Category: Academics

March 24-30 is Earth Week at Michigan Tech, presented by the Students for Environmental Sustainability. There will be film screenings, bake sales, biking events, a concert, and more.

Earth Week 2013 is sponsored by Late Night Entertainment, Undergraduate Student Government, Environmental Sustainability Council, College of Sciences and Arts, Sustainable Futures Institute, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Great Lakes Research Centers, Dean of Students, and School of Business and Economics.

Four graduate students are going to Lansing for Graduate Education Day, Tuesday, Feb. 19. Governor Rick Snyder has declared the week of Feb. 18 as Graduate Education Week, and more than 50 students from universities and colleges across the state will meet with legislators at the Capitol Building in Lansing.

Among the attendees is Melanie Talaga, a PhD candidate in chemistry from Negaunee, who is researching glycobiology and characterizing potential cancer biomarkers.

Read more at Tech Today.

Michigan Tech will be hosting its annual Day of Challenges for 5th through 12th grade students on Saturday, Feb. 23, sponsored by the Michigan Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Michigan Tech Army and Air Force ROTC programs. The event focuses on teamwork and mental and physical challenges, with events such as an obstacle course, a leadership reaction course and tests of swimming ability, all the while encouraging participants to learn and have fun.

Read more at Tech Today, by Kevin Hodur.

The Michigan Tech chapter of SPS, the Society of Physics Students, has once again been listed as an outstanding chapter.

Read more at Physics.

The book Aunting: Cultural Practices that Sustain Family and Community Life by humanities faculty member Dr. Patricia Sotirin was awarded the honor of “Outstanding Academic Title” by Choice magazine.

Read more at Humanities.

John Durocher, Erika Hersch-Green, Loredana Valenzano, Myounghoon Jeon, Lauren Bowen, Jinguang Sun, Zeying Wang, Kari Henquinet, Emma Norman, Jonathan Robins, Steven Walton are new faculty and existing faculty who have now accepted tenure-track and lecturer positions in Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Cognitive and Learning Sciences, Humanities, Mathematical Sciences, and Social Sciences.

Read more at Tech Today, by Travis Gendron.

The Human Interface Design Enterprise was showing off their driver simulator. It was one of a couple of major projects the group has taken on, according to Margo Woller-Carter, a PhD student in applied cognitive science and human factors. The Human Interface Design Enterprise is advised by Bob Pastel, associate professor in computer science.

Elsewhere, Harriet King discussed her master’s thesis in computer science, which focuses on two categories of daily computer users: those who know just enough (JE) to get their work done and those who are much more proficient and comfortable in their work (intrinsic). It was the focus of her poster presentation at the library. King is advised by Charles Wallace, interim chair of CS, and she received additional guidance from Karla Kitalong from humanities and Bob Pastel from CS.

Read more at Tech Today, by Dennis Walikainen.

Winning first prize and $1,000 was MyPaar (My Love), a dating website for India, created by physics PhD student Abhi Kantamneni.

At the Fourth Annual Bob Mark Elevator Pitch Competition at Michigan Technological University, more than 20 teams made their best pitches promoting ideas for new businesses, and the judges had some hard choices to make. The contest emulates an elevator ride with a potential investor, and this year featured sound effects, dramatic lighting and entertainment.

Read more at Michigan Tech News, by Dennis Walikainen.