October 2016 | College of Engineering Blog

Natural Resource and Environmental Career Paths

Published October 31, 2016

Joan Chadde, director of the Michigan Tech Center for Science and Environmental Outreach, presented “Promoting High School Students’ Interest in Natural Resource and Environmental Career Paths” at the North American Association for Environmental Education Conference in Madison last week.

The session described the program that provides 20 Detroit high school youth with a free opportunity to experience Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the campus of a natural resource university. Students complete pre/post surveys to measure changes in their interest in natural resource career paths. Many at Michigan Tech supported the program, including Housing and Residential Life, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, College of Engineering, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering and many others.

Michigan Tech Ranks High Globally in International Collaboration, Engineering, Materials Science

Published October 27, 2016

By College of Engineering

News

In newly released US News & World Report global university rankings, Michigan Technological University ranked 136th out of 1,000 universities around the world in international collaboration.

Tech’s College of Engineering and Department of Materials Science & Engineering also ranked well. MSE placed in the top one-third at 273rd and engineering overall was 356th of the 1,000 universities ranked.

Michigan Tech Joins Nanovation Partners in a Commercialization Agreement on Nanotube Processes

Published October 20, 2016

By College of Engineering

News

Intellectual property from UCSD, WSU, UCF, Michigan Tech, N2 Biomedical, and Nanovation Partners represents the most comprehensive portfolio available to license with respect to implant nanotube surface treatment.

Nanovation Partners, LLC and Michigan Technological University today announced a partnership agreement for commercialization of processes to nano-texturize medical implants. These advanced processes can simultaneously increase bone ingrowth and provide an antimicrobial barrier. The collaboration agreement extends Nanovation Partner’s leadership in commercialization of nano-texturing technology.

Craig Friedrich, PhD, Director of Michigan Tech’s Multi-scale Technologies Institute, commented, “What we’re developing is a surface treatment that’s more straightforward and economical than other processes. It speeds healing and is applicable to a broad range of implants. With this process, in conjunction with the technologies developed at other leading nano-technology universities and companies already in partnership with Nanovation Partners, we can fight infection and reduce inflammation. Our partnership with Nanovation Partners will speed and broaden the transfer of this technology to provide a clinical benefit for a broad range of patients.”

The partnership with Michigan Tech builds on Nanovation Partners’ strategic collaborations with leaders in nanotexturing technology,” —Dan Justin, President and CEO of Nanovation Partners.

Meeting for the Center for Novel High Voltage/Temperature Material and Structures

Published October 18, 2016

By College of Engineering

News

ME-EM to Host Advisory Board Meeting

NSF I/UCRC Industrial Advisory Board Meeting for the Center for Novel High Voltage/Temperature Material and Structures begins today.

Today and tomorrow, ME-EM is hosting the semi-annual NSF I/UCRC Industrial Advisory Board meeting for the Center for Novel High Voltage/Temperature Materials and Structures (HVT) at the Great Lakes Research Center. The meeting is organized by Site Director Greg Odegard (ME-EM) and Co-Directors Julie King (CHE) and Paul Sanders (MSE).

Expected at the meeting are 40 faculty, graduate students and Industrial Advisory Board members from Michigan Tech’s ME-EM, Chem Eng and MSE departments; University of Denver, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne; Bonneville Power Administration, CTC Global, General Cable, Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Tri-State Generation and Transmission.

The mission of the HVT Center is to develop and evaluate new materials and structures for a range of HVT technological applications, particularly for the power transmission and aerospace industries.

The HVT Center has entered its third year of operation; this meeting is focused on the review of the current projects, proposals for future research and discussions on directions for Center growth. The Center is jointly funded by NSF and the Industrial Advisory Board member companies.

By ME-EM.

Unscripted—Be Aware: Cybersecurity

Published October 17, 2016

By College of Engineering

News

Cybersecurity in cars made several headlines last summer. Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek’s carhacking research made for a viral WIRED article when they remotely took over a Jeep Cherokee on the highway; Bloomberg Business covered these vulnerabilities in a video interview at the Def Con hacking convention. At Michigan Tech, cybersecurity is an integral part of many researchers’ work. Steven Goldsmith, a research professor in mechanical engineering, started a new graduate course on automotive cybersecurity this fall and spoke with me about his work.

2016 Lake Superior Water Festival

Published October 11, 2016

By College of Engineering

VIEW THE PHOTO ALBUM

More than 1,000 students in grades 4-8 in 34 classes from 13 schools in Houghton, Baraga, Gogebic and Ontonagon counties will flood Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center from 8:45 to 11:30 a.m. and noon to 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday (Oct. 12) for the 5th Annual Lake Superior Water Festival “October will be a Splash!”

Students from the following schools will participate: Baraga Middle School, CLK Elementary, Chassell Elementary, Elm River School, Hancock Middle School, Jeffers Middle School, L’Anse Middle School, Lake Linden-Hubbell Middle School, L.L. Wright Middle School (Ironwood), Sacred Heart School, South Range Elementary and Washington Middle School (Calumet).

More than 30 different sessions will be offered throughout the day, presented by Michigan Tech scientists, staff and students, with help from Keweenaw Land Trust, Keweenaw National Historical Park, U.S. Coast Guard, SOAR students from Dollar Bay High School, Ottawa National Forest, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park and NECi Superior Enzymes. Presenters come from the following departments at Michigan Tech: CEE, SFRES, GMES, ME-EM, Bio Sci, Chem, Physics, Sustainable Future Institute and VPA.

The Water Festival provides an opportunity for students to learn about and celebrate our most precious natural resource—the Great Lakes. A wide variety of topics from science and engineering to history and music will be presented. Students attend four 35-minute activities. Some of the topics include: Remotely-Operated-Vehicles, Isle Royale Wolves and Moose, Leave No Trace Outdoors, cleaning wastewater and touring the U.S. Coast Guard vessel.

The 2016 Water Festival is made possible with funding from Michigan STEM Partnership, Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society and the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative. The Festival is coordinated by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative and hosted by Michigan Tech’s Great Lake Research Center.

Schedules and descriptions of each session will be available in the GLRC lobby upon arrival.

For more information, contact Joan Chadde or Lloyd Wescoat at 7-3341.

By Joan Chadde.

Ebrahim K. Tarshizi Receives Outstanding Young Scientist Award

Published October 6, 2016

By College of Engineering

News

Ebrahim K. Tarshizi (GMES), has been selected as the 2016 recipient of the Industrial Minerals and Aggregates Division Outstanding Young Scientist Award by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME).

“I’m truly honored and very grateful to receive such a prestigious award and recognition by SME. I would like to thank the IM&AD award committee, nominator(s), my colleagues and mentors,” Tarshizi stated.

SME administers and presents numerous recognition awards for outstanding individual and group achievements in the mining and minerals industry every year. These awards and their recipients represent the highest levels of commitment and expertise that have come to symbolize the vitality of SME as a professional society.

The Young Scientist Award, established by the Industrial Minerals & Aggregates Division in 1985, brings recognition of scientific professionalism to young people working in the industrial minerals & aggregates industry.

The award consists of a plaque, a stipend of $250 to help defray expenses while attending the Annual Meeting at which the award is presented, and paid housing, registration(s) and ticket(s) for the recipient and his/her spouse at the SME Annual Conference & Expo and the IM&AD Luncheon.

This award will be presented to Dr. Tarshizi at the SME 2017 Annual Conference & Expo and CMA 119th National Western Mining Conference in Denver, Colorado, at the Industrial Minerals and Aggregates Division Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

By Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences.

STEM Outreach During Fall 2016 at Michigan Tech

Published October 5, 2016

By College of Engineering

Brimley Area School Students Visit Michigan Tech

Thirty middle-school students, plus two science teachers, and two chaperones from Brimley Area Schools visited Michigan Tech and the Keweenaw Peninsula from Sept. 28-30, 2016. The outreach event was hosted by Ted Bornhorst, Executive Director, A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum, and Joan Chadde, Director of the Center for Science & Environmental Outreach. The Brimley Area Schools student population is 54 % Native American and 51 % low income. Students participated in a half-day of STEM activities on campus with Brian Barkdoll and “Kiko” de Melo e Silva, faculty and research scientist, respectively, in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Dr. Sarah Sun in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics.

“We were pleased to provide this unique opportunity for the Brimley students that may spark their interest to pursue a STEM degree at Michigan Tech,” explained Bornhorst.

“This was a great group of students,” observed Chadde. “We plan to work with them to make this an annual visit.”

Brian Barkdoll and Brimley Area Schools Students

Kiko de Melo e Silva and Brimley Area School Students

Sarah Sun and Brimley Area School Students

SIS & SAAM Hold Annual Meeting

The students of SIS (Society of Intellectual Sisters) and SAAM (Society of African American Men) alumni participated in several STEM activities just like their parents did at Tech! Joan Chadde facilitated several Family Engineering activities for the students, who ranged in age from 3-17 years. A favorite activity is the “Hot Chocolate Machine where students stack 10-15 cups to let gravity do its thing and mix the milk power and cocoa powder—and Voila! Hot chocolate!”

Month: October 2016

ME-EM to Host Advisory Board Meeting

NSF I/UCRC Industrial Advisory Board Meeting for the Center for Novel High Voltage/Temperature Material and Structures begins today.

Brimley Area School Students Visit Michigan Tech

SIS & SAAM Hold Annual Meeting