Category: News

Michigan Tech Alumnus, Apps Turn Ordinary People into Hydrologists

Adam Ward’s got a lot of helping hands as he tries to determine stream and lake depths in Iowa. Through CrowdHydrology.org, anyone can read the water level off a ruler (more scientifically, stream stage off a staff gauge) and text the numbers to an online database.
The citizen scientists are helping researchers elsewhere, too—New York, Wisconsin, Utah and Michigan—and it’s all the brainchild of Ward’s colleague, Chris Lowry, an assistant professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Buffalo.
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CEE Alumni News

Flint-based Rowe Professional Services selects new president: Leanne Panduren, a 1993 Michigan Tech University graduate hired by Rowe as an assistant engineer in its Flushing office, is set to take over as CEO in January 2016. More details

Engineering & Surveying Excellence Awards Gala recognizes top projects and honors individuals
On February 22, 2014, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan (ACEC/M) honored firms for engineering and surveying excellence during the association’s 49th annual Engineering and Surveying Excellence Awards ceremony at the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids. Outstanding Michigan engineering and surveying projects from the past year, as well as engineering professionals who have significantly contributed to the profession, were honored.

Great Lakes Engineering Group – ACEC Small Firm of the Year
Great Lakes Engineering Group (GLEG) is the 2014 Small Firm of the Year and specializes in bridge inspection – one of only three firms in the state to obtain MDOT prequalification for underwater bridge inspection. The firm’s founder and principal, Amy Trahey PE, a 1994 civil engineering graduate of Michigan Tech University, was instrumental in obtaining this prequalification. Mrs. Trahey has served on the ACEC/Michigan Board of Directors since 2009. She was Treasurer for two years and will become ACEC/Michigan’s first female president in 2015.

Great Lakes Engineering Group - ACEC Small Firm of the Year

GLEG employees hold memberships with ASCE, MSPE and MCA and actively participate in local schools and zoning boards, along with youth baseball teams. GLEG encourages students to pursue careers in engineering through mentoring, internship programs, and job shadowing. Employees serve on the Michigan Technological University Civil and Environmental Advisory Board and routinely support the ASCE steel bridge competition.

GLEG is a woman-owned civil and structural engineering firm dedicated to providing full engineering services to private and public clients primarily in Michigan. The company was founded upon the need for structural engineering services that specialize in the field of bridges.

Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering – Eminent Conceptor Winner
This year’s engineering Eminent Conceptor Award winner was Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering, Inc., Grand Rapids, for the West Bay County Wastewater Treatment Facility upgrades. A number of Michigan Tech civil engineering alumni worked on the project including: Rich Grant – 1984, Bruce Sabin – 1979, 1981, Eric Griffith – 2007, Gary Bartow – 1976, Steve VandenBrink – 1978, Bob Wilcox – 1999, Carey Bond – 1992 and also a couple of chemical engineering alumni: Elaine Venema – 2006 – ChE, and Brian Schanhals – 2009 – ChE

Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering - Eminent Conceptor Winner

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The West Bay County Regional WWTP (WBC) provided wastewater service to six communities. In 2009, the City of Essexville and Hampton Township requested to connect to WBC and provide them with 2.3 million gallons per day (mgd) capacity. WBC would need to move quickly since they would have to have this capacity available before the wastewater service contract with another municipality expired.
While WBC wanted to accommodate these neighboring communities, WBC already needed to mitigate Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) overflows for up to 25 year storm events. The added 2.3 mgd flow would complicate the solution. Before additional customers could be connected, MDEQ required WBC to create additional treatment capacity, mitigate both WBC’s SSOs, and the customer community Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).
Critical project needs included significant WBC plant capacity expansion, add flow equalization, address odors and inadequate biosolids storage capacity, and improve on the chlorine contact time for disinfection.
FLEIS & VANDENBRINK’S ROLE IN THE PROJECT
Fleis & VandenBrink (F&V) completed a capacity study, design and construction engineering as part of an expedited schedule to complete the project within about 15 months. F&V also was the inter-community consensus builder while provided funding assistance, construction management, and start-up and operations assistance.

CEE ACADEMY Alumni News
This year’s ACEC/M Vernon B. Spalding Leadership Award was presented to Melvin “Ernie” Orchard, PE, founder and past president of OHM Advisors, to honor his outstanding leadership roles in ACEC and several community organizations.

When Ernie Orchard became president of the consulting firm Orchard, Papke, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. in 1972, he immediately engaged with ACEC/MI. Energetic in his support of ACEC, Ernie later held leadership roles at the state and national levels. In the mid-70’s, he helped to organize the first Political Action Committee in Michigan’s Chapter of ACEC and the first Legislative Day in Lansing to bring attention to issues impacting the design profession.

The ACEC/M Felix A. Anderson Image Award was presented to Richard Anderson, PE, of Somat Engineering, Inc. for his actions and contributions to enhance the image of the profession.

Mr. Richard O. Anderson, a 1971 civil engineering graduate of Michigan Technological University (MTU), is a Principal Engineer and former President of Somat Engineering, Inc. in Detroit, Michigan.

As a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), he is a nationally known expert for his innovative and cost effective solutions to infrastructure projects and engineering education. During a distinguished career spanning over 42 years, he has worked on over 6,500 projects including airports, high-rise office structures, health care facilities, transportation facilities and many others.

Professor Tess Ahlborn hosts STEM opportunities

Professor Tess Ahlborn (CEE) hosted two “Bridging the Gap” workshops and a “Michigan Tech College Corner” at the Tech Savvy–Powered by AAUW event held April 26 in Gaylord. The event brought together 155 middle school girls and 55 caring adults to introduce and explore STEM opportunities, including concepts needed for designing and constructing bridges. Attendees also gained insight from women mentors who pursued degrees and careers in typically male-dominated STEM fields, and how persistence played a key role in success.

CEE Senior Design Colloquium

Senior Design Colloquium Civil and Environmental Engineering Department;
Friday, May 2, 2014: Presentations will be in Dow 641 and 642

The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department is pleased to invite the University community to attend the Spring 2014 senior design team presentations. This semester students in four sections have undertaken a wide range of interesting projects to fulfill the Department’s design project requirement. Refreshments will be served.

CEE Senior Design Colloquium Schedule PDF

Dow 641; 8:05 am
Digital As-Builts for the City of Houghton Pipe Networks
Instructor: Dr. Amlan Mukherjee
1. BNB Consulting
Bryan Daavettila, Brian Kernstock, Nathynn Mitchell
2. ADT Engineering
David Auricchio, Tyler Tomlinson, Ashley Smokoska
3. MED
Zhongyue Mao, Eric LaBelle, Duane Burfield
4. Three Star Consulting
John M Ferry, Derek Collar, Yubin Tan

Heavy Lifting Device (HLD) at Kiewit
Dow 642; 8:05 am
Offshore Services Yard in Ingleside, Texas
Instructor: Mike Drewyor
1. HLD Foundation Design by ACE Engineering
Tim Johnson, Project Manager
Dan Becker, Alex Philips, Lan Shi
2. HLD Mast Erection by Upright Engineering
Pat Spalding, Project Manager
Kyle Chouinard, Jiayi (Joe) Ding, Zack Weber
3. HLD Boom Load out onto Barge by BSF Construction
Evan Feinauer, Project Manager
Tom Briggs, Aric Souilliere
4. HLD Lift of Production Module – Rigging Design by BWYD Engineering
Doug Burmeister, Project Manager
Justin Wigand, Greg Donajkowski, Tianye Yang

Dow 641 9:30 am
Michigan Tech Trailhead Lodge
Design Competition
Instructors: Bill Leder, Bill Baxandall
1. TDWS Consulting
Kelcey Traynoff, Project Manager
Allyssa Demers, Eric Simmons, Kevin Wilks
2. BBY&B
Ben Bryant, Project Manager
Jared Belovich, Alex Bomstad, Kaili Yue
3. Team NRAM Rod
Nicholas Lanoue, Project Manager
Ryan Anderson, Michael LaFerve, Adam Suokas
4. I.S.S.I.
Alice Flanders, Project Manager
Evan Kryzske, Wen Tao Liu, Casey Holvenstot

Dow 642 9:55 am
Evaluation of Sludge Process Train
Alternatives for Class A Biosolids
Production at the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Authority (GIWA) Treatment Facility
Instructors: Dr. Eric Seagren & Dr. Jennifer Becker
1. DESM Engineering
Mitchell Murphy, Project Manager
Dominic Davis, Wesley Ellenwood, Courtney Sian
2. Sustainable Biosolids Solutions
Keith Anderson, Project Manager
Justin Kosmowski, Ryan Leveille, Jonathan Witham
3. ABCK Consulting
Anna VanderKooi, Project Manager
Brogan Beyette, Collin DePrekel, Kaitlin Hannum
4. PACS
Shawn Conard, Project Manager
Kyle Slavik, Will Ashbaugh, Mike Polkinghorn

CEE 2014 Awards

Adriano Rothschild received the The Danielle Ladwig Award for Graduate Excellence is made annually to a graduate level civil or environmental engineering student in recognition of outstanding achievement in academics, research, and service, in memory of our friend and colleague, Danielle F. Ladwig.

Adriano Rothschild received the The Danielle Ladwig Award

Tia Scarpelli received the The Nicole Bloom Award for Environmental Sustainability is made annually to an undergraduate civil or environmental engineering student who has demonstrated leadership, passion, and activism for effecting environmental sustainability at the local, national, or global level.

Tia Scarpelli received the The Nicole Bloom Award

Xu Yang received the Graduate Research Excellence Award

Xu Yang received the Graduate Research Excellence Award

Tess Ahlborn was voted the Howard Hill Faculty of the Year of Chi Epsilon students presenting her with the award.

Tess Ahlborn was voted the Howard Hill Faculty of the Year

Graduate Teaching Assistants Recognized
Concrete Canoe team
F. William Baxandall Adjunct Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

CEE National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship

Three graduate students have received Graduate Research Fellowships from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Christa Meingast in environmental engineering and Gregory Hardy and David Diesenroth in mechanical engineering won the competitive fellowships. Benjamin Winter in civil engineering received an honorable mention.

“NSF Graduate Research Fellowships are one of the oldest, most prestigious and competitive programs nationally,” said Jodi Lehman, assistant director for research development at Michigan Tech. “It is the fellowship program that other federal programs such as the Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy use as a benchmark,” she noted.

“The Graduate School is happy to see our students honored for their scholarship and achievements in and out of the classroom,” said Debra Charlesworth, assistant dean of the Graduate School and coordinator of the NSF Graduate Research Fellows program at Michigan Tech. “These prestigious awards recognize not only our students, but the faculty and staff who have provided opportunities and mentoring for them to reach their potential. They join an outstanding group of Michigan Tech NSF scholars who are conducting research around the world.”

Charlesworth herself is a former NSF Graduate Research Fellow.

“The recent awards and honorable mention demonstrate the quality of a Michigan Tech education at all levels and disciplines,” said Craig Friedrich, director of graduate studies for the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics and Richard and Bonnie Robbins Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering. “Our students are on par with the top research institutions in the US, and the support provided by Jodi Lehman helping students prepare fellowship applications continues to grow our success and recognition with the National Science Foundation and other agencies.”

Engineering on Alcatraz: Alumna Involved in Restoration and Stabilization

Certain names bring forth visceral associations. Alcatraz is one, but the notorious prison of the past is also a place for a Michigan Technological University alumna to use some of her civil engineering skills in the present.
Debra Campbell, a 1976 graduate, works for the National Park Service on Alcatraz, perched on an island in San Francisco Bay. She has been involved in four recent projects on the iconic island.

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ASCE Publishes Textbook by David Watkins

Water Resources Systems Analysis through Case Studies: Data and Models for Decision Making by David W. Watkins Jr., Ph.D. consists of 10 case studies suitable for the classroom to demonstrate engineers’ use of widely available modeling software in evaluating complex environmental and water resources systems. Simulation and optimization models, visualization tools, and spatial analysis tools are applied to real-life situations. Each case study includes background on the geography, hydrology, and natural resources of the area as well as relevant social, economic, developmental, and political issues. A series of active-learning exercises is provided, along with additional resources for instructors. Software is not included, but all programs and data sets are freely available online.

Primarily intended for students in upper-level undergraduate and graduate level systems analysis courses, this book may also be of interest to practicing engineers in the field of water resources planning and management.

Contents of book

Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) Awards to CEE

Michigan Tech faculty, staff members and students received awards tallying $71,175 in funding through the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Graduate students receiving $5,000 graduate fellowships are:

Daniel Cerminaro (Civil and Environmental Engineering): “Management of Geotechnical Features in Transportation Infrastructure Using Remote Sensing”

Bonnie Zwissler (Civil and Environmental Engineering): “Thermal Remote Sensing for Dust Susceptibility Monitoring of Mine Tailings Impoundments”

Faculty receiving a $5,000 seed grant is:

Zhen Liu (Civil and Environmental Engineering): “Phase Composition Curves in Frozen Porous Materials”

For other awards see Tech Today

NASA implemented the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program in 1989 to provide funding for research, education, and public outreach in space-related science and technology. The program has 52 university-based consortia in the United States and Puerto Rico. As an affiliate of the Michigan Consortium, Michigan Tech has been an active participant in MSGC for over fifteen years. For more information, please contact Robert Warrington or Paige Hackney in the Institute for Leadership and Innovation.

Steven C. Bower: “Michigan DOT Research Program Past Successes-Future Opportunities”

Civil Engineering Graduate Seminar: Michigan DOT Research Program
Speaker: Mr. Steven C. Bower, Engineer of Research, Michigan Department of Transportation
“Michigan DOT Research Program Past Successes-Future Opportunities”
This seminar was held on March 20, 2014. Mr. Bower reviewed some of the past research successes of the Michigan Department of Transportation as well as its research priorities for the next several years. Additionally, he outlined the process that is used to develop the State’s needs and prioritization for transportation infrastructure. He is a 1984 Civil Engineering alumni of Michigan Tech.
A social hour sponsored by the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute followed at the Great Lakes Research Center.