Michigan Tech Global Campus News

Tag: automotive courses

MAHLE and MTU: Moving Forward Together

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Leaders from MAHLE and Michigan Tech gather at the signing ceremony.
Leaders from MAHLE and Michigan Technological University gather at the signing ceremony.

MAHLE is excited to partner with Michigan Tech on the Corporate Education Fellowship. This partnership not only allows employees to steer their professional development and open new pathways for internal career mobility, but also allows MAHLE to proactively support the development of our employees to meet the evolving demand for new skills and competencies.

This fellowship, when coupled with MAHLE’s Educational Reimbursement, provides employees with the ability to access affordable education through Michigan Tech’s online programs, offering flexibility to learn at their own pace, while balancing their personal life and work. We look forward to a successful partnership that will help to further prepare MAHLE and our employees as our industry transforms toward a decarbonized future.

President of MAHLE Peter Lynch

On Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, Michigan Technological University signed a Corporate Education Partnership Agreement with MAHLE Industries Inc. MAHLE is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry.

The partnership agreement was signed at MAHLE’s North American headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan. President Richard Koubek and David Lawrence (vice president for Global Campus and continuing education) were present for Michigan Tech. Peter Lynch (president of MAHLE) and Tiffiney Woznak, (director of Talent Management, MAHLE North America) represented MAHLE. Other leaders from both organizations also attended.

Richard Koubek and Peter Lynch sign the fellowship agreement.
President Koubek and MAHLE President Peter Lynch sign the fellowship agreement.
Jacque Smith, director of Graduate Enrollment Services; and Peter Lynch chat.
Jacque Smith, director of Graduate Enrollment Services, and Peter Lynch, president of MAHLE chat.

Growing With Their Organizations

The Corporate Education Fellowship supports MAHLE employees in their pursuit of graduate education through Michigan Tech’s Global Campus. Eligible employees will receive fellowships to enroll in one of Michigan Tech’s online graduate certificates or master’s degree programs.

A hard copy of the MAHLE Corporate Education Fellowship Agreement that people sign.
The signing documents for the corporate fellowship agreement.

With this fellowship, employees can acquire industry-needed skills, follow areas of professional interest, and meet the diverse challenges of the ever-evolving automotive industry.

And they can achieve these benefits while studying online through Global Campus. As many of us understand, earning a credential while staying on the job is very convenient for working professionals.

These fellowships are available for up to four years. Recipients must meet the eligibility requirements of both the fellowship program and the scholastic standards of Michigan Tech’s Graduate School.

This program is part of the connected missions of Global Campus: building relationships between academia and industry, making quality online education more accessible to a diverse population of adult learners, and helping professionals advance and grow with their workplaces.

So far, several MAHLE associates have expressed a deep interest in this program.

Tiffiney Woznak stands in front of a picture of American NASCAR legend Richard Petty and the car Petty’s Garage helped design for MAHLE. Using MAHLE components, Petty’s Garage builds supercharged high-horsepower engines for one-of-a-kind-vehicles.

Tiffiney Woznak shows President Koubek the MAHLE car that Petty helped design.
Tiffiney Woznak (head of Talent Management for MAHLE North America) talks to President Koubek.

Partnering With MAHLE

If you haven’t heard of MAHLE, it is a global powerhouse. It has approximately 72,000 employees working in more than 30 countries. The company also boasts 152 production locations and 12 major research and development centers. As a global leader in technology, MAHLE has been proudly shaping the future of mobility and transforming the automotive industry for more than 100 years. It is known for being a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry with customers in both passenger car and commercial vehicle sectors.

And you’ve probably been in the presence of a MAHLE part or two, as well. That is, this company’s components reside in about 50% of all the passenger and commercial vehicles on the road.

MAHLE’s portfolio is also wide. The company is also involved with industrial applications, as well as both small and large engine components. One of the company’s newest technological ventures is investing in e-bikes and smart bike accessories. E-bikes tend to be remarkably heavy, but MAHLE is changing the game with its ultra-light drive systems.

Collaborating With Companies Making a Difference

MAHLE has a rich past, but like Michigan Tech, it also has ambitious future-changing initiatives.

That is, one of the company’s main and ambitious goals is working towards climate-neutral mobility. To that end, it is focusing “on the strategic areas of electrification and thermal management as well as further technology fields to reduce CO2 emissions, such as fuel cells or highly efficient combustion engines that also run on hydrogen or synthetic fuels” (MAHLE). The company is also striving to improve “the triad of sustainable drives”: the electric motor, the fuel cell, and the non-fossil-fuel-powered intelligent internal combustion engine.

In other words, MAHLE, is both a presence in the vehicular industries and a crucial driver in the global move towards electrification and environmental sustainability. Its leadership in both of these areas make it a natural fit for Michigan Tech.

That is, MTU has a long history of working with the automotive industry and collaborating with other future-forward companies. For instance, in Nov. 2022, MTU signed a fellowship agreement with Nexteer Automotive. Nexteer is respected for delivering high-quality, next-level electric power and steer-by-wire systems, steering columns, driveline systems, and driver-assistance systems. And in August, ITC, a company committed to solving next-generation electricity infrastructure challenges, also partnered with MTU.

Pursuing Advanced Education: An Ongoing Journey

President Koubek confirmed the need for employees to earn advanced degres. From his experience, he knows well that all employees and leaders must continuously improve their skills to not only help their organizations succeed, but also meet upcoming technological challenges. He stressed that education, rather than an endpoint, is an ongoing process.

“I think we’re at a point in time where change is happening so fast . . . . It’s almost an expectation in the world now, especially in the technological fields, that you’re continuing your advanced education, that you’re never really done, and that there is always room to grow.”

Richard Koubek

Michigan Tech looks forward to working with MAHLE and to helping grow its success.

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APS LABS Offering Short Non-credit Courses on Diesel Engines

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Diesel Engine Controls: just one of the topics explored in APS LABS professional development courses.

Diesel engines play a significant role in Automotive, Off-Highway, and Industrial
applications, and they continue to evolve with increasingly stringent emissions
and fuel economy standards. Understanding their operation and control are
critical skills that are in high demand.

Dr. Daniel Madison
OEM Diesel Engine Performance Development Superviso Expert

Driving the American Economy

Despite the automotive industry’s increasing investment in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and the public’s demand for them, there is a still a need for diesel engines. Why? These engines are still found in light-duty vehicles, medium and heavy-duty trucks and in commercial vehicles (trains, trucks, buses, barges, and boats). The US military, in fact, uses diesel in nearly all of its ground vehicles because this fuel is less flammable and has a high energy density. And, of course, many industrial facilities (not to mention remote towns) rely on diesel engine generators as their backup or even primary sources of electricity.

Most obviously, diesel engines power the vehicles that transport the plethora of products we consume. They also keep farming, construction, and mining equipment moving. In short, diesel fuel has been and will remain important to the American economy. So engineers must continue to learn not only how diesel engines work but also how to improve them.

A Diesel Engine

Diesel Fast Facts

Improving Diesel Engines

Compared to other types of internal combustion engines (ICEs), in fact, diesel engines have superior durability and efficiency. That is, by some estimates, diesel engines are anywhere from 20-35% more economic and cost-effective than gasoline engines. To put this fact in perspective, if a gasoline engine gets 40 mpg, its diesel equivalent would get you 48 to 54 mpg. For huge vehicles, these numbers certainly matter.

And thankfully, diesel fuel has also come a long way. Prior to 2006, most US diesel fuel had high qualities of sulfur. Currently, most of this fuel sold in the US qualifies as ULSD (ultra-low sulfur density), which means it has 15 sulfur parts per million. And then there is the diesel fuel made from both petroleum and biomass sources.

But diesel fuel, because it is often expended in large amounts, still produces emissions. And when it comes to climate change, reducing carbon emissions requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. This approach will involve improving all power systems, such as striving to make even cleaner, more efficient diesel engines.

Without the low operating costs, high efficiency, high reliability, and great durability of diesel engines, it would have been impossible to reach the extent of globalization that now defines the modern economy.

Vaclav Smil

Teaching Fundamental Diesel Skills

Recognizing the ongoing importance of diesel engines is Michigan Tech’s Advanced Power Systems (APS) LABS. The expert instructional team from MTU’s acclaimed multidisciplinary research center comprises Dr. Jeffrey Naber, Dr. Jeremy Work, Dr. Vinicius Bonfochi Vinhaes, and Grant Ovist. Together, they are teaching two condensed courses on diesel engines. These 20-hour (2.5 day courses) come in two modalities to suit the diverse needs of learners. That is, students may take the F2F version, or they may study from home in the Live/Online Version.

Both courses, which focus on diesel engines, are suitable for those interested in pursuing careers in the automotive industry, commercial vehicles, power generation, or related fields.

MEEM 5202 (Diesel Engine Fundamentals)

This non-credit course is ideal for those who want to gain foundational knowledge in diesel engines. It runs from Wednesday, May 31, 2023 to Friday, June 2, 2023.

MEEM 5204 (Diesel Engine Management Systems, Emissions, and Aftertreatment)

This non-credit course equips students with a deeper understanding of diesel engine management systems, emissions, and aftertreatment. It runs from Wednesday, June 28, 2023 to Friday, June 30, 2023.

Visit the Global Campus page for APS LABS to see more details about these courses.

Promoting Professional Development

Michigan Tech Global Campus is proud to partner with and support APS LABS in promoting their professional learning short courses. We understand the importance of offering non-credit continuing education that meets the ever-evolving needs of learners.

Whether it is professional development, professional learning, short online courses, bridge courses, or specialized corporate training, Global Campus wants to help in providing continuing education that is practical, flexible, and accessible.

Stay tuned for other learning opportunities that offer practical skills and competencies for keeping pace with technology and upskilling your career.

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