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Designing for Sustainability and Climate Change: Two Challenges Facing Civil Engineers

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A flood with vast infrastructure damage: one of the problems civil engineers must face.

Civil engineers, often known as the people’s engineers, leave their mark everywhere. The sidewalks we run on, the roads we drive on, the buildings we work in, the clean water we swim in. These structures and assets have all been made possible by various types of civil engineers. In general, civil engineers focus on the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure systems, such as roads, bridges, dams, water supply systems, and buildings

In short, civil engineering is a broad discipline encompassing various sub-fields. These include structural engineering, transportation engineering, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, water resources engineering, and more. Because of these connected sub-fields, civil engineers often take a holistic approach to their projects. That is, they must consider factors, such as safety, sustainability, and efficiency when designing, constructing, and maintaining infrastructure systems.

Whatever their specialty, it is clear that civil engineers face both challenges and opportunities in the 21st century. Two of these challenges are designing for sustainability and resilience, especially in the face of climate change.

Designing For Sustainability and Reduced Environmental Impact

Along with contending with aging infrastructure, civil engineers are increasingly required to design and construct projects that minimize environmental impact, reduce carbon footprints, and implement sustainable materials and practices.

What is Sustainability?

The UN World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainable development as “that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” For the EPA, pursuing sustainability means creating and maintaining the conditions “under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony.” Sustainability is more than just a buzzword. That is, it is a commitment and a set of practices, a better way forward that balances the environment, human health, equity, and the economy.

Sustainable practices are based on the principle that materials and resources are finite. That is, we should use resources mindfully and conservatively to preserve them for future generations.

Civil Engineers Help to Construct a Pillar of Sustainable Design

Implementing sustainable practices is especially relevant for large (and often intrusive) commercial buildings that expend both a lot of space and energy.

One stellar example of sustainable design and construction is the Bullitt Center in Seattle, WA, which opened on April 22, 2013. Designing and constructing “the greenest commercial building in the world” required a vast, multidisciplinary team of architects and plumbers, as well as mechanical, electrical, and civil engineers.

Side view of the Net-zero Bullitt Center in Seattle, Washington
The Bullitt Center in Seattle, Washington Photo by Joe Mabel under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

The Bullitt Center is a Net-Zero-Energy certified. Annually, it generates as much energy as it consumes.

How is this rating possible?

Through design (high-performance windows, super-insulated walls, and advanced HVAC systems) and a huge roof-top photovoltaic array, it achieves its energy efficiency.

Engineers also constructed include 26 geothermal wells extending 400 feet (120 m) into the ground. At this depth, the temperature is a constant 55 °F (13 °C). These wells help in temperature regulation: keeping the building warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

The building is also Net-Zero-Water. Composting toilets and low-flow fixtures drastically reduce water consumption. The collection and treatment of rain (a 52,000-gallon tank, to be exact) provides drinking water. And gray water recycling is used for irritation and non-potable uses.

And its indoor environment is just as sustainable and healthy as its impact on the planet. The building is constructed from local non-toxic, low-environmental impact materials, such as timber sourced from sustainably managed forests. Natural ventilation and ample daylighting also add to the healthy workspace. There is even a green roof for managing storm water and reducing heat island effect.

Sustainability at Michigan Tech

In short, the Bullitt Center, made possible by civil engineers and other experts, is a model of sustainable design and construction. It demonstrates the possibility of creating buildings that are environmentally responsible, economically viable, and aesthetically pleasing.

Michigan Tech, too, has made strides in sustainability.

MTU has a long history of engaging in research on sustainability. For instance, most recently, David Shonnard (Chemical Engineering) and Dr. Steve Techtmann (Biological Sciences) have led multidisciplinary teams to attack the problem of plastic waste. One of their solutions is converting plastics to protein powder.

Michigan Tech’s Sustainability Demonstration House allows students to become involved in a sustainable living experiment.The Michigan Tech Alternative Energy Enterprise team transformed the former house into a net-zero home. And the new H-STEM complex was also designed in accordance with LE-ED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) principles.

The university has also recognized the need to transition to more environmentally-friendly construction through using renewable and recyclable materials, such as mass timber. Dr. Mark Rudnicki, for instance, leads a CLT (cross-laminated-timber) project that makes use of local and abundant hardwood species.

Creating Resilient Infrastructure That Withstands Hazardous Events and Climate Change

Civil engineers must design for not only sustainability, but also resilience. That is, they must create infrastructure that can withstand the myriad effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels, increased flooding, extreme weather events, and changing temperature patterns.

Heat-Resistant and Energy-Efficient Buildings

Some of the innovations of the Bullit Center also work for smaller, non-commercial buildings. Civil engineers can help by designing buildings–big or small–to be energy-efficient by installing cool roofs and using advanced insulation, natural ventilation, and renewable energy sources. These changes can help structures withstand the high temperatures that often come with climate change.

Improved Stormwater Management Systems

Contending with stormwater, so that it doesn’t damage other structures, has become increasingly challenging due to climate change. Civil engineers can help, though, by designing and creating green infrastructure. For instance, green roofs (such as in the Bullitt Center), permeable pavement such as porous asphalt, and rain gardens can all reduce runoff and therefore improve storm water management. Green roofs and bioswales, in fact, are a central component of New York City’s Green Infrastructure Plan.

Flood-Resistant Infrastructure

Flood-resistant infrastructure, though mentioned last here, is probably at the top of the list. To contend with floods, civil engineers must rethink how they design roads, bridges, and transit systems. One solution is building all of these at higher elevations. This height can prevent flooding when there are rising sea levels, storm surges, or intense flood events like that of June 17, 2018.

For those who missed the 2018 Father’s Day Flood, it was terrifying. In under nine hours, at least seven inches of rain fell. A landslide tore through the Ripley neighborhood, throwing down boulders that wiped out peoples’ houses. The rain flooded multiple homes, decimated yards, created 60 sinkholes, and washed out over 150 roads. And all this damage happened in an area that was not categorized as a flood plain.

The torrential rain also destroyed the Swedetown Gorge, the highlight of the Maasto-Hiihto trail system in Hancock, MI. The pounding water transformed its gentle stream into a raging river that uprooted trees and tossed boulders. Bridges collapsed, their wooden structures and concrete slabs jutting unnaturally and precariously out of the river. The trail on which people hike, ski, and bike suddenly became unnavigable, its infrastructure decimated.

“We could not help but be humbled by seeing a two-year-old new bridge with concrete abutments, a bridge that was 16 feet long and 12 feet wide and fabricated from heavy steel girders, being washed down stream 200 feet.”

John Diebel

Swedetown Gorge: A Case Study

When the FEMA money finally came through and engineers got to work planning and rebuilding those bridges, there were certainly challenges. Problems to solve that involved negotiating with nature and recognizing that climate change could bring another extreme flood event.

Adapting Bridge Structure

To prepare for another flood, civil engineers repositioned the bridges and designed them a little differently this time. They were higher and stronger to agree with the science. That is, bridges had to meet the current design criteria enforced by Michigan’s Environment, Great Lakes, Energy team. These criteria are based on stream and watershed flow calculations maintained by the agency.

For instance, along with elevating the bridges, engineers included wing walls in the design of the new concrete bridge abutments. These walls improve the bridges’ ability to survive intense flooding. Side railings, included as a safety feature, also created aesthetic appeal.

And engineers kept sustainability in mind by saving both resources and money. They reused the original 2016 middle bridge, which got its second life further downstream.

The beginning of the first bridge.

The beginning of constructing the middle bridge in the MH trail system.

Middle bridge construction in the Swedetown Gorge

Concrete foundation of the boardwalk.

Stress-testing the boardwalk.

Replacing Bridges With a More Resilient Boardwalk

Unfortunately, two of the gorge’s original bridges were built on silty soil, rare for that area. When an old earthen dam (originally used for potato field irrigation) collapsed and pushed a large sediment load towards Portage Lake, it left significant silt deposits at the mouth of Swedetown Creek. The force of the water in the Father’s Day Flood pushed even more silt into the creek while changing and widening the channel.

According to John Diebel, “We were reluctant to follow the original trail route and rebuild the bridge structures similar to the original structures. . . . Given the more erodible nature of the soil in that silty area, we had doubts about that erodible bump surviving another ten to twenty years.” There was also the problem of steep upper terrain to deal with. And the issue of building on a wetland.

The solution was a somewhat risky one requiring a significant trail reroute that avoided the silty soil. In the end, “we decided to take our chances with the wetland” (Diebel) and construct a 550-feet long, 12-foot wide walkway: a structure that is not only beautiful, but also sustainable. Boardwalks, which are used extensively on the North County Trail in the Ottawa National Forest, have little impact on the natural drainage of wetlands. Galvanized steel (swamp) pans with brackets accommodating 4×4 posts helped support the structure.

After the construction came the testing. Using ATVs loaded with fill material, MJO (the project contractor) pre-stressed the boardwalk. Then, after they noted the reaction of the structure to the stress, they deployed a few more swamp pans to reinforce the side beams. In the end, the boardwalk passed the test, maybe with flying colors. That is, it turned out that the sandy soil provided far more support than expected.

Preparing Engineers at Michigan Tech

This blog just touched on a few examples of  the upcoming challenges of designing for sustainability, climate change, extreme weather events, and more. Michigan Tech can help engineers prepare for these and other challenges.

The university has long had a commitment to sustainability in both research and practice. MTU also has several programs that address sustainability topics, such as the online certificate in engineering sustainability and resilience (CEGE). In addition, the CFRES offers both a bachelor’s degree in sustainable bioproducts and one in environmental science and sustainability.

For structural engineering, the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering offers a certificate in bridge design as well as others for specific areas. There is also a customizable Online MS in Civil Engineering in which you can focus on either structural engineering or water resources engineering.

Whatever your interest, these programs can help you think, design, and create to solve the problems of both today and tomorrow.

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Rick Berkey Joins Global Campus

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Rick Berkey stands in front of the Michigan Technological University arch.
Rick takes a selfie in front of Michigan Tech’s arch.

Camping. Sounds like a cliché, but it was through this humble activity that Rick Berkey first discovered Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

These trips inspired a love for the area that caused him to eventually wend his way to Michigan Tech.

That is, Berkey and his soon-to-be wife, Tiffany, had been regularly visiting the UP for three years.

But it was their trip to Copper Harbor in 2002 on their one-year anniversary that sealed the deal.

The natural beauty, outdoor activities, down-to-earth people, and peaceful, small-town life were all reasons they fell in love with the Keweenaw. Here, in their eyes, was the ideal place to raise a family. And even better: Rick was ready for a career change.

So, together, they started hatching a plan to relocate to the beautiful UP.

That plan finally came to fruition in 2006 when Rick accepted a position in the College of Engineering working with the Enterprise and Senior Design programs. With a two-year old daughter, two month-old son, dog, and cat all in tow, they made the 550-mile journey from Kalamazoo to Houghton, closed on their new house, and slept on the floor that night.

Sitting Down With Rick Berkey

A few career moves later, Rick is bringing his enthusiasm, expertise, and love of Michigan Tech to a new leadership role at Global Campus. Even though he is a busy man, he graciously took time out of his day to answer my questions.

Hello, thank you for agreeing to this interview. First, please state your title and your position at Global Campus. I know you’re a new team member, but so far, what duties comprise your role? 

My title is “Director of Global Campus and Continuing Education.”

In this role, I am responsible for the overall operations of Global Campus as it continues to grow and expand. These operations include staff and financial management, as well as collaboration with colleges and departments to oversee our portfolio of online degrees, certificates, and non-credit programs.

You previously served as Professor of Practice and Director of the Enterprise Program. Please tell us a little more about these roles and how they will help you in your new position at Global Campus.

In my previous appointment as a Professor of Practice, I thoroughly enjoyed teaching undergraduate students in the Enterprise Program. In this role, I developed and taught two courses in Six Sigma/continuous improvement methodologies. These courses were inspired by my corporate experience as a Six Sigma Black Belt. I also advised the Supermileage Systems Enterprise, a competition team that developed highly-efficient vehicles from the ground up.

These roles taught me to embrace experiential, hands-on, discovery-based learning, which can be time-intensive, messy, and sometimes uncomfortable. To me, though, these are all signs that the learning is working! Similarly, my teaching philosophy is based on learning as a partnership and creating an environment where everyone contributes to learning. One quote that really resonates with me is this one from Robert A. Heinlein: “When one teaches, two learn.”

My teaching experience definitely provides a valuable perspective when working with the faculty who are developing and delivering our online and non-credit programs. That is, I both understand and appreciate the challenges associated with course development, delivery, and assessment. Additionally, I have the opportunity to continue teaching in Global Campus. When I do so, I will be refreshing and adapting my Six Sigma courses for online/non-credit audiences.

As Director of the Enterprise Program (2015-2022), for example, I managed the operations of Michigan Tech’s signature experiential learning program: Enterprise. This program included industry partnerships, project development, financial and staff management, course scheduling, and event planning. It also entailed collaborating with 25+ faculty from across campus and assessing student learning outcomes for ABET accreditation. Again, this experience translates well into managing the operations of Global Campus.

You hold a Six Sigma Black Belt. Wow! Tell us a little more about this certifications, how/when you earned it.

Earning my Six Sigma Black Belt certification through Honeywell International was a career-changing experience. The training was intense and involved use of structured, data-driven problem-solving methods and statistical tools. It also included training in change management, which is often more important than what the data and statistics are telling you. My favorite part of the experience was applying my learning to the development and launch of the FRAM X2 Extended Guard oil filter product line. That is, I really enjoyed using statistics to develop our competitive performance claims. This task was important because these claims were advertised on the product packaging. Thus, these claims could be challenged legally by our competitors. So no pressure if I didn’t get it right!

I also used design of experiments (DOE) to optimize a new supplier’s manufacturing process, which was critical to both product performance and cost. At this moment, I am now reminded of the DOE I had to re-run because I missed an important factor in the process. After a 16-hour day, we discovered our test samples were defective and had to do it all over again. Our Director of Engineering was, shall I say, not happy.

Talk about learning from failure! I draw on this experience even now, and especially when teaching. Another favorite experience was teaching and mentoring our Six Sigma Green Belt candidates. In fact, this is ultimately what motivated me to transition from the corporate world to higher education.

I really believe that FAIL should be viewed as “First Attempt In Learning.”

Rick Berkey

And you are certified in Lean, as well, correct?

Yes! Fast forward 11 years later…not too long after I came to Michigan Tech, I “found my people” in the Office of Continuous Improvement. Those in the office were applying Lean to improve university processes. I quickly got involved with Lean Culture though several campus improvement projects and jumped at the chance to become a Lean Facilitator. Adding a certification in Lean has provided me with a complementary tool set to the more analytical, data-driven methods used in Six Sigma.

A favorite Lean experience of mine was working with Accounting Services on the “P-Card Kaizen.” We were able to streamline accounting processes by shifting purchases from purchase orders to p-cards. I especially enjoyed using control charts in Minitab to reveal before vs. after results. We also showed how the staff time saved could be redirected to higher-value work and tasks.

Overall, my exposure to the Lean and Six Sigma methodologies has really shaped how I approach work and life: systematic, data-driven, analytical, and improvement-minded.

Why get involved with online graduate education and online professional development programs? That is, why do YOU think online education matters?

Looking back on my own experience, I was a non-traditional student twice. The first time, I was taking night classes for my MBA. Then, I was working full-time for Honeywell and establishing my professional career. The second time, I was here at MTU earning my MSME while doing all the things I mentioned earlier. In both cases, I felt the college experience was designed for full-time students, not me. 

Although I was fortunate to have work flexibility to attend classes, it was still challenging to balance school and life. At the same time, I had a much stronger sense of why I wanted to learn something new. I also had more life experience to draw upon and to contribute in the classroom. And I know there are many more people out there in similar situations and who are motivated to continue learning and growing. 

When I look at the flexibility that Global Campus offers, coupled with the quality and reputation of Michigan Tech’s programs, I knew this was where I wanted to make an impact. 

So far, what has been the most rewarding and/or exciting part of your job? In other words, what gets you out of bed in the morning?

Tough question! There are so many exciting and rewarding elements for me in these first few months on the job! Global Campus is still relatively new and very dynamic. In many ways, it feels like a start-up that requires us to wear many hats and adopt an entrepreneurial mindset. 

That said, two things in particular help get me out of bed every morning. First, I find all the work we do with our education fellowships extremely rewarding. Whether it’s holding informational sessions, meeting with partners to explore their educational needs and interests, or assisting corporate employees enrolled in our programs, I am committed to serving our partners and helping them achieve their higher education goals. Secondly, I get excited about improving our processes and operations as we grow.

Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of listening and learning to establish a solid baseline of what we do and how we do it. I am now starting to identify some areas where we can streamline and scale how we operate, while maintaining or improving our quality and service. This improvement will ultimately allow us to serve more students and increase the impact and reach of Global Campus.

Berkey campsite at Ft. Wilkins Historic State Park in Copper Harbor, MI

Berkey campsite at Ft. Wilkins Historic State Park in Copper Harbor, MI

The Berkey family’s all-original 1969 Plymouth GTX on display at the 2024 End of the Road Car Show in Copper Harbor, MI

The Berkey family’s all-original 1969 Plymouth GTX on display at the 2024 End of the Road Car Show in Copper Harbor, MI

Rick’s 1978 BMW R100/7, parked near Great Sand Bay

Rick’s 1978 BMW R100/7, parked near Great Sand Bay

When you’re not working for Campus, what do you like to do in your free time? Where might we find Rick Berkey after work or on the weekend?

Outside of work, my family and I, like another Global Campus team member, really enjoy the outdoors. In particular, we love camping, boating, hiking, and nordic skiing. The great thing is that we can do all of these things after work or on the weekend. Copper Harbor is a favorite local destination. We also like to travel, and when we need to get our “second wind” during the long winters, we tend to go south to a sandy beach! With our families living 500+ miles away downstate and in Ohio, we also make time, of course, to visit them during holidays and summer vacations.

In addition to family activities, I personally enjoy classic vehicles: cars, motorcycles, boats, campers…you name it. I must be an “old soul”. In particular, I really enjoy researching the history of vehicles, doing restoration and maintenance, socializing with fellow collectors and enthusiasts, and especially searching for a new “investment,” as I tell my wife! 

Currently, I own three classic motorcycles as well as our family’s pride and joy: an all-original 1969 Plymouth GTX that was purchased new by my father. It’s an heirloom that will remain in the Berkey family for future generations.

Keeping Up With the New Director of Global Campus

Thanks for chatting! Readers, be sure to follow Rick Berkey and his exploits on Global Campus social media.

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Three Ways Statistics Impact Elections

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Statistics are involved in several stages of the election process.

125: that is the number of days until US Election Day, 2024. On November 5, the 47th president of the United States will be decided. So while campaigns are in full swing, and pollsters are making predictions, this blog focuses on the role of statistics in the election process.

At their most basic, elections allow citizens to exercise representative democracy by selecting individuals to occupy public office. Those selected then make critical decisions that impact citizens. And these ballots that officials tally are then transformed into statistical data, ultimately determining the election’s result.

However, statistics play a part in the election process long before voters cast their ballots. That is, officials use statistics to forecast election results, inform campaign strategy, and micro-target individuals.

An understanding of how statistics are used in elections, then, can enhance transparency for voters, as well as encourage all citizens to advocate for data privacy and security. Additionally, those interested in mathematics, statistical applications, and political science might be interested in learning about how statistics impact elections.

Statistics in Politics

Throughout history, statistics have played an important role in politics. Government bodies used statistics in the election process to support the formal decision-making processes that determine who will fill offices in the legislature. However, technological advancements, the accumulation of data, and the maturation of statistical models have made elections increasingly complex.

For example, in the past, politicians and their supporters would cast a wider net when campaigning for votes. But today, data analytics and digital resources allow parties to collect information about the public and then hyper-personalize campaign targeting. As a result, modern elections require statistical experts who can manage and leverage data while maintaining ethical standards related to trust, security, and privacy.

Below are the most obvious three ways that statistics impact elections.

Election Forecasts

Those creating election forecasts use legally available data and statistics to inform the public about the probable outcome of an upcoming election. Political statisticians recruit this data, along with reporting, historical patterns, and academic research to create a detailed account of the Senate and House forecasts.

In the United States, this process includes disclosing the favored party, estimating the number of seats in each House, and predicting whether the outcome will result in a majority government. In short, statisticians use a forecasting model to transform large data sets into meaningful predictions for future outcomes

How to Build an Election Forecast Model

  • Create a national database.
  • Clean and layer the data.
  • Plug the data points into a predictive model for forecasting.

Forecasting in Action

FiveThirtyEight is a website that uses statistics to predict election results.
The homepage of FiveThirtyEight on June 26, 2024

The popular website FiveThirtyEight, created by American statistician Nate Silver, is a staple of ABC News. The website’s primary objectives are advancing public knowledge and promoting transparency around voting outcomes.

To achieve these aims, it uses polling, economic, and demographic data to explore likely election outcomes. It also employs statisticians to build empirical statistical models for accurate election forecasts.

After the data is collected, experts then input it into Nate Silver’s forecast model. This model, which combines polling, economic, and demographic data, aims to provide an informed prediction rather than an unskilled guess.

And the website regularly updates its predictions too. For instance, on June 26, 2024, the site, after running 100 simulations, predicted that President Joe Biden and Donald Trump each had a 50% chance of winning the election. However, on July 2, 538 changed the prediction to 50% for Trump and 49% for Biden. And as the election nears, and uncertainty decreases, 538 claims its predictions will grow more accurate. This site exemplifies just one popular election forecast tool.

Election Campaign Strategy

The use of statistics in election campaigning has also changed dramatically. That is, historically, the only data that politicians and their supporters used to garner insights was that derived from the polls. In recent years, however, data and statistics have revolutionized election campaigns.

Today’s data-driven world offers campaign strategists a surplus of data points about past elections, voter preferences, and geopolitical influences. In addition, new communication platforms, such as social media, allow campaigns to profile their voters’ identities and needs. Statisticians can also harness publicly available data to inform campaign messaging, political priorities, and outreach.

Campaign research allows parties to investigate target audiences’ behaviors, attitudes, values, and beliefs to test campaign messaging, creativity, and delivery. According to The Commons Social Change Library, statisticians use the following quantitative and qualitative research methods to inform campaign strategy.

Quantitative Campaign Strategy Research

  • Benchmark Polls
  • Issue Polls
  • Longitudinal Surveys
  • Member Surveys
  • CATI (computer-assisted telephone interview) polls
  • Dial-testing

Qualitative Campaign Strategy Research

  • Deep dive interviews
  • Face-to-face focus groups
  • Online focus groups
  • Online communities

Once the previous research is complete, campaigners then test various messages. Alternatively, they might test the gap between their voters’ current stances and the desirable action. This job is a laborious one. Campaigners must strive for creating winning messages that make impactful arguments, define important issues, expose the opposition’s weak points, and tell compelling narratives.

Statisticians with a marketing background may excel in this area of research and persuasion. Why? They already have the foundational skills needed to create data-driven campaign strategies, from initial research to distribution.

Microtargeting in Elections

Before advanced data and statistics, campaigns often involved grass-roots approaches. These included direct mail, home visits, radio, television, and out-of-home marketing campaigns (ex., billboards, posters, etc.). Today, campaigns can leverage social media, digital marketing, and advanced data analytics to reach voters on their devices and tailor personalized messaging. This latter strategy is otherwise known as microtargeting.

Social media apps collect information and statistics on users in order to create targeted, personalized messaging.
Social media apps collect information on users to create personalized messages.

In microtargeting, the audience is segmented into specific groups, with each group receiving a message that speaks to their likes and needs. This profiling, though, is not new.

Consumers are already accustomed to online stores such as Amazon, as well as social media (TikTok, Facebook) understanding their preferences.

For instance, you purchase one book and Amazon recommends a similar one. You buy running shoes (a lot) and you’re now in a fitness/running channel.

Similarly, political parties and election campaigns use microtargeting to communicate with voters about their initiatives. The goal is influencing voting outcomes in their favor.

How Microtargeting Works

Micro-targeting uses statistics in a similar manner to that of election forecasting. First, statisticians collect and clean data points from a national database. Then, they layer on publicly available information, including email addresses, phone numbers, employment, education, purchasing patterns, IP addresses, etc.

Next, statisticians use predictive models to indicate for whom a voter is likely to vote and how likely a voter is to change their voting preference. These models also predict how lifestyle choices, such as being single or married, might affect voting behaviors. Statisticians also investigate how voters’ values align with topical issues like gun control, the climate crisis, abortion, immigration, and so on.

After the analysis comes the categorization. Each group is sorted into different channels. Each audience (channel) then receives personalized campaign messaging based on their beliefs and inclinations. The purpose is delivering the right campaign message, to the right voter, at the right time. (At its roots, microtargeting is a very deliberate form of kairos. In rhetoric, kairos is the identification of the critical moment to deliver a finely tuned persuasive message or to take an action.)

The Risks of Microtargeting

Advanced microtargeting, of course, has its downsides. Take the most famous example, which began in 2014. Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm, obtained the private Facebook data of tens of millions of users. It then unethically sold psychological profiles of American voters to political campaigns.

How did this microtargeting scam work? 270,000 Facebook users played with the supposedly innocuous personality profile app called “This Is Your Digital Life.” This app, created by scientist and psychologist Alexsandr Kogan, allegedly collected 5,000 data points from each participant.

What’s worse: participants didn’t read between the lines. When users gave this third-party app permission to acquire their data, they also gave the app access to their friends’ networks. The more friends = the more data exposed.

Kogan then sold this data to Cambridge Analytica. As a result, the company illegally compiled the data of about 87 million users who had not explicitly given Cambridge Analytica permission. The firm then used up to 50 million profiles for their predictive modeling. At the very least, the app developer breached Facebook’s terms of service by giving the data to Cambridge Analytica. After investigations began, the incident started a heated, nationwide conversation about the ethical principles of data, political targeting, and power. And about Facebook, data security, and cybersecurity.

Study Applied Statistics at Michigan Tech.

Election campaigning and increased microtargeting are very much still with us. Therefore, firms that generate value from personal data must consider the ways they acquire it, share it, protect it, and profit from it. Statisticians who work for these firms must also stay in line with ongoing legislative efforts that respect users’ privacy and security.

Curious about how statistics make a difference in elections? Are you fascinated by the data-driven side of political science? Do you want to ensure statistics are collected ethically? Alternatively, maybe you’re interested in developing the skills for collecting data and using applied statistics in business, government, finance, insurance companies, and more.

If you answered yes to these questions, Michigan Technological University’s Online MS in Applied Statistics offers students foundational knowledge in statistical science and methods while utilizing the latest industry-standard statistical and data analysis software. After graduation, you can set yourself apart in the competitive workforce with not only specialized skills, but also the accountability to act with integrity, honesty, and diligence.

And statistics jobs pay well, too. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that, as of 2023, the median annual wage for a statistician was $104,860. Furthermore, the projected average growth rate through 2032 for jobs in these fields is 30%. That’s four times higher than the projection for all occupations in the same timeframe.

Upskill for the future with Michigan Tech’s Online MS in Applied Statistics.

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Rev Up Your ICE Knowledge With New Program From MTU and USCAR

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A diesel engine, one type of ICE or internal combustion engine.

Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) Are Definitely Sticking Around.

Very Important Note: The author constructed this blog with the helpful, substantive input and the important, factual content (and snappy title) from these two Michigan Tech staff, writers, and people: Kimberley Geiger, director of Communications for the College of Engineering; and Donna Jeno-Amici, coordinator of Research and Marketing at the Department of Engineering-Engineering Mechanics.

Discover the Latest Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) Breakthroughs.

Michigan Tech is proud to announce an expansion of graduate-level course offerings in the specialized area of internal combustion engines (ICE). These courses will be available on campus at Michigan Tech, as well as online at MTU Global Campus.

Students can enroll in these courses individually if they require expertise in a certain ICE area. Or they can take several to create a graduate certificate that provides more advanced, specialized knowledge in internal combustion engines. Currently, the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics is developing a 15-course ICE graduate certificate. Alternatively, those interested may pursue an MS in Mechanical Engineering with a focus area on ICE.

And as with all graduate programs, the online application is free. And no GRE is required.

Enroll in Summer Classes.

Wasting no time, the ME-EM department is offering these courses right away. In fact, there are a few graduate-level offerings on deck for Summer 2024 and one brand-new course for Fall 2024.

Summer 2024 Courses

  • SI Engine Fundamentals (MEEM 5201): June 19-21, 2024, lab course
  • SI Engine Controls (MEEM 5203): July 10-12, 2024, lab course
  • Online Thermodynamics Refresher (MEEM 3990): June 10 – Aug. 8, 2024

New Offering for Fall 2024

  • Thermodynamics for Engine Systems (MEEM 5990) is available, along with our existing courses.

These courses could fill soon, so we recommend that you contact Jeff Naber at jnaber@mtu.edu for more information.

Learn From ICE Industry Experts.

These courses have been developed in collaboration with Dr. Andrea Strzelec, Sr. Research Scientist at USCAR. Strzelec, FSAE, holds a Ph.D. in Combustion Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Engine Research Center. She specializes in transportation and fuels, as well as engine research. Formerly the program director of Masters of Engineering in Engine Systems at the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering, Strzelec is lending her substantial expertise to Michigan Tech to launch this new engines-focused program.

USCAR, the United States Council for Automotive Research, is an umbrella organization facilitating pre-competitive research and development collaboration for Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Stellantis. Its main objective is strengthening the U.S. auto industry’s technology base. It does so by promoting cooperative research efforts, reducing costs, supporting regulatory compliance, and accelerating the development of advanced technologies. Another of USCAR’s goals is keeping the U.S. automotive industry globally competitive.

This new graduate program will not only provide Michigan Tech students with both foundational and specialized ICE knowledge and skills, but also prepare them for advances in the US automotive industry.

Acquire Practical ICE Expertise and Skills.

Despite the move towards electrification and advances in battery technology, the world still needs internal combustion engines. For those unfamiliar with the technology, ICEs generate power by burning fuel inside a confined space (combustion chamber). The combustion process then releases energy, which is converted into mechanical work to move a vehicle or operate machinery. These engines generally run on gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and biofuels.

ICEs are known for their low cost, broad availability, durability, and high performance. They also have a rich research and development history. That is, ICEs have been improved and refined over several years. Besides working on lowering emissions and increasing fuel efficiency, researchers and engineers have made advances in engine design, control systems, and fuel compatibility.

Most importantly, these engines reliably provide high power and torque, features especially important in military, industrial, and other heavy-duty applications. The US military, in fact, uses diesel engines (one type of ICE) in nearly all of its ground vehicles because diesel fuel is less flammable and has a high energy density.

Furthermore, IC engines still feature prominently in automobiles, marine vessels, and aircraft. They also power a lot of portable equipment (lawn mowers, chainsaws) as well as some standby generators. And many hybrid vehicles still use ICEs in conjunction with electric motors, leveraging the benefits of both technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

For instance, take the new Formula 1 proposed post-2026 regulations. Along with cars that are 30% lighter as well as more aerodynamic and agile, FIA is proposing a power unit redesign that is “an even split between internal combustion engine and electric power plus the use of 100% sustainable fuels.” That is, even a plan for the sustainable future of elite race car driving involves ICEs.

Reach Out About the New ICE Program.

In short, for several applications, ICEs are likely to remain relevant for the foreseeable future.

For additional details on these courses and the new ICE graduate programs from ME-EM, please contact

To learn about all MS online programs, please visit MTU Global Campus.

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Bridging Business and STEM

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The online Tech MBA program helps people bridge business and STEM.
Engineering and tech companies seek graduates with STEM and business administration expertise.

Discover the Online Tech MBA® and MEM Programs.

The College of Business and Michigan Tech Global Campus are teaming up to hold another virtual interest session on two of MTU’s most popular online programs: The Tech MBA® and the Master of Engineering Management (MEM).

They will be holding another 45-minute virtual interest session on Wednesday, July 17, at 11:30 AM (ET).

Mari Buche, associate Dean of the College of Business and program director; and David Lawrence, vice president for Global Campus and continuing education will lead the presentation. They will highlight and compare these programs, explaining which one is best for you. The team will also provide examples of curriculum pathways and discuss career opportunities.

The Michigan Tech’s Global Campus small but mighty team of admissions representatives (Amanda Irwin and Jacque Smith) will also be present to discuss the application process and accelerated options.

Get an Accredited, Respected Degree.

The Tech MBA® and MEM are not new, though. For several years, the in-person versions of these programs have long been respected at MTU. The Tech MBA in its current form (30 credits) began in 2017 whereas the online format was rolled out in 2022. Next came the in-person and online versions of the MEM (2020, 2023).

Both programs are also accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB), an honor bestowed on only 5% of the nations’s business schools.

And like their in-person equivalents, the online MBA and MEM programs meet a strict set of standards, ensuring quality in curriculum, rigor, and research.

The Online Tech MBA® is a highly structured program consisting of eight required courses and two electives. In contrast, the MEM degree is more flexible. Students get to build their own programs, combining 4-6 business courses with 4-6 engineering courses.

Both programs provide learning experiences that fuse technological expertise and business administration. Students get to leverage their previous engineering experience, regardless of their field, and/or their former engineering management expertise. They also gain the cross-disciplinary advantage of studying at a school known for not only for its technology and business programs, but also for its Faculty who have leadership and industry experience in tech-centric fields.

Graduates of both programs will leave equipped with critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, project management, and leadership skills. As a result, they are more than prepared to tackle marketing, management, technical sales, leadership, strategy, and entrepreneurship positions. 

Prepare Yourself for Career Opportunities.

Incomes differ, but an investopedia article notes that MBA graduates who specialize in consulting, finances, and technology management earn the most. And according to one Fortune article, the median salaries for those with MBA degrees are substantially higher than those without them. One report ascribes 1.2 million dollars in extra income over a 20-year period.

Also, many organizations seek out and respect MBA holders. In fact, the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) found that 89% of employers planned to hire MBA graduates in 2021.

And MBA holders apply their skills and expertise in several fields. For instance, in Finance and Accounting, they might work as accounting managers, finance managers, financial analysts, budget analysts, and investment bankers. Whereas in heathcare, they might take on the roles of healthcare administrators and medical health service managers. Still others move to manufacturing where they act as managers for operations, supply chain, quality control, and more.

Typically, MBA programs are one of the most expensive master’s programs, with an average tuition cost of about 56k. This number does not include fees, books, and so on. Michigan Tech’s accredited program, which costs less, is definitely a value.

Learn More!

Prefer to do your own research? We’ve compiled other reasons for earning an advanced degree and pursuing an MBA.

Want to dive deeper? Ask more questions? Please join us at our virtual interest session on the Tech MBA®and MEM programs on Wednesday, July 15, 11:30 AM at ET. Bring your curiosity and your questions.

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GIScience for Natural Resources: New Online Grad Cert. From CFRES

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Dr. Parth Bhattin the field doing GIScience work.

Dr. Parth Bhatt at work.

Coming in Fall 2024, the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) will be offering a new online graduate certificate: Foundations in Geographic Information Science (GIScience) for Natural Resources. Taught by Dr. Parth Bhatt, Associate Teaching Professor / Researcher at CFRES, this certificate consists of three foundational courses. They are GIS for Natural Resource Management (4 credits), Map Design With GIS (3 credits), and GPS Field Techniques (2 credits).

This certificate is the first of three that will form CFRES’s new online master’s degree in GIScience (currently under development). The others will be Advanced Geographic Information Science for Natural Resources and Remote Sensing for Natural Resources. These two will comprise rigorous courses in Python, Applied Spatial Statistics, GIS Project Management, Advanced Terrestrial Remote Sensing, Photogrammetry, and more. In other words, this online MS degree will equip graduates with a rich, varied skill set in GIScience. They will also acquire a holistic, deep understanding of the spatial dimensions of the world.

For a decade, CFRES has offered a respected, in-person MGIS. Like its predecessor, this interdisciplinary online master’s degree will emphasize practical skills in spatial visualization and analysis. Students will use real-world datasets and state-of-the-art GIS software and techniques to take on challenges in forestry, natural resources, and other disciplines.

The reputation of CFRES, the program’s emphasis on natural resources, and its robust curriculum promise to make this program a highly esteemed online GIS master’s degree. Global Campus is thrilled to be involved with it!

Applying GIScience in Forestry and Natural Resources

If you’re not familiar with Geographic Information Science, it is an exciting, growing, multidisciplinary field. It focuses on the study of geographic information, spatial data, as well as their applications. Combining principles from geography, computer science, mathematics, and other disciplines, GIScience has the ambitious goal of understanding, analyzing, and modelling the spatial aspects of the world.

GIS, or Geographical Information Systems, focuses on the what: the hardware and software that capture geographic information. In contrast, GIScience, focuses on the why: finding practical ways to improve GIS data, software, and professional practice.

This certificate and upcoming MGIS will provide fundamental GIScience expertise to foresters and natural resource experts. In Natural Resource Management, for example, professionals use GIScience for several purposes:

  • resource inventory and mapping
  • environmental impact assessment
  • habitat modeling and conservation planning
  • natural disaster management
  • sustainable land use planning
A forest, which is often managed by natural resource experts with GIScience experience.
GIScience is often used in forest management.

Take resource inventory and mapping. Natural resource managers turn to GIScience to create detailed inventories and maps of natural resources. This data then allows them to analyze the distribution and abundance of resources within an area: forest stands, wetlands, mineral deposits, endangered species habitats, and other important ecological features.

Alternatively, in habitat modeling and conservation planning, experts use GIScience tools to analyze the suitability of habitats for different species. This suitability is based on environmental variables such as temperature, precipitation, elevation, and vegetation cover. GIScience, in short, is crucial to conservation planning. It can help identify critical habitats, corridors for wildlife movement, and areas for habitat restoration or protection.

Solving Multiple Problems With GIScience

First and foremost, GIScience offers practical skills and tools for professionals in several natural resource fields. These include GIS Analysts/Technicians, foresters, civil and environmental engineers, spatial/transportation planners, wildlife ecologists, forest analysts, surveyors, geospatial specialists, water resources analysts, environmental scientists, geologists, community forest specialists, and urban forestry technicians.

Several, in fact, turn to this toolkit regularly. One previous alum from the in-person MGIS now works as a Senior GIS Analyst. In this role for Pine Gate Renewables, he uses GIS and Remote Sensing daily. These tools help him to identify risks for setting up solar farms, creating hydrology models, and locating wetlands.

Another alum with broad responsibilities also confirmed the daily use of GIScience. He oversees the creation of maps, spatial data analysis, surveying projects, data checks on road segments, and storm water analysis “to create pervious and impervious classification.” This person also admits to “diligently maintaining maps detailing water infrastructure” and managing and reviewing “various city assets, ensuring their accuracy and reliability through spatial data analysis.”

In other words, these alumni regularly manage several responsibilities with GIScience and Remote Sensing.

Contending With Climate Change

Regardless of their discipline, GIScience can also equip professionals with the tools and the strategies to predict and combat the effects of climate change.

This skillset is especially relevant now: 2023 was the warmest year on record. (The temperature was 1.18°C [2.12°F] above the 20th-century average of 13.9°C [57.0°F]. In fact, the last ten warmest years in the 174-year record have all occurred between 2014 and 2023. And with a heating planet come more impactful environmental events: floods, extreme weather, drought, and forest fires.

According to NOAA, 2023 also set another record–for natural disasters. During this year, there were 28 devastating weather and climate disasters. The price tag for these events was almost 93 billon dollars.

For contending with climate change’s effects, then, GIScience can aid with hazard mapping, risk assessment, and emergency response planning. For instance, by analyzing spatial data related to factors such as terrain, vegetation, hydrology, and population density, professionals can identify areas prone to natural hazards. Whether these are floods, wildfires, and landslides, experts can develop strategies to mitigate risks and respond effectively during emergencies.

The Pakistan Flood Events

Dr. Parth Bhatt, himself, used GI Science to document the effects of Pakistan’s historic floods, which lasted from June 15 to October 2022.

A map of the Pakistan floods made with GIScience.
Map of the area affected by the floods in Pakistan.
A flooded street in a Pakistani province.
Citizens traverse a flooded street in Pakistan.

In these devastating flood events, waters inundated more than one million homes. The flood hit all four of the country’s provinces, resulting in at least two million houses destroyed.

In total, 33 million people were directly affected with 20.6 million requiring urgent humanitarian assistance. (Unfortunately, nine months later, the monsoons brought more flooding, further exacerbating the crisis.)

Looking Ahead to the Future of GIScience

GIScience, in short, can help professionals in many fields manage the world’s resources, plan infrastructure, mitigate and plan for natural hazards, and combat (or prepare for) the effects of climate change, and more.

However, its tools are also becoming increasingly integral in fields beyond traditional domains like urban planning and environmental science.

As GIScience “continues to evolve and adapt to new demands, its impact on industries and disciplines worldwide is set to expand. As such, it will drive “transformative change and unlocking new possibilities for spatial analysis and decision-making” (GIS Analyst II). For instance, some of the newer industries hiring GIS experts are construction, engineering, insurance, real estate, and oil and gas.

One Senior GIS Specialist (Pine Gate Renewables) further confirmed that in the solar industry, there are more people being hired with a GIScience background than there were before. More professionals use “GIS and remote sensing to help identify issues, notice change over time, help drive decisions, and keep projects moving forward.”

Another expert stated that proficiencies in ArcGIS, QGIS, Python, R, and Javscript are becoming increasingly essential in GIS specialist roles.

From agriculture to healthcare, smart cities to disaster management, GIS and Remote Sensing are revolutionizing how we analyze spatial data, make informed decisions, and address complex challenges. Integration with emerging technologies like AI, along with a focus on environmental monitoring, public health, and conservation, underscores their pivotal role in shaping a more sustainable and interconnected world.

GIS Analyst II, Metro Consulting Associates

Learning From a Passionate Teacher

And it’s not just what you will learn in these programs but who you will learn it from. That is, Foundations in GI Science for Natural Resources (and the online MGIS) are both helmed and taught by Dr. Parth Bhatt, whose passion for the subject was covered in a previous blog.

Bhatt’s portfolio of GIScience skills is also diverse: he has expertise in Geographical Information Systems, remote sensing, digital image processing (Multispectral, LiDAR, UAV, Hyperspectral), land use/cover mapping, invasive species mapping, forest health and natural resource management, spatial data analysis, and Web GIS/ArcGIS Online.

Most recently, he has received a grant to put these skills to work: acting as a PI on research projects for The Nature Conservancy in Michigan.

Dr. Parth Bhatt in the classroom, teaching GI Science.
Dr. Parth Bhatt in the classroom

Bhatt has also been instructing the very popular, noncredit, professional development course, Python for Modern GIS and Remote Sensing. This course, which runs several times a year, has had rave reviews.

Taking the Next Steps

If you’d like to learn more about GIScience or you require more information about the Online GIS Certificate from CFRES, please contact Program Director Parth Bhatt (ppbhatt@mtu.edu).

Alternatively, reach out to Program Assistant Marjorie Banovetz (marjorie@mtu.edu).

There is still plenty of time to get started for Fall 2024 and develop your versatile GIS toolkit! And accelerated options are also available.

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Jacque Smith: Graduate School Champion and MTU Ambassador

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Jacque Smith talks to Peter Lynch, CEO of MAHLE.
Director of Graduate School Operations and Enrollment Services and Global Campus team member, Jacque Smith, chats with MAHLE CEO and President Peter Lynch at the MAHLE Corporate Fellowship Signing Event.

1978. That was the year that a young Jacque Smith, a junior at Marist High School, stopped at a bulletin board. Why? His eye caught a flier for one of Michigan Tech’s Summer Youth Programs.

Growing up in the busy city of Chicago, and fascinated by science, this flier spoke to him.

It offered the winning combination of an experience at a STEM school, a taste of the great outdoors, and, of course, a chance for many adventures.

So he just had to go.

That early taste of Tech, which also introduced Jacque to the UP, stuck with him.  So when it was time to apply to colleges, Michigan Tech was not at the top of his list; it was the only school on that list. Off he went, eventually graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1985.

But his relationship with Michigan Tech did not end there. That is, as a valuable staff member, Jacque has been involved with and dedicated to MTU for over 18 years. During this time, he has graciously shared his substantial and varied talents with our Husky community. After beginning under Dave Reed, the Vice President for Research, he moved over to the Graduate School. While there, he has had multiple roles involving admissions and graduate education. He even, for seven years, leant his service to the Alumni Board.

Readers have already learned about the busy schedule and ambitious initiatives of Vice President for Global Campus and continuing education, David Lawrence. They’ve learned about Brian Hannon’s hockey history, MTU origins, and KRC involvement. They’ve also caught a glimpse of Amanda Irwin’s commitment to students and online education. So it was time to introduce Jacque Smith, a crucial part-time team member of Global Campus.

I felt grateful, nay privileged, to catch up with this busy man (and very personable guy).

Thank you for agreeing to this interview. First, please state your title and your position at the Graduate School. What do you do in this role? And how is it connected to your role at Global Campus?

In the Graduate School, I am Director of Graduate School Operations and Enrollment Services where I’m involved with pretty much all the Graduate School processes and policies. Although I don’t have an official title in Global Campus, I feel directly connected to it because we have common goals. That is, I’m a liaison who’s trying to optimize processes and outcomes for Global Campus. Doing so then optimizes those same things for the Graduate School. We’re all trying to improve the admissions experience and get students into programs.

Jacque, give me a breakdown of what you do on a regular day.

I’m a morning person, so I am usually on campus before 7am. And I start my day reading my emails, looking at things that are going on, and then I have my first meeting every day at 8:15 AM with the rest of my admission colleagues and Amanda Irwin from Global Campus. This meeting is where we interact every day to solve problems and to help people. Then, there are various meetings, which could be with Faculty, Global Campus, corporate partners.

A big part of my day is admission matters, in which I’m helping students get to a completed application so they can, ultimately, get a decision. I also make admission decisions for multiple masters’ programs here on campus. So I’m reviewing students’ completed files and making decisions on which students we think will have the best chance of success for our programs.

Why get involved with graduate education? That is, why do YOU think that graduate education matters? What’s your personal motivation to help students get advanced degrees whether online or in-person?

I often tell students that it’s not a question of if you’re going to go on to an advanced degree; it’s a question of when you’re going to do it. In reality, I think advanced degrees are required for our students to get to where they want to go, to get into the types of positions they want, whether it’s management and so on.

Many of our students are striving for more and want different paths. So they need that extra degree. And some people who have their bachelor’s are moving along, they’re doing great things, but they decided they don’t want to do that job forever. I want to help people pivot in their lives, to move in different directions and hopefully be more satisfied.

Jacque, you’re also one of the most enthusiastic advocates, or maybe ambassadors, for Global Campus, Michigan Tech, and the Graduate School. Where have you traveled to recruit students?

I not only have been around the State and the country recruiting students for Michigan Tech, but also have traveled to Thailand, India, and Japan in search of students who are the right fit for this university. Tomorrow, on March 20, I’m traveling down to Chicago to take part in the national MANRRS conference. The mission of MANRRS is to “promote academic and professional advancement by empowering minorities in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences.” While there, I will be representing Michigan Tech and trying to recruit students.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is helping students get through the admissions process and into programs that, I believe many times, are life-changing events. Students come in and when they come out the other side, they often have amazing careers and do amazing things. So helping people get started is probably one of the most rewarding things for me.

Then there is working in the Graduate School itself. I’m dealing with people all around the world: over 50 different nations. So it’s fascinating to sit at my desk and interact with people from all kinds of different countries, helping them out. Another thing I really like about being in the Graduate School is that it encompasses the whole campus. I’m not just dealing with one individual academic program; I’m dealing with all the different academic programs and all their nuances. So, on a daily basis, my job gets me more involved in MTU.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

The most challenging part of my job is choosing the best opportunities for Tech. That is, there are so many wonderful things we can be doing to improve the exposure of Michigan Tech, increase our enrollment, and make connections. The tough part is balancing the resources we have while deciding what will bring the best result for the university.

As part of MTU’s mission to support industry in the state of Michigan, Michigan Tech and Global Campus are involved with several corporate partners, which you occasionally get to meet during formal events. Jacque, can you speak of some of your experiences at these events?

Often when we visit these companies, we get to see their facilities. These companies are proud of what they do, just as Michigan Tech is, so they want to show it off. It’s always a privilege to get an inside peek at many of these corporations. We get to tour their facilities, their plants, and meet with their employees and leaders. And we see behind the scenes. It’s also impressive to see the Michigan Tech alumni who are working at these places, helping to build these technologies.

Why Michigan Tech? That is, what is it about this university and this area that make them a natural fit for you?

As I’ve said before, I’m both a graduate of the summer youth program and Michigan Tech, so I have a long history!

About Michigan Tech. I believe it’s the size and the resources and its focus on STEM, which were and are still appealing to me. I’ve always been interested in technical fields. But then I’ve always had an outdoor side to me too. And this university is like a natural extension of these interests. Along with the academics and the programs, there is the location. This area allows me the ability–and I know other people use this term, too–to have micro adventures. I don’t need two weeks to go do something. I can go out on an afternoon and have an amazing experience just because everything is so close in the Upper Peninsula.

When you’re not working for the Graduate School or Global Campus, what do you like to do in your free time? Where can we find you, for example, on the weekend?

I’ve always been an adventurer: a hiker, a climber, and a camper. I’ve done many different activities and I still do a lot of them. Right now, you can often find me on jeeping adventures where I go off-roading to access out-of-the-way areas to camp and stay—to just kind of get out of town and find visually beautiful places. And I often meet great people on these adventures. There’s a certain camaraderie about these experiences. Luckily, I have a wonderful girlfriend who supports me and my jeep journeys!

Jacque standing in front of his jeep during one of his adventures.
Jacque standing in front of his jeep during one of his Upper Peninsula adventures.
Jacque on one of his jeeping adventures.
The reward at the end of the journey: a fire, a quiet place, and a view of the lake.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

One thing has always struck me. Wherever I’ve traveled, it always seems that I find a link to Michigan Tech. Or I meet MTU alumni. It’s a very small world. That is, it seems like no matter where I go, I’m delighted to discover yet another Michigan Tech connection!

I’d like to end by saying that, again, I really enjoy having conversations with current and potential students, determining what their needs are and how Michigan Tech can help fulfill those needs. And I think that graduate school, whether online or in-person, allows students to achieve their goals and get them to where they need to be.

Jacque Smith

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Eight Cool Public Policy Careers

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Make a Difference With These Alternative Public Policy Jobs.

Two public policy professionals chake hands in an office setting

As previously noted, a public policy is a set of principles, guidelines, regulations, laws, and actions adopted and implemented by a governmental entity. The purpose of a public policy is addressing specific issues/needs or pursuing particular goals within a society. Those needs, for instance, might be making roads more safe. That is, a speed limit sign is an example of a common public policy encountered daily. Rules and ordinances for making annual homecoming events less riotous and destructive are also public policies. The ultimate goals of a public policy, then, are achieving desired outcomes, solving problems, or responding (or in some cases, not responding) to societal needs. Because these needs are so diverse, there are, correspondingly, numerous public policy careers.

Those with public policy experience often work in government, at all levels. There, they might take on roles as policy analysts, legislative assistants, government or public affairs specialists. Or they might find roles in non-governmental organizations or the non-profit sector as policy consultants, program evaluators, and directors.

Learn more about public policy.

Above are some of the typical public policy careers. However, there are other less common but equally satisfying career paths.

1. Urban Planner

Professionals in these roles, who are often civil, environmental, and structural engineers, focus on shaping the development of cities and communities. They strive to create sustainable, greener, and functional urban spaces by considering factors such as zoning, transportation, housing, and environmental impact.

Because urban planners must often abide by local laws and ordinances (or even suggest improved ones), they regularly collaborate with government officials at all levels. Therefore, knowledge of public policy is an asset to urban planners and their decision-making processes.

An image of an urban green space in Vancouver, BC.
An urban green space in Vancouver BC, Canada

2. Environmental Policy Consultant

Environmental engineers with public policy experience can also transition into roles as environmental policy consultants. Or they could even start their own environmental consulting companies, collaborating with governmental entities at all levels.

As these consultants, they might advise on public policies related to pollution, sustainable development, water resource management, and climate change. They might also bring their technical expertise to developing and evaluating environmental policies, as well as helping to create effective, scientifically sound regulations.

A symbol of a smart city, which might need those with public policy expertise.
An image of a smart city.

3. Smart City and IoT Specialist

A smart city is an urban area that uses advanced technology, carefully designed infrastructure, and data-driven solutions. The objectives are reducing costs and resource consumption, enhancing efficiency, and optimizing the lives of inhabitants.

Engineers with policy skills and expertise in both smart city technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT) can help influence public policies related to smart cities. These could be regulations on land use, data privacy, accessibility, and so on. In these public policy careers, they might also ensure that smart city technologies abide by local and state ordinances.

4. Open Data Advocate

Open data is data that can be freely used, re-used, and redistributed by anyone. The most fundamental rules of Open Data are the following:

  • Availability and Access: As a whole, data must be available at a reasonable reproduction cost, preferably by downloading. Data must also be in a convenient and modifiable form.
  • Re-use and Redistribution: Data must be provided under terms that permit re-use and redistribution, which includes the intermixing with other datasets.
  • Universal Participation: Everyone must be able to use, re-use, and redistribute data without discrimination or restrictions. Open data advocates, for example, are against rules that say data is not for commercial use, only for education, and so on.

Therefore, open data advocates strive to develop public policies that promote the transparency and accessibility of government data. For instance, they might encourage the release of government information in open formats. They believe that open data fosters collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

Where does public policy come in? This role involves working with government agencies, tech communities, and the public to support and advance open data initiatives.

5. Healthcare Technology Policy Analyst

As healthcare grows more data-driven, there arise issues of cybersecurity and the protection of patient information. Biomedical engineers and professionals in the healthcare technology sector with public policy experience could work as this type of analyst.

Healthcare technology policy analysts might undertake the following:

  • assess public policies in the regulatory landscape for medical technologies
  • contribute to the development of health IT policies
  • ensure that policies keep pace with advancements in medical research and technology
  • confirm that protocols in the healthcare industry align with public policies that safeguard patient data

In fact, the US has several privacy laws that protect all types of consumer data: fingerprints, retina scans, biometric data, financial data, names, and addresses. Probably one of the most well-known of these privacy protection laws is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) . This law, which applies to healthcare providers, hospitals, and insurance companies, safeguards an individual’s medical information. Healthcare technology policy analysts, then, might ensure that patients with biomedical devices connected to the IoT have their PHI protected.

An image of the USSF-52 rocket-launch mission. A space policy advisor is a possible public policy career.
Exploring Space safely and ethical will involve those with public policy expertise.

6. Space Policy Advisor

Space exploration and commercial space activities, which have accelerated recently, will require experts with public policy experience. These advisors might focus on issues related to space governance, international cooperation, and regulations. That is, they may be involved in ensuring that their organizations follow policies governing space exploration, satellite deployment, and space resource utilization.

For instance there are national space policies, commercial space launch policies, international space cooperation agreements, licensing and regulatory frameworks, satellite remote sensing policies. There are even policies for mitigating and remediating space debris. And these are just a few public policies related to the space industry.

7. Regulatory Sandbox Manager

This public policy career, which sounds too cool to be real, is ideal for those with previous business experience. More of a legal classification than a physical location, a regulatory sandbox is a space where businesses can play without following (most of the) rules. The objective is seeing whether the removal of restrictions produces innovative ideas and products.

Still, during the experimental phase, these sandboxes must respect basic regulations for public health, safety, and privacy. First, managers with public policy expertise must ensure that these essential regulations are followed during this phase. And when businesses transition out of the sandbox, managers must then confirm that they respect all relevant public policies.

Screenshot from The IMF's policy responses to Covid-19, which points to the public policy career as behavioral economist.
The International Monetary Fund’s Resource of Governmental Economic Policies Related to Covid-19

8. Behavioral Economist / Policy Behavioralist

Those taking on this role work in many fields. As behavioral economists, they combine insights from economics, psychology, and/or cognitive science to analyze how people make decisions.

For instance, a policy behavioralist might work in the public health sector, analyzing data to evaluate a group’s potential response (acceptance? rejection? neutrality?) to a new vaccine policy.

In so doing, these policy experts might apply their analyses to help design interventions that positively influence human behavior. They could work to improve policy outcomes around pressing social issues, such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Get Skills for Several Public Policy Careers.

Do these alternative public policy jobs sound fun? Fascinating? If they do, Michigan Tech’s Global Campus offers a versatile 9-credit Online Graduate Certificate in Public Policy that can add to/build on your current undergraduate degree.

This certificate consists of three, condensed, seven-week courses, which run several times a year.

  • The Policy Process (SS 5301): Offered Spring, Summer, and Fall 2024
  • Public Management (SS 5318): Offered Spring, Summer, and Fall 2024
  • Policy Analysis (SS 5350): Offered Summer, 2024

Because of this schedule, you can STILL start your certificate in Spring or Summer 2024 and complete it quickly.

Want to learn more about this certificate? Or how to get started on the application? Contact Dr. Adam Wellstead at awellste@mtu.edu.

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Why Does Public Policy Matter?

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Public policy experts at work in the government.

Public Policy Experts at Work in the Government

The dog license you must purchase; the sign on the road telling you to slow down in a school zone; the $325 fine your neighbor received for having an excessively large apple pile near his deer blind. Each one of these is a public policy. (Michigan’s DNR is pretty serious about its bait-pile fining, too. In fact, in 2018, several conservation officers used Google Maps to track down an apple pile that could be seen from space.)

The DNR-mandated size of a bait pile in Michigan is an example of a public policy.
A bait pile in Illinois (not the one seen from space).

How big is too big?

Well, there’s an answer for that: “Bait volume at any hunting site cannot exceed two gallons. Bait dispersal must be over a minimum 10-foot by 10-foot area.”

But this rule is just for Upper Michigan. Baiting, in fact, is banned in Lower Michigan unless hunters qualify for one of the exceptions.

And the size of the pile may vary between states.

Why do Michigan DNR officials hand out fines over bait piles? Well, excessively large bait piles cause an over-concentration of deer, which may then lead to other problems:

  • Disease Spread: Dense populations of deer can facilitate the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease that affects deer, elk, and moose.
  • Impact on Other Wildlife: Baiting may attract not only deer but also other wildlife species, disrupting natural foraging behaviors and leading to ecosystem imbalances.
  • Unnatural Behavior: Concentrating deer in one area through baiting can lead to unnatural behaviors and affect deer movement patterns, potentially making them more vulnerable to predation or accidents.
  • Management of Deer Population: Wildlife officials often aim to manage deer populations to maintain a balance with the ecosystem’s carrying capacity. Overly large bait piles might interfere with the effectiveness of population control measures.

Who Makes Policy in the US?

The above examples demonstrate that public policy is all around us.

Public policies specifically refer to the set of principles, guidelines, regulations, laws, and actions adopted and implemented by various government entities (school officials, city council members, DNR representatives, governors, etc.) to address specific issues or pursue particular goals within a society. A systematic approach to decision-making and governance, public policy aims to achieve desired outcomes, solve problems, or respond (or in some cases, not respond) to societal needs. And its scope is wide, touching on economic, environmental, health, and education areas, and more. Like deer hunting.

Because public policies exist at the municipal, state, regional, or national level, they may sometimes clash. Consider, for instance, the conflict between state and federal COVID-19 public policies during the pandemic. Or what would happen if you were a hunter who didn’t meet one of the exceptions and travelled down to Lower Michigan to set up your bait pile.

However, public policies should be distinguished from just policies, which are rules and regulations enacted by non-governmental representatives, such as businesses, universities, and so on.

How is Public Policy Created?

But public policy, despite having such a wide scope, is far from simple. There is significant critical thinking, planning, research, and legwork involved in public policy. And much of this legwork involves getting input from stakeholders: various members of the public and subject matter experts at all stages of the policy process.

First, those working in public policy must have a goal or objective (agenda setting). That is, an objective might be addressing social justice, public safety, pollution, the health of the deer population, and so on. And those creating policies (or advocating for their creation) must use a structured decision-making process. This process involves identifying issues, conducting research and analysis, and considering alternative solutions. The final objective is making decisions and creating a policy (formulation) based on the best available information. But these are just the first two steps in the policy process.

The six stages of the policy process:

  • Agenda Setting
  • Formulation
  • Adoption/Legitimation
  • Implementation
  • Evaluation
  • Policy Maintenance, Succession, or Termination

Source: Paul Cairney, Five Image of the Policy Process

However, Paul Cairney contends that the nice, clean cycle above is more of a metaphor than a realistic depiction of how REAL policy unfolds. Instead, the process is messy and confusing. In a blog from 2017, he offers other visual depictions of the policy making process.

Learn more about policy making and other topics related to public policy.

What is an Example of the Policy Process?

In July 2022, Dr. Adam Wellstead (MTU Department of Social Sciences and Director of the Online Public Policy Graduate Certificate) traveled to Queen’s University. His job was to set up a PIL (policy innovation lab) with Public Administration students at the Queen’s School of Policy Studies. The goal was analyzing and making recommendations about a problematic event rattling the local community: Queen’s homecoming.

Loud drunken parties, acts of public vandalism, and even episodes of couch tossing were regular features.

Afterwards, Dr. Wellstead and his team produced a 195-page report, which addressed various stakeholder perspectives and made recommendations. Or to put it another way, this report was meant to get this troublesome event on the agenda (Agenda Setting).

In other words, the report was just the beginning of the process. Getting a problem on the agenda does not mean that anyone is going to do anything about it. That is, after agenda setting, policies must be formulated, adopted, implemented, evaluated, as well as formalized, updated, or rejected. In other words, transforming policy goals into actions is a messy, iterative process involving the coordination between multiple agencies and stakeholders.

A party at the noisy Queen's homecoming, which necessitated a public policy intervention.
Couch tossing at the party during Queen’s homecoming, an annual event that required a public policy intervention.

There is a tremendous gap between public opinion and public policy.

Noam Chomsky

Improving the qualities of our lives should be the ultimate goal of public policies. But public policies can only deliver best fruit if they are based on reliable tools to measure the improvement they seek to produce in our lives.

Jose Angel Gurria

What Are Some Careers in Public Policy?

Therefore, it’s fair to say that those with public policy experience are needed in several fields. Below are some of the most common public policy careers.

  • Policy Analyst/Researcher: Your objective is to analyze data, conduct research, and provide evidence-based recommendations to inform policy decisions. You would most likely also evaluate other public policies.
  • Legislative Assistant: In this position, you would assist legislators in researching and drafting legislation, managing constituent inquiries, and coordinating legislative activities.
  • Government Affairs Specialist: As this type of specialist, you would advocate for the interests of an organization or industry to government officials and policymakers, often involving lobbying efforts. You’d also use your expertise to build relationships with key decision-makers and navigate the legislative process.
  • Public Affairs Specialist: Your role would be managing communication between organizations and the public, including media relations, public relations, and strategic communication in order to shape public opinion on policy issues.
  • Program Evaluator: In this position, you would assess the effectiveness and impact of public programs and policies, providing recommendations for improvement.
  • International Development Specialist: If you took on this role, you’d collaborate with governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international organizations to address global issues such as poverty, health, education, and environmental sustainability.
  • Non-profit Director: In this career, you’d focus on advancing the mission of the organization and addressing social challenges through policy advocacy, community engagement, and program implementation.
  • Consultant: Whatever your background, a knowledge of public policy will help you leverage your specialized expertise on several projects. For instance, civil engineers with policy experience often work as urban planners and environmental consultants.

Dive deeper into other public policy roles and opportunities that make an impact on the world. Discover the aptitudes, knowledge, and skills that are central to those in public policy fields.

Start Your Online Public Policy Program at Michigan Tech.

Nonetheless, these roles above comprise a selection of the most common public-policy careers. So look out for a future blog that will discuss the diverse and sometimes unexpected intersections between public policy and other disciplines. That is, as societal needs and technologies evolve, new and unconventional public policy jobs will likewise continue to emerge.

If you want to plan for the future AND make a difference by acquiring public policy skills, MTU has just the program for you.

Michigan Tech’s Global Campus offers a versatile 9-credit Online Graduate Certificate in Public Policy. It consists of three, condensed, seven-week courses, which run several times a year:

  • The Policy Process (SS 5301): Runs Spring, Summer, and Fall 2024
  • Public Management (SS 5318): Runs Spring, Summer, and Fall 2024
  • Policy Analysis (SS 5350): Runs Summer, 2024

Because of this schedule, you can start your online certificate in Spring 2024, complete it in record time, allowing you to put your public policy skills to work!

Want to learn more about this certificate? Or what you can do with versatile, in-demand public policy skills? Contact Dr. Adam Wellstead at awellste@mtu.edu.

In the meantime, (and if you want to go a little deeper), check out Dr. Paul Cairney’s awesome Politics and Public Policy Blog. Here, he graciously (and clearly!) unpacks several key public policy terms and concepts.

Also, you should know that deer hunting is still on, at least in Michigan; we’re in late antlerless firearm and archery seasons now. So make sure you remind your neighbors (and maybe yourself) about the mandated size of bait piles.

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Online MBAs Grow in Popularity

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Potential online TechMBA® students sharing data visualizations.

45,038 is the number of students enrolled in online MBA programs in the 2020-2021 academic year. For the first time ever, the online student population outnumbered the in-person full-time one (43,740). At last count, in fact, there were 1,095 online MBA programs offered by US higher-ed institutions alone. MTU’s TechMBA® ranks well among this crowd.

Why the rapid increase in both online MBA programs and enrollment? Well, one of the main reasons is that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the education game. At first, universities were forced to offer online and hybrid options. But then they kept rolling these out. In other words, the coronavirus crisis made both prospective students and employers more receptive of online programs. A New America poll also found that the belief in the quality of online learning actually increased by 16% during the pandemic.

Furthermore, 83 percent of the hiring executives in a CNN survey affirmed that an accredited online degree is as credible as an on-campus program. When it comes to online MBA degrees, a survey from the Center for the Future of Higher Education and Talent Strategy Fund had similar findings. That is, 71 percent of employers now view the quality of business degrees earned online as equal to or even better than traditional in-person programs.

So Why Earn MTU’s TechMBA®?

Back in July 2022, in my first blog, I introduced Michigan Tech’s newest online program: the TechMBA®. This program is still going strong. And there are several reasons for both its popularity and credibility.

Accreditation

Only 248 percentage of the 1,095 online MBA programs (less than 25%) offered by US institutions are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. MTU’s TechMBA® is one of these select programs. In other words, the TechMBA® is not only accredited but also respected by industry, business, and STEM professionals. In fact, MTU’s online MBA program regularly ranks as one of the top in the state.

Stem Focus

Michigan Tech’s online MBA is not just business (adminstration) as usual. The TechMBA® is also one of the 24% of US online MBAs that have a STEM focus. That is, MTU’s online MBA degree allows students to leverage their STEM backgrounds and technological competencies. Students develop the fundamental business administration, project management, and communication skills required for STEM-professional roles. These skills qualify graduates for leadership roles in their chosen engineering fields. Those who complete the TechMBA® program are also adept at taking on project management, technical sales, and entrepreneurship positions in STEM-related workplaces.

Flexibility

The US News reports that when it comes to in-person MBA programs, the average age of students is 27. For online programs, however, that age rises to 33.

And 91% of online MBA students even worked full time while pursuing their degree.

What these numbers mean is that online MBA programs, like the TechMBA®, attract older students seeking flexibility in their education. Online learning, for sure, does involve an adjustment period. But there is no need to relocate, readjust your schedule, or leave your job. (There is also no need to frantically dig out from a snowstorm only to arrive to class a late, sweaty mess.)

Smaller, Tighter Class Community

Online learning often means increased interactivity. Research has shown that online learning is as good as if not better than face-to-face instruction. When it comes to peer-to-peer interaction and discussions, online classes may even surpass the effectiveness of their in-person versions. And in a smaller program, such as that of the TechMBA®, there are even more opportunities to connect with peers and instructors. More opportunities to develop those communication skills that are central to leadership roles.

Career Advancement

As early as 2016, Fast Company reported on how several employers began increasing their education requirements. A later CareerBuilder survey revealed that this trend has continued. In other words, an advanced degree may help you not only get that job in the first place but also move up the corporate ladder more easily.

Then there is the matter of salaries. According to a study done by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, those holding advanced degrees may earn over 30% more over the span of their career than employees with only bachelor’s degrees.

Strong Return on Investment

Investopedia has noted that MBA graduates who specialize in consulting, finances, and technology management earn the most. And according to one Fortune article, the median salaries for those with MBA degrees are substantially higher than those without them.

The Corporate Recruiter Survey survey (Graduate Management Admission Council) also found that the median 2022 starting salary of new MBA hires was $115,000. And that salary, which is a historically high figure, doesn’t include the median signing bonus of $10,500.

And you also get that ROI faster with an MBA. A recent Wall Street Journal analysis of federal student loan data found that 98 percent of MBA programs leave students with more manageable debt loads than graduates of other programs.

Other Benefits of the TechMBA®

The short list of why you might pursue an advanced degree, such as an MBA, includes the following: acquiring the necessary credentials, pursuing your interests, moving into more fulfilling, impactful roles, gaining additional job security,and increasing your compensation.

But there are other, more personal incentives. Whatever your current degree or desired career path, we’ve summarized some of the advantages for pursuing an advanced degree or earning an MBA degree.

Learn More About the TechMBA®.

If you’d like to learn more about the in-demand MTU’s online MBA degree, come listen to the experts.

That is, Mari Buche (College of Business), David Lawrence (Vice President for Global Campus and Continuing Education), as well as members of the Global Campus team will be holding a virtual interest session on the TechMBA®.

This online event will be on April 11, 2023, at 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM. Please bring your curiosity and your questions.

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