Around NMU

The Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center (UMBTC) at Northern Michigan University is hosting laboratory tours, followed by presentations by master’s students on their thesis projects. The tours will run from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, in West Science rooms 1610 and 1612. Refreshments will be served.

The thesis presentations will be held in the Mead Auditorium of West Science, room 2701.

The event comes behind international Brain Tumor Awareness week, which ends Oct. 27. For more information, contact Amber LaCrosse at 227-2377.

A conference paper published by Randall Jensen, professor of Health and Human Performance, is referenced in a Swimming World Magazine article on the backstroke to breaststroke transition turn in the individual medley. Jensen's study analyzed the turns of 14 NCAA Division II women swimmers and found no difference in force among three common styles—open, bucket and crossover—but the bucket turn held the edge for fastest.

James McPherson of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) will visit Northern Michigan University on Wednesday, Oct. 24, to discuss how intellectual property applies to students and small businesses. The program will focus on how to protect ideas through the patent process and how to protect branding through trademarks. He will discuss USPTO and local resources for pro se applicants and how to navigate the USPTO without an attorney.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees has directed the administration to ensure compliance with federal and state laws governing sexual misconduct, including the recent Doe vs. Baum ruling. In that University of Michigan case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that when a Title IX disciplinary proceeding involves competing narratives that require a credibility determination, both parties have a constitutional right to cross-examine each other and witnesses in the presence of decision-makers.

Northern Michigan University English professor Wendy Farkas is using an Endeavor Foundation grant to integrate civic learning into the English general education curriculum. NMU is among 24 institutions selected for funding from 134 applicants. The funding supports an Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) initiative called “Civic Prompts: Civic Learning in the Major by Design.” The initiative seeks to incorporate civic-minded studies and social responsibility as components within students’ major fields of study.

Dutch saxophonist Hans de Jong will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29, at Northern Michigan University's Reynolds Recital Hall as part of the Siril Concert Series. Admission is free.

In addition to performing as a saxophone soloist and with chamber music ensembles, de Jong is a composer and teacher. He is professor of classical saxophone and chamber music at the Royal Conservatoire in Antwerp, Belgium, and artistic director/conductor for the Royal Antwerp Saxophone Project.

The NMU Orchestra and the STARS Youth Orchestra will give a joint performance at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, in Reynolds Recital Hall. They will perform three movements of the "Capriol Suite" by Peter Warlock. The concert is free and open to the public.

The STARS Youth Orchestra is a string ensemble that is part of the Soo Theatre Project in Sault Ste. Marie. A former graduate of the NMU music program, Maggie Twining, is the director of the STARS Youth Orchestra.

Invent@NMU launched its first kiosk Oct. 11 in Gogebic County. The kiosk allows inventors and entrepreneurs to learn about the services offered, submit an idea for a product or business and receive a response from the Invent@NMU team within three business days. It will rotate locations throughout Ironwood, Bessemer and Wakefield.