Chemical Engineering News

Seth Kriz Selected as MTU Nominee for MAGS Excellence in Teaching Award

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The Graduate School announced that Seth Kriz, Ph.D. student in chemical engineering, has been selected to represent Michigan Tech as a nominee for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Excellence in Teaching Award. Congratulations to Seth on this significant achievement.

Kriz’s journey is a testament to his dedication to both research and teaching. In his nomination materials, he shares a powerful anecdote about an early college experience that ignited his passion for engineering and ultimately led him to Michigan Tech. This pivotal moment involved his engineering physics professor, Professor Joe, who spent two hours helping him debug a program. This experience instilled in Kriz a deep appreciation for the impact of dedicated teaching.

Inspired by Professor Joe and other mentors, Kriz has pursued his own passion for education. Read about his philosophy of teaching and accomplishments at Michigan Tech at the Graduate School Newsblog.

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Robert Handler Receives the Bayard Rustin Award

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The Daily Mining Gazette and WLUC TV6 covered Michigan Tech’s 36th annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. The event included a keynote address by author and Finlandia alum Schwartzen Precil and the presentation of the Bayard Rustin Award to Robert Handler (ChE) by the Michigan Tech chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. Handler, Wayne Gersie (EB) and senior Brett Hamilton (electrical engineering) were quoted by the DMG.

 The MTU chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers presented its annual Bayard Rustin Award, named in honor of the ’60s civil rights organizer who aided more high-profile leaders and given to a faculty or staff member helping make strides behind the scenes.
This year’s recipient was Robert Handler, assistant professor of chemical engineering at Michigan Tech.

One of his nominators described him as “a remarkable mentor, combining sustainability expertise with commitment to students’ growth.”

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MTU Research Team Honored for Work Advancing Sustainable Materials in Road Construction

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A research team from Michigan Technological University has been honored with the Best Paper Award by the Standing Committee on Binders for Flexible Pavement (AKM20) of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). This prestigious recognition highlights the team’s groundbreaking work on advancing sustainable materials in road construction.

The awarded paper, titled “Role of Pyrolysis Wax on Enhancing the Performance of Waste Plastic Modified Asphalt Prepared with Wet Process,” explores innovative methods to improve asphalt performance using recycled materials.

The authors of the paper include the following MTU researchers:

  • Ph.D. student Sepehr Mohammadi (civil engineering)
  • Postdoctoral Scholar Dongzhao Jin (CEGE)
  • Research Assistant Professor Daniel Kulas (ChE)
  • Former Research Assistant Professor Ali Zolghadr (ChE)
  • Research Professor David Shonnard (ChE)
  • Distinguished Professor Zhanping You (CEGE)

The study investigates the potential of pyrolysis wax, derived from waste plastic, to enhance the performance of asphalt when integrated through a wet process. This innovative approach not only addresses critical challenges in road material durability but also contributes to waste reduction and sustainability goals. The MTU team’s recognition underscores the University’s commitment to research excellence and sustainability.

Zhanping You received the certificates in Washington, D.C., earlier this week and shared the exciting news with his co-authors and collaborators. “This is a great achievement and recognition of our team’s effort to advance sustainable infrastructure materials,” he said. “This achievement will undoubtedly inspire future research endeavors in transportation and materials engineering.”

The TRB, part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, is a leading institution dedicated to improving transportation through innovation and research. The AKM20 committee, which presented the award, focuses on cutting-edge developments in binders for flexible pavement.

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In the News—Robert Handler

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Adjunct Instructor Joshua Pearce (MSE) was quoted and Robert Handler (ChE/CEGE/SS) was mentioned by Ontario’s Western University in a story about the economic and environmental benefits of using sheep for vegetation management on solar farms. Their 2022 study highlighted how sheep grazing under solar panels provides a profitable revenue stream for farmers while reducing the need for herbicides and grass cutting.

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Consumer Product Manufacturing Team Shares Enterprise Success Story

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Huskies who participate in Michigan Tech’s Enterprise Program learn how to partner with industry and get the kind of experience that employers are looking for when hiring. In the case of the Consumer Product Manufacturing Enterprise (CPM) OneTumbler Team, the research they conducted for their project also led to a publication credit and fewer single-use beverage containers on campus.

Hear from 2024 chemical engineering graduate Jacqui Foreman, who led the CPM OneTumbler Team, on the College of Engineering Blog.

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VPR Announces C2E2 Awards for Impactful Equipment

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The Vice President for Research Office (VPR) has awarded the following Century II Campaign Endowed Equipment Fund (C2E2) awards at the recommendation of the C2E2 Committee:

  • Bo Chen (CS) — Developing an Autonomous Vehicle Testbed for Research and Education in Vehicle Security
  • Terri Jo Frew (VPA) — Peter Pugger VPM-9SS Clay Pug Mill and Stand
  • Robert Handler (ChE/BioSci) — Michigan Tech Aquaponics
  • Parth Bhatt (CFRES) — Enhancing CFRES’s Research and Educational Capabilities through Acquisition of the DJI Mavic 3M Drone
  • Matthew Moore (VPA) — Proposal for Making Improvements to the Rozsa Scene Shop Dust Collection System for a Safer and Healthier Environment
  • Tan Chen (ECE) — Acquisition of a Humanoid Robot to Advance Multi-Disciplinary Research and Strengthen Robotics Engineering Education at Michigan Tech

Thank you to the C2E2 Committee members and the deans and department chairs for their time spent on this internal research award program.

For additional information on the C2E2 opportunity, visit the C2E2 website.

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HRI Student Research Forum Winners Announced

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The Health Research Institute (HRI) at Michigan Tech is pleased to announce the winners of the poster and oral presentation sessions from our annual Student Research Forum, which was held on Nov. 20. Congratulations to the following:

Poster Session:

  • First Place — Taravat Sarvari, Chemical Engineering
  • Second — Grace Dykstra, Chemical Engineering
  • Third — Natalia Krakhaleva, Chemical Engineering

Oral Presentations:

  • First Place — Ahmad Bshennaty, Biomedical Engineering
  • Second Place — Kamand Sedaghatnia, Chemistry
  • Third Place — Victoria Santillan, Biomedical Engineering

For more information on the Institute, please visit the HRI website.

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