College of Engineering Blog

Category: News

MMET Fall 2020 Senior Projects at Michigan Tech

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Senior Design is thriving in the MMET department at Michigan Tech

“We’re very excited about two sponsored projects that are underway this fall 2020,” says John Irwin, chair of the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology at Michigan Tech.

“Members of our MMET Industrial Advisory Board from three different companies supported projects, providing two student groups with a scope of work to research solutions, develop alternatives to design and then manufacture prototypes of those solutions. We are very thankful for the support of Kohler, Balluff and Pettibone for the sponsorship of the fall 2020 projects.”

Be sure to check out the student presentation videos for the Balluff/Pettibone project and the Kohler project.

“The MMET Machine Shop remains extremely busy delivering courses that utilize the machine shop facility, generating parts and designs for research projects, machining and fabrication for enterprise projects, and of course the fabrication of MET senior capstone projects,” adds Irwin.

One of the recent additions to the machine shop are two CNC Tormach Lathes with an 8-station turret, and a full enclosure with coolant nozzle.

MET students are using the new equipment to develop a Tailstock redesign as a capstone senior project. The project started last spring. Check out their senior design video for full details

Read about previous MMET senior projects in greater detail here.

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New Publications by Michigan Tech MMET Faculty

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Dr. Michelle Jarvie-Eggart

Michelle Jarvie-Eggart, Senior Lecturer, co-authored a work-in-progress paper “Understanding First-Year Engineering Student Definitions of Engineering Disciplines” and also published and presented in the 2020 ASEE virtual conference proceedings. Learn more here.

Lecturer Kevin Johnson and John Irwin, Professor/Chair, co-authored two papers published and presented at the ATMAE and IAJC Virtual Joint Conference.

Kevin Johnson

The first paper, “Program Improvement Utilizing the SME CMfgT and NCEES FE Exam Results” and the second “Preparation of MET Students for the NCEES FE Exam – Lessons Learned” both present MET student exit exam results from over the past 10-15 years. Many MET students pass the very rigorous Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam qualifying them in most states to eventually become certified as Professional Engineers. Learn more here.

Dr. Irwin along with Assistant Professor David Labyak authored a paper published and presented in the 2020 ASEE virtual conference proceedings entitled “FEA Taught the Industry Way.” The paper shared result from a survey they conducted of students and industry. The survey sought input on methods used to teach FEA to develop skills for accurate analysis, physical testing of parts, and reporting results in a format required by industry professionals. Read the ASEE paper here.

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“It’s Working!” — Copper Country Intermediate School District and Michigan Tech Launch a New CTE Program in Mechatronics

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Michigan Tech recently launched a year-long Career and Technical Education (CTE) program for high school juniors or seniors in the area of Mechatronics. The new CTE Mechatronics program is offered through a partnership between Michigan Tech and the Copper Country Intermediate School District (CCISD).

Mechatronics uses electromechanical systems, typically automated for the design of products and processes. Industry 4.0—sometimes called the “fourth industrial revolution”—applies various aspects of mechatronics to manufacturing enterprises. Topics in the CTE Mechatronics program include; automation, computer integrated manufacturing, high speed manufacturing, embedded systems design and controls, industrial robotics, pneumatics, hydraulics, and computer-aided design.

“Students in the program will find careers in smart manufacturing fields, or they can find a pathway at Michigan Tech into undergraduate or graduate degrees in Engineering Technology, Engineering, or Mechatronics.” says John Irwin, chair of the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology.

Teaming up to deliver the instruction are faculty in the Mechatronics, Electrical and Robotics Engineering Technology (MERET) program in the College of Computing, and faculty in the Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (MMET) Department in the College of Engineering.

There are 10 students enrolled this fall 2020 from the local area school districts of Houghton, Hancock, Calumet, and L’Anse. CTE Director Shawn Kolbus expects the program to only increase in popularity. “Local business owners approached us last year wanting to get more students from the area interested in Mechatronics, CADD and Engineering,” he says. “The result was the Mechatronics program which encompasses standards from each area.”

George Ochieze

The course is taught by two mechatronics professionals who possess both industry and teaching experience. One of those instructors is George Ochieze, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Mechatronics and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech. “Even in difficult times during the pandemic, these young scholars show overwhelming potential to conquer the mechatronics field—a glimpse into a welcoming future in engineering,” says Ochieze.

Chinmay Kondekar

The second instructor, Chinmay Kondekar, will earn an MS in Electrical Engineering at Michigan Tech in 2021. “Teaching for local schools is an opportunity for me to give back to people in the community who welcomed me as an international student,” says Kondekar. “I hope to create a strong interest in robotics and automation in my students. People with these skills will be the future of manufacturing and will have plenty of opportunities.”

Program enrollment is closed for 2020, but will be available again starting in fall 2021. This spring there will be the opportunity for area sophomore and junior students to visit Michigan Tech to tour the labs and meet the instructors. Both the Applied Computing and MMET department labs used at Michigan Tech are equipped with state-of-the-art electronics and mechanical systems partially provided through generous startup funding from the CCISD.

For more information please contact Shawn Kolbus, Director, Career and Technical Education, Copper Country Intermediate School District (906) 250-5353.

Michigan Tech faculty administering the CTE program include Prof. John Irwin, Chair of the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology, or Prof. Alex Sergeyev in the College of Computing.

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Michigan Tech Announces New Online Graduate Certificates in Engineering

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Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885. Our campus in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula overlooks the Keweenaw Waterway and is just a few miles from Lake Superior.

Ready to propel your career forward in 2021? Michigan Technological University’s College of Engineering now offers 16 new online graduate certificate programs. Interested in taking a course soon? Spring 2021 instruction begins on Monday, January 11.

“One of our goals at Michigan Tech has been to expand online learning opportunities for engineers, to help them meet new challenges and opportunities with stronger knowledge and skills,” says Dr. Janet Callahan, Dean of the College of Engineering.

The certificates are offered by four departments within the College of Engineering at Michigan Tech: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Biomedical Engineering, and Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences. Several more engineering departments will join the effort in the near future.

“We have many more certificates in the works,” Callahan says. “We expect to have a total of 30 new online graduate certificates—including more than 90 courses online—by Fall 2021.

Dean Janet Callahan stands in front of the summer gardens on campus at Michigan Tech
Janet Callahan, Dean of the College of Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Students can sign up for a single course without committing to a certificate. “The courses are accessible and flexible to accommodate a busy schedule,” Callahan explains.

“These are the same robust courses taken by our doctorate and masters candidates, taught directly by highly regarded faculty, with outstanding opportunities to create connections,” she adds. “We invite working professionals to join these courses, and bring their own experiences to bear, as well as their challenges as part of the discussion.”

All courses will be taught online—many of them synchronously offered—with regularly-scheduled class meeting times. 

Obtaining certification from Michigan Tech in sought-after industry skills is a great way to accelerate and advance a career in technology, Callahan says. Students take a cluster of three courses to earn a certificate. “It’s a three-step approach for a deeper dive into the subject area that results in a credential.” 

Michigan Tech was founded in 1885. The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and widely respected by fast-paced industries, including automotive development, infrastructure, manufacturing, and aerospace. The College of Engineering fosters excellence in education and research, with 17 undergraduate and 29 graduate engineering programs across nine departments.


Work full time or live far from campus? You can still learn from the world-class engineering faculty at Michigan Tech.

Michigan Tech faculty are accessible, offering an open door learning experience for students.

“We have a strong, collegial learning community, both online and on campus,” notes Callahan. “We’re also known for tenacity. Our faculty and graduates know how to deliver and confidently lean into any challenge.”

Michigan Tech’s reputation is based on those core strengths, Callahan says. “A certificate credential from Michigan Tech will be respected across many industries, particularly in the manufacturing sectors of the Midwest—and around the world. Michigan Tech engineering alumni are working in leadership positions across the United States and in 88 different countries.”

“Remember those ‘aha’ moments you had, back in your undergrad days, your backpack days, when things suddenly came together? It’s exciting, invigorating and fun to learn something new.”

Dean Janet Callahan, Michigan Tech


“Registration doesn’t take long,” she adds. “We have simplified the graduate application process for working professionals. You can apply online for free.”

Interested in taking a course soon? Spring 2021 instruction begins on Monday, January 11.

Need more time to plan? Consider Fall 2021. Instruction begins on Monday, August 30, 2021.

New! Michigan Tech online graduate engineering certificates and courses, with more to come!

  • Aerodynamics
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Dynamic Systems
  • Geoinformatics
  • Medical Devices and Technologies
  • Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction
  • Quality Engineering
  • Resilient Water Infrastructure
  • Structural Engineering: Advanced Analysis
  • Structural Engineering: Bridge Analysis and Design
  • Structural Engineering: Building Design
  • Structural Engineering: Hazard Analysis
  • Structural Engineering: Timber Building Design
  • Pavement Design & Construction
  • Vehicle Dynamics
  • Water Resources Modeling

Learn about all graduate programs at Michigan Tech, both online and on campus, at mtu.edu/gradschool.

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Raymond Shaw: Lake Superior in My Driveway—Lake Effect Snow in the Keweenaw

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Photo credit: Aaron Burden, Unsplash.com

Raymond Shaw and Will Cantrell generously shared their knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive Zoom webinar hosted by Dean Janet Callahan. Here’s the link to watch a recording of his session on YouTube. Get the full scoop, including a listing of all the (60+) sessions at mtu.edu/huskybites.

What are you doing for supper this Monday night 12/7 at 6 ET? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and Raymond Shaw, Distinguished Professor of Physics and Director of the Atmospheric Sciences program at Michigan Tech.

Dr. Raymond Shaw is a Distinguished Professor of Physics at Michigan Tech.

During Husky Bites, Prof. Shaw will describe the simple—and some of the not-so-simple—science of lake effect snow, and what makes the Keweenaw an ideal spot for epic snowfalls.

Also joining in, Will Cantrell, associate provost and dean of Michigan Tech’s graduate school. Dean Cantrell is also a professor of physics. His research focuses on atmospheric science, particularly on clouds. 

Lake effect snow bands, as seen from space. Photo courtesy of NOAA.

So how can it be clear and sunny in one place, while 5 miles away it’s snowing cats and dogs? Shaw is ready to explain during Husky Bites. He is a world expert on cloud physics, atmospheric turbulence, and ice nucleation. 

“Snow itself doesn’t just materialize out of thin air,” Shaw says.  “For a snowflake to form, first a particle of dust, a nucleus, is needed. Water molecules attach themselves to this particle and then freeze as they’re carried high in the atmosphere by winds.”

Photo Courtesy Michigan Tech Archives

“Yet, within a few hours, you basically purge the atmosphere of all those particles,” adds Shaw, “So how can it snow for days on end?” 

Clouds are an integral part of the Earth’s environment—providing the water we drink, cleaning the air we breathe, and influencing the climate in which we live. “We want to understand the clouds,” he says.

To study clouds, Shaw and his team of researchers sometimes go inside, using holography and an airplane lab, or by dropping a pendulum-type device from a helicopter. He’s also studied clouds on a mountain top, where the most valuable tool is patience. “It can be very frustrating seeing a cloud hover fifty feet above you, but when it descends and you’re inside the cloud it is definitely worth the wait.”

Luckily, Shaw, Cantrell, and other atmospheric science researchers at Michigan Tech don’t cross their fingers and hope for cooperative weather—the University’s innovative Pi Cloud Chamber allows them to head into the lab and make their own.

“This unique chamber is used for investigating aerosol and cloud processes relevant to weather and climate. To make a cloud, the environment has to have a relative humidity above 100 percent,” Shaw explains. 

Michigan Tech on first day of Career Fair 2013.

“In the lab that’s a tricky thing to achieve because water condenses on any available surface. The MTU Pi cloud chamber gets around that by generating clouds through turbulent mixing,” he says.

“The Pi cloud chamber allows us to study a wide variety of research questions,” adds Shaw, “For example, how do clouds respond to clean versus polluted conditions?” 

And for us, here in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, home of Michigan Tech, it helps answer one of our most vexing questions: “How does Lake Superior end up in my driveway?

“In nature you take what the cloud gives you,” Shaw says. “With the cloud chamber you create the cloud you need.

After earning his PhD at Penn State, Shaw was a postdoc research fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. He joined the faculty at Michigan Tech and soon earned a National Science Foundation CAREER award and then a NASA New Investigator Program award. As part of his research he collaborates with NCAR and international scientists at the Institute for Tropospheric Research in Leipzig, Germany, Peking University in Beijing, China, and the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self Organization in Göttingen, Germany.

While Shaw finds research personally rewarding, there is ultimately a higher purpose. “Of course, the ultimate hope is that what my students, colleagues and I learn will somehow contribute to humanity, to our collective understanding and to our well being.”

Dr. Raymond Shaw. One of his favorite hobbies: snow biking!

Prof. Shaw, when did you first get into physics? What sparked your interest?

Physics captured my attention because it was possible to solve so many different types of problems with just a few simple truths. Physics is a good subject for someone with a poor memory!

How did you make the leap to atmospheric physics?

I remember earning my weather badge as a cub scout, and really disliking all the memorization of cloud types, like stratocumulus and cirrus. But I was fortunate to grow up around people who were interested in ideas rather than nomenclature, and eventually I became fascinated with what makes ice crystals grow in different shapes. I loved physics as an undergrad, and the ice crystal question was enough of a nudge to search for a graduate program in which I could combine physics with the atmosphere.

Hometown, Hobbies, Family? 

I was raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. I’ve been living “down south” in the Keweenaw for over 20 years. My family and I love the snow… most of the time. Cross country skiing and snow biking are two of our favorite winter activities. 

Research is inspiring, nature is so profoundly beautiful and subtle, it’s a privilege to spend so much of my time trying to understand bits and pieces of it.

Raymond Shaw

Dean Cantrell is a member and former director of the Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences Institute, which promotes research and education in interdisciplinary areas spanning Earth, its ecosystems, and intergalactic space. 

Dr. Will Cantrell is Michigan Tech’s associate provost and also dean of the Graduate School. “I always tell my students, ‘don’t do what I did.'” See the full details below!

As Dean of the Graduate School, Cantrell emphasizes that graduate education at Michigan Tech is a unique combination of the questions “Why?” and “How?” with theory and practice. 

“That’s a powerful combination, and our students are valued by industry and by other academic institutions because of it,” he said.

Dean Cantrell, how did you first get into Physics, and then Atmospheric Science?

When I started my undergraduate studies, I intended to get degrees in Physics and engineering. (I hadn’t decided just what kind of engineer yet.) But I started taking Physics classes first and decided to just do that. When I graduated, I didn’t want to do any of the “traditional” routes like solid state or atomic and molecular, so I branched off into Atmospheric Science.

“I always tell my students, ‘don’t do what I did.’ I was young, single, with no dependents, so I thought, why not go to Alaska? Though, actually, it turned out to be a very good decision—and it really prepped me for Michigan Tech, too (we get a lot of snow here in Houghton each year).

I never had to shovel my roof in Fairbanks, but there were times when it would warm up to -20 degrees F and it actually felt warm. In Fairbanks, if it’s been -40 for a few weeks, and then it goes up to -20—when you go outside, you undo the top button on your coat!”

Dr. Cantrell has always loved teaching and outreach. “Will does not just cover the material, but to tries hard to inspire his students,” said fellow Physics professor, Alex Kostinski. “I am reminded of an old adage: ‘A student’s mind is not a goose to be stuffed, but a torch to be ignited’.”

Hometown and Hobbies?

I grew up on a small farm just outside of Hendersonville Tennessee. I’ve lived in St. Louis Missouri; Fairbanks Alaska; Seattle, Washington; Bloomington Indiana; and Houghton, Michigan. In the summer, I fly fish and occasionally tie some of my own flies.

Read more:

Six Questions with Distinguished Professors Raymond Shaw

Rainmakers: The Turbulent Formation of Cloud Droplets

Shaw Wins Research Award

Why it Snows so Much in the Frozen North

Teamwork: New Graduate school Dean Begins Duties

Watch more:

“The Pi Chamber is so named because it has an inner, working volume of 3.14 m3 (when we select a cylindrical wall boundary, with a diameter of 2 m and a height of 1 m). It also happened to be delivered to MTU on March 14, pi day, but that was a coincidence.”

Play Cloud Chamber Research at Michigan Tech video
Preview image for Cloud Chamber Research at Michigan Tech video

Cloud Chamber Research at Michigan Tech

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Pengfei Xue: Severe to Extreme: Modeling Climate Change and Coastal Hazards on the Great Lakes

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Great Lakes meteotsunami: These photos of the Ludington North Breakwater on Lake Michigan were taken just 10 minutes apart on Friday, April 13, 2018. Photo by Todd and Brad Reed Photography, featured on MLive.com.

Pengfei Xue and Guy Meadows generously shared their knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive Zoom webinar hosted by Dean Janet Callahan. Here’s the link to watch a recording of his session on YouTube. Get the full scoop, including a listing of all the (60+) sessions at mtu.edu/huskybites.

What are you doing for supper this Monday night 11/30 at 6 ET? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and Civil and Environmental Associate Professor Pengfei Xue, Director of the Numerical Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab at Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center.

Associate Professor Pengfei Xue on campus at Michigan Tech

Catch a glimpse of the future during his session, “Severe to Extreme: Modeling Climate Change and Coastal Hazards on the Great Lakes.”

The Great Lakes are more like inland seas. From the cold depths of Lake Superior fisheries to the shallow algae blooms of Lake Erie, the bodies of water differ greatly from one another. Yet they are all part of one climate system. Together they contain one-fifth of the world’s surface freshwater.

Xue uses mathematical modeling to analyze and predict the short-term and long-term responses of that system to climate stressors. During Husky Bites, he’ll introduce the regional earth-system model he uses to understand and predict how the Great Lakes system responds to weather extremes and coastal hazards. 

Joining in as co-host for Husky Bites is Guy Meadows, who collaborates with Prof. Xue on the work.

We’ll get to see three modeled visualizations of the same storm passing by on Lake Superior. In each scenario, they’ll show and explain what could happen along the coast.

“The Great Lakes exert a strong influence on the physical, ecological, economic, and cultural environment in the region, across the nation, and internationally,” says Xue. “Human activities expose the system to multiple stressors. Climate change creates new risks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities,” he adds.

Play Cuyahoga River Plume video
Preview image for Cuyahoga River Plume video

Cuyahoga River Plume

“This is a simulation of a numerical tracer released from the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland, Ohio. It shows how a river plume goes into Lake Erie and mixes with the lake water,” says Dr. Pengfei Xue.


“In my lab, we analyze and predict short-term events. We also project the long-term influence of climate change on the Great Lakes ecosystem. Our goal is to help inform decision-making and management. One of the important concepts in climate change, in addition to knowing the warming trend, is understanding that extreme events become more severe,” Xue says. “That is both a challenge and an important focus in regional climate modeling.”
It takes a supercomputer to run the calculations. Xue uses Superior, the supercomputer housed in the Great Lakes Research Center, to build high-fidelity models and detailed simulations for a region where more than 30 million people rely on the Great Lakes for water and other resources. 

“I do the science part, but I also want to apply my findings.”

Pengfei Xue

With his next generation numerical predictive models for the Great Lakes, Xue seeks answers to many “what-if” questions. “How will projected future climate change impact water levels, wave energy, sediment transport and shoreline damage?”

He also looks at short-term, episodic events like algal blooms and weather patterns.

His current research focuses on an Integrated Regional Earth System Model (IRESM, for short) for the Great Lakes region. The model consists of coupled atmosphere, lake, ice, wave, sediment, land surface, and biological components, and includes data assimilation and machine learning techniques. 

The bottom line: Xue seeks to better understand the processes in the Great Lakes and their impact on people.

Guy Meadows is Robbins Professor of Sustainable Marine Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Tech. He joined Michigan Tech in June of 2012, to help establish the new GLRC. “This is a unique, amazing place. The future of Great Lakes research is based right here.”

“We are extremely fortunate to have Professor Xue at Michigan Tech and the Great Lakes Research Center,” says Professor Guy Meadows. “He has built very strong bridges both within the University and with our government research partners. Thanks to these partnerships, we have modeling of the Great Lakes running on Superior at a resolution not previously thought possible.

Meadows joined Michigan Tech in June of 2012, to help establish the new GLRC. “This is a unique, amazing place. The future of Great Lakes research is based right here.”

A bit more about Pengfei Xue

Prof. Xue’s modeling research experiences in other regions include Massachusetts Coastal Waters, Gulf of Maine, East China Sea, the Maritime Continent in Southeast Asia, and the Persian Gulf.

Prof. Xue recently joined Argonne National Lab as a joint appointee Scientist in the Environmental Science Division. His joint appointment will expand the already deep capabilities of both institutions. Michigan Tech’s GLRC Director Andrew Barnard agrees. “Dr. Xue’s collaborative work with Argonne will result in cutting-edge science and engineering solutions in predictive hydrodynamics.”

Prof. Xue, when did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

I liked math when I was a little kid. I was very much influenced by my father. He was a high-school physics teacher and would often pose math- or physics-related questions to challenge me for fun.  Later when I was in college, I majored in mathematics and became very interested in how to apply math to helping answer some real-life questions. That’s how I got interested in numerical modeling and ended up what I am working on now.

Pengfei Xue arrived at Michigan Tech from MIT in 2013. Note the bare walls. He skipped the ritual of decorating his new office at first, preferring instead to immerse himself in the Great Lakes.

Hometown, Hobbies, Family? 

After finishing my doctoral study at UMASS-Dartmouth and post-doctoral work at MIT, I moved to Tech seven years ago. I live with my wife and two cute kids in Houghton. We enjoy spending time reading and playing together. You may see me up at Michigan Tech’s Student Development Complex working out or swimming, or out on the trails skiing—to relax and take my mind off work.

Read more:

Environmental Science Division of Argonne National Lab Welcomes Pengfei Xue

Weather the Storm: Improving Great Lakes Modeling

Guy Meadows: Shipwrecks and Underwater Robots

Where Modeling Meets Observations: Improving the Great Lakes Operational Forecast System

Video:

Play Building a Better Great Lakes Forecasting System video
Preview image for Building a Better Great Lakes Forecasting System video

Building a Better Great Lakes Forecasting System

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Marty Lagina: Say YES to the Quest: Reflections, Energy and Adventure!

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“Something interesting and different happened on that island, and we still aren’t sure what,” says Marty Lagina. Pictured above: Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, August 1931. Format: glass plate negative.

Marty Lagina and Bill Predebon generously shared their knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive Zoom webinar hosted by Dean Janet Callahan. Here’s the link to watch a recording of his session on YouTube. Get the full scoop, including a listing of all the (60+) sessions at mtu.edu/huskybites.

“Engineering school teaches you how things work, and also to know what you don’t know,” says Marty Lagina.

What are you doing for supper this Monday night 11/23 at 6 ET? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and Marty Lagina, CEO of Heritage Sustainable Energy, winemaker, and creator and star of the long-running reality TV show, Curse of Oak Island.

Joining in as Dean Callahan’s co-host will be Bill Predebon, the JS Endowed Department Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Tech.

Lagina is one of Dr. Predebon’s former students—as an undergraduate student in mechanical engineering, Lagina worked as his research assistant.

“If there’s ever been a human being, who if you cut him he bleeds Michigan Tech, that’s Bill Predebon,” says Lagina. 

Throughout his life, Lagina says his engineering education has given him the confidence to try new things.

“I was thinking of going to law school, and my father told me: ‘You would make a better lawyer if you knew how things worked.’ So I went to Michigan Tech to study engineering and I liked it. And it prepared me very well for what turned out to be a very multifaceted career.”

“When something interesting comes along, and it looks like fun, and it’s legal and ethical (even better if it’s good for society) and you might make some money—do it!”

Marty Lagina

Lagina graduated from Michigan Tech with his mechanical engineering degree in 1977, then took a job as a petroleum engineer for Amoco. A few years later, while attending law school at the University of Michigan, he worked as an independent petroleum engineer consultant, hired by various Michigan corporations to explore wells. “I was a law student, putting together oil deals, working out of a tiny room the size of a small walk-in closet,” he recalls.

“Our first 14 lost money, then we finally hit a decent well. It put us in business.” His partner in that first energy consulting business: Craig Tester, another Michigan Tech mechanical engineering graduate. They were college roommates.

A photo of Marty Lagina, from the Michigan Tech archives.

Once Lagina earned his JD, the two founded Terra Energy to pioneer the exploration and development of the Antrim shale natural gas resources of Michigan, which they did—successfully developing over $3 billion of oil and natural gas resources.

When he turned 40, Lagina decided to change course. He formed Heritage Sustainable Energy, a renewable energy provider. Heritage has successfully developed a series of wind and solar projects in Michigan, installing enough capacity to power the equivalent of 57,000 average Michigan homes every year.

Heritage operates a total of 139.2 megawatts (MW) of installed renewable energy capacity, with hundreds of MW in its project pipeline, along with a commitment to help reduce Michigan’s dependence on conventional energy sources.

Heritage Sustainable Energy’s Garden Solar Project is the first utility scale solar project in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Garden Wind Farm, above, located north of the Village of Garden, will have 34 wind turbines by the end of this year.

In 2006, Lagina started doing some unnatural exploring to solve a 200–500 year old mystery. Featured on the History Channel, Lagina, his family and friends attempt to solve the “Curse of Oak Island,” based on the legend of a Nova Scotia island. 

“I’m the skeptic,” says Lagina. “My brother, Rick, is the optimist, but I’m the engineer who needs more proof.”

Part National Treasure, part Indiana Jones, the five-segment series follows their exploits as they attempt to—literally—get to the bottom of the ‘money pit’ on the island that has given up some clues, booby traps, bizarre hints and puzzle pieces. Theories of what is buried range from treasures from Solomon’s temple, the Holy Grail, the Knights Templar, or pirates.

First, they had to spend millions to purchase a controlling interest in the North Atlantic island. “And everything is difficult,” Lagina says. “It’s been dug at for 200-plus years, so you need to figure out if you are discovering something from the original works or not.”

Tester, an expert on drilling, resistivity, and more, also appears on The Curse of Oak Island.

Born in Kingsford on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Marty has spent nearly all his life living in Michigan. His background is in engineering and the energy business, but with family ties to one of Italy’s premier winegrowing areas, a passion for wine is in his blood.

He founded Mari Vineyards in 1999 (the same year he was inducted into Michigan Tech’s ME-EM Academy). His goal: to make world-class red wines in northern Michigan but with a nod to the Italian style of his ancestors. The winery’s namesake is Lagina’s Grandma Mari, an Italian immigrant who settled in the Iron Mountain area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Lagina is said to have fond memories of her creating wine in the basement of her home.

Marty’s Italian grandma, Teresa Mari, made her own wine at home.

Mari Vineyards is situated on 60 acres in Traverse City. The winery is 100 percent carbon neutral and built from UP dolomite stone, dug from the bases of wind turbines. Lagina has unique growing methods, too—something he plans to share during his session of Husky Bites. As for the wine? “It’s good!” he says.

Mari Vineyards

“Winemaking is an art, but it’s also highly technical,” he adds. “My education at Michigan Tech is what gives me the confidence for innovation.”

Dr. Predebon, what do you do in your spare time?

“I’ve been at Michigan Tech since 1975. That’s 45 years this fall. I just finished 22 years as department chair. My work has absorbed my life, by choice. I have a real passion for our program. We do a good job of preparing engineers, with a heavy emphasis on hands-on education. 

Dr. Bill Predebon

“I have always enjoyed teaching, so the way I look at my role is to nurture the growth of my faculty and staff, right along with our students. I want to help them all reach their potential.

“That said, exercise is a big part of my life, too. I try to exercise every day. I mainly run on a treadmill and lift weights. My wife is an artist and a potter, and together we organically garden. Turns out you can grow anything here in the UP. My wife is very good; I just help. We have a peach tree, we have grown watermelon, we’ve grown cantaloupes, we’ve grown potatoes, her passion is pumpkins so we grow these large pumpkins—150 pounds.”

Dr. Predebon joined the faculty at Michigan Tech in 1975. He earned the Michigan Tech Distinguished Teaching Award in 1984, and became chair of the university’s largest department, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, six years later.
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Bill Endres: Pivoting During the Pandemic: From Covid to Codes

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Bill Endres, Haley Edie, Ethan Twardy, and Theo Wachowski generously shared their knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive Zoom webinar hosted by Dean Janet Callahan.  Here’s the link to watch a recording of his session on YouTube. Get the full scoop, including a listing of all the (60+) sessions at mtu.edu/huskybites.

Patient’s eye view of a bag valve mask. Michigan Tech engineering students, led by ME-EM Associate Professor Bill Endres, developed a device to help caregivers improve patient outcomes.

What are you doing for supper tomorrow night, Monday 11/16 at 6 ET? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and Prof. Bill Endres, along with recent engineering graduates Haley Edie and Ethan Twardy, and current student Theo Wachowski.

As the pandemic unfolded last spring, a group Michigan Tech engineering students pivoted from disappointment at a study abroad trip being cut short, to developing, prototyping and testing an electro-mechanical ventilator—one that is affordable, rugged, compact, and able to be rapidly manufactured and deployed. Their device automatically actuates a bag valve mask (BVM) to serve as a ventilator substitute, to improve patient outcomes.

Haley Edie, Theo Wachowski, Andy Sleder and Ethan Twardy were all studying abroad at Fachhochschule Kiel in Germany at the start of the pandemic, when Michigan Tech asked them to return home.

A bag valve mask is a hand-held, hand-operated device commonly used by EMTs and in emergency rooms and critical care settings to provide positive pressure ventilation to patients who are not breathing or not breathing adequately.

Prof. Bill Endres, the team’s advisor, reconfigured their 30-week senior capstone experience into a 12-week accelerated operation. Engineering students (now all recent graduates) Drew Scharlow, Andy Sleder, John Winkler, and Andrew Marogi worked on the project, as well. 

Dr. Bill Endres is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics. He is also director of the department’s Senior Capstone Design program.

Some of the team extended their efforts over the summer through Michigan Tech’s I-Corps Site program, offered through the Pavlis Honors College. 

The National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps, or I-Corps, fosters entrepreneurship among university researchers, leading to successful commercialization of technology. Michigan Tech’s I-Corps Site Program uses the same methods and principles to encourage technical entrepreneurship.

Endres and his students felt they had a potentially marketable product, and gave it a name, CoVent. They learned how to think about commercialization and transitioning their device into the marketplace. They interviewed paramedics, EMTs, doctors, nurses, combat medics, and more.

Use of a BVM to ventilate a patient is frequently called ‘bagging’ the patient. In medical emergencies, such as cardiac arrest, when the patient’s breathing is insufficient or has ceased completely, a bag valve mask (BVM) saves lives by force-feeding air or oxygen into the lungs. BVMs are regularly used by first responders and medical professionals, frequently with compressions, instead of mouth-to-mouth ventilation.

Activated by hand, BVMs are challenging to sustain for longer periods of time. Particularly in rural areas, transport can take 40 minutes or more, and then bagging often continues in the ER. Some pediatric codes can last even longer, two hours or more.

Recent graduate Haley Edie is now in Boston working for Autodesk. In her spare time, she volunteers for FIRST Robotics.

During Husky Bites we’ll meet Haley Edie, who graduated last spring 2020 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. She is now a research engineer at Autodesk in Boston, Massachusetts, focused on generative design, robotics and additive manufacturing. 

“One of the biggest hurdles we faced as a team, was that we were all very geographically distributed,” says Edie. “We also had to find a way to build a hard prototype of our device when none of us had all the pieces for it.”

Ethan Twardy was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. He’s also into drumming, cross country running, and theatre acting.

We’ll also meet Ethan Twardy, who earned his BS in Computer Engineering in Spring 2020. He is now a software engineer at Plexus Corp. in Neenah, Wisconsin. “From the place a patient is discovered, to the ambulance, to the ER—what is needed: something that can work between each of those worlds and kind of seamlessly transition between them. We’ve learned that our device needs to be interfaced with other breathing circuits, things like filters, pressure sensors, pressure taps, all these kinds of breathing circuit components” he adds.

Is the team ready to go forward with commercialization? “I guess the biggest change from the start to now is confidence,” adds Twardy. “Not only in talking about what we’ve learned and about the product, but also in understanding the customer.” 

Last but not least we’ll meet Theo Wachowski, set to graduate in December 2020 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. He is currently working as a new product development intern at Boston Whaler in Edgewater, Florida. 

Theo Wachowski: “Taking part in FIRST robotics team throughout middle school and high school cemented my love for design and fabrication,” he says.

Wachowski agrees. “We’re getting great feedback. I know this can definitely help people. It’s really a team effort and the team decision in the end.”

Prof. Bill Endres is director of the senior design program in the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Tech. “Putting my own startup experience to practice and to the test, I’ve developed the program to run a lot like a business,” he says.

Prof. Endres has personally advised more than 80 capstone teams over the past 15 years or so, as director he has overseen more than 350 projects/teams. Most are mechanical engineering teams, but plenty, like the CoVent team, are multidisciplinary teams, made up of students majoring in various engineering disciplines.

I have a passion for designing processes, physical devices, software tools, and even business models–from system-level to detail-level, discovering interconnections and intra-connections. I guess that makes me a geek.

Prof. Bill Endres

At Michigan Tech, teams of highly dedicated, senior-level students in all the engineering departments address practical, open-ended design challenges in their last course before graduating. Many of the projects are sponsored by industry and community organizations, even individuals. (Our College of Engineering Dean Janet Callahan has sponsored several senior design team projects over the past few years, too.)

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

I’ve long had an interest in how things worked, mainly physical/mechanical devices.  I also liked biology, so I originally intended on pursuing bioengineering. That field was pretty new back in 1984. It  wasn’t even in the College of Engineering at U of Illinois at that time.  Plus, my older sister, who had a BS in Biology, said I’d have to get a PhD to do anything with it. No way was I gonna get a PhD!  So, I pursued mechanical engineering…eventually getting a PhD…thinking, “no way will I ever go be a professor!” 

Prof. Endres’s daughter, Jess, is an ER Technician at Carle Foundation Hospital in Illinois. “She was our first subject matter expert (SME) who joined a Zoom call just 6 hours after the idea surfaced for the project.”

Hometown and Hobbies?

I grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois, about 5 miles from O’Hare airport. As for my hobbies, I have a passion for designing processes, physical devices, software tools, and even business models–from system-level to detail-level, discovering interconnections and intra-connections. I guess that makes me a geek (and that’s a good word in my book, literally). In 1996 I set out to build a technology company focused on machining simulation software. With changes in life and profession, that effort was chalked up as a learning experience and set aside. Later I turned my entrepreneurial eye toward the cutting-tool industry. I founded Endres Machining Innovations, LLC (EMI) in 2005. Through R&D programs and commercialization partnerships, EMI has developed and delivered innovative tooling products–enabling substantial productivity improvements. 

Hamburg, Germany, and its Fernmeldeturmone, or radio broadcasting tower. Photo by Haley Edie.

Haley, when did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

I really got into engineering when I was introduced to FIRST Robotics at my high school. I fell in love with working to solve a problem, working with my hands and the field of robotics in general. I still mentor and volunteer with FIRST to this day. I was born and raised in the small town of Almont in lower Michigan. I now work for Autodesk in Boston, Massachusetts as a Research Engineer. In my free time I love to read (sci-fi and fantasy!!), bake, hike, swing dance and volunteer at FIRST robotics competitions. 

Theo, when did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

My father was a carpenter, so from a young age I always had the opportunity to build things and design projects. Having the ability to take an idea and make it reality has always brought me joy in my hobbies and classwork. I had the opportunity to participate in a FIRST Robotics team throughout middle school and high school, which cemented my love for design and fabrication. I grew up in Kalamazoo, raised by two loving parents along with one older brother. My brother graduated from Michigan Tech in 2017 with a BSME and is now working in Holland, Michigan. I love the outdoors and anything to do out in the Keweenaw, I race sailboats with Michigan Tech, and sail out on Lake Michigan in the summer. And I’m an avid rock climber who loves to climb, either here at the SDC or out at Silver Mountain.

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David Shonnard: Waste Plastics are Taking Over the World—the Solution is Circular

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Chemical Engineering Professor David Shonnard, shown here at Gratiot River State Park, a remote beach in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

David Shonnard and Felix Adom generously shared their knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive Zoom webinar hosted by Dean Janet Callahan. Here’s the link to watch a recording of his session on YouTube. Get the full scoop, including a listing of all the (60+) sessions at mtu.edu/huskybites.

Chemical Engineering Professor David Shonnard founded Michigan Tech’s Sustainable Futures Institute.

What are you doing for supper this Monday night 11/9 at 6 ET? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and Chemical Engineering Professor David Shonnard, longtime director and founder of Michigan Tech’s Sustainable Futures Institute. Last week he won Michigan Tech’s 2020 Research Award.

During Husky Bites, Shonnard promises to shed some light and some hope on waste plastics—the role they play in our society and economy and their harm to the environment, especially the oceans and its biodiversity.

He’ll also take us on a walk down a remote Lake Superior beach to hunt for waste plastics, show us what he and his students found, where they found it, and what that means.

Felix Adom, one of Prof. Shonnard’s graduate students will join in, too. Dr. Adom grew up in Ghana, attending Kwame Nkrumah’ University of Science and Technology in Kumasi for his bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Michigan Tech in 2012, and then worked as a post-doc researcher and energy analyst at Argonne National Lab. He then joined Shell as greenhouse gas intensity assessment technologist, and is now carbon strategy analyst at Shell.

Felix Adom earned his PhD in chemical engineering at Michigan Tech in 2012.

Shonnard founded and is fully devoted to Michigan Tech’s Sustainable Futures Institute, which brings together undergraduate students, graduate students, scientists and engineers from multiple disciplines in research and education projects. SFI members—more than 100 on campus—address technical, economic, and social issues related to the sustainable use of the Earth’s limited resources.

During his time at Michigan Tech, Adom was a member of SFI. On one project, he worked with a team of students in Shonnard’s hydrolysis lab to analyze a waste product of the wet mill corn ethanol industry—a thick, caramel-colored syrup. Ethanol production from corn creates an abundance of corn byproducts—seven pounds for every one gallon of ethanol according to some estimates. The syrup came by way of Working Bugs LLC, a green chemical manufacturer based in East Lansing, Michigan. Adom and the team identified the chemical make-up of the syrup and helped determine its value as a possible feedstock. They also discovered ways to convert the syrup, a waste stream, into a sugar- and amino acid-rich fermentation medium for other biofuels.

Today Adom is based in Richmond, Texas, not far from Houston. He is a carbon strategy analyst for Shell. “When I joined this team in 2016, it was a small group of 5 people. Today our team has 40 people and it is heavily funded.”

“Ever since Felix graduated, I have proudly watched from a distance the terrific trajectory of his career,” says Shonnard. He’s now helping a major oil company to develop their strategies to be more sustainable. I am really happy to see that.”

Some of the waste plastics collected at Gratiot River Beach.

The beach study, performed by chemical engineering undergraduates Mahlon Bare and Jacob Zuhlke, focused on identifying and quantifying macroplastic particles discovered on a beach along Lake Superior on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan within Gratiot River County Park. The park receives little foot traffic and is located in a remote part of the Peninsula. Searching five 100-foot sites spaced 1000 feet apart, the team gathered any visible surface plastic. They also processed sand dug from one-ft. deep holes. Researchers took samples of recovered plastic pieces and analyzed their composition using a micropyrolysis process and gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS) system. No microplastics were discovered in the sand.

“Technology enables a circular flow of recycling. Right now, waste plastics are a cost, but they could be of value if we can convert them back into other, reusable forms. If they have value, then they’re less likely to get thrown out.”

David Shonnard, Chemical Engineering Professor and the Richard and Bonnie Robbins Chair in Sustainable Use of Materials at Michigan Technological University

Prof. Shonnard, how did you become focused on sustainability as a chemical engineer? 

“During my PhD at UC Davis, my advisor allowed me to take courses and conduct research outside of the traditional discipline of chemical engineering, so I could apply my skills to environmental problems. Once at Michigan Tech, our culture of collaboration across campus stimulated my research into areas of sustainable bioenergy and more recently into waste plastic recycling.”

What are the most important things all engineers should know about sustainability?

“Engineers, in my experience, often think a problem can be solved using the skills we possess. Unfortunately, this is not true when it comes to sustainability. Engineers need to collaborate outside their fields of expertise, with environmental scientists, economists, social scientists, and others to address these challenges.”

Characterizing the waste plastics in Dr. Shonnard’s lab at Michigan Tech.

When did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

As a young man searching for my career direction, among other things I restored old classic Porsche automobiles.  This sparked my interest in engineering and to gain a deeper understanding about how the parts of the vehicle worked.  My freshman year included chemistry, which I loved, and when combined with my interests in math I decided on chemical engineering, and have been super happy ever since.    

Hometown, Hobbies, Family? 

My wife, Gisela, is originally from Germany and before that Brazil, so international travel is in our DNA.  With Gisela and my two children (now grown and into their careers), we traveled a lot to Germany and Europe more broadly to visit relatives.  My only sabbatical was in Germany at a global chemical company headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany (can you guess the company?).  My sustainability research included collaborations in Central and S. America (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina). 

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Mary Raber: Solving Wicked Problems

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Mary Raber and Brad Turner generously shared their knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive Zoom webinar hosted by Dean Janet Callahan. Here’s the link to watch a recording of her session on YouTube. Get the full scoop, including a listing of all the (60+) sessions at mtu.edu/huskybites.

What are you doing for supper this Monday night 11/2 at 6? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and Mary Raber, Chief Doing Officer of IDEAhub, Michigan Tech’s collaborative working group for educational innovation. Joining in will be Brad Turner, one of Mary’s former students, who earned his BS in Software Engineering 2017. He started his career at Handshake SF and recently joined Blackfynn Philly.

In this Husky “bite” you will be introduced to how Michigan Tech is using design thinking to reimagine education for the 21st century, and how Brad has used the process in his work after graduation.

Mary Raber

A professor of practice, Raber serves as assistant dean for academic programs in Michigan Tech’s Pavlis Honors College. She’s also co-director of Husky Innovate (Michigan Tech’s resource hub for innovation & entrepreneurship). A design-thinking and innovation enthusiast, Raber loves to help others embrace the tools and mindsets of innovation to effect positive change. 

While earning his software engineering degree at Michigan Tech, Brad Turner joined the Pavlis Honors College. He worked as student coordinator for the Innovation Program within the PHC Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship, and that’s when he met Raber. “Mary became my mentor,” he said.

Brad Turner

Nowadays, Turner is a product designer, one who recently made the switch from building tools that help college students find jobs, to designing software that improves the treatment of neurological diseases. 

During Husky Bites, Raber and Turner will introduce the design thinking process, developed at the Stanford d.school. 

“Design thinking is a tool to help you reframe life’s challenges into opportunities,” says Raber. “It’s a process widely used to solve messy, wicked problems,” she explains. “At its core is the human…those whose lives we are trying to improve in some way.  The process fosters mindsets and skills that enables anyone, young and old, to tackle ambiguous problems.”

After a 14-year career in the automotive industry, Raber first joined Michigan Tech to lead the implementation and growth of the highly distinctive undergraduate Enterprise Program. She helped found the Pavlis Honors College, where she now facilitates learning in leadership, human-centered design, and lean start-up. 

Design Thinking: Emphathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test

Raber was honored with Michigan Tech’s Faculty Distinguished Service Award in 2018. “Through Mary’s exceptional dedication and efforts, opportunities and resources for innovation and entrepreneurship on our campus have grown substantially,” said Lorelle Meadows, dean of the Pavlis Honors College.

Over the years Raber has co-founded several start-ups (“some of which have been successful, and some that haven’t fared as well,” she says). She’s currently pursuing a PhD at Michigan Tech with a focus on engineering education, and working on developing another start-up to help bring her passion for innovative teaching and learning to others. 

“Design thinking is a tool to help you reframe life’s challenges into opportunities.”

Mary Raber

Raber has cultivated a strong relationship with the Stanford d.school, opening up additional avenues for student exploration and education. Through this collaboration, Michigan Tech has a highly active group of University Innovation Fellows (UIF).

“Fellows work to ensure that their peers gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to make a positive impact on the world,” Raber explains. “They attend training at Stanford’s d.school, where they can meet students from across the country engaged in change-making on their own campuses.” Michigan Tech’s UIFs engage with incoming first-year students during orientation week, exposing them early on to powerful entrepreneurial tools and resources.

Turner was a University Innovation Fellow during his years at Michigan Tech. He worked closely with Raber to develop and launch Michigan Tech’s first-ever makerspace, The Alley, located on campus in the Memorial Union Building. He facilitated design thinking classes, and developed a visual language for Alley.

Some of Michigan Tech’s Innovation Fellows exploring the Google campus in Mountain View, CA during a UIF meetup. Brad is second from the left. Looks like fun!

“I went through the (UIF) training with the Stanford d.school during my second year at Tech,” Turner recalls. “It was an 8-week online course where we learned about design thinking. “When I started working on more initiatives related to UIF, I found myself continually looking to Mary for advice, guidance, and support on those initiatives. By the time I graduated, Mary and I worked on a variety of projects together and presented our work together on campus and at national conferences.”

A group of student volunteers helped build tables for Michigan Tech’s Alley Makerspace when it launched.

In 2014 Turner took an internship at Handshake, a company founded 2014 by three engineering students at Michigan Tech to give students access to a larger number of potential employers, no matter their location. Turner worked in the company’s first small office in Houghton, then moved with them to San Francisco for a second internship. Upon graduation he joined the company, helping grow its design system and processes as the Handshake team grew from 35 to over 200 employees.

As Handshake’s lead designer on a variety of projects, Turner collaborated with project managers to dig into challenges and articulate compelling problem statements. He conducted user research and user testing, and partnered with engineers to deliver high quality, accessible experiences.

Turner recently moved from Handshake to Blackfynn, a company that seeks to transform the treatment of neurological disease—including Parkinson’s disease, which affects nearly one million people in the US—with data-driven, next-generation therapeutics.

Raber was honored with Michigan Tech’s Faculty Distinguished Service Award in 2018.

Mary, when did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

I enjoyed math, science and design in high school, so engineering seemed like a logical next step. My concentration was in biomechanics and I was hooked on the connections between health and engineering with my first internship at UMich hospitals where I tested hypodermic needles on cadavers. I was very fortunate to get my first job after graduation at Chrysler Motors working with an all female engineering team to design the sensing and diagnostics systems for the first mass-produced airbag systems. It’s led me to fascinating careers in automotive electronics and now engineering education.

Hometown, Hobbies, Family? 

I have lived in Michigan all my life, moving back and forth from lower Michigan to the UP several times. I’m easing into the empty nester life while my son lives nearby and attends Michigan Tech, and occasionally brings his laundry home. I love to travel and have had the opportunity to visit many wonderful places around the world.  In my spare time I enjoy hiking, gardening, skiing, and creating through hobbies like baking, knitting, and quilting.  

Brad, How did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

After watching too much Grey’s Anatomy in high school, I was sure that I wanted to be a surgeon when I grew up. I was also interested in technology, so instead of thinking about going to med school, I decided to study biomedical engineering to blend my interests in medicine and technology. (My interest in biomed only lasted a year before I discovered design thinking and decided to switch to software engineering).

Brad made the move to Philly after running the Philadelphia Marathon last year.

Hometown, Hobbies, Family?

I grew up in Bay City, Michigan. My older brother was studying mechanical engineering at Michigan Tech and I really enjoyed Houghton when I came to visit him. After spending a weekend on campus with the Leading Scholars program during my senior year of high school, I knew it was the right place for me. I’ve spent the past 4 years in San Francisco and recently (during the pandemic) found a new home with my partner in Philadelphia. Outside of work you’ll normally find me running along the Schuylkill River, trying out a new recipe in my kitchen, or virtually volunteering to help get out the vote this November.

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