College of Sciences and Arts Newsblog

Category: Humanities

Husky Preserves Indigenous Language as Voice Actor in Ojibwe Star Wars Dub

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Kalvin Hartwig stands in a sound-proofed recording studio in front of a computer, microphone and recording equipment as he records lines for his voice acting role.
Michigan Tech alumnus Niigaanii-Animikii Inini Kalvin Hartwig ’10 brings his mission of supporting Indigenous language to new heights as one of the main cast voice actors in the Ojibwe dubbing of Star Wars: A New Hope.

Michigan Tech alumnus Niigaanii-Animikii Inini Kalvin Hartwig ’10 continues his career-long dedication to supporting Indigenous language and cultural revitalization as one of the main cast voice actors in an Ojibwe dubbing of Star Wars: A New Hope. 

Hartwig is an award-winning filmmaker, a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and a Tech graduate in social sciences, humanities and German. He voices the Red Leader character, originally played by the late Gordan “Drewe” Henley in the dub, which began streaming on Disney+ on Oct. 27. 

Read more about Hartwig’s passion for the project, how he got involved, and the recording process in the full feature by Jordan Shawhan,  Husky Makes History with Voice Role in Ojibwe Dubbing of Star Wars, at Michigan Tech Alumni Stories.

About the College of Sciences and Arts

The College of Sciences and Arts is a global center of academic excellence in the sciences, humanities, and arts for a technological world. Our teacher-scholar model is a foundation for experiential learning, innovative research and scholarship, and civic leadership. The College offers 33 bachelor’s degrees in biological sciences, chemistry, humanities, kinesiology and Integrative physiology, mathematical sciences, physics, psychology and human factors, social sciences, and visual and performing arts. We are home to Michigan Tech’s pre-health professions and ROTC programs. The College offers 24 graduate degrees and certificates. We conduct approximately $12 million in externally funded research in health and wellness, sustainability and resiliency, and the human-technology frontier.

Follow the College on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn,  X and the CSA blog. Questions? Contact us at csa@mtu.edu.

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Bell Gives Voice to the History of Talking Machines in Nationally Recognized Book

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The cover of Vox Ex Machina: A Cultural History of Talking Machines by Sarah Bell

Sarah Bell, associate professor of digital media in the College of Science and Arts gained national recognition recently when her book Vox Ex Machina was listed on the New Yorker’s “Best Books We’ve Read This Week.” The book details the development of key voice synthesis technologies across the 20th century and factors that influenced their creation.

Bell’s exploration of the topic goes far deeper than a simple history of how these technologies were created, also exploring public response to the tech and asking whether talking machines are good for us.

“We were already primed for voice assistants before Siri and Alexa, but that doesn’t mean they work very well for us.”

Sarah Bell

Vox Ex Machina is as much about the people creating and using voice synthesis as it is about the technology itself, and this research concept began very close to home for Bell.

“I became interested in voice synthesis because of my kids, who, as teenagers, were using voice synthesis software to create music,” she said. “This was before Siri. I was interested in how this group of American kids related to the Japanese character of the software and expressed themselves through its voice.”

Sarah Bell, author of Vox Ex Machina
Sarah Bell, author of Vox Ex Machina

The original concept has gone through several iterations, originally as Bell’s PhD dissertation. Rather than explore the use of voice synthesis in music, Vox Ex Machina ultimately focuses on broader consumer deployments of voice synthesis.

“I study sociotechnical systems, usually from a historical perspective, and I tend to be interested in technologies when they are introduced to a consumer market. At that point they are rarely the ‘ideal’ that early developers had in mind,” said Bell.

Bell was “stunned” at the book’s mention in the New Yorker’s “Best Books” list, and delighted when historian Jill Lepore discussed it in her article about chatbots earlier this month.

“She’s one of my favorite writers, so I’m still pinching myself that she liked the book,” Bell said.

The College of Sciences and Arts is a global center of academic excellence in the sciences, humanities, and arts for a technological world. Our teacher-scholar model is a foundation for experiential learning, innovative research and scholarship, and civic leadership. The College offers 33 bachelor’s degrees in biological sciences, chemistry, humanities, kinesiology and Integrative physiology, mathematical sciences, physics, psychology and human factors, social sciences, and visual and performing arts. We are home to Michigan Tech’s pre-health professions and ROTC programs. The College offers 24 graduate degrees and certificates. We conduct approximately $12 million in externally funded research in health and wellness, sustainability and resiliency, and the human-technology frontier.

Follow the College on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn,  X and the CSA blog. Questions? Contact us at csa@mtu.edu.

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Statewide Billboard Campaign, Michigan Words, Features Michigan Tech Associate Professor

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One of M. Bartley Seigel’s billboards along US Highway 41 between Negaunee and Marquette.

If you’re traveling through Escanaba, Marquette, Flint, or the metro Detroit area, keep an eye out for a familiar Michigan Tech Humanities Department faculty member. M. Bartley Seigel will be hard to miss. He’s larger than life thanks to Michigan Words, a statewide billboard campaign celebrating contemporary Michigan poets.

A meta moment: M. Bartley Seigel snags a roadside selfie.

The billboards are the capstone project of state of Michigan Poet Laureate, Nandi Comer, who was recently awarded an Academy of American Poets (Mellon Foundation) fellowship in support of her work—Seigel is also a former recipient of this prestigious fellowship. The project also features the work of poets Brittany Rogers, of Detroit, and Jonah Mixon-Webster, of Flint.

How does it feel to be featured on billboards? “Weird and wonderful,” said Seigel. “Being on billboards along Michigan highways is not where I ever expected to find my work, nor my giant face. It’s one of life’s pleasant absurdities. I’m really grateful to Nandi and the Library of Michigan for including me, and I hope it helps bring new and unexpected readers to the magic of poetry.”

Seigel is an associate professor of creative writing and literature in the Department of Humanities, director of the Michigan Tech Writing Center, and faculty advisor to the Michigan Tech Lode, the oldest student organization on campus. His latest poetry collection, In the Bone-Cracking Cold, is forthcoming from Wayne State University Press in March 2025. The 2021-22 Poet Laureate of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Seigel is a long-time advocate for creative writing projects on campus, as well as at the local, state, and national levels, especially in support of emerging and underrepresented writers.

About the College of Sciences and Arts

The College of Sciences and Arts strives to be a global center of academic excellence in the sciences, humanities, and arts for an increasingly technological world. Our teacher-scholar model provides the foundation for experiential learning, innovative research and scholarship, and civic leadership. The College offers 33 bachelor’s degrees and 25 graduate degrees and certificates. The College conducts approximately $12,000,000 in externally funded research in health and wellness, sustainability and resiliency, and the human-technology frontier.

Follow the College on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn,  X and the CSA blog. Questions? Contact us at csa@mtu.edu.

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Springtime Greetings from the College of Sciences and Arts at Michigan Tech!

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The calendar shows May, but schools are closed today as a late-season snowstorm hits the Upper Peninsula. Fortunately, it held off long enough to not affect travel for our graduates and their families this past weekend. Our growing enrollment meant that, for the first time ever, we held a separate commencement ceremony for our graduate students on Friday afternoon, followed by an undergraduate ceremony Saturday morning. More than 170 College of Sciences and Arts students walked across the stage, earning bachelors, masters, and PhD degrees from our more than three dozen degree programs. It was a truly joyous occasion and, with the hockey arena packed, I expect we will continue with the separate undergraduate ceremony each spring going forward.

Michigan Tech graduate shakes Rick Koubek's hand during springtime commencement 2023
One of the 170 Science and Arts grads receiving a degree

Friday evening was the emotional commissioning ceremony for our Army and Air Force ROTC program, where we celebrated our nation’s newest second lieutenants. Celebrating our students’ accomplishments is one of my favorite jobs as dean.

Graduation also means the final Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting of the year. While we are all saddened by the recent closure of Finlandia University, we are excited that we have managed to, on very short notice, essentially move their nursing program into our Department of Biological Sciences. With the BOT approving this last week, we look forward to welcoming students in the Fall. Also at the BOT meeting, ten CSA faculty received final approval for granting of tenure or promotion to full professor!

Medical Lab Science graduates at Spring Commencement

Of course, summer means travel, and faculty in CSA are the campus leaders in leading students on study abroad and study away experiences. Three of our Visual and Performing Arts faculty, Lisa Gordillo and Mary and Kent Cyr, are leading students to Vienna, Prague and Dresden, including an opportunity to attend the famous “Prague Quadrennial,” one of the largest international festivals of theatre, design, and architecture in the world. Other students will travel to Germany, including Dresden and Leipzig, under the direction of our Humanities Assistant Teaching Professor Stephanie Rowe.

Social Sciences faculty Kat Hannum and Mark Rhodes will lead students on a 20-day Amtrak adventure across the United States, studying sustainable tourism. Finally, Social Sciences faculty Dan Trepal will lead students to study history and archaeology in Cumbria in the United Kingdom.

ROTC graduate raises right hand to take the oath
A new second lieutenant takes the oath

Critical to everything we do are our alumni and friend donors. All your donations to our departments, scholarships, and the general fund are vitally important to our success. In particular, support to defray the additional costs of studying abroad is much needed. Thank you so much for supporting Michigan Tech! For CSA giving opportunities please visit: https://www.mtu.edu/sciences-arts/giving/

If you are ever back in town I hope you will stop by, say hello, and share with me your MTU story. Please do not hesitate to email me any time at djhemmer@mtu.edu to share your MTU experience or offer suggestions.

Best wishes,
David Hemmer
Dean- College of Sciences and Arts

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New Faculty Books and a Thank You to Donors — Spring 2021

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Greetings from the College of Sciences and Arts at Michigan Tech!

Spring has arrived early here in the Copper Country. The last full weekend of skiing at Mont Ripley a few weeks ago featured sunshine and 60-degree temperatures and all across campus grass is showing through the remaining piles of snow.

Meanwhile students are back on campus after spring break, and our large COVID surveillance testing on their return has only detected 12 campus cases in the last 14 days. President Koubek has announced our intention to return to normal conditions and normal classroom capacities in the fall, and planning is underway.

More than a third of the Western UP has already been vaccinated, and I welcomed my first shot!

We recently received exciting news that our health research building (temporarily dubbed “H-STEM”), is back on track after a year of covid-induced uncertainty. Faculty across campus are currently working on designing the research and teaching lab spaces. Groundbreaking is tentatively slated for about a year from now. It would be finished near the end of 2022.

I have taken some time recently to read some of our new faculty books. Our professor emeritus Jim Spain, the founding chair of our biological sciences department, has a fascinating autobiography out, Perusing for Pioneer Pathways, documenting his incredible life, much of it here in the Copper Country. Dr. Spain will be inducted this fall into our distinguished Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Book cover of Performing Math

As a mathematician I took particular interest in a new book from our Humanities Professor Andrew Fiss, titled Performing Math: A History of Communication and Anxiety in the American Mathematics Classroom, published by Rutgers University Press. The book is a wonderful combination of history and technical communication with relevance to today’s mathematics classroom.

In my ‘to read’ pile are two books from Humanities Professor Patty Sotirin, including Feminist Vigilance, with MTU colleagues Victoria Bergvall and Diane Shoos, and also Making Data in Qualitative Research, applying a humanities perspective to data collection.

Our recruiting season is well under way as hundreds of prospective students visit this week for “Preview Week” and many more are attending virtual events this week. Applications are at record highs! Our deposits are slightly trailing last year’s but rapidly catching up as financial aid packages go out. Many of these were delayed due to the difficulties students encountered with taking standardized tests.

Critical to everything we do are our alumni and friend donors. All your donations to our departments, scholarships, and the general fund are vitally important to our success. They will play an even bigger role over the next year with decreased state support expected. Thank you so much for supporting Michigan Tech! For CSA giving opportunities please visit: https://www.mtu.edu/sciences-arts/giving/

 If you are ever back in town I hope you will stop by, say hello, and share with me your MTU story. Please do not hesitate to email me any time at djhemmer@mtu.edu to share your MTU experience or offer suggestions.

Best wishes,

David Hemmer
Dean – College of Sciences and Arts

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