Graduate School
20 1 3 ANNUAL R EPORT
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
FACILITIES
FACULTY
FELLOWSHIP
PAGE 6
Learn how PhD candidate Nazmiye
Yapici’s research can potentially
impact millions of people worldwide.
IT ALL ADDS UP.
Message from the Dean
Fall 2013 Graduate Student
Enrollment Sets Another Record!
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.
STAFF
Nancy Byers-Sprague
nspr@mtu.edu
Debra D. Charlesworth
ddc@mtu.edu
Shellie M. Crisman
smcrisma@mtu.edu
Students come to Michigan Tech
because they know that they will
receive a high-quality education at
a reasonable price.
Bonnie A. Gagnon
bagagnon@mtu.edu
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.
Heather L. Suokas
hlsuokas@mtu.edu
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.
Kristi L. Isaacson
kris@mtu.edu
Jacque C. Smith
jacque@mtu.edu
Carol T. Wingerson
ctwinger@mtu.edu
Learn more about
our staff online:
mtu.edu/gradschool/
administration/staff/
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. Huntoon
Associate Provost and
Dean of the Graduate School
Administration Building 411A
906-487-2327
jeh@mtu.edu
2
Graduate School
2 0 1 3 ANNUAL R E PORT
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
FACILITIES
FACULTY
FELLOWSHIP
PAGE 6
Learn how PhD candidate Nazmiye
Yapici’s research can potentially
impact millions of people worldwide.
IT ALL ADDS UP.
Thanks to the faculty,
facilities, and fellowships
that enhance the
graduate student
educational experience,
students like Nazmiye
Yapici can make an
impact with their
research on topics like
early cancer detection.
About the School
Accelerated Master’s Programs
To 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.
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
98
Percent placement
of graduate students
immediately after
graduation, 2012-13
The accelerated master’s programs available include:
• Biomedical Engineering
• Engineering Mechanics
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Chemistry
• Forestry
• Civil Engineering
• Integrated Geospatial Technology
• Computer Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Computer Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
1
Largest Peace Corps
Master’s International
Program in the country
Not Supplied
Multiracial
International
White/Non-Hispanic
Graduate Student
Enrollment
PERCENT BY ETHNICITY
FALL 2013
African American/
Non-Hispanic
American Indian/
Alaskan Native
Asian/
Asian American
Hispanic/
Hispanic American
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.
3
Research
DEVELOPING DIVERSE AREAS OF EXPERTISE
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.
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 coadvised 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.
4
News
Grad School Colloquium
GEM GRAD Lab
In 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.
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.
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.
5
Class of ’44 Endowed Fellowship Supports Cancer Research
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
6
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.”
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.
Tell Your Grad School Story
How 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.
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
DAVID A. NIEMEYER
GRADUATE SCHOOL ENDOWMENT FUND
ROBERT AND KATHLEEN LANE
ENDOWED FELLOWSHIP
This 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.
This 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.
7
Support Types
PHD
MASTER’S
2011
2012
2013
2011
2012
2013
Self
31%
32%
32%
Self
76%
82%
86%
External
33%
31%
29%
External
11%
8%
5%
Internal
36%
37%
39%
Internal
13%
10%
9%
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.
The coursework-only master’s degree programs
at Michigan Tech are designed to meet the careerdevelopment 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.
Degree by Gender
FIRST-TIME MASTER’S
FIRST-TIME PHD
224
29% Female
61
36
89
1,358
Students in the
Graduate School
in fall 2013
71% Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Of the 313 students enrolled as first-time master’s degreeseeking students, 28 percent are female, while 37 percent of
the students enrolled as first-time PhD candidates are females
(fall 2013).
8
Students
ENROLLMENT
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.
Nondegree
25
550
PhD
Master’s
68
420
783
Ap p l i cat i on s
496
Accep t s
2008
En rol l ed
2,090
962
265
2009
2013
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.
2010
2008
DEGREES
75
PhD
2011
Master’s
282
54
2013
2012
196
3,727
1,499
424
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.
2007-08
2012-13
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.
9
Survey of Earned Doctorates
(WWW.NSF.GOV/STATISTICS/SRVYDOCTORATES/)
STEM Focused
80.7%
Michigan Tech
Post Graduation Plans
31.3%
25.7%
of Michigan Tech’s
PhDs obtain a postdoctoral research
associateship
13.7%
of PhDs from High
Research Universities
with postdoctoral
research associateships
High Research Universities
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.
Less Time-to-Degree
Real Research
1.2 years
The difference between Michigan Tech
and other High Research Universities in
the time-to-degree
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.
Michigan Tech
High Research Universities
45.5%
27.5%
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.
THE INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE IS BASED ON 2012 DATA REPORTED IN 2013.
10
vs.
Graduate Tuition
Resident Engineers
Nonresident Engineers
FULL-TIME TUITION FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2012-13
$10,000
Texas A&M College Station
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$4,078
$10,396
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
$21,914
University of Michigan
$41,232
Graduate Stipend
NORMALIZED MINIMUM STIPENDS FOR
ACADEMIC YEAR 2012-13
Texas A&M College Station
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$10,000
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
$18,600
11
Michigan Technological University
Graduate School
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931-1295
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.
Contact Us
Telephone:
906-487-2327
Fax: 906-487-2284
Email:
gradadms@mtu.edu
www.mtu.edu/gradschool
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.