Category: Chemical Engineering

Adrienne Minerick Chosen for STEM Leadership Fellowship

Adrienne Minerick
Adrienne Minerick

Adrienne Minerick (ChE) has been named as one of 26 women faculty members from 23 different universities across the US and Canada in the 2017-18 class of ELATE at Drexel Fellows.

ELATE at Drexel is a professional development program for women in the academic STEM fields. Each Fellow was nominated by her dean or provost and will contribute to institutional initiatives as she expands her leadership skills.

I’m honored to have been selected as an ELATE fellow and look forward to the opportunity to learn how to enhance Michigan Tech’s mission along with strategies to lead and manage change initiatives. Adrienne Minerick

Minerick is associate dean for research and development in Tech’s College of Engineering.

ELATE at Drexel is a one-year, part-time program that focuses on increasing personal and professional leadership effectiveness, leading and managing change initiatives within institutions, using strategic finance and resource management to enhance organizational missions and creating a network of exceptional women who can bring organizational perspectives and deep personal capacity to the institutions and society they serve.

“Michigan Tech is exceptionally pleased that Adrienne was selected for the 2017-2018 Fellowship program at Drexel University to continue with her leadership and professional development,” said Ellen Horsch, vice president for administration.

Adrienne is one of 10 individuals currently engaged in our Excellence in Leadership Development program, a professional development program designed and tailored to support specific growth and advancement at Michigan Tech. I truly look forward to Adrienne’s success as a leader and as a scholar.Ellen Horsch

By Jenn Donovan.

Multi-Dimensional Manufacturing is Best Overall Venture

CMU New Venture Competition

Jim Baker, executive director of Innovation and Industry Engagement and co-director of the Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship, and Lorelle Meadows, dean of the Pavlis Honors College, accompanied students Reggie Dillingham (SBE), Sachin Fernandes (ECE), Joseph Ryan (CS and PSY), Cedric Kennedy (SBE), Kyle Ludwig (ECE), Adam Weber (CNSA), Nick Dubiel (ME), Morgan Crocker (STC), Emily Jensen (SBE) and Brandon Talaska (ChE) who competed in the Central Michigan University New Venture Competition. The competition was held March 24, 2017.

Multi-Dimensional Manufacturing, a 3-D printing technology company founded by Nick Dubiel with support from Morgan Crocker and mentored by Jim Baker finished as the Best Overall Venture with a $30,000 cash prize and a year of mentoring from Blue Water Angels in Midland. The team is also a recent graduate of Michigan Tech’s National Science Foundation I-Corps Site Program.

Nineteen Inducted into Tau Beta Pi Honor Society

Tau Beta Pi 2017
Spring 2017 Michigan Beta – Tau Beta Pi Initiates

The College of Engineering inducted nineteen students into the Michigan Tech Michigan Beta chapter of The College of Engineering inducted nineteen students into the Michigan Tech Michigan Beta chapter of Tau Beta Pi this past last week.

Tau Beta Pi is a nationally recognized engineering honor society, and is the only one that recognizes the engineering profession. Students who join are the top 1/8th of their junior class or top 1/5th of their senior class. The society celebrates those who have distinguished scholarship and exemplary character and members strive to maintain integrity and excellence in engineering.

Spring 2017 Michigan Beta – Tau Beta Pi Initiates:

David Adamovicz – Mechanical Engineering
Adam Augustyniak – Mechanical Engineering
Ryan Beering – Geological Engineering
Kristen Bull – Materials Science and Engineering
Raymond Coyle – Mechanical Engineering
Zachary Garavet – Computer Engineering
Phoebe Glazko – Civil Engineering
Hunter Gulbranson – Chemical Engineering
Benjamin Hubbard – Mechanical Engineering
Rebecca Phipps – Chemical Engineering
Jacob Richards – Mechanical Engineering
Chelsey Rock – Materials Science and Engineering
Lucas Simonson – Electrical Engineering
Riley Stroven – Mechanical Engineering
Victoria Swanson – Civil Engineering
Michael vonKronenberger – Electrical Engineering
Sarah Wade – Computer Engineering
Kayla Wielgus – Civil Engineering
Tyler Wittmann – Environmental Engineering

Engineering Graduate Students Excel at ACS 2017 Student Research Symposium

ACS Local Student ResearchAmeya Narkar received first prize for his poster presentation at the 2017 Upper Peninsula American Chemical Society Student Research Symposium, which was held Saturday, March 25, 2017, in Marquette.

The title of the poster was “Effect of Addition of Acrylic Acid (AAc) on the Wet Adhesion Properties of Mussel-inspired Hydrogels at Multiple pH Values.” Narkar is a PhD student working in the research lab of Bruce Lee.

Muxue Zhang, a graduate student in environmental engineering, was awarded third place at the symposium.

Zhang, a second-year master’s student, presented on her thesis work about predicting the reverse osmosis (RO) rejection of toxicologically relevant organics for direct potable reuse application in wastewater reclamation processes.

She works with Daisuke Minakata (CEE). Her work is part of a funded water reuse project looking at the intrinsic interactions between a wide variety of organics and RO membrane using computational chemistry tools.

The purpose of the event is to provide a venue for students to present their research in chemistry, chemical engineering and related fields. This symposium is an excellent opportunity for students, faculty and the community at large to learn about the interesting research being conducted in the UP. It was hosted by the ACS Upper Peninsula Local Section on the campus of Northern Michigan University.

Virus Hydrophobicity is a Science360 Top Story

Science360

The Michigan Tech News story “Virus Hydrophobicity Can Help Purify Vaccines” concerning the research of Caryn Heldt made the top story of the online news magazine Science360. Heldt is an associate professor of chemical engineering at Michigan Tech.

The vaccine story, written by Michigan Tech science and technology writer Allison Mills, appeared in Science360 five days after it was published. This multimedia source is edited by the National Science Foundation in order to gather breaking STEM news from scientists, universities, and science and engineering centers.

2017 SURF Awards to Eight Engineering Undergraduates

SURF StudentsThe Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program will fund 20 students from across the University with funds from the office of the Vice President for Research. Previous SURF award recipients have included Goldwater Scholarship and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship recipients. Since 2002, SURF students have co-authored 71 peer-reviewed publications. This year’s recipients, project titles and advisors are listed on the SURF webpage.

Kaylie Butts, Rachel Schlicker and Quelyn Bekkering received Honorable Mention.

By Will Cantrell.

2017 Award Recipients in Engineering Programs

Student Name Student’s Major Advisor/Department Project Title
Jessica Benson Biomedical Engineering Jeremy Goldman / Biomedical Eng. Evaluating Biodegradeable Zinc Stent Materials
James Gooding Chemical Engineering Shiyue Fang / Chemistry Digital History of Historic Mineralogical Instruments at the A.E. Seaman Museum
Amanda Kautzer Biomedical Engineering/Eng. Management Rupak Rajachar / Biomedical Eng. Multi-arm PEG-based Hydrogels for Tendon and Ligament Repair
Darian Reed Civil Engineering Pasi Latula / Civil & Environmental Eng. Evaluation of Methods to Record Head Orientation in Driving Simulator and In-Vehicle Study Environments
Marissa Schorr Geology Chad Deering / Geological & Mining Eng. Filling in the Gaps: Finding the Missing Detrital Zircon Puzzle Pieces to the Magmatic Evolution of the Mt. Princeton Batholith, Colorado
Luke Weidner Geological Engineering Thomas Oommen / Geological and Mining Eng. Validation of a Landslide Susceptibility Model Using Ground Movement Image Correlation in Parwan Province, Afghanistan
Travis Wigstrom Chemical Engineering Shiyue Fang / Chemistry A Novel Carboxylic Acid Protecting Group Deprotectable Under Mild Neural Conditions
Aubrey Woern Mechanical Engineering Joshua Pearce / Materials Science Techno-Economic Analysis of Flexible Filaments Used in 3D Printing vs. Traditional Manufacturing

Engineering Students Participate in URS 2017

URS

Winners Announced!

Brian Flanagan
Computer Engineering
The Effects of Uncertain Labels on Damage Assessment in Remotely Sensed Images
SECOND PLACE WINNER

Drew Hanover
Mechanical Engineering
Building-to-Grid Predictive Power Flow Control for Demand Response and Demand Flexibility Programs
THIRD PLACE WINNER

Trevyn Payne
Chemical Engineering
Separation of Individual Components from Lithium-Ion Batteries
HONORABLE MENTION

Hannah Marti
Biomedical Engineering
Psychophysiological Effects of Acute Mindfulness Meditation
HONORABLE MENTION

Several undergraduate students in engineering disciplines participated in Michigan Tech’s Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS) on March 17, 2017, in the Rozsa Lobby. Hosted by the Pavlis Honors College, the URS highlights the amazing cutting-edge research being conducted on Michigan Tech’s campus by some of our best and brightest undergraduate students.

READ THE ABSTRACTS

Participating engineering students included:

Dakota Anderson
Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Improving Upper-Body Muscle Conditioning While Training at Low Intensities

Alicia Ball
Chemical Engineering
Effect of pH & Mineral Chemistry on Settling of Mineral Particles

Erica Coscarelli
Environmental Engineering
Impact of Dissolved Organic Matter & Its Transformation to Ultraviolet Photolysis Process in Engineered Water & Wastewater Treatment Systems

Aaron Dean
Mechanical Engineering
Effectiveness of Using SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study Data to Analyze Driver Behavior at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

Mary Elizabeth Galbraith
Chemical Engineering
Unconventional Rare Earth Element Resources

Rebekka Guyon
Geological Engineering
Production of Biocementation from the Stimulation of Iron-Oxidizing Bacteria to Mitigate Dust Susceptibility

William Hughes
Mechanical Engineering
Investigation of Fuel Injection Systems- Fundamental Nozzle Cavitation Studies

Emily Hunt
Materials Science and Engineering
3D Printed Super-Bainitic Steel

Michelle Kelly
Environmental Engineering
Within-Reach Variation in Nitrification and Denitrification Rates in Lake Superior Tributaries

Ami Kling
Biomedical Engineering
Determination of the Effects of Hyperthermic Ablation on the Microstructure of Type I Collagen

Allysa Meinburg
Biomedical Engineering
Sensorized Suture Anchor for Real Time Monitoring of Tensile Loads

Alex Miltenberger
Applied Geophysics
Multiple-Point Geostatistical Simulation of Fracture Networks Using Secondary Ground Penetrating Radar Information

Zachary Oldenburg
Chemical Engineering
A Preliminary Economic Feasibility Study for the Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Emily Petersen
Materials Science and Engineering
Emergence of Home Manufacturing in the Developed World: Return on Investment for Open-Source 3-D Printers

Denada Planaj
Geological Engineering
Modeling Shallow and Deep Seated Landslides in Wayanad District, Kerala, India

Violet Thole
Materials Science and Engineering
Structure Property Relationships in Next Generation Ballistic Fibers

Ben Updike
Chemical Engineering
Preliminary Quantum Chemical Investigations on the Designing of Effective Catalysts for the Haber Process

Travis Wigstrom
Chemical Engineering
A Better Approach to Tritylation of Alcohols

Erica Anderson
Geological Engineering
Modeling the Potential Travel Paths of Post-Wildfire Debris Flows

Yani Beeker
Materials Science and Engineering
Open-Source Parametric 3-D Printed Slot Die System for Thin Film Semiconductor Processing

Katie Bristol
Applied Geophysics
Rock Magnetic Investigation of Carbonaceous Chondrules from the Allende Meteorite

Jeffrey Brookins
Materials Science and Engineering
Prototyping & Characterization of Zinc-Based Bioabsorbable Vascular Ligating Clips

Andrew Bruning
Mechanical Engineering
Generating Monodisperse Oxidized Methacrylated Alginate Microbeads with Specific Encapsulation Factors

Derek Burrell
Electrical Engineering
Performance Analysis of Stationary Hadamard Matrix Diffusers in Free-Space Optical Communication Links

Elisha Earley
Biomedical Engineering
Evaluating Novel Biodegradable Stent Materials

Simon Eddy
Materials Science and Engineering
Tungsten Disulfide as a Counter Electrode in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Meghan Friske
Biomedical and Electrical Engineering
Characterization of Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffold for Wound Healing Applications

Samuel Gaines
Civil Engineering
Structural Health Monitoring Using UAV’s & Kinect Sensors

Jackie Harris
Chemical Engineering
Investigation into the Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Novel Nitroxide Derivatives

Carly Joseph
Biomedical Engineering
Development of a Novel Injectable Nitric Oxide Releasing Fibrin Microgel Composite Hydrogel for Tendon Repair

Ryan Kibler
Environmental Engineering
Understanding Lake Superior Warming Through Observational Data & Model Results

Jeremy Luebke
Environmental Engineering
Changes in Tropospheric Ozone Formation With a Reduction in PM Over China

Mary Kate Mitchell
Chemical Engineering
Predicting the Rejection Efficiencies of Toxicologically Relevant Organics in Reverse Osmosis of Wastewater Reclamation Processes

Charles Newlin
Materials Science and Engineering
The Effects of Nano-Sized Particles in Ultrahigh Carbon Steels

Thomas Page
Mechanical Engineering
Linear Traverse Design Project for Research Applications in the Cloud Chamber

Emily Praznik
Environmental Engineering
Macroinvertebrates in Hammel Creek

Hao Qin
Materials Science and Engineering
Synergistic Effect of Graphene-Oxide-Doping and Microwave-Curing on Mechanical Strength of Cement

David Ross
Biomedical Engineering
Covalently Bonded Collagen Coating on PDMS Improved Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Sheet

Philip Staublin
Materials Science and Engineering
Modeling Biocorrosion of Zinc Alloys in Endovascular Environment

Valeria Suarez
Geological Engineering
Risk Assessment and Slope Stability Modelling of a Transportation Corridor in Hindu Kush Range

Brendan Treanore
Materials Science and Engineering
Substrate Active Cooling for Weld Based 3D Printing

Deans’ Teaching Showcase: Julie King

Julia King
Julia King

In week nine, the new Deans’ Teaching Showcase member is from the College of Engineering. Dean Wayne Pennington has selected Julie King, professor of chemical engineering based on recommendations from co-workers, students and her chair.

Adrienne Minerick (ChE), associate dean for research and innovation, who was Julie’s student as part of her bachelor’s degree and is now a colleague, calls King a “highly influential role model for me” as well as for many other students.

More specifically, Minerick says “Julie consistently is recognized by her students for her personal interest, advice and interactions. She stays invested in student success after they leave her classes, approaching those teaching subsequent classes with insights and advocacy strategies. I’ve never met a stronger advocate for students.”

S. Komar Kawatra, chemical engineering chair, praises King for her dedication, especially in the demanding Unit Operations Laboratory, saying “She spends a great deal of time with students, and always takes on additional teaching duties at the time of need.”

Kawatra calls King a “model professor,” and indicates that she has received similar praise from the Mack family as the Lorna and James Mack Chair Professor in Continuous Processing.

King’s current students confirm her great mentoring, but also appreciate her passion for excellent teaching and continuous improvement. One student comment read “She continuously asks students what she can do to improve their hands-on learning experiences or what areas she can provide more practical examples of chemical engineering applications to prepare them for full-time positions. She actively listens to her students and genuinely considers their feedback for future lessons or experiments.”

This same student believes that King is “part of the reason why chemical engineers from Michigan Tech are some of the best in the world.”

King will be recognized at an end-of-term luncheon with 11 other showcase members, and is now eligible for one of three new teaching awards to be given by the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning this summer recognizing introductory or large-class teaching, innovative or outside-the-classroom teaching methods, or work in curriculum and assessment.

By Michael Meyer, Director, William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning.

Budget News on H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex

H-STEMGovernor Snyder mentioned the project during his Budget Proposal Speech on February 8, 2017.

The $39.6M complex would contribute to Human-centered research, development and education for its students by developing therapeutic devices, sensors, instruments, preventive strategies and a health technologies-related workforce.

Read more at WLUC TV6, by Alyssa Barker.

Michigan Tech Board of Trustees Approves 5-year Capital Outlay Plan

The complex will support Michigan Tech’s integrated educational programs that apply engineering and science to problems related to the human condition. The University’s unique technological niche places Tech in an ideal position to contribute to human-centered research, development and education for its students by developing therapeutic devices, sensors, instruments, preventive strategies and a health technologies-related workforce. The complex will permit teams of researchers and students from Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Cognitive and Learning Sciences, Computer Science, and Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology to work together in flexible lab spaces with shared equipment.

Read more at Michigan Tech News, by Jennifer Donovan.

Six Engineering Programs Ranked Top Picks for Vets

Campus and Husky Outdoor SceneCollege Factual, a website that provides ranking, academics and outcomes information on colleges and universities, has ranked six Michigan Tech degree programs top picks for veterans.

The website ranked Tech’s mechanical engineering and environmental engineering in the top 10 nationwide, listing chemical engineering, civil engineering and computer engineering in the top 20. Electrical engineering was ranked in the top 40 in the nation.

By Jenn Donovan.