03/04/2014

March 4, 2013

Tech uses UAVs to scan for transportation hazards LUCAS WILDER Lode Writer While the word “drone” often comes with a negative connotation due to the military’s use of this technology for surveillance, Michigan Tech students and faculty are working to change that view. The Intelligent Robotics Laboratory (IRL) housed in the EERC and the Michigan Tech Research Institute in Ann Arbor are working together with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to create a system of drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), that will aid in transportation maintenance.

Director of the IRL, Dr. Timothy Havens, explains the premise of the project in greater detail.

“We are currently funded by Michigan Department of Transportation to investigate the role that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can play in infrastructure inspection, including bridge and culvert inspection and traffic monitoring,” Havens said.

“The project personnel consists of scientists from both the Michigan Tech Research Institute in Ann Arbor and the main Michigan Tech campus in Houghton.”

Third-year electrical and computer engineering student Josh Manela is one of the students working under Havens here at Tech.

“My project that I’m working on right now is looking at different types of small onboard computers and microcontrollers such as Arduinos or Raspberry Pis,” Manela said.

News: Olympics may be over, but U.P. pride and determination stands strong

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News:

Michigan Tech is helping to design an unmanned aerial vehicle to help inspect bridges, culverts and monitor traffic.

Photo by Maxwell Curtis

The UAVs map the environment they fly over in a few different ways, using both regular cameras and a laser radar system.

“My lab, the Intelligent Robotics Lab,

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International Club newsletter positively impacts diversity at Tech

Pulse:

is developing a sensor-fused system that uses LIDAR (laser radar), video cameras and inertial sensors that are able to collect three-dimensional image information about

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High temperatures and high altitudes: “Adventure Spring Break”

Opinion:

a scene and the accompanying software algorithms that process the data into an accurate and usable form,” Havens said. “Our

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On-campus students should receive expanded swipe card access

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Sports:

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Tech hosts only doubleheader of the GLIAC Tournament

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Michigan Tech Lode NEWS CopperDog 150 races into Calumet

Winners!

30 ft

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Part of a $24,000 prize will be given to the top ten mushers who participated in the annual Copper Dog 150.

Photo by Pratik Joshi

KATELYN WAARA

Today = 22.84ft

News Editor

20 ft

15 ft

In its fifth year, the CopperDog 150 sled dog race continued its path of success this past weekend in the Keweenaw.

Beginning on Friday, Feb. 28, mushers and their dogs left the chute to race 150 miles around the Copper Country in pursuit of first place.

Mushers from the Midwest and all over the world come to compete in the CopperDog 150. Teams of 10 dogs are guided by their musher through three stages, the first of which began on Friday.

For those interested in a shorter race, the

CopperDog 40 is also held.

Stage one of the big race starts with a journey from the chute in Calumet to Eagle Harbor. Stage two brings the mushers and their dogs from Eagle Harbor to the tip of the Keweenaw in Copper Harbor, with stage three bringing them back to Calumet and the finish line.

A part of the $24,000 prize awaits the top 10 mushers at the finish on Sunday afternoon.

Congratulations to all mushers and their teams on competing in the 2014 CopperDog 150!

For more information about the CopperDog 150, please visit their website: (copperdog150.com/).

1. Jake Golton 2. Josh Compton 3. Aaron Peck 4. Bruce Magnusson 5. J R Anderson 6. Jerry Bath 7. Ryan Redington 8. Dennis LaBoda 9. Michael Bestgen 10. Troy Groeneveld

Student Org Spotlight: Sailing Club 10 ft

5 ft

EVAN MAYER Lode Writer When the wind blows across the Portage Canal for those few valuable weeks before Jack Frost comes and turns it from a liquid to a solid, the Sailing Club of Michigan Technological University takes full advantage of the opportunity to practice their hobby.

The Sailing Club is the student-run, coed club devoted to sailing the waters of the Upper Peninsula and testing their talents around the Midwest at various regattas. As part of the Midwest Collegiate Sailing Association, the club has visited various locations in

Wisconsin, Northwestern University, Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City and sailing spots in Minnesota. Last fall the club even traveled to New York to compete in a regatta on Long Island.

Despite the amount of traveling and the competitions, the club is opened to all undergraduate and graduate students of all sailing abilities, plus professors and community members who wish to climb aboard and test their skills. The club even offers coaching and lessons in hopes of getting more people involved.

There is a time commitment that goes along with the club though. Although the season only takes place in the fall, members

have to be committed from when school begins through early November as the club strongly encourages the members to get to at least two if not three practices a week. Future members should keep this in mind when fall semester scheduling begins in March.

Practices are right in Michigan Tech’s backyard on the Portage Canal. The club launches the boats down the road between the Super 8 and the Houghton Waterfront Pavilion so it is only a short walk from campus. The club sails mainly one of their six Collegiate 420’s in competition, but also calls a Hobie 16 and two Lasers part of their armada.

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Michigan Tech Lode

NEWS

Tuesday, March 4

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Olympics may be over, but U.P. pride and determination stands strong SIMENG LI Lode Writer From the opening ceremony with a malfunctioning ring to police officers singing Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics were an event to remember. By poking fun at their own opening ceremony blunder, the Russian hosts drew an impressive end to the Winter Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 23 by sharing their sense of humor with the world.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, the host country took advantage of familiar ice, snow and everything in between by finishing atop the medal count race with an impressive 33 medals.

Among those 33 podium finishes were 13 golds, which was also the most of any nation. The United States checked in at second place of the medal count, with Norway, Canada and the Netherlands rounding out the top five.

Team USA consisted of 230 athletes competing in all 15 sports. Among them, 13 Olympic athletes are from Michigan.

Remarkably, the Upper Peninsula has good reason to be proud of its own Nick Baumgartner, a two-time Olympic

snowboard cross competitor who just returned from Sochi.

Baumgartner spoke to a large crowd at the Finlandia University Paavo Nurmi Gym in Hancock on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

During his speech, Baumgartner talked about his recent Olympic experience as well as his experience at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, the X Games and other competitive experiences. Moreover, Baumgartner shared with the public his story about how a kid from the UP could make it to the Olympics.

Like most people who grew up in the frozen tundra of Northern Michigan, snow found Baumgartner, and he has done pretty much everything there is to do with the fluff. Snowboarding just came along like the daily newspaper. “I love testing myself and love being the best at something,” Baumgartner said.

Thirty-two-year-old Baumgartner began snowboarding at the age of 15, which is a relative graybeard in a sport where most of his competitors picked it up before they started school. That’s not the only competitive disadvantage he faced – instead of a 14,000 ft mountain, he had only the 400 ft Ski Brule Resort hill. Plenty of naysayers pointed out the same thing.

“That’s a reason to come back, work my

Alleviate tax stress AUTUMN CHANNEY Lode Writer Taxes can be stressful and difficult to file. Some students, being away from home, may not know where to turn.

Should you call Mom and Dad and try to complete your returns over the phone with them? Would video chatting be a better option? Why not skip the shouting match when your Mom finds out you’re not prepared and go to the Academic Office Building and get some student help instead? The Volunteer Tax Preparation Program is available for your use.

The volunteers help you fill out tax forms on paper so that you can go back and file them yourself with ease. They may even be able to help you find some “hidden” money for your refund.

They are not only helping students

but they are helping members of the community. These students are helping people who cannot afford to see a CPA or professional tax preparer.

The student volunteers involved in the assistance program are third and fourth year undergraduate students. They have taken the university tax courses for accounting as well as the training session for this assistance program in order to best serve your needs and to answer questions to the best of their ability.

The assistance program allows the volunteers to practice and help people find the advantages that they qualify for. Anne Warrington, a facilitator of the program, said it allows the students to “use the knowledge that they learn in class in a real world setting.”

The volunteers are very motivated to help you with your taxes. Melanie Wells, a fourth-year Finance major, said, “this Continued on page 4

butt off, go out there, make it happen, and then say ‘You guys, see, it can be done,’” Baumgartner said.

In Sochi, Baumgartner placed fourth of

“The Upper Peninsula has good reason to be proud of its own Nick Baumgartner, a two-time Olympic snowboard cross competitor who just returned from Sochi.” five in the first heat of snowboard cross on Feb. 18. Hampered by lack of training time on the course, he hit the snow (literally) on that first heat on the course.

“I went faster than I ever did, and I wiped out so hard,” he said. “I overshot a jump, landed at the start of the next jump.”

The accident led to his first concussion and the end of his medal pursuit for 2014.

Baumgartner was feeling down until he checked the comments on his Facebook page. “There were 450 people that immediately took time out of their day to say something nice to me so I didn’t feel bad,” Baumgartner said. “To have that, I

could have been dead last, to know that there were that many people around here that were proud of me.

Baumgartner had to overcome numerous obstacles and setbacks, including competing with a broken collarbone., but h will definitely be trying for a third Olympics trip in 2018. “I’m going to be 36 years old, I’m going to have a lot less hair, but I’m going to try to win another medal,” he said. “If I don’t, heck, I’ll be a three-time Olympian, even if I don’t win a medal. The one thing I’ve learned about myself is, if I’m having fun, and I’m enjoying myself. It’s good.”

“I thought it was really inspiring to hear about somebody up here to go to the Olympics,” said Zack Tarvainen, a resident from Chassell. “I really liked how he found determination – how he failed but kept working hard.”

Baumgartner’s story inspired many people, especially those who persisted in their dreams. As he said on Wednesday, “Tell people to follow their dreams. They can make their own opportunities in life – play hard, dream big, become!” By virtue of all the athletes like Baumgartner, even the Sochi Winter Olympics ended, their spirits will continue inspiring millions of us, giving faith to people for their pursuits of dreams.

Creation of Pavlis Honors College TESSA MAUER Lode Writer Regardless of whether your after-college endeavors include joining the workforce, attending graduate school or playing video games on your parents’ couch, you need to be prepared to meet today’s high standards for success. In an attempt to give students every opportunity to make themselves as competitive as possible in their future plans, the Michigan Tech Board of Control recently approved the creation of the Pavlis Honors College.

The college will integrate various programs and resources already available on campus for the purpose of creating an “all-university home” for students wishing to engage in more rigorous academic opportunities.

Essentially, the college will place the Honors

Institute, Enterprise, the Research Scholars Program, the Pavlis Institute for Global Leadership and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program under the direction of one dean.

Uniting these enrichment programs will make them more readily available to students and will allow the programs themselves to function more cohesively. Because many of the programs included in the Pavlis Honors College focus on research and experiential learning, the college gives students a chance to build knowledge and skill through various avenues not available through traditional classwork.

Similar structures used by other universities have even shown that honors colleges can increase retention and graduation rates, while also providing “highly desirable learning outcomes.”

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Michigan Tech Lode

The International Club newsletter world at a positively impacts diversity at Tech glance SIMENG LI Lode Writer

Scan this to see a time line of recent events in the Ukraine.

Unrest in Ukraine US Secretary of State John Kerry will be visiting Kiev, Ukraine today to discuss the country’s unraveling and unrest in recent weeks, including the impending and possible declaration of war from neighboring Russia.

Kerry will land in Kiev to meet with European foreign ministers. Ukraine has been upping their military alerts as clashes with Russia have begun on the Crimean Peninsula, in the southern region of the country.

Communications have been sporadic there for the past few days. According to a report from USA Today, road traffic was also blocked. On Sunday, hundreds of men seized a Ukrainian military base in Crimea, refusing to allow the soldiers there to leave.

According to the same report, Kerry called Russia’s occupation of the base “an incredible act of aggression.”

The Ukrainian unrest began in late February when President Viktor Yanukovych fled during protests. Hundreds of citizens have been wounded since the protests began because of Yanukovych’s decision with the European Union (EU) to make closer ties with Moscow. This has resulted in the appointment of an interim President and pro-Western government.

The country has been split in two, with many in western Ukraine supporting the EU deal. Western citizens would prefer a Ukraine where Russia only exists, with no interference.

According to the New York Times article “Ukraine Mobilizes Reserve Troops, Threatening War”, published on their website on Saturday, March 1, the takeover of the Ukrainian military base on Sunday led to the calling up of more military forces.

Following that, Russian President Vladimir Putin was given permission to use military force against the unrest in Ukraine.

An increasingly diverse student body has long been well-recognized as a potential treasure for universities. As a result of Michigan Tech’s constant efforts to promote diversity over 14.2 percent of Tech students, as of the fall of 2013, are international and this figure is still continuously growing.

Following the blossoming of Michigan Tech’s diversity is the question of how to integrate these differences among students from all over the world to maximize the benefits for the whole university community. Many student organizations have been working on this integration for years, but the International Club is an exceptional example of one of them.

The goal of the International Club is to promote better understanding and closer relations between international and domestic students and between the various national groups of international students themselves.

“While other international student organizations, especially national groups, mainly focus on sharing their own cultures and cultural activities, International Club aims to play the role of an integrator, uniting the diverse international and domestic communities into a big family,” said Cassy Tefft, Advisor of the International Club.

“Our goal is accomplished by means of discussions and exchange of opinions

among the various international groups in our regular meetings, as well as through cooperative activities throughout the year.”

With participants from a broad range of cultural backgrounds, the International Club has successfully held many campuswide, student-oriented events, such as game night and holiday parties. Among all, International Night is the most wellknown to students. The theme of this year’s International Night, which will be held on March 23, is “Travelling Across the World” as introduced by Jessie Zhang, Vice President of International Club.

“During that night, we’ll provide diverse food and fashion shows prepared by a great many of international students from various countries,” Zhang said. “The event will be a cultural feast for our audience which will enable them to travel across the world in hours. Remarkably, even our tickets are designed as boarding passes for this extraordinary travel.”

Zhang specifically recommended the music of International Night, which will combine music from different countries, all performed by ADDJ Tommy Garret, a Sound Design student. As DJ for this year’s International Night, Garret said, “It is a great experience to see so many people together and perform in front of so many international students who grew up with listening to different music.”

“This performance is a challenge but also a chance to me. People always say mathematics is a universal language, but for me, I feel music is the universal

language because we don’t have to learn it and we were born with it. I want to bring people from different cultures together through my music, which is my passion,” Garret added.

While International Club, together with many other international and domestic groups, is devoting their time and efforts for the upcoming International Night, this week the organization released its first issue of their monthly newsletter – Globe. Globe is an additional effort of the International Club to arouse awareness and promote events focused on university diversity at Michigan Tech.

“The newsletter is divided into different sections for different cultures on campus.

It is one of our new trials to benefit more students with the university diversity. The newsletter creates a chance to get the diversity exposed to more,” said Ashima Chhabra, President of the International Club.

It’s the rich life experiences of diverse international and domestic groups that make Michigan Tech such a vibrant and enriching campus community. The diversity deserves to be treasured because it is our academic, cultural, economic and physical differences that make us who we are. Thanks to the hard work of student organizations like the International Club, Michigan Tech students are doing so much more to foster an environment that is accepting and collaborative. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion and engagement has never been stronger.

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Honors college

is great for accounting students to get integrated into the program and give back by using knowledge from class.”

Ji Zhou, a first-year Masters of Business Administration student, said he “enjoys helping people with the complex laws of taxes that they probably don’t understand.”

This tax assistance program is not meant for people with international taxes but don’t fear! International Programs and Services has free software that they update every year to help international students to complete their returns.

Help with your taxes can be found in G010D in the Academic Office Building. No appointment is necessary, just bring your documents.

Sessions are held Mondays from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m., Wednesdays from 12 - 2 p.m. and Thursdays from 12 - 5 p.m. Sessions will be offered until Tuesday, April 15, 2014 except during the week of spring break. You must bring all of your necessary forms such as W-2’s, 1099’s, 1098T’s, etc.

Here’s to hoping for a stress-free tax season with the help of your fellow students!

But the students are not the only ones to benefit from the creation of an honors college. The Michigan Tech Board of Control expects the addition to “expand the appeal of Michigan Tech as a whole” because defining these academically-challenging programs within one framework will make the school’s rigorous standards more visible to prospective students, potential employers of current students and the public in general. This allows everyone to easily identify the high-caliber education received by a student of Michigan Tech.

Besides being the first college to assimilate resources for the use of all university departments, The Pavlis Honors College will also be the first college at Michigan Tech to be named after a person: Frank E. Pavlis graduated from Michigan Tech in 1938 with a degree in chemical engineering. After attending graduate school, he became the first employee of Air Products, Inc, which eventually grew into a six billion dollar company now known as Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. He retired in 1980 after serving many years as the Vice President for international/worldwide trade. In recognition of Pavlis’ significant support of the Honors College, the program will don his last name.

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Huskies are heroes, give blood to save lives AUTUMN CHANNEY Lode Writer Many students showed their Michigan Tech pride at the Red Cross Blood Drive last week. Considering Michigan Tech’s campus size and the number of students who donated, our campus has the opportunity to affect over 1,000 lives.

Many of the students don’t mind giving blood and have donated numerous times, some of whom have even reached the point of giving a gallon. For first timers, the process of waiting and donating was a little frightening, but the end result was rewarding.

Shannon Twomey, a fifth-year Biomedical Engineering student who is almost halfway to her gallon donation pin, said, “I feel like I am helping the community, not only the community of Greeks with support but by donating blood as well.”

The library allows the Red Cross to take over the reading room, a large portion of the first floor, to conduct the blood drive.

With the library’s central location, it is a no-brainer location to hold the drive. The library offers students easy access to a mobile blood donation center on campus, even if it’s just for a few days.

Michigan Tech students have showed

Students wait, some hesitantly, for their chance to give blood.

tremendous support to those in need of blood. The first day, 189 pints were collected. This surpassed the Red Cross’ goal for the whole blood drive. Many donations came from students with Type O+ and O- blood. Type O may be used to

UAVs Continued from front page goal is to create a system that is able to do three-dimensional simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), which is one of the fundamental robotics challenges.”

The team faces many challenges due to the newness of the technology.

“A lot of work has been done with terrestrial robots in twodimensions, but flying robots in three-dimensions is a whole new can of worms,” Havens said.

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save anyone, no matter their blood type, so this type is in high demand. Such a high amount of Type O blood collected begs the question: is engineering in our blood?

Maybe, and from a not so literal

In addition to the MDOT project, Havens’ lab team is working on another UAV project that will further their capabilities in the air.

“The Intelligent Robotics Lab also has a project funded by an MTU Research Excellence Fund Award that is looking at how groups of UAVs tied together with internet cloud computing can cooperate to achieve goals,” Havens said. “The projects are really interesting and we are having a lot of fun.”

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standpoint, it all makes sense. Students in STEM fields, or anyone at Michigan Tech for that matter, has the opportunity to give back and improve or save the life of someone they’ve never met. Either way, huskies are heroes.

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If taking to the seas sounds like fun to you, visit the club’s website at (sailing.student.mtu.edu), check out their link on Michigan Tech’s Involvement page or show up on one of their cruising days, which in the past have been held on Saturdays in the fall. To participate on the race team there is a due of $100 but this covers an entire year of using the boats.

Opinions expressed in the Lode are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration of Michigan Technological University or the Michigan Tech Lode.

The Lode is designed, written and edited by Michigan Tech students and is printed every Tuesday during fall and spring semesters.

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To the best of its ability, The Lode subscribes to the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

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Work submitted to the Lode should be submitted with the understanding that it may be printed by the Lode and/or posted to the Online Lode, www.mtulode.com.

The Lode reserves the right to edit submissions for length, clarity and potentially libelous material. Submissions should not exceed 500 words.

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Michigan Tech Lode

Putting the “Superior” back into Superior Wind Symphony SARAH HARTTUNG Lode Writer On Saturday, March 1, the Superior Wind Symphony played to a crowd at the Rozsa Theatre their concert titled Flights of Fantasy. Both the theme and the performance were fantastic. Fantasy in music refers to variations on Fantasia, which is a style of music with loose structure and a very improvisational feel,

and pieces based on fiction.

A variety of pieces were performed, including: “Fantasy for Piano and Wind

“Both the theme and the performance were fantastic.”

Ensemble,” by Alec Wilder featuring a piano solo by Eponine Zenker and “Acrostic Song,” by David Del Tredici, based off of a poem by Lewis Carroll

titled “Life is but a Dream” about a young girl named Alice, whom “Alice in Wonderland” was based off of. While the theatre was not packed, most likely because of the weather, the concert was a success.

Perhaps the most touching piece played was “Heart of the Morn” by H. Owen Reed, a prolific composer who passed away only a few weeks ago at the age of 104. The piece is taken from his opera “Peter Homan’s Dream” which is

rather like “Oklahoma!” but for Michigan as director Mike Christianson put it. The piece begins slowly with almost haunting percussion and moves into a gorgeously full wind piece.

The Superior Wind Symphony is comprised of students at Michigan Tech who are not music majors and come to play for the sake of music. They come from many departments across campus.

Their next concert is April 19, titled Musical Offerings.

One old crystal ARIC RHODES Lode Writer If one were to hold this crystal in one’s hand it wouldn’t seem like much. Only two hundred by four hundred microns in size, it would seem to be about the size of a small grain of sand. Indeed, it may even be too small to see without straining the eyes.

Despite this, the zircon crystal is the oldest piece of the earth ever found, dated to 4.4 billion years old.

As impressive as this may be, it resonates

even more considering that the Earth itself is about 4.5 billion years old. Yes, this piece of zircon is only around a hundred million years younger than the Earth.

The ancient crystal was not found, as one would expect, in some remote area of tumultuous geologic activity, but on an Australian sheep farm in the Jack Hills region. This is not the first time that the region has produced extremely old samples of minerals, but it is the oldest by a wide margin.

The crystal was one of many samples which researchers took in 2001, intending

to test a new, more accurate, means of finding the age of crystals. The search was certainly worth it.

A notable trait about zircon is that it can

“Sometimes great things can come from a tiny crystal from a sheep farm.” not form in a magma without significant pressure. This suggests that, when the crystal formed, there was already a crust.

This is a significant jump back from previous estimates of the crust’s age.

Further, the crystal had a distribution of oxygen isotopes and other impurities which suggested the possibility that it formed in water. Needless to say, the implications of liquid water existing so early in the Earth’s history are interesting to say the least.

The most interesting discoveries are not always the ones which need large, flashy experiments. Indeed, many of the most high-profile experiments serve only to give evidence for what has already been repeatedly proven or observed.

Sometimes great things can come from a tiny crystal from a sheep farm.

Step up to the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge RENEE OATS Lode Writer Looking for an exciting, fun winter challenge? The participants in the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Clean Snowmobile Challenge (CSC) 2014 are this week! The Keweenaw Research Center (KRC) and the Michigan Tech Dept. of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics are hosting the challenge that started on Monday March 3rd and wraps up this Saturday, March 8th.

The SAE CSC is an engineering design competition for college and university student members to reengineer existing snowmobiles to reduce noise and emissions

with the intent of designing acceptable snowmobiles for usage in environmentally sensitive areas such as National Parks. The CSC is typically an “engine” competition however the underlying theme has remained consistent to engineer a clean and quiet trail sled.

The modified snowmobiles will compete in a variety of events including static display, fuel economy/endurance, handling, cold start and design. Several of the participants include not only Michigan Tech student teams but also North Dakota State University, University of AlaskaFairbanks, Northern Illinois University, Clarkson University and University of Wisconsin teams to name a few.

There are several events scheduled

during the week-long event including a few opportunities for spectator viewership. On Tuesday, March 4th at 10 a.m., the grand opening event includes the NSF Electric

“This week’s event is sure to be a thrilling fun time for participants and spectators alike.”

Sled Range Test and Endurance Run to Copper Harbor, starting from the KRC T3 location.

On Wednesday, March 5th there will be a snowmobile public display from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Copper Country mall for spectators to see the reengineered

machines up close and personal.

Saturday, March 8th at 10 a.m., there will be a Polaris Acceleration and Objective Handling Event as well as a ZE Acceleration and Load Test at the KRC Test Course at 11 a.m. The challenge event will conclude with an awards banquet Saturday night at the MUB Ballroom beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Even with these fun-filled demonstration events there are also are additional learning opportunities with technical talks and presentations throughout the week from industry personnel on different topics such as precious metals and catalysts to sound quality. This week’s event is sure to be a thrilling fun time for participants and spectators alike.

Safe and fun riding this week!

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High temperatures and high altitudes: “Adventure Spring Break” JAMES WOOD Lode Writer For spring break, many Michigan Tech students spend their days lying in bed or relaxing at home, relishing their time away from responsibility and early morning classes.

While lethargy has its benefits, so does traveling across the country and beyond with the people of the Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP).

Every spring break, OAP hosts “Adventure Spring Break” trips to various locations across the United States and even to other countries. This spring break the choices are Puerto Rico and the Smokey Mountains (there was also a canoeing trip to Arkansas, but due to a lack of participants, it most likely won’t be occurring).

In Puerto Rico adventurers will go to the town of RincÓn, a beach town located on the west coast of Puerto Rico, where they will take surfing lessons, go snorkeling, try out the local cuisine and soak up the sun on the beach. They will stay a full five days in RincÓn at Las Palmas Inn; travel there and back will

take two days.

The total cost of the trip per student is $1300, including everything except dining in the town, the hotel will provide food for free though.

The Smokey Mountain trip will be less centered on a single location. These adventurers will visit the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky and soon after will begin their hike through the Smokey Mountain range. The hike will take 3-4 days and will consist of waterfalls,

“Participants don’t have to worry about the finicky specifics that they normally would in vacation planning.” mountains, valleys and possibly bears (not likely).

After the hike, to finish off the trip the group will go white water rafting at Pigeon River Gorge. This trip, while not as exotic as the Puerto Rico trip, will only cost participants $475 dollars, with all meals included.

The OAP tries to make trips as all inclusive as possible, so the trip prices are a good deal with all things considered.

ASK TECH Emma Vance “Nothing. I am probably staying on campus.”

Conner Monette “I don’t even know if I’m going home.”

On top of this the OAP coordinators plan everything ahead of time (the planning begins in October/November) down to the last detail so the participants don’t have to worry about the finicky specifics that they normally would in vacation planning.

Despite this, not many people actually take up these great opportunities, perhaps from a lack of advertisement for the programs or from a lack of desire on

the student’s part.

While it’s probably too late to join a trip this year, take it into consideration in the future years at Tech. A week of doing “nothing” may sound appealing towards the middle of spring semester as school can be both mentally and physically exhausting, but should one feel up to it, going on an “Adventure Spring Break” will most likely be both money and time well-spent.

What are your plans for Spring Break?

-Sasha Burnett

TJ Lyle “A group of us are going to Colorado to go skiing and snowboarding as part of our Bohemia season pass.”

Shea Stcry “I am going home and working.”

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COMICS

Michigan Tech Lode Working

‘And if you drive a typical car more than a mile out of your way for each penny you save on the per-gallon price, it doesn’t matter how worthless your time is to you--the gas to get you there and back costs more than you save.’

Good Code

‘You can either hang out in the Android loop or the HURD loop.’

Comics courtesy of XKCD

PUZZLES

Michigan Tech Lode

9

Tuesday, March 4

Sudoku

Rules: Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

Last Week’s Solution...

No. 0223 REEL-LIFE ANNIVERSARY By

A NAMESAKE OF 119-ACROSS

54 *1943 Spencer Tracy/Irene 1 Bush judicial Dunne film appointee 8 Quarterbacks, often 56 Is threatening, in a way 15 Bush judicial 58 Colorist appointee 20 Professional tennis 60 Self-absorbed sort 61 Hit since 1968 63 Some kitchenware 21 Rank 66 Call from a curb 22 Singer with the 67 Sprint competitor, album “Live at once the Polynesian Palace” 68 *1939 Vivien Leigh/ Clark Gable film 23 Time for the best 73 ___ king deals, maybe, in a going-out-of76 Sprint business sale 77 Word of agreement 24 *1939 Judy Garland 78 2000s events film in North Korea, for short 26 There was a great one in Genesis 82 Provider of music on the go?

27 One-named designer 85 Court grp.

88 Footnote abbr.

28 Lava comes out of it 89 *1942 Spencer Tracy/Hedy 29 Kind of car or tee Lamarr film 32 Appear suddenly 92 Odist’s preposition 36 Slaughter in the 1946 World Series 94 When repeated, a Polynesian capital 37 *1933 Jean Harlow 95 Publish film 96 Drinkers’ toasts 40 “Nuts!”

97 Brother of George 41 Gator’s tail?

W. and Jeb 43 D-backs, on 99 Award for Miss scoreboards Hawaii, in addition 44 Daily riser to a tiara 45 How things may be 100 Summer hrs. brought 102 Snow queen in 47 Pass Disney’s “Frozen” 51 Restful places 103 *1948 Ingrid Bergman film 53 Each 105 Elegance Online subscriptions: 108 eBay user Today’s puzzle and more 110 Certain than 4,000 past puzzles, newspaper nytimes.com/crosswords advertisement ($39.95 a year).

A CRO S S

/ Edited by Will Shortz

111 Like Christiane Amanpour, by upbringing 113 Pub containers 115 Perfect, as a home 119 Director of the eight starred films in this puzzle, who was born on 2/23/1889 123 Torrey Pines Golf Course locale 125 Suffer humiliation, in slang 126 Comeback 127 Brooks Robinson’s team 128 Sitcom with a 1974 wedding 129 Foreign traveler’s purchase, maybe 130 Source of the line “What’s past is prologue,” with “The”

RELEASE DATE: 3/2/2014

15 Puts together 16 Things that should be tied up by the curtain?

17 Playfully 18 Complete, informally 19 Transudes 25 Beatles title girl 27 Queen of literature 30 Send off 31 Gave up 33 Birthplace of 22-Across 34 Hunts, with “on” 35 Lacking variety 37 Gives up, in slang 38 “Then again, I could be wrong” 39 Adult’s counterpart 42 Obsessed with 45 Fortunetelling aids 46 1980s-’90s series based on the fictional firm McKenzie, DOWN Brackman, 1 Massage Chaney & Kuzak therapeutically 48 Doing ___ 2 ___-blue (dancing 3 “I should ___ springily) lucky” 49 Basis in 4 Put into accounting a sepulcher 50 Head to Paris?

5 *1932 Clark Gable/ 52 Overly confident Jean Harlow film 55 Recipe instruction 6 La-la lead-in 57 Wiry-coated 7 Perhaps terriers 8 Migratory seabird 59 Lead-in to Pen, 9 Vier + vier commercially 10 What Babe wants to 62 Genuflect be in “Babe” 64 Night that “Friends” aired: 11 Finish (up) Abbr.

12 New Haven reuner 65 Swashbuckles, say 13 “Frasier” role 69 Some London lords 14 Major glitch

1

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8

20

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38

13

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68 75

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88 93

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97 102

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99 104

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70 Effected, in a bad way 71 “___ ba-a- ack!”

72 “Ed Wood” star 73 When the story begins, perhaps 74 1960s U.S. bombing target 75 Flight board info: Abbr.

79 Milan’s La ___ 80 Go-getter 81 Unemotive

49

72

86

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119

48

67

78 85

90

108

47

71

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107

19

42

66

77

101

18

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36

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95

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60

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35 41

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54 58

15

25

45

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74

14

40

56

111

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28

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105

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22

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73

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27 29

37

9

83 Means of access to a cafeteria, maybe 84 In past centuries 86 Joint parts 87 Specialties 90 Give off coherent light 91 Overreacting sort 93 Essen article 98 *1925 Percy Marmont film 101 One way to the top

103 Pub measure 104 1960s western sitcom 105 Chopped ___ 106 ___ Heep (Dickens character) 107 Blade brand 109 Red opening?

112 Bit 114 “Render ___ Caesar …”

116

124

116 Shelfmate of Vogue 117 Tavern stock 118 Place for a topgallant 120 Lash holder 121 Green monitor, for short?

122 Finish (up) 123 Fate 124 “___ we done?”

10

Tuesday, March 4

Un

Ellie Furmankski

LODE

ing

ZONE

It’s official, everyone, the semester has passed the halfway mark. I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that it’s been about a month since Winter Carnival and that spring break starts this Friday already. Time sure does fly.

When you’re non-stop busy with classes, work, meetings, reports, assignments, etc., I’ve found that time has a way of dissipating before your very eyes.

I don’t know about you, but I am definitely looking forward to spring break! A week off from the hustle and bustle of school couldn’t come at a better time; I’m a little burnt out and in need of both mental and physical rejuvenation.

While there will definitely be some homework and studying involved over the long break, I’m more than excited to finally catch up on sleep, indulge in a nice dose of fun and simply enjoy relaxing.

Since I will be staying in Houghton over break, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a reprieve from this outrageously frigid winter. A little skiing, snowshoeing and outdoor running are all on my list of things to do, so let’s hope Mother Nature is kind, especially with those nasty wind chills. If not, I can honestly say I wouldn’t mind spending a lazy day inside filled with naps, card games and movies.

For all of you heading to warmer places, I’m a little jealous. Sunshine, beaches and palm trees don’t sound half bad right now. Oh well.

The comforts of my second home here in Houghton shall suffice.

Whether your destination this spring break is near or far, warm or cold, safe travels and have a wonderful week.

I hope that everyone gets the chance to relax and comes back ready to kick off the last part of the semester. Before you know it, summer will be right around the corner.

Happy spring break!

OPINION

Michigan Tech Lode

Global warming illegal?

North Carolina makes House Bill 819, banning science JOE ANDRES Lode Writer Is it possible to outlaw science? If you happen to be the state of North Carolina, the answer is a resounding YES! In June of 2012, state legislators placed a moratorium on climate science, specifically on impending sea level changes, until “scientific techniques improve.”

North Carolina passed House Bill 819 after a report published by the Coastal Resources Commission that stated sea levels will rise 39 inches over the next century. The effect a threefoot increase in the sea level would be catastrophic on the lucrative North Carolinian oceanfront property market.

Put simply, a recently purchased piece of beachfront property will be underwater and worthless within one or two generations. If potential property buyers

were to be made aware of this, the value of beachfront property would be greatly reduced, as would the number of buyers.

Prior to the passage of this bill, real estate brokers were required to disclose this information to potential buyers.

Post passage, brokers are not required to disclose anything about rising sea levels as the science behind this is now legally considered to be unfounded. It should surprise no one that North Carolinian realtors were very pleased with the job security this new bill afforded them. It should be even less surprising then that the National Association of Realtors, one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the country, was the primary backer behind the passage of House Bill 819.

Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI) participates in a number of projects where climate change and rising sea levels play a role. Fortunately, the passage of this law does not prohibit continuing research in this field it simply

makes the publishable findings of MTRI, and other research institutions like it, more difficult to disseminate in North Carolina.

“Post passage, brokers are not required to disclose anything about rising sea levels as the science behind this is now legally considered to be unfounded.”

Additionally, this bill hinders the research and endeavors to understand climate change and rising sea levels specifically in North Carolina and what could be done to counteract the effects of it. These long-term interests have taken a back seat to the short-term profits of realtors. In the near future, I would advise avoiding the coast of North Carolina if you are in the market for some beachfront property.

On-campus students should receive expanded card swipe access GAGE HEERINGA Lode Writer Last Friday, I left my room in Wadsworth Hall to enjoy a nice, quiet lunch at McNair Dining Hall. It is often the least busy there and there is a nice view of campus.

I make it up the hill and head to the main entrance, but the door is locked and there is a sheet of paper taped to the door that directs me to swipe in another entrance.

However, since I live in Wadsworth Hall, I am unable to enter the door to the dining hall or swipe in any nearby door.

Since there is a draft whenever someone

opens the door to the dining hall, I understand they’d prefer students to swipe in at the door nearby it. I also think most students would prefer to make it inside the warm residence hall as soon as possible and make their walk outside in the cold, snowy weather shorter.

This would not be an issue if students who lived in any of the residence halls on campus could swipe in all three residence halls.

My friends who live in Douglass Houghton or McNair Hall are sometimes frustrated that they can’t get a midnight snack at the Cafe in Wadsworth Hall.

Though the cafe is open until 1 a.m. most

days, the main entrance to Wadsworth Hall locks at 12 a.m. and you must be a Wadsworth resident to swipe in.

I think the most pertinent issue for those who live in McNair Hall is that even during blizzards with negative 30 degree wind chills, they have to walk from McNair down the slippery sidewalk to their classes on campus. If they could walk down the hill and swipe in the eastern-most entrance of Wadsworth Hall, they could simply exit at the western-most Wadsworth exit, cross the street, and enter at Fisher.

This would spare students the unnecessary extra exposure to the UP winter climate.

WileyPlus, MasterPhysics don’t hold up to scrutiny DAVID MOREHOUSE Lode Writer MasterPhysics, WileyPlus and other online homework solutions are used for many classes at Michigan Tech.

They are supposed to provide easier management of grades for large classes, allowing students to get instant feedback and improve learning. However, many at Michigan Tech feel this is simply not the truth. In a survey we found that 70 percent of all students surveyed found

WileyPlus, MasterPhysics and other online solutions to pale in comparison to pen and paper homework, often citing issues with answers that are correct being marked as incorrect, a frustrating interface and overall vexation at the cost

Continued on page 11

Michigan Tech Lode

OPINION

Tuesday, March 4

11

Twitch Plays Pokemon - not just a social experiment JOSEPH PIETRZYK Lode Writer In case you haven’t heard of it, Twitch Plays Pokemon (TPP) is the newest social experiment that’s exploding in popularity all over the internet. TPP is a live stream of the game Pokémon Red Version that is played by the viewers of the stream.

“With any group of people, individuals who impede progress have to be expected, and seeing if those obstacles could be overcome with team work is a valid social experiment.”

It parses commands from the chat box and inputs them into the game. TPP has been likened to the Émile Borel quote that “with an infinite number of monkeys and an infinite number of typewriters, one will type Shakespeare’s plays.” The About sixty-thousand viewers can input commands for the game at once. key differences being that instead of an infinite number of monkeys we have about sixty-thousand viewers, and instead the game. An average of sixty-thousand a social experiment. With any group of of an infinite number of typewriters we viewers is anything but small; most people, individuals who impede progress have one emulator. TPP started off as a teamwork and coordination is impossible have to be expected, and seeing if those social experiment but has evolved into an at this volume of inputs. The lack of obstacles could be overcome with integral part of the internet subculture. teamwork is evident when you see how teamwork is a valid social experiment.

It’s no longer about seeing if the game can many actions that have been made that However, the fanbase has even made be completed with an anonymous viewer are detrimental to completing the game, the griefers’ actions viral-- there’s a base; it’s now about the story the viewers like many of the higher leveled Pokémon remembrance day for all of the Pokémon have created to fit with their own actions. being released. that were released: Bloody Sunday. There’s The creators originally intended for it Admittedly, the griefers (players who even a few admittedly silly religious belief to have a small viewer base, and to have intentionally impede progress) could systems that were spawned by TPP, those viewers work together to complete support the argument that TPP is just complete with Facebook and Wikipedia

Photo courtesy of Twitch.tv

pages, such as the Helix Fossil.

TPP is so viral that no event has gone unnoticed by the fanbase. Google Image searching “Twitch Plays Pokemon” will yield an absurd number of results with hardly any of them being actual gameplay.

All of this fanart shows that TPP is no longer about seeing if a large, anonymous viewer base can complete the game, but about the story these anonymous people can create out of the actions of the viewers.

Online homework Continued from page 10 and use of the system.

However for the school, the perceived benefits of online homework solutions seem to outweigh student outcry and annoyance. Large classes are usually the focal point of online homework solutions, most costing about $100 not including the already pricey textbooks.

Our survey found over 70 percent of students thought online homework was harder to use and greatly disliked compared to traditional pen and paper homework. When it came to the question of whether it helps them learn, surely an important element for colleges, the same bleak diagnosis was given with again 70

percent of students polled stating it did not help them learn.

Technology was supposed to make learning more efficient and students better prepared, however that is not the case. Technology now serves as a greater distraction and hindrance. From Facebook and other social media sites, texting and constant updates, technology has brought an inability to focus. A Slate. com title reads “You’ll Never Learn: Students can’t resist multitasking, and it’s impairing their memory.” Another from The New York Times read, “A Focus on Distraction,” and NBC News found that students couldn’t resist being distracted

for even two minutes.

A study at UCLA backs this up, finding that when taking notes paper beats the computer. In both experiments conducted, a test 30 minutes after the lecture and a test after review time, students who used paper did better. A University of Central Arkansas study conjectured that students may also remember and have an easier time getting assignments done with paper instead of online homework as it reflects traditional modes of due dates and methods.

Scientific America gives a likely explanation to all of this in their article “The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The

Science of Paper versus Screens.” They found that when reading a physical book or doing homework on paper, the brain creates a mental map similar to those of terrains and environments. Thousands if not millions of years of evolution go into this adaptation, compared to the computer which has been in family homes for less than 30 years.

Both our survey and studies reflect the same thing, online homework does not present much benefit.

This, combined with the expense, reflects a poor system pushed by publishers with a financial interest to the detriment of students.

12

SPORTS

Tuesday, March 4

# the By

s r e b m nu Games left of regular season action for the Hockey Huskies

2

13

Number of Tech skiers named to the USCSCA National Collegiate AllAcademic Ski Team out of 57 from the region

Matches Men’s Tennis will play at Spring Tennis Fest in Hilton Head, S.C. over spring break

5

11

76.9

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Paige Albi

ELLIE FURMANSKI Sports Editor Despite the Huskies’ 59-67 loss to the Wildcats of Northern Michigan last Thursday, Paige Albi was one of Tech’s players who really stood out in the team’s final game of the regular season. The senior guard played a complete 40 minutes and swept the team stats for the game.

Albi, who is averaging ten points per game this season, scored a career-high and teamhigh 21 points against the Wildcats. She made two three-point attempts in the first half to earn the Huskies six points and added 15 in the second half.

Overall, Albi sunk eight of 14 shots from the field, including three 3-pointers out of four attempts, and made two of two free throws. Furthermore, she added a team-high

seven assists and three rebounds.

The Sun Prairie, Wis., native, who has only started six of 25 games this season, stepped up her game against the Wildcats. As the postseason takes off this week, the Huskies will look to Albi to maintain her elevated play as the team progresses through the GLIAC Tournament and possibly beyond.

Even though the team effort as a whole wasn’t enough to pull through with a win against Northern, there’s a good chance these two teams will see a rematch if they both win their GLIAC Tournament quarterfinal games this week.

Albi and the rest of the Michigan Tech Women’s Basketball team will kick off their run in the GLIAC Tournament with a quarterfinal game on Wednesday, March 5 against the Saginaw Valley Cardinals. The match is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. in the SDC wood gym.

Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech Athletics

Tech hosts only doubleheader of GLIAC Tournament JOHN REYNOLDS

Consecutive times the Huskies will compete in the Women’s Basketball GLIAC Tournament

Skier representing Michigan Tech at the NCAA Championships, Alice Flanders

Michigan Tech Lode

1

Overall win percentage by Men’s Basketball so far this season

Lode Writer The Michigan Tech Women’s Basketball team is heading into their 11th consecutive GLIAC Tournament, starting at home in the SDC on Wednesday, March 5.

The Huskies open up the tournament as the third seed and will play the sixth seed Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals.

This will be the seventh consecutive year the Huskies have opened postseason play at home.

The Huskies split the regular season series against the Cardinals earlier this year, with both teams winning at home.

The most recent game was on Feb. 15 in the SDC, a game which the Huskies won by ten points. The game held at Saginaw Valley was much closer, with the Cardinals taking the final one-point lead with less than a second left.

The Cardinals are already used to playing in elimination games, having won their final game of the regular season to secure the sixth seed. If they had lost, then Grand Valley State would have made the GLIAC tournament. This is the second year in a row the Cardinals have made the tournament.

Sophmore Kyle Stankowski attempts a three pointer during a home game against Lake Superior State earlier this season.

Photo by Maxwell Curtis

Another team in the Huskies’ half of the bracket is the Northern Michigan Wildcats, who take on the Northwood Timberwolves in Marquette, Mich.

Michigan Tech comes into the tournament off of a loss against the Wildcats, so a

potential rematch in the second round of the GLIAC Tournament could be an interesting game.

The Huskies may also face Wayne State, Continued on page 14

Michigan Tech Lode

SPORTS

Tuesday, March 4

13

Sidelines

Women’s Fitness Courses

The Love Your Body Action Team of the Women’s Leadership Council is once again partnering with Michigan Tech Athletics and Recreation Department to offer fitness courses for women at a discounted rate. The two classes being offered this semester are Core & More and Yoga. Core & More runs March 20 through April 24 every Thursday from 8:30 to 9:20 a.m. The cost for six weeks is only $9. Yoga will take place on Mondays from 7:15 to 7:45 p.m. starting March 17 through April 21. The cost for six weeks of Yoga is $6. Interested in signing up? Registration for Yoga ends March 16, and the deadline for Core & More is March 18. You can register online, at the SDC Ticket Office or by calling 487-2073. Visit the Women’s Leadership Council website at (http:// diversitycenter.mtu.edu/WLC/events. html) for more information.

Students compete in annual indoor soccer tournament hosted at the SDC during the spring.

Intramural Deadlines Photos by Pratik Joshi

Soccer clubs host spring indoor soccer tournament JOHN REYNOLDS Lode Writer Every spring, the Michigan Tech Women’s Soccer Club and Men’s Soccer Club bring indoor soccer to the Michigan Tech community in a joint effort fundraiser.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays in the main SDC gym, soccer matches are going from 10 p.m. until midnight, featuring teams of varying skill from the Michigan Tech populace.

The men’s and women’s soccer clubs put on this event to help raise funds for equipment and other club expenses. The $40 team entry fee goes towards the equipment and field rental of the tournament. In addition to setting up the tournament, which includes registering the teams and getting waivers signed, members of the soccer clubs oversee the matches as referees.

“The games have been running very smoothly,” said Monica Fraser, who is

helping throw the tournament with the women’s club team.

There are currently 16 teams in the B and C-leagues and eight in the A-league. “The A-league is a pretty competitive league,” said Fraser. This league has more experienced players and is a little more intense. These matches even require two refs per game.

The C-league is a fun, call your own fouls league. C-league matches only require an additional timekeeper to make sure things run smoothly. The B-league has one ref and is a hybrid of the two.

Two fields are used to host the matches each night, each one-quarter the size of the SDC gym. This is considerably smaller than a regular soccer field, so the game is scaled down accordingly. The ball is smaller and denser, and the goals are also smaller. The number of players is also reduced, with only five players and a goalie playing at any given time.

Unfortunately, due to space constraints, one of the fields on Thursday night is half sized. Taking an already small field and

halving it makes for a fast-paced game.

To help compensate for the new space restraints, these games are played with one less player on the field. With fewer players getting tired at once, the game gets even faster. These can be very exciting games to watch.

Every team is guaranteed six games, and there are about 40 teams in the league, more than the minimum the tournament had previously set. This leaves plenty of opportunity to watch some exciting indoor soccer action, especially when it comes down to the single elimination tournament held between the teams that do the best.

The men’s and women’s soccer clubs put a lot of hard work into throwing this tournament together. They throw two a year, usually held towards the end of the semester, so if you missed this one, there is always next year.

“It is a good way for a ton of friends to play indoor soccer,” said Fraser. This tournament benefits both of the club teams and everybody who attends.

Signup for men’s and women’s intramural team volleyball closes on March 5 at 5:00 p.m. League play for the sport will kick off on March 17.

Upcoming deadlines for the dodgeball tournament and swim meet will round off the list of intramurals starting in March. Registration ends March 20 and 25, respectively, for dodgeball and the swim meet.

Tech Skiers Honored Last week, the United States Collegiate Ski Coaches Association announced the 2014 National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team.

A total of 255 skiers were honored from 30 schools. Thirteen out of 57 athletes from the Central Collegiate Ski Association region were Tech skiers. All-Academic Team members were selected for participating in an NCAA Regional competition while maintaining a 3.5 cumulative grade point average. Members from the Michigan Tech Men’s and Women’s Nordic Ski teams include the following athletes: Raphael Bechtiger, Sarah Daniels, Lynn Duijndam, Alice Flanders, Kyle Hanson, Sam Holmes, Deedra Irwin, David Joda, Thomas Kendrick, Rachel Mason, Erin Mathews, Matt Wong and Jay Woodbeck.

14

SPORTS

Tuesday, March 4

Tech hosts only doubleheader of GLIAC Tournament Continued from page 13

Malone, Ashland or Hillsdale on the road throughout the GLIAC Tournament.

Wayne State, who clinched the number one seed, has the top-scoring GLIAC offense among the other formidable GLIAC opponents. The Huskies have beat top-ranked opponents in the year, however, and definitely have a fighting chance to come out on top.

The men’s squad will also open up their postseason at home but with a game against the Grand Valley State Lakers.

This is the third consecutive home postseason opener for the men. The Huskies secured the fourth seed of the GLIAC Tournament, due in large part to their GLIAC-leading defense.

Tech swept the regular season series against Grand Valley State, which included a 15-point victory at home on Jan. 18. The last game between these two teams was over Winter Carnival at Grand Valley State.

Austin Armga will look to continue his impressive season in this year’s postseason. He is currently second in the GLIAC with 23.4 points per game.

Armga’s offensive prowess coupled with the Huskies’ usual defensive play could carry them far into the tournament.

The Lake Superior State Lakers and the Malone Pioneers are also in the Huskies’ half of the bracket. Lake Superior State is currently ranked 16th in the country.

They gave the Huskies their biggest loss of the season with a 21-point victory. Tech

“Teams will be fighting hard to become the GLIAC champion, a title that comes with an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Tournament.” beat Malone by 26 points at the beginning of the year to open up conference play.

The Huskies may also play Findlay, Walsh, Northwood or Hillsdale, depending on how the tournament plays out. Findlay is currently the 23rd-ranked team in the country, making the road to a GLIAC Championship a tough one for any team in the men’s tournament.

Teams will be fighting hard to become the GLIAC champion, a title that comes with an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Tournament.

Look out for Malone and Walsh in years to come as newcomers to the GLIAC who are already making waves in the tournament. Hopefully Tech will go far with their two defense-oriented squads.

Come support the Huskies as they kick off GLIAC Tournament play with a doubleheader this Wednesday, March 5 at home. The women’s quarterfinal is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. against the Cardinals with the men’s game to follow at 7:30 against the Lakers in the SDC wood gym.

Michigan Tech Lode

Tennis teams travel to South Carolina for spring break PARKER MCCOLL Lode Writer

Michigan Tech’s Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams will be traveling to Hilton Head, S.C for Spring Tennis Fest. The teams attend the event during Tech’s spring break and leave on March 7.

The Professional Tennis Registry holds the event, which runs the full month of March. The event draws over 120 collegiate teams and around 30 men’s teams will be in attendance the same week as the Huskies.

Nearly one month into their season, the men’s tennis team is currently 5-0.

“We’re where we want to be,” commented Coach Kalinec. “We’ve played some solid teams already and are playing about as good as we can.”

For the men’s team, Hilton Head offers the opportunity to gain extra practice during the season. The team will play five matches in seven days, including two matches against Division I teams.

“Playing the two Division I teams is going to be very good for us,” said Kalinec. “Those are going to be very good challenges.”

Coach Kalinec is looking for good results during the week.

“I’d love to come out of there 5-0,” stated Kalinec. “However, we play two Division I teams while we’re down there. Finishing 4-1 or 5-0 would be huge.”

The Division I teams Tech will face are George Mason University and North

Varsity Events Schedule: March 4-10 Tuesday, 4 Men’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball

Wednesday, 5

Thursday, 6

Men’s Tennis

Home Game Friday, 7

Saturday, 8

**@ Minnesota St. 8:37 p.m.

**@Minnesota St. 8:07 p.m.

Sunday, 9

** Conference Match Monday, 10

GLIAC Quarterfinal vs. Grand Valley St. @ 7:30 p.m.

GLIAC Quarterfinal vs. Saginaw Valley @ 5:30 p.m.

Hockey Nordic Skiing

Carolina Central University. Other teams from the GLIAC will be in Hilton Head that week but will not play Tech since the teams see each other regularly.

The Huskies’ next collegiate matches are on March 22 and 23 against Grand Valley State and Ferris State at home. The team has two matches the weekend after as well.

“The rest of the season is playing out very good for us. These will be huge matches for us because those teams are the powerhouse teams,” said Kalinec.

Even though the women’s tennis team is in their off-season, they will also be attending the Tennis Fest. The NCAA allows a 45-day window for preseason practice and contact between athletes and coaches. The team uses part of this time to play at Hilton Head.

The women’s team will play four matches, one of which will be against a Division I team. “With the teams they’re playing, we should be pretty successful as well,” commented Kalinec. “Playing a Division I team should be a good challenge.”

The women’s tennis team finished their season in October with a win against Lake Superior State. The team reports back in mid-August for training, and matches are set to begin in September.

Both teams are excited for the trip.

The tennis facilities are professional quality, and the teams will face good competition. “We’re looking forward, both teams, to going down there,” commented Kalinec.

NCAA Championships @ Heber City, Utah

NCAA Championships @ Heber City, Utah Vs. Chowan @ Hilton Head, S.C.

Vs. Fairmont St. @ Hilton Head, S.C.

Michigan Tech Lode

SPORTS

Tuesday, March 4

15

Splashing around with Innertube Water Polo PARKER MCCOLL Lode Writer

Junior David Johnstone battles to get a shot off in the match-up against Alabama Hunstville earlier this season.

Photo by Maxwell Curtis

Huskies prepare for season’s end, WCHA standings still unstable IAN HATZILIAS Lode Writer The final weekend of the WCHA regular season schedule is dawning upon the Michigan Tech Hockey Huskies.

As they prepare for the finale against Minnesota State, the number three spot of the WCHA is still up for grabs.

During Tech’s week off last week, the Nanooks of Alaska Fairbanks swept Ferris State, giving them only their second series loss of the season. The only other team to sweep Ferris was Minnesota State. The sweep against FSU put the Nanooks in a tying position with the Michigan Tech Huskies at the number three spot in the WCHA standings with 28 points each.

Sitting in a close tie for fifth is Alaska Anchorage and Bowling Green with 26 points.

Because Ferris was swept against Alaska Fairbanks last weekend, they are no longer a lock for the number one spot in the WCHA. Having that said, the number one and two spots are locked between the Minnesota State Mavericks and Ferris State Bulldogs. These two teams are tied for first at 38 points each,

ten points ahead of the number three spot.

While Tech faces Minnesota State this weekend, the Nanooks will face off against their neighbors, the number five Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, in a battle for the Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup. Unfortunately for Tech, the Mavericks are on a seven game win streak as of last weekend, with three of those games being shutouts.

Upsetting a winning team, however, would not be unheard of. For example, the once seemingly invincible Ferris State has lost three of their last five games.

It seems like no team has it easy this weekend as the race for the top comes to an end. Since FSU and MSU have the top two spots on lock, the number three spot is now very valuable.

Past the one and two spots, the standings are very unstable. For instance, even though Ferris faces the number eight-ranked Lakers, LSSU has a chance to push themselves up to number three with two upsets against the Bulldogs.

When all is said and done, the best thing that can happen to Tech is they sit at number three. The worst that can happen would be falling to number

“The sweep against FSU put the Nanooks in a tying position with the Michigan Tech Huskies at the number three spot.” six. This would be upsetting after the developments they’ve made this season.

For the Huskies to drop to sixth, however, LSSU would have to sweep Ferris, Bowling Green would have to sweep Bemidji St., and UAA would have to sweep the Nanooks while Tech loses the series against Minnesota. It is unlikely that this will happen, but each series is its own and is independent of the others.

Anything can happen in college hockey.

Despite how competitive the WCHA has been all season long, it will all come to a screeching halt this weekend. Up next, the postseason begins with WCHA playoffs. A complete schedule will shake out after the regular season series finish up this weekend.

Visit (michigantechhuskies.com) for more information on streaming video for the series against the Mavericks this Friday and Saturday.

Spring semester is a busy time for intramural sports with 17 activities available throughout the semester. One of the seven intramurals currently in season is innertube water polo.

For water lovers, innertube water polo is a fun way to get in the pool with friends.

“It’s fun to compete in and play water polo with everybody,” commented Corey Fase, a student in Biomedical Engineering.

Corey played water polo throughout high school and is also a member of the water polo club at Tech.

Innertube water polo is similar to standard water polo; teams move back and forth across the pool, passing the ball while trying to throw it past the other team’s goalie and into the net. The intramural sport adds one feature to the mix: an innertube.

The addition of innertubes opens the intramural sport to a wider range of students. With the innertubes, players don’t need to concentrate on staying afloat or treading water during the match. This makes the game more relaxing and helps people of all swimming abilities enjoy the game.

The innertubes also help to even the playing field.

“It’s more enjoyable for everyone because they can compete on the same level since the tubes remove the factor of who can swim the fastest,” said Corey.

With everybody moving at the same speed, the game focuses more on moving the ball between teammates, making each member important to the team. Each of these factors helps welcome people new to water polo to give it a try. “Innertube water polo is a great introduction to water polo for people who have never played before,” said Corey.

For students who enjoy intramural innertube water polo and are looking for an additional challenge, Tech has opportunities to try standard water polo.

“There’s a water polo club that meets and holds scrimmages, and it’s a lot of fun,” added Corey.

While the intramural season started on Feb. 18, students can join teams through April 10. With two co-ed leagues, intramural water polo is an exciting activity which anybody can have fun playing.

Winter Carnival Photo Contest Winners 1st Place

Chilled Delight -Connor Wlodardczak

2nd Place

The Iced Lion on a Cloud -Fernando Mendes

3rd Place

Woody Veins

-Pratik Joshi, Media Editor

Honorable Mention 2

Flower of Winter Carnival -Aki Jussila

Honorable Mention 1

The Beauty Belle Finds -Zachery Nelson