Research Archives | Page 19 of 28 | College of Engineering Blog

Senator Gary Peters Tours Advanced Power Systems Research Center

Published March 7, 2017

HANCOCK, Mich. (WLUC) – Senator Gary Peters was in Houghton County on Friday. He’s getting an up close look at Michigan Tech’s vehicle technology research and development efforts.

Peters toured the university’s Advanced Power Systems Research Center this afternoon. The center is providing ways to reduce 20 percent of energy and fuel consumption in all vehicles, including further studies on self-driving vehicles.

Senator Gary Peters tours Michigan Tech’s Advanced Power Systems Research Center

“Having him be able to come to campus, understand our situation, understand what we’re working with and the kind of work that we’re doing, that our scientists and engineers are doing, makes all the difference in the world when he gets back to Washington,” said David Reed, Vice President of Research at the MTU APS Research Center.

Peters visits MTU for a look at autonomous vehicle technology

Senator Gary Peters said, “This is the future for the auto industry—self–driving, autonomous vehicles—and we’re seeing very stiff competition from Asian companies, from European companies that are developing this technology and one thing we know—whoever is first, is going to be at a competitive advantage and I want to make sure it’s the United States.”

Aligned Nanofibrous Cell-Derived Extracellular Matrix for Anisotropic Vascular Graft Construction

Published February 27, 2017

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Authors: Qi Xing (former postdoc researcher), Zichen Qian (PhD candidate), Mitchell Tahtinen (former undergraduate researcher), Ai Hui Yap (Houghton High School student), Keegan Yates (former undergraduate researcher), and Feng Zhao (associate professor, biomedical engineering).
Journal: Advanced Healthcare Materials

10.1002/adhm.201601333

This article describes vascular grafts, which are in great demand due to the high occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. A tissue engineered vascular graft was developed for the application of bypassing coronary arteries. It is a completely biological vascular graft, which can avoid immune rejection after transplantation. The graft is mechanically strong, which is fabricated by combining naturally derived nanofibrous biomaterials, stem cell engineering, and bioreactor technologies.

Engineering Students Perform Well at 2017 Graduate Research Colloquium

Published February 22, 2017

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The 2017 Graduate Research Colloquium (GRC) was held on February 15-16 in the Memorial Union Ballroom. There were oral and poster presentation. The banquet was held on the evening of February 16.

VIEW THE PHOTO GALLERY

Following is a complete list of winners:

Oral Presentation Competition

1st Place: Kevin Sunderland, Department of Biomedical Engineering
2nd Place: Teresa Wilson, Department of Physics
3rd Place: Andrew Chapp, Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology
Most Attended: Muraleekrishnan Menon, Department of Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics
Most Attended: Niranjan Miganakallu, Department of Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics

Poster Presentation Competition

1st Place: Matthew Kilgas, Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology
2nd Place: Brian Page, Department of Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics
3rd Place: Zichen Qian, Department of Biomedical Engineering
People’s Choice: Mugdha Priyadarshini, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Graduate Student Service Awards

Gorkem Asilioglu, Department of Computer Science
Hossein Tavakoli, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Kate Glodowski, Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology
Erin Pischke, Department of Social Sciences

The GRC is held each year by the Graduate Student Government at Michigan Tech.

New ideas, cutting edge research and innovative solutions coming from U.P.

HOUGHTON — New ideas, cutting edge research, innovative solutions. ABC 10’s Keweenaw Bureau Reporter Rick Allen has more on the latest research projects by Michigan Tech graduate students.

Underwater researchers will be interested in a less costly, more maneuverable glider that can be used in Lake Superior.

MTU Mechanical Engineering PhD Student Donna Fard said,

They are shallow–water gliders, meaning that we can use them in the lake. What we have so far, they’re all ocean–going gliders.

Zhao Group Provides Chapter on Tissue Engineered Skeletal Muscles

Published February 14, 2017

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Caleb Vogt, Mitchell Tahtinen, and Feng Zhao have provided the first chapter to a book entitled “Tissue Engineering and Nano Theranostics” (ISBN: 978-981-3149-18-2). World Scientific Publisher. 2017. The book provides a comprehensive overview of current achievements in biomedical applications of nanotechnology, including stem cell based regenerative medicine, medical imaging, cell targeting, drug delivery, and photothermal/photodynamic cancer therapy.

The chapter is “Engineering Approaches for Creating Skeletal Muscle,” and it highlights the significant impact of stem cells in skeletal muscle engineering and regeneration.

About the authors:

Feng Zhao is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Caleb Vogt and Mitchell Tahtinen were undergraduate researchers in the Zhao lab.
Caleb is currently in the graduate program of the University of Minnesota.
Mitchell is currently a master’s student in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Michigan Tech. He still conducts research in the Zhao lab.

Budget News on H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex

Published February 13, 2017

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Governor Snyder mentioned the project during his Budget Proposal Speech on February 8, 2017.

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

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

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

Interdisciplinary Publication in Materials

Published February 6, 2017

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Michigan Tech students Handy Chandra (ECE), Spencer Allen (ECE), Shane Oberloier (ECE), Nupur Bihari (MSE/ECE) and alumnus Jephias Gwamuri (MSE) co-authored a paper with Joshua Pearce (MSE/ECE), “Open-Source Automated Mapping Four-Point Probe” in the journal “Materials.”

doi:10.3390/ma10020110

Consumer Products Day 2017 Awards

Published February 6, 2017

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The second annual Consumer Products Day Finals at Michigan Tech were held Saturday. Nineteen teams of Tech students were given 20 hours and a box of materials provided by Kimberly-Clark, Amway, DOW or 3M to create, design and pitch a new consumer product. Two teams representing each company advanced to the finals, resulting in eight final products being pitched to the company reps, judges, technical review panel and audience.

A total of $7,000 was awarded to the top three teams.

1st Place: $3,300. Jade Scientific — Kimberly-Clark
Team Members: Abbey Senczyszyn, Emil Johnson, Sarah Lorenz, Josh Leon, Dominic Oldani

2nd Place: $2,400. Student Athlete Engineers — The DOW Chemical Company
Team Members: Josh Rzeppa, Keith Lemely, Quinn Kaspriak, Corey Zetizus, Sophia Farquhar

3rd Place: $1,300. Engineering World Health — 3M
Team Members: Paul Shelcusky, Anna Isaacson, Michael Gazdecki, Brett Opel

The Crowd Pleaser Award — Amway
Team Members: Nick Minarich, Ayla Vaughn, Vincent Padget

Company reps included Tech Alumni Aaron Schroeder ’12, Katie Rohlfs ’16 and Joe Gallo ’12 from The DOW Chemical Company; Kevin Madson and Ryan McInnis ’15 from 3M; Chris Heiting ’14 and Nicole Barna ’09 from Kimberly-Clark; and Sam Soyka ’12 and Andy Davies ’03 from Amway. Tony Rogers, Glen Archer, Joe Thompson, David Shonnard and Tim Eisele made up the technical review panel with Mike Morley, Brian Lagalo and Komar Kawatra serving as judges.

The event was hosted by Career Services. Student teams received additional support from the Consumer Products Manufacturing Enterprise, Makerspace, Brad Turner, Magann Dykema, Mary Raber, Ethan Beavers and Michael Norman.

By Career Services.

Michigan Tech Selected as One of Seventeen Beyond Traffic Innovation Centers in the Nation

Published January 19, 2017

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Michigan Tech was selected by the US Department of Transportation as one of the seventeen Beyond Traffic Innovation Centers (BTIC) in the nation. According to the DOT, “These Centers will be recognized by the DOT as forward-thinking and influential institutions that are capable of driving solutions to the challenges and trends identified in Beyond Traffic 2045, the US DOT’s report on current and future issues in transportation. The centers will contribute by “convening decision-makers in their megaregion and coordinating related research, curriculum, outreach, and other activities.” The Michigan Tech Center was selected as one of the three universities to serve the rural areas of the United States.

The proposal, led by the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI), collaborated with multiple centers and institutes on campus, including: Advanced Power Systems Research Center (APSRC), Center for Technology & Training (CTT), Keweenaw Research Center (KRC), Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI), Rail Transportation Program (RTP), Sustainable Futures Institute (SFI) and the Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP). Additionally, numerous individual campus researchers provided information for the submission.

MTTI Director Pasi Lautala (CEE) will serve as the Beyond Traffic Coordinator, participating in future events related to regional development with the USDOT. MTTI is also planning to use the Center as encouragement for faculty, staff and students interested in transportation issues to get involved in working toward solving our nation’s transportation issues.

Further information on Beyond Traffic, including a map of the selected centers, is located here. https://www.transportation.gov/beyondtraffic. For faculty, staff and students interested in getting involved with the center, please contact Pam Hannon (prhannon@mtu.edu), or 906-487-3065. For more information on MTTI, please visit our website.

By MTTI.

Design Expo 2017 Registration Now Open

Published January 10, 2017

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Design Expo 2017 will be held Thursday, April 13, 2017, in the MUB Ballroom.

Design Expo highlights hands-on, discovery-based learning at Michigan Tech. More than 600 students on Enterprise and Senior Design teams showcase their work and compete for awards. A panel of judges, made up of distinguished corporate representatives and Michigan Tech staff and faculty members, critique the projects. Many team projects are sponsored by industry, which allows students to gain valuable experience through competition, as well as direct exposure to real industrial problems. Design Expo is co-hosted by the College of Engineering and the Pavlis Honors College.

Registration is now open for Senior Design and Enterprise teams. Students should visit the Design Expo website to register before the deadline, Monday, Feb. 6.

By Pavlis Honors College.

Zhao Group Reviews Natural Extracellular Matrix Approaches

Published January 5, 2017

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Feng Zhao and her research group were invited to review the current biomanufacturing approaches that utilize either native tissue or cell-derived natural extracellular matrix in the field of cellular and tissue engineering.

The paper discusses the existing challenges for translational application of extracellular matrix-based products and the potential resolutions.

Natural extracellular matrix for cellular and tissue biomanufacturing. Qi Xing, Zichen Qian, Wenkai Jia, Avik Ghosh, Mitchell Tahtinen, Feng Zhao F. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering.

DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6b00235

Category: Research