College of Engineering Blog

Author: Coby-Dillon English

MMET Alum Joseph K. Williams Named Society of Manufacturing Engineers 30 Under 30

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Joseph Williams stands on a walkway above a manufacturing plant floor, wearing a plaid gray blazer and white button down shirt.
Joseph Williams ’22 ’24 was named a 2026 SME 30 Under 30, honoring his expansive career in manufacturing and his continued commitment to a manufacturing environment where humans and machines work in harmony. (Photo courtesy of Joseph Williams)

Huskies can’t help but make an impact! This fall, mechanical engineering technology alumnus Joseph Williams was named to the 2026 Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) 30 Under 30 list, honoring his standout career success and recognizing his future leadership potential in the manufacturing field.

Williams, who joined the manufacturing workforce only a few years ago, has already become a leader in manufacturing technology. In his current position as robotics technology development manager with General Motors, he’s found that innovation applies to more than just the technology a team produces. It also applies to the team itself.

“The challenge does not end when we create something unique and novel,” said Williams. “The real opportunity begins when we ask: ‘How do we transition this technology into the facility? How do we develop others to use it, improve it, and make it their own? How do we educate and empower the workforce to bring these innovations to life?’ ”

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MTU Geophysics Students Conduct Paleomagnetic Research in Iceland

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Researchers in reflective gear walk along a rocky shore in Iceland.
Geophysics students Sam Jensen and Miah Mol joined an MTU-led research team this summer studying paleomagnetism in northwestern Iceland. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Geology and Mining Engineering and Sciences)

While some students spend their summer vacations at the beach, budding geophysicists Sam Jensen and Miah Mol opted for something a little more down to earth—literally.

Jensen, a second-year master’s student in geophysics, and Mol, a junior double-majoring in geology and applied geophysics, spent six weeks this summer in Iceland as part of a National Science Foundation-funded paleomagnetic research project, studying prehistoric magnetic fields found in the geological landscape of northwestern Iceland.

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MTU Systems Engineering Capstone Team Receives NASA Johnson Space Center APEX Award

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The Michigan Tech systems engineering capstone team poses with their research poster and certificates at the 2026 MTU Design Expo.
The Michigan Tech Systems Engineering capstone team received the APEX Award for their collaborative work with NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The team also took home second place in the Senior Design Awards at the 2026 Michigan Tech Design Expo. (Photos courtesy of MTU Department of Engineering Fundamentals)

Michigan Tech students are earning NASA awards for work designed to make future Artemis missions more reliable!

This summer, the Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) capstone team received an “Awesome Performance in EXploration DIvision” 2026 APEX Award from NASA’s Johnson Space Center for their Senior Design project titled “Conceptual Evaluation of CryoMag Sustainable Operational Usage with NASA.” The team seeks to develop a framework to mitigate the impact of lunar regolith on CryoMag connectors to increase the reliability of cryogenic fluid transfer on lunar missions.

This year’s award-winning team was led by Katie Walters and includes Brian Marku, Connor Jones, Nicholas Wyatt, Ella Santi, Tim Peters, and Kathryn Bugbee.

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College of Engineering Celebrates New and Promoted Faculty

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New faculty and staff from Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering pose with Dean Michelle Scherer in front of an MTU-branded photo backdrop.
The College of Engineering welcomed new faculty and staff before the start of the 2026-2027 academic year, where newly promoted faculty were also celebrated.

The College of Engineering kicked off the 2026-2027 academic year by welcoming seven new faculty members this August. The new faculty members bring a wealth of academic and industry experience to support new and expanding programs in aerospace engineering, ecological engineering, and more.

Dean Michelle Scherer also recognized the promotions of nine faculty members, highlighting their continued excellence in research, education, and mentorship.

“These faculty members are moving and shaking in their fields and are engineering new and innovative approaches to help make people’s lives better and educate the next generation of engineers,” said Scherer. “I could not be more delighted to see all of them recognized with well-earned promotions. Keep your eyes on this group!”

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MTU Mechanical Engineering Research Team Selected for NASA Space Habitat Challenge

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Michigan Technological University’s campus across the Keweenaw Waterway.
A team of mechanical engineering students, led by Assistant Professor Madelyn MacRobbie, has been selected for NASA’s M2M X-Hab 2027 Academic Innovation Challenge.

Michigan Tech researchers continue to keep their eyes on the stars. Faculty and student researchers in the College are testing new applications for lunar roads, rovers, and robots, but as NASA’s Artemis Program continues towards its goal of a sustained human presence on the Moon, a new, necessary field is emerging: astronaut wellness and well-being in space environments.

Madelyn MacRobbie, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), is ready to get to work. Having completed a joint PhD in medical engineering and medical physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School, MacRobbie joined Michigan Tech specifically for its rising aerospace engineering program. Now, she’ll be leading a team of students conducting research in bioastronautics.

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M. Emin Kutay Named Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering Chair

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Aerial view of Michigan Technological University at sunset. The campus buildings are surrounded by lush greenery, and a wide river is visible on the right side, reflecting the sun's golden light.
M. Emin Kutay, former professor of civil and environmental engineering at Michigan State University, has been named chair of Michigan Tech’s Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering.

M. Emin Kutay has been named chair of Michigan Tech’s Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE), effective July 20.

Kutay comes to the College of Engineering from Michigan State University, where he was a professor of civil and environmental engineering for 18 years. There, he built an internationally recognized program in pavement engineering, infrastructure materials, and computational modelling.

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From Campus to Cosmos: MTU Astro-Huskies Place Third in NASA Lunabotics Challenge

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Ten Michigan Tech Astro-Huskies members stand together with a certificate and matching Astro-Huskies shirt.
Michigan Tech’s Astro-Huskies team traveled to Florida to compete in the 2026 NASA Lunabotics Challenge where they qualified for the finals and placed third overall. (Image courtesy of MTU MINE)

Michigan Tech students never shy away from a good challenge, and the Astro-Huskies of Tech’s Multiplanetary INnovation Enterprise (MINE) are no different. The Astro-Huskies team placed third in the 2026 NASA Lunabotics Challenge. 

The annual year-long competition puts collegiate teams to the test, designing, building, and testing prototype lunar construction robots. This year, 47 teams were selected to compete in the qualifying round at the University of Central Florida before the top 10 teams moved on to the three-day final at the NASA Kennedy Space Center on May 19-21. 

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Commencement Graduate Student Speaker Found His Way ‘Back Home’ to Michigan Tech

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Man in a gray sweater stands confidently in a modern office lobby with brick walls and comfortable seating areas.
Houssein Yassin ’23, who returned to Michigan Tech to earn his PhD, will address the audience as graduate speaker at Spring Commencement ceremonies on April 24.

Although Michigan Tech is thousands of miles from his upbringing in South Lebanon, Houssein Yassin ’23 began thinking of the University as home long before he ever set foot on campus. Now a PhD student in mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics, Yassin will take the podium as the 2026 Spring Commencement graduate student speaker on April 24.

“I used to watch YouTube lectures from Professor Gordon Parker, and with every lecture, Michigan Tech felt less like a university far away and more like a place where I belonged,” said Yassin. “There was a warmth in the way he taught that made me feel this was the kind of place where I could grow, be challenged, and truly shine.”

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Distinguished Professor Adrienne Minerick Inducted into the AIMBE College of Fellows

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Portrait of Adrienne Minerick wearing a black shirt and grey blazer in front of an academic lobby with tables and chairs.
Distinguished Professor Adrienne Minerick has been inducted into the AIMBE College of Fellows, a top honor for medical and biological engineers.

Adrienne R. Minerick ’98, distinguished professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, has been inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to medical and biological engineers. The AIMBE College of Fellows represents the top two percent of engineers in these fields and honors those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering and medicine research, practice, or education.

Minerick was elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows for pioneering dielectrophoretic detection of molecular expression of cells and for international leadership in engineering education focused on engagement and inclusion. She was inducted along with 175 colleagues into the College of Fellows Class of 2026 on April 13, 2026, at the AIMBE Annual Event in Arlington, Virginia.

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Yun Hang Hu Receives Morris Cohen Award for Pioneering Contributions in Materials Science

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Yun Hang Hu stands in a hallway lined with windows showing snow-covered hills wearing a blue shirt.
University Professor Yun Hang Hu has received the TMS Morris Cohen Award for his contributions to the field of materials science.

Yun Hang Hu, University Professor and the Charles and Carroll McArthur Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, received the prestigious Morris Cohen Award for outstanding contributions to the science and/or technology of materials properties. Awarded by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), the Morris Cohen Award honors one individual worldwide each year and is widely regarded as one of the most distinguished honors in the field.

“The previous recipients of the Morris Cohen Award are distinguished pioneers whose groundbreaking contributions have profoundly shaped the field,” said Hu. “I am deeply honored to join their ranks in receiving this prestigious award.”

Two individuals stand on a stage holding a triangular glass trophy under a sign that reads “The World Comes Here, TMS 2026, Annual Meeting and Exhibition.”
University Professor Yun Hang Hu received the Morris Cohen Award at the 155th TMS Annual Meeting on March 18, 2026. (Photo courtesy TMS)

In Michigan Tech’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Hu teaches courses in thermodynamics and conducts extensive research on a wide range of topics, including superstructure materials, nanomaterials, electrocatalysis, biodegradable plastics, advanced energy devices, and more. Hu is also an affiliated professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Hu’s previous awards and honors include more than 20 national and international accolades. In 2017, Hu was the first MTU faculty member to receive both the Michigan Tech Research Award and the Bhakta Rath Research Award in the same year.

He has been elected to the Canadian Academy of Engineering and is a fellow of six major professional societies:

Hu, who is also a past recipient of the Rudolf A. Erren Award from the International Association for Hydrogen Energy, expressed his gratitude to those who have contributed to his latest career achievement.

“This recognition would not have been possible without the dedication of my graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, and the unwavering support of my wife and children.”

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