Tag: CEE

Stories about Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering.

Joint ROTC Commissioning Ceremony April 28, 2023

Cadets at the ceremony.

The Air Force and Army ROTC invite you to the Spring 2023 Commissioning Ceremony on Friday (April 28) from 7-9 p.m. at the Rozsa Center.

This semester we have 11 Air Force cadets and five Army cadets commissioning. Those commissioning are from the following programs:

Biological Sciences | Civil Engineering | Computer Science | Cybersecurity | Electrical Engineering | Engineering Fundamentals | Engineering Management | Environmental Engineering | Forestry | Mathematics | Mechanical Engineering | Physics

We will also be streaming the ceremony if you prefer to watch it live on YouTube. The stream will go live 15 minutes prior to the ceremony.

By Air Force and Army ROTC.

Design Expo 2023: Awards Results!

Michigan Tech’s Design Expo 2023 was a huge success. Many thanks to our hardworking students—and the faculty advisors who generously and richly support them.

Hundreds of Michigan Tech students presented their innovative work last week at Michigan Tech’s 23rd annual Design Expo. Each project entails hands-on, experiential, discovery-based learning. Teams competed for cash awards totaling nearly $4,000.

“Design Expo gives students an opportunity to showcase their creativity and innovation,” says Nagesh Hatti, who oversees Enterprise.

“The students,” adds Leonard Bohmann, associate dean of the College of Engineering, “create new things, solve global problems and make lives better.”

Many of the Senior Design and Enterprise projects on display at Design Expo are supported by external industry sponsors, allowing students to gain valuable experience through direct exposure to real industrial problems.

In Senior Design, students explore and solve real industry challenges throughout their senior year—from ideation to realization. In the Enterprise Program, teams of first- through fourth-year students from a variety of disciplines operate much like real companies to develop products, services and solutions. 

Project Sponsors Support Michigan Tech’s Educational Mission

“Project sponsors generously support our educational mission by providing invaluable project experiences, along with guidance and mentorship for our students,” adds Hatti. “Industry and academia working together as partners in higher education give our students a tremendous learning experience.”

Design Expo’s industry event sponsors make Design Expo, a large campus event, possible. “Their generous support often continues year after year,” says Hatti.

Thompson Surgical Instruments is Design Expo’s 2023 executive partner. ITC Holdings is the event’s directing partner for the 12th consecutive year, joined by fellow directing partner Aramco. And Plexus, OHM Advisors, Altec Inc. and Husky Innovate are collaborating partners.

This year, more than 100 student teams competed for awards. A panel of judges, made up of corporate representatives, community members, and Michigan Tech staff and faculty members, critiqued the projects. “Our esteemed judges give their time and talent to help make Design Expo a success,” adds Hatti.

The judges’ scoring was used to arrive at the awards. Visit the Design Expo website awards page to see the full list of award winning teams (and project videos, too).

The College of Engineering and the Enterprise Program are pleased to announce award winners, below. Congratulations and thanks to ALL teams for a very successful 2023 Design Expo!

ENTERPRISE

FIRST PLACE

Velovations, Michigan Tech’s Bicycle Design Enterprise team, took first place in the Enterprise category at the 2023 Design Expo.

123: Velovations

Led by: Ethan McKenzie and Michael Balentine, Mechanical Engineering

Advised by: Steve Lehmann, Biomedical Engineering

Sponsored by: Cleveland Cliffs, Tongy Senger Innovations, Milwaukee Tools


SECOND PLACE

Michigan Tech’s Aerospace Enterprise team took second place in the Enterprise category.

106: Aerospace Enterprise

Led by: Seth Quayle, Mechanical Engineering and Kyle Bruursema, Electrical Engineering

Advised by: L. Brad King, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Sponsored by: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)


THIRD PLACE

104: Supermileage Systems

Supermileage Systems Enterprise took third place in the Enterprise category.

Led by: Olivia Zinser and Ben Klein, Electrical Engineering

Advised by: Rick Berkey, Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology

Sponsored by: GM, Aramco Americas, Oshkosh, Milwaukee Tool, A&D Technology – GIK, and Dana


HONORABLE MENTION

117: Innovative Global Solutions

The Innovative Global Solutions Enterprise team earned an Honorable Mention in the Enterprise category.

Led by: Cynthia Wurtz, Mechanical Engineering and Riley Dickert, Physics

Advised by: Radheshyam Tewari, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics and Nathan Manser, Geological and Mining Engineering

Sponsored by: Tree Frog Aquagric

SENIOR DESIGN

FIRST PLACE

233: Social Engineering for High School Students

College of Computing students Kayla Blunt and Connor Langdon won first place in the Senior Design Category for their project, Social Engineering for High School Students

Team Members: Connor Langdon, Cybersecurity and Kayla Blunt, Computer Network and System Administration

Advised by: Tim Van Wagner and Victoria Walters, Applied Computing


SECOND PLACE

232: Shot Sleeve Re-design for Steel High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC)

A team of five Materials Science and Engineering students won second place for their senior design project, Hot Sleeve Re-design for Steel High Pressure Die Casting, sponsored by Mercury Marine

Team Members: Ryan Cesario, Henry Summers, Victoria Berger, Caleb Minasian, and Katherine Jarvis, Materials Science and Engineering

Advised by: Paul Sanders and Walter Milligan, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsored by: Mercury Marine


THIRD PLACE

214: Design of a Method to Characterize the Depletion Mode Medical Device Battery – Phase 2

This team of biomedical engineering students earned third place for their senior design project, which was sponsored by the US Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health: Design of a Method to Characterize the Depletion Mode Medical Device Battery – Phase 2.

Team Members: Cole Hebert, Cameron Karnosky, Kristin King, William Poster, and Kelsey Moyer, Biomedical Engineering

Advised by: Orhan Soykan and Smitha Rao, Biomedical Engineering

Sponsored by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH)


HONORABLE MENTION

224: Movable Bookshelf Network

This team of ECE students earned an honorable mention in the senior design category for their project, Movable Bookshelf Network.

Team Members: Spencer Crawford and Ryan Briggs, Computer Engineering and Josh Cribben and Emily Fischer, Electrical Engineering

Advised by: Kit Cischke, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Sponsored by: Michigan Tech Van Pelt and Opie Library


HONORABLE MENTION

227: Physiological Sensing Using a Smart Port-a-Cath

This team’s project, Physiological Sensing Using a Smart Port-a-Cath was sponsored by Lifebridge Health. They earned an honorable mention in the senior design category.

Team Members: Marli Hietala, Savannah Page, Etienne Michels, Ali Dabas and Giovanni Diaz, Biomedical Engineering

Advised by: Sean Kirkpatrick, Biomedical Engineering

Sponsored by: LifeBridge Health

HONORABLE MENTION

231: Renewable Energy Powered Portable Plastic Waste Breakdown Machine

This team of ECE and mechanical engineering students earned an honorable mention in the senior design category for their project, Renewable Energy Powered Portable Plastic Waste Breakdown Machine, sponsored by ITC.

Team Members: Aaron Hogue and Hunter Indermuehle, Electrical Engineering, Ruizhi Ma, Computer Engineering and Zarvan Chinoy, Mechanical Engineering

Advised by: John Lukowski, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Sponsored by: ITC Holdings Corp.

HONORABLE MENTION

237: Utilizing Motor Oil to Rejuvenate RAP Materials

This civil engineering team earned an honorable mention for their senior design project, Utilizing Motor Oil to Rejuvenate Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Materials.

Team Members: Kira Olson, Construction Management, Alli Hummel, Jacob Cleaver, and AJ Clarey, Civil Engineering

Advised by: Zhanping You, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Sponsored by: Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Design Expo Innovation Awards (Based on Application)

FIRST PLACE

301: AAA [Affordable, Accessible, Authentic] Prosthesis
Advised by: Jon Herlivich, Chemical Engineering

The AAA team won a first place Design Expo Innovation Award. They are part of Michigan Tech’s Consumer Product Manufacturing Enterprise.

SECOND PLACE

The Implantable Pulse Generator (IPG) and Lead team earned a second place in the Design Expo Innovation Award.


203: Implantable Pulse Generator (IPG) and Lead
Advised by: Jingfeng Jiang and Chunxiu (Traci) Yu, Biomedical Engineering

THIRD PLACE

237: Utilizing Motor Oil to Rejuvenate RAP Materials
Advised by: Zhanping You, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

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

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

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

Research Presentations

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

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

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

Recognitions

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

Alumni Connections

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

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

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

Five people standing at a table in a large room.
GMES alumni event: (left to right) Luis Sierra (BSMG ‘05), Katie Robertson (BSMG ‘04), Trent Weatherwax (BSMG ‘03), John Uhrie (PhD ‘96), Theodosia Uhrie (BS STC ‘91). Photo credit: Julie Marinucci.
Six people standing at a table in a large room.
GMES alumni event: (left to right) Amol Paithankar (MSMG ’17; MS PhD ’20); Abid Danish (Mining Engineering PhD student); Bowen Li (Research Professor, Materials Science and Engineering); Charles Addai (Mining Engineering MS Student); Emmanuel Wolubah (Mining Engineering MS Student); and Enoch Nii-Okai (Mining Engineering MS Student). Photo credit: Julie Marinucci.
Four people standing near the wall in a large room.
GMES alumni event: (left to right) Richard Saccany (MTU BSMG ‘71), Don Larsen (MTU BSMY ‘79), Komar Kawatra (MTU Chemical Engineering), Mike Onsager (MTU BSEE ‘76). Photo credit: Julie Marinucci.
Four people standing in a large room.
Michael Carley (BSGE ‘23), Jake Maxon (BSMG ‘23), Nathan Manser (BSMG ‘01), and Kurt Doran (MTU ‘04). Photo credit: Julie Marinucci.

Fun

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

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

Other SME Activities

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

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

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

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

Impact

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

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

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

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

By Aleksey Smirnov, chair of GMES.

Michigan Space Grant Consortium Awards for 2023-24

NASA Lunabotics
By ProjectManager2015 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=121940844

A diverse, multitalented group of Michigan Tech students, faculty and staff members has been awarded fellowships and grants totaling an impressive $78,000 from the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) for its 2023-24 cycle.

The MSGC, which consists of 52 consortia, is sponsored by NASA. The MSGC promotes awareness, research and education in “space-related science and technology in Michigan.” To achieve this goal, the organization not only funds fellowships and scholarships for students pursuing STEM careers but also financially supports curriculum enhancement and faculty development. 

Michigan Tech undergraduate students who received $4,000 for Faculty Led Fellowships are:

  • Elijah Sierra (mechanical engineering): “Investigation of static electricity effects on conveyance of MTU-LHT-1A through polycarbonate hoppers”
  • Abraham Stone (biological sciences): “Advancing Mycobiocontrol Techniques for Buckthorn Management”

Michigan Tech graduate students who received $5,000 Graduate Fellowships are:

  • Ian Norwood (Physics): “Constraining Frictional Charging on Coarse-Mode Atmospheric Dust Particles”
  • Jacob Novitch (CEGE): “Modeling of Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Systems in Small Communities”
  • Caitlyn Sutherlin (SS) “Understanding Community Connections with Nature in California, El Salvador”
  • Eli Paulen (CFRES): “Elucidating factors controlling stream temperatures in a seasonally snow-covered forested catchment in the Great Lakes Region”
  • Ben Jewell (ME-EM): “Experimental Characterization of Polymers and Polymer Composites Under High Temperature Oxidative Aging”
  • Enid Partika (CEGE): “Uncovering Causes Spatial Variability in Lake Superior Lake Trout PCB Concentrations”
  • Emilie Pray (GMES): “The role of crustal recycling in the evolution of the Bell Creek igneous complex, Marquette County, Michigan”
  • Kyle Wehmanen (KIP): “Human Powered Locomotion on Variable Terrain: Implications for how to Move on Mars”

Michigan Tech faculty and staff members who received $5,000 or more for Hands-On NASA-Oriented Experiences for Student Groups (HONES) and Research Seed Programs:

  • Paul van Susante (ME-EM): HONES — “NASA Lunabotics Competition”
  • Xin Xi (GMES): “The compound extreme climate and dust storms over the Northern Hemisphere midlatitude drylands”
  • Yinan Yuan (CFRES): “Genetic Engineering Novel Regulatory Antisense RNAs for Plant Adaption to Space Environment”

The Graduate School is proud of these students for their outstanding scholarship. These awards highlight the quality of students at Michigan Tech, their innovative work, their leadership potential and the incredible role faculty plays in students’ academic success.

SWE Attends WELocal Detroit Conference 2023

Conference room with stage and tables of attendees.

Five student members of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) section at Michigan Tech and SWE advisor Gretchen Hein (MMET) attended the WELocal Detroit conference, held Saturday and Sunday (February 18–19).

The attending students were SWE President Aerith Cruz (junior, management information systems), seniors Lukas Pyryt (mechanical engineering) and Kathleen Pakenas (biomedical engineering), and second-year students Kathryn Krieger (environmental engineering) and Ella Merklein (biomedical engineering).

At the conference, Krieger and Merklein gave a presentation titled “SWE Section and Engineering Ambassadors Host K-5 Engineering Days.” Hein participated in a panel discussion titled “Journeys in Academia, The Perks and Challenges” with faculty from Kettering University.

“Attending the WELocal conference and presenting on our outreach programs was an empowering experience,” said Krieger. “It was a great opportunity to showcase the incredible work being done by our section and a reminder that by working together, we can make a meaningful impact on the next generation of engineers.”

“Being my first conference, I very much enjoyed attending the WELocal conference,” said Pyryt. “This was a chance for me to truly become an ally for SWE and learn more ways to support this organization. I am very thankful for all connections I gained at this conference, as well as new information gained in sessions helping push more to become a better engineer in the process.”

The section celebrated with the SWE-Wisconsin Professional Section the achievements of Andrea Falasco ’12 (BS mechanical engineering) who was selected as an Emerging Leader in Technology and Engineering (ELiTE). “It was great seeing my SWE friends again and meeting new ones at the conference,” said Falasco. “I am honored to be chosen for one of the New ELiTE awards and am grateful for those who nominated me. I learned a lot at the conference and hope to bring this insight back to work and home.”

The SWE section at MTU thanks our alumnae, corporate sponsors, and the College of Engineering for their support of our section and travel to conferences.

By Gretchen Hein, Advisor, Society of Women Engineers.

Dean’s Teaching Showcase: Pasi Lautala

Pasi Lautala
Pasi Lautala

The College of Engineering and the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) are pleased to announce Pasi Lautala as the featured instructor for this week’s Deans’ Teaching Showcase.

Lautala will be recognized at an end-of-term luncheon with other spring showcase members, and is a candidate for the next CTL Instructional Award Series.

Lautala is being honored for excellence in teaching across a 20-year effort focused on railway engineering. Because of his passion for rails as a highly energy-efficient mode for land transportation, he established and now manages Michigan Tech’s railway engineering program. The educational aspects of this program benefit students at Michigan Tech and across the nation.

“Dr. Lautala had a vision of a world-class rail engineering program at Tech. Through steadfast determination, Pasi made that happen,” said College of Engineering Dean Janet Callahan. “Because of Pasi’s trailblazing efforts, Tech students can pursue an undergraduate minor in rail transportation. And those who do are highly sought after for employment by rail companies and their contractors on our continent and beyond.”

In addition to the minor he established, Lautala mentors students in the Rail Engineering Activities Club (REAC) at Michigan Tech, reinforcing their curricular experiences with extracurricular activities. Students interact with rail industry professionals to learn even more about train systems and establish important industry contacts. This club is the inaugural student chapter of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), the national organization for rail engineering professionals. That the inaugural student chapter was established at Michigan Tech speaks volumes about Lautala’s impact in railway engineering education.

Lautala has also had an enormous impact across the continent. In 2008, he helped establish the Railroad Engineering Education Symposium (REES) under the auspices of AREMA, which he continues to lead. Its purpose is to expand and encourage railway engineering education throughout North America. In 2015, with the help of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), this was augmented with the passenger-rail symposium (p-REES) to look at issues particular to transit, commuter and inter-city services. Lautala’s vision has led hundreds of faculty members and dozens of universities to incorporate rail engineering into their educational offerings.

“Dr. Lautala is a visionary in rail education and his impact is significant,” said Audra Morse, chair of CEGE. “I have heard about this work through colleagues and department heads around the country. Our students benefit from Pasi’s passion, technical competence and industry connections. The rail program draws students from all over the country to Michigan Tech.”

Lautala has also worked to develop a pipeline of students passionate about rail as an energy-efficient mode of transportation through Michigan Tech’s summer youth program. This has led to the “Tracks to the Future” collaboration with University of Illinois and Penn State Altoona, which, with funding from the Federal Railroad Administration, expands the program and includes these other campuses.

For his impact on education at Michigan Tech and beyond, the College of Engineering is honored to recognize Pasi Lautala in the Deans’ Teaching Showcase.

Joe Foster: Geospatial Imagery

AFTER: A 3d-printed Winter Carnival snow statue created by Michigan Tech students, one that never has to melt!

Joe Foster will share his knowledge on Husky Bites, a free, interactive Zoom webinar Monday, 2/6 at 6 pm ET. Learn something new in just 30 minutes or so, with time after for Q&A! Get the full scoop and register at mtu.edu/huskybites.

Joe Foster

What are you doing for supper this Monday 2/6 at 6ET? Grab a bite with Dean Janet Callahan and Joe Foster, Professor of Practice in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering at Michigan Tech. Joining in will be four of his geospatial engineering students—Brayden Brincks, Wes Hyslop, Case Vander Heide, and Jacob Wysko. They’re all three members and leaders of the Douglass Houghton Student Chapter of the National Society of Professional Surveyors (aka DHSC of NSPS).

During Husky Bites they’ll share details of their unique new endeavor at Michigan Tech’s annual Winter Carnival (coming up soon, February 8-13, 2023.) 

One of the most thrilling things featured at Winter Carnival are the larger-than-life snow statues built by a Michigan Tech students—spectacular, elaborate displays of snow and ice. When Winter Carnival comes to a close the statues eventually melt. While there are lots of photos to remember them by—now there’s something much more tangible.

BEFORE: Winter Carnival 2022’s winning snow statue, by Phi Kappa Tau. Look familiar? Scroll back up to compare.

Recently, Foster and his students have found a way to take the love of Winter Carnival one step further using LIDAR (Light Imaging Detecting and Radar) to scan the snow statues, with help from Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center, plus top-of-the-line equipment and support from Seiler Instrument & Manufacturing.

“LIDAR data collected from this endeavor, literally millions of points, enables us to 3D-print an entire snow creation as a trophy, given to each of the prize-winning snow sculpture student teams,” Foster explains. 

During Husky Bites, they’ll walk us through the process and show us the amazing results.

Joe Foster snapped this photo of his geospatial engineering students during Winter Carnival last year.

Professor Foster, how did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

I first got interested in Surveying/Geospatial Engineering while studying forestry at Michigan Tech. Surveying was one of the courses in the program. That’s where I learned there could be an entire profession centered on surveying alone. I was hooked. It incorporated everything I had come to enjoy about forestry—working outside, using sophisticated equipment, drafting, and actually putting all the math I had learned to practical use. After earning my first bachelor’s degree in Forestry, I decided to get a second bachelor’s degree in Surveying and to pursue that as my career. 

Hometown?
I was born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan, but spent a fair amount of time in the U.P. over the years visiting. I have strong family ties to the U.P. I came to Michigan Tech after graduating from Mona Shores High School in the fall of 1982. I’m glad to be back in the Copper Country.

Any hobbies? Pets? What do you like to do in your spare time?
I spend time outdoors enjoying what the Copper Country has to offer.  And I always have my “sidekick” Deirdre (5 year old hound mix rescue) with me.

Brayden Bricks hangs out with Chief on a suspension bridge he built himself using recycled materials.

Brayden, how did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

As with most students in high school, I was not exactly sure what I wanted to do after graduation. However, I was decent in mathematics and enjoyed both indoor and outdoor work. While the field of geospatial engineering is often unadvertised, with a little research I found it to contain a wide range of career opportunities, a very strong future outlook, and a dense concentration of “good” people—people you are willing and want to spend your entire career working with. Michigan Tech was the second closest school I found (11.5 hours from home compared to Eastern Tennessee’s 11.25 hour drive).

Michigan Tech was the first (and only) university I visited in high school. When I met Prof. Foster during my trip I knew Michigan Tech—and the rest of the very welcoming Houghton community—was a perfect fit.

Hometown and family?
I grew up on a farm outside of Maryville, Missouri, a small college town about the same size as Houghton, near the Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas state borders in the heartland of the country. I have one younger sister who will be graduating high school this year. And yes, it does snow, but only 15″ a year on average. 

Any hobbies? Pets? What do you like to do in your spare time?
In the winter I enjoy downhill and cross country skiing, and when the snow is not on the ground you can probably find me “gravel cycling.” I also have two pets back home, Tater a small toy poodle, and Chief, a large black lab. In addition to the community at DHSC I can often be found hanging with friends from Saint AL’s, a student parish here at Tech.

“I first met Professor Foster while visiting Michigan Tech. Since then, he has been a supportive teacher, and a great advisor.”

Brayden Bricks
Photo of the Arvon Range, by Wes Hyslop
Wes Hyslop, on a recent trip to Colorado.

Wes, how did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

I kind of stumbled into Land Surveying/Geospatial Engineering as a major, like a lot of students do. I came to Tech after a gap semester after high school. One of the classes I ended up taking was Intro to Surveying. From there I just kind of fell in love with the profession and everything that goes into it. The technology, ability to have my office be the great outdoors, and the history behind it all heavily sparked my interest.

Hometown, family?
I was born in Laurium, Michigan, but have lived in Houghton for the last 18 years. My father is a lecturer in the Department of Forestry and head of the MGIS program (that’s Master of Geographic Information Science) at Michigan Tech. My mother runs her own small business, and I have three brothers.

Any hobbies? Pets? What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy basketball, hiking, fishing, and hunting, and doing basically anything outdoors in my free time. I have two dogs—a Viszla and a Chesapeake Bay Retriever Mix, as well as a cat.

Jacob Wysko has loved computer software ever since he was five years old, and these days he also enjoys flying drones.

Jacob, how did you first get into engineering? What sparked your interest?

Ever since I was young, I’ve always had a keen interest in mapmaking and cartography. I liked to make detailed maps of the house and property that I grew up in. Finding out that there is a degree and career based around making detailed and accurate surveys really sparked my interest. 

I initially started out in Computer Science, thinking I wanted a job that utilized technology, but after learning of the Geospatial Engineering program, I discovered that I could combine both of these aspects—technology and mapping—into a career. It’s been a wonderful experience being able to use and learn the latest technology that surveyors and geoinformaticists use to map the world.

Hometown, family?
I lived in Haslett, Michigan until about the age of 12, then moved to Okemos, Michigan. I attended and graduated from Haslett Public Schools. My dad is an electrician for the Enbridge pipeline station in Mackinaw City, and my mom owns a local healthcare business in the Greater Lansing area.

Any hobbies? Pets? What do you like to do in your spare time?
I have a strong computer background. My mom always tells the story of how when I was age five or six, my granddad got me a cheap, hand-me-down Windows XP computer that had no internet access. I would play on that computer and look through all the settings and learn all the features of each program. Because of that, my primary hobby today is software development. I find it thrilling to slave and ponder over a problem that I could make a computer solve—I love spending hours crafting and perfecting code to make some sort of software. Besides that, I also enjoy flying drones, playing bass guitar, and practicing stenography.

Tau Beta Pi Honor Society at Michigan Tech Initiates 13 New Members

Congratulations to our Fall 2022 Tau Beta Pi Initiates! (Not pictured here: Yifan Zhang and Nathan Machiorlatti.)

The College of Engineering inducted 11 students and two eminent engineers into the Michigan Tech chapter of Tau Beta Pi at the end of the Fall 2022 semester.

Tau Beta Pi is a nationally recognized engineering honor society and is the only one that recognizes all engineering professions. Students who join are the top 1/8th of their junior class, top 1/5th of their senior class, or the top 1/5th of graduate students who have completed 50% of their coursework. The society celebrates those who have distinguished scholarship and exemplary character, and members strive to maintain integrity and excellence in engineering.

Fall 2022 Initiates

Undergraduate Students:

Brodey Bevins, Civil Engineering
David Bradbury, Biomedical Engineering
Erin Ganschow, Environmental Engineering
Heather Goetz, Mechanical Engineering
Madison Ide, Biomedical Engineering
Samuel Kuipers, Civil Engineering
Michael Loucks, Mechanical Engineering

Graduate Students:

Anna Li Holey, MS Environmental Engineering
Nathan Machiorlatti, MS Civil Engineering
North Yates, PhD Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Yifan Zhang, MS Environmental Engineering

Eminent Engineers

Dr. Jin Choi, Professor and Chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Jason Blough, Interim Chair and Distinguished Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Joint ROTC Commissioning Ceremony December 17

Spring 2019 commencement ceremony with cadets on stage.

The Air Force and Army ROTC invite you to the Fall 2022 Commissioning Ceremony on Saturday (Dec. 17) at 7:30 a.m. at the Rozsa Center.

This semester we have three Air Force cadets and five Army cadets commissioning.

Those commissioning are from the following programs:

Civil Engineering | Environmental Engineering | Mathematics | Mechanical Engineering

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

SWE Section Establishes Endowed Scholarship

Congratulations to Michigan Tech’s SWE Section as they announce the creation of a new endowed scholarship!

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Section at Michigan Tech is excited to announce the creation of a new endowed scholarship.

“The scholarship is in honor of our alumnae and alumni who have been part of our section since 1976,” says SWE advisor, Associate Teaching Professor Gretchen Hein.

“Eight years ago, in 2014, we hosted the SWE Region H Conference,” Hein explains. “With the funds received from SWE, we began saving with the goal of establishing an endowed scholarship. At long last, we have met our goal and will begin awarding an annual $1,000 endowed scholarship in 2026 to an active SWE section member.”

The new scholarship is in addition to the current section scholarships being awarded annually, notes Hein.

Michigan Tech SWE logo with gear

“As the President of SWE at Michigan Tech, I am excited that our section can provide an additional scholarship opportunity for our members,” said Aerith Cruz, a third year Management Information Systems student. “Our mission is threefold: ‘to stimulate women to achieve their full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrate the value of diversity.’ The establishment of our endowed scholarship demonstrates our dedication to support the future of SWE at Michigan Tech.”

Details regarding the scholarship application process will be announced in 2026. The process will mirror SWE’s current scholarship application where students complete a short essay, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and provide a copy of their resume and a letter of recommendation.

Adds Hein: “Members of Michigan Tech’s SWE section greatly appreciate the guidance and assistance received from Jim Desrochers, director for corporate relations at Michigan Tech, and also Michigan Tech SWE advisor Elizabeth Hoy, director of business and program development at Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center. And we thank the University and our current and alumni members for their support!”

Would you like to support the SWE Endowed Scholarship?

Donations are welcome! Contribute via check or credit card. Visit mtu.edu/givenow for online donations or to find the mail-in form.

Key points:

  1. Gift Type is “Make a one time gift”
  2. Enter your gift amount
  3. Gift Designation: Select “Other” and enter “SWE Endowed Scholarship #5471″

SWE Congratulates Our Graduating Seniors and Scholarship Recipients

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Section at Michigan Tech congratulates our graduating seniors: Sophie Stewart and Audrey Levanen (mechanical engineering) and Kiira Hadden (biomedical engineering). We look forward to hearing from them as alumnae!

The section awarded two scholarships to active upper-division students. We are so proud of the accomplishments of Natalie Hodges (dual major: electrical and computer engineering) and Alli Hummel (civil engineering).

We will be awarding two scholarships in the spring to first- and second-year active members and will be posting the application information during the spring semester.

By Gretchen Hein, Advisor, Society of Women Engineers.