College of Engineering Blog

CEGE Department Chair Audra Morse Named MTU Interim Dean of Engineering

Published July 10, 2023

Audra N. Morse, Interim Dean of the College of Engineering, Michigan Tech

Audra N. Morse, chair of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering has been named interim dean of the College of Engineering at Michigan Technological University, effective June 25.

As interim dean, Dr. Morse seeks to enhance the world-class research, scholarship, and innovation Michigan Tech provides. “It is an honor to support the people and programs that enable our graduates to take the next step in their life journey, and positively impact society and the world around them,” she says.

Dr. Morse led the University’s Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering for the past six years—a department with 32 faculty, 8 full-time staff, and more than 500 undergraduate students and 100 graduate students. During that time Morse led efforts to establish new online programs in structural and water resource engineering with the support of the faculty and staff in the department. She expanded enrollment of the geospatial engineering program nearly tenfold, and fostered faculty research, which resulted in new and increased funding.

Prior to coming to Michigan Tech, Dr. Morse was a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering in the Whitacre College of Engineering at Texas Tech University. She also served as Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, and led the Engineering Opportunities Center. She received the two highest teaching honors at Texas Tech, the Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award and the President’s Excellence in Teaching Award.

Dr. Morse is an expert in water and wastewater treatment, specifically water reclamation systems and the fate of microplastics in treatment systems. She is a Fellow in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and has served on numerous committees that support education and accreditation. She is also heavily involved in ABET and is currently a member of the ABET EAC Executive Committee. She earned BS and MS degrees in Environmental Engineering, and a PhD in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech.

“It is an honor to support the people and programs that enable our graduates to take the next step in their life journey, and positively impact society and the world around them.”
Audra N. Morse, Interim Dean of the College of Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Michigan Tech Faculty Take Part in 130th ASEE Conference

Published June 28, 2023

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Exterior of the Baltimore Convention Center at night — The American Society of Engineering Education is holding its 130th Conference this week at the Baltimore Convention Center.

More than a dozen Michigan Tech faculty are taking part in the 130th American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Conference and Exhibition, “The Harbor of Engineering Education,” June 26-28 in Baltimore, Maryland. This year’s three-day event has a record number of abstracts, papers, and almost 100 exhibitors.

ASEE’s mission is to “advance innovation, excellence, and access at all levels of education for the engineering profession,” says ASEE President Jenna Carpenter, dean of engineering at Campbell University in North Carolina.

American Society of Engineering Education

Michigan Tech Chemical Engineering Professor Adrienne Minerick will be finishing up her term as ASEE president at the conference. Presidents of ASEE take part in a three-year cycle: a year as president-elect; a year as president; and then a year as past president.

“We must work to include information, include people, and include voices so that our engineered solutions are much more robust,” says Adrienne Minerick, ASEE past president (2022)

Michigan Tech Professor Emerita Sheryl Sorby, professor of engineering education at the University of Cincinnati, served as ASEE president in 2020.

This year, some participants from Michigan Tech were unable to attend due to weather-related flight delays and cancellations. Here’s a rundown of their scheduled events:

MMET Department Chair John Irwin is program chair of the Engineering Technology Council and Engineering Technology Division and is the incoming Chair of the Engineering Technology Chair and ASEE Board member for 2023-24.

Engineering Fundamentals Associate Professor Jon Sticklen is program chair of the Systems Engineering Division

Leonard Bohmann, College of Engineering Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, spoke at “Preparation for an On-Site Visit, presented by ABET.”

Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Associate Teaching Professor Aneet Dharmavaram Narendranath was a panelist at a technical session, “Measuring and Visualizing Metadiscursive Markers in Student Writing.”

“ASEE is poised to help as we rethink engineering and engineering technology education. We want to prepare our students for a lifetime of learning and intellectual engagement,” says Sheryl Sorby, ASEE past president (2020)

Narendranath, along with Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Assistant Professor Jaclyn Johnson and Teaching Professor Radheshyam Tewari, presented “Work in Progress: Quantification of Problem-Complexity and Problem-Solving Skills with Directed Networks in a Sophomore Course in Mechanics of Materials.”

Engineering Fundamentals Assistant Professor Michelle Jarvie-Eggart presented “Potential Interventions to Promote Engineering Technology Adoption among Faculty.” Her co-author is Assistant Provost and Professor Shari Stockero.

Assistant Professor David Labyak presented “Teaching Vibration and Modal Analysis Concepts in Traditional Subtractive Machining to Mechanical Engineering Technology Students.”

Computer Science Assistant Professor Briana Bettin presented “More Teaching to Transgress in Computing: Creating Identity-Inclusive Computing Experiences in K-16 Computing Education.”

Library Director Erin Matas presented virtually “Undergraduate Students Experience Cognitive Complexity in Basic Elements of Library Research.”

Jin Choi, chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, attended the Department Chairs sessions.

Professor Janet Callahan was recognized at the Women in Engineering Division business meeting for sponsoring the Mara Wasburn Early Engineering Education Grant Award.

“Together we are moving ASEE’s mission forward to create a better world.”
Jacqueline El-Sayed, ASEE Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director

Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering served as an Educator sponsor of the 2023 ASEE Annual Conference.

Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering served as an Educator sponsor of the ASEE Annual Conference.

Michael Mullins Named Chemical Engineering’s Interim Chair

Published June 5, 2023

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Chemical Engineering Professor Michael Mullins

Michael Mullins has agreed to serve as interim chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering. He will officially start July 1, taking over from chair and faculty member Pradeep Agrawal.

Mullins, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, has previously served as department chair. He has extensive experience leading the Michigan Tech University Senate, and also won a Fulbright award, the Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Alternative Energy Technology, to spend the 2015-16 academic year on sabbatical at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden.

“The department is in a strong growth curve of research, and I know that Michael will only help accelerate this as we add additional faculty to the department and also search for the department’s next Chair,” said Dean Janet Callahan.

“Having been in the department for over 35 years, I am pleased to serve as interim chair as we go through the transition period of finding our next chair and hiring additional faculty,” said Mullins. “Until that time, we will continue to promote excellence in education and research, and stay connected to our alumni and industry stakeholders.”

Agrawal came to Michigan Tech in 2017 to serve as chair after nearly 40 years at Georgia Tech. He will soon be returning to Atlanta upon retirement, where he will enjoy winters without anywhere near as much ice or snow!

SWE Places Third in SWE Global Outreach Competition

Published May 31, 2023

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MTU’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Section participated in the global SWE Outreach Competition, where they presented on Engineering Day!, a K-5 outreach program.

Undergraduates Skyler Brawley (computer engineering) and Carsyn Boggio (environmental engineering) described the program developed and hosted jointly by the SWE section and Engineering Ambassadors, which reached over 600 K-5 students and Girl Scouts last year. MTU’s SWE section partnered with the SWE Professional Section in Grand Rapids to host an event for Daisies, Brownies and Juniors scouts. We hosted another at Michigan Tech for Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula Girl Scouts. Locally, Engineering Day! was held at Lake Linden-Hubbell Elementary, Barkell Elementary and Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Elementary. We were especially thrilled for the first- and second-place sections, both of whom were from Africa and had developed innovative ways to connect with girls and help youth learn about STEM careers and engineering.

The SWE section and Engineering Ambassadors will continue to host Engineering Day! in local schools and with Girl Scouts. We have already begun planning for the Fall and are looking forward to another fun and exciting year of outreach.

The section thanks SWE, Michigan Tech and our industry sponsors for their outreach support.

By Gretchen Hein, Advisor, Society of Women Engineers.

Michigan Tech SWE faculty advisor Gretchen Hein helps out during SWE outreach events, too.

MTU Blizzard Baja Team Succeeds at Baja SAE Competition

Published May 25, 2023

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“It’s only up from here,” wrote Michigan Tech’s Blizzard Baja team after their success in Oshkosh. Follow the team on Instagram. They’re also on Twitter and Facebook.

Michigan Tech’s Blizzard Baja team took home an 8th place finish at the recent Baja SAE North American Competition in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in May.

In addition to a steering arm failure, the pit team also had to deal with mud build up during the race.

“Our 8th place finish was sealed by a 4th place finish in the final 4-hour Endurance event Sunday morning,” says team faculty advisor, Assistant Teaching Professor Kevin Johnson. “We were in 2nd place in the Endurance event for a long time until we had a steering arm failure on the car. The team quickly replaced the steering knuckle in the pits and got back on the track with a half hour remaining in the race. Regardless of this setback we were able to finish in 4th place.”

Earlier in the race, the team received a black flag, due to their car numbers not being visible due to mud buildup. The team had to enter the pit to clean them off, which set them back a bit, as well.

“This year we had a very strong team with outstanding participation,” adds Johnson. “The team had two major obstacles; a working reliable 4 wheel drive system and a new larger Kohler engine to replace the Briggs that had been used for many years previously.”

The team raced with their newest vehicle, the Matador.

Michigan Tech’s Blizzard Baja is one of 25 Enterprise teams, part of Michigan Tech’s award-winning Enterprise Program.

The Blizzard Baja team consists of numerous sub-teams. One of those, the 4×4 Senior Design team with members William Rivet and Alec Pominville, scrapped the 4×4 design from last year due to major issues. “They went through some iterations including a belt and a chain drive and finally ended up with a drive shaft, gearbox, and differentials design,” notes Johnson. “They put countless hours into design, manufacturing, and testing the last two semesters with help from a number of other students.”

This year, Michigan Tech served as host to Fei Baja, the SAE Baja team from Centro Universitário FEI, a university in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. “The team from Brazil contacted our team through social media asking if MTU Baja SAE would be willing to host them,” said Johnson. It turned out to be a fantastic experience for both teams.

MTU Blizzard Baja hosted friends from Brazil, team Fei Baja, during the competition.

“The best part of the competition was seeing all of our hard work pay off in the form of a top 10 finish,” said Gregory Jowett, a mechanical engineering student who serves as President of Michigan Tech’s Blizzard Baja SAE team.

“Whether someone was directly working on the vehicle, doing modeling or simulation, or making sure the trip ran smoothly, it’s incredibly rewarding to see everyone’s effort culminate in a successful experience like it did in Oshkosh,” he says.

“I am extremely proud of the entire team and feel they represented Michigan Tech very well.”
Prof. Kevin Johnson, Blizzard Baja faculty advisor

“Needing to modify our frame to pass technical inspections and breaking an a-arm during the endurance race were some of the larger setbacks we faced. In both cases, the team was able to efficiently work together to quickly solve both problems. Even after an early morning and 3.5 hours of racing, the team was able to replace the a-arm in the pits and get our driver back out on the track in less than 10 minutes.”

The success experienced by our team is a direct reflection of Blizzard Baja’s “work hard, play hard” culture,” adds Jowett. “We enjoy team bonding when we have free time, but when there are things to do, none of our members hesitate to selflessly step up and get things done.”

“Props to our pit crew!”
Gregory Jowett, Blizzard Baja president

As for joining the team, the Blizzard Baja enterprise conducts interviews for prospective new members twice per year. For more information, students can visit the website at baja.mtu.edu or email the team at baja@mtu.edu.

Learn more about the team online at https://baja.mtu.edu.

Michigan Tech ARES Team Competes in Tuscaloosa

Published May 25, 2023

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The Michigan Tech ARES team is ready to roll.

A student engineering team from Michigan Tech is competing this week in the Robotic Mining Challenge, hosted by the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Michigan Tech team prepares ARES for competition. Go Huskies!

The event is designed to create solutions to problems faced on moon exploration missions, with 24 university teams from across the nation taking part.

Each team has spent the past year designing and building a robot that uses resources available on the lunar surface. During the competition, robots must autonomously navigate a lunar-simulated arena and excavate lunar soil, or regolith.

Michigan Tech’s robot, ARES, completed a 15 minute practice runs on Wednesday, May 24. ARES stands for Automated Regolith Excavation System. The name was selected after a brainstorm and voting, says Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Assistant Professor Paul van Susante, the team’s faculty advisor.

Ten of the Michigan Tech team’s 28 members are on site. That includes team lead Karson Linders (mechanical engineering and robotics engineering); Brian Geiger (mechanical engineering); Miranda Meyers (electrical engineering); Brenda Wilson (electrical engineering); Christi LeCaptain (mechanical engineering); Tanner Duncan (mechanical engineering); Collin Miller (mechanical engineering); Ian Giles (robotics engineering); Kyle Hintz (mechanical engineering); and Brendan McRoberts (mechanical engineering).

Many of the students are current or former members of MINE, the Multiplanetary INnovation Enterprise at Michigan Tech, which is also advised by Prof. van Susante. Several of the students recently graduated in April.

Michigan Tech’s ARES robot takes part in at test run at the 2023 Robotic Mining Challenge.

Throughout the week, teams will receive one 15-minute practice run and two competition runs. Practice runs will take place May 22-23 with the challenge beginning the afternoon of May 23 and continuing through May 26.

“We were overall pleased with our first competition run,” said van Susante. “Everything worked, but needed tweaking. “We have learned many things that we will improve today and all day tomorrow before our final competition run on Friday.”

Judges of the competition include industry professionals from Caterpillar, the Exolith Lab at the University of Central Florida and NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute.

The Robotic Mining Challenge Award ceremony takes place Friday evening. The Michigan Tech team will travel back to Houghton the next day.

This contest is separate from the NASA Lunabotics Competition, hosted at Kennedy Space Center.

Thought-provoking, Intriguing and Sweet: Huskies Remember One of their Own

Published May 14, 2023

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round disc-shaped chocolate with gear or wheel shape on top — The winning design, close-up!

Zachary stands on a stone, in front of a roaring waterfall — Zachary’s legacy of kindness and integrity lives on at Michigan Tech.

Winners were announced on April 19th, Zachary Podkul’s birthday.

This year, for the Third Annual Zachary Richard Podkul (ZRP) Memorial Scholarship Challenge, Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) students honored their fellow Husky’s fondness for Michigan Tech, machine design, cooking—and of course, chocolate!

Six MET students in the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology rose to the challenge to design custom chocolates.

The students began their thought process on what to design late last year when the contest was announced at the end of fall semester.

They started out by creating a 3D CAD model of their design. Each chocolate could be no larger than 2”x2”x1”. Next, a 3D print of the model was created in the MMET Department’s Additive Manufacturing facility, using the Stratasys Fortus 400 MC, which uses Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) to extrude plastic filament.

The students then each built a flask from poster board strips. The flask held their 3D printed patterns (the positive). Food-safe silicone was poured over the top to cast a silicone mold (the negative).

Once set, students removed their silicone mold from the flask, filled the new mold with melted chocolate, chilled it all to delicious perfection, then popped out their chocolate confections to enjoy—and also to be judged as part of the challenge.

MMET faculty members judged the entries by the following criteria:

3D CAD Model—Utilizes sketches fully constrained with parametric features
Originality—Unique and innovative design representative of Michigan Tech
Quality—Uniformity, strength and surface finish
Manufacturability—Ability for chocolate to be easily formed in mold
Detail—The chocolate conforms to the mold intended design

And the winner is…Michael Havens! He won a $1,000 scholarship!

Cathy and Michael stand arm in arm. — Congratulations to Michael Havens!

A plate with a single chocolate on a table, with the mold and 3d print. — Michael’s work: note his 3D printed pattern (black), and his silicon mold (blue).

Michael looks at large computer screen with picture of his wheel-shaped chocolate 3d design — Michael Havens presents his design to the judges.

Justin Hannah earned Second Place and a $500 scholarship.

Justin stands between Cathy and Richard holding his silicon mold. — Congratulations to Justin Hannah!

three chocolates on a white plate with Justin Hannah sign nearby — Justin’s wonderful designs.

David Watkins earned third place and a $250 scholarship.

David Watkins between Cathy and Richard, holding his 3rd place certificate — Congratulations to David Watkins!

Plate of chocolates, plus molds, 3d prints and cookie cutters on a table. — David’s winning work in both white and dark chocolate!

According to the Podkul’s, everyone was a winner!

The Podkul’s also gave gift certificates to the other three MET student who submitted entries: Beaumont Ujlaky, Teresa Hoving, and RJ Slater.

Cathy sits at a table and looks at the judges with her 3dDesign on a big screen behind her. — Teresa Hoving presents to the judges.

Five-sided chocolates on a plate plus a stuffed Husky dog toy and some cookies in cellophane and a blue silicon chocolate mold. — Teresa’s wonderful design

RJ sits at a table with Bryant in the background. Chocolates on a plate in the foreground. — RJ Slater presents his design to the judges.

Beaumont stands and holds his blue chocolate silicon mold with Cathy and Linda on either side — Beaumont Ujlaky, with Cathy Podkul and her sister, Linda Daleo

oval-shaped chocolate on a plate with a Keweenaw peninsula design on the top. — Just one of Beaumont’s chocolates. He designed several.

Nick holds a section of gray 3d print on a piece of plexiglass while Linda looks on. — Linda Daleo, Zachary’s aunt, was on hand for the event. Here she learns about the Stratasys Fortus 400 MC in the Michigan Tech’s AM Lab with MMET Professor of Practice Nick Hendrickson

Bow of cellophane wrapped frosted cookies with cookie cutters on a table. — Cathy kept the student-designed cookie cutters from the 2022 ZRP Memorial Challenge. She hired a professional baker to make delicious cookies using the cutters to share at the event. (Does that mean we’ll enjoy both cookies *and* chocolate at next year’s award ceremony??!!)

Zachary’s family supports the ZRP Design Challenge and an MET student scholarship through their endowment. It’s intended to ease the financial burden for students who share his MTU experience and for those who live with chronic health conditions. Zachary will always be remembered by his Michigan Tech family and alumni.

Want to join the Podkul family in supporting the Zachary Richard Podkul Engineering Memorial Scholarship? Learn more here.

This year, the Podkuls were able to meet all of the students in person who participated. “We were amazed at their designs and the level of detail,” said Cathy. “And we especially enjoyed hearing the thought process that went into their designs.”

The family is at home by an open closet door with board games on the shelf behind them. — Zachary with his mom, Cathy, and sister, Gabby

Zachary wears his cap and gown and has his arm around his father's shoulder. — Zach and his Dad

“Zachary’s best times were his college days here at Michigan Tech.”
Cathy Podkul

A table with Zachary's diploma, and other photos and mementos. — Loving memories of Zachary

During the Challenge award presentation, Cathy shared a bit more about her late son, Zachary, who was born eight weeks premature and fought for his health his entire life. He was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the young age of 10, and spent the next 15 years of his life battling the disease. He passed away in 2020.

“From the beginning Zachary had a mechanical mindset,” she said. “As a young boy, he was always inquisitive and curious about how things worked.”

With this passion for knowledge he enrolled in Michigan Tech and graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology.

Cathy describes Zachary as quiet, conservative, intelligent, original, sensitive, and witty, with a great sense of humor. At times, he was strong-willed and determined, too, which of course made him all the more lovable.

“We miss Zachary so much. It’s such a rewarding feeling to support this and to be able to present the awards on his birthday (April 19). My husband and I are grateful to Dr. Irwin, Bryant Weathers, and the MMET faculty and staff for their time and dedication to making these challenges successful for three years in a row.”

The group stands against a white-painted brick wall. — L to R: Richard Podkul, Bryant Weathers, Cathy Podkul, Linda Daleo, and John Irwin

The Podkuls plan to honor their late son Zachary with an MET Design Challenge every year. What will they come up with next? Details about the 2024 Challenge will be announced in about six months.

Engineering Alumni Activity Summer 2023

Published May 2, 2023

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Alumni
News

Return on Information-New Jersey posted a story about Teik Lim ’85 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) being awarded the Chinese-American Academic & Professional Society’s 2023 Distinguished Leadership Achievement Award. Lim is the president of the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Lim’s career has spanned from the private sector to university administration.

Northern Express featured a story about Coveyou Scenic Farm in Petoskey, Michigan, a five-generation farm run by David Coveyou (B.S. Engineering). While he pursued his engineering career, his parents were getting older and none of his siblings seemed interested in taking over the operation of the family farm. Coveyou’s innovations in energy efficiency on the farm were honored by Gov. Rick Snyder. One of the most popular aspects of the farm is the Open Market program.

Todd Contrell ’96 (B.S. Chemical Engineering) was named CEO Azelis Americas, a leading global innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry. Contrell has worked for some of the global leaders in the CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers) industry, his last position having been Managing Director Americas for a large European manufacturer. The Department of Chemical Engineering congratulates Todd Contrell on his achievements.

Business Wire, Yahoo! Finance and Semiconductor Today covered the appointment of Wayne Struble ’81 ’83 (B.S. M.S. Electrical Engineering) as senior vice president of advanced semiconductor technology at MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc. The announcement was picked up by over 30 regional, business and tech industry outlets. Struble is an expert in radio frequency, microwave and millimeter wave integrated circuit design, semiconductor device modeling and testing, compound semiconductor process development, and wireless communication system design.

PR Newswire and Yahoo! Finance published a story about the new book “Demystifying IT: The Language of IT for the CEO” co-authored by Bhopi Dhall ’69 (M.S. Electrical Engineering). The story was picked up by more than 140 regional news outlets. Bhopi Dhall is the founder and CEO of CG Infinity. “IT is all around us, and the enormous potential to use it more proactively in every facet of business cannot be ignored,” Dhall said.

Near North Now of Newaygo County, Michigan, published a Q&A with former Husky and retired NFL lineman Joe Berger ’05 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering). This past Spring Joe Berger was inducted into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame, a fitting honor for the former Newaygo Lion who spent 13 seasons facing down the best defensive linemen in the world, primarily as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.

Ryan Bauman, a 2007 civil engineering graduate, has been honored as one of Engineering News-Record’s Top 20 under 40 for 2023. As transit section manager at HDR Engineering Inc., Bauman emphasizes work-life balance, organizing events that involve coworkers, spouses and children. “Collaboration is at the core of what we do in our industry,” says Bauman.

AftermarketNews covered the promotion of Klynt Baker ’95 (B.S. electrical engineering) from vice president of operations to president of Sonnax Transmission Company. Baker brings to his new position more than 25 years of experience in the global automotive and aftermarket industries.

Attorney Intel included MTU alumnus Lars Taavola ‘96 (B.S. chemical engineering, engineering management), the general counsel of brands for Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, in its 2023 list of the top 50 attorneys in New Jersey. Before joining Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Taavola was a senior patent counsel and head of IP at Amneal Pharmaceuticals.

Natalea Cohen ’23 (M.S. Geology) is the author of an entry in the U.S. Geological Survey’s Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles. The article discussed new satellite communication technology being tested at Yellowstone monitoring stations and their impact on real-time data collection and transmission. Cohen is an intern at Earthscope Consortium, which is dedicated to transforming global geophysical research and education.

WLUC TV6 mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the promotion of Leigha Woelffer ’21 (B.S. Electrical Engineering) to the rank of first lieutenant in the U.S. Space Force. The Michigan Tech ROTC graduate works at Space Systems Command in Los Angeles as a Data Transport Technical Agent.

Hemmings Motor News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story written by Scott Overton (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) about his stint as a summer worker in Spokane, Washington, in 1966 as a third-year mechanical engineering student. Among other tasks, Overton developed a safety brace to install on an uplifted dump truck frame to protect anyone working under the dump bed.

The Iron Mountain Daily News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Greg Ives ’03 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) visiting Norway Speedway last Friday (July 7) for an autograph session at the Auto Value Super Stock race. Ives graduated from Michigan Tech University and almost immediately moved down south with his engineering degree to begin his NASCAR career as a crew chief and chassis engineer. Ives is a NASCAR crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman.

WebWire mentioned Michigan Tech in a press release about the newly published textbook “Mathematical Methods for Engineering and Science,” co-authored by Merle Potter ’58 ’61 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering, M.S. Engineering Mechanics). The release was picked up by more than a dozen regional news outlets. The text introduces undergraduate students of engineering and science to applied mathematics essential to the study of many problems.

Virginia Tech News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Eli Vlaisavljevich ’10 (B.S. Biomedical Engineering) being named the university’s Kendall and Laura Hendrick Junior Faculty Fellow. Vlaisavljevich is an associate professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics at Virginia Tech. Vlaisavljevich’s research and scholarship focuses on developing histotripsy as a noninvasive, high precision, and image-guided cancer ablation method.

Radio Results Network mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the new supervisor of the Hiawatha National Forest: Shannon Rische (B.S. Surveying Engineering). Shannon started her Forest Service career as a civil engineer, then spent eight years as the Forest Engineer on the Huron-Manistee National Forests before moving into a Staff Officer position for nine years on the same unit.

Composites World Magazine mentioned Michigan Tech in a story announcing Kevin Pageau ’81 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) as the recipient of the Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Division’s 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award. Pageau, owner and president of International Marketing Alliance, has been a major contributor to the SPE Automotive Division Innovation Awards Program for many years.

The Mining Journal mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Ishpeming Public Schools’ Halls of Excellence, created to honor former students, staff and others who have contributed honor and prestige to the school district. Gary Anderson ’67 (B.S. Chemical Engineering), who established a scholarship trust for IPS students at MTU, is one of the inaugural inductees. He spent his entire career at Dow Corning, becoming president, CEO, and chairman. He retired in 2004 after seeing the firm grow thirtyfold and be recognized as one of the nation’s top 100 companies to work for.

Carter Paprocki ’20 ’22 (B.S. M.S. Mechanical Engineering), a second-year doctoral student in acoustics at Pennsylvania State University, was named the recipient of the Rickover Fellowship in Nuclear Engineering, as announced by Penn State. As an undergraduate, Paprocki participated in Department of Defense-funded research with former Michigan Tech Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Andrew Barnard, including completing proof-of-concept work of a live scan sonar system for U.S. Navy SEAL scuba divers and a remote-controlled rescue device developed for dangerous rescues in Lake Superior.

Hailey Bondy and Jacob Smith stepping off a bus. — Hailey Bondy and Jacob Smith

Michigan Tech alums Jacob Smith ‘19 (mechanical engineering) and Hailey Bondy ‘19 (environmental engineering) were profiled in a story by the Daily Mining Gazette. The pair used their engineering backgrounds and other skills to convert a 1996 Chevy G30 bus into a moving home, which they’ve used to travel the country since September 2022 while on an extended honeymoon. “My education at MTU gave me the tools that I needed to maximize the small space that we were planning on living in, as well as incorporating new technologies that we built like our water filtration system, and heating and cooling systems in order to make it a comfortable living space,” Jacob said.

MLive.com mentioned Dean Rossell ’84 (M.S. Geology) in a story about estimates by the U.S. Geological Survey that the western Upper Peninsula could be home to substantial undiscovered nickel deposits. The story said a global nickel shortage is expected in 2026 due to increasing demand from the electric vehicle battery supply chain. Ted Bornhorst, a retired geology and mining professor at Michigan Tech, said Tesla supplier Talon’s geologist Rossell, a former student of his, is “one of the best.”

The Mining Journal mentioned Michigan Tech in a feature story about the newest members of the Upper Peninsula’s Sports Hall of Fame. Husky basketball and tennis player David Cvengros ’62 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) was one of this year’s inductees. A five-sport athlete at Wakefield High School, he earned 17 letters and teamed with UPSHF inductee Rom Gilbert to win two U.P. doubles titles in tennis.

Medical Buyer and GlobeNewswire ran a press release about the appointment of Kevin Ballinger ’95 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) to Shockwave Medical’s board of directors. Ballinger is CEO at Aldevron, a manufacturer of plasmid DNA, mRNA and proteins for use in advanced therapeutics. He is a recognized leader in the healthcare industry with over 25 years of professional experience.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) mentioned Michigan Tech in a story announcing university participants in a 2024 mission concept program. The program will be sponsored by AFRL’s Space Vehicles Directorate under the University Nanosatellite Program (UNP). Jesse Olson ’17 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering/Electrical Engineering), UNP manager of the directorate’s small satellite branch, was quoted in the story.

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education profiled Teik Lim ’85 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering), who just completed his first year as president of the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Diversity of thought and experience are crucial in a technical institution, which is why Lim is so pleased with the diversity of NJIT. He is committed to bringing more women and underrepresented minorities into the STEM disciplines and fostering a sense of belonging on campus so everyone can thrive.

Wausau City Pages mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about ultramarathoner Andrea Larson ’08 (B.S. Chemical Engineering). Larson, who competed in Tennessee’s grueling Barkley Marathons in March, ran cross country for the Huskies. While at Michigan Tech, Larson joined the cross country team. Michigan Tech was like a dream, she says, with world-class cross-country ski trails about a five-minute walk away.

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.

Two Michigan Tech Alumni Elected to the National Academy of Engineering

Published April 26, 2023

By

Congratulations to Michigan Tech alumni Dr. Markus J. Buehler ’01 and Dr. Kevin Tomsovic ’82. Both have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, among the highest international professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.

Dr. Buehler is honored for implementing the use of nanomechanics to model and design fracture-resistant bioinspired materials. He is the Jerry McAfee (1940) Professor in Engineering, in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.

Dr. Tomsovic is honored for contributions to power system computational methods and power engineering education. He is Chancellor’s Professor in the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Dr. Buehler earned his BS equiv. in Process and Chemical Engineering at the University of Stuttgart, his MS in Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Tech, and his PhD in Materials Science (Chemistry) at Max Planck Institute of Metals Research at the University of Stuttgart. He was a postdoctoral scholar in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology. His research interests include the materials science and mechanics of natural and biological protein materials in the field of materiomics—the holistic study of material systems—and one which he has pioneered. One focus is how protein materials define our body and how they fail catastrophically through fracture, deformation, and disease. His activities in LAMM, his research Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics, include developing a new paradigm that designs materials from the molecular scale, with multi-scale modeling, additive manufacturing, 3D printing, and experimental synthesis.

Dr. Tomsovic earned his BS in Electrical Engineering at Michigan Tech and his MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering at the University of Washington. He also served as the Kyushu Electric Endowed Chair for Advanced Technology for Electrical Energy with Kumamoto University in Japan and was the National Science Foundation program director with the Electrical and Communications Systems Division of the Engineering Directorate. He has held faculty positions at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan and the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. His research interests include intelligent systems and optimization methodologies that can be applied to various power system problems—developing technology for the operation and planning of the modern power grid that can achieve low cost, reliable power with reduced environmental impact. At UT he directs the Center for Ultra-wide-area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks (CURENT), a graduated National Science Foundation and Department of Energy Engineering Research Center.

About NAE

Founded in 1964, the National Academy of Engineering is a private, independent, nonprofit institution that provides engineering leadership in service to the nation. Its mission is to advance the welfare and prosperity of the nation by providing independent advice on matters involving engineering and technology, and by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and public appreciation of engineering.

New members of the NAE will be formally inducted in October 2023 at the NAE’s annual meeting.

Related

And the winner is…Michael Havens! He won a $1,000 scholarship!

Justin Hannah earned Second Place and a $500 scholarship.

David Watkins earned third place and a $250 scholarship.

According to the Podkul’s, everyone was a winner!