College of Sciences and Arts Newsblog

Tenth Annual ESC/BRC Research Forum Awards Announced

Published March 31, 2014

The 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

Published March 31, 2014

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Business 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

Published March 20, 2014

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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

Published March 19, 2014

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Last 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?

Published March 3, 2014

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Mini 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

Published February 18, 2014

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News

The 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.

AFROTC Named Team of the Year

Published February 13, 2014

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Michigan Tech’s Air Force ROTC Detachment has been named the “Team of the Year,” placing the program number one among 145 Air Force Detachments nationwide. “Their outstanding accomplishments speak greatly to the service they provide to the mission of the AFROTC,” said Col Eric J. Wydra, US Air Force commander.

From Tech Today.

Former Physics Faculty Keith Baldwin

Published January 24, 2014

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Keith M. Baldwin, 85, passed away on Thursday, January 16, 2014, at Marquette General Hospital.

Baldwin came to the Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1963 as an associate professor of physics. He taught many physics classes and senior labs and served as a faculty advisor for graduate students. In the early 1970s, Baldwin also became involved with the Keweenaw Research Center. He worked on vehicle research projects and helped secure contracts for vehicle testing. After early retirement from Michigan Tech in 1984, he partnered with the University to form KMB/Tech, developing lab equipment for physics teachers.

Professor Emeritus Don Daavittila (Physics) knew him well. “He was very interested in his subject and a very good teacher,” he said. “I enjoyed knowing him very much. He was also a Tech hockey fan, he was even at some games this year. Keith was a good guy.”

Ken Kraft Passes Away

Published January 21, 2014

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Alumni
News

Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences Ken Kraft passed away on Jan. 12 at his Chassell Township home.

Kraft’s research was in invertebrate ecology, particularly in aquatic environments, and some of his work was used by the Army Corps of Engineers and Cleveland-Cliffs (now Cliffs Resources) in their environmental studies.

“He was well respected in his fields of study—entomology and aquatic environmental studies,” said Professor Emeritus Bob Keen. “He was also a mentor to a number of graduate students, including some who went on to attain PhDs and did very well.”

Kraft’s career at Michigan Tech actually began in forestry, where he was taught zoology, and he joined the biological sciences department when it was formed in 1962. He eventually rejoined the forestry faculty before retiring.

Computer Science Students Make World Finals

Published January 2, 2014

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To Russia with Code: Tech Students Make World Finals in Computer Programming

Only 120 teams of 10,000 worldwide are going, and Michigan Tech is one of them. They earned the right to go to Russia to compete in the world finals of the International Collegiate Programming Contest next June by finishing fifth in the North Central regional qualifying contest.

Computer science students Tom Holmes and Eric Rinkus and math major Ryan McNamara will be making the trip to Ural Federal University in Ekaterinburg with coach and computer science PhD student Jason Hiebel.

“This was my fourth year of trying,” Holmes added. “We’ll be practicing a lot with Jason, and Dave has been really helpful, too. We want to go there [Russia] and solve a decent number of problems. We want to get Tech’s name up there.”

Read more at Tech Today, by Dennis Walikainen.