Category: Academics

Cary Chabalowski, Anne Beffel, and Chandrashekhar Joshi are the three new department chairs in the college for Fall 2013.

Cary Chabalowski joins the Department of Chemistry as chair and professor of practice. Chabalowski is a computational chemist with an interest in quantum chemistry.

Anne Beffel is chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. She defines herself as a “time artist” which she says means that she is deeply interested in connecting art and social context in time, using all forms and media.

Chandrashekhar Joshi chairs the Department of Biological Sciences. Joshi, a world-renowned plant molecular biologist, has been serving as interim chair of biological sciences for the past year.

Read more at Tech Today.

Summer Youth Programs (SYP), weeklong explorations for students in grades 6–12, begin on Michigan Tech’s campus next week.

Explorations feature a week of hands-on activities, a taste of campus life and a host of new friendships for participants. Popular explorations this year include engineering bridges, dams and skyscrapers; studying wolf/moose ecology while backpacking on Isle Royale; video game programming; sports science; mobile robotics and blacksmithing.

Read more at Tech Today.

Associate Professor Nilufer Onder (CS) was included in the Top Women Professors at Affordable Colleges by Affordable Colleges Online, a website devoted to helping prospective students and their families find good colleges at a reasonable cost.

The top professors lists highlights post-secondary educators at affordable colleges who have been honored for excellence in the classroom, on campus and/or in the community. Onder was recently awarded Michigan Tech’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

“Our goal with the top professors project is to recognize today’s truly stand-out educators and mentors,” said Dan Schuessler, founder of Affordable Colleges Online. “We focused on professors at colleges with tuition rates below $20,000 per year to show that a quality education from top professors can be affordable.”

From Tech Today.

Paul Charlesworth, associate professor of chemistry, has received the Faculty Distinguished Service award for the 2012-13 academic year.

In the nominations, Charlesworth was cited for spending “countless hours, outside of regular work duties in service to the campus community and beyond, by giving generously of his time, talents and expertise to support the growth and development of individuals and campus organizations. His work goes beyond campus in his outreach and work with community students and organizations.”

Charlesworth is also an undergraduate advisor and holds an adjunct associate professor position with the Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences, a reflection of his research interest in education.

Read more at Tech Today.

Bruce Seely, dean of Michigan Tech’s College of Sciences and Arts, has announced appointment of three new department chairs. Cary Chabalowski will join the Department of Chemistry as chair and professor of practice as of July 15. On July 1, Anne Beffel will assume chairmanship of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts (VPS), and Chandrashekhar Joshi will become chair of the Department of Biological Sciences.

All three new department chairs, Seely added, have had distinguished careers that demonstrate academic and administrative accomplishments and a commitment to education that promises success in their new roles. “I am deeply gratified at their willingness to take on one of the hardest roles in academic administration. But I am even more excited about the chance to work closely with these three energetic and enthusiastic new chairs,” the dean said. “I ask the campus community to help them feel welcome as they arrive in Houghton over the next month.”

Read more at Tech Today.

Three senior scholars in composition studies are retiring from the humanities department this year: Elizabeth Flynn, professor of reading and composition; Marilyn Cooper, professor of humanities; and Nancy Grimm, professor of Humanities. Grimm retired in December 2012, while Flynn and Cooper will retire in May 2013. All three contributed in major ways to the development and success of the graduate program in rhetoric and technical communication, which has graduated 88 doctoral and 139 master’s students to date.

To read more: http://blogs.mtu.edu/humanities/2013/03/07/humanities-department-retirements/

From Tech Today.

Congratulations to the following students, student organizations, and advisors for inspiring community, scholarship, possibilities, accountability and tenacity within Michigan Tech as well as our community.

Here are your 2013 Student Leadership Award recipients within the College of Sciences and Arts:

Undergraduate Students:

Melanie Hoffman, President’s Award for Leadership (Exercise Science)
Michael Adler, Provost Award for Scholarship (Physics)
Claire Meneguzzo, Vice President’s Award for Service (Clinical Lab Science)

Graduate Student:

Kevin Cassell, Exceptional Leadership in Student Governance (Rhetoric & Tech Communication)

Read more at Tech Today.

The Center for Teaching and Learning’s first Creative Canvas Course Contest (C-4) saw students nominate more than 100 different courses from almost every department. In the College of Sciences and Arts, the creative faculty recognized were:

Karin Schlenker (HU3280), Lecturer, Humanities
Richelle Winkler (SS3315), Assistant Professor, Social Sciences
Brigitte Zielinksi (BL2920) Instructor, Biological Sciences
Claire Zuraw (ESL0330), Instructor, ESL

View their video course tours.

From Tech Today.