College of Engineering Blog

Category: Biomedical Engineering

College of Engineering Welcomes New Faculty Members

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

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

Read more about our new faculty:

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Sunyoung Ahn

Sunyoung Ahn, Instructor

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

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Fengying Dang

Fengying Dang, Assistant Professor

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

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Xiang Li

Xiang Li, Assistant Professor

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

Department of Chemical Engineering

Aytug Gencoglu

Aytug Gencoglu, Assistant Professor

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

Maria Gencoglu

Maria Gencoglu, Assistant Professor

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

Robert Handler

Robert Handler, Assistant Professor

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

Department of Engineering Fundamentals

Alden Adolph

Alden Adolph, Assistant Professor

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

Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology

Anis Fatima

Anis Fatima, Assistant Professor

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

Amna Mazen

Amna Mazen, Assistant Professor

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

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

John Bean

John Bean, Associate Teaching Professor

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

Sai Sandeep Chitta

Sai Sandeep Chitta, Assistant Professor

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

Zach Fredin

Zach Fredin, Associate Teaching Professor

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

Yi Zhu

Yi Zhu, Assistant Professor

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

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Chloe He

Chloe He, Assistant Teaching Professor

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

Fei Long

Fei Long, Assistant Professor

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

Wei Wei

Wei Wei, Associate Professor

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

About the College of Engineering

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

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

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Multidisciplinary Team Publishes on Self-Disinfecting Coating

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ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces cover.

Professors Bruce Lee (BioMed) and Caryn Heldt (ChE/HRI) are co-authors of a new paper published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

The paper is titled “Utilizing Rapid Hydrogen Peroxide Generation from 6-Hydroxycatechol to Design Moisture-Activated, Self-Disinfecting Coating.”

The paper describes the use of a novel biomimetic coating that could be activated to generate disinfectant when wetted, such as by moisture found in respiratory droplets. This moisture-activated coating was demonstrated to disinfect various strains of bacteria and viruses and can potentially be used as a self-disinfecting coating to limit the spread of various types of infections.

Ph.D. student Fatemeh Razaviamri (biomedical engineering) is the lead author of this paper. Additional co-authors are Sneha Singh ’23 (M.S. Chemical Engineering), postdoctoral researcher James Manuel (BioMed), Ph.D. student Zhongtian Zhang (biomedical engineering) and laboratory technician Lynn M. Manchester (ChE).

Fatemeh Razaviamri, Sneha Singh, James Manuel, Zhongtian Zhang, Lynn M. Manchester, Caryn L. Heldt, and Bruce P. Lee
ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2024, 16, 21, 26998–27010
Publication Date: May 15, 2024
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c00213

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Michigan Space Grant Consortium Awardees for 2024–2025

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NASA Lunabotics experiment with moon dust.

A diverse, multitalented group of Michigan Tech students and faculty have been awarded fellowships and grants totaling an impressive $71,728 from the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) for its 2024-25 cycle.

The MSGC, which consists of 52 consortia, is sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The MSGC promotes awareness, research and education in “space-related science and technology in Michigan.” To achieve this goal, the organization not only funds fellowships and scholarships for students pursuing STEM careers but also financially supports curriculum enhancement and faculty development.

Michigan Tech Undergraduate Students Who Received $4,000 for Faculty Led Fellowships

  • Grace Hoeppner (biomedical engineering): “Effects of Microgravity on Predisposing Factors for Atrial Fibrillation Thrombosis Risk”
  • Grace Murray (social sciences): “Cultivating Healthy Communities: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Female Eponyms in Heirloom Plant Varieties and their Impacts in Community Food Networks”

Michigan Tech Graduate Students Who Received $5,000 Graduate Fellowships

  • Alexander Apostle (Chem): “Improved Synthesis and Application of Human Telomeres”
  • Matthew Beals (ME-EM): “Advancing Adaptive Aerostructures: Utilizing Steady-State Traveling Waves for Drag Reduction and Sustainable Aviation”
  • Grady Boyle (CFRES): “Using High Resolution Multitemporal Imagery for Ash Inventory and EAB Invasion Mapping in the Upper Great Lakes Region”
  • Jacob Jackson (BioMed): “Cell-Specific Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation in the Subthalamic Nucleus of a Parkinson’s Rat Model”
  • Benjamin Mohrhardt (ECE): “Investigating and Predicting the Formation of Toxic Nitrogenous Byproducts from Phenolic Compounds in the Presence of Nitrate under Far-UVC Irradiation from KrCl* Excilamps”
  • Ian Norwood (Physics): ”Constraining Frictional Charging on Coarse-Mode Atmospheric Dust Particles”
  • Eleanor Serocki (CFRES): ”Estimating Trace Gas Flux Dynamics in Boreal Wetlands”
  • Tanner Sether (Physics): ”Toward a Deep Learning Approach for Fast Galaxy Catalog Generation”
  • Matthew Sisson (MSE): ”Micromagnetism of Self-Assembled FeSi2 Nanoislands”
  • Caitlyn Sutherlin (SS): ”Community- and Nature-Led Adaptation in El Salvador”
  • Kyle Wehmanen (KIP): ”Human Powered Locomotion on Variable Terrain: a Continuing Investigation for how to Move on Mars”

Michigan Tech Faculty and Staff Members Who Received $5,000 or More for Hands-On NASA-Oriented Experiences for Student Groups (HONES) or Research Seed Grants

The Graduate School is proud of these students for their outstanding scholarship. These awards highlight the quality of students at Michigan Tech, their innovative work, their leadership potential and the incredible role played by faculty in students’ academic success.

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SWE Section Attends SWE WE23 Societal Conference

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Conference collage of speaker, expo, and background with Live Without Limits.

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) section at Michigan Tech had 16 students attend the SWE WE23 Societal Conference in Los Angeles, California, with Gretchen Hein, SWE advisor. The students greatly enjoyed and benefited from the conference sessions. They also met with MTU alumni from L.A. and engaged with several MTU SWE alumnae. They especially enjoyed hearing stories about Tech and how campus has changed.

The SWE WE23 Career Fair is the largest career fair for women in the world. This year, SWE members had 20 interviews and one job offer from participating. Most will hear back on internships and full-time offers in two weeks.

The conference took place over three days, October 26–28, inviting attendees to Live Without Limits.

SWE thanks our corporate sponsors for their generous support, which enabled us to fund 100% of the students’ travel!

  • Grace Moeggenborg, junior (applied ecology and environmental science): “The conference celebrated all women and minorities in the workplace and helped me redefine being a woman in STEM.”
  • Kelsey Jensen, junior (biomedical engineering): “Attending the WE23 conference was such an amazing experience that furthered my career and inspired me to strive for positions in my career that I originally wouldn’t think of going for.”
  • Rixlie Fozilova, second-year master’s student (environmental engineering): “This was my first time at the SWE national conference and I enjoyed every minute of it.”
  • Katherine Baker, junior (chemical engineering): “My favorite part of the conference was attending an exclusive networking event through the SWE Collegiate Leadership Institute, which I’ve participated in for two years.”
  • Skyler Brawley, senior (computer engineering): “I look forward to the conference all year for the amazing lessons I learn at the sessions and the great career opportunities presented at the career fair.”
  • Olivia O’Brien, senior (electrical engineering): “I’ve come out of this conference a more motivated, driven and ambitious engineer!”
  • Kathryn Krieger, junior (environmental engineering): “I hope to carry the knowledge and connections I made this weekend throughout my career.”
  • Aerith Cruz, senior (management information systems): “It’s incredible how the Michigan Tech network extends beyond Houghton.”
  • Victoria Berger, senior (materials science and engineering): “I was able to grow my professional network through the career fair and various networking activities.”
  • Emma Quinn, senior (materials science and engineering): “This conference reaffirmed my love for engineering and allowed me to envision my career path.”
  • Carissa Best, second-year (mechanical engineering), SWE section president-elect: “I am leaving this conference with the knowledge and tools to become an engineer who isn’t afraid to live life without limits!”
  • Tory Cantrell, second-year (mechanical engineering): “Attending the WE23 conference meant so much to me because I was surrounded by so many other women in STEM who all want to strive to be the best they can and help others succeed just as much.”
  • Marisa Mathews, first-year (mechanical engineering): “I attended 12 different informational sessions and learned more about engineering, leadership and industry than I imagined could be possible in two days.”
  • Talia Olson, senior (mechanical engineering): “I was able to attend a multitude of informative sessions, and one that stuck out to me was learning about how companies are trying to bring more neurodivergent individuals in the workforce.”
  • Amanda West, senior (mechanical engineering), SWE section president: “It is incredible that 16 of us were given a chance to network, interview with and learn from these amazing women and leaders.”
  • Maci Dostaler, junior (software engineering): “As I continue to grow as a leader, I will strive to use all the advice given to me — by some very impressive people — to good use.”

By Jaclyn Johnson and Gretchen Hein, Advisors, Society of Women Engineers at Michigan Tech.

Related

SWE Section Attends WE22 Conference

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Design Expo 2023: Awards Results!

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Michigan Tech’s Design Expo 2023 was a huge success. Many thanks to our hardworking students—and the faculty advisors who generously and richly support them.

Hundreds of Michigan Tech students presented their innovative work last week at Michigan Tech’s 23rd annual Design Expo. Each project entails hands-on, experiential, discovery-based learning. Teams competed for cash awards totaling nearly $4,000.

“Design Expo gives students an opportunity to showcase their creativity and innovation,” says Nagesh Hatti, who oversees Enterprise.

“The students,” adds Leonard Bohmann, associate dean of the College of Engineering, “create new things, solve global problems and make lives better.”

Many of the Senior Design and Enterprise projects on display at Design Expo are supported by external industry sponsors, allowing students to gain valuable experience through direct exposure to real industrial problems.

In Senior Design, students explore and solve real industry challenges throughout their senior year—from ideation to realization. In the Enterprise Program, teams of first- through fourth-year students from a variety of disciplines operate much like real companies to develop products, services and solutions. 

Project Sponsors Support Michigan Tech’s Educational Mission

“Project sponsors generously support our educational mission by providing invaluable project experiences, along with guidance and mentorship for our students,” adds Hatti. “Industry and academia working together as partners in higher education give our students a tremendous learning experience.”

Design Expo’s industry event sponsors make Design Expo, a large campus event, possible. “Their generous support often continues year after year,” says Hatti.

Thompson Surgical Instruments is Design Expo’s 2023 executive partner. ITC Holdings is the event’s directing partner for the 12th consecutive year, joined by fellow directing partner Aramco. And Plexus, OHM Advisors, Altec Inc. and Husky Innovate are collaborating partners.

This year, more than 100 student teams competed for awards. A panel of judges, made up of corporate representatives, community members, and Michigan Tech staff and faculty members, critiqued the projects. “Our esteemed judges give their time and talent to help make Design Expo a success,” adds Hatti.

The judges’ scoring was used to arrive at the awards. Visit the Design Expo website awards page to see the full list of award winning teams (and project videos, too).

The College of Engineering and the Enterprise Program are pleased to announce award winners, below. Congratulations and thanks to ALL teams for a very successful 2023 Design Expo!

ENTERPRISE

FIRST PLACE

Velovations, Michigan Tech’s Bicycle Design Enterprise team, took first place in the Enterprise category at the 2023 Design Expo.

123: Velovations

Led by: Ethan McKenzie and Michael Balentine, Mechanical Engineering

Advised by: Steve Lehmann, Biomedical Engineering

Sponsored by: Cleveland Cliffs, Tongy Senger Innovations, Milwaukee Tools


SECOND PLACE

Michigan Tech’s Aerospace Enterprise team took second place in the Enterprise category.

106: Aerospace Enterprise

Led by: Seth Quayle, Mechanical Engineering and Kyle Bruursema, Electrical Engineering

Advised by: L. Brad King, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Sponsored by: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)


THIRD PLACE

104: Supermileage Systems

Supermileage Systems Enterprise took third place in the Enterprise category.

Led by: Olivia Zinser and Ben Klein, Electrical Engineering

Advised by: Rick Berkey, Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology

Sponsored by: GM, Aramco Americas, Oshkosh, Milwaukee Tool, A&D Technology – GIK, and Dana


HONORABLE MENTION

117: Innovative Global Solutions

The Innovative Global Solutions Enterprise team earned an Honorable Mention in the Enterprise category.

Led by: Cynthia Wurtz, Mechanical Engineering and Riley Dickert, Physics

Advised by: Radheshyam Tewari, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics and Nathan Manser, Geological and Mining Engineering

Sponsored by: Tree Frog Aquagric

SENIOR DESIGN

FIRST PLACE

233: Social Engineering for High School Students

College of Computing students Kayla Blunt and Connor Langdon won first place in the Senior Design Category for their project, Social Engineering for High School Students

Team Members: Connor Langdon, Cybersecurity and Kayla Blunt, Computer Network and System Administration

Advised by: Tim Van Wagner and Victoria Walters, Applied Computing


SECOND PLACE

232: Shot Sleeve Re-design for Steel High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC)

A team of five Materials Science and Engineering students won second place for their senior design project, Hot Sleeve Re-design for Steel High Pressure Die Casting, sponsored by Mercury Marine

Team Members: Ryan Cesario, Henry Summers, Victoria Berger, Caleb Minasian, and Katherine Jarvis, Materials Science and Engineering

Advised by: Paul Sanders and Walter Milligan, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsored by: Mercury Marine


THIRD PLACE

214: Design of a Method to Characterize the Depletion Mode Medical Device Battery – Phase 2

This team of biomedical engineering students earned third place for their senior design project, which was sponsored by the US Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health: Design of a Method to Characterize the Depletion Mode Medical Device Battery – Phase 2.

Team Members: Cole Hebert, Cameron Karnosky, Kristin King, William Poster, and Kelsey Moyer, Biomedical Engineering

Advised by: Orhan Soykan and Smitha Rao, Biomedical Engineering

Sponsored by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH)


HONORABLE MENTION

224: Movable Bookshelf Network

This team of ECE students earned an honorable mention in the senior design category for their project, Movable Bookshelf Network.

Team Members: Spencer Crawford and Ryan Briggs, Computer Engineering and Josh Cribben and Emily Fischer, Electrical Engineering

Advised by: Kit Cischke, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Sponsored by: Michigan Tech Van Pelt and Opie Library


HONORABLE MENTION

227: Physiological Sensing Using a Smart Port-a-Cath

This team’s project, Physiological Sensing Using a Smart Port-a-Cath was sponsored by Lifebridge Health. They earned an honorable mention in the senior design category.

Team Members: Marli Hietala, Savannah Page, Etienne Michels, Ali Dabas and Giovanni Diaz, Biomedical Engineering

Advised by: Sean Kirkpatrick, Biomedical Engineering

Sponsored by: LifeBridge Health

HONORABLE MENTION

231: Renewable Energy Powered Portable Plastic Waste Breakdown Machine

This team of ECE and mechanical engineering students earned an honorable mention in the senior design category for their project, Renewable Energy Powered Portable Plastic Waste Breakdown Machine, sponsored by ITC.

Team Members: Aaron Hogue and Hunter Indermuehle, Electrical Engineering, Ruizhi Ma, Computer Engineering and Zarvan Chinoy, Mechanical Engineering

Advised by: John Lukowski, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Sponsored by: ITC Holdings Corp.

HONORABLE MENTION

237: Utilizing Motor Oil to Rejuvenate RAP Materials

This civil engineering team earned an honorable mention for their senior design project, Utilizing Motor Oil to Rejuvenate Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Materials.

Team Members: Kira Olson, Construction Management, Alli Hummel, Jacob Cleaver, and AJ Clarey, Civil Engineering

Advised by: Zhanping You, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Sponsored by: Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Design Expo Innovation Awards (Based on Application)

FIRST PLACE

301: AAA [Affordable, Accessible, Authentic] Prosthesis
Advised by: Jon Herlivich, Chemical Engineering

The AAA team won a first place Design Expo Innovation Award. They are part of Michigan Tech’s Consumer Product Manufacturing Enterprise.

SECOND PLACE

The Implantable Pulse Generator (IPG) and Lead team earned a second place in the Design Expo Innovation Award.


203: Implantable Pulse Generator (IPG) and Lead
Advised by: Jingfeng Jiang and Chunxiu (Traci) Yu, Biomedical Engineering

THIRD PLACE

237: Utilizing Motor Oil to Rejuvenate RAP Materials
Advised by: Zhanping You, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

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2023 Student Leadership Award Recipients Announced

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Outstanding students, staff and alumni were honored Friday (April 14) during Michigan Tech’s 29th annual Student Leadership Awards Ceremony in the Memorial Union Building Ballroom. Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating their achievements!

Congratulations to all of the 2023 winners:

Cayton Scholz
Cayton Scholz

Keynote speaker Jessica L. Thompson ’12 (BS, Biological Sciences) was also recognized as the recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

More information about the awards and the recipients can be found on the Student Leadership Awards webpage. We also invite the campus community to save the date for the 30th annual Student Leadership Awards Ceremony, which will be held April 12, 2024, in the MUB Ballroom.

By Student Leadership and Involvement.

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MTU, MSU Collaborate and Build Foundations in Inaugural Research Symposium

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MSU Campus

On March 13, 2023, professors and research leaders from Michigan Technological University and the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University participated and presented at a collaborative research symposium titled “Engineering the Future of Human Health.” This inaugural event, hosted by MSU, was held at the Secchia Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The symposium was spearheaded by Michigan Tech Vice President for Global Campus and Continuing Education David Lawrence and planned by a joint MTU and MSU team. Melissa Kacos, events manager at MSU, used her superior organizational skills to make the symposium a success.

Twelve researchers from MTU and 12 from MSU delivered presentations during the event’s six sessions. The event also featured an 18-poster display from faculty, researchers and M.D. students.

MTU was represented by:

Representing MSU were Brian Johnson and Nureddin Shammakhi (Tissue); Erin Purcell and Jinxing Li (Biosensors); Taeho Kim and Bryan Smith (Biomedical); Aitor Aguirre and Tomasz Timek (Cardiovascular); Rebecca Knickmeyer and Shreesh Sammi (Neurological and Aging); and Anna Moore and Kurt Zinn (Cancer).

The purpose of this collaborative event was investigating areas of shared goals, mutual interests and possible research collaboration in crucial areas of human health. Or as Christopher Contag of MSU affirmed, the symposium “will help integrate the research aims of the two universities for a collective endeavor to develop the tools, technologies and knowledge that will impact human health across the state.”

Sean Kirkpatrick of MTU agreed, noting that the event marked “a good first step towards working across university boundaries and leveraging our unique individual strengths to improve the health of Michiganders.”

The next step will be developing these research aims and shared human health initiatives in a second collaborative symposium hosted by MTU on Oct. 27, which is timed to go along with the Upper Peninsula Medical Conference. In this symposium, researchers will elaborate on the theme of engineering the future of human health, but in these key areas: Big Data, Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Image Processing, Epidemiology, Human Factors and Neural Engineering.

Lawrence, Kirkpatrick, Cooke and Caryn Heldt (ChE/HRI) are MTU’s co-sponsors of this second symposium. Co-sponsors for MSU are Adam Alessio, Departments of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; and Radiology; and Bin Chen, Department of Pediatrics and Human Development.

As the second symposium approaches, the Global Campus team will be sharing more details. Stay tuned for ways to attend or participate in this innovative event.

By Shelly Galliah, Global Campus.

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Engineering Students Sweep the Oral Presentations at the 2023 Health Research Institute Forum

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Gloved hand filling a tube from a pipette in a lab.

HRI Student Forum Winners Announced

by Health Research Institute

The Health Research Institute (HRI) held their 2023 Student Forum on February 24. The forum featured a poster session and an oral presentation session, which drew participation from 20 students in 10 departments. Judges selected the following winners from each category:

Poster Session

First Place: Gregory Miodonski, Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology
Second Place (tie): Bianca Velez, Biological Sciences
Second Place (tie): Chen Zhao, Applied Computing
Third Place (tie): Emily Washeleski, Biological Sciences
Third Place (tie): Sherry Chen, Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology

Oral Presentations

First Place: Seth Kriz, Chemical Engineering
Second Place (tie): Brennan Vogl, Biomedical Engineering
Second Place (tie): Natalie Nold, Chemical Engineering
Third Place: Roya Bagheri, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Thank you to all of the participants and congratulations to the winners.

For more information on HRI’s student programs and resources, please visit the HRI Student Resources page.

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SWE Attends WELocal Detroit Conference 2023

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Conference room with stage and tables of attendees.

Five student members of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) section at Michigan Tech and SWE advisor Gretchen Hein (MMET) attended the WELocal Detroit conference, held Saturday and Sunday (February 18–19).

The attending students were SWE President Aerith Cruz (junior, management information systems), seniors Lukas Pyryt (mechanical engineering) and Kathleen Pakenas (biomedical engineering), and second-year students Kathryn Krieger (environmental engineering) and Ella Merklein (biomedical engineering).

At the conference, Krieger and Merklein gave a presentation titled “SWE Section and Engineering Ambassadors Host K-5 Engineering Days.” Hein participated in a panel discussion titled “Journeys in Academia, The Perks and Challenges” with faculty from Kettering University.

“Attending the WELocal conference and presenting on our outreach programs was an empowering experience,” said Krieger. “It was a great opportunity to showcase the incredible work being done by our section and a reminder that by working together, we can make a meaningful impact on the next generation of engineers.”

“Being my first conference, I very much enjoyed attending the WELocal conference,” said Pyryt. “This was a chance for me to truly become an ally for SWE and learn more ways to support this organization. I am very thankful for all connections I gained at this conference, as well as new information gained in sessions helping push more to become a better engineer in the process.”

The section celebrated with the SWE-Wisconsin Professional Section the achievements of Andrea Falasco ’12 (BS mechanical engineering) who was selected as an Emerging Leader in Technology and Engineering (ELiTE). “It was great seeing my SWE friends again and meeting new ones at the conference,” said Falasco. “I am honored to be chosen for one of the New ELiTE awards and am grateful for those who nominated me. I learned a lot at the conference and hope to bring this insight back to work and home.”

The SWE section at MTU thanks our alumnae, corporate sponsors, and the College of Engineering for their support of our section and travel to conferences.

By Gretchen Hein, Advisor, Society of Women Engineers.

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It’s Engineers Week 2023!

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It’s Eweek 2023! Join us for some special events on campus at Michigan Tech.

We’re celebrating National Engineers Week (Feb. 19-25). Everyone’s invited to special events on campus sponsored by Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society student chapter at Michigan Tech.

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 U.S. engineer.

At Michigan Tech, the week is celebrated with special events on campus all hosted by student organizations. Everyone is welcome! Please feel free to stop by and check out Eweek events as your schedule allows:

Ever wanted to try your hand in the Michigan Tech Foundry? Make something small, come pick it up later, after it cools!

Monday, Feb. 20
Metal foundry in a box with Materials United, 1-3 PM
M&M Engineering Building U109

Do you know Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers yet? If not, you must!

Tuesday, Feb. 21
Demonstrations with Mind Trekkers, 11AM-1PM
Fisher Hall Lobby

Delicious cake from Roy’s Bakery – a great way to celebrate, relax for a while in the Engineering Fundamentals department, and add a treat to your day.


Wednesday, Feb. 22
E-Week Cake, courtesy of the Department of Engineering Fundamentals, 11AM-2PM
Dillman 112

The Tau Beta Pi “bent” is located on campus at Michigan Tech.

Thursday, Feb. 23
Tau Beta Pi Alumni Panel,
5-6PM
Dow Building, room 0642

Zoom: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/82536199550

Panelists:

Katelyn Ramthun BME/ME) – Product Engineer at Plexus
Jennifer Larimer (ChemE) – Research Scientist at Dow
Quinn Horn (PhD MSE) – Principal Engineer at Exponent
Tim Obermann (MSEE) – Director of Power Tool Technology at Milwaukee Tool

Learn how to solder your own circuit board—with students in the Blue Marble Security Enterprise, at the team’s headquarters on campus.

Friday, Feb. 24
Circuit Boards with Blue Marble Security Enterprise, 4-6 PM
EERC Building – 0738

One important goal: to motivate youth to pursue engineering careers in order to provide a diverse and vigorous engineering workforce.

Nationwide, Eweek is a formal coalition of more than 70 engineering, education, and cultural societies, and more than 50 corporations and government agencies. This year’s theme: Creating the Future. 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. One important goal: to motivate youth to pursue engineering careers in order to provide a diverse and vigorous engineering workforce.

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