Day: October 23, 2023

Search Launched for New Dean of Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering

Our Mission: Deliver world-class education, research and leadership to the State of Michigan, the nation and the world.

Michigan Technological University invites inquiries, applications, and nominations for the position of dean of the College of Engineering.

Building upon our strengths, the dean should be a forward-thinking, innovative, and collaborative leader who provides strategic leadership to take the College to even greater heights.

Position Prospectus

Located in Houghton, in the heart of Upper Michigan’s scenic Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan Tech is the state’s flagship technological university with more $102 million in research expenditures and 16 unique research centers and institutes. The university is home to more than 7,200 students from 69 countries around the world. The university attracts world-class faculty who enrich the educational experience of smart, motivated, and adventurous students. Michigan Tech is well known for its return on investment, with our graduates earning the ninth highest median starting salary in the country.

The College of Engineering is the largest college on campus, with nine departments, over 4,000 students, 170 faculty, and 110 staff. The successful candidate will be committed to promoting a sense of belonging and an inclusive environment throughout the college and university. Learn more at mtu.edu/diversity.

Michigan Tech is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

For additional information, contact the search committee chair, Dr. Dennis Livesay, at dlivesay@mtu.edu.

To apply, visit employment.mtu.edu/cw/en-us/job/493403.

Our Vision: Create a sustainable, just, and prosperous world.

Aurora White ’16 Named AISES 2023 Most Promising Engineer

Aurora White

by Joan Chadde, Center for Science and Environmental Outreach

Alumna Aurora White has been selected by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) as the 2023 Most Promising Engineer. White earned her BS in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech in 2016.

The professional award was presented at the 2023 AISES National Conference, held Oct. 19-21 in Spokane, Washington.

White, a torque calibration security engineer for Stellantis, is an active member of the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. She earned her MS in Mechanical Engineering at Oakland University (OU) in Rochester, Michigan.

In her award description, AISES award committee describes White’s many accomplishments: “Aurora White loves hands-on work, whether it’s being in a vehicle as a calibration engineer or building furniture at her mom’s house.

“I am deeply humbled by this honor from AISES,” said White. “Ever since I was a child, I’ve enjoyed building and fixing things, which eventually led to my career choice in engineering. I am also especially passionate about my culture, and I hope my achievements might help inspire younger members of the indigenous community to pursue a future in STEM fields and make the world a better place through their work.”

“It means the world to me when I hear from younger students that I am a role model or someone that they look up to,” said White. “I want to make the 7-year-old me proud that I had big dreams for the future.”

White works for Stellantis N.V., a multinational automotive company and mobility provider that includes Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and Fiat brands. White has worked in a variety of engineering roles, including instrumentation and diagnostics. She has received numerous awards for leading projects in vehicle testing and analysis. She has earned Design for Six Sigma Green Belt certification, and was selected for a new Stellantis leadership development program in 2022. White now serves on that program’s board, while serving as treasurer for the Indigenous Cultural Opportunity Network, a Stellantis business resource group.”

“I want to inspire our Indigenous youth to show them that all things are possible.”

Aurora White
Aurora White took part in the Lac Vieux Desert powwow in early August.

White grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. “I have been a part of AISES since I was an undergrad at Michigan Tech. I was the AISES Michigan Tech secretary and then president,” wrote White in a LinkedIn post. “AISES has always made me feel like I belong and have a purpose,” she continued. “I have strived to incorporate my culture/traditions into every aspect of my life, whether it is at home or in the workplace.”

As an undergraduate student at Michigan Tech, White was an active member in the Engineering Ambassadors and Women’s Leadership Council. She studied abroad at the Leibniz University Hannover, Germany, and received internships with GE Aviation Mechanical Engineering; the Wind Energy Science, Engineering, and Policy Program at Iowa State University; and Indian Health Services.

She was also active in outreach activities, presenting at Family Engineering events in Baraga, L’Anse and Detroit with coordinator Joan Chadde, and presenting virtually as part of the Michigan Space Grant Consortium grant project “Native American Women in STEM & Natural Resources’ in spring 2020.

Aurora makes earrings to raise funds for missing and murdered native women.

“It means the world to me when I hear from younger students that I am a role model or someone that they look up to,” said White. “I want to make the 7-year-old me proud that I had big dreams for the future.”

White’s future interest is in automotive electrification, while also promoting Indigenous values into design and the workplace.

Read more

Indigenous Engineer Receives Prestigious Award

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2023 AISES Most Promising Engineer Aurora White