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1. Tech's Research Expenditures Up 28 Percent |
Michigan Tech's science and engineering research expenditures increeased more than 28 percent during fiscal year 2007, according to figures just released by the National Science Foundation.
The NSF ranked Michigan Tech 66th in the nation in research spending, among universities without a medical school. The fastest growing disciplines were environmental science and electrical and computer engineering.
For the first time this year, NSF also ranked the research spending of non-science and engineering fields. Two departments at Michigan Tech--humanities and visual and performing arts--ranked in the top 100 nationwide.
For the full story, see http://www.admin.mtu.edu/urel/news/media_relations/847/ .
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2. Hands Across the Water |
By John Gagnon, promotional writer
Norway has the only alumni chapter outside of North America, and campus leaders are working with the group to enhance Michigan Tech's presence in that Scandinavian nation.
The 50 chapter members include the president, Sverre Sandberg, class of '68, who promotes Tech in Norway, especially with an eye on exchanging more students.
"There are a lot of top students in Norway who are very interested in an international experience," he says. He'd like to direct them to his alma mater.
Sandberg shares that vision with Bruce Mork, associate professor in electrical engineering, who says, "My hope is that we can increase the number of students coming from Europe and strike more of a balance in our international population."
Currently, Michigan Tech has about 800 international students. Almost 400 are from China; nearly 200 are from India; only 33 are from Europe; and just five are from Norway, where Mork has extensive ties, including a sabbatical in 2001–02.
Over 20 years, Mork has worked more than three years in Norway, and he has developed close relationships in government, industry and academia.
He has been at Tech since 1992 and is the director of the Power and Energy Research Center. The focus of his research at home and abroad is computer simulation of high-voltage power systems.
The Fulbright Research Fellowship Award that supported his sabbatical also encourages recipients to develop international exchanges. Therefore, Mork traveled around Norway to visit local colleges and college fairs to promote Michigan Tech and attract students.
He also has worked with the Norway chapter and campus leaders here to develop a Master's Path program at Tech that accommodates the three-year European bachelor's degree. As well, he helped establish an undergraduate scholarship program that transfers credits and features a 20-percent reduction in tuition for Norwegian students who come to Tech.
For all of these efforts, the Norway Chapter of the Alumni Association has made Mork an honorary member.
He says that Norway, a world leader in hydroelectric power and exporting oil and gas, is also "an energy research mecca," and he is putting into place more funding for collaborative research in renewable energy, much of it funded by the Research Council of Norway.
Most of the members of the Norway chapter are engineers and attended Tech from the 1960s to the 1980s. Sandberg and other members strive to involve younger alumni. Accordingly, Ingvild Stromsholm '02, biomedical engineering, has been elected vice president of the chapter. Ranveig Jordet '05, electrical engineering, also has joined the board.
Dean Margaret Gale (SFRES) is eager to expand the exchange of students beyond engineering and into natural resources.
Last fall, Gale traveled to Oslo for a reception put on by the American Embassy. The featured guest: Michigan Tech. In attendance were diplomatic leaders and staff, members of the Norway alumni chapter, the Fulbright Association, industry, and representatives of Oslo University College and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, both with strong international programs.
What resulted was a commitment: educators from the institutions involved taking the steps necessary to begin student and faculty exchanges, as well as online classes.
Beyond the international experience, the inducement for Tech students to study in Norway is great: Gale says that tuition there is free for all students, including nonresidents.
Brenda Rudiger, director of Alumni Relations, says that the outreach to Norway, in particular--and prospects for ties with Europe, in general--go hand in hand with Michigan Tech's strategic vision to become a world-class institution that engages alumni and provides opportunity for students globally. |
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3. Grad Student Draws on 19th Century Findings for 21st Century Research |
by Marcia Goodrich, senior writer
Deep in the stacks of the J. R. Van Pelt and Opie Library, Joe Miller stumbled upon a 112-year-old book that gave him a start.
Miller is a civil engineer specializing in heavy-timber roof design. He settled at Michigan Tech to get his PhD and to learn more about keyed beams than anyone in the history of carpentry. Keyed beams, lovely and useful though they may be, are in one sense an also-ran in the world of wood.
Miller explains in the context of the Upper Peninsula, where the old-growth, white-pine forests were ferociously clearcut in the 19th century. "By 1900, all the large trees were forested," he said. The massive timbers required for constructing large buildings and reinforcing mine tunnels were no more. Builders needed a cheap, local alternative, so they began making big beams out of two smaller ones.
They cut mated notches in the lesser beams, fastened them together, and pounded close-fitting wedges, or keys, into the notches. The technique keeps beams stiff and bound tightly together, which prevents them from slipping (and breaking prematurely) when heavily weighted in the middle.
Keyed beams have been around since the 18th century. More recently, builders have adopted other technologies, but they aren't always popular. "A lot of my clients had problems with steel beams or glue-laminated timbers," Miller said. "Aesthetically, they wanted to use a more-natural approach that could be achieved locally, with local materials."
Now, with keyed beams gaining a new following, Miller is developing the first theoretical model to represent their capacity under load. In other words, how much weight can they take before they break? And what factors determine if a keyed beam will be stiff enough?
Which brings us back to the library and the 112-year-old book. Miller was perusing the library's offerings on the subject when he stumbled across an 1897 reference volume, buried in the basement, authored by Edward Kidwell of Hancock.
Kidwell, as it turns out, was on the faculty at the Michigan School of Mines. And he was one of the earliest researchers to conduct valid scientific tests on keyed beams and document the results. "It wasn't until I'd chosen a school and a dissertation topic that I found his book," Miller said, still struck by the coincidence. On top of this, Miller found Kidwell's century-old reports to be both reliable and engaging.
"I appreciated his candor," he said. In the book, Kidwell was critical of earlier keyed beam experts whose assertions did not stand up to scrutiny. "I also tested his methods, and everything he said appears spot on," Miller said. "And Kidwell provided enough detail so that I could plug his numbers into my model."
In addition to working with Kidwell's findings, Miller has been testing his model against experimental evidence gathered in his own lab, where he has been building and testing keyed beams fabricated from solid oak, yellow poplar and wood laminate. "I've found that the inclination and shape of the keys can have an incredible effect" on the strength of the beam, he said.
"To be reinvestigating a concept that's been around 300 years is kind of cool," he said. It's also cool to be building on foundational work conducted right here over 100 years ago. |
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4. Geology Grad Student Wins National Recognition |
by Tom Schneider, student writer
For Alex Guth, being a graduate student is hardly a passive ordeal.
Recently, the Association for Women Geoscientists awarded the Brunton Award to Guth. This award, named for a top manufacturer of high-end compasses, is a prestigious commendation for work in field mapping and data acquisition. The award will include a personally engraved compass from Brunton.
"We are very proud of Alex's work and are glad to see it recognized by a well respected organization like the Association for Women Geoscientists," said Professor Wayne Pennington, chair of the geological and mining engineering and sciences department. Guth is pursuing a PhD in Geology.
Guth uses satellite imaging to create innovative geological maps of remote, inaccessible terrain. She has conducted fieldwork in Kenya, studying rifts in the earth. She also teaches an online distance learning course in earth science for teachers (K-12), as well as the lecture section of Structural Geology and a course on mapping of remote terrain.
"Alex is not just another student, she is a critical member of our department," said Pennington. |
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5. Be Aware of Changes in Federal Income Tax Withholding |
Here is an alert on taxes from Bob Soumis, manager of Payroll Services.
New withholding tables may reduce the amount of federal income tax withheld from your wages. The new tables, prescribed by the Department of the Treasury, reflect the Making Work Pay credit and other changes resulting from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. You may or may not actually be eligible for the credit which will be reflected on the 2009 federal income tax return.
If you have federal income tax withheld from more than one employer and/or are married and your combined income places you in a higher tax bracket and above the eligibility income level credit limits, you may want to update your Federal W-4 form to avoid under withholding. You can use the Human Resources Employee Self Service system to adjust the federal withholding amount by claiming fewer exemptions on line 5 or by requesting additional amounts to be withheld on Line 6.
For additional information, refer to IRS Publication 919, “How Do I Adjust My Tax Withholding?” Or visit the IRS website www.irs.gov and use the “Withholding Calculator.” You may also want to check with your tax advisor to determine if changes in withholding are necessary. |
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6. Surplus Goods Are Available |
All the following items have been in long-term storage and have been unused since the Dow building was occupied 10 years ago. If you wish to view any of the items, contact Jeff Lewin at jclewin@mtu.edu .
Perkin Elmer Recorder
Dionex Series 4000i
FIS systems multicool
Harvard Rat Tail BP monitor (older unit)
Hewlett Packard GC 6890 Series
Thermolyne Temptronic
ISIS auto sampler (ISCO)
Harvard Apparatus Infusion/Withdrawl Pump
Hewlett Packard 1046A Fluorescence detector
Microbasics M500 Analyzer
Lauda Thermostat
Gould Brush Amplifiers
Quinton ECG Isolation Amplifier model 620
Cardiotachometer Model 611
Gould Brush 2400 chart recorder
Cole parmer Master flex controller
Fleisch Pnemotachograph
Gould--some sort of a pump
Tecam Temp unit
Maclaster Sciences Corp--respiration setup
Instrumentation Laboratory Inc--pH meter (needs special battery)
For more information, contact Mary P. Stevens, financial assistant, Accounting Services, 487-2252 or mpsteven@mtu.edu .
University property may only be transferred between departments; it may not be given or sold to individuals. |
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7. Tech-Talks SFHI Concludes Today with a Session on Health |
The Tech-Talks SFHI series, sponsored by the Provost's Office, concludes today, March 31, from 4 to 5 p.m. in Memorial Union Red Metal Room 105.
This is the third of three sessions that have focused on the topics being considered for future strategic faculty hiring initiatives. This session's topic is health. A 30-minute presentation will be followed by time for questions and discussion.
The proposal, presentation, and discussion will focus on the following questions:
* How does the initiative further the goals of the strategic plan?
* What is current and future market demand and need for the initiative area?
* What is our current position with regard to this area?
* What is the competition in this area? (Who? What? Where?)
* After we invest in this initiative, where will we be positioned relative to the previous questions?
All faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend the session. There will be a cash bar, with the first pop, wine or beer on the house, and munchies will also be provided.
Questions about this session or the submission of proposals for future SFHI focus areas can be answered by contacting the Provost’s Office.
These Tech-Talks SFHI sessions will now be followed by an opportunity for campus feedback that will conclude on Tuesday, April 7. |
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8. John Corvino Speaks During Pride Week |
Submitted by the Rozsa Center
John Corvino, an advocate of GLBT rights, will speak on homosexuality and morality at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 7, at the Rozsa Center.
He will present his best-received and most popular lecture, "What’s Morally Wrong With Homosexuality?" Corvino is a writer, speaker and philosophy professor. For over 15 years he has been traveling the country speaking on gay rights, and he challenges all sides of the debate to rethink easy assumptions about homosexuality and morality.
He is said to combine philosophical rigor with sensitivity and humor, and he welcomes opposing viewpoints at his lecture. He says, "I want people to disagree and make their voices heard."
Corvino holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin and is associate professor of philosophy at Wayne State University in Detroit.
He is the editor of "Same Sex: Debating the Ethics, Science and Culture of Homosexuality," and he has authored more than 100 articles that have appeared in general interest print media as well as in academic journals and anthologies.
His column, "The Gay Moralist," appears weekly at LOGO Online's 365gay.com, a gay news source. His DVD presentation of "What’s Morally Wrong With Homosexuality?" is available at www.gaymoralist.com .
Corvino has been a guest on MSNBC’s “Scarborough Country” and on numerous radio programs. An award-winning teacher, he is also the recipient of a 2004 Spirit of Detroit Award from the Detroit City Council for his work on behalf of GLBT rights.
For more information on John Corvino or GLBT issues, visit his website at www.johncorvino.com .
His lecture is sponsored by the Student Entertainment Board, Keweenaw Pride and Educational Opportunity.
The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Rozsa at 487-3200 or visit the website www.rozsa.mtu.edu . |
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9. Jazz Up the Late Winter Blues |
Submitted by Visual and Performing Arts
Hot jazz and spicy Caribbean rhythms will chase away the late-winter blues Friday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m., as Michigan Tech's Jazz Lab Band and R&D Big Band present the annual Don Keranen Memorial Jazz Night at the Rozsa Center.
The two bands are at their spring-semester peak of performance and eager to celebrate a great jazz tradition. For more than 40 years, Tech students have played jazz under the leadership of just three directors: Don Keranen (1967-88), Rob Wernberg (1989-91) and Mike Irish (1991-present).
Through the years, Tech's jazz ensembles have warmed many a cold winter night in Keweenaw clubs and auditoriums, and they also toured widely, showcasing both jazz and Michigan Tech throughout Michigan and Wisconsin, and winning awards at Midwest jazz festivals.
Last week, the Jazz Lab Band demonstrated again how cool and complex they can be in their annual concert with the Northern Michigan University Jazz Ensemble, staged this year in the Rozsa.
In addition to directing the rich menu of jazz on April 3, Irish will announce the winners of this year's Don Keranen Awards for outstanding jazz musician and most improved player.
Tickets are free for Tech students, $5 for other students and $10 for general public. They're available from the Rozsa Box Office, 487-3200, at the door, and at www.tickets.mtu.edu . |
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10. ME-EM Seminar Scheduled for Thursday, April 2 |
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David G. Wilson, of the Energy Systems Analysis and Wind Energy Technology Departments at Sandia National Laboratories, will present a graduate seminar, “Sandia National Laboratories Wind Energy Research--SMART Rotor Program and Power Grid Control and Analysis R&D,” at 3 p.m., Thursday, April 2, in ME-EM 112. |
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11. Canada Scholar Speaks on Biofuels |
Shawn D Mansfield, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Wood and Fiber Quality, Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, will give a talk, "Breaking Down The Wall--Engineering Plant Cell Walls for Improved Biofuels Applications," at 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 1, in Forestry G002. His visit is co-sponsored by the SFRES Graduate Seminar Committee and Biotechnology Research Center.
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