by Rick Berkey

The Michigan Tech Supermileage Systems Enterprise took fourth place at the SAE Supermileage Challenge. Rick Berkey, advisor of the Supermileage Systems Enterprise says, “I wanted to share our competition results as many of you have had a hand in the team’s success, whether it’s providing administrative support, help with fundraising, shop and lab support, technical guidance on projects, etc. I’m very proud of this team for what they accomplished and HOW they accomplished it…demonstrating excellent teamwork, integrity, and resourcefulness. Like many competitions, we were challenged on a few safety issues the judges had concerns about, working late into the evening to address them successfully. Of course we also had a lot of fun!”

Berkey says the vehicle was completely new that took two years to design, build, and test. Nothing from the 2013 vehicle was reused and thus it was a major design effort, with the team logging over 5,000 hours (yes 5,000) over two years!

Summary:
29 teams competed in this year’s event, including teams from Canada and the US. Of those 29, 23 made it successfully through technical inspection, and 18 were able to make qualifying fuel economy runs
We were one of only 3 teams eligible for the Endurance Award, which requires a minimum of 4 qualifying fuel runs…BYU earned the award based on higher mpg We were one of only 2 teams with throttle by wire…made possible due in large part to our multidisciplinary team of EE, CpE, CS, and ME majors Our combined verbal/written design report score was 360 out of 450 possible…in the top 1/3, and we know what to do to improve further Tech placed 4th overall with a top mileage of 793 mpg, improving on our 2013 performance of 758 mpg. Check out the official results. We also had the opportunity to be part of a local alumni event on Thursday evening (thanks Kay!) and presented our vehicle to about 12 MTU alumni, including two Supermileage alumni from 2013.

For next year, we’ll be entering the Shell Ecomarathon Americas competition for the first time…a bigger event that will give Michigan Tech more exposure, and an opportunity to demonstrate our new battery electric vehicle (BEV) architecture which is not allowed in the SAE competition. But for now, I think we’re all ready for a nice break over the summer!

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by Mark Wilcox, Tech Today

11 of this spring’s high school graduates, five from Michigan and six from Wisconsin or Minnesota, are the inaugural recipients of FIRST Robotics Scholarships to Michigan Tech. These exceptional students have actively competed on a FIRST Robotics Competition or FIRST Tech Challenge during high school.

The FIRST Robotics website calls its competitions “The Varsity Sport for the Mind,” combining the competition and thrill of interscholastic athletics with the rigors and discipline of science and technology.

William Roberts, director of student financial services at Michigan Tech, says the first-ever scholarship program is a collaboration between the University and FIRST Robotics. He says with these scholarships, Michigan Tech has an additional tool to attract exceptional students.

Describing the first class of FIRST Robotics Scholarship winners, Roberts says, “These are world-class students who will make an immediate impact here at Michigan Tech.” Roberts says the 11 scholarship winners were chosen from more than 80 applicants. He says students who compete in FIRST Robotics are typically students who thrive at Michigan Tech.

“These students come with experience in hands-on experiential learning. They are precisely what we are looking for at Michigan Tech,” Roberts says.

Five Michigan students have been awarded $5,000 Michigan Tech FRIST Robotics Scholarships. These annual scholarships are renewable for four years of full-time undergraduate study, based on renewal criteria. Among the in-state recipients is Houghton High School’s Peter Lund who competed in the FIRST Robotics World Championship in St. Louis.

Four students from Wisconsin and two from Minnesota have been awarded scholarships valued at $14,000 per year.

The Michigan Tech Formula SAE Car Team finished 23rd out of 110 teams at the 2015 Society of Automotive Engineers International Competition at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. The Team took 25th in Acceleration, 26th in Endurance, 31st in Design and 31st in Business Presentation. They also won the 2015 MacLean-Fogg Fastening Challenge earning them a trophy and $1000. Way to go!!

From Tech Today May 12, 2015

Dozens if not hundreds of area homes can be made cozier, thanks to a gift from Dow Corning.

The Midland-based company has donated 1,200 tubes of clear silicone sealant to the Efficiency Through Engineering and Construction Enterprise (ETEC) at Michigan Tech. The gift will be used to weatherize area homes as part of the Houghton Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) effort.

“We did it because we’ve always had strong ties to Michigan Tech, and because it’s an excellent program,” says Bob Schroeder, global procurement director for Dow Corning.

ETEC advisor Lynn Artman, a lecturer in Michigan Tech’s School of Technology and a HEET member, says the gift would be put to good use sealing leaks that let cold air into houses. “We focus on weatherizing homes for low-income residents,” she says. “That not only makes their homes more comfortable, it slashes their utility bills. I’m so grateful to Dow Corning for their support.”

HEET is a local volunteer group dedicated to helping Houghton County residents reduce their utility bills and to compete for the $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize.

The Georgetown University Energy Prize challenges communities to rethink their energy use and implement creative strategies to increase energy efficiency.