted by experts in different fields.
It is a $25 registration-fee course and helps you complete the requirement of RCR advanced training in just 2 days.
VITA, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, is being offered on the Michigan Tech campus again this year.
VITA is a program that was developed by the IRS and is available on university campuses across the country during each tax season. The School of Business and Economics sponsors Michigan Tech’s program.
This free service is offered from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays; from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays; and from 3 to 5 p.m. on Fridays.
VITA sessions are held in Academic Office Building G010D. No appointment is necessary. You should bring your W-2s and other tax information, plus a copy of your tax return from last year.
In order to qualify as a VITA tax preparer, upper-division accounting students first complete an IRS self-study course, attend a tax seminar, and then pass an IRS test. The students prepare basic, individual income tax returns for other Michigan Tech students and for members of the local community who could not otherwise afford professional tax preparation services.
For further information, visit Vita .
Also, contact Joel Tuoriniemi at jctuorin@mtu.edu , or Anne Warrington at acwarrin@mtu.edu .
Published in Tech Today
Deadline: 3/15/2011
The Kettering Foundation offers one-year fellowships to doctoral candidates with research interests in democratic theory and practice. Fellows participate in workshops and meetings. They also engage in research projects, writing reports and reviewing literature related to the foundation’s program areas.
The Kettering Foundation is an operating research foundation rooted in the American tradition of inventive research. The foundation studies practical strategies for strengthening democracy. The focus is on the ways that people go about solving their common problems, whether they act on them directly, through the cooperation of communities of citizens, or through governments and other institutions. Behind each program is the search for answers to a primary question: What does it take to make democracy work as it should?
The research is organized into six interrelated major programs: * Citizens and Public Choice * Community Politics and Leadership * The Public and Public Schools * Institutions, Professionals, and the Public * The Public-Government Relationship * International and Civil Society
Eligibility
The foundation seeks diversity in academic, cultural, and geographic backgrounds. Previous associates have come from departments of history, education, philosophy, the social sciences, and journalism.
Compensation and Provisions
Research Associates receive excellent fulltime compensation and benefits including medical insurance. The foundation also provides office space, use of a computer, access to the Internet and the foundation’s network, and other research resources. Associates are also reimbursed for ordinary costs associated with a temporary relocation to Dayton.
Deadline: 2011 deadlines: 4/8, 8/8, and 12/8
The objective of National Institutes of Health (NIH) Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards programs is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists are available in adequate numbers and in appropriate research areas to address the Nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs.
The purpose of the predoctoral fellowship (F31) award is to provide support for promising doctoral candidates who will be performing dissertation research and training in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes during the tenure of the award. The Kirschstein-NRSA for Individual Predoctoral Fellows will provide up to five years of support for research training which leads to the PhD or equivalent research degree, the combined MD/PhD degree, or another formally combined professional degree and research doctoral degree in the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences.
Applicants for the Kirschstein-NRSA F31 award must propose a dissertation research project and training program that fall in a research area within the scientific mission of the participating Institutes. The proposed predoctoral research training must offer an opportunity to enhance the fellow’s understanding of the health-related sciences and extend his/her potential for a productive, independent research career. The training should provide the applicant with the opportunity to interact with members of the scientific community at appropriate scientific meetings and workshops (including NIH-sponsored meetings, where available). The application should document the need for the proposed research training and the expected value of the proposed fellowship experience as it relates to the individual’s goals for a career as an independent researcher.
Each NIH Institute and Center (IC) has a unique scientific purview and different program goals and initiatives that evolve over time. Prospective Fellowship Applicants are encouraged to contact the relevant NIH staff for IC-specific programmatic information: Table of Institute and Center Contacts.
Citizenship: By the time of award, the individual applicant must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
Degree Requirements: A Fellowship Applicant must have a baccalaureate degree and be currently enrolled in a PhD or equivalent research degree program (e.g., EngD, DNSc, Dr PH, DSW, PharmD, PsyD, ScD), a formally combined MD/PhD program, or other combined professional/clinical and research doctoral (e.g., DDS/PhD) in the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences at an accredited domestic or foreign institution. With the exception of the combined degree programs described above, the Kirschstein-NRSA F31 may not be used to support studies leading to the MD, DDS, or other clinical, health-professional training (e.g., DC, DMD, DNP, DO, DPM, DVM, ND, OD, AuD). Neither may these awards be used to support the clinical years of residency training.
Students seeking support for pursuit of a combined degree program (e.g. MD/PhD, or DO/PhD, or DDS/PhD) may be eligible to apply for the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral MD/PhD Fellows (F30) (PA-09-207).
Duration of Support: Individuals may typically receive up to 5 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the predoctoral level.
Participating Institutes & Centers:
National Institute on Aging (NIA), http://www.nia.nih.gov/
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), http://www.nida.nih.gov/
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), http://www.nimh.nih.gov
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), http://www.ninds.nih.gov
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), http://www.nccam.nih.gov
Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), http://ods.od.nih.gov/
Estimated Stipend: $21,180. (Note: The sponsoring institution is allowed to provide funds to the fellow in addition to the stipends paid by the NIH in accordance with its own formally established policies governing stipend support.)
Application Procedure: To submit an application, applicants should access the FOA via http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp and follow Steps 1-4. Applications must be submitted electronically.
Application Guidelines: SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide
Contact Information: Applicants should refer to the Table of Institute and Center Contacts to obtain participating NIH Institute scientific/research contact information.
Url: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-208.html
The campus community is encouraged to comment on the University Strategic Plan. Comments will be accepted through January 30, 2015.
Visit the Strategic Plan to post your comments. Alternatively, you may submit your comments to Cathy Codere of the Vice President for Research Office via email or through campus mail.
Originally posted in Tech Today (1/5/2015)
The campus community is invited to a Lean report-out on two kaizen events devoted to mapping faculty career processes. The report-out will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 16, from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge. A primary purpose of the event is to facilitate feedback from all members of the Tech community.
The Lean techniques are being used in support of a grant proposal to NSF ADVANCE: “Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers.” Program details can be found online. An ongoing series of kaizen events is being conducted with interdisciplinary teams consisting of representatives from all Colleges, at all faculty ranks and administrative offices. The focus is on identifying steps and programs to improve faculty career processes and goals.
The most recent kaizens addressed pre-tenure and post-tenure career processes. Later kaizens will address recruitment, retention and metrics for success. The kaizen series and related ADVANCE proposal development efforts are supported by the Provost’s Office. For more information, contact Sonia Goltz (smgoltz@mtu.edu), Adrienne Minerick (minerick@mtu.edu) or Patty Sotirin (pjsotiri@mtu.edu).
Originally posted in Tech Today (12/10/2014)
A graduate student at Michigan Tech, Rhianna Williams, is earning a master’s degree far from the ivory tower of the classroom. She’s working as a volunteer with the US Office of Surface Mining VISTA program, helping residents of the Uncompahgre Watershed learn about protecting their water resources.
“I joined for the opportunity to practice what I’d learned in the class out in the field,” she says.
Williams conducts watershed education programs in the schools and monthly water sampling for Riverwatch, a group that monitors the river’s conditions along a 10-mile stretch of the Upper Uncompahgre River.
“I’ve enjoyed working with kids,” she says. “We work with local third-grade teachers to take the class out water sampling every month. They were really excited to know that the data they collected would be used to make decisions about their river.”
VISTA, originally Volunteers in Service to America, was founded in 1965 as a national service program designed to fight poverty in the US. In 1993, VISTA was incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs.
The OSM/VISTA and Peace Corps Coverdell programs offer graduate students the opportunity to combine academic study with supervised, practical field experience and research. Michigan Tech has partnered with OSM/VISTA programs since 2012
For the full story, see Michigan Tech News.