Spend 1010 Minutes with Gorkem Asilioglu


You are invited to spend one-zero-one-zero—that is, ten—minutes with Gorkem Asilioglu, Computer Science, on Thurday, March 18, from 5:30 to 5:40 p.m. EST.

Asilioglu is a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science. His research interests include computer architecture, high-performance computing, programming languages, and CS education.

Join the Zoom meeting here.

We look forward to spending 1010 minutes with you!

Visit the 1010 with … webpage here.

CS Lecture: Kelly Steelman, CLS, March 19, 3 pm

The Department of Computer Science will present a lecture by Dr. Kelly Steelman, Cognitive and Learning Sciences, on Friday, March 19, 2021, at 3:00 p.m.

The title of the lecture is, “Keeping Up with Tech.”

Join the virtual lecture here.

Steelman is interim department chair and associate professor in the Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences. Her research interests include basic and applied attention, models of attention, human performance in aviation, display design, tech adoption, and technology training.

Lecture Title

“Keeping Up with Tech”

Lecture Abstract

COVID has revealed much in the past year, including our dependence on technology and the challenges that many of us experience trying to keep up with it. Dr. Kelly Steelman has spent the past 15 years studying human attention and applying it to support the introduction of new technologies in contexts ranging from aviation to education.

In her presentation, Steelman will provide an overview of her research, using examples from Next Gen Aviation and the BASIC Digital Literacy Training Program to illustrate how understanding human attention can help us predict the consequences of introducing new technology, improve the design of technology, and support training to help people keep up with the rapid pace of technological change.


CS Dept. Lecture: Tim Frick, Mightybytes

The Department of Computer Science will present a lecture by Tim Frick, founder and president of Mightybytes, on Friday, April 9, 2021, at 3:00 p.m.

In his talk, “People, Planet, Pixels: Toward Sustainable Digital Products and Practices,” Frick will discuss how sustainable web design and responsible digital practices can help create an internet that is clean, efficient, open, honest, regenerative, and resilient.

Lecture Title

“People, Planet, Pixels: Toward Sustainable Digital Products and Practices”

Speaker Bio

Tim Frick started his digital agency Mightybytes in 1998 to help purpose-driven companies, social enterprises, and large nonprofits solve problems, amplify their impact, and drive measurable results. He is the author of four books, including Designing for Sustainability: A Guide to Building Greener Digital Products and Services. Tim regularly presents at conferences and offers workshops on sustainable design, measuring impact, and problem solving in the digital economy.

Lecture Abstract

The internet has a larger environmental impact than the commercial airline industry. It currently produces approximately 3.8% of global carbon emissions, which are rising in line with our hunger to consume more data. Increasingly, web technologies are also being used to sow discontent, erode privacy, prompt unethical decisions, and, in some countries, undermine personal freedoms and the well-being of society. Web technology has the potential to bring huge benefits to society and the environment, but only if we use it wisely.

In this talk, author and digital agency owner Tim Frick will discuss how sustainable web designand responsible digital practices can help us create an internet that is clean, efficient, open, honest, regenerative, and resilient—principles outlined in the Sustainable Web Manifesto, of which Tim is a co-author. Elements of this talk are also based on Tim’s book, Designing for Sustainability: A Guide to Building Greener Digital Products and Services. Creating an internet that works for people and planet is possible. The methods described in this talk will show you how.

Michigan Space Grant Consortium Award Recipients Announced

by Pavlis Honor College

Michigan Tech students, faculty and staff members received awards totaling $95,175 in funding through the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC), sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the 2021-2022 funding cycle.

Among the recipients is Assistant Professor Sidike Paheding, Applied Computing, who received an award in the pre-college outreach and research seed program.

Read the Tech Today announcement of all the Space Grant winners here.

Paheding is a member of the Center for Data Sciences research group of the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC).

Sidike Paheding Publishes Paper in Top Journal

A scholarly paper co-authored by Assistant Professor Sidike Paheding, Applied Computing, has been published in the April 2021 issue of ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, published by Science Direct.

The title of the paper is, “Field-scale crop yield prediction using multi-temporal WorldView-3 and PlanetScope satellite data and deep learning.”

View the article abstract here.

Paheding is a member of the Institute of Computer and Cybersystems’s (ICC) Center for Data Sciences.

Cooperative Eco-driving Automation Improves Energy Efficiency, Safety on City Streets

by Kelley Christensen, University Marketing and Communications

Connected and automated vehicles, which can interact vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and between vehicles and roadway infrastructure like traffic signals and stop signs (V2I), promise to save energy and improve safety. In a new study published in Transportation Research Part B, Kuilin Zhang (CEE/CS) along with Shuaidong Zhao ’18, now a senior quantitative analyst at National Grid, propose a modeling framework for V2V and V2I cooperative driving. Cooperative driving helps cars and their drivers safely and efficiently navigate.

The framework uses an eco-driving algorithm that prioritizes saving fuel and reducing emissions. The automated algorithm calculates location-based traffic control devices and roadway constraints using maps and geographic information. Read the full story on mtu.edu/news.

Kuilin Zhang is a researcher with the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems’ (ICC) Center for Cyber-Physical Systems.

Spring Commencement Update

by Registrar’s Office

The commencement team has begun planning an exciting celebration for our 2020 and Spring 2021 graduates. Unfortunately, the indoor commencement ceremony has been canceled, and students were recently notified, but that isn’t stopping us from celebrating their successes.

In place of the traditional ceremony, graduates will be celebrated in an outdoor event along the campus mall on the afternoon of Friday, April 30. While planning is in the early stages, departments will be asked to take part in the celebration by cheering on their students as they participate in this sendoff. With that, departments, faculty, and staff are asked to save the date. The time is approximately 1 to 4 p.m., though not everyone will celebrate at the same time as graduates will be split into groups by their college to keep gathering sizes smaller.

Thank you in advance for your assistance and support. Additional information will be provided as plans progress.

2021 Design Expo Continues As Virtual Event

by Pavlis Honors College

The 21st Design Expo will continue virtually, but with a twist! Combining lessons learned from our first successful Virtual Design Expo and the desire to engage student teams synchronously, the Design Expo committee is excited to invite the Michigan Tech community, program friends and sponsors to register for this year’s Design Expo held via Gatherly, a platform used to simulate synchronous interactions and discussions, similar to a live MUB ballroom event.

Similar to last year’s Virtual Design Expo, more than 1,000 students in the Enterprise and Senior Design programs will come together to put on a virtual showcase of their work and compete for awards. This year, a panel of judges, made up of distinguished corporate representatives, alumni, community members, and Michigan Tech staff and faculty will critique videos of team projects, solutions, and results. We will kick-off and close the event via Zoom. At 11:30 AM participants will transition over to Gatherly, for the live two-hour synchronous showcase for student projects.

This event is free and open to the public. We encourage current and future students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, families of students. etc to help us celebrate our students and their achievements—register today to virtually attend Design Expo.

2021 Schedule of Events:

Monday, April 12

  • Noon — Remote judging open

Thursday, April 15

  • 11 a.m.: Opening remarks via live webinar
  • 11:30 a.m.: Gatherly event opens
  • 1:30 p.m.: Gatherly event closes
  • 3 p.m.: Presentation of Awards via live webinar
  • 3:30 p.m.: 2021 Design Expo concludes

Interested in judging for the 21th annual Design Expo? This year, judges will have the flexibility to judge team videos anytime between noon on April 12 through 1:30 p.m. on April 15. In addition to video judging, judges will be asked to attend Design Expo between 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. during the Judging Hour on April 15 to visit assigned teams via Gatherly.

Judges will be selected based on the availability to attend Design Expo during the synchronous event starting at 11:30 a.m. Judges will be assigned three to five teams to view and evaluate team videos over a four-day period (April 12-15) using an electronic ballot sent out via email and/or text message.

Judges will then judge the same three to five teams during the synchronous events 11:30-1:30 p.m. There will be a designated judging hour 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. but judges may continue scoring teams until 1:30 p.m.

Please consider serving as a judge — we welcome all Michigan Tech faculty, staff, alumni, industry representatives, community members, and anyone interested in the great work of our students!.

Click here for more information on attending and judging Design Expo. Check out all of the details of Design Expo here. For questions, please reach out to Briana Tucker.

GRC Registration Closes Soon

by Graduate Student Government

Registration for this year’s virtual Graduate Research Colloquium (GRC) will close at 11:59 PM tomorrow (March 2). The event will be held on Thursday April 1, and Friday April 2.

GRC is a great opportunity to work on your presentation skills and prepare for upcoming conferences. Students are free to give an oral presentation, a poster talk, or both. All talks will be scored by judges from the same field as the presenter, who will give valuable insight and feedback on how you can improve your talk. Cash prizes are available for the top 3 places in both oral and poster presentations ( 1st – $300, 2nd – $200, and 3rd – $100). Registration closes Tuesday, March 2, at 11:59 PM. Only a research abstract is due at the time of registration. Register today.

Guidelines to record a video for the poster session and to compile slides for an oral presentation are available on the event website. The video and slide submission deadline for the event is 11:59 PM, Monday March 22, 2021. Full information on the event can be found on our website.

Feel free to contact Sarvada Chipkar if you have any questions or concerns.

Biocomputing, Digital Health Focus of New Research Center


The Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) and the Health Research Institute (HRI) have established the Joint Center of Biocomputing and Digital Health (BDH).

The new research institute was co-founded by HRI member Jingfeng Jiang (BME) and ICC member Jinshan Tang (CC).

The mission of Joint Center of Biocomputing and Digital Health (BDH) is to conduct research, develop innovative solutions, and provide educational opportunities in the area of biocomputing and digital health, thereby enhancing Michigan Tech’s ability to recruit and retain high-quality researchers and students, elevating Michigan Tech’s presence in developing technologies for healthcare delivery, and increasing knowledge sharing in the global community.

Jingfeng Jiang is a professor with the Department of Biomedical Engineering. His research interests are in biomechanics, automated control of ultrasound scanning including the use of 3D printing technology, image and signal processing, non-invasive assessment of biomechanical properties of soft tissues, and computer aided analyses of cardiovascular flow.

Jinshan Tang is a professor in the Department of Applied Computing. His research interests are in image processing and pattern recognition, biomedical imaging and medical image analysis, and medical informatics and intelligent medical diagnosis systems. Tang is a member of the ICC’s Center for Cyber-Physical Systems.

The Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) creates and supports an arena in which faculty and students work collaboratively across organizational boundaries in an environment that mirrors contemporary technological innovation.

The Health Research Institute (HRI) aims to establish and maintain a thriving environment that promotes translational, interdisciplinary, and increasingly convergent health-related research and inspires education and outreach activities.

Please contact Jingfeng Jiang (jjiang1@mtu.edu) with questions.