Tag: Environmental Engineering

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

DOE Scholars Program is now accepting applications

The Department of Energy (DOE) Scholars Program is now accepting applications for Summer 2014.

The DOE Scholars Program offers unique opportunities that introduce students or post-graduates to the agency’s mission and operations. Participants in the DOE Scholars Program gain a competitive edge as they apply their education, talent and skills in a variety of scientific research settings within the DOE complex. Appointments are available in a variety of disciplines at participating DOE facilities nationwide.

Application deadline is January 12, 2014 at midnight EST.

Being selected as a DOE Scholar offers the following benefits:

  • Career possibilities with the nation’s leading sponsor for scientific research
  • Opportunities to learn from top scientists and subject matter experts
  • Stipends of up to $650 per week (depending on academic status)
  • Travel arrangements to and from appointment site

Eligibility requirements:

  • US Citizens
  • Undergraduates, graduates or post-graduates of an accredited college or university

For an overview of the program, click here.

To contact the DOE Scholars Program, click here.

Cyber Citizens article published in UP news website

Upper Peninsula Second Wave, a UP news website, published article about Michigan Tech’s Cyber Citizens and their development of a citizen scientist smartphone application called EthnoApp.

The Cyber Citizens project goal is to build smartphone apps and websites that connect average citizens with scientists to help acquire valuable environmental information across the world.

A team of graduate and undergrad students at Tech led by Alex Mayer, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Robert Pastel, a professor of computer science, have worked to develop four different apps so far.

For more on the article, click here

Published in Tech Today

WWF funding and fellowship opportunities

The Luc Hoffmann Institute pursues synthesis ideas that will deliver cutting edge results with a clear pathway to application for decision makers and civil society practitioners in WWF’s key focus areas.  WWF focus areas can be broken into goals focused onpriority places and priority species, and goals focused on reducing human impact, or the human footprint.  Many of these goals receive additional focus through WWF’s Global Initiatives.

Our next call for full proposals is JANUARY 5th, 2014.  For this call, we are accepting proposal ideas across the full suite of WWF focus areas, with a particular focus on synthesis proposals relevant to the goals of WWF Global Initiatives, as well as proposals that explore trade-offs and consequences of alternative social, economic, and ecological futures in the greater Yangtze River area.

To allow enough time to make the next proposal deadline, we recommend that you send us your proposal ideas no later than December 1st, 2013.

If you have any questions related to our process, or in submitting your idea, please contact Emilie Cavallo at ecavallo@wwfint.org.

Proposal submission is a two-step process.

U.S. Dept of Energy Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) Fellowship Program

The Department of Energy (DOE) CBFO Program provides the opportunity to conduct mission-oriented research in DOE’s CBFO in Carlsbad, New Mexico.  The full-time, one-year appointment will start in October/November 2013 or earlier; appointments may be renewed for up to five years, based on program needs, satisfactory performance by the appointee and continued availability of funding.

Eligibility:

  • U.S. Citizens Only.
  • Received (by September 2013) or currently hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution within the past five years.
  • Strong analytical, research and oral and written communication skills and demonstrated capacity for creative thinking.

Application and supporting material must be received by midnight EST on Sunday, September 22, 2013.

Annual stipends will be based on academic level and relevant skills and/or experience; may include additional allowances of up to $500/month for housing and insurance. Travel to appointment may be included.

How to apply:  Click CBFO Application to apply.

For more information, email cbfo.fellowship@orise.orau.gov

For more information on WIPP, visit DOE-WIPP.

ESC/BRC Student Research Forum Winners Announced

The Ecosystem Science Center and the Biotechnology Research Center announced award recipients of the Ninth Annual ESC/BRC Student Research Forum, held March 27.

For the graduate students, two Grand Prize Awards and six Merit Awards were presented. They were selected from among the 59 posters and abstracts submitted by graduate students conducting research related to ecology, the environment and biotechnology at Michigan Tech.  Posters will continue to be on display in the atrium of the Forestry building through April 12.

Graduate Research
$500 Grand Prizes
Biotechnology Research Center
Ramkumar Mohan (SBL) for, “miR-483, a Novel MicroRNA Expressed in Pancreatic Beta Cells but not in Alpha Cells,” Advisor: Xiaoqing Tang

Ecosystem Science Center
Adam Coble (FFS) for, “Comparison of Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) Leaf Morphology in a Closed-canopy and Canopy Gap,” Adviser: Molly Cavaleri

$100 Merit Awards
Biotechnology Research Center
Komal K. Bollepogu Raja (IBMB) for, “The Role of Toolkit Genes in the Evolution of Complex Wing, Thorax, and Abdominal Color Patterns in Drosophila guttifera,” Advisor: Thomas Werner

Maria Tafur (ECM) for, “Reduction of Porcine Parvovirus Infectivity in the Presence of Protecting Osmolytes, ” Advisor: Caryn Heldt

Ecosystem Science Center
Brian Danhoff (SBL) for, “Manistee River Tributaries as Potential Arctic Grayling Habitat,” Advisor: Casey Huckins

Anthony Matthys (SBL) for, “Estimating Physical Habitat Characteristics and Fish Habitat Preference within Streams: A Tool for Restoration Monitoring,” Advisor: Casey Huckins

James Olson (SBL) for, “Evaluating the Impact of Culvert Designs on Hydrologic Connectivity and Nutrient Uptake in Northern Wisconsin Streams,” Advisor: Amy Marcarelli

Julie Padilla (EEN) for, “An Evaluation of the Proposed MDEQ Water Quality Standard for Copper in the Upper Peninsula Using Two Multimetric Approaches,” Advisor: Noel Urban

Published in TechToday

Michigan Tech Graduate Engineering Programs Climb in US News Rankings

By Jennifer Donovan

Four Michigan Technological University graduate engineering programs rose in the latest US News & World Report graduate school rankings, released today.

Chemical engineering’s graduate program moved up to 60th in the nation, from 91st last year.  Electrical engineering’s ranking rose from 102nd to 89th.  Computer engineering was ranked 80th this year, compared to 91st last year.  And Materials engineering rose to 50th from 51st.

“Chemical engineering is definitely a program on the rise and it’s nice to get the external recognition we deserve,” said Komar Kawatra, chair of chemical engineering.

Dan Fuhrmann, chair of electrical and computer engineering was pleased with the higher rankings of both his programs. “We are delighted to see that our graduate programs in electrical and computer engineering are receiving this recognition,” he said. ” It is a reflection of our deliberate efforts over the past decade to increase the size and improve the quality and visibility of our graduate and research activity.  In particular, we are seeing renewed interest at the master’s degree level in our power programs, which have always been excellent.”

The new graduate school rankings place Michigan Technological University’s graduate engineering programs overall in the top 100 nationwide. The magazine’s latest rankings, released today, list Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering graduate programs at 89th

“This year’s rankings of Michigan Tech’s programs will help some of our programs get the national attention and recognition they deserve,” said Jackie Huntoon, dean of the Graduate School. “The increased ranking of chemical engineering and electrical and computer engineering are particularly notable. These rankings, while dismissed by some as highly imperfect measures of quality, are important because students and their families use the rankings to estimate the potential return on an investment in a Michigan Tech education.“

Michigan Tech’s other engineering programs are ranked as follows in the new report:

Tech’s Biomedical engineering graduate program was not ranked.

“We’ve seen some success in the short time that I’ve been here, and I’m glad for that,” said Bill Worek, dean of the College of Engineering. “The increase in some of the disciplines is encouraging, but there is more work to be done to further enhance the visibility of our graduate programs.”

US News says its rankings are based on two types of data: expert opinions about program excellence and statistical measures of the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students. Graduate programs are reviewed annually in engineering, business, law, medicine and the sciences. This year, 199 engineering schools that offer graduate degrees were evaluated.

Statistical data considered includes the ratio of students to faculty, acceptance rate, average Graduate Record Exam score, the school’s total research expenditure and research expenditure per faculty member, graduate enrollment and number of PhDs granted.

Peer assessment data comes from deans of engineering schools, program directors and senior engineering faculty.

New theses available in the Library

The Graduate School is pleased to announce new theses are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library from the following programs:

  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Policy
  • Geology
  • Industrial Archaeology
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Rhetoric and Technical Communication