Posts under the ‘Students’ category

Michigan Technological University environmental engineering PhD candidate Jennifer Fuller grew up dabbling in snowmobiling in her native Saginaw, where they have just a few inches of snowfall per year. So when she got to Houghton and Michigan Tech, she was hooked.

“I started with a local hill climb, found the Sledheads student organization and eventually moved on to the Midwest pro circuit,” she says.

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The fall 2012 senior design team presentations of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department were presented to the University community Tuesday, December 11 and Thursday, December 13 . This semester students in five sections have undertaken a wide range of interesting projects to fulfill the Department’s design project requirement.

List of Projects:
Portage Emergency Crossing
Instructors: Bill Leder, Bill Baxandall

FABB –Structures Team
Project Manager: Zachary Fredin
Team Members: Brandon Abel, David Bays, Woodward Beardsley

Causeway Engineering—Geotechnical/Env. Team
Project Manager: Nick Broad
Team Members: Zachary James, Mark Jakubik, Sean Pickard

Copper Country Consulting—Transportation Team
Project Manager: Jonathan Zalud
Team Members: Andrew Karsten, Jordan Hoekwater, Zachary Kukkonen

Fayette State Park
Instructor: Zeyad Ahmed

New History Consulting
Construction of the historical town site building #8, and the camp-ground restroom
Project Manager: Alex Eppert,
Team Members: Rebecca Sprys, Nathan Laukka

Michigan Water Solutions
Fayette Historical State Park Wastewater Treatment
Project Manager: Griffin Roblyer
Team Members: Mark Pittenger, Emily Lang, Joshua Strapec, Ryan Proulx

Copper Country Consulting
Modern Restroom and Shower Facility
Project Manager: Dan Brugman
Team Members: Maxwell Lesatz, Nick Yancy

Restoring Natural Rainfall runoff for Michigan Tech Campus
Instructor: Brian Barkdoll

Brooks, Gerrits, Magnuson
Team Members: Rachel Brooks, Josh Gerrits, Bryan Magnuson

Cremku Engineering
Team Members: Craig Clarke, Kurt Daavettila, Emily Baker

NKJD Engineering
Team Members: Jessica Daignault, Nathan Krause

Earth, Wind, and Water
Team Members: Bradley St. Germain Colton Lentz, Mackenzie Young

Viva Sustainable Design
Team Members: Samantha Dunne, Dustin Vreeland, Bruce Scuffham

Willis Avenue Bridge—NYC
Instructor: Mike Drewyor

Sierra Engineering And Plan-ning—Bridge Fabrication & Bridge Yard Team
Project Manager: Matt Purves
Team Members: Xiaofei Zhang, Greg Helminen, Steve Wilson

KD2M Engineering—Barge and Bridge Transport Team
Project Manager: Dylan Anderson
Team Members: Kyle Marynik, Mitch Farrar, Amanda Workman

New York Pier Builders—Pier Construction Team
Project Manager: Dustin Griesing
Team Members: Oswald, Josh Hauswirth, Kevin Nancarrow

iDesign (International Design teams)
Instructors: Dave Watkins

Pipe Bueno Engineers
Improving Accessibility to Potable Water in Yuu, Ecuador
Project Manager: Katie Valenzuela
Team Members: Noah Buikema, Brad Hildebrand, Tori Reuvers

Uno Más Engineers
Cerro Miel Aqueduct System
Project Manager: Manda Schierbeek
Team Members: Brittany Allen, Liz Jefferson, Merete Sorum

Hard Body Engineering
Engineering a Sustainable Water Distribution System in
Western Panama
Project Manager: Rebecca Bender
Team Members: Kelsey Maijala, Angella Mickowski, Cheriese Radionoff

Zapertero Engineering
Micro-Hydroelectric Power System in Majé Chimán, Panama
Project Manager: Katie Price
Team Members: Tyler Losinski, Christine Matlock, Andrea Walvatne

Poster for the Program

A sample of video clips are available on the CEE Senior Design Playlist

There are also a few sample photos at COE Flickr Set

Rail Transportation Program (RTP) Director Pasi Lautala (CEE), Assistant Professor Jeffrey Lidicker (CEE) and 20 Rail Engineering and Activities Club (REAC) students attended the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance Right-of-Way (AREMA) annual conference in Chicago recently. Michigan Tech RTP students were recognized for their AREMA scholarship success. Two of the students, Matt Purves (CEE) and Colin Lay (CEE) were selected to serve as student interns for the Conference Operating Committee.

Lautala also presented a collaborative paper “Win-Win: Shortline Railroad and University Team Up for Education and Development” with Darryl Babbitt ’08 (CEE) from Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad. Lautala and REAC students represented Michigan Tech as a partner in the first USDOT granted University Transportation Center focused on rail at the National University Rail Center (NURail) exposition booth.

On Wednesday, a (High Speed) Rail Workforce Symposium was conducted by the RTP as a deliverable of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) project granted to Michigan Tech, with Lautala as the PI. The symposium was offered live at the Chicago Hilton and via webinar to approximately 50 total participants. Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) Director John Velat presented an overview of the technical components of the proof-of-concept web portal being developed. Lautala also gave an overview of the project and served as moderator. Scott Bershing (TTAP) provided the technical capabilities for the webinar and recording of the event.

Earlier in the week, the inaugural Rail Transportation Program Alumni Event, in conjunction with AREMA, was held at the Chicago Hilton where nearly 40 Michigan Tech rail alumni and students gathered for an RTP overview from Lautala. The RTP is a part of the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI).

Michigan Technological University’s Concrete Canoe Team team brought home the bronze from the 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers National Concrete Canoe Competition, held June 14-16 at the University of Nevada–Reno.

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All civil and environmental engineering students participate in a major design experience in engineering. Students enrolled in Senior Design work as teams on client-based engineering projects, using skills acquired in earlier engineering course work. The department’s Senior Design experience prepares students for by asking them to solve problems under many of the constraints and considerations that a civil or environmental engineer would encounter on the job. These considerations include economics, environmental, sustainability, constructability, ethical, social, political, health, and safety. In June, CEE students presented their Senior Design Projects for three Kiewit Construction sponsored projects: Lower Mattagami River, Ontario Power Hydroelectric Generating Station Upgrade.

Michigan Tech’s Steel Bridge team brought home two first places and placed fourth overall in the National Student Steel Bridge Competition competition at Clemson University May 25-26. The Tech team earned first places for lightness and construction efficiency.

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Four Michigan Tech students have received graduate research fellowships from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Six other Tech students received honorable mentions in the competition. Nationwide, the NSF awarded 2,000 fellowships and 1,835 honorable mentions.

Mark Hopkins, mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics; Brennan Tymrak, mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics and Peace Corps Master’s International; Jennifer Fuller, civil and environmental engineering; and Liz Cloos, electrical and computer engineering, received NSF fellowships for graduate study. Bryan Plunger, Alan Olds, Evan Lucas, Hilary Morgan, Byrel Mitchell and Patrick Bowen earned honorable mentions.

NSF graduate research fellowships recognize and support outstanding graduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees. The fellows receive a $30,000 annual stipend for three years, plus international research and professional development opportunities and supercomputer access. Each fellow’s institution receives a $12,000 allowance.

“This group is exceptional and well deserving of the awards and honors,” said Jodi Lehman, coordinator of sponsored programs enhancement. Lehman worked closely with the NSF graduate research fellowship applicants. “Their success is also largely due to faculty and administrators who are committed to providing our students with the challenging academic experiences, innovative research, leadership training, and local and global outreach opportunities that make Michigan Tech applicants competitive.”

The Railroad Engineering and Activities Club (REAC) will hold a business meeting from 6 to 7 p.m., Tuesday Feb 28, in Dow 875.

This Tuesday’s Rail Transportation Seminar presentation will be by Phil Pasterak, Sr. Vice President/Central Region Manager Rail & Transit for PB. The presentation title is:

“High Speed Rail Development in the US and Midwest”

REAC is open to members of any discipline who have an interest in finding out more about REAC activities and the rail industry.

Pizza and pop will be provided.

For more information, contact Pam Hannon, coordinator, MTTI, at 487-3065 or at prhannon@mtu.edu .

See Registration Schedule for opportunities.

• View the news article
• Previous Article: Concrete Canoe Heading to the Nationals
• Video: ASCE interview with members of the Michigan Tech team at the 2011 National Concrete Canoe Competition

After winning their regional qualifiers, Michigan Tech’s concrete canoe team is preparing to show off its engineering and design skills on a national level.