College of Engineering Blog

Author: Kim Geiger

Design Expo 2019 – Enterprise and Senior Design Team Projects

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All are welcome at Michigan Tech’s 19th annual Design Expo, coming up on Thursday, April 19 in the Memorial Union Ballroom, from 8 am – 3 pm.

At Design Expo, you can explore the breadth and depth of undergraduate innovation, from more than 1,000 students from Michigan Tech’s Enterprise and Senior Design programs. More than 100 projects will be on display, judged throughout the day by a panel of corporate representatives, invited guests, and University faculty, staff, and graduate students. Many projects are sponsored by industry.

Below, check out the entire list of Senior Design and Enterprise teams competing.

SENIOR DESIGN TEAM PROJECTS, ADVISORS, AND SPONSORS
(listed by team number assigned by Design Expo for judging purposes)

201
Remote Switching Station Power
Advisor: John Lukowski, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: ITC Holding Corp. 

202
Automated Functional Testing Device for Logic Devices
Advisors: Aref Majdara and Tony Pinar, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

203
Boat HUD
Advisor: Trever Hassell, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) 

204
Automated Functional Testing Device for Operational Amplifiers
Advisor: Aref Majdara, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

205
Mobile Active Threat Emergency System (MATES)
Advisor: Paul van Susante, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Air Force Research Labs 

206
Electrostatic Precipitator Inspection Device
Advisor: Paul van Susante, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: DTE Energy

207
Hydro Generating Plant Black Start
Advisor: School of Technology
Sponsor:  FDS Engineering & Electrical Services 

208
Cobalt Reduction in Tribaloy T-400
Advisors: Paul Sanders and Walt Milligan, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsor: Winsert Inc. 

209
Assembly Cell Changeover
Advisor: William Endres, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: MacLean-Fogg 

210
Cancer Detection
Advisor: Tony Pinar, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: Barzin Moridian 

211
Rapid Prototyping of Ultrasound Elastography Breast Phantom for Ductile Carcinoma Diagnosis
Advisor: Jingfeng Jiang, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor: Materialise 

212
Sorting of Bar Ends and Slugs from Hot-Formed Parts
Advisor: Paul van Susante, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor:  MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions

213
Ballnut and Ballscrew Inspection Data Post-Processing
Advisor: Steven Ma, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor:  Nexteer Automotive 

214
Peripheral Tool Simulation for an Ultrasonic Aspirator Console
Advisor: Orhan Soykan, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor: Stryker 

215
Air Cooled Inverter Heatsink
Advisor:  Jeremy Worm, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor:  US Army TARDEC 

216
EPS ball screw lash measurement
Advisors: William Endres and James DeClerck, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor:  Nexteer 

217
SERC MARSOC Improved Life Support for Casualties at Point of Injury
Advisors:  Feng Zhao and Rupak Rajachar, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsors:  Layne Lewis 

218
Nodule Reduction on Steel Reheat Furnace Refractory
Advisor:  Paul Sanders, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsor:  ArcelorMittal 

219
Tinker Omega Sand Delivery System
Advisor:  David Labyak, School of Technology
Sponsor: Department of Materials Science and Engineering

220
Automatic Case Sealer
Advisor: Eddy Trinklein, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor:  Fapco, Inc. 

221
Gerdau Inclusion Solidification Prevention
Paul Sanders, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsor: Gerdau – Monroe Mill 

222
Fuel Economy Impact Tool
Advisor:  Steven Ma, Mechanical Engineering
Sponsor:  Maclean Fogg Component Solutions 

223
Full Flexion Knee
Advisors: Jeremy Goldman and Keat Ghee Ong, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor: Department of Biomedical Engineering 

224
Data Analysis Methods to Improve Treatment of Chronic Pain
Advisor: Keat Ghee Ong, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor: Medtronic 

225
Transcatheter Single Ventricle Device
Advisors: Smitha Rao and Jeremy Goldman, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor:  Spectrum Health Innovations—Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital 

226
SERC AFRL 05 Personnel Recovery – Power
Advisor: John Lukowski, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: Systems Engineering Research Center 

227
Micro-Pistoning Immobilization
Advisors:  Bruce Lee and Feng Zhao, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor:  3M 

228
Load Sensor and Calibrator for Crane Control
Advisor:  Fei Long, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

229
Temperature Sensing of Implanted Medical Device Shields
Advisor: Keat Ghee Ong, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor: Medtronic 

230
Universal Driver Gear Train
Advisor: Smitha Rao, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor: Stryker 

231
Hard Surface Disinfectant Innovation
Advisor: Trever Hassell, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor:  Leading Disinfectant Wipes Producer 

232
AFRL – MATES
Advisor: Cam Hadden, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor:  Air Force Research Labs 

233
Flow Meter for Power Plant Water Quality Analysis Equipment
Advisors: John Irwin and Sunil Mehendale, School of Technology
Sponsor: Sentry Equipment

234
Deposition System GUI
Advisor:  Tony Pinar, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: Chito Kendrick 

235
TRIP Steel Additive Manufacturing
Advisor:  Paul Sanders, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsor: ArcelorMittal 

236
Gypsum Water Extraction
Advisor: Paul van Susante, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Michigan Tech’s MINE Enterprise 

237
Laser Safety Proposal for Minerals & Materials Engineering Bldg. Room 329
Advisors: John Irwin, School of Technology, and Russell Stein and Paul Sanders, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsor: Department Materials Science and Engineering

238
Effects of Scandium on Cast Iron
Advisor: Paul Sanders, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsor:  CleanTeQ 

239
Clean TeQ Aluminum-Scandium Additive Manufacturing Alloy Development
Advisor: Paul Sanders, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsor: Clean TeQ 

240
Thermal & Mechanical Effects of Power Modalities on Surrounding Tissue
Advisors: Sean Kirkpatrick and Orhan Soykan, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor:  Stryker 

241
Disposable Cranial Perforator System
Advisors: Jingfeng Jiang and Bruce Lee, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor: Stryker 

242
EPS Belt Drive Analytical Method to Predict Thrust Forces
Advisor: Aneet Narendranath, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Nexteer Automotive 

243
FCA Advanced Hood Architecture – Structural and Attachment Team
Advisor: Cam Hadden, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles 

244
Catheter Hydrophilic Lubricious Coating Measurement Challenge
Advisor: Sean Kirkpatrick, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor: Boston Scientific 

245
Development of a Blubber-Only Whale Tag Anchoring System
Advisor: Rupak Rajachar, Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor: Dr. Alexandre Zerbini 

246
Advanced Vehicle Hood Architecture and Design
Advisor: Jeremy Worm, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles 

247
Automatic Rotary Indexer with Visual Feedback System for Fine Finish Tooling
Advisor: Eddy Trinklein, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Endres Machining Innovations LLC 

248
Pneumatic Flow Totalizer
Advisor: Jeremy Worm, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Donald Engineering 

249
Sand Point Tower and Boardwalk
Advisor: Steven Ma, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Keweenaw Bay Indian Community 

250
John Deere Gator XUV835 Exhaust Redesign
Advisor: James DeClerck, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: John Deere 

251
Red Laser Inspection Device Improvement
Advisor: Eddy Trinklein, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions 

252
Mobile Active Threat Emergency System
Advisor: William Endres, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor:  Air Force Research Labs 

253
Eddy Current Inspection In-line Integration
Advisor: William Endres, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions — Metform 

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ENTERPRISE TEAMS, ADVISORS, AND SPONSORS
(listed by team number assigned by Design Expo for judging purposes)

101
Blizzard Baja 
Advisor: Kevin Johnson, Mechanical Engineering Technology
Sponsors: Aramco, Denso, General Motors, FCA, Magna, 3M, Altair, Ford Motor Company, Halla Mechatronics, Henkel, IPETRONIK, John Deere, Meritor, Nexteer, Michigan Scientific Corporation, Milwaukee Tool, ArcelorMittal, Cummins, Oshkosh Corporation

102
Clean Snowmobile Challenge
Advisor: Jason Blough, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsors: Aramco, Denso, General Motors, FCA, Magna, 3M, Altair, Ford Motor Company, Halla Mechatronics, Henkel, IPETRONIK, John Deere, Meritor, Nexteer, Michigan Scientific Corporation, Milwaukee Tool, ArcelorMittal, Yamaha, Kohler, Arctic Cat, Camso, V-Converter, Bosch, PCB Piezotronics, TE Connectivity, Simscale

103
Formula SAE 
Advisor: James DeClerck, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsors: Aramco, Denso, General Motors, FCA, Magna, 3M, Altair, Ford Motor Company, Halla Mechatronics, Henkel, IPETRONIK, John Deere, Meritor, Nexteer, Michigan Scientific Corporation, Milwaukee Tool, Simscale, TE Connectivity, Mercury, SKF USA, PartSolutions, ArcelorMittal, McLaren, AVL

104
Supermileage Systems 
Advisor: Rick Berkey, Pavlis Honors College
Sponsors: Aramco, Denso, General Motors, FCA, Magna, 3M, Altair, Ford Motor Company, Halla Mechatronics, Henkel, IPETRONIK, John Deere, Meritor, Nexteer, Michigan Scientific Corporation, Milwaukee Tool, ArcelorMittal, Saginaw Controls & Engineering

105
Advanced Metalworks Enterprise (AME)
Advisor: Paul Sanders, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsors: Mercury Marine, Eck, ArcelorMittal, Gerdau, Clean TeQ, AIST 

106
Aerospace Enterprise
Advisor: L. Brad King, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsors: NASA, Air Force Research Laboratory

107
Alternative Energy Enterprise (AEE)
Advisor: Jay Meldrum, Keweenaw Research Center
Sponsors: Keweenaw Research Center, Oshkosh, and Traverse Solar

108
Blue Marble Security
Advisor: Glen Archer, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsors: General Motors, Oshkosh Corporation, ArcelorMittal, Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC)

109
BoardSport Technologies
Advisor: Ibrahim Miskioglu, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsors: ArcelorMittal, Enterprise Manufacturing Initiative funded by General Motors, Pavlis Honors College

110
Built World 
Advisor: Audra Morse, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Sponsors: Airport Cooperative Research Program University Design Competition

111
Cin/Optic Communication and Media
Advisor: Erin Smith, Humanities
Sponsors: International Research Experience for Students (IRES), Michigan Tech Dept. of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Tech School of Technology, Community Solar

112
Consumer Product Manufacturing
Advisors: Tony Rogers and Sean Clancy, Chemical Engineering
Sponsors: Avery Wilson, General Motors, Kohler Company, Libbey Inc., Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, Robert Carnahan, Schmohz Brewing Company, Keweenaw Brewing Company, ArcelorMittal

113
General Expedition and Adventure Research (GEAR)
Advisor: Brett Hamlin, Engineering Fundamentals
Sponsors: Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC), Enterprise Manufacturing Initiative funded by General Motors

114
Green Campus 
Advisor: Christopher Wojick, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Sponsor: Michigan Technological University

115
Humane Interface Design Enterprise (HIDE)
Advisor: Robert Pastel, Computer Science
Sponsor:

116
Husky Game Development
Advisor: Scott Kuhl, Computer Science
Sponsor: 

117
Innovative Global Solutions
Advisor: Radheshyam Tewari, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Pavlis Honors College, the Enterprise Manufacturing Initiative funded by General Motors 

118
ITOxygen
Advisor: Russell Louks, School of Business and Economics
Sponsors: Microsoft, 24G, Denso, Pavlis Honors College 

119
Mining Innovation Enterprise (MINE)
Advisor: Paulus Van Susante, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: NASA

120
Open Source Hardware
Advisor: Joshua Pearce, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsors: Enterprise Manufacturing Initiative funded by General Motors, ArcelorMittal

121
Robotic Systems 
Advisor: Jeremy Bos, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsors: General Motors, SAE International, Continental, Intel, MathWorks, Velodyne 

122
Strategic Education through Naval Systems Experiences (SENSE)
Advisor: Andrew Barnard, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsors: Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC), Office of Naval Research (ONR)

123
Velovations
Advisor: Steve Lehmann, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsors: Ak Tube LLC, ArcelorMittal, Boss Snow Plow, Churning Rapids Snow Bike Trail, Pavlis Honors College 

124
Wireless Communication Enterprise (WCE)
Advisor: Christopher Cischke, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsors: Ford Motor Company, Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC), Michigan Tech Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Michigan Tech Dept. of Visual and Performing Arts 

125
High School Enterprise—Dollar Bay School SOAR
Advisor: Joshua Pearce, Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsors: DBTC Area Schools, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative

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Charitable Lead Trust — How I Give

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Judy and Gary Anderson ’67

“I believe that a great education is the foundation for a great career. I was fortunate to have both.” —Gary Anderson ‘67

I believe that a great education is the foundation for a great career. I was fortunate to have both.

Growing up in Ishpeming in the 1950s, I saw firsthand what hard work looked like. My father had to quit school to work in the mines at age 15 to support the family after my grandfather was killed in a mining accident. Both my father and mother stressed the importance of getting an education. They wanted me to have a better life and sacrificed financially to send me to college.

Michigan Tech proved to be tough, but I welcomed the rigor. It hardened and sharpened me to be able to compete in the global marketplace. I graduated in 1967 with a degree in chemical engineering. I joined Dow Corning and spent my entire career there, eventually becoming CEO and Chairman before retiring in 2004. I’m proud to say our firm grew 50-fold and became recognized as one of the nation’s top 100 companies to work for.

Looking back on my career, I realize the value of my education and the role Michigan Tech played in my development. My wife, Judy, and I wanted to help today’s youth achieve their potential as well. We set up a charitable lead trust. It’s a great tool we are able to use to support Tech and several other of our favorite charities for a 10-year period with the residual trust value going to our children in the future. The trust allows us to see the impact of our annual gifts now while we are alive, as well as reducing taxes on the remaining assets that will go to our family in the future.

I’m happy to say we’ve been able to start the Anderson Family Scholarships for students from Ishpeming and Westwood High Schools as well as a student research fund in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Judy and I believe, just as my parents did, in the importance of a great education. We are thrilled to be able to help others improve their lives through education, and encourage others to do the same.

A charitable lead trust is an irrevocable trust designed to provide financial support to one or more charities for a period of time, with the remaining assets eventually going to family members or other beneficiaries. For more information on lead trusts or other planned giving options, visit www.mtu.legacy.org or email giftplan@mtu.edu.

 

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Happy Engineers Week 2019!

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Please join us in celebrating National Engineers Week (Eweek). All are welcome!

We’re celebrating Eweek this week with some special events on campus at Michigan Tech. Events are sponsored by the local Michigan Tech chapter of Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society, and the College of Engineering.

Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, Eweek is celebrated each February around the time of George Washington’s birthday, February 22, because Washington is considered by many to be the first US engineer. Eweek is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.

This evening (Monday, Feb. 18) the CPM Enterprise team will host an event featuring Mock Interviews and Career Fair Prep, from 6 to 8 p.m. in ChemSci 101. And there’s more. Feel free to stop by and check out Eweek events as your schedule allows:

  • Insulate an Ice Cube Race: Anyone can take part in this fun and challenging contest, hosted by the Innovative Global Solutions Enterprise, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. in MEEM 404 on Tuesday, Feb. 19.
  • Engineers Week Cake: Enjoy a free and delicious piece of cake, courtesy of the Department of Engineering Fundamentals. Cake will be served from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wednesday, (Feb. 20), in Dillman 112B.
  • Paper Airplane Competition (plus ice cream): Test your creativity and imagination alongside members of the newly-formed Built World Enterprise, 4-5 p.m. Thursday, in Fisher 131.
  • Build a Heart Rate Circuit Board. Come build your own heart-shaped, heart-rate monitoring circuit board with Blue Marble Security Enterprise, 4 – 6 p.m. Friday (Feb. 22) in EERC 622.

Over the weekend, Tau Beta Pi and the College of Engineering sponsored free Michigan Tech Film Board showings of the movie Interstellar, starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, a science fiction film set in a dystopian future where humanity is struggling to survive. The film follows a group of astronauts who travel through a wormhole near Saturn in search of a new home for humanity.

Eweek is a formal coalition of more than 70 engineering, education, and cultural societies, and more than 50 corporations and government agencies. Dedicated to raising public awareness of engineers’ positive contributions to quality of life, Eweek promotes recognition among parents, teachers, and students of the importance of a technical education and a high level of math, science, and technology literacy, and motivates youth, to pursue engineering careers in order to provide a diverse and vigorous engineering workforce. Each year, Eweek reaches thousands of schools, businesses, and community groups across the US.

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College of Engineering Cross-Cutting Initiative: Stage 2 Seed Grants Awarded

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Campus in SummerFederal agencies such as the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health are funding research that involves experts from multiple disciplines to solve complex problems. “Growing Convergence Research” is among “Ten Big Ideas” highlighted in a recent NSF report. In 2019, the agency plans to invest $30 million in each one: “The grand challenges of today—protecting human health; understanding the food, energy, water nexus; exploring the universe at all scales—will not be solved by one discipline alone. They require convergence: the merging of ideas, approaches and technologies from widely diverse fields of knowledge to stimulate innovation and discovery.”

Back in September 2018, the College of Engineering offered seed funding to promote new collaborations between researchers focused on developing aggressively forward-looking, transdisciplinary research projects.

A team of individuals who are committed to working together to develop at least one full proposal submission within 18 months with at least one member in the College of Engineering were the only requirements. Otherwise, team members could be at Michigan Tech, across the nation or across the world.

The College of Engineering awarded ten Stage 1 seed grants in October. In November, the college received 15 Stage 2 proposals which were reviewed by a group of six faculty members representing interdisciplinary research across campus. Judging criteria included the funding track record of the PI/team, likelihood of funding and potential amount, interdisciplinarity/transdisciplinarity of the project and newness of the interdisciplinary team.

With the Stage 2 seed grants, the total awarded is over $200,000 this year. Stage 2 recipients are:

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Embracing the Pioneering Research Spirit of Nancy Scofield

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The late Michigan Tech Pres. Emeritus Ray Smith presents a diploma to Dr. Nancy Scofield, the first female to be granted a doctoral degree at Michigan Tech, in 1977.
Nancy Scofield

Nancy Scofield was the first female to earn a doctoral degree at Michigan Tech. Dr. Scofield earned a PhD in Geology in 1977, studying copper redistribution in Portage Lake basalts. She reevaluated what was commonly believed in order to better understand the nature of the ore deposits.

Dr. Scofield passed away in 2003. The Nancy Scofield Pioneering Research Award is given annually to a graduate student whose dissertation work expands the boundaries of doctoral research in the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences.

Past recipients are:

Emily Gochis—a PhD candidate in geology conducting research on innovative methods to improve geoscience literacy in pre-college students through professional development with their teachers and conceiving lessons around important geological features of their local area.

Marine Foucher—recently completed her PhD in geophysics. She conducted research on the paleomagnetic history of Precambrian rock formations in the UP, Canada, and China.

Priscilla Addison—a PhD candidate in geological engineering. She is using remote sensing to study permafrost thawing and the hazards it poses to transportation assets.

“Recipients of this award embrace the pioneering research spirit of Nancy Scofield,” says John Gierke, chair of the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering at Sciences. “Their research is intellectually and physically challenging, and each recipient has demonstrated a high level of independence in their work, partly out of necessity since some aspects are outside the existing expertise in the department.”

Dr. Scofield’s doctoral advisor was then assistant professor William I. Rose. Bill is now retired but remains active in the department as a research professor. Nancy was his first PhD graduate.

Professor Emeritus Gordon Scofield, former chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Tech from 1969 to 1981, is Nancy Scofield’s husband. Gordon and Bill have shared their memories of Nancy from her graduate studies at Michigan Tech, as well as her professional work after graduating. 

 

Nancy Scofield at work using an electron probe
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Les Cayes, Haiti: Engineering World Health

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Five engineering students from Michigan Tech’s chapter of Engineering World Health visited Les Cayes, Haiti in May 2018. Making the trip were electrical engineering student Megan Byrne, biomedical engineering students Gina Anderla and Kiaya Caspers, mechanical engineering student Brooke Breen, and materials science and engineering student Anna Isaacson.

Early last summer, five undergraduate engineering students from the Michigan Tech chapter of Engineering World Health took a trip to Les Cayes, Haiti. They were led by Megan Byrne, an electrical engineering undergraduate who organized the trip. They describe the experience as nothing short of life-changing.  

Engineering World Health inspires, educates and empowers young engineers, scientists and medical professionals to use their engineering skills to improve global health in the developing world.  The Michigan Tech chapter of EWH is now in its second year.

Along with Byrne on the trip were biomedical engineering students Gina Anderla and Kiaya Caspers, mechanical engineering students Lidia Johnson and Brooke Breen, and materials science and engineering student Anna Isaacson. To get to Haiti, the Michigan Tech engineering students bagged groceries, plus each spent $1,500 of their own to cover travel costs. A non-profit organization operating in Haiti, HUT Outreach, provided lodging for the Michigan Tech team during their stay, and invited them to help teach STEM subjects to a class of 7th graders in the new HUT Outreach secondary school.

Students in Haiti often drop out of school in the sixth grade, with a diminishing retention rate thereafter. HUT Outreach is trying to break that statistic. During their visit to Les Cayes, the Michigan Tech team tried to change how the high school students viewed education and experienced learning.

Kiaya Caspers teaches students about electrical circuits in Les Cayes, Haiti

“Project-based learning is a concept where students learn some theory, but also how to apply it outside the classroom, in the real world,” says Breen. “Our three day curriculum was focused around allowing Haitian students to think outside the box, being really inquisitive with hands-on learning projects. Our purpose was not only to expose them to a new way of thinking, but also to help HUT Outreach reform a new generation of Haitians who will be catalysts in creating a new way of approaching education in their country. Michigan Tech also gives us these tools and abilities—to be able to really hone in our leadership skills, and innovate ways to help create a better community around us, on a local-to-global spectrum.”

“Our EWH team wanted the students to learn the theory of series and parallel circuits, forces to build bridges, first aid, and how to build water filters,” says Byrne. “This was a challenge, because the students had not been exposed to any of these topics or hands-on learning, and they also spoke a different language.” Byrne is a peer mentor in the Learning with Academic Partners (LEAP) program for first-year engineering students in the Department of Engineering Fundamentals at Michigan Tech, which also provided support for the Haiti trip. Byrne was able put her LEAP experience to good use in Haiti.

“Thanks to our Haitian translator, Wesley, I was able to use a creative twist to help the students gain understanding of the difficult lessons in a way that would be impactful for them,” she says. “As a matter of fact, the lessons we taught in Haiti were very similar to LEAP sessions I have facilitated for first year engineering students at Michigan Tech.”

Using creativity, resourcefulness and critical thinking, EWH students from Michigan Tech repaired a broken oxygen concentrator, one of only two in the public hospital pediatric ward in Les Cayes, Haiti.

The Michigan Tech team also visited a local hospital, where they fixed a broken oxygen concentrator, one of only two in the hospital pediatric ward. They also discovered a potential fire hazard at the hospital—auto headlight bulbs used as replacement bulbs on medical lamps. And they noticed a lack of surge protectors to protect medical equipment during power outages.

The EWH team wants to return to Haiti this year to continue to help prepare the next generation of Haitian students, and provide support to the small community where we served. They also want to provide the woman’s center in Les Cayes with its first portable ultrasound machine.

“We really bonded with the community in Les Cayes,” says  Isaacson. “We want to help in any way possible to make their lives better. I think we can all agree that all the people of Haiti became our second family the minute we stepped into the country.”

 

 

 

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From Minneapolis to Manila

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Minneapolis Alumni Gathering October 2018

Dean Callahan traveled across the globe in October to experience Michigan Tech alumni where they live and work. 

Starting in Minneapolis, the host city for this year’s Society of Women Engineers annual conference, over 60 Tech alumni came together to meet and share experiences. They were joined by 15 of our students who had traveled from Houghton to attend the conference. Discussions ranged from personal career journeys to interview tips, along with a mixture of stories about snow storms and snow statues, favorite professors, pizza at the Ambo, and more—a gathering that reconnected people and forged new bonds.

With a quick change of suitcase, and much anticipation, Dean Callahan boarded her flight for Shanghai, China where she was greeted by Peipei Zhao (MBA ’09). Peipei made certain Dean Callahan got to each and every one of her connections with alumni from Shanghai and surrounding cities, including 15 different alumni working in leadership roles or as founders of companies focused on a wide range of areas—from construction to global car manufacturing, world-wide suppliers of materials, software, autonomous enterprises, and more.

An evening gathering hosted by Chao-Zhuo Chen (Mining ’89) included 11 alumni, some reconnecting and others forming new connections and all with a common bond. Dinner talk included the tradition of smelt dipping, and the experiences of buried automobiles in snowy Houghton.

The next day, Dean Callahan traveled to Hong Kong to meet with another gracious alumnus, host Michael Cheung (BSEE ‘64), retired owner and CEO, Hingyu Metalworks, Ltd.—a company he transformed from a family enterprise to a global auto supplier after earning his degree. The following morning, Callahan met with one other alumnus, Mun Cheng “Anthony” Ng  (BSCE ‘99), and she ended with a tour of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology by Victor Flores Terrazas, (BSCE ‘10), a doctoral student.

It was then off to Manila where Dean Callahan led an international accreditation team for two engineering programs in the Phillipines.

After three weeks and over 17,000 miles, Dean Callahan returned to campus, energized from all the new Michigan Tech alumni connections and new friends, and just in time for our first foot of snow!

Jin Ren, Volvo, with Dean Callahan, and Peipei Zhao

 

Jin Ren, Hejia “Helga” Pan, and Dean Callahan

 

Dean Callahan meets with Michigan Tech alumni in Shanghai

 

Dean Callahan and David Chen

 

L to R: Shichang “Chung” Ma; David Guo; Dean Callahan; and Peipei Zhao

 

Victor Flores Terrazas, BSCE ‘10 greets Dean Callahan at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

 

Chao-Zhuo “Chao” Chen and Dean Callahan

 

Dean Callahan and Anthony Ng

 

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Michigan Tech Students Attend WE18, the World’s Largest Conference for Women Engineers

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Michigan Tech students at WE18. Back row, left to right: Britta Jost, Natalie Green, Erica Coscarelli, Laura Schimmel, Emily Crombez, Melanie Zondag, Claire Langfoss, Noelle Eveland, Adedoyin Adedokun, Karina Eyre, Katie Buchalski. Front row: Romana Carden, Allison Dorn, Amber Ronsman, Josie Edick, Mackenzie Brunet, Lauren Sandy, Jessica Geroux, Gretchen Hein

Seventeen members of the Michigan Tech chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) went to the national conference, WE18, October 18-20 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Advisor Gretchen Hein (EF) accompanied the delegation of 13 undergraduates and four graduate students. Three students received travel scholarships: first-year chemical engineering student Josie Edick, second-year civil engineering student Amber Ronsman and Adedoyin Adedokun, a graduate student in electrical engineering. “Gaining close friendships with the other women in the Michigan Tech section was the best part about the conference for me,” Edick says. “I gained a ton of advice and insight, which made me very excited to get more involved in SWE back on campus.”

The WE18 conference was attended by more than 14,000 SWE members, both collegiate and professional, from across the nation, who enjoyed professional development breakout sessions, inspirational keynotes, a career fair and multiple opportunities for networking.

On the evening prior to the conference, the group attended a Michigan Tech alumni gathering in Minneapolis along with Dean Janet Callahan of the College of Engineering. Katie Buchalski, section president and fourth-year student majoring in environmental engineering, enjoyed the abundance of networking at the alumni gathering. “We all had something in common to talk about … Tech,” said Buchalski. “It was nice to learn what people do after college, and see how Tech forms a special bond between people and between generations.”

Michigan Tech alumna Dr. Kaitlyn Bunker received the SWE
Distinguished New Engineer Award at WE18. She earned a PhD, MS, and BS in Electrical Engineering at Michigan Tech, and is now a manager at the Rocky Island Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

The next day, at WE18, the students participated in professional development activities and presentations. Some volunteered at different events and participated in SWE-sponsored institutes. At the Celebrate SWE! Awards Banquet, Kaitlyn Bunker ’17 who earned a PhD in electrical engineering at Michigan Tech, received the SWE Distinguished New Engineer Award for “contributing valuable research and renewable energy solutions in the Caribbean, and to underserved communities; and for steadfast leadership at all levels of SWE.” Bunker is currently working at the Rocky Mountain Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

The Michigan Tech section received a Silver Collegiate SWE Mission Award, which recognizes a group that embody SWE core values.

Laura Schimmel volunteered at SWE’s outreach event for middle and high school girls, “Invent It. Build It.” Schimmel led a STEM activity for middle school girls–building “wind power plants” to lift a payload using cardboard, plastic bottles, straws, and tape. “I am taking a wind energy class at Tech right now,” says Schimmel, a fifth year double major in materials science and engineering and mechanical engineering. “I was thrilled to be able to share what I’ve learned and encourage the girls to pursue STEM in the future. There were hundreds of girls and countless creative solutions.”

Erica Coscarelli, a master’s student in environmental engineering, participated in the SWE Future Leaders (SWEFL) program. And along with Karina Eyre, Coscarelli went to the SWE Collegiate Leadership Institute (CLI), a day-long leadership development event. Both programs, led by engineers working in industry and academia, help college students gain leadership skills. “Participating in the SWE Future Leaders (SWEFL) program has been extremely beneficial for me,” Coscarelli says. “As part of the program we have monthly conference calls and complete our tasks with a buddy. At WE18 we were able to meet in person. It was great putting faces to names.”

Hein moderated a panel discussion, “Obtaining your First Academic Job/Academic Job Search”. Panelists were from a range of different types of universities and community colleges.

Michigan Tech SWE section counselor, Alumna Britta Jost joined the Michigan Tech attendees at the Celebrate SWE! Awards Banquet. Jost earned a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering 2004 and a BS in Mathematical Sciences in 2002, both at Michigan Tech, and works now as engineering project team leader at Caterpillar, Inc. 

The SWE students raised travel funds through their annual SWE “Evening with Industry” event, held each fall just before the Michigan Tech Career Fair. ArcelorMittal, Black & Veatch, and John Deere all provided support for section travel to WE 18, as well.

The best part about WE18?

“Through the SWE18 Conference I was able to secure an interview, and received an internship offer with Boeing in Washington State. If you would have told me as a freshman that I would have an offer with Boeing, I would have thought you were crazy. But being in SWE has given me the courage and experience to pursue opportunities I would have never thought possible.”
-Allison Dorn, third year student, mechanical engineering

“SWE18 exposed me greatly to American culture. I am ecstatic that I got to meet awesome women in academia and was able to interact with them both intellectually and professionally. Overall, the conference was a rewarding experience!”
-Adedsyin Adedokun, master’s student, electrical engineering

“I loved getting to know my SWE chapter, SWE alums, and other chapters. I made a lot of new friends and we bonded as a group.”
-Noelle Eveland, fourth year student, chemical engineering

“I met so many people who were excited to see our chapter at the conference because they, or someone they were friends with, went to Tech. It made me feel proud of our school.”
-Emily Cromber, master’s student, computer engineering

“Being able to listen to and be inspired by amazing women who have been in our shoes, and who have gone on to have great careers and lives.”
-Lauren Sand, fourth year student, biomedical engineering

“Being surrounded by women who support each other as we break boundaries. My passion for engineering was mirrored in every woman I met.”
-Claire Langfoss, fourth year student, biomedical engineering

“Attending the amazing career fair with over 330 companies, and the Michigan Tech Alumni event in Minneapolis, where I met and networked with tons of Huskies.”
-Romana Carden, fourth year student, engineering management

“Attending a wide variety of sessions pertaining to professional development, leadership, and career management.”
-Melanie Zondag, fourth year student, geological engineering

“Engaging with a variety of inspirational women who have broken and continue to break boundaries.”
-Jessica Geroux, fifth year student, mechanical engineering

“It was an incredible experience to be surrounded by so many powerful and knowledgeable women. From the keynote to sessions, to the career fair; the ability to grow and prepare for the professional world was extremely rewarding.”
-Amber Ronsman, second year student, civil engineering

“My favorite part was the networking. I met some awesome ‘SWEsters’ from Wyoming as well as many company recruiters and professionals in systems engineering. I know these connections will assist me in the future, and the value is priceless.”
-Natalie Green, third year student, systems engineering

“Throughout the weekend I got to meet many other women in the field, both professionals and colleagues. It expanded my horizon and helped me to make valuable connections that will last a lifetime.”
-Mackenzie Brunet, third year student, engineering management

Katie Buchalski, Michigan Tech SWE section president
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Bruce Lee: Smart Biomaterials Inspired by Mussel Chemistry

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Self-healable and moldable nanocomposite gel as fit-to-shape sealant.
Bruce Lee exploits the ability of a Dopa, a unique catechol-based amino acid found in mussel adhesive proteins, in a new fit-to-shape sealant. It initially exhibits the ability to be remolded and adhered to the convex contour of a tissue surface. With time, the hydrogel is fixed in its new shape.

Bruce Lee, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Michigan Tech, focuses on smart adhesives and biomaterials inspired by nature. More specifically, the natural glues made by mussels that anchor them to rocks, boats and docks. His past work on hydrogels and tissue adhesives led him to look more closely at what makes these adhesives work underwater—and how people could use them.

Lee’s research team exploits the ability of Dopa, a unique catechol-based amino acid found in mussel adhesive proteins. He currently has three active, federally funded research projects.
Bruce Lee, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan Tech
Bruce Lee, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan Tech

Smart Adhesive

As a participant in the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Young Investigator Program, Lee delves into not only what makes mussels sticky but also how to reverse that adhesion with an electrical charge. The YIP grant is awarded to scientists and engineers with exceptional promise for producing creative, state-of-the-art research that appears likely to advance naval capabilities. “There is no smart adhesive out there that can perform underwater,” he says. “The chemistry that we can incorporate into the adhesive, causing it to reversibly bond and de-bond, is quite new.”
Fit-to-Shape Sealant
Lee is also designing an injectable sealant and bioadhesive, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Lee and his research team developed a moldable nanocomposite hydrogel. “This material initially exhibits the ability to be remolded and adhered to the convex contour of a tissue surface,” says Lee. “With time, the hydrogel is fixed in its new shape and functions as a fit-to-shape sealant.” Their hydrogel uses no cytotoxic crosslinking reagent, and needs no mixing tip for mixing precursor solutions. It also demonstrates burst pressure potentially suited for sealing renal vein and even intestinal anastomosis. “One very valuable quality of this synthetic glue is its versatility,” adds Lee. “We can change the chemistry to make it as rigid or flexible as we need — while still maintaining its overall strength and durability.”
Smart Antimicrobial Microparticles
Lee just received new funding from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health (OASDH) to design smart microparticles from mussel-derived catechol. “The particles are pathogenic and able to promote healing,” Lee says. “Simply hydrating the microparticles in water causes them to generate hydrogen peroxide that can kill bacteria and inactivate viruses. This material can potentially function as a lightweight and portable disinfectant for a wide range of applications.”
Visit Lee’s research group online to learn more about their bio-inspired approach to the design of advanced functional materials.
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Michigan Tech’s New Academy for Engineering Education Leadership Inducts its First Two Members

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“Leadership and Engineering Education—Thursday, Sept. 27. I invite you to join us as we learn from and celebrate the legacy of our two inaugural inductees to the Academy for Engineering Education Leadership. All are welcome.” Janet Callahan, Dean of Engineering

All are welcome at the inaugural induction of the Academy for Engineering Education Leadership, hosted by the College of Engineering. The induction and reception will take place today, Thursday, September 27, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the East Reading Room of the J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library.  Sarah A. Rajala, PhD, and Karl A. Smith, PhD are the new academy’s first distinguished inductees. Both are outstanding Michigan Tech alumni.

Dr. Sarah Rajala is the James L. and Katherine S. Melsa Dean of Engineering at Iowa State University and a Michigan Tech alumna. She is an internationally known leader, past president of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), and past chair of the Global Engineering Deans Council. She earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Michigan Tech, and an MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Rice University.

Dr. Karl A. Smith is Cooperative Learning Professor in the School of Engineering Education, College of Engineering, at Purdue University. He is also the Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor and Executive Co-Director of the STEM Education Center, Technological Leadership Institute at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Smith is a world expert in discipline-based engineering education research. He earned both a BS and an MS in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan Tech, and a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota.

More events are offered in connection with the new Academy for Engineering Education Leadership. All events will take place this Thursday, September 27. Members of the campus community—faculty, staff and students—are all encouraged and welcome to attend.

Teaching at Tech: Breakfast Roundtable, “Learning Opportunities, Pitfalls, and Impacts on Students and the Institution,” with Dr. Karl Smith and Dr. Sarah Rajala. This event, for all who teach here on campus, takes place from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Van Pelt and Opie Library East Reading Room. No registration needed, and breakfast is included. Each will each offer short position statements and then lead an active question and answer session over breakfast. Dr. Smith’s experience as a STEM education researcher will be balanced by Dr. Rajala’s experience as an administrator with an exceptional track record. View the event. | Print the flyer.

Teaching at Tech: STEM Education Research Workshop with Dr. Karl Smith. This event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Please register online. This session is designed both for those who have some experience and those just looking to get started. Dr. Smith brings over 30 years’ experience working with faculty to redesign courses to improve student learning, with a focus on cooperative learning, problem formulation, modeling, and knowledge engineering. View the event. | Print the flyer.

Register Online

“Leadership Lessons from the Antarctic,” presented by Dr. Sarah Rajala, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Fisher 135. This event is free and open to the public. One hundred and four years ago, under the leadership of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Endurance set sail for the Antarctic. Shackleton had established a potentially history-making goal: to be the first to walk across the continent of Antarctica. Even though he never led a crew of more than twenty-seven men, and failed to reach most of the goals he set, Shackleton is still recognized as one of the world’s greatest leaders. In this presentation, Dr. Rajala will explore what made Shackleton a great leader–and how his leadership traits have influenced her own career. View the event. | Print the flyer.

More About the Inductees

Sarah Rajala
Dr. Sarah A. Rajala, Inaugural Member, Michigan Tech Academy Engineering Education Leadership.

Dr. Sarah A. Rajala consistently breaks new ground for women in engineering and serves as a role model for young women. She is passionate about diversity of thought and culture, especially as it relates to the college environment. Among her many honors, she received the national Harriett B. Rigas Award honoring outstanding female faculty from the Education Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in 2015. Dr. Rajala was also named National Engineer of the Year by the American Association of Engineering Societies in 2016.

In addition to serving as Iowa State’s Dean of Engineering since 2013, Dr. Rajala served as dean and department chair in the Bagley College of Engineering at Mississippi State University. At North Carolina State University College of Engineering, she was associate dean for research and graduate programs and associate dean for academic affairs.

Prior to moving into administrative positions, Dr. Rajala had a distinguished career as a professor and center director. She conducted research on the analysis and process of images and image sequences and on engineering educational assessment. She has authored and co-authored more than 100 refereed papers, and made contributions to 13 books. She is a fellow of ASEE, IEEE, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Karl A. Smith
Dr. Karl A. Smith, Inaugural Member, Michigan Tech Academy Engineering Education Leadership.

Dr. Karl A. Smith has over 30 years of experience working with faculty to redesign their courses and programs to enhance student learning.

Dr. Smith adapted the cooperative learning model to engineering education, and in the past 15 years has focused on high-performance teamwork through his workshops and book, Teamwork and Project Management (McGraw-Hill Education, 2014).

His workshops on cooperative learning have helped thousands of faculty build knowledge, skills, and confidence for involving their students in more active, interactive, and cooperative learning both during class time and outside of class. The effects of the workshops are significant in terms of creating a sense of belonging and membership in a community, as well as much more engaged and deep learning.

Dr. Smith is a world expert in discipline-based engineering education research. His interests include building research and innovation capabilities in engineering education; faculty and graduate student professional development; the role of cooperation in learning and design; problem formulation, modeling, and knowledge engineering; and project and knowledge management.

He is the author of  eight books and hundreds of published articles on engineering education, cooperative learning and structured controversy, knowledge representation and expert systems, and teamwork.

For more information about the new Michigan Tech Academy for Engineering Education Leadership, contact the College of Engineering.

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