Student News Briefs - Friday, September 5, 2014

1. Community Presentation: “Learning How to Learn”

Engineering professor from Oakland University, Dr. Barbara Oakley, will be presenting a campus and community presentation on Thursday, September 11 at 7:00 PM in Room 135 Fisher Hall.

She know firsthand how it feels to struggle with math. Dr. Oakley flunked her way through high school math and science courses, before enlisting in the U.S. Army immediately after graduation. When she saw how her lack of mathematical and technical savvy severely limited her options— both to rise in the military and to explore other careers—she returned to school with a new found determination to re-tool her brain to master the very subjects that had given her so much trouble throughout her entire life. Barbara Oakley, PhD, PE is a professor of engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Her research focuses on the complex relationship between neuroscience and social behavior, and has been described as “revolutionary” by the Wall Street Journal. Oakley’s books have been praised by many leading researchers and writers, including Harvard’s Steven Pinker and E. O. Wilson, and National Book Award winner Joyce Carol Oates. Her latest book “A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel in Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra)”, has been published by Tarcher-Penguin and is now available.

Prior to her academic career, Oakley rose from private to captain in the U.S. Army, during which time she was recognized as a Distinguished Military Scholar. She met her husband, Philip, when she was working at the South Pole Station in Antarctica. Her experiences with well-intentioned altruism were shaped by her work as a Russian translator on Soviet trawlers on the Bering Sea during the early 1980’s. Oakley was designated as an NSF New Century Scholar—she is also a recipient of the Oakland University Teaching Excellence Award (2013) and the National Science Foundation’s Frontiers in Engineering New Faculty Fellow Award. Oakley is an elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

2. Michigan Tech Competing for the Title ‘Outdoor Campus Champion’

Michigan Tech has been accepted to compete against nine other schools across the nation this fall for the title of ‘Outdoor Campus Champion’. This eight week challenge involves students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members and encourages them to get outside and then log their activity. Activities logged count for points that go back to their school, and at the end of eight weeks, a winning school will be announced, as well as an ‘Outsider of the Year’, who is an individual that logged the most activity across the nation.

As a result of this challenge being all-encompassing, a meeting is being held for all student organizations on Wednesday, September 10 from 5:30-6:30 PM in the GLRC Room 202. If your student organization is interested in learning more, participating in, or planning programming for the challenge, please plan to attend this meeting.

Contact Caitlin at cmwilkin@mtu.edu with any questions.

3. Husky Tae Kwon Do Practices – (Week of September 8th)

Husky Tae Kwon Do is a student organization on campus and the first week of practices are scheduled. Anyone interested is more than welcome to come and try it out. Its fun and no experience is needed.Tuesday 5:30-7:30 PM – MUB Ballroom A2
Thursday 5:30-7:30 PM – MUB Ballroom B
Friday 5:30-7:30 PM – MUB Ballroom Alumni Lounge
Saturday 4 – 6 PM SDC Dance Room

For more information, contact amber@mtu.edu.

4. Lunch and Learn – ‘Services Provided by IT and Library’

GSG’s first Lunch and Learn of the Fall semester will be held on Monday, September 8. This session will focus on various services provided by Information Technology and Van Pelt and Opie Library on campus. The event is followed by a brief questionnaire session.

Where: MUB Ballroom A
When: Monday, September 8th
Time: 12:00PM -1:00PM

A catered lunch will be provided for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians
No RSVP required.

5. Parade of Nations Looking for Volunteers

If you have availability and would like to participate in the annual event, Parade of Nations, please click on this link to sign-up, we’d love to have your assistance.

Each year we do a promotion video for the parade for your viewing pleasure! In addition to our phenomenal students you will see a few familiar faces in the crowd . Enjoy the video and we look forward to seeing you at the festivities.

6. Michigan Tech Community Programs

Michigan Tech Community Programs offers awesome class options to fit your personal fitness level and style. In the studio, pool or on the ice, our youth classes will also keep your little husky active, engaged and having fun.Dollar Days – New to Community Programs? Want to change up your workout? Try out a class this week for only $2.00, September 2-6! Click here to view schedule.Fall 2014 Complete Program Guide – Check out the awesome line up of adult and youth classes. Dates, times, prices and all of the details are available to view here. Join us anytime and Commit to be TechFit!

For more information on Community Programs, visit www.michigantechrecreation.com. On Facebook at Michigan Tech Recreation and on Twitter @MichiganTechRec.

7. Comment on the University Strategic Plan

The campus community is encouraged to comment on the University Strategic Plan. Students are especially encouraged to review and submit comments.Comments will be accepted through September 19. The College Deans will review the comments and provide them to the Board of Control for review at their December 2014 meeting.

To view and comment on the Strategic Plan, go to https://www.banweb.mtu.edu/pls/owa/strategic_plan2.p_display.

8. Next week’s Career Development Opportunities brought to you by Career Services

SENIOR MEETING – Sponsored by DTE Energy, Denso, and GM· Representatives from GM will be there to present and network· New this year – DINNER! Sponsored by DTE Energy and Denso!· Wednesday, September 10, Fisher Hall 135· Dinner: 5:30 – 6:15 pm, Meeting: 6:30 – 7:30 pmGraduating this year? At this “must attend” meeting, you’ll get the advice and resources you need to help launch your career.CAREER SERVICES LEARNING CENTER – Sponsored by DTE Energy· Monday – Thursday, 1:00 – 5:00 pm, Career Services 220 Administration BuildingTake advantage of walk-in hours for the career development guidance you need now.Mark Your Calendar for the largest Career Fair ever!2014 FALL CAREER FAIR· Tuesday, September 30, 12:00 (noon) – 6:00 pm, Student Development Complex

Dress professionally and bring your updated resume and your 60-second Info-mercial to meet with company representatives offering internship, co-op, and full-time employment opportunities. See the full list of participating companies at www.mtu.edu/career

9. Railroad Engineering and Activities Club Meeting

Railroad Engineering and Activities Club will be having their first general board meeting on Tuesday September 9th, at 7:00 pm in Fisher 101. We will be having Professor Pauli Kolisoja from Tampere University of Technology presenting on Railways in Finland and Railway Track Structures Research. As always, all majors are welcome and pizza and pop will be provided.

For more information please feel free to contact Colleen at crcarbar@mtu.edu.

10. Petroleum Day

Interested in a career in the Oil & Gas Industry? The Society of Petroleum Engineers is hosting various petroleum companies at Michigan Tech for an informational and recruiting event. Students of all levels and disciplines are welcome to attend on Thursday, September 11 from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM for the Community Expo in the Reading Room of the Van Pelt & Opie Library. The presentation and panel discussion will be from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM in the M&M building room U115.

For more information please contact Mallory Miller at mallorym@mtu.edu

11. Reminder: General Motors Hosting Live Discussion and Hands-on Student Events

Student News Briefs – Friday, September 5, 2014