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1. Mroz Backs Detroit Automakers in Free Press Column |
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The Big Three automakers are about more than cars, trucks and jobs, President Glenn Mroz notes in a Free Press guest column. Their generosity has been a huge benefit to Michigan Tech, as well as other colleges and universities. To read "A Lesson on the Big Three's Long Reach," click here. |
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2. Society of Women Engineers Executive Director to Give Talk Wednesday |
submitted by the Michigan Tech chapter of SWE
Are you a woman at Michigan Tech? SWE (Society of Women Engineers) is dedicated to helping you succeed.
Don't miss this rare opportunity to meet Betty Shanahan, executive director and CEO of SWE, at Michigan Tech.
You need not be a SWE member to attend. All majors (and both genders) are welcome, as well as faculty, staff and the general public. The event will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 19, in the Douglass Houghton Hall Study Lounge from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Shanahan will talk about how to be effective in a male-dominated work environment while being true to yourself. "The value of diversity stems from the different approaches and challenges to traditional thinking that a diverse group can leverage," notes Shanahan. "The Anglo/male-dominated engineering workplace doesn't typically offer an inclusive environment where all team members can participate while being authentic to themselves." Shanahan will share what she's learned over the years to help women find that important balance.
Check out the Michigan Tech SWE chapter online at http://swe.students.mtu.edu/ .
SWE is an educational and service organization with 15,000 professional and students members. The mission of SWE is to help women achieve their full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, to expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and to demonstrate the value of diversity. When she became SWE's executive director in September 2002, Shanahan became the first engineer to hold this position.
Prior to joining SWE, Shanahan spent 24 years in development, engineering management and marketing for the electronics and software industries. Her career began at Data General as the "one woman engineer" on the Eagle minicomputer design project captured in Tracy Kidder's "Soul of a New Machine." Her career continued at Alliant Computer Systems, where she was a member of the design team for the first parallel processing minicomputer and manager of hardware design for subsequent systems. Attracted by the business side of technology, Shanahan moved to marketing management in 1990. She has been responsible for computer-aided software engineering and signal processing products, and file viewing and conversion technologies. Most recently she was the vice president of product management and marketing for the Software Components Division of Stellent Inc. |
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3. Chrysler Foundation Gives Michigan Tech $118,000 |
by Jennifer Donovan, public relations director
The Chrysler Foundation has approved three grants to Michigan Tech totaling $118,000. Part of the foundation's Aid to Higher Education program, the awards include an engineering grant for $110,000, a grant of $3,000 to the Society of Women Engineers and a $5,000 grant to the American Indian Science and Engineering Society.
The engineering grant includes support for the YES! Expo (Youth in Engineering and Science), the Advanced Motorsports Enterprise, the Alternative Energy Research Building, the PrISM Enterprise, the University Career Center, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Chrysler Opportunity Scholarship and the Chrysler Fellowship. |
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4. Lodging Available at the Ford Center During Graduation, Winter Carnival and Orientation |
The Ford Center, located 40 miles south of campus on US 41, has lodging available during graduation, Winter Carnival and orientation. The facility can lodge up to 110 people, and the dorm rooms, only $22 per person, per night, have two twin beds, a dresser and a desk. A continental breakfast is included.
For more information or to book a room, call 906-524-6181 or email kalprice@mtu.edu . |
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5. Four Volleyball Players Honored by the GLIAC |
by Ian Marks, assistant director of athletic communications
Four Michigan Tech volleyball players have been honored by the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Senior Jen Jung and junior Veronica Armstrong were each named All-GLIAC first team selections. Junior Kelly Jorgensen was named to the All-GLIAC second team, and senior Kelsey Skoog was an All-GLIAC honorable mention selection.
"This is a big honor for these four women," said head coach Krista Mikesch. "They have enjoyed a great season."
Jung, a 6-1 middle hitter, was named to the All-GLIAC team for the fourth time in her career. She was a first team selection in both 2005 and 2006 and was a second team selection in 2007. The Andover, Minn., native finished with a school-record 569 career blocks. This season she recorded 148 blocks, third best in the nation. She also finished fourth in the GLIAC in hitting percentage (.331).
Armstrong, a 6-1 left side hitter, was named a first team All-GLIAC selection after being named to the second team last season. The Battle Creek native recorded a team-high 354 kills, fifth best in the league. She finished the season with 3.85 points per set, sixth best in the GLIAC.
Jorgensen, a 6-2 middle hitter, was named to the All-GLIAC second team. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native finished third on the team in kills (295), blocks (90) and points (288.5).
Skoog, a 5-10 setter, was named an All-GLIAC honorable mention selection for the second straight season. She ranked seventh in the league with 9.29 assists per set. The Long Lake, Minn., native committed only 19 ball handling errors on the season.
The Huskies finished with a 19-10 overall record and a 12-4 record in the GLIAC. |
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6. Update: Michigan Space Grant Consortium Proposals Due Nov. 24 |
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A correction has been made to the deadline for submitting grant proposals to the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC). All materials are due in Educational Opportunity by 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24. Questions can be directed to Shalini Suryanarayana or Maryann Wilcox at 487-2262. |
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7. Ahlborn to Co-chair Scientific Committee for Structural Concrete Congress |
Associate Professor Tess Ahlborn (CEE) has been named the co-chair of the Scientific Committee for the Third Congress of the International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib), to be held in Washington, DC, May 29-June 2, 2010, in conjunction with the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) Convention and the National Bridge Conference.
The Scientific Committee consists of experts spanning all interests within the international concrete industry and will shape the fib 2010 Technical and Scientific program. Ahlborn is "leading the effort to build an unprecedented international program for the 2010 event," said Jim Toscas, president of PCI. As co-chair, she is responsible for inviting nearly 100 international experts to participate and for coordinating their activities, including reviewing refereed papers and posters and organizing and moderating sessions. More than 1,200 abstracts, 450-600 papers and posters and 40-50 sessions are expected.
"We are tremendously proud of Dr. Ahlborn's leadership in the field of transportation materials," said Provost Lesley Lovett-Doust. "Her colleagues, in appointing her co-chair of this important conference, clearly recognize her expertise in high performance concrete. Tess is often consulted on concrete infrastructure failures in the US and beyond; her research places Michigan Tech at the forefront of innovation in new, more durable and more sustainable materials.
"These new concretes are crucial to maintaining the transportation infrastructure that connects and unifies the nation, contributing to the mobility of goods and services that drives the US economy. I particularly appreciate the fact that Tess integrates teaching and research by involving students in her work, providing them with a world-class opportunity to build the future of civil engineering."
Ahlborn is an active member of PCI, serving on the Committees on Bridges, Sustainability, Concrete Materials Technology, Research and Development, and Student Education. She is also one of three academics to serve by invitation on PCI's most prestigious committee, the Technical Activities Council, which oversees all PCI technical publications and activities of the technical committees.
Ahlborn is also a member of fib, which currently hosts the only worldwide committee overseeing the implementation of ultra-high performance concrete, an extremely durable concrete that is five to six times stronger than concrete typically used in US bridges. Michigan Tech is one of the only research universities in the US that is capable of mixing, casting, curing and testing UHPC.
She has participated in the May 2008 fib Symposium in Amsterdam and will co-present "Sustainable Solutions for Transportation Infrastructure in the US Precast Concrete Industry" at the June 2009 fib Symposium in London.
On campus, Ahlborn directs the activities of the Cement and Concrete Research Laboratory (formerly Benedict Laboratory), one of Michigan Tech's largest research facilities. The laboratory employees nearly 30 undergraduate and graduate students annually with other participating faculty and has over $1 million in research funding. She is the director of the Center for Structural Durability with the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute, an MDOT Center of Excellence. |
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8. Physics Professor Honored by Argentine Governor |
by Jennifer Donovan, public relations director
David F. Nitz, professor of physics at Michigan Tech, was honored at inauguration ceremonies at the Auger Observatory in Malargue, Argentina, last Friday. He was one of only five of 450 scientists, including a Nobel laureate, to receive a silver plate from Celso Alejandro Jaque, governor of the province of Mendoza, where the international observatory is located.
The award reads, "In recognition of the scientific advancement by Dr. David Nitz from Michigan Technological University. Pierre Auger (Observatory) is one of the greatest scientific projects carried out in the world in the search for unknown sources of high energy."
Nitz and his team from Michigan Tech have been working with scientists from around the world to explore the mysteries of the highest-energy cosmic rays, which are charged particles showering the earth at energies 10 million times higher than that produced by the world's highest-energy particle accelerator.
The Michigan Tech scientists designed and tested data-gathering equipment used in three years of data collection and analysis by an international team of researchers and engineers from 70 institutions in 17 countries, who are working to determine the origin of these highest-energy cosmic rays.
The respected international journal Science named the Auger Observatory research reported so far one of the top science stories of 2007.
The inauguration ceremonies marked the completion of the first phase of observatory construction and the beginning of the project's second phase, which includes plans for a northern hemisphere site in Colorado.
To read more about the Auger Collaboration, visit www.admin.mtu.edu/urel/news/media_relations/612/ . |
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9. C2E2 Awards Announced |
Vice President for Research David Reed has awarded seven Century II Campaign Endowed Equipment Fund (C2E2) grants at the recommendation of the C2E2 Committee.
Kalen Larson (Visual and Performing Arts) has received $1,200 for "Equipment Acquisition for Michigan Tech Scene Shop."
Gloria Melton (Student Affairs) has received $1,500 for "Supporting Student Success: Students with Special Needs."
Claudio Mazzoleni (Physics) has received $2,000 for "A Universal Infrared Detector for Interdisciplinary Research Applications."
Patty Lins and David Chard (Educational Technology Services/Online Learning) have received $2,245 for "Classroom Capture System for Flexible Learning."
Kim Fook Lee (Physics) has received $2,500 for "Low-Noise, High-Speed Single Photon Detector."
Simon Carn (GMES) has received $5,000 for "Adaptation of an Air Monitoring System for Local and Educational Use."
Ramakrishna Wusirika (Biological Sciences) has received $5,000 for "Acquisition of StepOne Real-Time PCR System."
The Michigan Tech Century II Campaign Endowed Equipment Fund is a program aimed at providing equipment money to improve the lives of faculty, students and staff campus wide. The program is supported by the Michigan Tech Fund, through donations by individuals and organizations. For more information about C2E2 grants, visit www.mtu.edu/research/references/awards-management/internal-awards/c2e2/ . |
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10. Reminder: "Mama's Night Out!" at the Rozsa Nov. 19 |
submitted by the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts
Join us at the Rozsa Center on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. for the unrestrained hysterics of "Mama's Night Out!"
You don't have to be a mom to enjoy the side-splitting comedy of these three hilarious ladies, who met during Nick at Nite's Search for the Funniest Mom in America, in which each was a finalist, and have been friends and comedic partners ever since. "Mama's Night Out!" features a Southerner (Karen Morgan), a sassy Brit (Sherry Davey) and a native New Yorker (Nancy Witter) in an eclectic blend of stand-up comedy and audience participation. Each of their unique and original comedic styles, drawn from personal experience and familiar everyday situations, complements the others perfectly.
"It's comedy about parenting, about being a mom and a wife. It's about all those crazy moments of living life," says Morgan. While most contemporary comedy routines seem geared more toward young, urban-dwelling singles, the "Mama's" material--based on real-life situations spun to draw laughs--appeals to a wider audience. But this is by no means a ladies-only show. Although moms everywhere appreciate the jokes and funny stories drawn from experiences so much like their own, the men in the audience enjoy the humor just as much. Their typical crowd is generously sprinkled with dads and dates--laughing right along with the trio's riotous routine. Though the central theme of the material is family, the presentation is truly as diverse as the performers themselves.
Toward the close of each performance, the three comedians gather together on stage for a little audience Q and A--their favorite part of the show. "Sometimes we'll get PG-type questions, but we also get a lot of wacky stuff," says Davey. " . . . It is always SO funny! It's the best part of the show." Their award-winning humor has been featured in regular guest appearances on Comedy Central's "Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn" and "Premium Blend."
The stars of "Mama's Night Out!" will leave you in stitches and rolling in the aisles, wanting more. By the end of the show, you'll feel as though these three friends--Karen, Nancy and Sherry--are your friends as well.
Babysitting will be available at the Rozsa during the show. Call ahead to reserve, as space is limited.
This event is sponsored by the James and Margaret Black Endowment.
Tickets for the general public are $25 and $20; Michigan Tech student prices are $20 and $15 (student ID required). To purchase tickets, contact the Rozsa Box Office at 487-3200, the SDC Central Ticket Office at 487-2073, Tech Express (Memorial Union) at 487-3308 or visit http://tickets.mtu.edu . No refunds, exchanges or late seating, please. |
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11. Guest Lecturer to Address a Range of Academic Topics |
by John Gagnon, promotional writer
A Stanford University administrator and scholar will give three campus presentations this week.
Joseph Brown, assistant dean for graduate and undergraduate studies and diversity programs in Stanford's School of Humanities and Science, will be the featured speaker Thursday at Tech's next DiversiTea, an informal gathering that encourages the exchange of ideas from around the world.
Brown will talk about "social identities, belonging and the academic achievement of minorities and women."
The DiversiTea will be held on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge.
The session is open to the public. Besides ideas, participants will enjoy light refreshments and an array of teas.
After the DiversiTea, Brown will lead a workshop on how to prepare for the Graduate Record Exam. The session begins at 6:30 p.m. and is open to all students considering applying to a graduate program.
On Friday, Nov. 21, Brown will talk about "graduate admissions for a more-diverse student body." The session runs from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Memorial Union Ballroom B. Deans, department chairs, graduate faculty and staff are invited. Lunch will be provided at 11:45 a.m. to those who RSVP to Carol Argentati at caargent@mtu.edu .
For more information, contact Argentati at the email address listed above. |
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12. Forum Wednesday on Gender |
submitted by Keweenaw Pride
Keweenaw Pride will host a forum, "Gender: Male, Female, Masculine, Feminine, What Does It All Really Mean?" on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. in M & M U115 in recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day is set aside to memorialize those who are killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice.
The goal of the discussion is to question gender and what it truly means to you. What does it really mean to be male? Or female? What if you don't feel you fit into this binary naming scheme? What if you have certain traits that are classically labeled masculine or feminine?
All are welcome to attend. Media presentations will accompany the discussion. Cookies and drinks will be served. |
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13. Biological Sciences Seminar Tomorrow |
Jay B. Dean, professor of molecular pharmacology and head of physiology, Hyperbaric Biomedical Research Laboratory, University of South Florida, will present "Diving into Uncharted Waters . . . Hyperbaric Hyperoxia and CNS Function and Dysfunction," tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 4 p.m. in Dow 642.
Refreshments will be provided. |
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14. MEEM Seminar Thursday |
Dennis Siginer, the Distinguished University Professor of Mechanical Engineering and assistant provost and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, will give a presentation, "Heat Transfer Asymptote in Laminar Flow of Non-Linear Viscoelastic Fluids in Straight Non-Circular Tubes and Interplay of Elasticity and Inertia in Heat Transfer Enhancement," on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 3 p.m. in MEEM 112.
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15. Physics Colloquium Thursday |
Katerina E. Aifantis from Harvard University and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki will present a physics colloquium, "On Some Aspects of Nanomaterials," Thursday, Nov. 20, at 4 p.m. in Fisher 139.
Aifantis graduated from Michigan Tech in 2002. She received an NSF graduate research fellowship to obtain her master's from Cambridge and her PhD from The University of Groningen in 2005, at age 21, making her the youngest PhD holder ever in the Netherlands. In 2008, she received a five-year European Research Council Starting Grant. Currently, she retains her affiliation with Harvard, and she is setting up a lab in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where she will carry out her grant research.
For more information, contact Ranjit Pati, patir@mtu.edu or 487-3193, or Claudio Mazzoleni, cmazzoleni@mtu.edu or 487-1226. |
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16. On the Road |
Assistant Professor David Orozco (SBE) presented a paper, "Innovation Policy and Friends of the Court: Intellectual Property Advocacy Before the US Supreme Court," on Friday, Nov. 14, at the Property Rights and Innovation Symposium, which provides a forum for economists and legal scholars to discuss their research, held at Northwestern University's Searle Center on Law, Regulation and Economic Growth.
Orozco's paper can be viewed here: www.law.northwestern.edu/searlecenter/papers/Conley_Orozco_Innovation_Policy.pdf . |
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17. Sports in Brief |
What's Happening This Week in Athletics
All times are Eastern, and home events are italicized.
Wednesday, Nov. 19
Huskies Drive Time, 7:30-8 a.m., live on 93.5 FM
Friday, Nov. 21
* Blueline Club Luncheon, noon (Grant Hockey Ed Center)
* NCAA Volleyball Midwest Regional (at Allendale), volleyball vs. Saginaw Valley State, time TBA
* men's basketball hosts Alma, 5 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
* hockey hosts Minnesota State Mankato, 7:07 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
Saturday, Nov. 22
* volleyball at NCAA Regional Semifinal
* no. 7 women's basketball at Minnesota State Moorhead, 4 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
* hockey hosts Minnesota State Mankato, 7:07 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
Sunday, Nov. 23
* men's basketball hosts Minnesota Duluth, 1 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
* volleyball at NCAA Regional Championship
Last Week's Results
Hockey (2-6-1, 1-5-1 WCHA)
Nov. 15-Michigan Tech 2, at No. 2 Minnesota 2, OT
Nov. 16-at No. 2 Minnesota 3, Michigan Tech 0
Volleyball (19-10, 12-4 GLIAC)
Nov. 12-Saginaw Valley State 3, Michigan Tech 0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-23)
Women's Basketball (2-0, 0-0 GLIAC)
Nov. 15-No. 7 Michigan Tech 68, UW-Parkside 56 (at Sault Ste. Marie)
Nov. 16-No. 7 Michigan Tech 69, Lewis 30 (at Sault Ste. Marie)
Men's Basketball (1-1, 0-0 GLIAC)
Nov. 11-at Michigan 77, Michigan Tech 55
Nov. 12-IUPUI 65, Michigan Tech 51 (at Ann Arbor)
Nov. 15-Michigan Tech 66, UW-Parkside 52 (at Sault Ste. Marie)
Nov. 16-Lewis 83, Michigan Tech 69 (at Sault Ste. Marie)
Top News of the Week
Volleyball Headed to NCAA Tournament
The Michigan Tech volleyball team earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament as the No. 7 seed in the Midwest Regional. The Huskies will face Saginaw Valley State on Friday, Nov. 21, in a rematch of the GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinal match between the schools on Wednesday, Nov. 12, in Houghton. The match time for Thursday's Tech-SVSU tilt has not yet been announced. Michigan Tech has advanced to the NCAA Tournament six previous times--1993, '94, '95, '96, '97 and 2006.
Women's Hoops Opens 2-0; Barnes Earns 100th Win
Michigan Tech opened its season with two wins in the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 15-16. The Huskies, who were ranked as high as No. 7 in national preseason polls, defeated UW-Parkside 68-56 and Lewis 69-30. With the two wins, sixth-year head coach John Barnes has gained his 100th career victory. He is 100-45 (.690 pct) at Michigan Tech since taking over the program in 2003-04.
Hockey Ties, Loses at Minnesota
The Michigan Tech hockey team traveled to No. 2 Minnesota last weekend and came away with one out of a possible four points. The Huskies scored a pair of third-period goals to skate to a 2-2 tie with the Gophers on Saturday, Nov. 15. Minnesota scored a pair of power-play goals in the first period, on their way to a 3-0 win on Sunday, Nov. 16. Tech will host Minnesota State this weekend, Nov. 21-22, in just its second WCHA home series of the season.
Men's Basketball Goes 1-1 at GLIAC/GLVC Challenge
The men's basketball team played four games last week--two exhibition contests in the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer in Ann Arbor and two regular season games in the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie. The Huskies got the win 66-52 in their official season opener on Saturday, Nov. 15, over UW-Parkside. Tech came away from the week with a 1-1 record after an 83-66 setback to Lewis. Michigan Tech will play its first two home games this weekend with a Friday, Nov. 21, game vs. Alma and a Sunday, Nov. 23, contest vs. Minnesota Duluth. |
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18. In the News: Dave Hand Makes the Post |
Professor David Hand (CEE) is quoted by the Washington Post in an article on the International Space Station's new water recovery system. A team of Tech researchers led by Hand conducted research to optimize the system more than 10 years ago.
A story in Saturday's Detroit News, "GLIAC Sports a Foreign Affair," references Tech's women's tennis team, which has Russian, Brazilian, Kyrgyzstani and Mexican members, including Silvia Oliveros-Torres, who is quoted in the story.
You can read the full stories here.
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