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1. Bugs and Slugs and Spiders, Oh My! |
by Marcia Goodrich, senior writer
Help wanted: Must be willing to work for free. Arachnophobes need not apply.
Actually, Kathy Roberts admits that sometimes her quarry makes her a little edgy. "Ew, that's a different-looking spider," she says, peering into a glass vial containing a tangle of hairy arthropod legs. Under her microscope are a couple other not-so-alarming spiders, and off to the side are rows of vials filled with all manner of creepy-crawlies.
As a volunteer research assistant, Roberts gathers slugs, ants, millipedes, nematodes, worms, and lots and lots of pill bugs--whatever falls into her traps. Under the direction of Adjunct Professor Erik Lilleskov (SFRES), she is helping to establish baseline data on the small creatures living in and around the soil next to the USDA Forest Service rhizotron.
The rhizotron is a 75-foot tunnel, paneled on the inside with glass, which extends into a wooded hillside adjacent to the campus. Built in 2006, it is an observatory on the secret world of soil and all the plants and animals therein. Roberts's work however, focuses not inside the rhizotron but on the surface dirt on either side.
"What she's trying to do is get a better handle on the macroinvertebrates, because they have a huge influence on soils," says Lilleskov. "We think we have a pretty good understanding, but we want a better one.
Macroinvertebrates are animals without a backbone that are big enough to see with the naked eye. "These are actually pretty small, but they're not microscopic," he says.
Using a bulb planter, Roberts has installed eight pitfall traps that, when lifted from the ground, look quite like the plastic beverage glasses you'd find at graduation parties. She sank four on one side of the rhizotron, which is planted to pine trees, and four on the other, which remains a natural hardwood forest.
In each cup is a splash of soapy water, which drowns any bugs that tumble inside. Roberts collects the cups and then sorts the contents into vials based on their general type. Pill bugs, also known as woodlice or roly polies, are by far the most common bugs to perish in her traps. But there are plenty of others to classify. Eventually, an entomologist will take on the task of identifying the different species. "Then we'll get more technical terms than ‘slugs,' ‘spiders' and ‘pinchy, pokey things,'" says Roberts.
So far, she hasn't noticed much difference between the bugs collected on the two sides of the rhizotron. "We do get different kinds of critters day by day, though," she says. "It could be the weather."
Volunteers such as Roberts can make a big difference in a labor-intensive research project, says Lilleskov. "And it's wonderful to have somebody so dedicated working with us. She's one of those people who get a passion and go with it," he says. "We're hoping she stays addicted to macroinvertebrates for a long time."
Roberts has even started checking out the macroinvertebrates around the family home. "It's amazing," she says. "It's so interesting what goes on right under your feet."
Ants are cute, and spiders are, well, spiders. "They are still the biggest challenge," she says. "Here, I have to go after them, but at home, if I see something scary, I still scream and fling it across the room."
When pressed, she says the lowly slug is probably the ickiest creature in her pitfall traps. "It's kind of neat, though, when you look at the details, you forget how icky it is," she says. "Under a microscope, they're kind of pretty."
Photos of Roberts and her bugs are posted on the Michigan Tech News site
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2. Become a Huskies Club Member for 2011-12 Season |
submitted by Steve Nordstrom, director, athletic development
Student-athletes work hard to represent Michigan Tech and demonstrate values of which our institution, alumni, and fans can be proud: hard work in the classroom, dedication to their sport, support for the community, and the drive to succeed. You're invited to join the Huskies Club and invest in Tech's rich tradition of athletic and academic excellence.
The Huskies Club supports student-athletes by providing scholarships, increasing endowments and completing special projects--all to ensure that they remain nationally prominent in NCAA competition and in the classroom.
The Huskies Club has five giving levels starting at $100 per year. Golden Huskies membership, at $300 or more, includes free parking for all 38 home athletic events, at which parking fees are collected. During the 2011-12 athletic season, parking will be $5 for home athletic events. By joining at this level you will be receiving a $190-per-year value on parking alone.
In addition, Golden Huskies ($300 to $499), Honorary Coaches ($500 to $999) and Honorary Athletic Directors ($1000 and up) will receive a membership card with these benefits:
* Donor recognition-SDC posters
* Huskies Club emails and e-newsletters
* Huskies athletics decal
* $25 discount for first annual SDC membership
* Free game program at football and basketball games
* 20 percent off regular priced Under Armour or Nike Products at University Images or the Campus Bookstore (does not apply with other store sales).
* 50 cents for a hot beverage at SDC concession stands (coffee, hot chocolate or cappuccino)
To become a Huskies Club member in 2011-12, mail your gift to Michigan Tech Athletics, Attn: Huskies Club, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton MI, 49931. You can also join by visiting GiveOnline. Fill out the gift form and type "Huskies Club" in the text box.
For more information, contact Steve Nordstrom at 487-3071 or huskiesclub@mtu.edu .
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3. Women's Basketball Team Honored for Academics |
by Ian Marks, assistant director of athletic communications
The women's basketball team picked up plenty of awards on the court during
the 2011 campaign, and now they are being recognized for their success in the classroom. The team ranked 20th, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.459, on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll Award.
"I'm so proud of this team for all of their accomplishments this year," said head coach Kim Cameron. "They had a long, brilliant season on the floor, and continued to stay focused in the classroom. Their ability to create balance in such a demanding life says a lot about their character."
Michigan Tech finished as the national runner-up in Div. II in 2010-11 and claimed the GLIAC regular season and tournament titles.
A team's GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of hours attempted by all team members in the academic terms (semesters or quarters) that the season spans.
Tech was one of five GLIAC schools, and the only NCAA Elite Eight team, on the Academic Top 25 Honor Roll. |
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4. Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative Wins Award |
The Lake Superior Binational Forum, meeting in Superior, Wis., on Sunday, July 17, recognized the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI) with an honorable mention for environmental stewardship in the youth division. Michigan Tech is a partner in LSSI.
"We are honored and encouraged by this award, which bolsters our belief that educating the youth of our area about issues related to the Lake Superior watershed is a necessary responsibility of us all," said Mike Benda, a member of the LSSI Advisory Council and the K-12 assistant principal for Adams Township Schools. "LSSI promotes direct experience in the natural environment in an effort to establish a sense of place, enhance environmental appreciation and build a foundation for environmental stewardship for both youth and adults." |
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5. A New Guide to Campus Gardens Available |
Facilities has printed a guide to all of Michigan Tech's gardens. It features a campus map and a key to what’s planted, where and why--building by building, location by location, petal by petal. The design of the guide dovetails with the traditional campus map that is always in circulation.
It's been three years now since Lynn Watson, Tech's master gardener, began creating and sprucing up campus flower gardens, which now number more than 40.
Watson has created little ecosystems of flowers and, in some cases, berries and vegetables.
Facilities has put the garden maps in the Alumni House, the Admissions office, the Seaman Mineral Museum and the Keweenaw Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, with additional copies in its offices, on the waterfront, for anyone to pick up. Also, request a copy by phone (487-2304) or email (sjsergey@mtu.edu). Plans are to post it on the web.
Get a guide, take a stroll and enjoy a feast for the eyes. Keep a lookout for the many chipmunks, rabbits and songbirds that now call the flower gardens their home. |
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6. Single-Game Hockey Suite Rentals Open to Public |
Hockey suites are open to rent for the 2011-12 hockey season. Three large rooms are available for single-game rentals, all located on the Ruanne and John Opie Suite Level, constructed in 2009.
Single suites accommodate parties ranging from 20 to 55 people, and can be rented together to host groups of up to 129 people per game. After space has sold out for a game, the McLeod Alumni Lounge, located on the main concourse level of the arena, is available for groups up to 25 people.
Rentals include tickets to the game along with your private space. Each suite is equipped with furniture and balcony access, cable TV, a wet bar and a mini-refrigerator. All food and beverages are purchased through Catering Services, which offers a wide range of hot and cold appetizers, entrees and desserts, along with staffing to make sure you and your guests are well taken care of.
Suite rental opened up two weeks ago for parties who rented a suite last season. In that period, approximately half of the 2011-12 rentals were taken. Groups interested in renting are encouraged to inquire as soon as possible due to the limited availability remaining.
To inquire further or reserve your space, contact Jonathan Hamilton in the Athletic Marketing Office at 906-487-0914 or jbhamilt@mtu.edu .
For suite pricing and capacity information, visit suites. For the 2011-12 hockey schedule, see hockey.
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7. Emeritus Jobst Hosts Panel |
Emeritus Associate Professor Jack Jobst, with six Michigan authors, will host a panel discussion, "The UP Book Tour," from noon to 1:30 p.m., on Saturday, July 23, in the Portage Lake District Library.
Their published works include short stories, novels, poetry, travel writing, bilingual works, plays, food writing, entries in anthologies, and awards. There will be a book signing and selling after the presentation, and refreshments will be served.
The session is part of a UP-wide tour. For more information, including the other authors, visit books. |
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8. Flags at Half-Staff Today |
Flags are at half-staff today in honor of Staff Sgt. Joshua Throckmorton, 28 of Battle Creek, who died July 5 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device. Flags will return to full-staff on Thursday.
Throckmorton was assigned to the 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command in Hohenfels, Germany. He served 15 months in Iraq and was three months into a one-year deployment in Afghanistan. He was awarded posthumously a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
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9. In Print |
Bryant Weathers, formerly of Student Affairs, played a key role in crafting a research report on how universities, including Michigan Tech, use Quick Response (QR) codes to communicate with their audiences.
The research report was recently published by the National Education Advisory Board.
QRs are bar codes--imbedded in traditional media and readable by scanning with a smartphone--that help institutions to communicate more effectively with the tech-savvy millennial generation; for universities, that includes prospective students, current students, and alumni.
The scans can be tracked. "It's a good way to gauge who is looking at our posters and publications," Weathers is quoted.
Representing Michigan Tech, Weathers was one of just nine university officials who contributed to the report. He worked on the project while in Student Affairs and is now annual giving manager for student programs in Advancement. |
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10. Giveaways |
Humanities has the following available:
* (2) Round tables
* (3) Computer cluster tables
If interested, contact Jackie Ellenich at 487-2008 or jmelleni@mtu.edu .
University Marketing and Communications has the following available:
* Assortment of desks, bookshelves and file cabinets.
* VHS tapes
* Storage cabinet, wood
If interested, contact Linda Watson at 487-2354 or lmwatson@mtu.edu .
Mathematical Sciences has the following available:
* File cabinets, 3-drawer and 4-drawer
* Bookcases, 6-shelf and 7-shelf
* Tables, 24"x24" and 48"x30"
If interested, contact Jeanne Meyers at 487-1490 or jemeyers@mtu.edu .
University property may only be transferred between departments. It may not be given or sold to individuals.
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11. New Funding |
Professor Marty Jurgensen (SFRES) has received $120,000 from the USDA for a two-year project, "Climate Change, Native Plant Production, and Restoration."
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