|
|
1. Federal Stimulus Funds Help Scientists Control the Emerald Ash Borer Invasion |
by Jennifer Donovan, director of public relations
The University has received $650,000 in federal stimulus funding to support a pilot project to reduce ash tree mortality in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The project, called SLAM (SLow Ash Mortality), is designed to slow the spread of the emerald ash borer and protect the UP's ash trees. The emerald ash borer, an invasive species from Asia, has been discovered in Michigan--including Houghton County--and threatens at least 15 species of native ash.
Michigan Tech will work with Michigan State University, the Michigan Department of Agriculture, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the US Forest Service and the US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Total American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for the project is $2.2 million. The work will be done in five counties: Houghton, Keweenaw, Mackinac, Delta and Schoolcraft.
Andrew Storer, a forest insect ecologist at Michigan Tech, said that SLAM will create or maintain 38 full- and part-time jobs, including nine in Michigan Tech's portion of the project.
Storer, who heads Michigan Tech's Center for Exotic Species in SFRES, has been studying the emerald ash borer since the insects appeared in Michigan. He headed a multiyear US Forest Service project to set up trap trees throughout the state.
He and colleagues identified the first emerald ash borers found on the Keweenaw Peninsula, in an abandoned cemetery in Laurium, in the summer of 2008. "Judging by the condition of the trees, they had been here for a number of years," he said at the time.
ARRA money was critical for SLAM, Storer said. "Much of the work needed for the pilot project is labor-intensive," he explained. "We need people out in the field to set up traps and trap-trees, survey ash trees and assess forest health."
Scientists at Michigan Tech and MSU will be analyzing data and developing models to help evaluate and plan effective countermeasures against the emerald ash borer. The strategies that are developed can be used as models for other states with emerald ash borer infestations. So far, the insect pest has been spotted in 13 states and Canada.
The SLAM project will be holding a public meeting for residents of surrounding communities at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 25, in the Calumet-Laurium-Keweenaw Public Schools' multipurpose room. Storer and colleagues will explain the ash borer infestation in the area, what the SLAM project is currently doing and what it intends to do. They will also answer questions. |
|
|
2. 2010 Michigan Tech Distinguished Teaching Awards |
The Center for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Development seeks input for its annual Distinguished Teaching Awards, which recognize outstanding contribution to the instructional mission of the University. Based on over 48,000 student rating of instruction forms, ten finalists have been identified for this year's awards. The selection committee is soliciting comments from students, staff, faculty and alumni to aid in its deliberation. Here are the finalists for the two awards:
Associate Professor / Professor Category
* Jeffrey Allen (Associate Professor)--ME-EM
* Will Cantrell (Associate Professor)--Physics
* Jason Keith (Associate Professor) –-Chemical Engineering
* Linda Nagel (Associate Professor) –-SFRES
* Blair Orr (Professor)--SFRES
Assistant Professor / Lecturer / Professor of Practice Category
* Natalia Crespo (Assistant Professor)-–Humanities
* Megan Frost (Assistant Professor)–-Biomedical Engineering
* Yun Hang Hu (Assistant Professor)-–MSE
* Charles Margraves (Lecturer)--ME-EM
* Kette Thomas (Assistant Professor)--Humanities
Comments on the nominees should be sent to the Center for Teaching via its website. Comments are due by Friday, March 26.
The process for determining the Distinguished Teaching Award recipients from this list of finalists also involves the additional surveying of their classes by members of ODK. The Distinguished Teaching Award Decision Committee makes the final determination of the awards, which will be announced in the fall. |
|
|
3. Undergraduate Expo Judges Needed |
If you are interested in seeing the innovative projects that students from across campus have worked on this year, consider being a judge at the upcoming Undergraduate Expo on Thursday, April 15, in the Memorial Union Building.
Students from Enterprise, Senior Design and Undergraduate Research will display their work and will be available to discuss their projects. The Expo, a showcase of education in action through discovery-based learning, teamwork, research and design, provides a platform for hundreds of students to share the fruits of their labors with the University and local community.
For more information or to sign up, contact Mary Raber at mraber@mtu.edu , or go
online at http://www.expo.mtu.edu/ . |
|
|
4. Indian Lunch at Khana Khazana Friday |
Khana Khazana will feature an Indian menu this Friday. Khana Khazana ("food treasure") is a weekly international lunch cooked by international students. Dishes include "delicious jeera rice" and palak paneer, cooked by Sahil Thakkar, hot and spicy chicken, cooked by Safayat Alam, and Thakkar's nimbu pani as a beverage. Palak paneer is a traditional dish combining Indian cheese with creamed spinach. Nimbu pani is like Indian lemonade, made with limes.
Khana Khazana is a joint venture of international students and Dining Services. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m in the Memorial Union Food Court. A full meal costs $6; each dish is $2 a la carte. Khana Khazana is open to the community as well as to Michigan Tech. |
|
|
5. Physics Colloquium Friday |
Yuko Okamoto, professor in the Department of Physics in the School of Science of Nagoya University in Japan, will present a physics colloquium titled "Biomolecular Simulations by Generalized-Ensemble Algorithms" at 2 p.m., Friday, March 19, in Fisher 101.
For more information, contact Claudio Mazzoleni at 487-1226 or cmazzoleni@mtu.edu, or Petra Hüntemeyer at petra@mtu.edu . |
|
|
6. MSE Seminar |
|
Assistant Research Professor Bowen Li in the Materials Science and Engineering/Institute of Materials Processing, will present, "Recycling of Copper Stamp Sand in Keweenaw Peninsula," from 3 to 4 p.m., Friday, March 19, in M&M 610. |
|
|
7. Giveaways |
Biological Sciences has seven four-drawer filing cabinet--generally in good shape although some have scuffs and scratches. There are no keys to any of the locks and they've been "deactivated."
File cabinets are in the Dow first-floor loading dock for viewing. If interested, put your name, department and building/room number on the one(s) wanted.
File cabinets are:
* Black, lock, no key
* Light brown, lock removed, no key
* Dark brown, lock, no key
* Tan, lock, no key
* Black, lock, no key
* Beige, no lock
* Beige, no lock
Contact Jeff Lewin at 487-3435 or at jclewin@mtu.edu .
University equipment may only be transferred to other departments; this equipment is not for personal use. |
|
|
8. Job Posting |
Staff job descriptions are available in Human Resources or at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/postings . For more information regarding staff positions, call 487-2280 or email jobs@mtu.edu .
Faculty job descriptions can be found at www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/facpers/facvac.htm . For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.
03/18/2010
Faculty Job Posting
Assistant Professor in Genetics
Biological Sciences
Tenure Track
Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer. |
|
|
