Author: Coby-Dillon English

New PhD Program in Manufacturing Engineering Meets Industry’s Needs

Published November 15, 2024

Introducing Michigan Tech’s new PhD in Manufacturing Engineering.

The Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (MMET) has a new PhD program and will be accepting applications for enrollment in spring semester 2025. The Manufacturing Engineering PhD program will emphasize research of the most viable and efficient processes used during fabrication, shaping, machining, and assembly and will provide an ability for students with an MS degree to further their domain knowledge and expertise in the field.

MMET professor and chair John Irwin is excited for the first PhD program in this department. “Research in the manufacturing engineering field has potential for talented people to propose innovative solutions, including tech-enabled sustainability initiatives,” says Irwin. “It is exciting to be department chair during this historic time of growth and change.”

No matter the industry, manufacturing engineering designs share the end goal of producing a better product at a lower cost. The new degree is applicable across traditional engineering disciplines, including material science, mechanical, electrical, robotic, biomedical, and chemical engineering in order to make advancements in processes for forming, joining, casting, molding, producing composites, micromachining, and additive methodologies.
It’s predicted that 35,600 new jobs will need to be filled by 2029. The 1.36 percent annual increase in job demand over the next few years means more faculty holding PhD degrees will be needed to prepare students for their careers. The job increase also translates to a need for research engineers with 14 percent growth expected in manufacturing engineering jobs through 2030 who are equipped to continue accelerating the growth of innovative technologies.

For more details on course and credit requirements, check out the Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology blog.

About the College of Engineering

Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering offers more than 15 bachelor of science degrees in biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil, environmental and geospatial engineering, electrical and computer engineering, engineering fundamentals, geological and mining engineering and sciences, manufacturing and mechanical engineering and technology, materials science and engineering, and mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Our engineering graduate degree options include master’s and PhD programs, along with robust online certificate programs for busy professionals. Follow Michigan Tech Engineering on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter for the latest happenings.

College of Engineering Welcomes New Faculty Members

Published November 7, 2024

By Coby-Dillon English

Dean Michelle Scherer in a group with the sixteen new faculty. — Earlier this semester, Dean Michelle Scherer welcomed 16 new faculty members to the College of Engineering.

The Michigan Tech College of Engineering is pleased to welcome 16 new faculty members across eight departments this year. These new faculty members bring a wide range of specializations in robotics, geomechanics, cancer tissue engineering, snow hydrology, and more. These brilliant educators and researchers join us from all over the world, including five Michigan Tech College of Engineering alumni. Welcome Huskies!

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Sunyoung Ahn, Instructor

Sunyoung “Sunny” Ahn is an instructor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering specializing in biostatistics. Sunyoung Ahn has previously taught courses in calculus, biostatistics, and statistical methods for biomedical engineers.

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Fengying Dang, Assistant Professor

Fengying Dang is an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering specializing in robotics sensing, perception, and control. Before joining Michigan Tech, Dang received his PhD in electrical and computer engineering from George Mason University and was a postdoctoral research associate with the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute.

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Xiang Li, Assistant Professor

Xiang Li is an assistant professor in the Department of Geological Mining Engineering and Sciences specializing in geological and geotechnical modeling. Li received his PhD in geotechnical engineering from Northwestern University. Prior to joining Michigan Tech, Li served as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research has been featured in the Los Angeles Times and Physics.org, as well as being recently published in Geophysical Research Letters.

Department of Chemical Engineering

Aytug Gencoglu, Assistant Professor

Aytug Gencoglu is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering specializing in microfluidics, electrokinetics, and cell sorting and identification. Gencoglu received his PhD in chemical engineering from Michigan Tech in 2012 and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Gencoglu has returned to Michigan Tech after working as an engineer at Bio-Rad Laboratories.

Maria Gencoglu, Assistant Professor

Maria Gencoglu is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering specializing in cancer tissue engineering and cellular processes. Gencoglu received her PhD in chemical engineering from Michigan Tech in 2014 and was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Gencoglu has returned to Michigan Tech after working as a member of the Clinical Diagnostics Group at Bio-Rad Laboratories, where she worked on developing molecular diagnostics products using PCR technologies.

Robert Handler, Assistant Professor

Robert Handler is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering specializing in sustainability assessment, sustainable water and energy systems, and life-cycle thinking. Handler received his PhD in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Iowa in 2009 and went on to work as a postdoctoral researcher with the Michigan Tech Sustainable Futures Institute. Handler is also an affiliated assistant professor with the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, the Department of Social Sciences in the College of Sciences and Arts, and serves as faculty advisor for Green Campus Enterprise.

Department of Engineering Fundamentals

Alden Adolph, Assistant Professor

Alden Adolph is an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Engineering Fundamentals and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering specializing in snow, firn, and ice physics and snow hydrological processes. Prior to joining Michigan Tech, Adolph received her PhD in engineering sciences from Dartmouth College and previously worked as an associate professor of physics at St. Olaf College.

Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology

Anis Fatima, Assistant Professor

Anis Fatima is an assistant professor in the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology specializing in digitization of manufacturing processes, sustainable manufacturing, and human factors engineering. Fatima received her PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Manchester in 2015.

Amna Mazen, Assistant Professor

Amna Mazen is an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology and the Department of Applied Computing in the College of Computing. Mazen specializes in robotics, autonomous vehicles, and machine learning. She received her PhD in robotics from University of Detroit Mercy in 2024.

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

John Bean, Associate Teaching Professor

John Bean is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering specializing in geodetic control engineering, structural and environmental monitoring, and spatial analysis. Bean received his MS in civil and structural engineering from the University of Connecticut. His work has taken him to Antarctica, the North Slope of Alaska, and the Mojave Desert, among other places. John is currently involved in geospatial activities supporting coastal erosion research in Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska.

Sai Sandeep Chitta, Assistant Professor

Sai Sandeep Chitta is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering specializing in granular mechanics, bio-mediation techniques for soil improvement, and bio-inspired geotechnic. Chitta received his PhD in civil engineering from the City University of Hong Kong. Before joining Michigan Tech, Chitta was a postdoctoral researcher at Oregon State University, where he co-led industry-sponsored projects focused on field-scale calibration of DEM models and contributed to biocementation techniques for coastal dune protection, funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Zach Fredin, Associate Teaching Professor

Zach Fredin is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering specializing in road and rail design, bridge design, and bridge load rating. Fredin received his MS in civil engineering from Michigan Tech. Prior to his new role with the College of Engineering, Fredin was a research engineer for Michigan Tech, serving as project lead and lead engineer for bridge design and load rating projects for the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Yi Zhu, Assistant Professor

Yi Zhu is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering specializing in adaptive and reconfigurable structures, computational mechanics, and origami engineering. Zhu received his PhD in civil engineering and structural computing from the University of Michigan, where he also served as a research fellow.

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Chloe He, Assistant Teaching Professor

Chloe He is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering specializing in heat transfer, chemical surface treatment techniques, and microfluidic devices. Chloe He received her PhD in mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics from Michigan Tech. Chloe He is currently highly interested in and actively working on engineering implementation on human health, especially in improving the treatment and care of Type 1 Diabetes.

Fei Long, Assistant Professor

Fei Long is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering specializing in sustainable manufacturing, waste characterization and recycling, and nano materials. Long received his PhD in biomedical engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University in 2011 and joined the College of Engineering in 2013, first as a research associate, and then as an assistant teaching professor. In 2021, he received the Mechanical Engineering Teacher of the Year Award, an honor given by Michigan Tech mechanical engineering students.

Wei Wei, Associate Professor

Wei Wei is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering specializing in additive manufacturing, sustainable manufacturing and design, and advanced materials for electrochemical applications. Wei received her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Michigan Tech in 2017. Prior to joining Michigan Tech, she was an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Wichita State University.

About the College of Engineering

Taking Tech Farther North: GMES Alum Caleb Kaminski on His Journey to Alaska

Published November 5, 2024

By Coby-Dillon English

Caleb Kaminski in a parka with a knit hat and sunglasses outside in the snow. — Caleb Kaminski, geological engineering alumni, outside Utqiagvik, Alaska during an Arctic research expedition.

It all started with a geology course. After graduating high school, Michigan Tech alumnus Caleb Kaminski wasn’t sure what to study, but he knew it would be STEM-related. While working towards his associate’s degree at West Shore Community College, Kaminski tried it all, from aquacultural science to computer science to physics. “But everything clicked when I stumbled upon an introductory geology course,” says Kaminski. “I was hooked instantly!”

Even then, Kaminski knew he wanted his academic career to include more than just geology. “When I discovered Michigan Tech offered a degree in geological engineering, I was sure I found the right path to embark on. It combined my newfound love for geology with the challenging engineering component I was eager to be challenged by. And just like that, I found my perfect academic match!”

That perfect match led to Caleb Kaminski receiving his bachelor’s degree in geological engineering in 2021 and his master’s degree in geophysics in 2022 from Michigan Tech. Kaminski describes his years at Michigan Tech as transformative. “Michigan Tech gave me a fresh perspective and allowed me to see the world more objectively, paving the way for successes I had never imagined,” says Kaminski. “I feel a wave of emotion when I think about how the university has molded me.”

Kaminski credits much of his success to becoming involved with the Michigan Tech community. Early on in his days at Tech, he landed a job at the front desk of the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering Sciences. “This role introduced me to many faculty and students, making me feel even more connected and engaged with my peers. Before I knew it, I was diving into various research projects during my undergrad,” he says.

Kenneth Hinkel and Caleb Kaminsi in parkas standing outside in the snow. — Kaminski with Kenneth Hinkel, GMES research professor, in the tundra outside Utqiagvik, Alaska during an Arctic research expedition.

During his time at Tech, Kaminski collaborated with Chad Deering on sediment analysis using scanning electron microscopy, worked with Thomas Oommen on early warning railroad systems, and explored paleomagnetic analysis in the magnetism lab with Aleksey Smirnov. Kaminski also served as a teaching assistant for Jeremy Shannon’s Field Geophysics and again with Smirnov for his Fundamentals of Geophysics class for multiple semesters. Kaminski teamed up with Paul van Susante on NASA’s LuSTR research and collaborated with the Geo-Institute and the Federal Highway Administration. Kaminski says he’s thrilled with where his academic journey has led him. “These experiences enriched my knowledge, ignited my passion, and helped me see the world in a more profound way.”

And the journey continues. While in graduate school, Kaminski joined Kenneth Hinkel’s team to study permafrost in Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska.

“Living there for a week, I got to immerse myself in the local culture and learn from world renowned scientists, which was truly enriching,” says Kaminski. Alaska would become more than just a research trip destination; now, it’s home. Since graduating, Kaminski has moved to Anchorage, which he describes as a nature lover’s paradise.

“I’ve joined the PND Engineers, Inc. team as a staff engineer. They recognize and value my expertise in geophysics, so now I spearhead geophysical surveys that take place across Alaska for the company. It’s truly an exceptional opportunity for me to grow more professionally,” he says.

Time-Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) survey equipment in the tundra. — Researchers from Michigan Tech and the University of Wyoming conducting a Time-Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) survey in the tundra outside of Utqiagvik, Alaska.

Looking forward, Kaminski is interested in emphasizing geophysical applications within the realm of geo-engineering. “I dream of establishing my own engineering consultancy or innovating the latest geophysical technology.”

When asked what advice he would give prospective geological engineering and geophysics students, Kaminski recommends making the world your classroom. “Embark on nature excursions, hunt for hidden waterfalls, discover unique minerals, marvel at intriguing rock formations, and interpret the earth’s stories etched into its landscapes. When you apply classroom knowledge in such tangible ways, it sticks with you, making learning seamless and captivating.”