Category: News

In the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) latest rankings of universities by total research expenditures, Michigan Tech ranked 116th in the nation among public institutions and Tech’s atmospheric science and oceanography research ranked first in Michigan.

Nationally, atmospheric science research at Michigan Tech ranked 39th in research expenditures and oceanography ranked 53rd. Environmental science also ranked 53rd.

“Michigan Tech has been growing our capabilities in environmental science through our faculty hiring processes like the strategic faculty hiring initiative, our facility development efforts like the Great Lakes Research Center and in our equipment investments such as the cloud chamber in the Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute,” said Dave Reed, vice president for research. “NSF’s report reflects the impact of those investments and the significant research role that Michigan Tech is playing both nationally and within Michigan.”

The NSF report covered fiscal year 2015.

Other research areas at Tech that ranked in the top 100 nationwide include: 

• Biomedical engineering, 96th
• Chemical engineering, 98th
• Civil engineering, 92nd
• Electrical engineering, 55th
• Mechanical engineering, 23rd
• Materials science and engineering, 61st
• Mathematical sciences, 75th
• Business and management, 73rd
• Humanities, 98th
• Visual and performing arts, 85th

The NSF report showed that research expenditures at Michigan Tech totaled $69.6 million for fiscal year 2015.

Two minutes, two slides, 13 faculty—a research showcase at (not quite) warp speed.

The Michigan Tech Research Forum is a new University presentation series showcasing the work of Michigan Tech faculty, postdocs, and researchers.

Join us from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Thurs. Dec. 1 in MUB Ballroom B for the third Michigan Tech Research Forum of the semester and the second TechTalks session.

Thirteen researchers from across campus will present rapid-paced samplings of their work, both published and unpublished. Via warp speed talks, attendees get a quick taste of the cutting edge research and can follow up with one-on-one discussions that lead to collaborative ventures and strengthen our community.

Complimentary snacks and drinks will be provided.

Special note: On-site, low-cost childcare at the MUB is available during the TechTalks. Childcare will be available on-site for the Dec. 1 TechTalks. Pre-registration is required by Nov. 29 to ensure adequate caregivers. Complete the the registration form.

Three Humanities faculty are participating in TechTalk:

• Andrew Fiss, Department of Humanities: “Learning from the Past: 19th Century Student Perspectives on Science Education”
• Stefka Hristova, Department of Humanities: “Culture In-color”
• Laura Kasson Fiss, Department of Humanities: “Clubs for the Unclubbable: Humor and Literary Sociability”

Michigan Tech Research Forum events are presented by the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in coordination with the Office of the Vice President of Research.

Additional TechTalks sessions are coming up in Spring 2017. Interested in nominating yourself or others? Use this online form.

L. Syd M Johnson (HU) gave a flash talk and presented a poster on “The Catch-22 of CTE: Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues,” and presented a poster co-authored with Adam Shriver (Penn) on “Preliminary Report from the Penn Animal Research Neuroethics Workshop” at the International Neuroethics Society Annual Meeting in San Diego.

The BARS Review (British Association for Romantic Studies) published Dana Van Kooy’s (HU) two-book review of William Brewer’s “Staging Romantic Chameleons and Imposters (2015) and Elizabeth Maddock Dillon’s New World Drama: The Performative Commons in the Atlantic World” (2014).

Laura Kasson Fiss (HU, Pavlis Honors College) presented a paper entitled “Clubs for the Unclubbable: Humor and Literary Sociability among Doyle, Zangwill, and Others” at the North American Victorian Studies Association conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

On Nov. 3-6, Andrew Fiss (HU), Shelly Galliah (HU) and Anna Swartz (HU) presented research papers in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of the joint meetings of the Society for Literature, Science and the Arts (SLSA), the History of Science Society (HSS), and the Philosophy of Science Association (PSA).

Fiss presented as part of the panels titled “The Gendered Body: Medicine and Biology in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries” and “Performing Science,” the Womenss Caucus feature about the intersections of theater and STEM education.

Galliah presented “John Oliver’s ‘Real Climate Change Debate’: Creatively Using Comedy to Intervene on a Manufactured Scientific Controversy,” as part of a panel about “Wild Learning.”

Swartz presented “The CSI Effect: Are Jurors Starstruck by Forensic Science?” which contributed to the panel about “History, Science, and their Publics.”

This travel was partially supported by the History of Science Society and the Department of Humanities.

If you’re interested in studying abroad this summer, you may be interested in Crossing Borders: Study Abroad this Summer 2017 in Cumbria, England. Stop by the program information session on November 16 from 4-5 pm in Walker 134.

As part of the Humanities Colloquium Series, Michele Speitz, professor, Furman University, will lead a seminar discussion of three essays: Langdon Winner’s “Technologies as Forms of Life,” John Tresch’s “Introduction to The Romantic Machine: Utopian Science and Technology after Napoleon” and Susanne Stratling and Jocelyn Holland’s “Introduction: Aesthetics of the Tool—Technologies, Figures and Instruments of Literature and Art.” 

This seminar is from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 10) in Wadsworth Hall’s Cherry Room.

For copies of these articles, contact Dana Van Kooy. Refreshments will be provided.