Graduate School

IT ALL ADDS UP.

PAGE 6

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS2013 ANNUAL REPORT

FACILITIES FACULTY FELLOWSHIP

Learn how PhD candidate Nazmiye Yapici’s research can potentially impact millions of people worldwide.

Graduate School

IT ALL ADDS UP.

PAGE 6

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS2013 ANNUAL REPORT

FACILITIES FACULTY FELLOWSHIP

Learn how PhD candidate Nazmiye Yapici’s research can potentially impact millions of people worldwide.

Thanks to the faculty, facilities, and fellowships that enhance thegraduate student educational experience, students like Nazmiye Yapici can make an impact with their research on topics like early cancer detection.

For the fifth year in a row, graduate enrollment has reached a record high. This is very exciting because it means that Michigan Tech’s research and graduate programs are getting the attention they deserve. As in previous years, students from around the world are coming to Houghton to pursue advanced degrees.

Students come to Michigan Tech because they know that they will receive a high-quality education at a reasonable price.

Having more students on campus has forced us to change the way we do many things in the Graduate School. During the last year, we moved to an electronic system for graduate application processing, and we are moving toward full electronic processing of forms and other paperwork.

Having information available in digital format helps us improve the service we provide students, faculty, and staff because the data we all need will be readily available.

Increased use of technology will allow us to spend even more time providing services to students. I am proud to say that we now have an outstanding professional development series that is coordinated by the Graduate School and the Graduate Student Government. This series helps students succeed in school and prepare for life after graduation.

I have personally spent a great deal of time talking with students about what they want to learn more about.

A highlight of last year’s offerings was a panel discussion led by members of the University’s executive team. Our students asked for this because they wanted to find out how one prepares for a career as a vice president or president of a university. Clearly, our students are thinking big thoughts!

Jacqueline E. HuntoonAssociate Provost andDean of the Graduate SchoolAdministration Building 411A 906-487-2327jeh@mtu.edu

STAFF Nancy Byers-Sprague nspr@mtu.edu

Debra D. Charlesworth ddc@mtu.edu

Shellie M. Crisman smcrisma@mtu.edu

Bonnie A. Gagnon bagagnon@mtu.edu

Kristi L. Isaacson kris@mtu.edu

Jacque C. Smith jacque@mtu.edu

Heather L. Suokas hlsuokas@mtu.edu

Carol T. Wingerson ctwinger@mtu.edu

Learn more about our staff online:mtu.edu/gradschool/administration/staff/

Message from the Dean

Fall 2013 Graduate Student Enrollment Sets Another Record!

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1,358 Graduate students enrolled at Michigan Tech in fall 2013

21.8 Percent increase in first-time master’s students in fall 2013

70 Graduate degree programs offered at Michigan Tech

98Percent placement of graduate students immediately after graduation, 2012-13

1 Largest Peace Corps Master’s International Program in the country

About the School

Accelerated Master’s ProgramsTo provide additional opportunities for students, Michigan Tech has continued to add to its growing list of accelerated master’s programs. Through participation in one of the thirteen programs, undergraduate students can earn a master’s degree one year after receiving their bachelor’s degree. Students have the option to seek further education through a doctoral program following completion of the accelerated master’s program. While earning a master’s degree, students have the potential to hone their professional skills and develop new competencies. With a master’s degree, most students will earn higher salaries than with a bachelor’s degree alone.

The accelerated master’s programs available include:

Graduate Student Enrollment

PERCENT BY ETHNICITY FALL 2013

The number of international graduate students increased from those reported in fall 2011, due in part to the University’s extensive offerings in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines. Graduate students identifying themselves as multiracial also increased, while the number of graduate students not supplying race/ethnicity information significantly decreased.

White/Non-Hispanic

Not Supplied

American Indian/ Alaskan Native

African American/Non-Hispanic

Multiracial

Asian/ Asian American

International

Hispanic/ Hispanic American

• Biomedical Engineering

• Chemical Engineering

• Chemistry

• Civil Engineering

• Computer Engineering

• Computer Science

• Electrical Engineering

• Engineering Mechanics

• Environmental Engineering

• Forestry

• Integrated Geospatial Technology

• Materials Science and Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

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Research

AMBERLEE S. HASELHUHN PhD Candidate, Materials Science and Engineering (Spring 2015)

Amberlee Haselhuhn received a BS degree in Materials Science and Engineering and a BS degree in Biomedical Engineering from Michigan Tech in 2011. She is advised by Paul Sanders, assistant professor, materials science and engineering.

Her research goal is to understand mechanisms responsible for the stabilizations of metallic foams and to produce metallic foams with elongated pore formations that are stabilized with functional self-assembling colloidal particles. These functional stabilizers can be tailored to develop novel materials with fewer processing steps, including bioactive bone implants and catalytically active filters for industrial or vehicle emissions.

MICHAEL PREMER PhD Candidate, Forest Science (Fall 2014)

Michael Premer received a BA degree in Environmental Studies from Northeastern Illinois University in 2009 and a Master of Forestry from Michigan Tech in 2011. He is co-advised by Robert Froese, associate professor; and Linda Nagel, assistant professor; both of the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science.

He seeks to assess forest ecosystem response to increased biomass use for biofuel production, in addition to the removal of merchantable timber products. He is evaluating the viability of woody biomass as an alternative feedstock while maximizing forest carbon sequestration potential and long-term forest productivity.

MELANIE L. TALAGA PhD Candidate, Chemistry (Fall 2015)

Melanie Talaga completed her undergraduate degree in chemistry with a minor in mathematics from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2011. She is working under the supervision of Tarun K. Dam, assistant professor of chemistry.

Her doctoral research is in glycobiology, which is an exciting new field at the forefront of biochemistry. Glycobiology deals with the structures, biosynthesis, and activities of glycan and its role in life processes. Glycobiology is an essential branch of modern biological science. Her research goal is to characterize potential cancer biomarkers and the binding interactions between known cancer biomarkers.

JAMES ALEXANDER PhD Candidate, Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors (Spring 2016)

James Alexander graduated from Northern Michigan University with a BS degree in Criminal Justice and earned his Master of Arts degree in Administrative Service with an emphasis in public administration from the political science department at NMU.

His research interests include decision making during challenging and stressful events, situation assessment, and response selection process. He has done work in these areas relative to criminal justice and is presently working on a meta-analysis on training and decision making.

DEVELOPING DIVERSE AREAS OF EXPERTISE

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News

GEM GRAD LabIn 2012, the Graduate School hosted the GEM GRAD Lab on the Michigan Tech campus for the first time in the University’s history. (GEM is the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science.) In hosting the event, Michigan Tech welcomed students from universities across the state and invited them to learn about opportunities for students with graduate degrees in the STEM fields.

GEM developed the GRAD Lab to encourage and recruit these students to apply to master’s and PhD programs in STEM fields. Michigan Tech is a member of the GEM Consortium, along with Fortune 500 companies, government laboratories, and many of the nation’s top research universities.

GRAD Lab stands for Getting Ready for Advanced Degree Lab, which is precisely what the program aims to help students do.

At Michigan Tech, the program also served as a networking opportunity for students and industry professionals.

During the event, workshops were held on various topics to encourage participants to apply to graduate school in STEM disciplines. The workshop focusing on “Why Graduate School?” was led by Howard G. Adams PhD, founder and president of H. G. Adams & Associates and former executive director of GEM. This workshop looked at the financial and career implications of not obtaining an advanced degree. Other workshops focused on applying to and obtaining funding for graduate school.

Those in attendance also heard directly from students through a panel presentation led by GEM fellows, PhD candidates, and alumni of Michigan Tech. In the “Voices from the Field” workshop, participants heard real-life stories about what graduate school is like today and what to expect of life after graduate school.

Grad School Colloquium The Graduate Research Colloquium, hosted each spring by the Graduate Student Government, serves as an opportunity for graduate students to share their research with others on the Michigan Tech campus. Students can develop a poster describing their research, give an oral presentation to a group of judges and their peers, or both. During these presentations, graduate students receive valuable feedback from the judges and audience members that improves their presentation skills. Cash prizes are awarded for the top three presentations in both the poster and oral categories that are awarded at the Graduate Research Colloquium banquet.

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Thanks to the support of Doctoral Finishing Fellowships from the Graduate School, students like Nazmiye Yapici are able to focus on completing their research and contributing their innovations to society.

Yapici, from Turkey, came to Michigan Tech to study organic chemistry under her faculty advisor, Lanrong Bi. Her inspiration started with a bottle of perfume.

“When I was young I was interested in perfume, so I thought if I studied chemistry I could make perfume,” said Yapici. “But later I grew interested in the biomedical industry.”

Initially sustained with funding from multiple sources, including NASA and the Michigan Tech Research Excellence Fund, Yapici and Bi developed florescent probes to detect unhealthy cells, such as those associated with cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.

“In normal, healthy cells our florescent probe will not activate, but in cells with damaged mitochondria, the probe illuminates, making it a novel early detection method,” said Yapici. “We are refining the process and looking at the possibility of commercialization, which is when the impact for society is broadly realized.”

Near the end of Yapici’s experimental research, the grants expired, forcing her to seek other sources of funding. Although she had previously funded part of her education by teaching, she was worried that trying to teach while completing her degree would delay her graduation. That’s

when she was granted a Doctoral Finishing Fellowship from the Graduate School, funded by alumni donations.

“Thanks to this fellowship, I was able to complete my analysis, writing nonstop on my dissertation,” said Yapici. “I wouldn’t be finished if I were teaching in parallel. I am thankful to my advisor and alumni donors for this fellowship.”

Tell Your Grad School StoryHow has your graduate education at Michigan Tech helped you? Did a fellowship support you along the way? Share your story with us at www.mtu.edu/gradschool/share.

Class of ’44 Endowed Fellowship Supports Cancer Research

Thanks to faculty, campus facilities, and alumni donors, Yapici has realized her dream. She received her PhD this winter and is currently a postdoctoral scholar working in the physics department at Michigan Tech. Her research continues through the Michigan Tech Transfer Talent Network, an organization assisting entrepreneurs in the campus community to improve marketing, find funding sources, apply for patents, and seek commercial partnerships. Her ultimate goal is to see the product become commercially available and lead to improved health outcomes for countless people.

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DAVID A. NIEMEYER GRADUATE SCHOOL ENDOWMENT FUNDThis fund supports graduate students traveling to professional conferences to present their research, where they can also network with colleagues and employers. The Graduate Student Government decides how to spend the funds, allowing students to request funding one time each year.

ROBERT AND KATHLEEN LANE ENDOWED FELLOWSHIPThis fellowship has just been established and will provide for students pursuing graduate degrees in chemistry. Robert Lane received his PhD from MIT in 1976 and is an alumnus of Michigan Tech’s Department of Chemistry (BS 1972). He recently retired from a successful career with the Shepherd Color Company in Cincinnati.

On behalf of the numerous graduate students who were aided through your donations, we thank you. With this support, you not only inspired our students, but also improved the lives of countless others who are impacted by their research.

New Endowments—Making a Difference

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Support Types

Degree by Gender

PHD MASTER’S

2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013

Internal financial support includes teaching and research assistantships provided by Michigan Tech. External funds include fellowships, grants, and contracts. Self-supported students pay their own way or have support from an employer or another organization, and their support is not administered through Michigan Tech.

Of the 313 students enrolled as first-time master’s degree-seeking students, 28 percent are female, while 37 percent of the students enrolled as first-time PhD candidates are females (fall 2013).

FIRST-TIME MASTER’S FIRST-TIME PHD

The coursework-only master’s degree programs at Michigan Tech are designed to meet the career-development needs of self-supported graduate students, a group that has been on the rise. In both 2012 and 2013, the number of master’s students receiving external and internal support decreased slightly.

Male MaleFemale Female

224

89

36

29% Female

1,358Students in the

Graduate School in fall 2013

71% Male

Internal

External

Self 31%

33%

36%

32%

31%

37%

32%

29%

39% Internal

External

Self 76%

11%

13%

82%

8%

10%

86%

5%

9%

61

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Students

From fall 2005 to fall 2013, the Graduate School has experienced a 213 percent increase in the number of applications. Each year, the Graduate School continues to modify their process for compiling, completing, and reviewing prospective students’ applications.

In 2012-13, Michigan Tech granted 282 master’s and 75 PhD degrees. This means the Graduate School has reached the University’s 2012 goal of granting 65 PhD degrees per year and has exceeded the master’s goal of 225 by 25 percent. The 2012-13 academic year produced the most graduate degrees in Michigan Tech’s history.

The number of graduate students enrolled in PhD programs has remained constant over the past two years, while the number of students seeking master’s degrees has increased, and the number of nondegree-seeking students has decreased.

PhD

Master’s

Nondegree

PhD

Master’s

ENROLLMENT

DEGREES

The number of students applying to graduate programs at Michigan Tech has continued to increase, with the number of applicants rising above 3,000 for the past two years. The Graduate School enrolled more than 400 students in 2013 reaching a total enrollment of 1,358.

Applicat ions

Accepts

Enrol led

20

13

3,727

2,090

1,499

962 265

424

20

12

20

11

20

10

20

09

20

08

75

25

68

550

420

783

496

54

282

196

2012-132007-08

20132008

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Survey of Earned Doctorates(WWW.NSF.GOV/STATISTICS/SRVYDOCTORATES/)

STEM Focused Post Graduation Plans

Real ResearchLess Time-to-Degree

80.7 percent of Michigan Tech’s PhDs focus on engineering or physical science as their primary field of study, compared to only 31.3 percent of PhD recipients from other High Research Universities.

More than 25 percent of Michigan Tech’s PhDs continue as research associates, compared to only 13.7 percent at High Research Universities.

Over 45 percent of Michigan Tech’s PhD graduates are involved in research and development, while only 27.5 percent of PhD recipients from High Research Universities are involved in these activities.

7.5 years since starting graduate school is the median time to degree for Michigan Tech’s PhDs. This compares to all High Research Universities’ time-to-degree of 8.7 years.

THE INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE IS BASED ON 2012 DATA REPORTED IN 2013.

Michigan Tech

Michigan Tech

High Research Universities

High Research Universities

80.7% 31.3%

The difference between Michigan Tech and other High Research Universities in the time-to-degree

1.2 years 45.5%

27.5%

of Michigan Tech’s PhDs obtain a post-

doctoral research associateship

25.7%of PhDs from High

Research Universities with postdoctoral

research associateships

13.7%vs.

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Graduate Tuition

Graduate Stipend

FULL-TIME TUITION FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2012-13

NORMALIZED MINIMUM STIPENDS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2012-13

Texas A&M College Station

Michigan Technological University

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Michigan State

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Colorado School of Mines

Purdue University

University of Michigan

Texas A&M College Station

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Purdue University

Michigan State

Colorado School of Mines

Michigan Technological University

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology

University of Michigan

$10,000

$5,000

$20,000

$10,000

$30,000

$15,000

$18,600

$40,000

Resident Engineers

Nonresident Engineers

$41,232

$10,396

$4,078

$21,914

$10,000

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GSG Orientation Picnic Each year the Graduate Student Government (GSG) sponsors a picnic following Orientation for new graduate students at Michigan Tech. This year’s social was held in August at Hancock Beach. Food was provided and Blizzard T. Husky even made an appearance. The orientation picnic is one of the many ways GSG and the Graduate School encourage other graduate students to get to know each other in relaxed, nonclassroom environments. Another event the Graduate School and GSG host to support socialization among graduate students is the First Friday Social. To get involved, check out Graduate Student Government on Facebook.

Michigan Tech is a leading public research university, conducting research, developing new technologies, and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than sixty graduate degree programs in engineering, forestry and environmental sciences, computing, business and economics, natural and physical sciences, humanities, social sciences, and technology.

Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Contact UsTelephone: 906-487-2327Fax: 906-487-2284Email: gradadms@mtu.eduwww.mtu.edu/gradschool

Michigan Technological UniversityGraduate School1400 Townsend DriveHoughton, MI 49931-1295