Category: Alumni News

A Message from President Koubek

Published September 7, 2023

Alumni

Last week heralded a new beginning for nearly 1600 students starting their academic journey at Michigan Tech. Here are a few facts about this year’s entering class:

Applications for undergraduate and graduate education were both at all time highs with over 22,000 undergraduate applications and over 33,000 graduate applications.
Michigan Tech enrolled a freshmen class on par with the last two years, making these last three classes the largest since the early 1980s.
Female enrollment continues to grow, positioned to be the largest number of women in Michigan Tech’s history. This also holds true for domestic ethnicity/racially underrepresented students.
New undergraduate students come from 35 states with the largest out of state class Michigan Tech has ever seen. Illinois is now our second largest out of state population after Wisconsin. This is followed by Minnesota and Texas.
Academic credentials of this class are aligned with the last two years making these three classes the most academically talented in institutional history (as measured by GPA).

It’s no surprise that our excellent academic programs are driving unprecedented interest from our students at a rate outpacing national trends. This is certainly boosted by the latest Wall Street Journal rankings, which named Michigan Tech 16th overall among U.S. public universities on the WSJ’s list of Best U.S. Colleges 2024.

As our student population grows, so does our campus infrastructure. The H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex is nearing completion. Renovated space will be used as classrooms and learning labs. The addition will house high-tech, flexible laboratory spaces, teaching labs, offices, and common areas that will meet current industry standards for safe operation and the training of students.

And, soon we will break ground on a new 512 bed residential building located on the east side of campus. This is in addition to several renovation projects underway including classroom and teaching lab renovations, new gym equipment in the Student Development Center, and elevator replacements. We are also delighted to announce the addition of Alumni Way, thanks to the generosity of one of our donors.

Our corporate partners have also embraced this growth, proven by the unprecedented 391 companies that are registered to participate in Michigan Tech’s career fair later this month, and another 18 companies on the waiting list.

As companies look to make excellent hires at Michigan Tech, I have the honor of working with two excellent individual student leaders worthy of an introduction. Mason Krause serves as the 2023-24 undergraduate student body president and Karlee Westrem was elected to serve as the graduate student body president. I met them both and am excited to support their efforts this year.

I am delighted to work with them and the many other faculty, staff, alumni and donors who share the same passion for Michigan Tech. It’s through our shared commitment that we are able to achieve such remarkable results. Thank you for your support of our fine institution.

Sincerely,

Rick Koubek
President

Pete Kero ’94 Helped Turn Old Iron Range Mining Lands into a Bike Park

Published August 30, 2023

By Wes Frahm

Alumni

Pete Kero is one of the first handful of Michigan Tech graduates in environmental engineering, earning his degree in 1994. He has spent 29 years doing environmental engineering consulting in the Upper Peninsula and northern Minnesota. Kero was the visionary behind the award-winning Redhead Mountain Bike Park in Minnesota which repurposed iron mining landscapes into recreational acreage.

Recently, he wrote his first book titled Minescapes: Reclaiming Minnesota’s Mined Lands, which was released by the Minnesota Historical Society Press in May 2023.

Following is a Q&A with Kero on his ties to Michigan Tech and book.

Where are you from and how did you decide to come to Tech?
I grew up in Negaunee, and the short road to Michigan Tech was a well-beaten path for my family. My dad was a mechanical engineering graduate. My brother-in-law earned a civil engineering degree. My sister is a chemical engineering grad. I also have uncles who went to Tech.

What did you study?
I was part of Tech’s second-ever environmental engineering class in 1994. We were housed largely in civil engineering (now known as the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering). The department has grown and grown since I was there. It was a great choice for me.

Were there any memorable professors or academic stories?
Alex Mayer was the advisor for my environmental engineering design team. He was so patient with us as a rag-tag group of students. He took us to Las Cruces, New Mexico for a competition. I remember dodging tornadoes on the drive down. It was a really memorable capstone experience, and I appreciated that opportunity.

Talk about activities outside class while you were at Michigan Tech.
I loved skiing on the Nordic trails and mountain biking, even though there were no formal trails at the time. We’d bike the back roads and skid roads of the Keweenaw. One great memory is that my roommate and I had a competition to see how many Mondays in a row we could keep swimming in Lake Superior once the school year started. We made it to the middle of November. The last week we did it, there were people wearing snowmobile suits fishing on the shore.

How has your career progressed?
I’ve spent 29 years in environmental consulting, working for public projects, mining, and manufacturing. I got my start working in the U.P. at Sundberg Carlson and Associates. I moved to Minnesota and worked for various companies before joining Barr Engineering. What I like about consulting is there’s a different challenge every day. I see unique problems that don’t already have a stock solution.

How did Michigan Tech prepare you for your career?
Tech was a great school to prepare you for the real world—both the ups and downs. Tech was pretty hard, but work can be pretty hard. Tech taught me how to push through challenges and how to work with people and systems.

Have you been involved with Tech as an alumnus?
I make it back to campus from time to time and stay in touch with several professors, some of whom are former colleagues at Barr. I always follow with interest what’s going on at Tech. As I was writing this book one of the post-doctoral students from Tech contributed to my understanding of early tailings management on the Mesabi Range.

What advice would you give to current Tech students?
Slow down and enjoy your time. I blasted through college in four years, but a little breathing room gives you some time to sink your teeth into more things. It helps you be able to approach and understand the materials much better.

What spurred you to write the book?
I was personally involved as a volunteer and professional in this vast mine-disturbed territory in northeast Minnesota. It’s around 140,000 acres that have been flipped like a pancake to provide the iron ore that has built this country. Our goal was to see if there was anything we could do to attract people to this area. I volunteered to help create the Redhead Mountain Bike Park. We had to overcome so many roadblocks, including changing state law and changing perceptions about why people would be attracted to these old mined landscapes. So from my time volunteering working on the project, I had lots of notes. I wanted to set the story straight on how the bike park came to be. In order to properly tell the story, you have to go back in time. It’s really a history book. It tells the story of not only the bike park, but five generations of mine reclamation and repurposing in the area, told in a nonfiction narrative.

What was the timeline and process for completing the book?
The book took four years. It started with a phone call to the Minnesota Historical Society Press. I expected to have them tell me no, but they encouraged me to propose the book and were fantastic to work with. Shannon Pennefeather helped me shape it, and many other people reviewed and edited the book. It was a journey that wasn’t easy, but it was gratifying.

What do you hope people take away from reading the book?
I hope they take away that there can be a full circular life to mine lands. The land can go through the creation of mine, active mining, and reclamation. It can be made valuable again through techniques that we used. Mining is a divisive topic, but just about everybody is in favor of mineland reclamation. It can be unifying and shine a spotlight on environmental operators and pioneers for this work.

Michael Woudenberg ’05 Authors Science Fiction Novel Exploring Advanced AI

Published July 21, 2023

By Wes Frahm

Alumni

Michael Woudenberg is a senior manager of software engineering at Chainalysis, based in New York City. He works remotely from Sahuarita, Arizona. Woudenberg graduated from Michigan Tech in 2005 with a degree in management information systems and was commissioned through the ROTC program. He spent six years in the US Army, climbing to rank of captain. Woudenberg went on work for Honeywell Aerospace, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and a variety of tech startups and has received several trade secret patent awards and innovation awards.

Woudenberg recently completed his first novel, Paradox, a science fiction work exploring advanced artificial intelligence and what it means to be human.

Following is a Q&A with Woudenberg on his latest project and ties to Michigan Tech.

Q: What spurred you to write a book?
A: I love the exploration of what it means to be human especially when confronted with ever-evolving technology. Too often we lose focus of what gives us superpowers as we see old careers, skills, and capabilities being replaced or automated. This book is an adventure diving into these topics. In the battle over advanced AI will we lose our humanity, or will we learn what really makes us human?

I’ve had the idea for this book since 2018 and it’s rooted in a group I was part of called Mixed Mental Arts which was focused on really learning what it means to be human. The original idea was to novelize these concepts to make them more accessible for people to pick up and enjoy while learning more about themselves. When AI started exploding this past year, I decided to take a sabbatical and knock out the book since it was exceptionally timely. Letting it set for a couple of years also allowed some of the technology to mature to a point where the storyline is even more fun than I originally thought.

Q: What was the timeline and process for completing the book?
A: As I mentioned, the idea started in 2018. I then ruminated over the ideas for a few years. Last year I started writing professional essays on Substack at www.polymathicbeing.com where I explore everything from technology to psychology, leadership, biomechanics, health, and much more. This created some of the technical and contextual underpinnings I then pulled from to write the novel while having much of the research already done. When I finally sat down and started cranking out the story it took me about four weeks of writing and another four of editing before I sent it off for professional review. Two months of writing; Five Years of prep.

What was the most fun was a comment someone told me as I started “Good writing should surprise the author.” I won’t deny, there were a lot of times as I wrote the book that I was surprised at how pieces fell together or plot twists emerged that naturally flowed vs. being designed in from the beginning. What I like most is the interplay between the two main characters Kira and her brother Noah. I didn’t know how it would play out since Noah is anti-AI and Kira is the one developing it. What I loved was how their relationship tension results in a series of twists and tangles that really move the adventure forward.

A lot of people ask whether I used AI to write a book about AI and the answer is Yes, but… I used ChatGPT to help kick me off of a blank page. It worked great as a collaborator in helping with character development, counter-arguments, descriptions from other perspectives, and more. The first chapter was started by ChatGPT but its a terrible writer. It did get me going and 22 chapters of my own writing later, I went back and ripped out all the AI-authored content because I had found my own voice. AI helped as an assistant but I learned that AI can’t replace good, unique, and insightful writing. (Just another part of what makes humans unique)

The cover art is AI-generated. Originally by me and then, with the prototype, perfected by my friend Matt Madonna. Like the writing, AI is a collaborator and it takes a lot of human effort to get it to work right. The cover is a compilation of four different images which we blended. The fun part is creating art beyond my expertise but being able to use my expertise with AI to do it. We did use Adobe Firefly to ensure the ethical use of art from licensed sources.

Q: What do you hope people take away from reading the book?
A: I’d really like people to walk away wondering which side they’d pick between pro or anti-AI. I’m still not sure if I’d be on Kira’s or Noah’s side. There are compelling arguments for both. I’d really hope that readers walk away with a better understanding of what really makes us human and what that means for us in the future as AI continues to be developed.

Q: Why did you choose to attend Michigan Tech?
A: The computer science program

Q: Tell us about a memorable experience you had with a class or about a favorite professor
A: And interesting experience was with Dr. Christa Walck on business psychology which I didn’t enjoy… Until years later. I remember buying the same book she had us use and then starting to study human psychology like crazy. I took a couple more of her classes and enjoyed them greatly.

Q: Now, how about a memorable experience outside of class?
A: For 5 years I lived at Michigan Tech, making the Keweenaw my home. I was highly involved with snowboarding, mountain biking, and all things outdoors. One summer I camped out in the woods outside Copper Harbor while working and biking.

Q: How well did Michigan Tech prepare you for your career?
A: Tech provides a unique experience that completely differentiates us from other engineering schools. It’s uniquely elite.

Q: What was your first job after graduation and how has your career progressed?
A: I commissioned from ROTC and went into the US Army. From there I’ve worked at Honeywell Aerospace, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and a variety of Tech Startups.

Q: What are a few of your career highlights and notable achievements?
A: I’ve been awarded several Trade Secret patent awards, numerous innovation awards, and have been published and given numerous symposium presentations across a variety of topics.

Q: Why do you share your time, talent, and treasure to support Michigan Tech students and/or alumni or volunteer in your community?
A: I’ve volunteered as a math tutor and keep myself busy with pro bono career coaching among a variety of other volunteer activities because being helped by others is how I was able to succeed in my undergrad and career in general.

Q: What advice on being successful would you give to Tech students and young alumni?
A: Be adaptable and agile in your studies and careers. The increasingly complex problems in technology and society will be solved by cross disciplinary and cross domain collaboration and not individual specialization alone.

In Memoriam

Published April 24, 2023

By Morgan Laajala

January 1 – March 31, 2023

Class	Full Name	Degrees
1946	George C. Tackels P.E.	BS Civil Engineering
1947	Robert C. Hendrickson	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1947	Leland G. Rodgers Jr	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1948	Clinton A. Phalen	’48 BS Mechanical Engineering
1949	Anthony B. Bartoszek	BS Forestry
1949	Samuel W. Cota	BS Electrical Engineering
1949	James B. Vittone	BS Mechanical Engineering
1950	Marvin V. Lefens	BS Civil Engineering
1950	Robert M. Swanson	BS Mechanical Engineering
1950	Paul T. Watts	BS Chemical Engineering
1951	Fransis J. Siller	BS Civil Engineering
1952	Jack P. Johnson	BS Civil Engineering
1953	Charles D. Anderson	BS Mechanical Engineering
1953	Victor M. Castro	BS Civil Engineering
1953	John F. Pohlman	BS Business Engineering Admin, BS Mechanical Engineering
1953	Wallace G. Renn	BS Mechanical Engineering
1954	William O. Drummond	BS Civil Engineering
1954	Elmer F. Werhane	BS Forestry
1955	William S. Burke	BS Mining Engineering
1955	John M. Smuk	BS Chemical Engineering
1955	Daniel L. Stember	BS Civil Engineering
1956	Arthur S. Hamman	BS Forestry
1956	George T. Matthews	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1956	Thomas R. Valentine Sr P.E.	’56 BS Civil Engineering
1957	Harlan B. Niles	BS Geological Engineering
1957	Jack F. Shefchik	BS Civil Engineering
1958	Paul A. Erickson	BS Mechanical Engineering
1958	Ulyses S. St Arnold	BS Forestry
1959	Robert G. Langlois	BS Civil Engineering
1959	Wilfred J. Phillips	BS Electrical Engineering
1960	Thomas R. Forsch	’60 BS Chemical Engineering
1960	Alvin J. Gebeau, Jr.	’60 BS Mechanical Engineering
1960	Ronald O. Harma	BS Business Engineering Admin, BS Metallurgical Engineering, MS Metallurgical Engineering
1960	Thomas W. Schmucker	BS Mining Engineering
1961	Richard P. Baker	BS Civil Engineering
1961	Col. James L. Baushke Ret.	BS Civil Engineering
1961	Merton F. Dibble P.E.	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1961	Dr. Robley H. Morrison III	BS Mathematics
1961	Walter W. Tacke P.E.	BS Civil Engineering
1962	Anthony F. Raimondo	BS Mechanical Engineering
1962	Carl G. Schwenk	’62 BS Geological Engineering, ’65 BS Geophysical Engineering
1962	Kerry S Shoemaker	BS Chemical Engineering
1963	John M. Gogin	BS Forestry
1963	Jon H. MacLeod P.E.	BS Applied Physics
1963	Julio C. Raphel	BS Electrical Engineering
1963	Darryl K. Tubbs	BS Geological Engineering
1964	James E. Belmore	’64 BS Business Administration
1964	Ronald J. Gerlock	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1964	Ronald O. Kay	BS Mechanical Engineering
1965	James A. Niemi	BS Civil Engineering
1965	Dr. Joseph L. Roti Roti	BS Physics
1966	Paavo K. Alasimi	’66 BS Chemistry
1966	Daniel D. Astleford	BS Electrical Engineering
1967	William H Webb	BS Mechanical Engineering
1968	Mark J. Arnold	BS Business Administration
1968	Alan D. Bockrath	BS Business Administration
1969	L. James Barnard	’69 BS Metallurgical Engineering
1969	Timothy D. Burtrum	BS Electrical Engineering, MS Business Administration
1969	Leon J. Draxler	BS Mathematics
1969	William J. Gobert P.E.	BS Business Engineering Admin, BS Civil Engineering
1970	Ted A. Brzezinski	BS Mechanical Engineering
1971	Joseph Mark Krcmarik	BS Civil Engineering
1971	Terry M. Lane	BS Forestry
1972	Rodney J. Klingenberg	BS Electrical Engineering
1973	Ross H. Jury	’73 BS Business Administration
1973	Scott J. McKeough	BS Electrical Engineering
1973	Kenneth G. Van Kley PE	BS Mechanical Engineering
1974	Robert W. Duncan III	BS Business Administration
1974	Murli L. Hinduja	BS Chemical Engineering
1975	Kathleen L. Parker	’75 BA Liberal Arts
1975	Gerald J. Ryszka	’75 BS Forestry
1976	James N. Lehman	’76 BS Civil Engineering
1977	Richard W. Dobie	’77 MS Biological Sciences
1977	Zoe Ann R. Vicory	’77 AAS Nursing Technology
1978	Steven R. Vanden Brink	’78 BS Civil Engineering
1979	Phillip J. Hendrickson	’79 BS Mining Engineering
1980	David T. Windmuller	’80 BS Mechanical Engineering
1981	Gilbert A. Brown	’81 BS Forestry
1983	Kathryn R. Rautio	’83 AAS Mechanical Design Eng Tech
1984	Kevin P. Erickson	’84 BS Electrical Engineering
1984	Geoffry C. Kotila	’84 BS Business Administration
1985	Susan A. Gillespie	’85 BA Liberal Arts with History Opt
1985	Keith E. Moyle	’85 BS Electrical Engineering
1991	Sharon I. Joles	’91 BS Chemistry, ’95 MS Chemistry
1992	Jeffrey J. Morse	’92 BS Forestry
1993	Douglas W. Stage	’93 BS Chemical Engineering
1994	James T. Green	’94 AAS Forest Technology, ’96 BS Forestry
1997	Matthew E. McPherson	’97 BS Mechanical Engineering
2007	Jill M. Recla	’07 BS Bioinformatics

In Memoriam for October 1 – December 31, 2022

West Michigan Event Report: Bowling, Hockey, and Holiday Fun

Published March 6, 2023

By Morgan Laajala

Alumni News

Alumni and friends in the West Michigan area have been enjoying a variety of events, from bowling to holiday parties to cheering on the hockey team! If you’d like to follow along with what is happening in the West Michigan area, check out the West Michigan alumni Facebook page.

Bowling at Clique Lanes — September 28, 2022

Alumni enjoyed an evening of bowling at Clique Lanes, Grand Rapids. We rented the second floor with eight lanes for a two-hour bowling session. The attendance of nine bowlers was well below the expected capacity of 32 people, so there was ample space for everyone. We even had a 3-year-old in the group who used a ramp to launch his ball. Emma Zawisza ’12 organized the event.

Jim Crouch ’90 preparing to bowl.

3-year-old boy used a ramp to release the ball.

Holiday Party at The Mitten — December 1, 2022

To kick off the Holiday Season, a pizza and pub night was held at The Mitten Brewery in Grand Rapids. This event drew 40 people. Various gourmet pizzas, chicken wings, and delicious breadsticks gave everyone all they could eat. The Mitten Brewing Company was founded in November 2012 by lifelong friends Chris Andrus and Max Trierweiler and is located in historic Engine House No. 9. They offer a good variety of different styles of beer, so they have something for everyone’s tastes.

Michigan Tech’s Office of Alumni Engagement worked with alum host Emma Zawisza ’12 to organize the event, which also featured a drawing for door prizes with items courtesy of the Office of Alumni Engagement. One of the winners of a Husky blanket was Ron Vriesman ’78 from Spring Lake.

Michigan Tech vs. Ferris Hockey Pregame Social — January 21, 2023

About 68 people attended a pregame social at Cranker’s Brewery in Big Rapids. Coach Joe Shawhan was able to attend, mingled with alumni, and gave a game update prior to heading off to the pregame meetings and warm-ups. In front of a packed house, the nationally #14 ranked Michigan Tech Huskies tied Ferris State University Bulldogs 3-3 in an overtime game. The Bulldogs won a shootout victory following the tie.

Husky Hockey Game Watch — January 28, 2023

The game between Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan was live-streamed at Schmohz Brewing Co. The watch party went well (and we got the win 4-1 after an 0-3 loss on Friday)! Anticipated attendance was down slightly because of the weather (we got about 4″ of snow and the roads were a little sloppy) but everyone had a good time. We plan to do more events like this in the future.

2023 Alumni “Snow” Statue Results

Published February 20, 2023

By Morgan Laajala

Alumni

Thanks to all the Michigan Tech alumni and friends who participated in the third annual Alumni “Snow” Statue Contest. Congratulations to our winners!

Multi-Day Snow Statue – Winner

Title: Mammoth Mug from Minnesota: In the Land of Ice and Snow, Nothing is Better Than Hot Cocoa
Participants: Pamela ’09 & Tyler ’11 Fincher

Two Michigan Tech alumni Pamela (2009) and Tyler (2011) unearthed a mammoth mug of hot chocolate in their backyard after a Minneapolis blizzard. Likely left behind by Paul Bunyan himself after carving the Mississippi River. Hot chocolate has long been a staple comfort food for the Fincher family during the long winter months especially now after finding Paul’s long-lost recipe. The statue was found during excavations for a bobsledding course that wraps around the mug. After a long day of sledding, Pamela and Tyler’s sons refresh themselves with a hot cup of cocoa.

The statue pays homage to Summit house (5th floor East McNair) where Tyler learned the art of snow sculpting. Of course, the copper lettering is in honor of the Keweenaw. Hidden in the statue is ancient wisdom for those who thirst.

Multi-Day Snow Statue – Runner Up

Title: Cup of Global Warming Soup
Participants: Susan Conradson ’94 and Erica Conradson

The statue started during the Christmas blizzard when we made two stacks of snow (4′ and 5′ high) with the intention of making a large mug of coffee and doughnut. Then came the warm-up… and rain. The statue turned into a small cup of coffee and half of a donut. And then came more warmth and rain… and the doughnut turned into the handle of what we titled “A Cup of Global Warming Soup”. Then came even more rain… and the statue is gone. The statue should be labeled “perseverance” which relates to the Michigan Tech experience. We are just going for participation points!

24-Hour Snow Statue – Winner

Title: Snowman Encampment: Sugar Cookies and Toasted ‘Mallows for the Snowman’s Soul
Participants: Ben Thompson ’09, Aspen Thompson, Drew Vettel ’05, Maeda Vettel, Jackson Vettel

Another statue was built while on a friend vacation to the heart of enemy territory, Marquette. We spent a morning playing in the snow with the kiddos, including sledding down the hill and building a small statue of winter treats that warm our hearts. There is a platter of sugar cookies, a hot cocoa mug, and a snowman bravely using his own arm to roast a marshmallow over ice logs and sculpted snow flames. A snow brick wall protects him from the Lake Superior gales.

24-Hour Snow Statue – Runner Up

Title: Welcome to McDonalds’
Participants: Emily McDonald ’12, Carl Baker ’84, and future Huskies Elliott (3) and Margie (1) McDonald

This year’s theme was an easy one for our family since we are the McDonalds! We wanted to bring to life a classic menu item from the fast food chain of our namesake. Our favorite part of building this statue was making the three pickles that can be seen on the front and the right side.

Other Material “Snow” Statue – Winner

Title: Pasties, Pickled Eggs, & Pints, Providing Energy for Many a Frigid Tech Night!
Participants: Steven Williams ’86, Lisa Williams ’88, Becca Williams ’22, Libby Williams ’22

Our statue pays tribute to three Michigan Tech and Upper Peninsula staples that have sustained many a Tech student throughout the brutal Houghton winters – Pasties, Pickled Eggs, and Pints. Being highly consumable, they perfectly fit this year’s theme of “Tasty Foods for Wintry Moods”. This statue is constructed in Cadillac, MI out of alternative materials. Desiring to limit waste, the statue is made completely of food products, ice, snow, and birdseed. Served on a large ice platter, the bird seed-filled pasties have been baked golden brown, the pickled eggs were molded from suet cakes, and the specially constructed ice pints are filled with sunflower seed “KBC Widowmaker Black”, topped with a snowy head. Once documented, the statue will become a tasty offering for our feathered and furry friends!

Other Material “Snow” Statue – Runner Up

Title: The Caterpillar Became Even More Full from the Food He Ate at Carnival!
Participants: Kathryn Stone ’19 and Derek Stone ’19

The inspiration for this statue comes from the OG food lover – the Very Hungry Caterpillar from Eric Carle’s classic children’s book of the same name. For most of the book, the caterpillar is in pursuit of food, until the last page when he finally meets his fill. Winter Carnival is always filled with delicious food traditions from student organizations, so we imagined all of the food this character would indulge in if he decided to visit Houghton.

Our caterpillar is eating his way across campus at Winter Carnival All-Nighter! He starts with hot chocolate (and mini marshmallows) at the IRHC Cocoa Shack. He also enjoys all-you-can-eat pancakes with Air Force ROTC, hot dogs from His House Ministries, chili from USG, GSG, and the Office of Alumni Engagement, and fried Oreos from the Pep Band. Of course, his trip to the UP is not complete without a pickled egg and a pasty!

Since snow is difficult to come by in Alabama, this statue is made from modeling clay.

In Memoriam

Published January 23, 2023

By Morgan Laajala

October 1 – December 31, 2022

Class	Full Name	Degrees
1899	Arthur E. Maas	BS Mining, EM Mining
1936	Oscar G. Hane	BS Electrical Engineering
1940	Charles E. Tackels Jr	BS Chemical Engineering
1942	Walfred S Werner	BS Electrical Engineering
1943	John C. Feldscher	BS Mechanical Engineering
1946	H. Bradley Johnson	BS Mining Engineering
1946	Robert L. Smith	BS Mining Engineering
1948	Louis P. Clark	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1949	Russell W. Burman	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1949	Angelo C. Coste	BS Chemical Engineering
1949	Gale E. Dickinson ’49	BS Chemical Engineering
1949	Thomas C. Gebhard	BS Electrical Engineering
1949	Oiva W. Hakala	BS Mining Engineering
1949	Douglas A. Kuhna	BS Mechanical Engineering
1949	Robert P. Matson ’49	BS Mining Engineering
1949	Thomas Z. Pinder	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1949	Donald J. Schwalm	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1949	Vincent J. Zanella	BS Electrical Engineering
1950	James S. Apostolina	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1950	William L. Barke	BS Civil Engineering, BS Mining Engineering
1950	Philip C. Ellsworth ’50	BS Geological Engineering
1950	Carl F. Hoehner ’50	BS Mechanical Engineering
1950	Hoobert Huhta	BS Electrical Engineering
1950	Dean R. Kelly	BS Civil Engineering
1950	Wayne L. Sullivan	BS Chemical Engineering
1950	Earl C Sutherland ’50	BS Metallurgical Engineering, ’50 MS Metallurgical Engineering
1950	Clarence P. Ulstad	BS Civil Engineering
1950	Alan F. Walter	BS Civil Engineering, MS Civil Engineering
1951	David S. Hackley ’51	BS Mechanical Engineering
1951	Gerald W. Heppler	BS Civil Engineering
1951	Robert H. LeGault	BS Electrical Engineering
1951	Irving B. Perala	BS Electrical Engineering
1951	Donald I. Severson	BS Civil Engineering
1951	Arthur B. Shurtleff, Sr	BS Civil Engineering
1952	Richard J. Annesser	BS Mechanical Engineering
1952	Norbert R. Grant	BS Chemical Engineering
1952	James F. Harlin	BS Civil Engineering
1952	Jack P. Johnson	BS Civil Engineering
1952	Raymond E. Johnson	BS Mining Engineering
1952	Howard C. LaTourneau	BS Mechanical Engineering
1952	Kenneth J. Moody	BS Mechanical Engineering
1953	Frederick C. Hallgren	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1953	Ronald L. Mathwich	BS Civil Engineering
1953	Robert J. McCormick	BS Business Engineering Admin, BS Chemical Engineering
1955	Gilbert J. Mroz	BS Civil Engineering
1955	David F. Pagel ’55	BS Business Administration, ’55 BS Chemical Engineering
1956	Arnell L. Engstrom	BS Geological Engineering
1956	Samuel T. Wineman P.E.	BS Mechanical Engineering
1957	Dr. Donald L. Bullock ’57	BS Physics
1957	Loren D. Carlson ’57	BS Electrical Engineering
1957	Dr. James I. Tanis ’57	BS Geological Engineering, ’58 MS Geophysics
1958	Stuart J. Durkee	BS Civil Engineering
1959	Louis M. MacDougall	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1959	Fred G. Nardi Jr ’59	BS Electrical Engineering
1959	George E. Winn	BS Civil Engineering
1961	William C. Mitchell	BS Electrical Engineering
1961	Florian J. Mohar	BS Business Administration
1961	Loren S. Woerpel	BS Forestry
1963	Robert M. Ball	BS Civil Engineering
1963	Walter A. Grundman P.E.	BS Mechanical Engineering
1965	Roland J. McDonald Jr	BS Business Administration
1966	Dr Gary M Wenberg	BS Biological Sciences, MS Biological Sciences, PHD Biological Sciences
1967	Gian C. Taneja	BS Civil Engineering
1968	John R. Aho ’68	BS Mechanical Engineering
1968	Kenneth W. Brayman	BS Mechanical Engineering
1968	Bruce G. Douglas	BS Mathematics
1968	John L. Fisher	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1968	William H. Granger	BS Business Administration
1968	Dr. Robert B. Harper	BS Biological Sciences
1968	Robert M. Kubicki	BS Metallurgical Engineering
1968	Dennis M. Lamb	BS Forestry
1968	Robert S. Middleton P.E.	BS Applied Geophysics, MS Geophysics
1968	Jon E. Myers	BS Forestry
1968	George W. Schemm	BS Mathematics
1968	John F. Stafford	BS Applied Geophysics
1968	James S. Tulloch	BS Business Administration
1969	Gail L. Luttinen	BS Civil Engineering, MS Business Administration
1969	Michael L. Priest ’69	BS Civil Engineering
1971	Gilbert W. Cross	BS Forestry
1971	John H. Lewis	BS Mechanical Engineering, MS Business Administration
1972	Timothy Carpenter PE ’72	BS Civil Engineering, ’82 MS Civil Engineering
1972	Francis J. Gagnon	BS Electrical Engineering
1972	John C. Houston ’72	BS Applied Physics
1972	Dennis A. Leith	BS Forestry
1972	Dennis G. McGrath	BS Business Administration
1972	William C. Saad	BS Mathematics
1973	Andrew J. Grgurich	BA Liberal Arts with History Opt
1973	Lawrence C. Joiner	BS Civil Engineering
1973	David P. Zielinski	BS Mechanical Engineering
1974	George M. Hnatiuk	BS Electrical Engineering, ’77 MS Mathematics, ’78 MS Electrical Engineering
1975	Patrick Parker ’75	BS Mechanical Engineering
1978	Robin F. Righettini ’78	BS Chemistry
1983	Mary J. Connors ’83	BS Biological Sciences
1983	Nicholas J. Leiterman ’83	BS Mechanical Engineering
1983	Mark S. Pirlot ’83	BS Mining Engineering, ’83 BS Business Engineering Admin
1990	Jennifer L. Barhorst ’90	BS Business Administration
1990	Melanie R. Harmala ’90	BS Mathematics
1993	Timothy D. Gard ’93	BS Electrical Engineering
1996	Keith J. Latendresse ’96	BS Environmental Engineering
1998	Shelley B. Mois ’98	BS Mechanical Engineering
2000	Richard J. McKay ’00	BS Mechanical Engineering

In Memoriam for July 1 – September 30, 2022

Barr Hires Michigan Tech Grads to Solve Problems and Restore Natural Resources

Published December 8, 2022

By Morgan Laajala

L-R: Diane Biehl, Michael Spenle, Katy Lindstrom, Chris Miron

Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Barr is an engineering and environmental consulting firm that has been serving clients across North America and beyond since the 1900s. The engineers, scientists, and technical specialists at Barr work together to help clients develop, manage, process, and restore natural resources. Among those employees who are making an impact on the world are Michigan Tech graduates who have found their careers at Barr.

Diane Biehl, Environmental Scientist
Diane Biehl is an environmental scientist and Barr, where her project work is both exciting and technically challenging. “Michigan Tech prepared me for Barr by encouraging and growing my love for science, by developing my work ethic, and providing numerous opportunities for me to grow as a person outside of school,” she said. “My favorite graduate experience was working under Dr. Nancy Auer, who supported me with guidance and patience.” Diane received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2011 and her Master’s in Biology in 2016.

Katy Lindstrom, Senior Environmental Engineer
Katy Lindstrom graduated from Michigan Tech in 2006 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Engineering where she discovered her passion for hydrogeology and groundwater modeling in her geohydrology class with Dr. John Gierke. In her current role, Katy enjoys the combination of technical problem-solving and building relationships with her colleagues and clients. “Michigan Tech is phenomenal at preparing students for “real-world” application of science and engineering,” she said. “Most, if not all, of my classes included presenting technical work in presentations and/or technical writing. Both of these aspects of my job at Barr cannot be overstated.”

Chris Miron, Vice President and Senior Chemical Engineer
Chris Miron is the vice president and senior chemical engineer at Barr. He says the most rewarding part of his job has been the opportunity to successfully remediate and redevelop many complex sites of environmental contamination in Michigan. Earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1988, Chris learned how to effectively work with teams of professionals to complete projects. “Michigan Tech provided me with a strong understanding of fundamental principles of chemical and environmental separation processes.”

Michael Spenle, Electrical Engineer
As an electrical engineer, Michael works on substation and renewable energy design projects which help to improve and sustain the electrical grid. “Michigan Tech prepared me for working at Barr in ways I didn’t realize,” he said. “Not only did Tech provide me with a uniquely challenging education, but I would say it’s mainly what Tech offered outside of the classroom that has helped me the most in my career such as student organizations, on-campus jobs, and career-focused opportunities like enterprise.” Michael graduated from Michigan Tech in 2016 with his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and a certificate in Electrical Power Engineering.

Excellence Begets Excellence

Published September 9, 2022

By Morgan Laajala

Alumni

By Rick Koubek, President

It’s always a delight to watch campus spring back into action as new students move in, faculty return, and classes resume. As I talk with our new students and meet with new faculty each year at this time, I am all the more cognizant of the excellence that this institution attracts and creates.

Over the past four years, Michigan Tech has pursued a path of excellence to become a premier national university positioned to lead the US in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Evidence suggests we are on the right track. The University has experienced unprecedented demand from prospective students, federal research agencies, employers, and the community at large.

In fall 2022, our incoming first-year student class is on track to be the second largest since 1984 and is on par for the most academically proficient on record (back to 1991) measured by high school GPA and SAT. And, thanks to the efforts of faculty researchers like Raymond Shaw, who received over $3.5 million in grants from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy, the University’s research expenditures hit a historic high. Accomplishments like this punctuate the need for growth.

The Vision 2035 Campus Plan, which was completed in early 2022, ensures that Michigan Tech remains equipped for the academic and research demands of tomorrow. In April, the University broke ground on our new H-STEM Complex, which will support integrated educational and research programs in health-related technological innovations. Future capital projects include the Center for Convergence and Innovation, renovations to our academic spaces, and new on-campus residential housing, along with others.

But, Michigan Tech’s reach extends beyond teaching and research in the Keweenaw. In fall 2021, we met demand from our community partners by opening a satellite office in Traverse City. These efforts complement Michigan Tech’s existing partnerships with Northwestern Michigan College and collaborations with Traverse City’s K-12 educational system, to better meet the economic development needs of the region.

This is on top of employers’ growing demand for Michigan Tech graduates. Job placement rates six months post-graduation average 94 percent. Payscale reports midcareer earnings of $120,900 annually for Michigan Tech graduates. And hiring managers say many of their brightest engineers are from MTU.

Our graduates go on to become the world’s leading CEOs and business leaders. In 2021-22, our supporters graciously donated a near all-time high of $47.01 million—6.87 percent more than last year’s impressive total of $43.98 million and the second-largest fundraising year in MTU history. Their vote of confidence in our programs, students, and research supports our move into an era of growth for Michigan Tech.

As a result, our community and state will enjoy innovations that make life better through our Tech Forward research. Our campus community will enjoy the modern conveniences of updated facilities, classrooms, and technologies. Our students and faculty will reap the benefits of donor support through scholarships, professorships, endowed chairs, and other forms of philanthropy. And finally, we will all be part of a more inclusive and diverse community by growing our student and teaching populations.

The state of Michigan, our region, and our country should demand nothing less.

Thank you for your continued support of Michigan Tech.

Google Drive Changes for MTU Alumni Effective January 1, 2023

Published September 9, 2022

By Morgan Laajala

Alumni

As a reminder, Google has made some changes regarding storage that will affect Michigan Tech Alumni. On January 1, 2023, Michigan Tech alumni will no longer have access to Google Drive and Google Photos. Starting January 1, 2023, any files stored in Drive or Photos under your @mtu.edu account will be marked for deletion.

This does not affect your @mtu.edu email address. Your email account will continue to work as it does today.

Between now and January 1, 2023, there are several options for moving your content, whether it’s by downloading or transferring to another Google account.

If you have any questions about these changes or need assistance, we can help. Contact IT at it-help@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1111.

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