Author: karenjoh

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is hiring a Bulk Power System Cybersecurity Specialist to join a team working with industry to help advance the concepts of a cyber-physical system and integration of cyber and physical security into conventional grid planning, operations, design, and restoration activities.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.

Download more information about the position here.

Visit the NERC Career Opportunities webpage here.

Position Summary

The Bulk Power System Cybersecurity Specialist is responsible for providing cyber and physical security subject matter expertise in support of the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) Enterprise evaluation and management of risks to reliability, security, and resilience of the bulk power system (BPS). This role will assist, lead, and manage various projects related to supporting industry integration of cyber and physical security into all aspects of system planning, operations, and restoration. It will also help industry with integrating new technologies and addressing emerging reliability and security issues. The role will coordinate with other departments within NERC as well as with the E-ISAC. This position reports to the Senior Manager of Bulk Power System Security and Grid Transformation.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is a not-for-profit international regulatory authority whose mission is to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid. NERC develops and enforces Reliability Standards; annually assesses seasonal and long‐term reliability; monitors the bulk power system through system awareness; and educates, trains, and certifies industry personnel.

Dr. Daniel R. Fuhrmann, Dave House Professor of Computer Engineering, has been appointed chair of the Department of Applied Computing, effective immediately. Dr. Fuhrmann has been interim chair of the department since its founding in 2019. Prior to joining the College of Computing, he was chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) from 2008 to 2019.

“I couldn’t be more excited,” said Dr. Dennis Livesay, the Dave House Dean of Computing. “Dan was instrumental in the creation of the College, and I know that his leadership will help the department achieve its promise. Computing is transforming every discipline and it’s hard to imagine any unit on campus reflecting that more than the Department of Applied Computing.”

The Department of Applied Computing offers undergraduate Bachelor of Science programs in Computer Network and System Administration (CNSA) and Electrical Engineering Technology (EET). On the graduate side, the department also offers a M.S. in Health Informatics.

The department also collaborates on three convergence programs. In cooperation with the Department of Computer Science it offers the B.S. in Cybersecurity, which began enrolling students in Fall 2019. In cooperation with the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (MMET), in the College of Engineering, the department offers both a M.S. and B.S. in Mechatronics, which began enrolling students in Fall 2019 and 2020, respectively.

In addition to teaching AC program courses, faculty in the department pursue research in a variety of computing areas, including cybersecurity, mechatronics, health informatics, and machine learning. Growing the department’s industrial and applied research portfolio will be a major emphasis for Dr. Fuhrmann.

“I’m excited about doing what I can to help build this new department at Michigan Tech,” says Fuhrmann. “There are a lot of synergies that may not be immediately apparent within traditional academic structures, but they reflect what is happening in industry today.”

For example, computer networks and cybersecurity are playing an increasingly important role in industrial control and automation, and robotics and the Internet of Things is highly relevant for the evolving field of health informatics, Fuhrmann explains.

“Machine learning is also having an impact across all areas in the department,” Fuhrmann adds. “We will be focusing on helping both our students and our industry partners navigate this convergence of physical and cyber technologies.”

The Department of Applied Computing brings together those faculty and programs in the College of Computing with a common interest in applied aspects of computing.

On Wednesday, June 23, a group of administrators from Bay deNoc Community College, Escanaba, Mich., will travel to Michigan Tech to meet with representatives from University administration and the College of Computing. The meeting aims to further strengthen ties between the two institutions.

The two Upper Peninsula institutions have agreed to work towards a model of shared advising in which Bay College students pursuing an associate’s degree can be prepare for their transition to a bachelor’s degree program at Michigan Tech.

“It is our hope that by formalizing paths for students from Bay to MTU, we’ll be able to continue to build capacity for Upper Peninsula students to pursue higher education,” says College of Computing dean Dr. Dennis Livesay.

In particular, Michigan Tech and Bay College are looking at Department of Applied Computing programs to identify areas of overlap between institutions’ degree programs.

Following Wednesday’s meetings with College of Computing leadership, the Bay College delegation will visit with representatives from additional Michigan Tech programs to explore further articulation agreements.

Michigan Tech Professor Alex Sergeyev and Chinmay Kondekar, ’21 (M.S. in ECE/Mechatronics) discuss the Mechatronics degree programs and Kondekar’s final system design project, in a new video produced by the Applied Computing department. Watch the video below.

The system machines patterns on blocks of foam using various robotic attachments, a tricky manufacturing process to program and one of the more challenging applications for an industrial robot.

The interconnected system is flexible, reconfigurable, and controlled from a central control interface to emulate a production process. Correct dimensions are assured using machine vision, and by transporting the workpiece between different stations.

A number of industrial applications are employed by the system, and most industrial robotic work cells have similar control and communication layouts. Manufacturing system layouts like this one are commonly found in the automotive, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Other potential applications include use in data acquisition and analytics, cybersecurity, and future projects requiring interconnected systems.

Read a blog article about Kondekar’s final master’s program project.

Watch the video.

Play – Mechatronics: Dr. Alex Sergeyev and Chinmay Kondekar ’21: Demo of an Integrated Machining System

Learn more about Mechatronics.

The Michigan Tech Master’s in Health Informatics program has been ranked 6th on the list, ” Top 10 Online Master’s In Healthcare Informatics Programs 2021,” published recently by BestOnlineSchools.org. The Michigan Tech Health Informatics MS program is the only university in Michigan to appear on the top ten list.

The Michigan Tech Master of Science in Health Informatics prepares students for careers as data and information professionals in clinical and medical fields.

In the flexible, 30-credit program, which can be completed entirely online, graduate students choose courses from areas such as artificial intelligence in healthcare, cybersecurity and privacy, clinical decision modeling, and big data analytics to earn a M.S. of Health Informatics degree. Students will also earn graduate certificates in the specialized and growing areas of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Security and Privacy in Healthcare through this coursework.

View the TheBestSchools.org ranking here.

Dr. Guy Hembroff presented a talk to representatives of a number of digital health startup companies May 20, 2021, as part of an event hosted by the the HealthSpark program of 20 Fathoms, an entrepreneurial-focused member organization in Traverse City, Michigan.

The startup companies, in many U.S. locations, are being mentored by 20 Fathoms members.

Dr. Hembroff is an Associate Professor of Applied Computing and director of the Health Informatics Master of Science degree program at Michigan Tech.

Dr. Hembroff’s talk, “Cybersecurity and Privacy + X: Best Practices for Health Startups,” was designed to help startup companies gain awareness of and plan strategically for the cybersecurity and privacy elements of their company, affiliations with vendors, and the rights and protections of consumers.

Talk topics included an overview of data security and privacy, web security, scams and fraud detection and protection, mobile device security, network security, incident response, digital health data integration and interoperability, and protection from ransomware attacks.

The HealthSpark program is Traverse City’s digital health accelerator. The organization advances innovation and facilitates solutions that will resolve today’s challenges in rural healthcare. A community-focused initiative, HealthSpark work sto bring world-class healthcare solutions to rural patients through the advancement of digital technology.

20Fathoms is a membership organization for entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, tech professionals, creatives, and other innovators in the the Traverse City, Michigan, region.

Led by a team of experts who have walked-the-walk, we provide services, resources, support, and a robust network to help our members accelerate both their careers and businesses, according to the 20Fathoms website.