Megan Gilge, Tech Topics editorial assistant, 906-487-2343

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SENATE TO CONSIDER NEW CONCENTRATIONS, BACHELOR'S DEGREE

The University Senate has received proposals on three new concentrations for bachelor's degree programs, as well as for a BS program in Wildlife Ecology and Management.

The new concentrations include construction management technology within the BS in Engineering Technology, photonics within the BS in Electrical Engineering, and education preparation within the BS in Mathematical Sciences.

The necessary course work for the proposed BS in Wildlife Ecology and Management is already offered through the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. Students completing the curriculum would qualify for certification as associate wildlife biologists by the Wildlife Society.

The senate postponed action March 24 on a proposal to limit the title of dean to "the chief administrative officer of a school or a college" and the dean of students. It also withdrew Proposal 36-04, Recommendation on Transition Chief Executive of the University.

For more information on these and other senate proposals, visit http://www.sas.it.mtu.edu/usenate/propose/2003-04.html

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MICHIGAN TECH BOARD TO MEET MARCH 26 IN CHICAGO

The Board of Control has called a special meeting on Friday, March 26. The meeting will be held at the Marriott Chicago Downtown Hotel, 540 N. Michigan Avenue, at 9 a.m., central time.

The meeting will also be broadcast live via telephone starting at 10 a.m. local time in EERC B18.

Dale Tahtinen, secretary to the board and vice president for government relations, explained that the meeting is being held in Chicago because three board members are scheduled to be there at a Michigan Tech Fund meeting.

The meeting is in response to President Curt Tompkins's request that the board meet to discuss the process and timing of a transition to a new president.

The board is expected to go into closed session shortly after convening. A vote on any proposed action will be held when the board emerges from closed session, and then the board is expected to adjourn.

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HUGHES NAMED INTERIM DIRECTOR OF BUDGETING

Director of Internal Audit Amy Hughes has been named interim director of budgeting, CFO Dan Greenlee has announced.

Hughes is a certified public accountant, certified information systems auditor and certified internal auditor. She comes to the position after 11 years' service as the university's chief internal auditor.

Previously, she was employed for seven years by the State of Michigan Office of the Auditor General, performing general audits and information systems audits, as well as providing audit assistance and system administration.

"I look forward to working with Amy on this year's budget process," Greenlee said. "She's been terrific to work with in the audit function, and I expect her excellent work ethic and professional attitude will carry over as she addresses the university's budgeting process, as well."

Because the administration expects to present a preliminary budget for the next fiscal year to the Board of Control in May, Hughes is assuming her new duties immediately. Auditor Sharon Haapala has been named the interim director of internal audit.

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CAREER CENTER MOVES TO STUDENT AFFAIRS

The University Career Center is now reporting to the Division of Student Affairs.

The change is part of an effort to centralize a number of student activities functions at the university, allowing for greater cooperation and communication among staff involved in student life.

"Organizational restructuring to realign the Career Center with Student Affairs will enhance the linkages between Career Services and students while at the same time providing students increased contact with employers," Vice Provost and Dean of Student Affairs Les Cook said. "Being a part of Student Affairs will facilitate this vital linkage that brings companies, students and the university together."

Neither the staffing nor daily operations of the Career Center are affected by the reporting change.

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WISCONSIN-MADISON WINS CLEAN SNOWMOBILE CHALLENGE

MICHIGAN TECH FINISHES SECOND

Victory is always sweet, but for the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Saturday's win in the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge was a moment to savor.

The Badgers climbed from last place in the 2003 Challenge to take the gold this year, rising a dozen places in the standings. Inspired by team members who had participated in FutureTruck automotive competitions, Wisconsin-Madison built a totally new (and probably unique) modified hybrid gas-electric engine, which included an electric motor for power assist on acceleration.

"We decided to try something completely radical, so we did a lot of work with hybrid integration," said team captain Eric Schroeder.

"I'm just overwhelmed, he added. "I was here last year when we finished absolutely last and blew up our engine twice."

The Wisconsin-Madison team also received the Best Design Award, presented by the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Teams from 14 U.S. and Canadian universities competed March 15-20 at MTU's Keweenaw Research Center. This is Michigan Tech's second year hosting the event, which was organized by the Keweenaw Research Center and the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics.

The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is the Society of Automotive Engineers' newest collegiate design competition. Teams of engineering students from participating schools take a stock snowmobile and then reengineer it to reduce emissions and noise while maintaining or improving performance.

Michigan Tech held onto its second place status in the Challenge rankings, despite a gas-tank failure that forced their sled out of the endurance run. "It was a bad first day," said team captain Brian Barr. "Everybody was pretty down, but I said we have a great sled, we'll do well." And they did, earning the Quietest Snowmobile and Best Performance awards, as well as the Blue Ribbon Coalition Award for Most Practical Solution.

The University of Maine finished third and also received the Gage Products Award for Best Fuel Economy and tied with the University of Wisconsin at Platteville for the Emitec Award for Best Value.

Finishing fourth was the State University of New York at Buffalo, which also earned the Lotus Engineering and Horiba Instruments Award for Lowest Emissions. Clarkson University finished fifth.

Other specialty award winners were the University of Wisconsin at Platteville, which shares the Best Value award with the University of Maine and also earned the International Engineering and Manufacturing Braking Award.

The Ecole de Technologie Superieure, in Montreal, earned honors in two categories, the Dana Long Manufacturing Award for Best Acceleration and the U.S. Army TACOM/National Automotive Center Award for Best Handling.

The University of Waterloo received the Founders' Trophy for Most Sportsmanlike Conduct.

Volunteers from the Michigan Snowmobile Association praised the efforts of all the teams. "You are building the future of snowmobiling," MSA president Rick Brown said. "Please don't stop."

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TECH TEAM EARNS HIGH PRAISE AT ROBOTICS COMPETITION

by Dean Woodbeck, director, News and Information Services

Their robot was "elegant" and their spirit "vibrant."

That's high praise from the judges and earned a team of high school and Michigan Tech students the prestigious Delphi Driving Tomorrow's Technology Award at the Detroit Regional FIRST Robotics competition. The regional took place March 18-20 at Wayne State University.

The team, dubbed Team 857--Superior Roboworks, also finished in third place with its alliance partners at the event. The team included 15 Michigan Tech students as mentors and 15 Houghton High School students.

The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international competition that brings together experts and young people to solve an engineering design problem. The local team is one of a small minority that rely on college students, not professional engineers, to coach the high school participants.

The college mentors are all part of the Michigan Tech Robotic Systems Enterprise. Most participated in FIRST Robotics as high school students.

The competition actually began in January, right after the semester break, and the team had six weeks to build a robot using a standard kit of parts and set of rules.

The 2004 competition is called "FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar." Students designed their robots to race around a playing field, collecting and passing 13-inch balls to human players who then shoot the balls into fixed and moveable goals. Additionally, robots may attempt to hang from a 10-foot bar.

The MTU robot is notable for its ability to handle 30-inch diameter balls, which earned extra points in the game scoring.

After the qualifying rounds at the regional, the top few teams pick alliance partners for the final elimination rounds. Each alliance pits two of its three robots against two from another alliance.

The Delphi Driving Tomorrow's Technology Award recognizes any aspect of engineering elegance including design, wiring methods, material selection, programming techniques and unique machine attributes. The team that wins this award must be able to describe in concise terms verbally, as well as demonstrate, the chosen machine feature.

Superior Roboworks earned praise for the way their robot could grab the large 30-inch balls and the robot's maneuverability.

The team will also participate in a regional competition in Grand Rapids on April 1-3.

The team is supported by Michigan Tech, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors. Local sponsors include the Michigan Tech SmartZone, the Keweenaw Industrial Council, Somero Enterprises, Hitch Engineering and UPPCO.

Advisors are Doug Oppliger of Tech's general engineering faculty and Mary Raber, MTU's industrial projects coordinator.

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KARNOSKY, PIKKARAINEN EDIT NEW BOOK

Professor David Karnosky and Administrative Aide Janet Pikkarainen (Forest Resources and Environmental Science) are editors of a new book, "Air Pollution, Global Change and Forests in the New Millennium."

The book, published by Elsevier, is the third volume in the Developments in Environmental Science series. The book represents the main synthesis emanating from the 19th biennial meeting for International Specialists in Air Pollution Effects on Forest Ecosystems, held at Michigan Tech in May 2000, as well as current developments in the field. Topics include ozone pollution, acid rain, and air pollution and climate change.

Karnosky is the lead author of four of the chapters and coauthor for five of the 25 chapters. Other Michigan Tech coauthors are Professor Kurt Pregitzer, Visiting Scientist Ramesh Thakur and former graduate students Pooja Sharma and Michiko Kinouchi, all of the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, and Professor Richard Honrath (Civil and Environmental Engineering).  Karnosky's son, undergraduate David B. Karnosky (Chemistry) and Houghton High School's Caroline Reed were among many proofreaders of the book.

"We are really proud of how the book turned out," Karnosky said. "We've heard people say it is the most complete treatise on combined effects of global change and air pollution on forest ecosystems."

Other editors are Kevin Percy and Caroline Simpson, of Natural Resources Canada, and Art Chappelka, of Auburn University.

For more information on "Air Pollution, Global Change and Forests in the New Millennium," visit http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/bookdescription.cws_home/681009/description .

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TECH STUDENTS EXCEL IN BPA REGIONAL CONTEST

All 10 of Michigan Tech's team members received a second place or better in the Business Professionals of America Postsecondary State Leadership Conference held at Davenport University in Grand Rapids on March 13.

More than 110 students from seven schools competed for the honor of representing Michigan at the National Leadership Conference in Cincinnati in April. Michigan Tech's team qualified to attend the nationals.

Firsts went to Mariya McCormick for administrative support research project--individual; Scott Isaacson, Hannah Mongiat and McCormick for administrative support team; Joe Butsic for computerized accounting; and Mongiat for entrepreneurship.

Seconds went to Scott Isaacson for database applications; Butsic, Davin Makela and Aaron Somero for financial analyst team; Ryan Rizo for graphic design promotion; Tara Botero for management/marketing/human resources concepts; and Botero, Erin Gowler and Zach Markham for small business management team. Makela received third place for fundamental accounting.

Computer science undergraduate Kevin Kolasinski, the team's conference delegate advisor, also attended the conference.

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FOREST AND ECOLOGY INSTITUTES FOR TEACHERS: APPLICATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 2

Michigan Tech will offer teachers the chance to explore Lake Superior or study forest resources and ecology this summer.

Teachers can earn three semester hours of graduate credit from Michigan Tech for the experience.

Participants in the Ecology of the Great Lakes Institute will sail on the Lake Guardian, an advanced research vessel operated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The ship gathers information on the chemical and biological conditions of the Great Lakes.

Michigan Tech science and engineering faculty will lead the intensive institute sessions.

The Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences Institute will draw on the resources of Michigan Tech's Ford Forestry Center, a 4,500-acre site that includes an experimental forest and modern conference facility.

Participants in the six-day institute will gain an understanding of forest resources, ecology and management. Faculty from Michigan Tech's School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science will lead the intensive sessions.

The application deadline for both institutes is April 2 and the number of participants is limited to provide the best experience for teachers. Applications are available on the web at http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/teachers_professional.html. For more information, contact Joan Chadde at 487-3341 or jchadde at mtu.edu.

The institutes are coordinated by Michigan Tech and the Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education.

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SEND IN YOUR C2E2 PROPOSALS

The Century II Campaign Endowed Equipment (C2E2) Fund Committee is soliciting proposals for the spring semester.

The general philosophy and prerequisites for submission and the C2E2 cover sheet may be accessed on the Web at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/research/vpr/internal/century.html

Faculty wishing to submit a proposal for consideration this semester should do so by 4 p.m. on April 22. Send your application electronically to jpolzien at mtu.edu and eight hard copies to Joanne Polzien, Administration Building 317A.

For more information, contact Polzien at 487-3043 or jpolzien at mtu.edu .

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REMINDER: MERIT AWARD NOMINATIONS DUE MARCH 31

The nomination deadline for the Michigan Tech Fund Merit Award is Wednesday, March 31, at 5 p.m. Nominations should be sent to the Michigan Tech Fund via campus mail.

The awards are presented annually to a senior man and senior woman who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and service to the university. Nominees must be full-time seniors in good standing with a minimum 2.5 GPA.

Nomination forms are available at the Wadsworth Hall manager's office, the J. R. Van Pelt Library circulation desk, the Campus Store, the Meese Center and on-line at http://www.mtf.mtu.edu/merit_nomination_04.php

You can also call Dorthey at 487-3324 to have a form sent to you.

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FRIENDS OF THE VAN PELT LIBRARY HOLD BOOK SALE APRIL 8

The Friends of the Van Pelt Library will hold their 2004 Annual Book Sale on Thursday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom. "The sale is open to the public and is famous for great book bargains," organizers said.

A pre-sale for members of the Friends will be held Wednesday, April 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. Memberships will be available at the door for $15 or $10 for students and seniors.

All proceeds will benefit the Van Pelt Library.

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TEACHING AT TECH: WORMS AND LEARNING

by William Kennedy, director, Center for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Development

Last summer's Blaster computer worm invasion is reported to have cost Stanford, the University of Chicago, Colorado at Boulder, and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor nearly $2 million. An informal survey of 19 research universities revealed that the average institution spent $300,000 unraveling the Blaster worm mess over the same five-week period. The senior IT officer at the University of Chicago predicts that future worm and virus attacks are likely to increase in frequency, be more severe and be even more costly than Blaster. *

Many public universities, besieged by record numbers of entering students and deteriorating state subsidies, find themselves particularly vulnerable to skyrocketing rises in utility rates, employee healthcare costs and unanticipated expenses like fighting computer worms or retaining access to critical scholarly databases as prices go through the roof.

As an emerging campus Luddite, increasingly skeptical about the cost/benefit ratio of the effects of computers on student learning, I think the day has arrived when we need to make some hard choices between providing students with the fastest and broadest access to electronic resources and diversions or providing them with access to the very best and most creative human educators that our diminishing dollars can provide. We must remember that choosing to not make a conscious decision in this regard is still making a very expensive choice.

In my view, laptop initiatives represent the most ill-conceived and poorly thought out surrender to the gods of technology. I recall a cartoon depicting a state-of-the-art classroom. The professor's laptop computer sat atop the lectern quietly downloading flawless digital copies of her lecture notes to the unattended laptops of all the students; none of whom had bothered to actually come to class. Now, if we could only get the professor's computer to periodically quiz the students' laptops rather than the students we'd really have something to brag about to the assessment police. Perhaps it's time to rethink what is essential and what is the evidence to support our claim.

Perhaps the single most common complaint about college graduates across the board is that many can't write very well. Addressing this complaint is not easy. Before computers and word processors, instructors would often complain, "I can't even read their handwriting!" The fix for poor penmanship is the Palmer Method for improving the quality of cursive writing. It involves practicing loops and strokes. With computers, we have come to recognize that the writing problem is much deeper than poor penmanship, poor punctuation or subject-verb agreement. As one of my writing colleagues observed, "The problem really isn't that they can't write; it's that they can't think clearly and logically." I think she was right. Many of the papers that I get today look pretty good as long as I don't read them too closely. Many students have become adept at stringing together blocks of text and are quite facile at scanning the net and cobbling together a conglomeration of information related to the topic or issue at hand. When pressed, however, I often recognize that there is little ownership or consideration of competing views--little depth, little reason, little thought.

Technology was supposed to offload drudgery, eliminate dated filing cabinets and make glacial communications networks obsolete, freeing us to use our brains to wrestle with more substantive challenges. To date, I'd still rather have a really good teacher or coach at my side than some glitzy computer game or simulation, no matter how many giga-whatevers.

* "Colleges Brace for the Next Worm," Chronicle, March 19, 2004.

13. A COUPLE OF BLAGUARDS

If Saint Patrick's Day passed you by last week, you still have a great opportunity to be Irish for a day, or rather, for an evening, on Saturday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rozsa Center. A Couple of Blaguards, a comedy written by Frank and Malachy McCourt, will transport you from the authors' poverty-stricken childhood in the narrow lanes of Limerick to their early experiences as a couple of greenhorns in New York City. Tickets are on sale at the Rozsa Center Box Office (487-3200, Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) or online at http://www.tickets.mtu.edu . Two veteran Irish actors with delightful Irish accents, Howard Platt and Jarlath Conroy, will play Frank and Malachy. This is not the fake stage Irish of the Lucky Charms commercials, but the genuine lilting brogue that is a real pleasure to listen to.

A Couple of Blaguards is a vaudevillian romp of extraordinary tales, eccentric relatives, wicked high jinks, Irish songs and jokes, and some of the richest dialog you'll hear on the stage.

And just what are "blaguards"? "The word came from the workers on coal ships," says Malachy McCourt. "They were 'black guards.' They would get filthy and drink a lot of Guinness and get into high jinks. They were ruffians of the worst sort. But then the word became an affectionate term for a rogue, a lovable scoundrel."

"It's said in admiration, now," adds older brother Frank. "A boyo, a playboy."

The stories are funny, affecting and sometimes sad, and, as you are drawn into the lives of these men, you begin to understand how they managed against great odds to transcend the tragedy of their dirt-poor childhood into a celebration of life. You certainly don't have to be Irish to appreciate the wry sense of humor of the McCourts, and it's easy to relate to the universal themes of friendship and family.

Frank McCourt is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Angela's Ashes," which won the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Boston Book Review's Non-Fiction prize, the Abbey Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Award, and spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The book was also made into a movie of the same name.

Malachy was born in Brooklyn after the family emigrated to America, but the family returned to Ireland (leaving Frank behind), when he was three. After a checkered career in construction and on the docks, he became an actor and has been successful on Broadway, television, and radio, as well as co-writing Blaguards and his own best seller, "A Monk Swimming."

The two brothers always took pleasure in telling stories about their colorful past. Frank, a high school and college English teacher, used to entertain his classes, while Malachy told his stories in Malachy's, his bar on Third Avenue in New York. With the encouragement of their mother, Angela, who returned to America, and years before Frank's bestseller, they began to write a script, and the rest is history. Successful runs on Broadway and sold out national and international tours demonstrate the extent to which the public has related to this play.

This event is sponsored by the Michigan Tech Committee for Campus Enrichment and is coordinated by the MTU Great Events Series Office (487-2844).

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14. BRA SHOW FRIDAY FOR NATIONAL BREAST CANCER MONTH

Male MTU students will model bras (some designed by students) at a fashion show for National Breast Cancer Month on Friday, March 26.

During the show, a breast cancer survivor will speak about her experiences and select the most uniquely designed bra. Information about breast cancer and prevention will be also be presented.

The show will be held at 9 p.m. in Memorial Union Ballroom B and tickets are $2.

This event is sponsored by the Society of Intellectual Sisters and Educational Opportunity in support of National Breast Cancer Month and in connection with Women's History Week at MTU.

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15. LEAP INTO SPRING WITH A CONCERT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

A children's concert featuring popular musician and storyteller Corinne Rockow will be held on Saturday, April 3, at 1 p.m. in the Rosza Center Lobby. This interactive performance is designed for young children from age 0 to 8. All children must be accompanied by an adult. The event is presented by the Rosza Center and the Keweenaw Family Resource Center. Tickets cost $5 and are available only through advanced sale by calling KFRC at 482-9363.

16. MEEM GRADUATE SEMINAR THURSDAY

Mohammad Kassemi, deputy chief scientist, NASA Glenn Research Center, will present a MEEM graduate seminar, "Fluid-Structural Dynamics of the Vestibular System during Ground-Based and Microgravity Caloric Tests," Thursday, March 25, 3-4 p.m. in MEEM 112.

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17. PHYSICS COLLOQUIUM THURSDAY

Associate Professor Jacek Borysow (Physics) will present a physics colloquium, "Hydrogen Isotopes Exchange Reactions in UT-Austin/MTU Neutrino Experiment," Thursday, March 25, 4-5 p.m. in Fisher 139.

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18. BIZNET MEETING THURSDAY

BizNet will meet Thursday, March 25, at 4 p.m. in the UPPCO Building Community Room.

The meeting will consist of two short presentations about ongoing research and development at Michigan Tech and in the local community followed by discussion.

Glen Barna, president of IR Telemetrics, Inc., will present "New Advances in Wireless Telemetry," and Assistant Professor Igor Kliakhandler (Mathematical Sciences) will present "Modern Financial Analysis."

BizNet is a network of university and local entrepreneurs, businesses and interested parties supporting the commercialization of technology in the U.P. BizNet's mission is to facilitate connections between the university and local research and development activities, to foster strategic thinking, to create networking opportunities and to promote deal-making and professional skills development. BizNet is sponsored by the Michigan Tech Enterprise SmartZone. For information, please contact Alan West at 487-7000 or awest at mtecsmart.com, or visit http://www.mtecsmart.com

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19. CHEMISTRY SEMINAR FRIDAY

Assistant Professor Yoke Khin Yap (Physics) will present a chemistry department seminar, "Covalent Bond Control of Frontier Carbon Materials," Friday, March 26, 3-4 p.m. in Chem Sci 101.

IN THE NEWS

President Curt Tompkins is interviewed by Jim Cross, vice provost for information technology, in the spring 2004 issue of the ACUTA Journal of Communications Technology in Higher Education. He discusses Michigan Tech's use of Internet and communications technology, its parternships with industry and how it has used high-speed communications technology to overcome some of the difficulties caused by its remote location. The photograph for the cover of the issue was provided by University Photographer Brian Parmeter.

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IN PRINT

Professor Barry D. Solomon (Social Sciences) published a paper, "History of Energy in Geographic Thought," in The Encyclopedia of Energy, edited by Cutler Cleveland (San Diego: Elsevier, 2004). His coauthor was M. J. Pasqualetti of Arizona State University. He also wrote another chapter for this volume, "Economic Geography of Energy."

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PROPOSALS IN PROGRESS

Researchers, their proposals and their potential sponsors are

William J. Endres (MEEM), "Model-Based Tooling Selection for Optimally Robust Dynamic Performance in Machining," NSF

Bernhard Bettig (MEEM), Nilufer Onder (Computer Science), Philip Merkey (Mathematical Sciences), "Collaborative Research: Automated Multi-Physics Model Composition for Advanced Engineering Environments," NSF

Andrew P. Jansma (SBE), "Innovation and Diffusion of Information Technology by County and Local Governments," NSF

Seyed A. Zekavat, Warren Perger (ECE), "Dynamic Beam Patterns Adaptive Antennas," NSF

Wayne D. Pennington, Roger Turpening (GMES/RSI), "Crosswell Seismic Amplitude-Versus-Offset for Detailed Imaging of Facies and Fluid Distribution Within Carbonate Oil Reservoirs," US Department of Energy

Ralph J. Hodek, Torsten Mayrberger (CEE/MTTI), "Resilient Modulus at the Limits of Gradation and Varying Degrees of Saturation," Michigan Department of Transportation

Gerard Caneba (Chemical Engineering/IMP), "Efficient and Environmentally Responsible Enhanced Oil Recovery," US Department of Energy

Tony N. Rogers (Chemical Engineering), Burhanettin S. Altan (MEEM), Stephen A. Hackney (MSE), "Diatoms in Prostate Brachytherapy," Department of Defense

James R. Wood (GMES), "New Approaches to the Regional Study and Analysis of Intracratonic Basins, USA," US Department of Energy

Ann L. Maclean, Christopher R. Webster (SFRES/SFI), John W. Sutherland (MEEM/SFI), David R. Shonnard (Chemical Engineering/SFI), Kathleen E. Halvorsen (Social Sciences/SFRES/SFI), Barry Solomon (Social Sciences), David J. Flaspohler (SFRES), David R. Hokanson (CEE), "Renewable Energy from Forest Resources: An Investigation of the Complex Interrelated Issues from Generating Automotive Fuels from Lignocellulosic Biomass," National Science Foundation

W. Charles Kerfoot (Biological Sciences/RSI), "Collaborative Research: A 'Resurrection Ecology' Approach to Metapopulation Structure of Coastal Planktonic Communities," NSF

William Bulleit (CEE), "Load Duration Behavior of Bolted and Nailed Wood Connections," USDA-CSREES

Chandrashekhar P. Joshi (SFRES/PBRC), "Genetic Engineering of Cellulose Biosynthensis in Hardwood and Softwood Trees," USDA-CSREES

John W. van de Lindt (CEE), "Reliability-Based Shearwall Design for Multiple Performance Objectives," USDA-CSREES

Kurt S. Pregitzer, Wendy Loya (SFRES/ESC), "Soil Carbon Formation Under Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Ozone," USDA-CSREES

Jaroslaw Drelich (MSE-IME), "MTU-UofU Collaborative Program on Examination of Liquid Ordering at Solid Surfaces: Curvature Scale and Surface Energy Effects," NSF

William J. Sproule, Pasi T. Lautala (CEE/MTTI), "Asset Management for Short Line Railroads," University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jindong Tan (ECE), "ITR-(ASE)-(int): Tele-Haptics Enhanced Real-Time Interactive and Collaborative Environment for Manufacturing and Training," Michigan State University

Chunxiao Chigan (ECE), Seungjin Park (Computer Science), "ITR: Collaborative Research-(ASE+NHS)-(int+dmc+sim): Research on Survivability and Security for Wireless Ad Hoc and Sensors Networks," NSF

Seyed A. Zekavat, Zhi Tian (ECE), "ITR: Collaborative Research: (NHS+ASE) - (dmc+int+soc): A Wireless Local Positioning System for Mobile Remote Monitoring," NSF

Bernhard Bettig, Roshan M. D'Souza (MEEM/SFI), Nilufer Onder (Computer Science/SFI), David R. Shonnard (Chemical Engineering/SFI), David W. Watkins (CEE/SFI), "ITR-(ASE+EVS)-(dmc+sim+int): An Internet-based Architecture to Enable Decision-Makring for Sustainability," NSF

Michael E. Mullins, Jason M. Keith, Joseph H. Holles, Tony N. Rogers, Julia A. King (Chemical Engineering), "Michigan Technology Center for Nanostructure and Light Weight Materials in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Michigan Technological University," Department of Energy

Patrick E. Martin (Social Sciences), "SGER: International Collaboration in the Industrial Archaeology of the Arctic," NSF

Paul L. Bergstrom (ECE), Brian D. Barkdoll (CEE), "SST: Distributed Sensing of Municipal Drinking Water for Human Health and Security," NSF

Gerard Caneba, Sean Clancey (Chemical Engineering), "Nanotechnology Clearinghouse for Homeland Security," Michigan Economic Development Corporation--Tri-corridor Technology Initiative

Edward Lumsdaine (MEEM), "Program to Detect Bio-Terrorism," American Supplier Institute

Ravindra Patankar (MEEM/IEM), Walter Milligan (MSE/IEM), "SST-Sensing Fatigue Damage Precursors for Health Monitoring," NSF

Michele H. Miller, Bernhard P. Bettig, Gordon G. Parker (MEEM), Sarah A. Green, Haiying Liu (Chemistry), "SST: Optimizing Chemo-Mechanical Structure for MEMS Vapor Sensor Arrays," NSF

Miguel Levy (Physics), "A Nanotechnology Route to Advanced Optical Materials and Devices--Collaborative Project with TAL Materials, Inc. and Electro-Optics Technology, Inc.), TAL Materials, Inc.

Jason R. Carter (Biological Sciences), Sudhakar M. Pandit, Steve G. Mattson (MEEM), "SST: Enablement of a Smart Sensor to Assess Autonomic Activity through Pupilary Oscillations," NSF

Lyon B. King, Craig Friedrich (MEEM), "SIRG: Microscale Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer Arrays," NSF

Leonard J. Bohmann (ECE/PERC), Pete Moran (MSE), Dave Stone (ECE), "MEGGA MTTC--Powered by the Wind," Mackinaw Power, LLC

Peter Radecki, James Baker (Corporate Services/Research), David Reed (Research), "Multi-University Technological and Expertise Assets Management for Enterprise Development-- U-TEAMED," Michigan Economic Development Corporation--Michigan Technology Tri Corridor Program

Zhi Tian (Electrical Engineering), "Ultra-Wideband Radios for Agile Wireless Sensor Networks," Office of Naval Research

Chung-Jui Tsai, Scott A. Harding (PBRC/SFRES), "A New Method to Increase Carbon Retention in Soil," Edenspace

John S. King (SFRES), "Forest Ecophysiological Responses will Influence Regional Water Supplies due to Altered Atmospheric Conditions in the Near Future," USDA-CSREES

Gordon Parker, Jason Blough (MEEM), "High Capacity At-Sea Transfer," Rolls-Royce

J. Y. Hwang, M. Levy, P. Moran (MSE/IMP), S. Shi, J. M. Gillis (IMP), "Development of Microwave-Assisted Hot Pressing/Oscillatory Forming Equipment for Nanostructure Materials Processing and Education," NSF

David Nelson (Biomedical Engineering), Pete Cattelino, Jim Baker (Corporate Services), "Market Analysis and Development Plan for Non-Contract Skin Blood Flow Meter," MUCI (MLSC)

Seyed A. Zekavat, Glen Archer (ECE), Kedmon Hungwe (Education), William Bulleit (CEE), David Nelson (Biomedical Engineering), "Optimizing the Interdisciplinary Course: Introduction to Electrical Engineering (EE) for Non-EE Majors," NSF

David F. Karnosky (Ecosystem Science Center/SFRES), "Long-Term Ozone Exposure and Mechanisms of Emerging Melampsora Leaf Rust on Poplars: A Functional Genomics Approach," NSF

Chandrashekhar P. Joshi (SFRES/PBRC), "Genetic Engineering of Cellulose Biosynthesis in Trees," NCSU

Noel Urban (CEE/RSI), W. Charles Kerfoot (Biological Sciences/RSI), "LTER Lake Superior Ecosystem," NSF

Charles Wallace (Computer Science), Ann Brady, Robert Johnson (Humanities), "Speaking of Software: Integrating Communication and Documentation Techniques in an Undergraduate Software Engineering Curriculum," NSF

Terry McNinch (CEE/MTTI), "2004 Video Production Completion," MDOT

Kurt S. Pregitzer, Wendy M. Loya (SFRES/ESC), "Effects of Down- and Up-Regulated Lignin Biosynthesis of Populus on Soil Carbon Transformation and Storage," North Carolina State University

Burhanettin S. Altan (MEEM), Tony N. Rogers (Chemical Engineering), Stephen A. Hackney (MSE), "Targeted Drug Delivery Using Diatoms," DOD

John van de Lindt (CEE) "NEES-SG; NEESWood: Development of a Performance-Based Seismic Design Philosophy for Mid-Rise Woodframe Construction," NSF

Tom Drummer (Mathematical Sciences), "Evaluating the Statistical Properties of Abundance Estimators using Sightability Models," and "Developing a Sharp-Tailed Grouse Monitoring Program in the Eastern Upper Peninsula," Michigan DNR

J. Y. Hwang (MSE/IMP), S. Shi (IMP), P. Bergstrom (ECE/IMP), "Development of a Novel Reactor for Advancing Research and Education on Microwave Catalyzed Materials Synthesis," NSF

Seyed A. Zekavat, Zhi (Gerry) Tian, Jindong Tan (ECE), "Development of a Local Positioning System for Mobile Monitoring, Tracking and Control," NSF

Ramakrishna Wusirika (Biological Sciences), "Evaluation of Monocot Genome Organization and Evolution," NSF

Chung-Jui Tsai, Scott Harding, Hongying Jiang (PBRC/SFRES), Shuanglin Zhang (Mathematical/PBRC), "ISGA: A Functional Genomics Approach to Investigate Regulation of Phenolic Glycoside Metabolism in Populus," NSF

Tammy L. Haut Donahue (MEEM), "Structure and Function of Meniscal Horn Attachments," National Institutes of Health

Wayne Pennington, Sean Wagner (GMES), "Proposal for Education and Outreach in Earthquake Seismology through the SEG Geoscience Center," Society of Exploration Geophysics

Rolf O. Peterson (Ecosystem Science Center/SFRES), Laura Kruger (SFRES), "Geographic Origin of the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) Hibernating in Mines of the Upper Great Lakes Region," Michigan DNR

David J. Flaspohler, Andrew Storer (SFRES), "Kirtland's Warbler Establishment in the Upper Peninsula: Management Potential and Influence on Biodiversity," MIDNR--Wildlife Division

Christopher R. Webster, Rolf O. Peterson, John A. Vucetich (SFRES), Thomas D. Drummer (Mathematical Sciences), "Winter Use by White-Tailed Deer of Remnant Hemlock Stands in the Western Upper Peninsula," MIDNR--Wildlife Division

Roshan M. D'Souza (MEEM), "A Web-Enabled Intelligent Tool Sequence Selection System for the Milling Process," SME--Education Foundation and "GrAPE--Grid-enabled Automated Process-Planning Environment," NSF

Michael Neuman (Biomedical Engineering), "Using Computational Intelligence to Reliably Determine Sleep State in Infants: Prelude to Analysis of Longitudinal CHIME Home Monitor Recordings," Clarkson University

David A. Nelson (Biomedical Engineering), Ronald K. Gratz (Biological Sciences), "A Novel Method for Non-Contact, Quantitative Measurement of Skin Blood Flow: Proof of Concept and Feasibility Analysis," NIH

____________

ON THE ROAD

Professor Barry D. Solomon (Social Sciences) presented a paper, "History of Energy in Geographic Thought," at the 100th anniversary conference on the Association of American Geographers held in Philadelphia March 14-19. His coauthor was M. J. Pasqualetti of Arizona State University. The paper was published as a chapter in The Encyclopedia of Energy, edited by Cutler Cleveland (San Diego: Elsevier, 2004).

____________

BULLETIN BOARD

WANTED: Advice and plants. I'm replacing a shady lawn area with a native woodland garden. If you can tell me about soil preparation, planting, good (ethical) sources for plants, etc. I could use your counsel. I'm especially interested in spring ephemerals and Canadian dogwood. Contact Marcia at 7-3505 or mlgoodri at mtu.edu

____________

CALENDAR: MARCH

24--Wednesday

  7:30 p.m.--Forum on Keweenaw land-use planning--M&M U115

25--Thursday

  10 a.m./7 p.m.--Vera Dickerson, watercolor presentation--McArdle Theatre

  noon--Women's Week: Annie Humphrey, "Journeys of Feeling, Her Song, Her Spirit, Her Voice, Reflecting Spirit"----Memorial Union Ballroom B

26--Friday

  10 a.m./2 p.m.--Vera Dickerson, watercolor presentation--McArdle Theatre

  noon--Women's Week: Regina Vincent Clark, author and poet--Memorial Union Ballroom B

  9 p.m.--Bra Show--Memorial Union Ballroom B

27--Saturday

  7:30 p.m.--"A Couple of Blaguards"--Rozsa Center

28--Sunday

  10 a.m.--Men's Tennis, Findlay at MTU--Gates Tennis Center

APRIL

3--Saturday

  1 p.m.--Children's Concert--Rozsa Center

8--Thursday

  10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.--Friends of the J.R. Van Pelt Library Book Sale--Memorial Union Ballroom

____________

MICHIGAN TECH POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Job descriptions will be available at 1 p.m. on Friday, or by e-mail at <JOBS@MTU.EDU>.

The following positions will be posted Friday, March 26, 2004, at 1 p.m. through noon, Friday, April 2, 2004, in the Human Resources Office or at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/postings/

Executive Secretary N7--Center for International Education (UAW internal posting only)

Research Associate--School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science

University employees are reminded to apply in writing prior to noon, Friday, April 2, 2004, to be considered as internal candidates for bargaining unit positions only. Applicants from the recall pool will be given first consideration for non-bargaining-unit positions only. Vacancy announcements are normally posted every Friday at 1 p.m. in the Human Resources Office. Complete job descriptions are available in the Human Resources Office or by calling 487-2280. More information regarding employment opportunities is available by calling the Job Line at 487-2895. Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer.

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