Today, Thursday April 15, Michigan Tech’s Pavlis Honors College and the College of Engineering will be hosting Tech’s 21st Design Expo, the second to be held virtually. Remote judging opened on April 12, and opening remarks are set to start at eleven in the morning, followed by live presentations throughout the afternoon and an awards ceremony. Pre-registration for the event closed last Friday, but the awards ceremony is available to all at 3 p.m., and team project videos will become available after the event.

Over 1,000 Tech students from 23 Enterprise teams and 40 Senior Design teams will be presenting their work to a panel of judges consisting of Tech staff and faculty, as well as corporate representatives from various companies. The teams will be judged on factors such as organization, content, and delivery, with awards being given to the winning teams.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, this marks the second year that the event will be held entirely online. However, event coordinators are hopeful that the online platform will again allow the event to reach a wider audience, with participation across the United States and world being expected. 

While the opening and closing ceremonies will take place over Zoom, the event presentations will be hosted with Gatherly, a program developed by students from Georgia Tech, which allows for users to move around freely from speaker to speaker in the same way that they would be able to do so in person. Judging took place earlier in the week via RocketJudge.com, where expo judges were able to view team videos which were prepared in advance.

Nearly 90 percent of project funding came from external sponsorships, a significant increase from the previous year. The Design Expo would not be the same without the generosity of its sponsors and University Scholarship, and it is another example of how Michigan Tech is an active contributor to its community and the world. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered many of our daily habits, with the introduction of disposable masks into many of our lives and the use of reusable items such as bags being discouraged. Here at Tech, waste production has grown with the use of to-go containers in our dining halls. These habits are great for combating COVID-19, but many are concerned that their environmental impact will not go unnoticed. Fortunately, there are many opportunities here to help in the spread of sustainable habits now and when the pandemic ends.

Sponsored by Dining Services, in cooperation with Consumers Product Manufacturing, is the reusable container program Mr. Lid. Participants in the Mr. Lid programs make a one time $5 opt-in fee to receive a program keychain. The program keychain can then be brought to the North Coast Grill and Deli in the Memorial Union Building, and handed to the cashier at the time of purchase. Participants will receive ten percent off their orders and their food in a reusable container. The participant may turn in their dirty container back to the Cafe, at which time they will have their keychain returned. Once a participant opts in, they may participate for the remainder of their college career.

The program begins the week after Spring Break, but if anyone wishes to opt in early, they may do so by stopping by the MUB between 11:00 and 1:30 Monday through Wednesday, or Friday between 12:00 and 1:00, and speaking to a Mr. Lid team member.

Co-sponsored by the Michigan Tech Great Lake Research Center, the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative and other local groups is the Sustainable Film and Facilitated Discussion Series, hosted on the third Thursday of every month from seven to eight in the evening. Two films have already been shown, one in January and one in February, but further films can be caught between now and May. There is no cost to participate, but a $5 per film donation is appreciated. Topics include water sustainability, plastic waste, and climate change solutions. Participates can register for future films here.

Meanwhile, Students for Sustainability (SFS) is running several projects, including a composting drive. Collection sites and times for compost material include the Sustainability Demonstration House (SDH) on Sundays before three o’clock, and Douglass Houghton Hall on Fridays from 4-6 p.m.. Additionally, SFS is hosting a clothing swap this Saturday, Feb. 27. Clothing is being collected in bins near the front desk of each residence hall. The clothing drops on Facebook at S4SMTU at noon. These and other SFS projects can be viewed here.

The SDH has launched the Keweenaw’s second Annual Waste Reduction Drive. They are collecting dental products, disposable razors, plastic film, plastic bottle caps and rings, egg cartons, and foil-lined snack wrappers. Additional information and drop-off locations can be viewed here.

These events are proof of the ongoing importance of environmental awareness in our world, and demonstrate the ongoing efforts of Michigan Tech students to improve our campus and community.

Researchers from Michigan Tech’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science have worked with The Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, Southwest Biological Science Center in Utah, and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico to release a new publication. The publication has interesting indications about the upper canopy of tropical rainforests.

From May to July 2017, data was collected from a forest canopy at the USDA Forest Service Sabana Field Research Station in Luquillo, Puerto Rico by solar shielded air temperature and humidity sensors at 2, 6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 meters in height, with 20 meters representing the peak of the canopy. Over periods averaging in half an hour, data was collected every two minutes.

The researchers discovered that the temperature of leaves found in the canopy of a Puerto Rican tropical wet forest varied more than the temperature of the leaves below in the same forest. Additionally, it was found that the temperature of these sun-lit leaves exceeded that of the surrounding air in what is known as megathermic behavior, while the shaded leaves were found to be at the same temperature as the surrounding air, known as poikilothermic behavior.

Because it is the upper canopy that is primarily responsible for photosynthesis, this excessive heating could be minimizing the canopy’s carbon sink, or the ability to store carbon, thereby increasing the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere. However, the researchers suspect that the upper canopy may be acting as a radiation shield for the other leaves, thereby increasing the ability of the shaded leaves to retain carbon.

Lending further credibility to the researcher’s results is the similar findings made in tropical forests in both Brazil and Costa Rica, indicating that this may be a global trend. It is believed that these results can be attributed to one of two things. The first being stomatal closure, or the response of the pores found in leaves and stems to close in response to drought-like conditions, and the second being the deterioration of the plant’s photosynthetic machinery.

This study provides another great example of the research work being conducted at Michigan Tech, as well as a good use of the tools and resources provided by the college of forestry.

On Friday, Nov. 13, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced to Enbridge energy delivery company that they have until May 2021 to shut down Line 5, a major oil pipeline running through the state of Michigan and into Canada that has been of concern to many due to its running under the environmentally sensitive Straits of Mackinac. The State of Michigan revoked the 1953 easement which allowed the existence of the pipeline, arguing that the easement should never have been granted in the first place. Specifically, the state argued that the pipeline violated the public trust doctrine, which requires that Michigan waterways be navigable for public use including fishing and boating. It was argued that the pipeline is vulnerable to damage from boat anchors and other dangers as the pipeline sits exposed under the straits, leaving room for a potential oil spill.

Enbridge has maintained their claim that the pipeline does not present a real danger to its surroundings, and, on Tuesday, Nov. 24, filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Michigan. Enbridge argues that the state is overstepping its bounds, noting that it is the federal government, not the state, that conducts oversight of the pipeline. In addition to its own case, Enbridge hopes to move Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s lawsuit against the company from state to federal court.

While the pipeline is opposed by environmental activists, tourist businesses, and native tribes of the region, the company and Line 5 supporters maintain that the pipeline is of too great of economic importance to its surrounding areas to be shut down, and that it does not present an environmental threat. The issue is an international one, with Ontario minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines Greg Rickford opposing the shutdown.

As of now, it is unclear whether or not the state of Michigan has the authority to shut down the pipeline, with both groups agreeing that a lengthy legal battle is almost certain.

With exams and class scheduling, now is certainly a spooky time. In the spirit of the season, here are four STEM activities just in time for Halloween.

Vomiting Pumpkin Activity

When Halloween is over, you’ll need something for those jack-o’-lanterns you carved. Before throwing it away, try this Halloween take on the classic “baking soda volcano” science fair project.

Materials needed:

• One carved Pumpkin
• 2 cups vinegar
• ½ cup baking soda
• Food coloring (optional)

Procedure:

In an area you don’t mind getting messy, (not the dorms, please) take the top off your pumpkin, and add the baking soda inside. Combine the vinegar and food coloring in a bowl, and mix. Slowly add the vinegar to your pumpkin, and watch as your pumpkin erupts.

Eerie Glow in the Dark Drinks

This activity is a simple one, taking advantage of the fluorescent qualities found in the chemical quinine, which can be found in tonic water.

Materials needed:

• A cup
• An ice cube tray
• A freezer
• A blacklight
• Tonic Water
• Your favorite cold drink

Procedure:

Pour the tonic water into your ice cube tray, and transfer to the freezer. After allowing the tonic water to freeze, remove the ice-cubes from the tray and add them to your beverage of choice. However, a clear, citrus drink such as Sprite works best for this. Turn off the lights, turn on the black light, and enjoy your glowing drink.

Expanding Dry-Ice Ghost Bubble

While this experiment can be conducted at any time of the year, there is a reason haunted houses take advantage of the dense fog dry-ice creates through the process of sublimation. This process can be accelerated by placing the dry ice in water, which this activity takes advantage of.

Materials:

• A medium sized bowl with a rim
• A small bowl
• Liquid dish soap
• A 20 by 2 inch absorbent cloth, such as a strip of a t-shirt.
• Warm water
• Dry ice

Procedure:

Fill each bowl half-way with warm water. In the smaller bowl, add a small amount of your soap. Wet the rim of the larger bowl, and dip your cloth into the soapy water to get it damp. Pulling your cloth taut, run it over the top of the larger bow. A bubble film should soon cover the top of the larger bowl. Watch as gas from the dry-ice expands your bubble, and wait for your bubble to pop.

Pumpkinception — Growing a Pumpkin within a Pumpkin

Want multiple pumpkins for the price of one? Then this activity is the one for you. This activity demonstrates the life cycle of a pumpkin, with visible roots and shoots growing out of your original pumpkin. Considering the harsh climate of the Keweenaw, you may have better luck downstate if you actually want a pumpkin. However, the initial stages of the process are possible indoors and cool to see.

Materials:

• One pumpkin, large or small
• Dirt
• Knife

Procedure:

Cut the top off of your pumpkin. Scoop dirt inside, water, and wait. In about a week, you should start to see results. When multiple sprouts are visible, plant your pumpkin outdoors, or throw it out if the climate is too harsh.

I hope that you try one of these activities, and learn something. Or, if not, at least go “huh, that’s kind of interesting,” and move about your day.

Michigan’s Keweenaw peninsula finds much of its history in mining. Mining became an industrial boom in the Upper Peninsula in the mid-19th century, and copper mining has continued to provide for the Keweenaw peninsula, with over 12 billion pound of native copper having been mined in the 150 years after it began. Since mining in the Keweenaw and upper peninsula began, a number of environmental laws have been enacted. Before such protections were in place, waste from the Keweenaw mines was disposed of in and around Torch Lake, located about 15 miles north east from the Michigan Tech campus. Today, the problems produced by this method of waste disposal are easy to see, as 20 percent or more of the lake’s volume is estimated to be filled with waste products.

However, this issue is not going ignored. The area is designated as a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as a Great Lakes Area of Concern by the US/Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). Since the 1980’s, the EPA has addressed the lake’s most prominent waste issue, stampsand, but waste such as asbestos remained unaddressed until more recently.

Efforts towards addressing the issues unaddressed by the EPA began in 2013, led by the Michigan Department of Environmental, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Since, the group has created an “Abandoned Mine Waste” (AMW) effort, focusing on waste at Torch Lake and the rest of the surrounding Keweenaw. 

The effort has concentrated on cleaning industrial ruins such as former coal storage areas and asbestos-containing building materials, as well as bulk disposal areas such as landfills and dumps. The EGLE’s AMW has additionally removed some 750 drums from the lake, and reduced sources of contamination of wastes such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Since 2013, the effort has continued to advance, thanks in great part to community involvement. The AMW project communicates to community members and local businesses by means of informal newsletters and open houses. The EGLE has worked with the public and private stakeholders in order to combate 10 miles of contaminated shoreline and tens of thousands of tons of wastes.

Starting next year, the effort hopes to deal with issues in Ripley, Michigan and the surrounding area, with hopes to complete efforts in the region by 2022. For now, project documents concerning the AMW can be found on the EGLE website. Those working on the AMW effort are hopeful that further community outreach and support will be vital in future efforts in combating the remains left by Michigan’s mines.