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1. Governor Appoints Tom Baldini to Michigan Tech Board of Control |
by Jennifer Donovan, public relations director
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has appointed Marquette civic leader Thomas L. Baldini to fill a vacant seat on the Board of Control. Baldini will serve through 2016. He replaces David Brule, whose term has expired.
Baldini has served as district director in Marquette for US Representative Bart Stupak since 2003.
"It is a great honor to be named by the governor to be a member of Michigan Tech's Board of Control," Baldini said. "Being a member of the board of one of the four distinguished research universities in the state with a national and international reputation carries with it a great responsibility. I look forward to working with the administration, faculty and staff to build on these successes and provide the best opportunities possible for students and the entire University community."
Russ Gronevelt, chair of the Michigan Tech Board of Control, expressed his pleasure at the appointment. "Tom Baldini knows a lot about education, including higher education," Gronevelt said. "He will be a great asset to Michigan Tech."
A graduate of Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, Baldini served as education advisor and special assistant to former Michigan Governor James Blanchard. He has also worked as assistant to the superintendent for personnel and finances of the Marquette Area Public Schools and has taught high school and university political science in Marquette.
In 1994, he was appointed chair of the US section of the International Joint Commission for Canada and the US by then-President Bill Clinton. He also served as US commissioner for the International Boundary Commission for the US and Canada, another presidential appointment.
"It will be great to have Tom on the Board," said President Glenn D. Mroz. "He brings a wealth of experience that extends throughout Michigan and to the national and international levels. He has had some very high-profile assignments over the years, and yet he's always been able to make time for Michigan Tech when we've needed his help."
Baldini is a founding member and vice president of the Economic Club of Marquette County, a founding member of the Marquette Community Foundation and a member of the Marquette Area Public School Foundation. He has won the Mount Arvon Award for Conservation Leadership, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Northern Michigan University and a Distinguished Public Service Award from the American Association of University Professors. |
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2. Aerospace Enterprise Student Leader Wins Defense Department Fellowship |
by Jennifer Donovan, public relations director
The US Department of Defense (DoD) is going to help Jeff Katalenich realize his dream of pursuing a graduate degree in nuclear engineering. Katalenich, a fourth-year mechanical engineering major at Michigan Tech, has won a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship that will enable him to attend the University of Michigan graduate program in nuclear engineering and radiological sciences.
The DoD received 2,000 applications for the competitive fellowships this year and awarded 200. The fellowship covers full tuition and fees for up to three years of graduate study.
"I can't think of a student more deserving of an NDSEG Fellowship than Jeff," said his advisor, Brad King, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Michigan Tech. "His credentials and list of accomplishments will certainly impress you, but when you get a chance to work with Jeff, you will really be blown away by his maturity, leadership and work ethic. Michigan Tech is proud to have an alumnus like Jeff Katalenich."
A member of Michigan Tech's Honors Institute and project manager of the Aerospace Enterprise's nanosatellite project--which placed third in a national competition--Katalenich holds a perfect 4.0 grade point average. He participates in the College of Engineering Research Scholar Program and was the program's only student speaker this academic year.
"Michigan Tech provided me with the intellectual space and resources to obtain an engineering education and to explore my research interests," Katalenich said. "I have received an excellent education in mechanical engineering, and I owe a debt of gratitude to the faculty here for helping me grow and learn."
Katalenich emphasized the value of the hands-on experiences that come with a Michigan Tech education. "While the course work did a lot to prepare me for my future work, my hands-on experience came from the Aerospace Enterprise and the opportunity I had to lead the nanosatellite program," he explained.
After graduate school, Katalenich hopes to work at a national laboratory or at a company he recently co-founded. His interest focuses on nuclear power sources for remote environments and the detection of nuclear materials.
Katalenich is from Roscommon. |
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3. Employees' Benefits and Community Services Fair May 7 |
The 2009 Employees' Benefits and Community Services Fair is set for Thursday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom. Join the Benefits Office and over 30 vendors, including Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital, Portage Hospital, Fidelity, TIAA-CREF, Aetna and many businesses within the greater community. Register to win prizes and enjoy light refreshments.
The fair is free and open to Michigan Tech employees, retirees, spouses, partners and adult dependents.
Questions about the fair may be directed to Karen Hext at 487-3184 or kphext@mtu.edu . |
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4. Wanted: Graduating Students with Good Stories to Tell |
by Marcia Goodrich, senior writer
Commencement is a perfect time to link new graduates with area media. They often have great stories to relate about their experiences at Michigan Tech.
If you know of a graduating student with an interesting story to tell, please let me know. These stories can be wide-ranging. We've lined up interviews with all kinds of new grads, from summa cum laude academic stars to fourth-generation Tech grads to students who overcame serious disabilities to earn their degree. Last year, a graduating Blizzard T. Husky spoke with reporters from TV6 and the Daily Mining Gazette.
The only restriction is that the graduating students must be attending Spring Commencement.
Please send your recommendations to me at mlgoodri@mtu.edu . Include the student's name, contact information if you have it, and a few words about what makes them noteworthy, and I'll do the rest. |
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5. Reminder: You're Invited to Comment on Changes to the Strategic Plan |
The Executive Team is inviting all members of the campus community to comment on proposed revisions to the University's strategic plan. To review both the current and proposed plans and post your comments, visit www.mtu.edu/stratcomment/ .
The current plan was approved by the Board of Control April 28, 2006. "It has been a very useful document for planning and budgeting," President Glenn Mroz said. "But after three years, it's time to review the plan in light of our evolving strengths and priorities." |
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6. Ride and Drive Event Wednesday |
Curious about a course in advanced propulsion for hybrid vehicles that is currently being taught by Michigan Tech instructors in Detroit? You can find out more about the course, and the hands-on lab experiences that accompany it, at a Ride and Drive event from 5 to 7 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15, at the Advanced Technology Development Complex. The course was made possible through a trilateral partnership among Michigan Tech, General Motors and the Engineering Society of Detroit.
At the Ride and Drive, participants will have an opportunity to drive the hybrid Chevy Malibu that the students use in their laboratory assignments. They can experience for themselves the impacts of the powertrain calibration on the driveability of the vehicle.
Jeff Naber, professor of mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics, and Jeremy Worm, research engineer, will provide overviews of the course, the labs and the ride-and-drive experience. Everyone is welcome. Soft drinks will be served. |
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7. Staff Council Meeting Thursday |
Staff Council's monthly meeting is set for noon on Thursday, April 16, in MEEM 1021 (note room change). The guest will be Dave Reed, vice president for research, who will provide an update of the Strategic Plan. All interested staff are welcome. Bring your lunch; cookies will be provided.
Questions can be directed to Becky Christianson at 487-2416 or rwchrist@mtu.edu . |
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8. MTU Preschool Open House, Art Fair Today |
submitted by MTU Preschool
Registration for MTU Preschool's fall 2009 classes will begin at 9 a.m. today, Tuesday, April 14. Morning or afternoon classes are available.
Also, on April 14, the community is invited to attend MTU Preschool's Annual Art Fair from 5 to 7 p.m. This year's theme is "These are a few of my favorite things." The children, who have been working on their art projects for many months, are excited to show off their hard work.
During the art fair, community members are welcome to tour the preschool, meet the teachers and learn more about the opportunities the preschool offers. Also, families with preschool-age children will be able to register children for the fall 2009 session. Preschool parent volunteers will host a bake sale, with proceeds going toward the preschool's new playground.
Located in Daniell Heights, MTU Preschool is a fully licensed, nonprofit, cooperative preschool serving children ages three to five. Registration is open to all community members. Non-English-speaking children are welcome. Residents of Daniell Heights receive a 50 percent discount on tuition.
Classroom activities focus on hands-on learning with opportunities for circle time, independent playtime, one-on-one teacher-directed activities and daily outdoor playtime. The outdoor area features a new playground and expanded play area. MTU Preschool has certified, dedicated teachers who make each child feel special. MTU Preschool is the oldest preschool in the Copper Country and one of the oldest in the state.
For more information, visit www.mtupreschool.org or call the preschool at 487-2720. |
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9. Great Lakes Showcase Postponed until Spring 2010 |
The Great Lakes Showcase of Art and Design will be postponed until the spring of 2010, according to Mary Ann Beckwith, professor of art and coordinator of the exhibit. "This year, a number of circumstances beyond our control convinced us it would be better to postpone. We are sad, but know this is the best thing to do and that we'll be able to mount next year's show under much better conditions for everyone," she says. The 2009 Great Lakes Showcase was originally planned for April 28-May 3 in McArdle Theatre.
The 2010 Showcase is expected to be held April 27 through May 2, either in McArdle Theatre or, if feasible, in a new University gallery space being created in the Rozsa Center. The prospectus giving the date for entries will be available approximately October 15. "We already have a number of new awards for the 2010 show, which I hope will make it especially attractive to artists. And we hope that, by next spring, the economy will have settled enough that travel and shipping won't be as difficult as they are now," Beckwith adds. |
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10. KSO, Concert Choir Join for "Season of Memories" Finale Saturday |
submitted by Visual and Performing Arts
Two of the Keweenaw's finest musical organizations, the 90-voice Michigan Tech Concert Choir and the 65-member Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, join forces on Saturday, April 18, at 7:30 pm in the Rozsa Center to present their final joint concert under the baton of music director Milton Olsson, who retires this summer after 33 years at Michigan Tech. Organist Eric Hepp of Rochester, N.Y., soprano Victoria Walker of Lansing, mezzo soprano Lorna March of Iron Mountain, tenor Anthony Beacco of Negaunee, and bass Wayne Hanmer of Marquette join the choir and orchestra to present three pieces of soaring beauty that are dear to Olsson's heart: the "Mass in A," by German-American composer Gustav Gundlach, which was orchestrated by Olsson on commission from the Gundlach family; Olsson's own "Mass for Chorus and Orchestra," composed in 2000 for the opening season of the Rozsa Center; and Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Seranade to Music," a setting of Shakespeare's hymn to music from "The Merchant of Venice." A public reception in the Rozsa Lobby will follow the concert.
"Milt's deep connection with the musicians and soloists makes this a truly unique and wonderful event," Roger Held, chair of Visual and Performing Arts, says of the April 18 plans. "Both the community members, who've been in the choir or orchestra for years, and the students, who've been part of this only recently, express a great deal of emotion about this concert. I know they want to convey in the music the great appreciation they feel for Milt."
All four of this year's orchestra concerts, beginning with the Bergonzi String Quartet's appearance last October, have been a "Season of Memories" for Olsson. "I've been acutely aware that this is my final season as professor of music and music director," Olsson wrote last October. "Naturally, I've been reminiscing and thinking about the many players, singers and guest artists who have been central to the orchestra, the choir, and me. I decided to present treasured music with these ensembles and to invite back some of our most special guest artists."
Held adds that the University warmly invites all those who've enjoyed hearing the KSO and choir in the past, and particularly those who seldom get to hear a classical concert in the Rozsa Center, to share this particular evening, the music of which means so much to those who are presenting it. "It'll be a wonderful party," he says.
The April 18 concert is sponsored by a grant from Copper Range
Abstract & Title Agency Inc. and produced by the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. Tickets are available from the Rozsa Box Office (487-3200) and on line at www.tickets.mtu.edu (free for Tech students, $7 for other students and $15 for the general public).
Information about the music being performed and the guest soloists participating in the concert can be found on the Visual and Performing Arts website, www.vpa.mtu.edu . |
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11. Biomedical Engineering Graduate Seminar Friday |
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Mark H. Schoenfisch, of the Department of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will present a biomedical engineering graduate seminar, "Combating Bacterial Adhesion, Biofilms and Implant-Associated Infection via Nitric Oxide Release," Friday, April 17, at 3 p.m. in EERC 229. |
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12. ME-EM Grad Seminar Thursday on NSF Funding Opportunities |
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Suhada Jayasuriya, of Texas A & M University, will give a ME-EM graduate seminar Thursday, April 16, at 3 p.m. in MEEM 112, "Funding Opportunities at the NSF and Cooperative Control under Hard Constraints and Coupling." Jayasuriya is currently serving as director of the Control Systems Program in the CMMI Division of the National Science Foundation. |
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