Marcia Goodrich, Tech Topics editor, 906-487-2343 Megan Gilge, Tech Topics editorial assistant, 906-487-2343 You can reach us via e-mail here. The deadline for submitting information for Tech Topics is 5:00 p.m. the Friday before anticipated publication. Subscribe
to e-TechTopics: majordomo@mtu.edu
|
1. MICHIGAN TECH BOARD NAMES INTERIM PRESIDENT: GLENN MROZ TO LEAD UNIVERSITY DURING SEARCH FOR NEW PRESIDENTCurtis J. Tompkins concluded more than 12 years of service as Michigan Tech's eighth president on March 26. Board of Control chair David Brule also announced the appointment of Glenn Mroz, MTU's dean of forest resources and environmental science, as interim president. Mroz, who is also interim dean of the School of Technology, will serve while the board conducts a national search. The announcement came at a special session of the Board of Control, which was requested by Tompkins. In a letter to Brule on March 16, Tompkins requested the meeting to "begin the transition of leadership of Michigan Technological University." The board granted Tompkins the title of President Emeritus and passed a resolution to honor his many accomplishments. In addition, the board formed two ad hoc subcommittees to initiate the search for a new president. One subcommittee will develop a search process and suggest procedures for appointing a search committee. The other subcommittee will investigate search firms to aid in the effort. Both groups will present their recommendations to the full Board of Control for action. Both groups will present their recommendations for action no later than the June board meeting. Tompkins became Michigan Tech president on September 1, 1991, after 11 years of service as dean of engineering at West Virginia University. Brule noted that under Tompkins's leadership there has been tremendous growth in research and graduate programs at Michigan Tech. "Curt has led Tech from its place as a regional university when he arrived to the prestigious position of being a top national research university." Brule noted that Tech is now ranked in the top 50 public universities in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report. "That is a concrete example of Curt's leadership over the years," Brule said. Former Michigan Tech Fund president and chairman of Dow Corning Corporation Gary Anderson praised Tompkins for his leadership of the Leaders for Innovation Campaign. The Campaign, which raised $146 million, was the most successful fundraising effort in Michigan Tech's history. "Curt helped Tech build its endowment while providing funds for student scholarships and fellowships, faculty development, campus enrichment and new facilities," Anderson said. New buildings constructed during Tompkins's tenure include the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, the Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, the Hesterberg and Horner additions to the Noblet forestry facility, the Harold Meese Center, the Peter J. Grant Hockey Educational Center, the Advanced Technology Development Complex--which is nearing completion--and two projects currently under construction, the John and Ruanne Opie Library and the Kanwal and Anne Rehki Computer Science Hall. Tompkins said, "Kathy and I will always have a special place in our hearts for the faculty, staff, alumni and the community, but most of all for the students--because they represent the primary reason for our existence as an institution of higher education." Mroz has had a long association with the university. He has served as dean of the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science since 2000. Prior to that, he served one year as associate dean and three years as coordinator of the forest ecology and management program. "We are pleased the Board of Control has selected Glenn Mroz," said Art Sigel, secretary of the Michigan Tech Fund, which solicits private support on behalf of the university. "He has been an excellent fundraiser for the university. We know him as a person who gets things done." Under Mroz's leadership, the School has expanded its facilities, its research program and its fundraising goals. He was instrumental in establishing a partnership with the US Forest Service laboratory on campus and completing the $2.5 million in private funding for the 48,000-square-foot expansion of the forestry facility, which opened in 2001. Mroz has taught at Michigan Tech since 1976, first as a faculty assistant and instructor. He became an assistant professor in 1983, after receiving his PhD in Silviculture from North Carolina State University. He holds MS and BS degrees from Michigan Tech. His expertise is in silviculture (the development and care of forests), soils and watershed management. Brule said the Board has every confidence in Mroz to lead Michigan Tech while the search for a permanent successor is launched. "As Michigan Tech enters its 119th year, I am certain our ninth president will build on the tremendous accomplishments of President Tompkins and will lead the university to its place as a national university of choice," Brule concluded. ____________ 2. MROZ INVITES INPUT FROM MTU COMMUNITYAs the university adjusts to changes in leadership, Interim President Glenn Mroz stressed the importance of keeping the lines of communication open. "I'm coming up to speed on many issues very quickly, so I'm in fact-finding mode," he said. "The open, honest exchange of ideas is as critical now as it has ever been." Mroz expects to do a certain amount of managing by walking around, particularly as he moves into his new role. "I'll be checking in with people," he said, noting that he will be talking with the University Senate, Staff Council, the AAUP and USG in the near future. "I want our students, faculty and staff to know I'm concerned with what they are doing, and I need to know more to do my job effectively." In times of flux, it's easy to lose sight of long-term goals. "But now, more than ever, it's important to focus on the Strategic Plan, even as we confront the realities of our budget situation." CFO Dan Greenlee and Provost Kent Wray have been working closely with Mroz as the administration develops a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Wray's experience as provost and chief academic officer is critical to ensure consistent leadership during this time of transition, according to the Board of Control. "Michigan Tech is strongest with Kent Wray remaining as provost and Glenn Mroz as interim president," said board member Kathy Clark. "When we were considering an interim president, we considered both the position of provost and the position of president in our decision." Board chair David Brule concurred, noting his confidence in Wray's academic leadership and the board's desire to have a steady hand on the academic helm throughout the transition. "It would not be in the university's best interest to have both an interim president and an interim provost," Brule said. ____________ 3. GALE NAMED INTERIM DEAN OF FOREST RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCEProfessor Margaret Gale, the associate dean of forest resources and environmental science, has agreed to serve as interim dean during Glenn Mroz's appointment as interim president of MTU, Provost Kent Wray has announced. "I'm very fortunate to be able to enlist the talents of Peg Gale," said Wray. "She has been very effective as associate dean. Plus, she knows how the university works and can work well with people. Mroz, who was dean of forest resources and environmental science before being named interim president March 26, continues to provide leadership in the School of Technology, where he has been interim dean. The School expects to conclude its search for a new dean soon. Before being named associate dean of forest resources and environmental science, Gale served as the School's graduate program coordinator. While her research focuses primarily on wetlands issues, she has coauthored more than 40 articles and reports on a variety of topics relating to forest and wetland ecology. She teaches graduate classes on research methods and experimental design including an upper-division wetland ecology class, as well as undergraduate and graduate seminar courses. She has advised over 25 graduate students and has brought in as a PI or Co-PI over $1.1 million of research funds since coming to MTU. Gale received the School's Distinguished Teaching Award in 1990 and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Faculty Fellowship Award in 1994. In addition, she was honored in 1997 by the Society of American Foresters for her contributions to the development and coordination of ecology terminology. Gale earned a BS in Forestry and an MS in Forest Management at Michigan Tech before completing her PhD in Production Ecology at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She returned to MTU as an assistant professor in 1987 and attained the rank of professor in 1999. ____________ 4. RESEARCHERS HOPE TO GROW TREES WITH BIG APPETITE FOR CARBON DIOXIDEResearchers at Michigan Tech have received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop poplars that can take up more of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Professor David Karnosky and Associate Professor Chung-Jui Tsai of the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science recently were awarded a three-year, $916,231 grant from the DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research to test several varieties of hybrid poplar trees. The trees will be grown in carbon dioxide-enriched atmosphere at the Aspen FACE site in Rhinelander, Wis., and at the POPFACE site in Viterbo, Italy. Aspen FACE (Free-Air CO2 Enrichment) opens a window on the future of our northern forests. It is the world's largest, open-air climate change research facility, and the only FACE site where scientists can study the impact of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and ozone on forest ecosystems. The researchers aim to analyze trees that thrive in a CO2-rich environment, using gene expression studies to isolate the genes responsible for acquiring and storing carbon. Scientists could then use this knowledge to develop a new generation of trees that could help mitigate global warming. Global warming has been blamed on an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide. Plants naturally remove carbon dioxide from the air as they grow and store it, a process known as carbon sequestration. Thus, scientists theorize that fast-growing trees could help stave off climate changes associated with the rise in atmospheric CO2. This award is the latest in a series of DOE grants supporting global-change research at Aspen FACE. A number of groundbreaking discoveries have resulted, along with numerous publications in leading scientific journals. "This is an excellent use of our FACE facility to examine the functional genomics of carbon sequestration," said Karnosky, who is the director of Aspen FACE. The DOE grant establishes a consortium of researchers involved in plant genetics and forest ecology. In addition to MTU's Karnosky and Tsai, the project includes Gopi Podila of the University of Alabama-Huntsville, Gail Taylor of the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, Alistair Rogers of Brookhaven National Lab and Don Riemenschneider of the USDA Forest Service North Central Station. Aspen FACE is funded jointly by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research; the National Science Foundation; Global Change Program, USDA Forest Service; North Central Research Station, USDA Forest Service; Michigan Technological University; the USDA National Research Initiative Program; Brookhaven National Laboratory; and Natural Resources Canada. ____________ 5. ABBOTT TO RECEIVE DONOVAN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICEMike Abbott will receive the 2004 Clair M. Donovan Award for Outstanding Service. The Blue Key National Honor Society presents the award annually to an MTU student, faculty or staff member for exemplary service during the preceding year. "It's pretty humbling," said Abbott, manager of quality service and recreation for Auxiliary Services. "I'm honored to be mentioned," both with those nominated and with previous Donovan recipients. "I know most of the award winners going back 20 years." Abbott held a variety of positions at Michigan Tech before joining the Auxiliary Services staff two and one-half years ago. He earned a BS in Biological Sciences and an MS in Business Administration, both from Michigan Tech. Abbott was nominated by Physical Education Department Chair Cheryl DePuydt, who cited his extensive efforts in the development of the MTU Ski Trails. "Mike has done an outstanding job," she said. "Due to his efforts, we have some of the best trails in the country." Working on the trails has been "absolutely" a labor of love, Abbott said. "It's the best project I've worked on in the 22 years I've been here," he said. An avid skier and mountain biker, he notes that recent improvements in the trails have been a cooperative endeavor. "It's been a terrific collaborative effort," he said, listing MTU's administration, Undergraduate Student Government, the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, the Athletic Department, Auxiliary Services, "and the community, both the campus community and the community at large." "Mike is getting this award because of how much he values the community," said Abbott's supervisor, Auxiliary Services Director Howard Greenley. "It's fitting that he receive it after all these years of dedication. "He really cares," Greenley added. "That dedication comes from deep down. He's not looking for awards or rewards, it's just who he is." "Mike always goes the extra mile to provide quality service," DePuydt said in nominating Abbott. "I witnessed him helping a person find their wallet. He played detective and then personally drove the customer down to campus to pick up the lost wallet. "I'm sure that's not in his job description." For his part, Abbott feels he gets at least as much as he gives. "I can't believe I am lucky enough to do all this stuff," he said. Abbott and his wife, Kathy, have five daughters and live in Atlantic Mine. ____________ 6. FACULTY RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIP GRANTSThe following Faculty Scholarship Grant proposals were approved for funding for a total of $8,985: Associate Professor Susan Martin (Social Sciences) received $2,500 for "Women, Anthropology and the Foundations of Ojibwe Ethnography: Second Phase"; Assistant Professor Nilufer Onder (Computer Science) received $1,500 for "Taking Part in the Probabilistic Track of the International Planning Competition"; Associate Professor William Sproule (CEE) received $500 for "The History of Pro Hockey in the Copper Country"; and Assistant Professor Martin Thompson (Chemistry) received $4,485 for "Deciphering the Histone Code." ____________ 7. DISTINGUISHED TEACHING AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCEDsubmitted by the Center for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Development Each year, Michigan Tech recognizes two educators for their outstanding contribution to the instructional mission of the university. The first stage in this process involves the identification of ten Distinguished Teaching Award finalists (five in the Lecturer/Assistant Professor category and five in the Associate Professor/Professor category). Over 45,000 MTU Student Rating of Instruction scores from the spring and fall 2003 semesters were used to determine the 10 finalists. The selection committee will solicit and review comments from students, staff, faculty and alumni of Michigan Tech in making its final decision. Comments on the nominees should be sent to nsseely at mtu.edu by April 16. For the Associate Professor/Professor category, finalists are Associate Professor Dennis Lynch (Humanities), Professor Terry Reynolds (Social Sciences), Associate Professor John Sandell (School of Technology), Professor John Sutherland (MEEM) and Associate Professor Douglas Swenson (MSE). In the Assistant Professor/Lecturer Category, finalists are Lecturer Michael Clancey (Chemical Engineering), Lecturer Ann Humes (School of Technology), Assistant Professor Chandrashekhar Joshi (SFRES), Lecturer Josh Loukus (MEEM) and Lecturer David Pray (Mathematical Sciences). The process for determining the Distinguished Teaching Award recipients from this list of finalists involves the additional surveying of their classes by members of ODK. The Distinguished Teaching Award Decision Committee makes the final determination of the award recipients. The recipients of the 2004 Distinguished Teaching Award will be formally announced during the fall 2004 convocation. ____________ 8. NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR 2004 GRADUATE MENTORING AWARDGraduate students enrolled during the 2003-04 school year are encouraged nominate faculty for the 2004 Graduate Mentoring Award. This award will be presented at the 2004 President's Convocation. Nominations should be 1-2 pages, typed and should address how the nominee demonstrates the following characteristics: (1) Modeling--demonstrates collegial and professional excellence by advocating collaboration, interdisciplinary communication and willingness to share credit for ventures with their students. (2) Availability--regularly makes himself/herself available to students even while away from campus, e.g., on sabbatical. (3) Advocacy--actively advocates for students s/he advises and for graduate students in general. This may involve climate, support, professional development and academic opportunity. (4) Creativity--works with student to find directions for academic pursuit that match both the student's interests and real-world availability of post-graduation employment and/or plans the student may have. (5) Listening--listens to students' concerns and interests first, then engages in identifying options. (6) Awareness--actively works to stay abreast of current disciplinary trends and opportunities, both inside and outside of the academy. Nominations should be e-mailed to gsc@mtu.edu or sent in hard copy to the Graduate Student Council, ROTC 101, by April 14. ____________ 9. RESEARCH EXCELLENCE FUND GRANT CFP AVAILABLE ONLINEThe 2004 Research Excellence Fund program announcement and call for proposals is now online at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/rgs/research/vpr/internal/excellence.html . Proposals are due April 23 and funding will begin this summer. Proposals should be submitted electronically to Joanne Polzien as indicated in the announcement. She will be posting a FAQ list, so please direct questions to her (487-3043 or jpolzien at mtu.edu). ____________ 10. MEMORIAL UNION EASTER WEEKEND HOURSThe Memorial Union will have reduced operating hours April 9-11. Operations will be closed except for the times listed below: BUILDING HOURS April 9, Close at 10 p.m. April 11, Open at 5 p.m. MANAGER'S OFFICE April 9, 8 a.m.-noon TECH EXPRESS SERVICE CENTER April 9, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. FOOD MALL April 9, 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. CORNER STORE April 9, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. CAMPUS STORE April 9, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Normal hours will resume on Sunday, April 11, at 5 p.m. ____________ 11. TEACHING AT TECH: RESISTANCE TO LEARNING AND COGNITIVE DISSONANCEby William Kennedy, director, Center for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Development Learning something new often involves rejecting something old and, perhaps, dear. Years ago, social psychologist Leon Festinger coined the term "cognitive dissonance" to describe the disquieting range of reactions that follow when incoming information conflicts with existing worldviews. Festinger and a host of other cognitive consistency theorists concluded that our mental apparatus is constantly seeking a state of psychological homeostasis. Psychological homeostasis, like its physiological counterpart, suggests that our minds, like our bodies, constantly seek a state of functioning that supports a state of well-being. Run down the street on a hot day and your body automatically perspires to help maintain optimal operating temperatures. Sit through a classroom experience that challenges your view of the world and your mind is likely to wander, question the veracity of those competing claims or shift your focus to conclude that the class is hopelessly boring or obtuse. Festinger observed that people commonly develop living and learning strategies to help them effectively reckon with dissonant life experiences. One commonly used strategy involves consciously or unconsciously avoiding those situations that are likely to increase dissonance. Perhaps this helps to explain why people tend to associate with other people who share similar worldviews and values. Maybe Festinger's concept provides theoretical rationale for our understanding of xenophobia in most, if not all, of its disquieting manifestations. At the very least, his views might help us to understand why students frequently opt for superficial memorization and begrudging compliance over deeper and more lasting learning that springs from more fundamental change in thinking patterns and valuing. Festinger also noted a strong tendency for people to ultimately reject ideas that they are compelled to embrace but which are not fully integrated into their thinking. This may explain why students seem to "forget" so much of what they "knew" over the summer break. Those who sell big ticket items know that those customers that they skillfully "impulse" into a hasty purchase are also very likely to back out of a sales contract during the externally mandated cooling off period. The problem may be that we have failed to anticipate and address how those incoming ideas will square with existing misconceptions or more comfortable points of view. The problem may not be that "they just didn't get it." It may be that "they got it and they just didn't like it" so they mentally put it in the temporary save bin. Finally, Festinger found that lasting attitudinal change typically does not arise as a result of the use of artificial inducements. We may think that we can jump start learning by using grades as carrots or sticks. Festinger concluded that the aggressive or overt use of artificial inducements actually prevents the kind of genuine and lasting transformation that we profess to desire. Compulsion more often leads to public compliance than private acceptance. Festinger's work might be understood as encouraging teachers to expend more time and energy establishing a genuine bond of trust and good will with students before challenging them with a host of new ideas that are likely to create dissonance. In addition, student learning and lasting retention might be enhanced if we take the time to recognize the specific sorts of dissonance that those new ideas might induce. Doing this requires the messy and time-consuming work of actually understanding the range of ideas that the students bring with them to class on the first day. The ancient rhetoricians called it "assuring a fair hearing" and saw it as a fundamental underpinning of lasting attitude change. 12. ROOMFUL OF BLUES GUARANTEES WONDERFUL ENTERTAINMENTsubmitted by University Cultural Enrichment The San Francisco Examiner called Roomful of Blues "the hottest, most solid, and wonderfully entertaining band around." They've won Grammy and W. C. Handy nominations, and were twice selected by the prestigious DownBeat International Critics Poll as Best Blues Band. This great eight-member ensemble will be appearing at the Rozsa Center on Saturday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. as the main event of the Tech Arts Festival, presented by the MTU Memorial Union Board. 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 . A winning combination of jump, swing, blues, R&B and soul, what Living Blues has called "bold, versatile power and expertly executed swinging rhythms and dynamite horns," not to mention exactingly high standards of musicianship, have kept Roomful on top of the game for an extraordinary 35 years. During that time more than 43 Roomful members have kept the band fresh, strong, consistently original and open to innovation. Guitarist Chris Vachon leads the current line-up, with vocalist/harpist Mark DuFresne, bassist Brad Hallen, drummer Jason Corbiere, keyboardist Mark Stevens, baritone and tenor saxophonist Mark Earley, trumpeter Bob Enos and alto saxophonist Rich Lataille, who is the longest standing member of the group. Roomful has toured non-stop across the U.S. and around the world, frequently playing gigs with blues stars ranging from B. B. King, Otis Rush and Stevie Ray Vaughan to rockers Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana. They're also regular performers at major festivals, including the San Francisco Blues Festival, the King Biscuit Blues Festival, the Beale Street Music Festival, and overseas at the Northsea Jazz Festival, the Stockholm Jazz Festival, the Montreaux Jazz Festival and the Belgian R&B Festival. Founders such as Duke Robillard and Al Copley, Fran Christina and Ronnie Earl made their names with Roomful before moving on to other projects. "Excellent, marvelous wall-to-wall grooves . . . between the wicked guitar work and the brassy horn section, things never stop swinging," says USA Today. This is a don't-miss show for music lovers and anyone who would enjoy a band that "People" says is " . . . frisky . . . bursting with scorchers . . . easy-swinging crackling riffs . . . and crisp, taut horns that keep the joint jumping." The visit of Roomful of Blues is made possible by the MTU Memorial Union Board, which is funded by the MTU Student Activity Fee, and is coordinated by the MTU Great Events Series Office (487-2844). ____________ 13. WIND SYMPHONY AND CONCERT BAND PERFORM FRIDAYThe Michigan Tech Wind Symphony and Campus Concert Band will present a joint concert of music inspired by visual art on Friday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Rozsa Center. Highlights of "The Music of Art," conducted by Alton Thompson, include Norman Dello Joio's "Scenes from the Louvre," Newell H. Long's "Art Show," the overture to Rossini's "An Italian in Algiers" and the "Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion" by P. D. Q. Bach, among other pieces. Artwork by Michigan Tech students will be exhibited in the Rozsa Lobby. The Wind Symphony, a select group of approximately 50 woodwind, brass and percussion players, performs a wide range of music in three or four concerts throughout the year. The Wind Symphony enjoys adding elements of drama, poetry, comedy, dance and visual art to its performances of great music to create a multisensory experience. The Campus Concert Band, a 30-member ensemble which meets during the spring semester, give members of the Huskies Pep Band (and others) the opportunity to play music different from the Pep Band's usual repertoire. Tickets for "The Music of Art" are available from the Rozsa Center Box Office (487-3200), other Michigan Tech ticket outlets, online at http://www.tickets.mtu.edu and at the door for $8 general, $4 students. ____________ 14. MICHIGAN TECH DANCE COMPANY TO PERFORM AT THE ROZSAThe Michigan Tech Dance Company will present its annual dance extravaganza in the Rozsa Center on Sunday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. As always, the 21-member dance company will pull out all the stops with a show featuring many different styles of dance, directed and choreographed by Laura Bonneville. The show also features costumes and lighting designs by Department of Fine Arts faculty and student designers. The dance company's spring show highlights the remarkable versatility and skill of Michigan Tech's dancers, a dedicated troupe known for their creativity and energy. Audience members frequently comment, "This was one of the most entertaining student performances I've seen." This year's show includes the premieres of five new numbers, plus the performance of favorites from last year, including "Hyperventilation" and "Canned Heat." Michigan Tech's Jazz Lab Band will accompany the dancers in "Sister Sadie." Tickets are available for $8 general, $4 students from the Rozsa Center Box Office, 487-3200, on the Web at http://www.tickets.mtu.edu and at the door. More information about the Michigan Tech Dance Company is available from the Department of Fine Arts, 487-2067. ____________ 15. FREE NOONTIME CONCERTS AT THE ROZSAThe Department of Fine Arts and the Rozsa Center will present four free noon-hour concerts during the week of April 5 in the Rozsa Center lobby. "Mid-Day at the Rozsa" will feature outstanding student musicians in several ensembles, including the jazz combos Momentum and JazTec, a vocal ensemble premiering music written by biological sciences senior Kate Meriwether, the Michigan Tech String Quartet composed of students who also play in the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra and Five Percent Skill, an ensemble playing marimba, xylophone and other percussion instruments. "This is a wonderful opportunity to relax in the Rozsa Lobby and hear some of our truly remarkable student musicians," says fine arts chair Milton Olsson. Campus and community members are welcome to attend any portion of the informal concerts, which will begin at about 12:10 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, April 5-8. Café Rozsa will be open until 1 p.m., with beverages and light snacks available. The Mid-Day series will be an annual event, providing an informal concert venue for students who regularly engage in music-making outside the fine arts department's large musical ensembles. Fine arts faculty mentor these groups, but the small ensembles are student-led. The groups sometimes write and perform their own repertoire. For three students pursuing minors in music, this year's Mid-Day performances are an opportunity to present a capstone project. The schedule for Mid-Day at the Rozsa includes Momentum on Monday, April 5; the Kate Meriwether Ensemble and the Michigan Tech String Quartet on Tuesday, April 6; Five Percent Skill on Wednesday, April 7; and JazTec on Thursday, April 8. ____________ 16. CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES FEATURES ALL-MOZART CONCERTFive gifted Keweenaw musicians will present music of W. A. Mozart at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 4, in the final concert of this season's chamber music series in McArdle Theatre. Featured works include the Sonata in B-flat (K. 454) for violin and piano, the Trio in E (K. 542) and the Quartet in G minor (K. 478). The chamber music series is sponsored by the Department of Fine Arts. Performers include violinist Cori Somers, concertmaster of the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the Copper Country Suzuki Association, and pianist Neil Paynter, organizer of the chamber music series. In addition to solo and chamber performances, Paynter accompanies the Michigan Tech Concert Choir, Copper Country Chorale and Studio North Opera. Violist Elizabeth Meyer is program director for the Suzuki Association and principal viola for the KSO. Cellists are Patrick Quimby, a senior in materials science and engineering and principal cello for the KSO, and Margaret Twining, teacher for the Copper Country Suzuki Association and conductor of the CCSA's Youth Symphony as well as KSO member. Tickets are available from the Rozsa Center Box Office (487-3200), http://www.tickets.mtu.edu and at the door for $6 general, $3 students. ____________ 17. FREE CONCERT AND PLAY AT "THE ROCK" ON APRIL 9A concert and play will be featured at "The Rock, Good Friday" on April 9 at the Rozsa Center. "'The Rock' is two hours of praise and worship in the Rozsa Center. It could also be considered two hours of entertainment," organizers said. A band comprised of MTU students will lead music beginning at 7 p.m. and the play will begin at 8 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. "The Rock" is sponsored by Inter Christian Council and supported by the Student Activity Fee. 18. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE APRIL 16Everyone is invited to a series of seminar presentations and panel discussions about current issues in information technology. The School of Business and Economics and the Business Technology Advisory Group will host a technology exchange Friday, April 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. in Fisher Hall. Greg Horvath, senior audit manager, Dow Chemical Corporation, will talk about the Sarbanes Oxley Act from 1 to 2 p.m. in Fisher 135. Women's issues in technology and business will be discussed by a panel of 2004 MTU Presidential Council of Alumnae inductees from 2 to 3 p.m. in Fisher 135. Russ Louks, business integration manager, Ford Motor Company, will speak on business uses of XML (eXtensible Markup Language) from 2 to 3 p.m. in Fisher 138. Melissa Mattmuller, professional systems engineer, and SBE undergraduate Nick Rupp will discuss virtual teams from 3 to 4 p.m. in Fisher 135. Dennis Melchi, systems engineer, Maryville Technologies, and SBE undergraduate Samantha Shepherd will speak on disaster recovery from 3 to 4 p.m. in Fisher 138. All of the sessions are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Mari Buche via e-mail mwbuche at mtu.edu or by phone at 487-3440. ____________ 19. REGISTER NOW FOR FREE FEMLAB 3.0 SEMINAR ON MAY 5Everyone is invited to a free seminar highlighting FEMLAB 3.0's multiphysics applications on Wednesday, May 5, (finals week) from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in Chem Sci 211. This software was recently purchased by the Department of Chemical Engineering. Come see models being built from scratch, ask questions and participate in discussions on the modeling process. We will investigate electromagnetics, MEMS/microfluidics, structural mechanics, chemical engineering, fluid mechanics/heat transfer as well as models of your choice. Version 3.0 runs with or without Matlab and has a faster graphical user interface and more memory-efficient solvers. Space will be limited. Please register online at http://www.comsol.com/seminars/usa/houghton/ IN THE NEWSAssistant Professor Seth Donahue's (Biomedical Engineering) research on black bear bones is featured in an article and short movie on ScienCentral.com. He is collaborating with Virginia Tech researchers to study how bears maintain and even replenish their bone mass while hibernating and hopes that his research may help human sufferers of osteoporosis. To view the story and movie, visit http://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?article_id=218392188&language=english ____________ NEW FUNDINGProfessor Kurt Pregitzer (SFRES) has received a $156,063 grant from North Carolina State University for his project, "Effects of Down- and Up-Regulated Lignin Biosynthesis of Populus on Soil Carbon Transformation and Storage." Assistant Professor Chandrashekhar Joshi (SFRES) has received a $11,122 grant from North Carolina State University for his project, "Genetic Engineering of Cellulose Biosynthesis in Trees." Michigan Tech has received a $692,000 award from the National Science Foundation for "IGERT: Achieving Environmental, Industrial, and Societal Sustainability via the Sustainable Futures Model." IGERT is a partnership between Michigan Tech and Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, La. The project is sponsored by Michigan Tech's Sustainable Futures Institute (SFI). John Sutherland, Richard & Elizabeth Henes Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering and co-director of SFI, serves as the PI on the project. Project participants include co-PIs Mary Durfee (Social Sciences) and John Gershenson (MEEM), William Bulleit, Neil Hutzler, James Mihelcic, David Watkins (CEE), Hugh Gorman, Barry Solomon (Social Sciences), Donna Michalek (MEEM), Tony Rogers, David Shonnard (Chemical Engineering) and Sheryl Sorby (Engineering). Contingent on the availability of funds and the progress of the project, NSF expects to award $3,586,000 to IGERT over five years. ____________ ON THE ROADAssistant Professor Mary Carol Friedrich (Fine Arts) gave a talk, "The Physiology of Primary Colors," and presented a poster, "Vintage Costumes of the Chicago Vaudeville," in separate sessions at the United States Institute for Theatre Technology annual international conference in Long Beach, Calif., March 17-20. ____________ CALENDAR: April2--Friday 7:30 p.m.--"The Music of Art"--Rozsa Center 3--Saturday 1 p.m.--Children's Concert--Rozsa Center 7:30 p.m.--"Roomful of Blues"--Rozsa Center 4--Sunday 7:30 p.m.--Michigan Tech Dance Company--Rozsa Center 3 p.m.--All-Mozart Concert--McArdle Theatre 8--Thursday 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.--Friends of the J. R. Van Pelt Library Book Sale--Memorial Union Ballroom 9--Friday 7 p.m.--"The Rock, Good Friday"--Rozsa Center 16--Friday 1-4 p.m.--Technology Exchange--Fisher Hall ____________ MICHIGAN TECH POSITION AVAILABLEJob 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, April 2, 2004, at 1 p.m. through noon, Friday, April 9, 2004, in the Human Resources Office or at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/postings/ Food Service Helper--Memorial Union (Regular, full-time, nine-month position; AFSCME internal posting only) University employees are reminded to apply in writing prior to noon, Friday, April 9, 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.
News | Entertainment and Enrichment | Seminars and Workshops | Regular Features | Calendar | Top |
|||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|