Tess Ahlborn was presented with an Outstanding Faculty Award on Sunday, about 250 students gathered for the 9th Annual Greek Life Awards Ceremony in the MUB Ballroom. In addition to the many student awards presented, Order of Omega, the Greek Life Honor Society that coordinates the awards, also took the time to recognize some exceptional faculty and staff.
There are more than 500 students in fraternities and sororities at Michigan Tech, and Order of Omega really wanted to emphasize that these awards (Outstanding Faculty Award and Outstanding Staff Award) would be coming directly from the students.
Link to Tech Today article
Congratulations to the ASCE Steel Bridge Team and Concrete Canoe teams for their outstanding performance at the regional competition in Toledo this past weekend.
The Steel Bridge Team placed second in the region, securing a spot to attend the National competition this summer.
The Concrete Canoe Team placed first in the regional canoe competition, securing a spot to attend their National competition this
summer.
Please be sure to congratulate these students for their countless hours of dedication and hard work.
To learn more about the Canoe Team, check out their website. To learn more about the Steel Bridge Team, check out their website
News article Engineering Society of Detroit Technology Century
CE Graduate Seminar for a special presentation by Shelley Jeltema.
Title: Creating Educational Materials for Python and GIS
Author: Shelley Jeltema, PhD student in Civil/Environmental Engineering
Room 642 Dow, 4:05 – 4:55 pm, Thursday, April 2.
Abstract:
This project created a 15-week course to teach graduate students and GIS analysts/technicians how to use Python to extend the functionality of Geographical Information System (GIS) software. Using a combination of traditional college course and corporate training methods results in a modular course that can be taught in a traditional college setting, online, or as a custom course for specific business purposes. The class is comprised of lectures and labs where students will learn scripting, data processing with Python. Students will also learn how to create ArcGIS models with Python Script. The course contains base set of labs will focus on natural resource management and hydrology. Additional labs will cover different business scenarios to expand the audience to business, surveying, social science, and Peace Corps students. At the end of the course, students will have gained experience in scripting, data pre-processing, and modeling with Python and AcrGIS. They will also have frameworks for real world business scenarios. The requirements for this class are prior experience with ArcGIS and familiarity with modeling. Computer coding experience is suggested but not recommended. Future work includes continued refinement of this course to include more of the skills businesses. An advanced course teaching concepts and techniques that create more complex models using computer programs, creating ArcGIS tools, and working with GIS in a distributed computing environment where workload balancing is available.
Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar
Kristen Mariuzza will present “Eagle Mine: Our Journey to Create a Modern Mine” on Monday, March 30, at 3:05 p.m. in Fisher 132.
Kristen (Dolkey) Mariuzza graduated from Michigan Tech with a BS in Environmental Engineering in 1998. She worked as an environmental engineer with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for almost nine years, before becoming an independent engineering consultant. She started working at the Eagle Mine LLC in 2010 (when it was owned by Rio Tinto, now owned by Lundin Mining Corporation) as the environmental and permitting manager. At Eagle, she oversees the environmental compliance aspects, which she will describe in her presentation.
Civil Engineering Graduate Seminar Thursday – March 19th, 4:00 – 5:00
Room 642 DOW
Presentation by: Sumanth Kalluri
Integrated LCCA and LCA of Road and Rail Freight Transport
Freight transport occurs between nearly any two process steps of a product system and is often of major importance for a product life cycle. The transportation sector accounted for 28% of the total greenhouse gas emission in the US in 2012 and it is forecasted to account for 63 percent of the total growth in global consumption of petroleum and other liquid fuels between 2010 and 2040. For these reasons, it’s essential that the development of new freight transportation lanes and activities takes a holistic approach in the evaluation of alternatives where energy consumption and emissions are minimized throughout the project life cycle. This project takes steps towards that goal by applying the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) methodologies for comparing road, rail and road-rail multimodal transportation alternatives for freight shipment.
The main objectives of this study is to analyze all the costs and emissions during phases of construction, operations, maintenance and final salvage or recycling stage of both the infrastructure and the equipment that are used over a variable life time of freight transport process of road and rail modes. The emissions are then converted to cost values (using potential unit costs of emissions) for integration with LCCA for overall assessment.
This presentation will give an introduction to LCA and LCCA and its past applications in transportation sector. The presentation will also talk about a case study for which LCA and LCCA will conducted for movement of ore between a proposed mine and refinery in the Upper Peninsula (Copperwood Mine project) and the movement of refined concentrate between the refinery and Escanaba, MI.
Jennifer Fuller (center) Civil and Environmental Engineering
Developing a Sustainable Process for Removal of Synthetic Hormones in Wastewater Treatment
Ruilong Han Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Seismic Performance Assessment Considering Aftershock Hazard
Co-Advisors: Judith Perlinger and Robert Owen;
“Characterization of Transport and Transformation of Air Pollutants Observed in the Free Troposphere Over Central North Atlantic”
More photos and information about the 2015 Graduate Research Awards
Fluorescent bands of color outline the Great Lakes on a new, comprehensive map of the region’s coastal wetlands. This publicly available map is the first of its kind on such a broad scale — and the only one to trump political boundaries. Both Canadian and US wetlands are shown along more than 10,000 miles of shoreline.
The Great Lakes is an important focus of Michigan Technological University research. The coastal wetlands map is an extension of that focus, expanding on previous maps created through the Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI).
Rail Transportation seminar: Dr. Brent Wilson, Amsted Rail
Title: Railroad Bearing and Wheel Failures
Feb 24, 2015, 4:00 PM Dow 642
Dr. Wilson has been directing product research and metallurgical analysis for railroad specific applications from both academic and industrial positions for ten years.Currently, he is the Director of Research and Development for Amsted Rail, the world’s largest manufacturer of railway undercarriage components, i.e. wheels, bearings, axles, castings, and end-of-car coupling devices.Throughout his career, he has been working toward continuous improvement in both product reliability and performance through the application of technological advancements to new and existing products for multiple industries, including: railroad, automotive, aerospace, military, and pipeline.
For the past six years, Dr. Wilson has been an active member of the AAR Technology Outreach Committee focusing on emerging and developing technologies in the railway sector.During his career, Dr. Wilson has authored and/or presented over 40 articles on industrial research, specifically highlighting technical innovations in engineered products and performance.
Sponsored by the Michigan Tech Rail Transportation Program
Civil Engineering Graduate Seminar: Jennie Tyrrell
Thursday, 2/19/2015, Room 642 Dow, 4:00 to 5:00 pm
Title: The Effects of Climate Change on Sediment Transport and Bridge Scour
Global climate change is expected to influence rivers and streams. As a result, both human use of rivers and ecological health become a growing concern. As rainfall intensifies and river flows increase, sediment mobilizes and the potential for blocked harbors, induced flooding, bridge scour, and fish habitat disturbance also rise. Our research objectives are to quantify the effects of rainfall intensity and water temperature on sediment transport. In an effort to gain a better understanding of sediment dynamics six models were analyzed. By developing a relationship between flow, temperature, and sediment loads, we aim to develop a useful tool for river and bridge engineers to plan for sediment management. The relationship developed can be a means to help 1) identify vulnerabilities of rivers to climate change, 2) prioritize distribution of financial resources, and 3) guide water resource managers to develop adaptive management strategies.
Richard Anderson, P.E. and Michigan Tech civil engineering alumnus was awarded the 2015 Glen L. Martin Practitioner Service Award. The Glen L. Martin Practitioner Service Award is awarded to an engineering practitioner for distinguished service to or support of civil engineering education. The award will be presented at the the annual conference of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) in Seattle, Washington, June 2015.