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1. Former Biology Professor Passes |
Robert A. Janke, who loved cross-country skiing, indulged a pronounced sweet tooth, mainly in the form of pies, and devoted himself to his work at Michigan Tech and on Isle Royale, died Wednesday, Dec. 22, at PortagePointe. He was 88.
Janke taught at Tech for more than 40 years—first physics, then biology. His specialty was plant ecology, in particular the identification of the flora of Isle Royale, where he also studied forest succession--from both natural change and from fire--as well as the effects of moose on the forests.
Colleagues recall Janke as physically fit, intellectually solid, and socially inclined. "He just liked people," said Ken Kraft, a colleague. "He loved to lead a group on weekend cross-country skiing outings."
Kraft, a former associate professor, first met Janke in 1961. Kraft described Janke as both a park naturalist and a scientist on Isle Royale, where he worked every summer, beginning in the 1940s. "He had an affection for Isle Royale," Kraft recalls. "He'd still be there if he could."
Professor Emeritus Rolf Peterson, who first met Janke in 1967, recalls him as "a very cheerful guy who was helpful and reliable." Peterson didn’t work with Janke, but they both worked extensively on Isle Royale, so they crossed tracks often. Peterson described Janke as a man of integrity and accomplishment--"known for his work in forest ecology for many decades, and one of the first two forest ecologists at Tech."
Janke, who retired in the early 1980s, earned a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Michigan, a master's in physics from Michigan Tech, and a doctorate in biology from the University of Colorado.
Janke attended Portage Lake United Church, in Houghton, where he was active in the choir. He also enjoyed singing in the Copper Country Chorale and the Ecumenical Choir, and he enjoyed folk dancing.
In 1944, he married the former Nadine Key. The couple lived first in Houghton and then Boston Location. His wife preceded him in death in 2006.
Surviving are four children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. |
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2. Environmental and Outdoor Education Awards Announced |
Six teachers and two organizations from Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Marquette Counties have received awards from the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE).
The MAEOE is a statewide professional association promoting environmental and outdoor education in classrooms, nature centers, youth programs, organizations and government agencies in Michigan.
Joan Chadde, education program coordinator for the Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Math and Environmental Education and Michigan Tech’s Center for Science and Environmental Outreach, chaired the 2010 MAEOE awards committee.
Chuck Delpier, an earth science teacher at Negaunee Middle School, received the prestigious Julian Smith Award, awarded annually to the one person statewide who exemplifies the best in outdoor education and has made outstanding contributions through a lifetime of service.
Delpier has taught a yearlong Environmental Adventures class at Negaunee Middle School since 1995. He has a passion for getting young people to explore the outdoors and has led several backpacking trips to Isle Royale National Park. He is also a Project WILD workshop facilitator and frequently presents community workshops at Moosewood Nature Center in Marquette.
Four other western UP teachers were among the recipients of the 2010 MAEOE Appreciation Awards. Mike Benda, assistant principal, science teacher and team leader for Jeffers High School’s outdoor and environmental education project at Lake Perrault and the Brown Nature Sanctuary; Janet Larson, a fourth grade teacher with Stanton Township Public Schools and active outdoor educator; Melissa Schneiderhan, fifth grade teacher and team leader for CLK Elementary School’s garden learning experience; and Helen Stenvig, fifth grade teacher at C.J. Sullivan Elementary School in L’Anse and team leader for a K-5 School Forest Project there, were all recognized for their years of effort to engage students in hands-on environmental and outdoor learning.
Keweenaw Land Trust Director Evan McDonald and Pat Toczydlowski, the trust’s land protection specialist, also received a MAEOE Appreciation Award, which recognizes 10 people statewide who have taken exemplary steps to begin successful environmental or outdoor education programs where they live and who enthusiastically promote the goals of outdoor and environmental education.
Karen Bacula, a biology, anatomy and environmental science teacher at Marquette Senior High School, received a MAEOE Recognition Award, which is given to two individuals each year to recognize significant contributions to the fields of environmental and outdoor education in a specialized area, such as journalism, photography, curriculum development or the arts.
Bacula created a seventh grade outdoor science and camping program at Bothwell Middle School and a Middle School Camping Program at Moosewood Nature Center in Marquette. She also started and coordinated a "Celebrate the UP" project to invite the public to learn about the outdoor wonders of the UP.
The MAEOE also awards five Volunteer Service Awards each year. One of the 2010 recipients is Bonnie Hay, director of the Gratiot Lake Conservancy. Hay was recognized for her enthusiastic environmental education programming for youth and adults, promoting conservation of natural resources in the Keweenaw Peninsula.
Chadde has worked at Tech for 15 years to engage local teachers and students in environmental education by providing K-12 teacher professional development workshops and summer teacher institutes, and by seeking funding for special projects such as the Torch Lake Remediation Monitoring Project, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, US Environmental Protection Agency grants for stream monitoring, the Lake Superior Youth Symposium, and after-school ecology classes, as well as five years of funding for the outdoor science investigations field trip program. |
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3. International Students Win Cookbook Competition |
Komal Tayal's tandoori chicken recipe placed second overall in a cookbook competition sponsored by the Daily Mining Gazette.
Tayal won a gift certificate for one of the businesses that advertised in the cookbook. Her recipe and Sahil Thakkar's phada lapsi are featured in the ethnic section of the 2010 cookbook, published just before Christmas.
Tayal is a graduate student in mechanical engineering. Thakkar is an undergraduate in electrical engineering technology. Both are from India. |
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4. 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.
Staff Posting
1/04/2011
GLBTQ Outreach Coordinator
Center for Diversity and Inclusion
Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer. |
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5. On the Road |
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Assistant Professor Keat Ghee Ong (BME) was invited as a guest speaker for the 2010 Workshop on Adverse Response Monitoring on Dec. 16. The session was sponsored by IEEE Ottawa EMBS and IMS. His presentation was titled "Real-time, Continuous Tracking of Performance and Adverse Effect of Biomedical Implants". |
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6. In Print |
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Professor Sonia Goltz, of the School of Business and Economics, authored "Exploring the effect of unfair work contexts on the development of fairness beliefs" which appeared in the Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 16, No. 2 (2010), pp. 167-191. |
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