College of Engineering Blog

Category: Faculty and Staff

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

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

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

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

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

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College of Engineering Celebrates New and Promoted Faculty

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

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

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

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

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MTU Mechanical Engineering Research Team Selected for NASA Space Habitat Challenge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Distinguished Professor Adrienne Minerick Inducted into the AIMBE College of Fellows

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Head of the Pack: A Conversation with Associate Deans Amy Landis and Audra Morse

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From left, Audra Morse and Amy Landis pose at a desk in the College of Engineering Dean’s Office. Morse wears a charcoal blazer, black turtleneck sweater, and jeans and Landis wears a gray blazer and dress.
Associate Deans Audra Morse, left, and Amy Landis support the College’s mission as new members of its administrative leadership.

When Dean Michelle Scherer arrived at Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year, she brought with her a new vision of engineering education excellence. Known for its hands-on, practical approach, the College of Engineering under her leadership would train collaborative and imaginative engineers from all backgrounds to develop, test, and build real solutions to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

This summer, Dean Scherer welcomed two new associate deans to the College’s administration who will work closely with her to deliver on that vision of world-class education, research, and leaders

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College of Engineering Welcomes New Faculty Members

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16 new faculty and staff gather for a group portrait in the lobby of the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. All wear the same black t-shirt that reads “MTUengineering” and stand in front of large windows.
New members of the College’s faculty and staff were welcomed to Michigan Tech prior to the start of the school year at a get-together in Tech’s Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts.

The Michigan Tech College of Engineering welcomes 13 new faculty members across six departments for the 2025-2026 academic year. These new researchers and educators bring a wealth of experience and expertise in fields including computational fluid dynamics, autonomous machines and vehicles, artificial intelligence, freshwater management, and more. 

“Tomorrow needs every engineer and we need thoughtful, dedicated faculty to educate and inspire them,” said Michelle Scherer, dean of the College of Engineering. “I am thrilled to welcome this phenomenally talented group to help train the next generation of Husky engineers. Exciting things are ahead!”

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Engineering Expectations: Professor and CEO Brad King to Deliver First-Year Engineering Lecture

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Brad King poses in a blue button-up shirt in front of a tall server.
Brad King has been launching rockets and careers from the Keweenaw since 2000. Now, he’s going back to basics as this year’s First Year Engineering Lecture series speaker.

Sometimes, it is as easy as rocket science. That’s been the focus of L. Brad King’s career since the beginning—and the Richard and Elizabeth Henes Endowed Professor of Space Systems with the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is going back to basics as this year’s First-Year Engineering Lecture series speaker.

Part of an annual College of Engineering series hosted by the Department of Engineering Fundamentals, King’s lecture, entitled “You’re Good at Math and You Like to Build Things, Now What?,” will cover his expansive career as well as provide practical advice to students on what to expect as they become engineers. This special event, which is exclusively for first-year engineering students, takes place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9, in Michigan Tech’s Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts.

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Amy Landis Named College of Engineering Associate Dean of Graduate and Online Education

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Aerial photo of Michigan Tech’s main campus and Keweenaw Waterway during a sunset.
The College of Engineering has appointed an associate dean of graduate and online education. Amy E. Landis begins her duties August 4.

Amy E. Landis has been named associate dean of graduate and online education of the College of Engineering at Michigan Technological University, effective August 4.

Amy Landis
Amy Landis joins Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, where she was a professor of civil and environmental engineering and Presidential Faculty Fellow. (Photo courtesy of Amy Landis)

Landis brings 18 years of expertise in academic programming and educational excellence to this new role in the College. Prior to joining Tech, Landis had been a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Colorado School of Mines since 2017. There, she served as the Presidential Faculty Fellow for Diversity, Inclusion, and Access and raised over $3.45 million for programming and scholarships. Landis, who holds a visiting professorship at the Santo Domingo Institute of Technology in the Dominican Republic, previously served as director of the Institute of Sustainability at Clemson University where she was the Thomas F. Hash ’69 Endowed Chair in Sustainable Development. 

“The heart and soul of innovative research at Tech is our graduate students and I am thrilled Amy Landis is joining us in this new position focused on preparing our students for successful careers in industry, academia and the public sector,” said Michelle Scherer, dean of the College of Engineering. “Amy has dedicated her career to providing opportunities and research experiences for engineering students across the globe.”

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