Category: News

Houghton County Aiming for $5 Million Energy Prize, with Help from Michigan Tech

Think GreenGeorgetown University is offering a $5 million prize for the American community “that leads the way in energy efficiency,” and a Michigan Technological University student thinks there’s no reason Houghton County shouldn’t win.

“There aren’t a lot of small communities with a great technological university in their midst,” said Abhilash Kantamneni, a graduate student in computer science. “I think we have a shot at it.”

The ad hoc committee includes Kantamneni, Ala, county commissioner Tom Tikkanen of Calumet Township, Michigan Tech social sciences faculty members Richelle Winkler and Chelsea Schelly, Lynn Artman of the School of Technology, Melissa Davis of the nonprofit NewPowerTour, Keweenaw Research Center Director Jay Meldrum, Sam Lockwood of the Keweenaw Geothermal Research Group, Kim Stoker of the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region, Phil Musser, former director of the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance, and Elmore Reese from Main Street Calumet. Representatives from utility companies UPPCO and SEMCO are participating in the effort, along with energy-conservation businesses and organizations such as Michigan Saves, Efficiency United and BlueTerra.

Read more at Michigan Tech News, by Marcia Goodrich.

Michigan Tech Named State’s Most Underrated University by Business Insider

Michigan Tech has been named Michigan’s “most underrated university” by Business Insider, a business, technology and education news website. Only one university was selected from each state.

The ranking reflects the university’s high academic standards and acceptance rate.

Business Insider explained its latest list: “We’ve partnered with Niche (a website that reviews and ranks schools, colleges and universities) to bring you the top schools in the country with great academics and high acceptance rates, To compile this list, Niche used its data for the highest academic rankings, acceptance rates and in-state population.”

Business Insider also recently named Michigan Tech among the top 20 colleges in the nation with the smartest students.

From Tech Today.

Programming Teams Shine in Chicago, Marquette

NAIPC 2014
NAIPC 2014 Michigan Tech Team

A Michigan Tech team of computer programmers took tenth place out of 21 teams at the North American Invitational Programming Contest 2014 in Chicago this weekend. The team of Eric Rinkus, Coach Jason Hiebel, Tom Holmes (CS) and Ryan McNamara (Math) solved five of 15 problems and finished ahead of Northwestern, Southern California, Virginia Tech Wisconsin-Madison and others.

Read more at Tech Today, by Dennis Walikainen.

Great ROI, Starting Salaries

Michigan Tech ROI 2014Michigan Tech has been ranked as a university with one of the best returns on investment. The website Payscale announced their rankings, and Michigan Tech was 13th, in the nation for public in-state tuition and ranked 55th in the nation overall.

Michigan Tech ranked 10th among public universities in the nation for the highest average salaries, currently at $59,200.

From Tech Today.

View the 2014 Payscale College ROI Report.

Tenth Annual ESC/BRC Research Forum Awards Announced

BRC ForumThe Ecosystem Science Center and the Biotechnology Research Center announce award recipients of the Tenth Annual ESC/BRC Student Research Forum held March 19.

Student award winners in the College of Sciences and Arts include:

Graduate Research

$100 Merit Awards

Biotechnology Research Center
Yiping Mao (Bio Sci) for “Overexpression of microRNA-30d increases insulin biosynthesis and protects against high-fat diet induced glucose intolerances,” Advisor Xiaoqing Tang

Mu Yang (Chemistry) for “Disulfide-Bond Scrambling Promotes Amorphous Aggregates in Hen Lysozyme and Bovine Serum Albumin,” Advisor: Ashutosh Tiwari

Ecosystem Science Center
Cameron Goble (Bio Sci) for “Assessment of Fish Communities in Tributary Streams of the Big Manistee,” Advisor: Nancy Auer

Read more at Tech Today.

Michigan Tech Named Among Top-20 Public Colleges with Smartest Students

Michigan TechBusiness Insider has rated Michigan Tech number 11 among the top-20 public universities with the smartest students. In assembling its list, Business Insider used data from the website Niche and its College Prowler, a service that provides college reviews by students.

“We see all that our students accomplish here at Michigan Tech and all the companies seeking them out for employment,” said John Lehman, associate vice president for enrollment, marketing and communications. “It doesn’t take long to see that there is something pretty special about the students here. They are smart, amazingly smart. It’s satisfying to know that others see that as well.”

Business Insider also includes student quotes “to illustrate the student intellect and academic caliber of each school.” For Michigan Tech, a student said, “”I love my professors—all of them seem dedicated to their job, as well as understanding. The workload is more than most schools, but the best isn’t the easiest!”

College Prowler features rankings by students in more than 20 categories, from academics to weather and from computers to parking.

According to their website, Business Insider is “dedicated to aggregating, reporting, and analyzing the top news stories across the web.”

From Tech Today.

Read “The 20 Public Colleges With The Smartest Students” at Business Insider, by Peter Jacobs.

New Faculty Fellowship for Yoke Khin Yap

Yoke Khin Yap
Yoke Khin Yap

Vice President for Research Announces Faculty Fellows Selections

The Office of the Vice President for Research has selected the 2014 recipients of the newly implemented Faculty Fellow Program. The first Faculty Fellows for 2014-2015 are: Larry Sutter (MSE), for Sponsored Program Administration, Adrienne Minerick (ChE) for Strategic Planning and Budget, and Yoke Khin Yap (Physics) for Economic Development and Technology Commercialization.

From Tech Today.

A Faculty Fellow in Economic Development and Technology Commercialization will be involved in areas such as IP commercialization and startup support.

Graduate Research Colloquium 2014

GRCLast month the Graduate Student Government sponsored the Graduate Research Colloquium, including posters, oral presentations, and award presentations to the Outstanding Student Scholar, Outstanding Student Leader and Graduate Mentor at the Colloquium banquet.

There were many notables within the College of Sciences and Arts.

Patrick Belling, who is a PhD candidate in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors, Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences, received the Exceptional Graduate Student Leader Award.

Saima Ghazal, who is a PhD candidate in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors, is a Spring 2014 recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship.

Amanda Shaw, who is an MS candidate in Physics, is a Spring 2014 recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award.

Ashim Chakravarty, who is a PhD candidate in Engineering Physics, is a Spring 2014 recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship.

Morton Harwood, a PhD candidate in Biological Sciences, was the 1st Place winner for his oral presentation “The Acute Cardiovascular Responses to Marathon and Ultra-marathon Competition.”

Komal Raja, Biological Sciences, took 2nd Place for the poster “The Role of Toolkit Genes in the Evolution of Complex Wing, Thorax and Abdominal Color Patterns of Drosophila Guttifera.”

Sasha Teymorian, Chemistry, took 3rd Place for the poster “Enhancement of Heterologous Expression Level of Alkaline Phytase in Pichia Pastoris.”

Are You a Protein Scientist?

proteinMini Symposium 2014

March 5th (12 – 1 pm)
March 7th (11 – 1 pm)
MUB Ballroom A
Michigan Technological University

Special 2-day event highlighting many facets of protein scientists at Michigan Tech.

Savory talks discussing the field of protein science and cutting edge research in protein science.

VIEW THE GUEST SPEAKERS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS OF CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

You might be a protein scientist and not event know it! Come see, listen and enjoy.

Light, buffet lunch provided!

RSVP using this Registration Form

Contact: mtuproteinscientists@gmail.com

The mini symposium is sponsored by The Protein Society.

Bruce Seely Joins Superior Health Foundation Board of Directors

Bruce SeelyThe Superior Health Foundation has added a new director to its Board of Directors.

SHF welcomes Bruce E. Seely, Ph.D., the Dean of the College of Sciences and Arts at Michigan Tech University, to its board.

A resident of Houghton, Dr. Seely receives his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from St. Lawrence University and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in History of Technology from the University of Delaware.

Dr. Seely is the founding co-editor in Chief of the journal Comparative Technology Transfer and Society. He served as the Program Director for Science and Technology Studies at the National Science Foundation for two years; was a member and co-chair of the History Committee of the Transportation Research Board of the National Research Council for nine years; and was the secretary of the Society for the History of Technology for six years.

Dr. Seely looks forward to serving on the SHF Board of Directors.

“Professional activities at Michigan Tech and personal and ethical viewpoints have in recent years impressed upon me the need to address the challenges of improving access to quality medical care,” he said. “I’m impressed by the Foundation’s commitment to tackling those challenges and excited about advancing the Foundation’s plans to address such vital issues for many living in the U.P.”

Read more at Superior Health Foundation, Meet Our Board.