College of Engineering Blog

Category: Alumni

Amlan Mukherjee: Net Zero—How Do We Get There?

Published
By
Forest fires, warmer summers, storms and floods: global warming is compounding the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, causing disruptions, costing us resources—and lives.

Amlan Mukherjee generously shared his knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive Zoom webinar hosted by Dean Janet Callahan, back on Monday, October 11. You can view the YouTube recording of his session to learn something new in just 30 minutes (or so). Here’s the link to watch. Register for future sessions of Husky Bites at mtu.edu/huskybites. Grab some supper, or just flop down on your couch. Everyone’s welcome! It’s BYOC (Bring Your Own Curiosity).

Michigan Tech Professor Amlan Mukherjee: “As stewards of this planet we owe it to ourselves, and to every species we share this home with, to ensure that we build to sustain.”

Michigan Tech CEGE Department Chair Audra Morse and Amlan Mukherjee, Professor of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering at Michigan Tech got together on Zoom to talk about Net Zero. 

The United States has set the ambitious target of reaching Net Zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050, and roughly halfway to zero by 2030. “Reducing our atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions is crucial to reducing the long-term rise in average global temperatures,” says Mukherjee. “Given the carbon intensive nature of our economy, it seems unlikely that we can reduce our emissions to zero. However our shared goal of Net Zero—balancing the net amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are being emitted, versus that which is being absorbed back from the atmosphere—will result in promising new methods and technologies.” 

During Husky Bites, Mukherjee will explore Net Zero implications for engineering practice. Joining in will be Dr. Heather Dylla, Mukherjee’s good friend and longtime professional collaborator. Dylla is the VP of Sustainability and Innovation at Construction Partners Inc.

green round zero emission carbon neutral rubber stamp print vector illustration

“There’s a product component and a process component to reaching Net Zero,” adds Mukherjee. “It is daunting. But I think we can do this. There are various approaches we can use.”

Mukherjee has extensive background and experience in life cycle assessment for the construction materials industries. His focus: integrated data, rich workflows, and model-based processes—the digital transformation of construction. 

Dr. Heather Dylla, advises on engineering policy at the US House of Representatives

Early on as a civil engineering professor and researcher, Mukherjee recognized the need to consider energy efficiency and life cycle environmental impacts of construction materials and processes when designing our infrastructure. He set out to lay the foundation for best practices. “I wanted to inform design and construction using life cycle thinking to optimize project cost and performance with an eye on reducing environmental impacts,” he says.

Fast forward 15 years. Mukherjee’s hard work has resulted in important project management tools to help government agencies and construction firms consider reductions in life cycle CO2 emissions of their projects—in addition to cost and project duration—as they develop strategies that improve the sustainability of their projects.

One size does not fit all, he says. “For agencies involved in horizontal infrastructure—such as roads, bridges, highways—we developed separate guidelines for construction, rehabilitation and maintenance projects. Incorporating Net Zero by 2050 will involve many of the same types of solutions,” adds Mukherjee. “We need data tools to enable improved decision making, recognizing that the solutions for one project may not apply to another.”

penguins on a beach with mother and chick
“Personally, I worry about how life on this planet—home to many different species—will adapt to warmer temperatures,” says Mukherjee. “As stewards of this planet we owe it to ourselves, and to every species we share this home with, to ensure that we build to sustain.”

At Michigan Tech, Mukherjee completed the National Science Foundation I-Corps program, created to reduce the time and risk associated with translating promising ideas and technologies from the lab to the marketplace. His involvement not only led to starting his own business but it also revamped the way he teaches his classes, with a focus on lean start-up practices and design thinking—a methodology for creative problem solving from the Stanford d.school.

“A design thinking mindset changes your approach to everything you do,” Mukherjee says. “You start looking at the world not just as a problem-solver, but also as a value creator. Once you identify the client’s needs, the math is the easy part, but being able to do the right math for the right project—that’s where the design-thinking mindset comes in. Are you solving a problem that matters, and are you creating value out of it? As the American Society of Civil Engineers reminds us, it’s not enough to build the project right, it’s also important to build the right project.”

Mukherjee formed his company, Trisight Engineering, in 2013. Trisight provides life cycle assessment services, data analyses, and data interface tools for sustainability assessment of horizontal infrastructure. He brought on Michigan Tech Alums Lianna Miller (’06) and Dr. Benjamin Ciavola (’14) as full-time managing partners.

“There’s a product component and a process component to reaching Net Zero,” adds Mukherjee. “It is daunting. But I think we can do this. There are various approaches we can use.”

Prof. Amlan Mukherjee
Presenting together at the Euroasphalt and Eurobitume Conference in Prague in 2016. Back then, Dylla served as director of sustainable engineering for the National Asphalt Pavement Association.

“In academia, Dr. Heather Dylla has been my collaborator for the past 8 years,” notes Mukherjee. “We’ve developed several protocols and practices together that are now in the process of becoming industry standards.” Some of their most recent collaborations took place while Dylla was with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), working as a Sustainable Pavement Engineer. Dylla managed the FHWA Sustainable Pavements Program and the Pavement Policy, leading an effort to incorporate principles of life cycle thinking into the design and decision-making process. “That includes the three pillars of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social impacts,” she says. She earned her doctorate from Louisiana State University where she focused on quantifying the environmental impacts of photocatalytic “smog-eating” concrete pavements.

Prof. Mukherjee, how did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

“Here I am on a concrete paving job on I-496 in Lansing, Michigan.”

As a child my favorite toy was a model of a Boeing 707. I imagined all the places I could fly to on it, and that started my early love for all things transportation—highways, airports, and trains. I liked tinkering with stuff and putting things together, whether it was jigsaw puzzles or robots involving simple circuitry. I also enjoyed math and science in school, so engineering was the logical direction. 

During my undergraduate experience, as I began to understand the science behind climate change and appreciate its challenges, I was drawn to investigating ways to engineer functioning systems while also reducing environmental impacts. 

A few years ago, Prof. Mukherjee helped facilitate the development of the ISO-compliant environmental product declaration program for the asphalt industry in North America. Here, on an asphalt paving job on I-69 near Charlotte, Michigan.

A love for all things transportation and the many new worlds our transportation assets provide us access to—along with a growing concern for the environment—largely shape what I do.”

Hometown, family?

I was born in the northeastern state of Assam in India, but left before I was a year old and never returned. Hence, I have found home in many different cities, chief of them Kolkata and Seattle. Now I call Houghton home, having lived here the longest of any place.

Cheeky, indeed: that’s Oscar in the front, and Zoey.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy singing in community choirs, volunteering for service-oriented community organizations, and getting trained to be a better version of myself by my two cheeky dachshunds.

Did you know?

Prof. Mukherjee serves on the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Sustainable Pavements Technical Working Group. He’s on the board of both the Green Buildings Initiative and the Greenroads Foundation. And he recently co-authored guidelines for sustainable highway construction practices for the National Academies’ National Cooperative Highway Research program (NCHRP).

Dr. Dylla, how did you decide to become an engineer?

I had already applied to many schools to study environmental science, geology, or international studies, (though not engineering). Later in my senior year of high school, my Physics teacher introduced me to a mentor from the Society of Women Engineers. I was unaware of the opportunities in engineering and she explained all the options to me. Civil engineering piqued my interest since it covered many of the topics I was interested in: architecture, math, and environment. I decided to apply to one engineering school, Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. It all worked out from there.

Heather and her family live in Minnesota.

Hometown, family? 

I grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. I have a younger brother and sister. I am close to both. I never thought I would live in Minnesota and always dreamt of living abroad. In fact, my husband is from Brazil. However, after having a kid, we got tired of always using our vacation to see family and the busy life of DC with long commutes, so we moved to Minnesota to be near my family. My son Lucas is now 4 years old. He’s always by my side. 

Any hobbies?

After having Lucas, I feel my spare time is limited. Generally, he keeps me busy every free moment I have. We enjoy playing cars, puzzles, games, traveling, spending time with family and friends, watching movies such as Harry Potter, dancing, and swimming at one of the many beaches in Minnesota.

Continue Reading →

Michelle Jarvie-Eggart: The Land Owns Us—EWB-AU

Published
By
Cape York, Australia

Michelle Jarvie-Eggart shares her knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive webinar this Monday, October 4 at 6 pm ET. Learn something new in just 20 minutes (or so), with time after for Q&A! Get the full scoop and register at mtu.edu/huskybites.

portrait of Michelle Jarvie-Eggart
Assistant Professor Michelle Jarvie-Eggart

What are you doing for supper this Monday night 10/4 at 6 ET? Grab a bite with Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering department Chair Audra Morse and Michelle Jarvie-Eggart, assistant professor of Engineering Fundamentals. Jarvie-Eggart will tell us about a unique engineering design challenge conducted in partnership with Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB-AU). 

Instead of the concept of land ownership, Aboriginal Australians believe “the land owns us,” Jarvie-Eggart explains. “It’s not even a sense of stewardship of the land. The belief is that we’re a part of the land.” 

Working via Zoom last spring, first-year engineering students at Michigan Tech designed innovative structures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Cape York, Australia: shelters; keeping places for artifacts; and mobile amenities for campsites. During Husky Bites, Prof. Jarvie-Eggart will tell us all about this unique design challenge. She’ll also show us some of the resulting, creative student designs.

Joining in will be Michigan Tech environmental engineering alumna Amanda Singer. While at Tech Singer spent four years working as an undergraduate teaching assistant, aka “LEAP Leader,” and stayed on to earn her Master’s in Environmental Engineering with an emphasis on engineering education. Prof. Jarvie-Eggart was one of her advisors. Singer is now pursuing a PhD in Engineering Education at Ohio State. 

“It’s like picking up a piece of dirt and saying this is where I started and this is where I’ll go. The land is our food, our culture, our spirit and identity.”

S. Knight, Our Land Our Life, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, Canberra, Australia

During their second semester at Michigan Tech, all first-year engineering students choose a design project. It’s all part of a required course called ENG 1102. “In a typical semester, we have sections doing brewery designs, adaptive bike designs, alternative power, and other projects,” says Jarvie-Eggart.

“We started the EWB-partnered project in my section of ENG 1102 in the spring of 2019, with about 100 students. Soon after that, the pandemic began. One of the first things I started doing was evening Zoom office hours, after my kids went to bed. That’s when my Michigan Tech students are doing their homework, “ she says.

A word spoken by Indigenous Australians, Kanyini, means responsibility and unconditional love for all of creation, including the land. Pictured here: Cape York, the most northerly point of mainland Australia

“I met with EWB Australia folks over Zoom, too. In my mining engineering days, I routinely worked with iron mines in Australia, so I was used to conference calls late at night. If clients are halfway around the Earth, I’ll make sure to be the one at my computer at an odd time. People are more willing to take meetings with me if it happens within the bounds of their normal work day. If I inconvenience them, or take them away from their family, they are less likely to give me their time.”

The Stanford d. School’s Design Thinking model guides the process in all sections of ENG1102, Jarvie-Eggart explains. “Working cooperatively to solve problems, the key elements are empathy, prototyping and feedback. When we say empathy, though, it’s not what you might think. It’s not about emotions, or feelings, but about putting ourselves in our clients’ shoes. We’re careful not to impose our own definition of what might be a problem, either. Instead we try to see the problem as the client sees it.” It’s a vital first step, says Jarvie-Eggart.

Michigan Tech Environmental Engineering Alumna Amanda Singer ’19

“We also expect students to do a lot of their own research for their projects,” she says. “This can feel odd at first. It can be a challenge to become comfortable with the ambiguity of problem-based learning. What are the important things to consider? What assumptions need to be made and how can you justify them? Why is your design a valid one? This is what we are asking our first-year students to do.” 

Jarvie-Eggart couldn’t have all 100 students contacting EWB volunteers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia. “That would have been a hot mess,” she admits. Instead they followed a typical RFI (request for information) process one might use in consulting. “Often, project engineers don’t have contact with the client, but the project manager does. So, we organized all our questions. EWB AU had gathered all sorts of resources and information from the host community, which our students reviewed before forming questions to clarify the design purpose or scope, or share initial ideas. I sent those on to EWB staff, who provided answers.” 

Once EWB-AU was ready, the Michigan Tech class took part in a Zoom interview Q&A. “We did that so students could see me asking questions and hear answers in real time from EWB staff. We also recorded it for students who couldn’t stay up late to watch. It looked candid—but many of the questions took some time and research to answer.”

Each year EWB-AU hosts a different first-year engineering challenge.

And the resulting designs? Jarvie-Eggart will share them during Husky Bites. One shelter design uses low-cost, repurposed items. Another has one open side, but is able to rotate depending on the direction of the wind during a storm.

“For me, the best part is seeing my students become excited about the impact engineers can make on a global scale,” she adds. “Many of them now express interest in doing international work, or using their professional skills to volunteer or give back to society once they become engineers.” 

During the class, Singer, with four years of experience as a first-year engineering LEAP leader, collected data to asses the impact of ENG 1102 course on the students. What did they take away? “In their responses, most of the students mentioned words and phrases such as ’empathy’, ‘working on a global scale’, ‘humanitarian’, ‘community’, and ‘sustainability,’” Singer notes. “Students became more community-minded and aware of the cultural context of their designs.”

Dr. Jarvie-Eggarts and Amanda Singer in cap and gown
On campus outside on Amanda’s MS graduate day!

“Amanda is now a PhD student at Ohio State and I couldn’t be more proud of her,” adds Jarvie-Eggart. “She is going to be a really great faculty member some day, maybe even at Tech if we are lucky.”

Each year EWB-AU hosts a different first-year engineering challenge. “Although, this semester, due to COVID, we will work with the same Cape York community,” says Jarvie-Eggart.

Michigan Tech is only the second university in the US to take part in the EWB AU Challenge. “I saw a paper at an American Society of Engineering Education conference, written by the first school to implement the project in the US, in Colorado. So I tracked down the authors, asked them about it, and they offered to get me in contact with the EWB AU folks,” Jarvie-Eggart recalls.

“EWB USA is working on developing their own design challenge for first-year engineering students, too. Once they get that up and rolling, we look forward to working with them, as well.”

Jarvie Eggart knows a meaningful educational opportunity when she sees one. She earned her BS in Environmental Engineering at Michigan Tech, then an MS in Environmental Policy. After working in industry, she returned to Michigan Tech to earn a PhD in Environmental Engineering and a certificate in Sustainability, then returned to industry again. All in all, Jarvie-Eggart has over a decade of work experience in compliance, permitting, and sustainability issues for mining, as well as the municipal water and wastewater industries.

“I’m very passionate about sustainability,” she says. My goal by working in industry was to help make a difference for the corporations that needed it the most, namely the extractive industries like mining, and oil and gas,” she says.

Now she’s found another important place to make an impact. “I have experience teaching graduate students online as an adjunct faculty member,” she says. “But first-year students are an entirely different ball of wax. The first year of college is when students learn the essential skills they’ll carry with them for life,” she says. That’s huge!”

younger child at kitchen table wearing white hard hat
“I spent about ten years in industry before coming back to Tech to teach,” says Jarvie-Eggart. “One of my favorite things as a mom is watching the kids roam around the house wearing my old hardhats. Here is one of them doing their homeschool last year.”

Prof. Jarvie-Eggart, how did you first get into engineering?

My father was an electrical engineer (and a Michigan Tech grad). He sparked my love of engineering at an early age. I always loved math and science, and I knew about engineering as a career path because I had one in the house. The hard part for me was deciding upon which type of engineering. When I hit high school chemistry, I narrowed it down to either chemical or environmental engineering. Ultimately, I settled on environmental engineering. 

The Jarvie-Eggart kids, ages 5 and 7, visit the Husky dog statue on campus.

Hometown?

I am originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin. But I have lived in the UP for over 25 years. I met my husband, Brian, at Michigan Tech while we were in grad school. He works at the Advanced Power Systems Research Center. We have two children (5 and 7 years old). My Dad, who will be 86 in October, also lives with us half the year. He normally splits his time between our home and my sister’s in Madison. Due to COVID, he stayed with us all last winter. It is a full house, but there is a lot of love. 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

We have two large dogs—one Shepard-mix and one King Shepherd—and a freshwater aquarium. I love to knit, play ukulele, and jog. This summer, I coached a just-pedaling group in the Single Track Flyers mountain bike program. It was a lot of fun. The kids kept picking flowers for me when we were out on rides. I’d tuck them in my ponytail. 

Amanda stands by a huge waterfall
Amanda Singer will be getting married next summer! Right now she’s earning her PhD in Engineering Education at Ohio State.

Amanda, how did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

I first became interested in engineering as a high school student. I had always loved math and science and had several teachers encourage me to explore engineering as a potential career path. My decision to pursue engineering as my major in college, though, happened during Preview Day at Michigan Tech. I enjoyed hearing the faculty and students talk about the projects they had worked on. I loved the fact that you could pursue a wide range of opportunities with the degree. I started my first year at Michigan Tech as an general engineering major. Ultimately, I decided on Environmental Engineering, which I pursued for both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. 

Hometown, family?

Meet Kronk. He loves to go camping and hiking with Amanda!

While I currently reside in Columbus, Ohio, I was born and raised in St. Clair, Michigan. My fiancé, who graduated with a chemical engineering degree from Michigan Tech, currently works as a plant engineer in Phoenix. He’s in the process of transferring to his company’s location in Columbus. We spend much of our free time planning our 2023 wedding in the Keweenaw! My parents now spend most of their weekends traveling either to visit me, or my younger sister who is attending Virginia Tech while pursuing a PhD in Human Development. While we all miss the Keweenaw, we love being able to explore some new places!

“Kronk has a backpack that he can ride in but he prefers being able to explore on his leash. Here is a picture of him in the Porcupine Mountains.”

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy hanging out with my friends and family, traveling, reading, biking, and crocheting. I have a cat named Kronk, (adopted from the Copper Country Humane Society). He likes to join me when camping and hiking. Recently, I began training for the Door County triathlon (in Wisconsin). My mom and I will be competing together next summer!

Read more:

EWB: Bridging Barriers

Design Thinking: Solving Wicked Problems

Continue Reading →

Tess Ahlborn: Lift Bridge—a Michigan Landmark

Published
By

Tess Ahlborn shares her knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive webinar this Monday, September 27 at 6 pm ET. Learn something new in just 20 minutes (or so), with time after for Q&A! Get the full scoop and register at mtu.edu/huskybites.

Prof. Tess Ahlborn: Structural durability and safety are her life’s work.

What are you doing for supper this Monday night 9/27 at 6 ET? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and Tess Ahlborn, Professor of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering at Michigan Tech. The Portage Lake Bridge connecting Houghton and Hancock, Michigan, more commonly known as the Lift Bridge, was named as an ASCE National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in late 2019 following a State Historic Landmark designation in 2018. 

During Husky Bites we’ll hear about the wonders of the Lift Bridge from the very trio who submitted its 300-page application to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Prof. Ahlborn will be joined by two of her former students, Michael Prast ’19, now a timber structural engineer at Fire Tower Engineered Timber in Calumet, Michigan; and Emma Beachy ‘19, a design engineer at Corbin Consulting in Portland, Oregon. Both earned both their BS and MS degrees in civil engineering at Michigan Tech.

Emma Beachy wearing patterned knit capstands in front of a waterfall in the wood.
Emma Beachy ’19

We’ll learn about crossings prior to the current Lift Bridge, the people involved in designing and building the Lift Bridge, and what makes the Lift Bridge so unique to the region and the nation to proudly earn the National Landmark designation. 

“Emma and Michael are two of Michigan Tech’s best students,” says Ahlborn. “I mentioned the topic of National Historic Landmarks during Bridge Design class, and let the class know I would be delighted if someone wanted to work on a nomination application for the Portage Lake Bridge. It didn’t take long for Emma and Michael to speak up, and the rest is history. I can’t thank them enough for taking on this project and seeing it through the application process!”

Michael leans at a wooden deck looking out over a harbor on Lake Superior with sailboats
Michael Prast ’18

By the way, Prof. Ahlborn is a Michigan Tech alum, too. She earned her BS and MS at Michigan Tech, then went to University of Minnesota to earn a Doctorate of Philosophy in Civil Engineering in 1998. She’s been a member of the faculty at Michigan Tech for the past 26 years, teaching structural engineering courses focusing on concrete and the design of concrete buildings and bridges. 

She has a passion for bridges, something that began when she was quite small. “Growing up, I once told my mom I loved bridges. After that, she started taking me to look at a different bridge each week. Michigan has such beautiful bridges!” 

“Bridges are structural art! A piece of art fully exposed to the elements. They involve so many people every day.”

Prof. Tess Ahlborn

As the former Director of the Center for Structural Durability within the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute, Ahlborn has worked with the MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation) and USDOT (US Department of Transportation) to seek solutions to improve the resiliency of our nation’s transportation infrastructure. 

In 2020, Ahlborn was appointed to the American Concrete Institute Committee 318, placing her in the small group of people who establish the ACI structural concrete building code used around the world, a “Supreme Court” of concrete, if you will.

Did you know? Prof. Ahlborn is a world expert in remote sensing applications for bridge condition assessment.

“It also means her peers consider her to be one of the most knowledgeable and trustworthy among them,” says Materials Science and Engineering Professor Larry Sutter, a concrete expert in his own right, as well as associate dean of research and external relations in the College of Engineering.

After water, concrete is the most widely used substance on the planet. As a member of the committee, Ahlborn helps to chart the future of structural concrete—its safety, sustainability, technological advances and environmental impacts.

“We think of concrete almost as rock, but a big part of it is the steel,” Ahlborn said. “It’s a frame of steel bars encased in concrete. People the world over need to know, ‘How do I design with it?’ and ‘How does it behave?’ The code is based on over 100 years of research.”

Ahlborn knows the code inside and out. As a civil engineering student at Michigan Tech, she learned ACI Code 318 from civil engineering professor Bogue Sandberg, now a professor emeritus. “Over the years I have taught at least 1,500 students in the classroom about the 318 code requirements,” she said. 

As for her secrets to good teaching, she insists there aren’t any. “All you have to do is be fair and consistent and crack a joke once in a while,” said Ahlborn. 

She invites alumni to speak to her classes, and she regularly brings in current news articles relating to the course, not to mention chunks of concrete with stories to tell. All together, “it helps the students understand why what they are learning is important.” 

Ahlborn also serves as program director for all who seek a Michigan Tech online MS degree in Civil Engineering with a structural engineering focus. It’s a growing program, she says. “Most of our online graduate students are full-time working professionals taking one course per semester,” she says. “Every student’s program is tailored to their needs. They can obtain a full MSCE or a graduate certificate in, say, Structural Timber Design.  It’s a great avenue for professionals to enhance their careers.”

Each of these chunks of concrete has a story to tell, says Professor Ahlborn.

Prof. Ahlborn, how did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

As a young kid, I was always fascinated by bridges.  It wasn’t until my high-school physics teacher asked me about my future plans. I was happy to report that I was applying to cosmetology schools, but I really liked bridges. After a few conversations, it was clear where I was heading: Civil Engineering. Soon enough, I jumped onto the structural engineering route and have loved working with bridges ever since!

Izzy and Charlie!

Hometown?

Growing up in an all-American family in Kawkawlin, Michigan, followed by the real growing up as a student at Michigan Tech, I had the opportunity to watch the Zilwaukee bridge construction and land a dream job in the Minneapolis area designing dams, hydropower facilities, and bridges. When the engineering market slowed down, I jumped at the chance to complete a PhD. My husband, Mark, and I were blessed with twins, Jess and Jake, and chose the Keweenaw as the best place to settle down. I’m happy to share that we are now the proud grandparents of Charlie and Rory!

What do you do for fun?

I truly enjoy the outdoors and living in the Keweenaw, a very special place. Izzy, our Great Pyrenees, brings joy to our lives everyday and I love gardening, especially when she’s not running through the garden!

Lift Bridge in Winter. Photo credit: Michael Prast

Michael, what first sparked your interest in engineering?

I’m originally from Holly, Michigan. I had a class in high school, Intro to Engineering, that went through some basics of the different engineering disciplines like electrical, computer modeling, and building. My favorite project was designing a balsa wood tower that was then compressed to failure. I really enjoyed it and my structure ended up being the most efficient in the class history comparing self weight to weight held. So I knew I wanted to do something with engineering and leaned towards buildings. I have been correct so far and love engineering a range of structures, mostly in heavy timber. 

How do you like to spend your spare time?

While my favorite is mountain biking, I love to hike, camp, hammock, kayak, and swim. I also have a passion for history. I’m part of the volunteer board for Painesdale Mine and Shaft and give tours of the Champion Mine shaft house, hoist house, and Captain’s office.

Emma, how did you decide upon engineering?

I was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. For a long time I thought I wanted to be an architect, but then, during my senior year in high school, I took classes in Physics and Calculus. I absolutely loved them! After that, structural engineering felt like the perfect middle ground between architecture, and math and physics.

Tidepooling on the Oregon Coast. Photo credit: Emma Beachy

Hobbies?

My hobbies mostly revolve around the outdoors. Living in Oregon now, I’m lucky that I can drive a short ways and get to the Pacific coast (I love looking for tide pools) or to the mountains (I also love hiking and backpacking). At home, I really enjoy cooking. Lately I’ve been trying out some vegetarian recipes, trying out some new and interesting ingredients. 

Continue Reading →

John Gierke: Drilling Wells in the Keweenaw—Needles in a (Geologic) Haystack

Published
By
Community water wells in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula tap places ancient glaciers carved and filled. Pictured above: Interpolated bedrock depth map. Warm colors indicate progressively deeper bedrock (red being the deepest). Credit: John Gierke, Michigan Tech

John Gierke shares his knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive webinar this Monday, September 20 at 6 pm ET. Learn something new in just 20 minutes (or so), with time after for Q&A! Get the full scoop and register at mtu.edu/huskybites.

Michigan Tech Professor John Gierke is also alumnus. He earned both a BS and MS in Civil Engineering, and a PhD in Environmental Engineering, all at Michigan Tech.

What are you doing for supper tonight, Monday 9/20 at 6 ET? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and John Gierke, Professor of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences at Michigan Tech. “The water we drink comes from geologically unique places,” he says. As a hydrogeologist, Gierke uses his expertise in teaching and research, and in places around the globe, most recently, El Salvador. Also on his own blueberry farm located about 20 minutes from campus.

“I was attracted to environmental engineering because of my interest in protecting human and environmental health, says Michigan Tech Professor Eric Seagren. “The use of a broad range of sciences within environmental engineering appealed to me, too.”

Joining in will be fellow colleague and friend, Eric Seagren, a professor of Civil, Environmental and Geospatial Engineering who specializes in finding new, sustainable ways to clean up environmental pollution, including contaminated groundwater.

As a hydrogeologist, Gierke studies the “spaces” in rocks and sedimentary deposits where water is present. Although groundwater is everywhere, Keweenaw geology makes accessing it truly challenging.

“Drilling productive wells in the Keweenaw is like finding needles in (geologic) haystack,” he says. “Groundwater supplies for many communities are in ancient bedrock valleys that were carved by glaciers and later backfilled with sands, gravels, and, sometimes, boulders left by the melting glaciers in their retreat. In the Midwest, groundwater exists almost everywhere, but in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, the close proximity of ancient bedrock makes drilling trickier.”

During Husky Bites, Prof. Gierke will show us the inside of some especially interesting aquifers and wells—how they are found and developed, and why some rock formations yield water, and others don’t yield very much.

“Community water wells in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula tap places ancient glaciers carved and filled.”

Prof. John Gierke

“Imagine a 400′ deep glacial tunnel scour back, filled with sands, gravels, silts and clays and capable of yielding 400-some gallons per minute,” says Gierke. “Wells located just outside that ‘trough’ are stuck in bedrock, only capable of giving up hardly 20 gpm, only enough for a single household.”

“The replenishment rate of groundwater in the Copper Country, like much of the northern Midwest, is sufficient that groundwater exists almost everywhere,” adds Gierke. “The challenge in terrains like the Keweenaw, where bedrock is often near the surface, is not whether groundwater exists at depth, but rather where the geology is sufficiently porous and/or fractured to allow water wells to produce at rates sufficient for communities.”

This photo from Prof. Seagren’s lab shows the release of a blue dye, simulating the release of an amendment from a well.

For Prof. Seagrean, at Michigan Tech his major research focus is the bioremediation of contaminated groundwater, especially contaminants like petroleum products and chlorinated solvents. He studies the release of remedial amendments, such as oxygen, added to stimulate the biodegradation of contaminants.

“An amendment is added to a well, and then just released into the natural flow of groundwater without pumping,” he explains. Much of this work involves the use of lab-scale model aquifers. Seagren believes it can be very effective, affordable, and safe way to solve the problem. According to the USGS, more than one in five (22 percent) groundwater samples contain at least one contaminant at a concentration of potential concern for human health.

Seagren also develops and tests low-impact, bio-geoengineering practices to stabilize mine tailings and mitigate toxic dust emissions. “These approaches mimic and maximize the benefits of natural processes, with less impact on the environment than conventional technologies,” he says. They may also be less expensive.” 

Seagren and his research team zeroed in on a natural process, microbially-induced calcium carbonate precipitation —an ubiquitous process that plays an important cementation role in natural systems, including soils, sediments, and minerals.

Prof. Gierke, how did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

“Here I am on Bering Glacier in 2007, unfurling a Michigan Tech flag (that’s one of the University’s former logos).” Dr. Gierke is standing next to Dr. Josh Richardson (left), now a Geophysicist at Chevron. Josh earned all his degrees at Michigan Tech: a BS in Geophysics ’07, an MS in Glacier Seismology and Geophysics ’10, and a PhD in Volcano and Glacier Seismology, Geophysics ’13

I began studying engineering at Lake Superior State College (then, now University) in the fall of 1980, in my hometown of Sault Ste. Marie. In those days their engineering program was called: General Engineering Transfer, which was structured well to transfer from the old “Soo Tech” to “Houghton Tech,” terms that some old timers still used back then, nostalgically. I transferred to Michigan Tech for the fall of 1982 to study civil engineering with an emphasis in environmental engineering, which was aligned with my love of water (having grown up on the St. Mary’s River).

Despite my love of lakes, streams, and rivers, my technical interests evolved into an understanding of how groundwater moves in geological formations. I used my environmental engineering background to develop treatment systems to clean up polluted soils and aquifers. That became my area of research for the graduate degrees that followed, and the basis for my faculty position and career at Michigan Tech, in the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences (those sciences are Geology and Geophysics). My area of specialty now is Hydrogeology.

Hometown?

I grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, where I fished weekly, sometimes daily, on the St. Mary’s River. Sault Ste. Marie is bordered by the St. Mary’s River on the north and east. In the spring, summer and fall, I fished from shore or a canoe or small boat. In the winter, I speared fish from a shack just a few minutes from my home or traveled to fish through the ice in some of the bays. I was a fervent bird hunter (grouse and woodcock) in the lowlands of the Eastern UP, waterfowl in the abundant wetlands, and bear and deer (unsuccessfully until later in life). 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I live on a blueberry farm about 20 minutes from campus in Chassell, Michigan. It’s open to the public in August for U-Pick. For the farm, I used my technical expertise to design, install, and operate a drip irrigation system that draws water from the underlying Jacobsville Sandstone aquifer. 

How do you know your co-host? 

Eric Seagren and I have been disciplinary colleagues for over 2 decades. Our expertise overlaps in terms of how pollutants move through groundwater. 

“Me cooking while camping with my family on Isle Royale two summers ago,” says Prof. Seagren.

Prof. Seagren, how did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

I was attracted to environmental engineering because of my interest in protecting human and environmental health. The use of a broad range of sciences within environmental engineering also appealed to me. Growing up we had a family friend who was a civil engineer, and my Dad had a cousin who was an electrical engineer. My Dad himself had wanted to be an engineer, but he had gone to a one-room country school and a small-town high school, and when he got to college they told him he did not have an adequate background in math and science to pursue engineering, something we would never tell a student today! 

“This microphoto is from my work on the biomodification of the engineering properties of soil. It shows a calcium carbonate crust formed via bacterial activities.” Prof. Seagren will explain more of what can be seen here during Husky Bites.

Anyway, that might have influenced me some, but more importantly was my interest in protecting the environment. I had always spent a lot of time outdoors, either at my grandparents’ farm, or hunting and fishing with my Dad and friends and camping in Scouts. I took an environmental studies class in high school and that’s where I first learned about environmental engineering.

Hometown, family?

 I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and earned my undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Currently I live in Hancock, with my family, which includes my wife Jennifer Becker, who is also a faculty member at Michigan Tech, and my two teenage children, Ingrid and Birk. We have a cat named Rudy.

Any mentors in your life who made a difference?

Back when I was in college, most people got an undergraduate degree in civil engineering and then pursued a graduate degree in environmental engineering, and that is the path I took. While I was doing my undergraduate work at the University of Nebraska there was a young professor named Dr. Mohamed Dahab who really influenced me and took an interest in me and my career path to this day. He was a great mentor and example for me, and that’s contributed to how I try to mentor students, too.

Dr. Seagren’s ’53 Chevy.

Any hobbies? 

In my spare time I like to garden, do home repairs, hike, fish, boat, run, and Nordic ski. I’m also fixing up a ‘53 Chevy pick-up from my grandpa’s farm. We used to use the truck to haul grain from the farm to the elevator in town. It’s a nice shade of blue. Next summer we hope to fill the back with blueberries from John’s farm and enter it into a local parade.

Read more:

How the Rocks Connect Us

Keweenaw Geoheritage: Glaciers

Field Trip to Alaska (Bering Glacier)

Continue Reading →

Joe Shawhan: Hockey in the Copper Country

Published
By
Coach Joe Shawhan stands with arms folded with ice rink in the background.
Joe Shawhan, Michigan Tech Men’s Hockey Head Coach

Michigan Tech Hockey Coach Joe Shawhan shares his knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive webinar this Monday, September 13 at 6 pm ET. Learn something new in just 20 minutes (or so), with time after for Q&A! Get the full scoop and register at mtu.edu/huskybites.

Head shot of John Scott wearing his gold MTU hockey jersey.
NHL MVP and former Michigan Tech hockey player John Scott ’10 (Mechanical Engineering). If you haven’t already, check out his podcast, Dropping the Gloves.

What are you doing for supper this Monday night 9/13 at 6 ET? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and Joe Shawhan, Head Coach of Men’s Hockey at Michigan Tech.

Yup, it’s time to talk hockey. Join in while two Michigan Tech hockey legends shoot the breeze. Serving as co-host along with Dean Janet Callahan during this session of Husky Bites is NHL All-Star MVP John Scott, a Michigan Tech alum. Scott graduated with his BS in Mechanical Engineering 2010.

Coach Joe Shawhan grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan—aka Hockey Town, USA, training site for the Detroit Red Wings. Back then hockey was a neighborhood sport and every kid in Shawhan’s class got in on the game. During Husky Bites, he’ll share stories about how he first arrived in Houghton and his relationship with former Head Coach John MacInnes—and what it was like coaching against John Scott in Junior Hockey as a member of the Chicago Freeze.

Coach Shawhan points with his arm extended over the heads of his hockey players at the sidelines during a hockey game.
“The best chance a team has of success is with individuals who expect it and work hard toward it. Every day. All the time,” says Coach Joe Shawhan.

“John and I have never really spent much personal time together outside of the odd interview or Podcast,” notes Shawhan. “I coached against John while he was in Junior hockey and was intrigued by his presence in college hockey. I have respected his humble nature and greatly appreciate his willingness to remember his alma mater.”

Before coming to Tech, Shawhan spent six seasons at Northern Michigan University. He was a volunteer assistant in 2007-08, the director of hockey operations in 2009-10, and an assistant coach for four seasons.

Coach Shawhan holds a tiny Husky pup in his arms.
It’s fun to follow Coach Shawhan on Twitter. Here’s one: “Found our newest Husky recruit at the FSU Ice Arena.”

As the head coach and general manager of the Soo Indians from 1995-2005, Shawhan compiled a 474-162-43 record to become the winningest coach in the history of the North American Hockey League.

Here at Michigan Tech, for 2020-21 season, Shawhan led the Men’s Hockey team went 17-12-1, ninth in the country in wins. The Huskies ranked fourth in the nation in penalty kill (90 percent) and were seventh in scoring defense (2.1).

What about 2021-22? During Husky Bites, Coach Shawhan plans to share the roster—and his hopes for the coming season.

After Coach Shawhan’s presentation on Husky Bites, attendees can ask take part in the Q&A. In fact, Coach Shawhan and John Scott are both ready to answer your questions.

John, what do you want to ask Coach Shawhan during Husky Bites?

First of all, character. What type of individuals do you look for? Next, how do you recruit players to Michigan Tech? How did Covid change things last year? Why are you excited for this year? What are the challenges? And what’s important in order to have a successful team?

Laura Shawhan up on Michigan Tech’s Mont Ripley.

Coach Shawhan: How did you first get interested in hockey? What sparked your interest?

My interest in hockey developed because of my environment. Growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, all my friends played on my same team.

Hometown, family?

My hometown is Sault Ste. Marie Michigan. I am married to my high school sweetheart Laura and we have 3 children: Mia (AJ) Rosenberg, Jordan and Rachel.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

My hobbies outside of hockey include fishing, spending time with family and friends, playing guitar and tinkering. I also like to build things.

“The strength of Michigan Tech hockey is the character of the players sitting in the stalls.”

Coach Joe Shawhan
Continue Reading →

Jeremy Bos: Annual First-Year Engineering Lecture at Michigan Tech

Published
By
ECE Professor Jeremy Bos (right) and ME-EM Professor Darrell Robinette (left) at the Michigan Tech Rozsa Center in August. Today Bos will be back on stage at the Rozsa with Prometheus Borealis to deliver the annual First-year Engineering Lecture to incoming students.

“We have a tradition at Michigan Tech of having a first-year lecture that helps students see how their technological education can help make a difference in the world,” says Janet Callahan, Dean of the College of Engineering. This year, 1,010 first year engineering students will be in attendance, the largest incoming class since 1982.

Jeremy Bos, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering will deliver that lecture today, Thursday, September 9 at 6 pm.

Bos is also an alum. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering at Michigan Tech in 2000, then returned to earn his PhD in Electrical Engineering and Optics in 2012. On campus he teaches a range of robotics courses, and serves as advisor and manager of several student groups. One of those is the Robotics Systems Enterprise (RSE). “Imagine an industry-driven team of students, seeking to seamlessly integrate exceptional knowledge in electronics, robotics, and programming to solve real world engineering problems,” he says.

ECE Assistant Professor Jeremy Bos

RSE’s projects come in many shapes and sizes, from designing a vision system for work with a robotic arm, to an automatic power management system for weather buoys. Clients include Ford Motor Company and Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center. “We use more than just the skills and talents of computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering majors in RSE,” adds Bos. “All majors are welcome, just like in any Enterprise.”

Enterprise at Michigan Tech is when students work in teams on real projects, with real clients, in an environment that’s more like a business than a classroom. With coaching and guidance from faculty mentors, 25 Enterprise teams on campus work to invent products, provide services, and pioneer solutions.

Bos also serves as advisor to students taking part in the SAE AutoDrive Challenge. It all started four years ago, back when Michigan Tech was selected along with seven other universities to participate in the collegiate competition hosted by GM. Each was tasked with designing, building and testing a fully autonomous vehicle. 

The Michigan Tech team started with a Chevy Bolt, outfitting it with sensors, control systems and computer processors so that it could successfully navigate an urban driving course in automated driving mode. They named their vehicle “Prometheus Borealis” after Prometheus, the Greek deity responsible for bringing technology to people, and Boreas, the purple-winged god of the north wind.

The entire team is made up of 40 students and two faculty advisors: Bos and co-advisor Darrell Robinette, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics. Their impressive expertise in autonomous vehicles and vehicular networks—and industrial automation and controls—combines for exceptional student mentoring.

The four-year challenge wrapped up this summer on June 14, with Michigan Tech earning 3rd place overall and bringing home the second-most trophies. Soon after, SAE International and General Motors (GM) announced the 10 collegiate teams selected to compete in the next competition, AutoDrive Challenge II. Michigan Tech was on the list.

“My own contribution to this effort is called ‘Autonomy at the End of the Earth,’ says Bos. “My research focuses on the operation of autonomous vehicles in hazardous weather. Specifically, the ice and snow we encounter on a daily basis between November and April.”

“I ended up in engineering because I like to build things (even if only on a computer) and I like to solve problems (generally with computers and math).”

Dr. Jeremy Bos

More about Dr. Jeremy Bos, in his own words:

“I was born in Santa Clara, California just as Silicon Valley was starting to be a thing. I grew up in Grand Haven, Michigan where I graduated high school and moved to Michigan Tech for my undergraduate degree. I liked it so much I came back twice. The second time was from Maui, Hawaii, where I worked for the US Air Force Research Lab. I now live in Houghton with my wife, and fellow alumna, Jessica (STC ’00). We have a boisterous dog Rigel, named after a star in the constellation Orion, that bikes or skis with me on the Tech trails nearly every day. When I have time I bike, ski, hike, kayak, and stargaze. I have even tried my hand at astrophotography at Michigan Tech’s AMJOCH Observatory. (A telescope, hopefully, soon to be another robot).”

Advice for First Year Engineering Students, from Dean Janet Callahan:

“You are part of a community. It’s all about connecting, and reconnecting. I’d like to encourage you to join a student organization or club. The friendships you form in college are important. The people you meet end up being part of your lifelong community. So, be hands-on. Be sure to make time to do extra things, besides studying…but also make sure you go to class and do all your homework, because you will learn by doing.”

“This year, due to the pandemic, in-person attendance is limited. Attend via Zoom using this direct link. No registration required. Visit mtu.edu/ef for more information.”

Continue Reading →

Snehamoy Chatterjee Named Witte Family Endowed Faculty Fellow in Mining Engineering

Published
By
Associate Professor Snehamoy Chatterjee, Witte Family Endowed Faculty Fellow in Mining Engineering

Associate Professor Snehamoy Chatterjee has been named the Witte Family Endowed Faculty Fellow in Mining Engineering. 

“Dr. Chatterjee has been instrumental in developing Michigan Tech’s new interdisciplinary Mining Engineering program,” said Aleksey Smirnov, Chair of the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences (GMES). “He teaches courses in the program, and very skillfully incorporates research into his instruction.”

Chatterjee’s position as Fellow is made possible through the generous support provided by Nancy Witte and her family, in memory of her late husband Richard C. Witte, who received a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan College of Mining and Technology (now Michigan Tech) in 1950. After graduating from Michigan Tech, Witte went on to earn a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University School of Law in 1956, then worked for Proctor and Gamble as a patent attorney. Witte was admitted to the bars of Indiana and Ohio, US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit, and the US Supreme Court, and filed more than 1400 patents before he retired in 1992 as vice president and chief patent counsel for Proctor and Gamble Worldwide. 

“The future of the mining industry is transforming in the digital age,” says Chatterjee. “Our students need to understand the traditional mining engineering techniques that have dominated the industry for generations, but also be technically savvy enough to see how the newest digital innovations might fit into a better decision making or engineering design process. I am grateful to Nancy Witte and the Witte family for this endowment and the tremendous support it provides toward this important endeavor.”

Decision-making under uncertainty, a research focus for Chatterjee, is one example, says Smirnov. “Students in one of Dr. Chatterjee’s courses, called Resource and Reserve Estimation, first learn how to quantify uncertainty based on spatial and temporal data. In his next course, Mine Planning and Design, they learn how to integrate that uncertainty into their mine plan using stochastic optimization methods.” 

“Dr. Chatterjee’s outstanding achievements and contributions to our newly reinstated mining engineering program make him an ideal candidate for this faculty fellow position.”

Janet Callahan, Dean of the College of Engineering

In addition, Chatterjee works with undergraduate student researchers in his lab, and encourages them to present their findings at national or international conferences. Several have published their studies in peer-reviewed journals, as well.

“While at Michigan Tech working with Dr. Chatterjee, Alex Miltenberger ’17, a geophysics major, presented his SURF research work at Geostat, an international conference in geostatistics,” notes Smirnov. Miltenberger is now postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory & Stanford University.

“Another student working with Dr. Chatterjee, Katie Kring, published her SURF research in the International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences,” he adds. Before graduating from Michigan Tech with both a BS and MS in Geological Engineering, Kring interned at Freeport-McMoRan’s Chico Mine. She now works as a Civil Engineer at US Army Corps of Engineers.

Chatterjee also encourages his undergraduate research students to submit proposals for external funding. Current geophysics student Grace Ojala recently received a Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) grant to research mining slope movement using synthetic aperture radar data. 

Chatterjee has been recognized nationally and internationally through several professional and editorial awards, and invited presentations and seminar talks. Recently, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed him to the Michigan’s Future Mining Committee. Chatterjee was chosen to represent current or former research faculty members who hold a master’s or doctorate degree in mining or geology at a university in Michigan.

Richard Witte, throughout his career and even after his retirement, served on numerous federal, state and local commissions, delegations and boards, addressing a variety of international diplomatic and intellectual property policies.

“Dr. Chatterjee’s appointment as Witte Fellow aligns perfectly with the objectives formulated by the Witte family and Michigan Tech,” said Janet Callahan, Dean of the College of Engineering at Michigan Tech. “Our shared goal is to retain and attract high quality faculty who are at the top of their profession, inspire students to think beyond the classroom material, and integrate their research into the classroom.”

Continue Reading →

Jeremy Shannon Named Carl G. Schwenk Endowed Faculty Fellow in Applied Geophysics

Published
By
Michigan Tech Principal Lecturer Jeremy Shannon is the Carl G. Schwenk Endowed Faculty Fellow in Applied Geophysics. 

Jeremy Shannon was recently named the Carl G. Schwenk Endowed Faculty Fellow in Applied Geophysics. 

“For more than a decade Dr. Jeremy Shannon has been a key faculty in field geophysics at Michigan Tech,” said Aleksey Smirnov, chair of the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences. 

“Dr. Shannon provides vital contributions to GMES instruction and advising, especially through the summer Field Geophysics course and specialized courses in the application of near-surface geophysics methods,” added Janet Callahan, Dean of the College of Engineering. 

The endowment was established by Carl G. Schwenk, who obtained a BS in both Geological and Geophysical Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1962 and 1965, respectively. He worked as a Field Geophysicist with Kennecott Copper Corporation and was instrumental in the discovery of the Flambeau copper-gold Mine in Wisconsin. Later, he worked with the  large iron company Vale do Rio Doce exploring for base metals in Brazil. After his return to the US he was hired as Great Lakes District Manager for Noranda Exploration where he led a successful State Supreme Court challenge to Wisconsin’s Geologic Disclosure Law. 

“Carl lives in Colorado and remains closely involved with our department, providing tremendous support to our students,” said Smirnov.

Shannon is also a Michigan Tech alumnus, and took the Field Geophysics class as an undergraduate in the summer of 1992. He was honored to take over the class in 2007 and has continued and built upon the legacy of applied geophysics education at GMES created by professors Lloyal Bacon, Jimmy Diehl, and Charles Young to deliver a unique field experience for students.

“I am humbled to receive this appointment and am extremely grateful to Mr. Schwenk and others who have made this possible,” said Shannon. “I look forward to using this gift to improve and advance educational opportunities in geophysics at Michigan Tech.”

“Shannon’s contribution to the department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences perfectly aligns with the purpose of the fellowship, which is to provide leadership in mentoring and teaching students at Michigan Tech in the practical use of geophysics for characterization and discovery of subsurface resources,” added Callahan.

In addition to instruction in the field of applied geophysics, which includes specialized courses in the application of near-surface geophysics methods, Shannon serves as the academic advisor for undergraduate students majoring in Geology and Applied Geophysics.

Shannon generously lends his expertise to students working on senior design projects, as well as graduate students whose research involves field work, notes Smirnov. “Dr. Shannon helps students develop both practical knowledge and intuition. As a result, they are able to find their own best academic and professional pathways, leading to impactful and rewarding careers.” 

In recognition of his contributions to teaching, Shannon was also recently honored in the Michigan Tech Deans’ Teaching Showcase. 

Continue Reading →

Alumni Help Bring Advanced 3D Metal Printer to Michigan Tech

Published
By
A look inside Michigan Tech’s new 3D Metal Printer. Direct metal printing is additive manufacturing. It starts with metal powders, added bit by bit.

Thanks to a group of generous mechanical engineering alumni, Michigan Tech has acquired a highly advanced 3D metal printer.

The 3D Systems ProX350, 3D Metal Printer and accessories arrived on campus at the end of March. Installation is taking place now, in a shared facility at Michigan Tech.

The new system can print using 11 unique metals, including bio-grade titanium (for biomedical applications), cobalt and chromium, several types of stainless steel at a resolution of 5 microns.

Faculty and graduate students will have access to the printer for research projects. Undergraduate senior design and Enterprise teams will, too.

Obtaining the new 3D metal printer was made possible by the generosity of seven Michigan Tech alumni.

For starters, ME-EM Department Chair Bill Predebon obtained a 20 percent discount on the $875K system from Scarlett Inc. Owner Jim Scarlett is an ME-EM alumnus.

In addition to Scarlett, six other Michigan Tech alumni donors pitched in. One anonymous donor provided over $600K , and five others made up the difference to meet the full cost of $673K. Those five are: Ron Starr, John Drake, Frank Agusti, Todd Fernstrum, and Victor Swanson.

“This will be a game changer for Michigan Tech,” Predebon says. “It is one of the most accurate metal 3-d printers available. With approximately a 1-ft. cube size billet, which is an impressive size billet, you can make a full-size or scaled-down version of just about anything. Very few universities have a 3D metal printer of this quality and versatility.”

Coming soon: More photos and details on Michigan Tech’s new 3D metal printer.

Continue Reading →

Autonomy at the End of the Earth

Published
By
Michigan Tech’s student team, Prometheus Borealis, designs, builds, and tests a fully autonomous vehicle, “Borealis Prime” for the SAE Autodrive Challenge.

Jeremy Bos and Darrell Robinette, mentors and advisors of Michigan Tech’s SAE Autodrive Challenge (and both Michigan Tech alums) share their knowledge on Husky Bites Live, on campus in the Rozsa Center at Alumni Reunion 2021. The session takes place Friday, August 6 at 1:30 pm ET. Everyone in attendance will learn something new, with time after for Q&A. 

Can’t make it in person? Join us remotely. We’ll share a link to join the Zoom webinar on the Alumni Reunion website as the event draws near. Afterwards (weather permitting) you’re invited to join us out on the Walker Lawn. Meet the students of Prometheus Borealis and Robotics Systems Enterprise, get a close look at their autonomous vehicles—and be sure to bring your questions.

It’s a wild ride.

Starting with a Chevy Bolt, Michigan Tech students outfit it with sensors, control systems and computer processors to successfully navigate an urban driving course in automated driving mode. And, test it in blizzard conditions!

It’s also an ambitious project with an equally ambitious goal: Three years of the competition, with increasing levels of autonomy and more difficult challenges in each successive year. 

Michigan Tech’s team is Prometheus Borealis, after Prometheus, the Greek deity responsible for bringing technology to people, and Boreas, the purple-winged god of the north wind.The SAE Autodrive Challenge competition is jointly sponsored by General Motors (GM) and the Society of Automotive Engineers International (SAE).

Credit: Photographer Tim Cocciolone and fellow prankster John Marchesi (both Michigan Tech alums).

“The competition focuses on the electrical engineering, computer engineering, robotics engineering, and computer science skills needed to implement the sensors, signal processing and artificial intelligence needed to make the car drive itself,” says team co-advisor, ECE Assistant Professor Jeremy Bos. “Mechanical engineers and a wide range of other disciplines are represented on the teams, as well.”

ME-EM Assistant Professor Darrell Robinette is the team’s other co-advisor. Robinette worked as an engineer at GM for 9 years before joining Michigan Tech in 2014, with roles in transmission, NVH, electrification and calibration engineering groups. He is a longtime First Robotics Competition mentor, too.

Bos earned his BS at Michigan Tech in 2000, and returned to earn his PhD in 2012, both in Electrical Engineering. Robinette earned a BS in 2004 and a PhD in 2007, both in Mechanical Engineering.

A section of the mapping of Michigan Tech’s campus as seen from the road by Borealis Prime’s Velodyne LiDAR VLP-16 using Intel Internet of Things HW. Mapping done with Iterative Closest Point (ICP).

Student-driven Autonomy

On the student side, the AutoDrive Challenge project is spearheaded by Robotic Systems Enterprise (RSE), also advised by Bos and Robinette. RSE is part of Michigan Tech’s award-winning Enterprise program. “It’s one of the best places on campus to learn robotics,” says Bos. The team’s many projects come in many shapes and sizes, from designing a vision system for work with a robotic arm, to an automatic power management system for weather buoys. Clients include Ford Motor Company and Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center.

SAE Autodrive Challenge Final Results

Jonathon Beute ’21 served as project lead for the VISSION subteam focused on Borealis Prime as part of the Robotic Systems Enterprise. He graduated in June and now works as an electrical engineer at Williams International in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The four-year challenge wrapped up on June 14 with Michigan Tech’s Prometheus Borealis team earning 3rd place overall, bringing home the second most trophies. Teams from University of Toronto and University of Waterloo earned first and second overall. Read the full results on the SAE Autodrive Challenge website.

Teams from eight North American universities competed:  Michigan Technological University, Michigan State University, Kettering University, University of Waterloo, University of Toronto, Texas A&M University, Virginia Tech, North Carolina A&T State University

“We’re going to need a bigger trophy case.”

Dr. Jeremy Bos, Michigan Tech co-advisor, Prometheus Borealis

Next Up: Autodrive Challenge II

Also in June, SAE International and General Motors (GM) announced 10 collegiate teams selected to compete in AutoDrive Challenge II. Michigan Tech was on the list. 

The start of Michigan Tech’s dynamic run at M-City for the 99% Buy Off Ride, part of the SAE International Autodrive Challenge. The team placed third in this event and third overall. See the full results here.

The competition continues the strong collaboration between GM and SAE in STEM education and will build on the groundbreaking success of the first iteration of AutoDrive Challenge. Teams will develop and demonstrate an autonomous vehicle (AV) that can navigate urban driving courses as described by SAE J3016™ Standard Level 4 automation.

The following 10 university teams will participate in AutoDrive Challenge II:

Kettering University, Michigan Technological University, North Carolina A&T State University, The Ohio State University, Penn State University, Texas A&M University

University of Toronto, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Queens University and Virginia Tech.

“At General Motors, we envision a future of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion, and we have committed ourselves to leading the way toward this future,” said Dan Nicholson, GM vice president, global electrification, controls, software and electronics and executive sponsor of the competition. 

“The AutoDrive Challenge is a great way to give students the hands-on experience they need to find success,” he adds. “We are very excited to work with these talented students over the course of the competition and know they will make an immediate impact on the automotive industry upon graduation.”

“Michigan Tech’s SAE AutoDrive Challenge team has proven our students innovate to succeed.”

– Dr. Janet Callahan, Dean, College of Engineering

Dr. Robinette, how did you first get started in engineering? What sparked your interest? 

Sage advice from ME-EM Assistant Professor Darrell Robinette: “Be a doer and a thinker at the same time.”

When I was 5, my dad took me for a tour at his place of work, Detroit Edison’s Belle River Powerplant. It was awe inspiring seeing all the equipment and getting an explanation of how it worked and what it did. Pretty amazing that they hang the boilers from the ceiling, eh? Everything at the plant was just so cool, especially the controls and control room. 

My dad introduced me to all the engineers he worked with, and all of them were MTU grads. They played a part in encouraging me where to go for engineering, even though I was only 5 years old. My dad gave me a Babcock & Wilcox Steam book after the visit. Even though I didn’t understand all the engineering in it at the time, pictures of the power plant equipment, construction, assemblies all caught my interest. 

Also, like most engineers, l played with Legos during childhood. Lots and lots of Legos to build whatever my imagination could create.

Family, home, hobbies?

I go mountain biking whenever I can, also wake surfing, snowboarding, and cross country skiing. My wife, Tara, is an MTU alumna (Pre-Med/Biology ‘07). She is one of the Emergency Room physicians at Portage Health Hospital. We have two daughters: Adelyn, 3, and Amelia, one. I like building, tinkering and fixing (typical mechanical engineer stuff), and trying to be a super dad for my girls.

Dr. Bos, how about you? When did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

ECE Assistant Professor Jeremy Bos likes to ask new students: “What are your affinities? Knowing those, I can help point you in the right direction.”

My Dad ran a turn-key industrial automation and robotics business throughout most of my childhood. In fact, I got my first job at age 12 when I was sequestered at home with strep throat. I felt fine, but couldn’t go to school. My Dad put me to work writing programs for what I know now are Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs); the ‘brains’ of most industrial automation systems.

I really liked these new things called ‘personal computers’ and spent quite a bit of time programming them. By the time I was in high school I was teaching classes at the local library on computer building, repair, and this other new thing called ‘The Internet’. I ended up in engineering because I like to build things (even if only on a computer) and I like to solve problems (generally with computers and math).

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I live in Houghton with my wife and fellow alumna, Jessica (STC ’00). We have a boisterous dog, Rigel, named after a star in the constellation Orion, who bikes or skis with me on the Tech trails nearly every day. When I have time I also like to kayak, and stargaze.

Learn More About Husky Bites

Everyone’s welcome at Dean Janet Callahan’s free interactive Zoom webinar, Husky Bites. Get the full scoop at mtu.edu/huskybites.
“Feel free to invite a friend,” says Dean Janet Callahan about her Zoom webinar series, Husky Bites. “Everyone is welcome. It’s free, and it’s edifying.”

Launched by Dean Janet Callahan in 2020 near the start of the pandemic, Husky Bites is an interactive Zoom webinar that takes place each fall and spring.

During the semester, every Monday at 6, rach “bite” is a suppertime mini-lecture, presented by a different Michigan Tech faculty member, who weaves in a bit of their own personal journey, and brings a co-host, as well—an alum or a current student who knows a thing or two about the topic at hand.

The Husky Bites weekly Zoom webinar series resumes starting Monday, Sept. 13.

“We’ve had attendees from nine countries, and a great mix of students, alumni, our Michigan Tech community and friends,” says Dean Callahan, who mails out prizes for (near) perfect attendance.

Get the full scoop at mtu.edu/huskybites.

Read more:

What’s Next After First

I Saw the Sign (End of the Earth)

Continue Reading →