Materials Science and Engineering Archives | College of Engineering Blog

Michigan Space Grant Consortium Awardees for 2024–2025

Published March 8, 2024

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

Paul van Susante (ME-EM): HONES — “NASA Lunabotics Competition”

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.

Joint ROTC Commissioning Ceremony December 15, 2023

Published December 11, 2023

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Army ROTC Fall Commissioning group on stage.

The Air Force and Army ROTC invite you to the Fall 2023 Commissioning Ceremony on Friday (Dec. 15) at 7 p.m. at the Rozsa Center.

This semester, we have one Air Force cadet and eight Army cadets commissioning.

Those commissioning are from the following programs:

We will also be streaming the ceremony if you prefer to watch it live on YouTube.

By Air Force and Army ROTC.

Michigan Tech Students Attend IAAPA Expo in Orlando

Published December 8, 2023

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students wearing expo name badges standing arm in arm, with arcade games in the background — Student members of the Theme Park Engineering Group at Michigan Tech attended the IAAPA Expo in Orlando this past November.

Last month, seven Michigan Tech students left campus in the early hours of the morning on Saturday, November 11th. With travel funding and support from industry leader LAI Games, an award-winning arcade producer, they set off on a 1,500 mile journey to attend the annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo in Orlando, Florida.

Mechanical engineering students Jason Rogers, Cameron Whiteside, Katie Morin, Julian Arens, Jackson Arens, and Joaquin Sibug, and Materials Science and Engineering student Aaron Boonstra, spent the full week of November 13th-17th attending educational sessions, networking with industry professionals, and exploring the vast trade show floor.

The trade show floor with lots of exhibitor booths — Hundreds of companies were in attendance at this year’s IAAPA Expo.

All are members of the Theme Park Engineering Group (TPEG) at Michigan Tech, which aims to promote the education and appreciation of the themed entertainment industry on campus. The group looks behind the scenes of the industry, in order to get to know the design, engineering, and technology behind some of the world’s most thrilling attractions. TPEG is advised by Kent Cyr, assistant professor in Michigan Tech’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

Hundreds of companies representing every facet of the themed entertainment industry demonstrated that nearly every discipline of engineering had opportunities within this exciting industry. From material scientists discussing new compounds for roller coaster wheels, to mechanical engineers in awe at state-of-the-art animatronic figures, every member of the Group found something that inspired them.

Industry leader LAI Games sponsored the group and covered the cost of attendance to the Expo. The global company was founded over 60 years ago, and has its headquarters in The Colony, Texas and Singapore. LAI develops, manufactures, and sells coin and card operated prize merchandising games, as well as ticket redemption, video, and novelty games.

“There truly is something for everyone in this industry,” says Cameron Whiteside, fifth-year mechanical engineering student, and Secretary of TPEG at Michigan Tech. “Whether you’re a mechanical engineering student, or a computer science student, business major, theater technology major, artist, journalist, whatever your discipline—there is absolutely a company that utilizes your skills in themed entertainment.”

Four students stand in front of the IAAPA Expo sign at the entrance. — The IAAPA Expo is an exciting event for all students in the themed entertainment industry!

Several members spent the week speaking directly with company representatives and industry professionals, showcasing the unique set of skills and knowledge only Michigan Tech students can demonstrate. Some students even mentioned possible internship and full-time job opportunities.

In addition to the new professional connections made throughout the week, some students were returning to the Expo, having attended the previous year. They were able to reconvene with contacts they’d made at prior events, catching up on their latest projects and developments—both industry professionals and other students from theme park groups at other universities from around the world.

“In a few short years, these people will be our co-workers,” notes Whiteside. “It’s important to maintain connections with everyone you meet at these events, because you’re bound to run into them again at some point.”

TPEG at Michigan Tech thanks LAI Games. “Without their invaluable support, several members of TPEG would have been unable to attend.”

Several recent graduates, including Ryan Briggs (BS Computer Engineering, ’23), are already actively working on some of the most groundbreaking projects in themed entertainment at TAIT, notes Whiteside.

The students were also able to meet with MTU alumni who have found their way into the industry over the years. Some alumni have been leading the industry for decades, like Korey Kiepert (BS ’97, MS ’99, Mechanical Engineering) who went on to co-found The Gravity Group, LLC.

“Our group started out as a few students looking at videos of new attractions on the other side of the world,” he adds. “Now we have alumni of TPEG working alongside the actual designers of those same rides. It’s honestly pretty amazing. I look forward to seeing what current members can do for the industry in the coming years.”

Whiteside will be graduating in December with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Technical Theater.

“TPEG would like to thank LAI Games for sponsoring the group and covering the cost of attendance to the Expo.

MTU Engineering Welcomes 18 New Faculty Members

Published November 9, 2023

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The College is honored to welcome 18 new faculty members this fall. They bring a range of expertise among seven multidisciplinary research areas: Energy and Sustainability, Advanced Manufacturing, Autonomy and Mobility, Engineering Infrastructure, Engineering for Health, Space and Aerospace, and Navigating our Environment.

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Dr. Quang Tran joins the faculty as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from Harvard Medical School, Harvard affiliated hospitals, and the UIUC Bioacoustics Research Lab, where he dedicated three years to postdoctoral research. Dr. Tran earned a PhD in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, an MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering at California State University, Fullerton, and a BS in Industrial and System Engineering at Ho Chi Minh University of Technology, Vietnam. His research focuses on non-invasive ultrasound for material characterization applications in civil engineering and biomedical fields, diagnosing and monitoring the health of infrastructures and humans.

Dr. Ishi Keenum joins the faculty as an assistant professor. She comes to Michigan Tech from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where she completed postdoctoral research. She earned a BS in at the University of Michigan, and an MS and PhD at Virginia Tech, all in Environmental Engineering. Keenum serves as the lead of the bioinformatic working group for the International Microbiome and Multi’Omics Standards Alliance (IMMSA). Her research is focused on the dissemination and treatment of antibiotic resistance through wastewater and water systems, and the microbiology of water systems.

Dr. Bo Xiao joins the faculty as assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where he worked as a research assistant professor. He earned a BEng in Civil Engineering at Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology in China, an MS from Concordia University in Canada, and a PhD at the University of Alberta, Canada. His research seeks to advance the digital transformation of the construction industry by adopting automated technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and digital twinning, for modular construction, as well as visual monitoring of construction sites.

Dr. Mazi Erfani joins the faculty as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned a PhD in Civil Engineering. He earned a BS in Civil Engineering and MSc, in Construction Engineering and Management at the University of Tehran in Iran. His research interests include data-driven infrastructure management, Smart construction, equity and diversity, risk management, text analytics and natural language processing, and AI modeling.

Kerri Sleeman joins the faculty as a professor of practice. After working in the automotive and construction industries as an engineer she joined Michigan Tech staff, directing MTU Facilities Management. She earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Engineering, both at Michigan Tech. Sleeman brings strong industry experience to students in the Construction Management Program, and will increase sustainable construction course offerings for students.

John Bean joins Michigan Tech as a visiting professor of practice in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering. He earned an MS in Civil and Structural Engineering at the University of Connecticut and a BS in Civil Engineering at the University of New Hampshire. He also earned a graduate certificate in Surveying Engineering at the University of Maine. His focus for teaching includes surveying, mapping and database support to engineering field-based research projects. He has over 40 years of experience in surveying, civil engineering, and GIS, both in teaching and in practice. His work has taken him to Antarctica, the North Slope of Alaska, and the Mojave Desert, among other places.

Jennifer Miller joins the faculty as a professor of practice. She earned a Master’s in Business Administration at Central Michigan University and a BS in Civil Engineering at Michigan Tech. Her teaching interests focus on construction management. She has more than 20 years of construction experience, including working for General Contractors, Specialty Contractors, design firms, and governmental entities including Michigan Department of Transportation.

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. Anna Stuhlmacher joins the faculty as an assistant professor. She comes to Michigan Tech from the University of Michigan. She earned a BS at Boston University and an MS and PhD at the University of Michigan, all in electrical engineering. She interned at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and grew up in the Chicago area. Her research explores optimizing and controlling distributed energy resources (like solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles) in the power grid to provide flexibility in the transition to more sustainable and reliable energy systems.

Department of Engineering Fundamentals

Dr. Gabriel Draughon joins the faculty as an assistant teaching professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the University of Michigan, where he earned an MS and PhD in Civil Engineering (Intelligent Systems). He earned a BS in Biosystems Engineering at the University of Kentucky. His research and teaching interests involve Smart Cities, and how sensing technologies in urban settings help better understand how people move through, interact with, and derive benefits from social infrastructure.

Department of Chemical Engineering

Dr. Kaiwu Huang comes to Michigan Tech from Virginia Tech, where he worked as a research associate in the Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering. He earned a BS in Mining and Minerals Engineering at China University of Mining and Technology in Beijing, and an MS and PhD in Mining and Minerals Engineering at Virginia Tech. His research focus is on sustainable mining, including mineral processing, mineral flotation, solid/liquid separation, carbon ore beneficiation, rare earth extraction, and copper concentration.

Dr. Luis Manzano comes to Michigan Tech from Monterrey, Mexico, where he earned an MS and PhD in Biotechnology at the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM). He earned his undergraduate degree in Biotechnology Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Pachuca. His research focuses on the sustainable purification of PEG-modified proteins/enzymes (PEGylated), used as biopharmaceuticals in the treatment of disease and potentially in the recovery and purification of anticancer, low-molecular weight compounds such as flavonoids.

Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology

Rachel Store joins the faculty as an assistant teaching professor. She earned a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering, both at Michigan Tech. Her research focus is on friction stir processing and Lean and Quality manufacturing. Her teaching and research interests include additive manufacturing, forming processes, and materials manufacturing with friction stir processing.

Department of Material Science and Engineering

Dr. Alexandra Glover joins the faculty as an assistant professor. She comes to Michigan Tech from Los Alamos National Laboratory, where she worked as a research and development engineer with Sigma Division. Glover earned an MS and PhD at the Colorado School of Mines in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, and a BS in Materials Science and Engineering at Michigan Tech. Her research interests include mechanical behavior of materials, strengthening mechanisms, deformation processing and design for manufacturing, steels, shape memory alloys, and deformation induced phase transformations.

Dr. Joshua Mueller joins the faculty as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the Dynamic-Structure Design and Engineering Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he worked as a research and development engineer. Mueller earned an MS and PhD at the Colorado School of Mines in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, and a BS in Materials Science and Engineering at University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research interests include physical metallurgy, phase transformations, thermodynamics, and microstructure evolution.

Dr. Sriram Vijayan joins Michigan Tech as an assistant professor. He earned a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Connecticut, a Master’s in Materials Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and a Bachelors in Materials Engineering at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University. His research interests include understanding microstructural evolution in materials under complex thermal conditions,
process-structure-property relationships of additively manufactured builds, and materials for nuclear reactor applications.

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Dr. Shawn Brueshaber comes to Michigan Tech from Western Michigan University, where he earned an MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He earned a BS in Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. After graduating, he spent several years in industry. His research is focused on the polar atmospheric dynamics of the giant planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, with a goal of developing a comprehensive theory of weather and climate applicable to all planetary bodies with an atmosphere.

Dr. Chad Walber joins the faculty as an Associate Teaching Professor. He earned an MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech, and a BS in both Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, also from Tech. He worked at PCB Piezotronics as a research and development engineer and at Michigan Tech as a visiting professor of practice. His teaching and research focus includes metrology, dynamic systems, noise and vibration, acoustics, and the test and measurement of those quantities, including developing specification and calibration standards for microphones and sound level meters.

Dr. Bhisham Sharma joins the faculty as an associate professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from Wichita State University, where he worked as an assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering. He earned an MS and PhD in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Purdue University, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pune in Pune, India. Sharma was also a post-doctoral research associate and a visiting assistant professor at Purdue. His research involves the overlap of solid mechanics, structural dynamics, acoustics, and advanced manufacturing. He investigates the fundamental mechanics and acoustics of novel engineered material systems such as acoustic metamaterials, phononic structures, architected lattice structures, stochastic foams, and advanced manufacturing.
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SWE Section Attends SWE WE23 Societal Conference

Published November 6, 2023

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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.

SWE Section Travels to SWE-Wisconsin Professional Day

Published May 1, 2023

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Very large group of women at SWE Spring Forward 2023. — Image from SWE-Wisconsin Spring Forward 2023 Facebook page.

Last Saturday (April 15, 2023), MTU’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) section attended the Annual SWE-Wisconsin Professional Day in Madison. We enjoyed visiting with the SWE-Wisconsin Professional Section, developing career skills and learning about engineering opportunities.

Gretchen Hein, SWE advisor, led an #IamRemarkable workshop, where participants learned how to advocate for themselves and others, and the importance of those skills in career development.
Second-year student Kathryn Krieger (environmental engineering) was honored as the 2023 GE-Healthcare Scholarship recipient. The scholarship committee was impressed with her involvement in SWE, Engineers without Borders and Delta Phi Epsilon.
The section received the Collegiate Section Achievement Award for establishing the SWE Section Endowed Scholarship.
We were also excited to see Andrea Falasco ’12 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) and learn about her career path during the panel discussion on working for big versus small companies.

Nine section members attended:

Amanda West, junior (mechanical engineering):
“I enjoyed networking with the other SWE sections in the region. It was great to learn how other students handle their organization and use it to help improve our own.”
Talia Olson, junior (mechanical engineering):
“I enjoyed getting inspired by other women engineers and learning from their experiences. I learned how to brand myself and to own my strength in the workforce.”
Cassandra Borr, second-year (mechanical engineering):
“I found this conference to be very empowering, as we were able to see what other women in the industry have accomplished and how they achieved it.”
Carissa Best, first-year (mechanical engineering):
“I really enjoyed having the opportunity to hear the stories of confident women in STEM who were interested in empowering other women.”
Kathryn Krieger, second-year (environmental engineering):
“SWE has grown to be such an important part of my college career. I am constantly inspired by the women around me and grateful for the opportunities for both personal and professional growth.”
Catherine Huston, second-year (materials science and engineering):
“Learning to own who I am and how to recognize my accomplishments was empowering and an experience I will carry with me as I navigate my path in life.”
Tory Cantrell, first-year (mechanical engineering):
“The most important piece of advice that I will take away from this conference is how it is important to step outside of your comfort zone and evolve your leadership brand as you grow.”
Rixlie Fozilova, graduate student (environmental engineering):
“The Spring Forward SWE conference provided me with an amazing opportunity to network with fellow engineering students and professionals from a wide variety of companies and backgrounds.”
Lydia Minzey, first-year (environmental engineering):
“The conference empowered participants to believe in their abilities and reach out to achieve their full potential, even while being a minority in their field. I’m very grateful to have been able to attend and learn from the wise women present.”

SWE thanks the College of Engineering and engineering departments for supporting SWE throughout the year. We also thank the Undergraduate Student Government and our corporate sponsors, whose support made this travel possible.

By Gretchen Hein, Advisor, Society of Women Engineers.

Design Expo 2023: Awards Results!

Published April 21, 2023

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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

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

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

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

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

SENIOR DESIGN

FIRST PLACE

233: 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)

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

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

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

Department of GMES Shines at the 2023 Annual SME Conference and Expo in Denver

Published April 11, 2023

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The 2023 Annual Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME) Conference & Expo, held February 26–March 1 in Denver, Colorado, was a huge success for the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences (GMES) at Michigan Tech. A large group of students and faculty representing the mining engineering and geological engineering programs attended the event, including eight BS students, five MS students, and a PhD student, along with two faculty members. They presented their research, received awards, and connected with alumni and industry.

The students in attendance were Michael Carly, Kolby Carpenter, Leanne Daanen, Jack Hawes, Jake Maxon, John Myaard, Jared Searl, Max Stange, Charles Addai, Ian Gannon, DharmaSai Eshwar Reddy Sirigiri, Enoch Nii-Okai, Emmanuel Wolubah, and Abid Danish.

Research Presentations

Associate Professor and Witte Family Endowed Faculty Fellow in Mining Engineering Snehamoy Chatterjee, delivered an oral presentation titled “Workers’ Compensation Data Analysis to Characterize Injury Severity in the Mining Industry,” based on his ongoing NIOSH-funded research.

Dr. Chatterjee’s MS student DharmaSai Eshwar Reddy Sirigiri gave an oral presentation titled “Modeling the Number of Days Lost from a Mining Accident by a Two-Stage Hierarchical Machine Learning Approach and MSHA Accident Data.”

Dr. Chatterjee’s PhD student Abid Danish presented a poster titled “Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning-based approach for clustering analysis of mining accident narratives.”

Recognitions

Dr. Nathan Manser, professor of practice in mining engineering and the chair for the Upper Peninsula Section of SME, accepted the Miners Give Back Award on behalf of the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin SME local sections. This award is given annually and recognizes extraordinary achievements in community service and the advancement of the strategic objectives of SME during the past year by the local section membership. The focus of their work involved a collaboration with 4H to promote geosciences to middle-school-aged children in the region.

Alumni Connections

Michigan Tech alumni have always had strong representation within SME. Most notably, Marc LeVier (MTU BSMY ’71, MS ‘77) became the 2023 SME President on March 1 at the conclusion of SME Annual Conference & Expo.

As part of the week-long activities at SME, the GMES department hosted an alumni engagement event in the Hyatt Regency Downtown. About 66 guests attended the two-hour social event, including alumni from several MTU departments such as GMES and the Departments of Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering.

The attendees came from classes in the mid-1980s through our most recent graduates, showcasing the vast network of connections alumni have, especially in the geoscience and minerals industries. A few members of the Industrial Advisory Board for Mining Engineering at MTU attended the event to rekindle connections with students and alumni. Our special thanks to Julie Marinucci for helping with the event organization! The event was a great opportunity for everyone to network and catch up with old friends. Overall, the alumni engagement event was a success, and plans for the next meeting in Phoenix are already underway. We are grateful to all the alumni who attended and look forward to seeing even more of them at future events.

Five people standing at a table in a large room. — GMES alumni event: (left to right) Luis Sierra (BSMG ‘05), Katie Robertson (BSMG ‘04), Trent Weatherwax (BSMG ‘03), John Uhrie (PhD ‘96), Theodosia Uhrie (BS STC ‘91). Photo credit: Julie Marinucci.

Six people standing at a table in a large room. — GMES alumni event: (left to right) Amol Paithankar (MSMG ’17; MS PhD ’20); Abid Danish (Mining Engineering PhD student); Bowen Li (Research Professor, Materials Science and Engineering); Charles Addai (Mining Engineering MS Student); Emmanuel Wolubah (Mining Engineering MS Student); and Enoch Nii-Okai (Mining Engineering MS Student). Photo credit: Julie Marinucci.

Four people standing near the wall in a large room. — GMES alumni event: (left to right) Richard Saccany (MTU BSMG ‘71), Don Larsen (MTU BSMY ‘79), Komar Kawatra (MTU Chemical Engineering), Mike Onsager (MTU BSEE ‘76). Photo credit: Julie Marinucci.

Four people standing in a large room. — Michael Carley (BSGE ‘23), Jake Maxon (BSMG ‘23), Nathan Manser (BSMG ‘01), and Kurt Doran (MTU ‘04). Photo credit: Julie Marinucci.

Fun

The MTU Student Chapter of SME participated in the Komatsu Student and Professor event at the conference, a dueling-piano themed event with over 300 attendees from schools worldwide.

Group of 15 people cheering and holding a Night on Bourbon Street from Michigan Tech sign. — The GMES group at the Komatsu student night event. Upper row, left to right: Kolby Carpenter, Charles Addai, Emmanuel Wolubah, Jack Hawes, Max Stange, Snehamoy Chatterjee, Nathan Manser, Dharmasai Eshwar Reddy S. Lower row, left to right: Abid Danish, John Myaard, Jake Maxon, Enoch Nii-Okai, Michael Carly, Ian Gannon, Leanne Daanen.

Other SME Activities

Director of MTU Mine Safety Program (hosted at GMES) Matt Portfleet, joined by mine safety trainers Marisa Roerig, Ron Gradowski, and Jake Drenth, also attended the SME conference. They had great opportunities to meet others within the mining industry and to exchange ideas. Michigan Tech Mine Safety also had the privilege of taking a two-hour private tour of the Colorado School of Mines “Edgar” mine. This is strictly an educational and research mine, which is operated by the school to provide students with hands-on experience and a location for research projects.

Says Matt Portfleet: “It was great to hear firsthand from our graduate student tour guides about the activities taking place there. Following this, we visited the Capitol Prize gold mine to experience some of the history of the area.”

The last day of our trip was again spent at the Colorado School of Mines, this time with Korky Vault, a 25-year veteran of mine safety training and specialist on cognitive impairments caused by sleep deprivation, substance abuse, and other influences. “This training provided us valuable knowledge and resources to share with our Mine safety trainees here in Michigan.”

Five people wearing hardhats and gear in a lighted mine shaft. — The MTU Mine Safety Program team explores the CSM’s “Edgar” mine.

Impact

We thank the Richard Saccany Mining Program Fund, the Robert Hendricks Mining Endowment Fund, and all our friends who contributed to the Mining and Material Processing Engineering Fund. Their contributions made it possible for our students to attend the SME conference and gain exposure to the latest advances in mining engineering research and practice, network with industry professionals, and explore future career paths.

As the department chair, I cannot overstate the importance of attending professional meetings for our students’ career development. The in-person attendance of the SME Conference & Expo was crucially important for building their professional networks and gaining valuable insights into the latest developments in the field. I believe that these experiences will contribute significantly to their success in their chosen careers.

One student attendee, John Myaard, shared: “I learned a lot and made some great connections with people in a diverse range of industries like mining, research, and mineral processing.”

Overall, the participation of our department in the 2023 SME Conference & Expo was a great success, and we look forward to participating in future events.

By Aleksey Smirnov, chair of GMES.

John Jaszczak: The A.E. Seaman Museum—120 Years

Published March 22, 2023

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This well-formed cube is copper, a remarkable specimen from Copper Falls Mine in Eagle Harbor, MI. You’ll find it on display at the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum at Michigan Tech. Photo credit: John Jaszczak.

John Jaszczak will share his contagious enthusiasm for minerals on Husky Bites, a free, interactive Zoom webinar on Monday, 3/27 at 6 pm ET. Learn something new in just 30 minutes or so, with time after for Q&A! Get the full scoop and register at mtu.edu/huskybites.

What are you doing for supper this Monday 3/20 at 6 p.m. ET? Grab a bite with Graduate School Dean Will Cantrell and John Jaszczak, Professor of Physics at Michigan Tech. Jaszczak is also the Director and John and Phyllis Seaman Endowed Curator of the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum. Joining in will be Patrice Cobin, Museum Manager. Cobin is also a Michigan Tech alumna.

The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum showcases amazing minerals from the Great Lakes region and around the world. This year is special, as the museum celebrates its 120th anniversary.

The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum curates approximately 40,000 cataloged objects. The museum houses the world’s finest collection of native copper and other Upper Peninsula minerals, a superb collection of minerals from around the Great Lakes Region, and a broad representation of fine minerals from around the world—all displayed in a 8,000-square-foot building located on the south end of the Michigan Tech campus.

As curator, Jaszczak holds the responsibilities of caring for, growing and utilizing the museum’s collections of minerals and related objects for exhibit, education and research. Mineral collecting is also his long-standing hobby, with over 4,000 specimens in his personal collection.

“Some minerals can have a natural wow factor, and while we use many of them daily without thinking twice, some specimens are truly objects of art,” Jaszczak says.

During Husky Bites, Jaszczak and Cobin will share a little bit of the museum’s long history dating back to the origins of the University in 1885. They’ll share some collection highlights, as well as its mission and current programming.

On April 24, 1990, the Michigan legislature made the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum the official Mineral Museum of Michigan. With the largest public exhibit of an outstanding collection of minerals from the Great Lakes region, as well, it’s known unofficially as the Great Lakes Mineral Museum, too.

The museum also has a visitor-friendly garden, where rocks of the Great Lakes region are featured. “Most rocks are combinations of one or more minerals,” Cobin explains. “The individual minerals found in rocks can be seen in the exhibit hall.”

This year is special, as the museum celebrates its 120th anniversary.

Last March, John “Jack” (A. E. Seaman’s grandson) and Phyllis Seaman celebrated Jack’s 103rd birthday with a gift to Michigan Tech. Their endowment ensures the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum will continue to impact students, scientists and the public for generations to come and provides perpetual support for a museum curator. Prof. Jaszczak was named the inaugural appointee to this newly endowed position.

Experience the beauty and splendor of minerals at one of North America’s great mineral museums. The on-site gift shop is also a true gem!

A special piece in the museum’s collection–one originally from A.E. Seaman’s personal collection.

“I thoroughly enjoy working with a great team of people and this world-famous collection of minerals.” —John Jaszczak

“As museum manager, Patty helps lead a great team of staff and students to deliver a top-notch experience for museum visitors. She also assists me with programming, collection care, and exhibits,” notes Jaszczak.

An affiliated Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Jaszczak also serves as the associate director of education and outreach of MuSTI, the Multi-Scale Technologies Institute at Michigan Tech. MuSTI’s mission is to create knowledge and technologies leading to functional systems that incorporate nanotechnologies and microtechnologies, and to disseminate knowledge through research, scholarship, and education.

Dr. Jaszczak even has a mineral named in his honor, jaszczakite. It was discovered and named by Luca Bindi and Werner Paar in 2016. Jaszczakite consists of layered sulfide of lead, bismuth and gold from the Nagybörzsöny gold deposit in northern Hungary.

Pictured here: jaszczakite, a mineral named for Professor Jaszczak. He jokingly notes that “it is so rare that it almost doesn’t exist” since it is only known in one specimen (shown in this scanning electron microscope image). Image from Eur. J. Mineral. 2017, vol. 29, 673-677.

“Those who describe new minerals also can name them within guidelines and need to have the mineral (science) and proposed name approved by the International Mineralogical Association’s Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification. They can be named for chemistry, locality, etc. or to honor people (not relatives). “In this case, it was an honor that Luca Bindi initiated,” Jaszczak explains. “Luca and I have collaborated on characterizing and naming two new minerals. One, merelaniite, was just getting finished up at the time he found jaszczakite.”

The paper says:

Conical graphite on the surfaces of unusual graphite spheres.

Jaszczakite is named in honour of John A. Jaszczak (b.
1961), Professor of Physics at the Michigan Technological
University, and Adjunct Curator at the A.E. Seaman
Mineral Museum, and well-known mineral expert for
more than 30 years. His studies on the complexities of the
morphology and structure of natural graphite are of wide
international recognition.

Jaszczak together with Curator Emeritus George Robinson discovered very rare naturally occurring conical graphite on the surfaces of unusual graphite spheres at an occurrence in Ontario. One of their scanning electron microscope images of the tiny cones appeared on the cover of the journal Carbon in 2004 and 2005.

Pictured above: growth spirals on a natural graphite crystal from New York. Over the years, Jaszczak and his students have supplied scientists with rare forms of graphite, especially high-quality single crystals isolated from natural rock formations. These are used for basic and applied research, including the study of graphene.

Prof. Jaszczak, how did you first get into science and engineering? What sparked your interest?

Prof. Jaszczak grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. Here, on a trip to Poland.

I became interested in being a scientist at a young age due to my interest in minerals and mineral collecting. That led me first to chemistry, and then to physics. I didn’t know about materials science and engineering until college and I stuck with physics, but am also proud to be affiliated with the Michigan Tech MSE department. So I’m not an engineer, but in my career I’ve helped to teach a lot of them about introductory physics!

I’ve been affiliated with the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum since 1992 (adjunct curator) soon after arriving at Tech. It is a thrill to have become director and curator of this amazing collection.

Hometown, family?

I grew up in Parma, Ohio, near Cleveland. My wife and I met at Ohio State University while I was in graduate school. We’ve raised seven children here in Copper Country, including three Michigan Tech grads, and are now also enjoying grandchildren..

What do you like to do in your spare time?

My specialties include collecting graphite (pretty odd for a mineral collector) and collecting minerals from the Merelani gem mines in Tanzania. (I actually helped describe two new minerals from the Merelani mines.) I also enjoy photographing minerals. I’ve have had photos published in several mineral-related journals. My wife and I also regularly serve in our local church.

The lovely A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum Garden is open to the public, with plenty of Great Lakes rocks on display, and picnic tables, too.

Patty, how did you first get into mineralogy? What sparked your interest?

I have long been mesmerized by minerals. I don’t really recall when I was not happy to add another piece to my collection. My interest only further developed in college, when I began to study geology.

Hometown and family?

I grew up in Connecticut, and received my undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. I first came to Michigan Tech for the Peace Corps Masters’ International Program, during which I served in Guatemala while earning my MS in Geology.

Any hobbies or pets? What do you like to do for fun?

My partner and I have two dogs, so we enjoy taking walks with them.

Watch

Watch this Mineral Museum mini-tour from Keweenaw Convention and Visitors Bureau to learn more about the museum’s history and collections.

It’s Engineers Week 2023!

Published February 16, 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.

Category: Materials Science and Engineering

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

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

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

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Department of Engineering Fundamentals

Department of Chemical Engineering

Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology

Department of Material Science and Engineering

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Related

Project Sponsors Support Michigan Tech’s Educational Mission

ENTERPRISE

SENIOR DESIGN

Design Expo Innovation Awards (Based on Application)

Research Presentations

Recognitions

Alumni Connections

Fun

Other SME Activities

Impact

“I thoroughly enjoy working with a great team of people and this world-famous collection of minerals.” —John Jaszczak

Prof. Jaszczak, how did you first get into science and engineering? What sparked your interest?

Hometown, family?

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Patty, how did you first get into mineralogy? What sparked your interest?

Hometown and family?

Any hobbies or pets? What do you like to do for fun?

Read more:

Watch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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