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Brian Hannon Joins Global Campus

Published June 21, 2023

Michigan Tech Global Campus

Global Campus is proud to welcome Brian Hannon (‘88), former MTU hockey star and long-time coach, as a part-time member of our team.

Currently Director of Strategic Partnerships and Alliances for the Keweenaw Research Institute, Hannon will be offering his expertise to GC for a few days a week.

Getting His Start at Tech

Born in 1965 in Clinton, NY, Hannon set season and career scoring records at Clinton High School. Michigan Tech quickly noticed his talent, putting Hannon to work as a sponsored student athlete in 1983, where he played hard for the university until 1988.

There were several other successes along the way. For instance, in 1983, he was named to the Lansing State Journal CCHA All-Rookie team and the GLI (Great Lakes Invitational) All-Tournament Team.

And in 1984, he was selected to play for the 1985 United States Junior Team in Helsinki, Finland. He performed extremely well, ending up as the 3rd leading scorer for Team USA.

An 1985 article from the Winter Carnival edition of The Lode praised his skills:

Several young players have made their presence known, too. Freshmen Center John Archibald and sophomores Brian Hannon (right wing), and Don Porter (left wing), have been big scorers both in goals and assists. Their game intensity, team work, and explosive styles promise to give Tech some big victories in the next few years
The Lode

Although an injury forced Hannon out of action in 1985-1986, he returned in full form for the 1986-1987 and 1987-1988 MTU seasons. In these seasons, he scored, respectively, an impressive 37 and then 47 points. During these years, he also had several honors. For instance, he was an Assistant Captain, a WCHA player of the week, and a member of the WCHA all-academic team.

In other words, Hannon was a bonafide star for MTU. In fact, he ended his career as the all-time American-born leading goal scorer in Huskies Hockey History and the tenth highest scorer overall.

Turning Pro

After graduating from Tech, Hannon brought his talents to professional hockey in ten different hockey leagues, primarily playing in Germany from 1990-2001.

Several of these years were spent playing for the Bundesliga/DEL, a German elite hockey league in operation from 1965 to 1994.

In 1988-1989, his team, the Carolina Thunderbirds, won the Kelly Cup in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League). In that same season, Hannon scored a whopping 67 points.

For many of these teams, he also took on the responsibility of assistant coach.

Hannon Hockey Card from his time with The Frankfurt Lions

The Hockey stats of Hannon. — Brian Hannon’s Hockey Stats

Thereafter, Hannon hung up his professional hockey skates.

But he didn’t take a break for long. Coaching and hockey continued to call him. In 2002-2003, he worked as Head Coach for the Springfield Spirit before bringing his talents a little closer to home as Volunteer Assistant Coach for the Finlandia Lions from 2004 to 2023.

This is just a summary of his career.

So, I asked Brian some questions and let him do the talking.

Remembering His Time at Michigan Tech

What is your favorite memory of playing hockey and being a student at Tech?

There is not just one. I fondly remember my teammates (they were a very diverse group), the Greatest PEP Band in the Land, the fans, the GLI tourney, and the Winter Carnival, of course, which is the best festival on any college Campus!

What was it like being an MTU student back in the 1980s?

I think the biggest difference is that we were on trimesters and on an accelerated summer track. Now there is a Fall and Spring term with a summer session and the students get out around the end of April. But we stayed until almost the end of May. I totally understand the reasoning for the change and feel that MTU has always evolved with the students’ best interests in mind. Also, we didn’t have today’s technology, so you had to go to class and retain what you were learning by getting your work done and studying hard. We relied a lot more on study groups and projects that were more apt to have group or team concepts.

Making Memories in Germany

So, I noticed you played hockey in Germany for a long time. So many games, too! And goals. Can you speak about your experience of playing hockey in Germany. That is, what was it like? What did you enjoy about it?

I had a great experience and still have great memories about my time in Europe. Truthfully, I decided to go to Germany because I wasn’t good enough to make it to the NHL; I mean, I wasn’t big enough for the style of game played during that generation. (Author’s note: in the 1988-1989 season, Brian Hannon was 5’10” and 180 pounds. In that season, the NHL’s top scorer was not, in fact, Wayne Gretzky, but Mario Lemieux, who stood 6’4″ and weighed in at a whopping 229 pounds.)

However, I was fast-skilled and could definitely score. The bigger ice rink in the European leagues was an advantage for me and my particular skill set, which was more in tune with the European game. Initially, I saw hockey as a vehicle to travel and experience the world before getting back to living a traditional life. But that decision actually turned into a pretty fun, long, and amazing career that I wouldn’t change for anything.

While in Germany, I was able to learn a new language and immerse myself and my family into a different culture. The friendships made there are also lifelong. I still have teammates that come to visit me here. And now that my son, Connor, is playing professionally in Germany (defense), I’ve had the opportunity to reunite with some of those same folks. Most of all, I was lucky enough to play on some great teams and win a few championships, which create bonds that you have for for life.

Learning Life Skills Through Hockey

Hockey has been a significant part of your life. Beyond the physical skills, what else can people learn from/through hockey?

No matter who you talk to, hockey is all about the people. It doesn’t matter if they’re your family, teammates, coaches or fans; the people are the ingredient that make the game so enjoyable, so worth playing.

From the first day I stepped on Michigan Tech campus as a student athlete, I quickly learned that no matter how many goals I scored or how well the team was doing, I was responsible for getting good grades and remaining in good academic standing. I think any current or former MTU student athlete will tell you the same thing. Because of the time you miss away from campus for travel to games, practice time, etc., you really learn to manage your time and prioritize your schedule. It takes a lot of work and planning to achieve your academic and athletic goals.

Obviously a team sport requires teamwork, but it also requires leading by example, committing to excellence, and devising a strategy to reach group goals. Looking back on those championship teams, I remember that everyone was playing for each other. Everyone was sacrificing individual success for the good of the group and invested in each other’s well-being. That’s why we were able to achieve our team goals. We were a family! Beyond these skills, hockey also taught me the importance of being self-disciplined and motivated enough to stick with a process until the end.

Returning to the Upper Peninsula

You were born in New York, spent several years living in Germany, but returned to the UP. What drew you back to the Upper Peninsula?

I would say that I never really left the UP. I would say I put down roots right when I started playing hockey in 1983. And then when I graduated on May 22, 1988 and married my wife, Pam, on June 17, those roots grew deeper. (She was also a Michigan Tech student from Houghton.) And even when I started my Pro Hockey career in September, 1988, I was still here for the summers.

Let me explain. Well, during my playing years, the summer usually begins at the last game of the season. That’s about a 4-month period where we didn’t compete, but we trained. So as a student and as a professional athlete, I would stay up here during the summer and train. Remember that 40 years ago, there weren’t many ice arenas in New York state, especially those with ice during the summer months! But Michigan Tech had ice to skate on and other world-class facilities to use.

Those years were wonderful; I could train with my former Huskies, golf, fish, relax, play baseball, work at the hockey school, visit family and friends. So it was a natural when one summer, I bought some property here. At that moment, we made a decision for our children’s future. Next thing, I am building a house with my father-in-law knowing that one day, when my playing days were over, we would raise our family here.

Sharing His Talents

You just mentioned hockey school. What has been your involvement in Summer Youth Programs at MTU?

I am proud to say that I am currently the longest serving on-ice summer youth hockey instructor in the history of MTU Hockey School. I began coaching at the hockey school after graduating in 1988 (old NCAA rule where we couldn’t coach while being a student) and have worked at least one week during every summer since. That is 33 years. It would have been 35, but one year they put a new compressor system in and there was a pause because of COVID.

I’ve always enjoyed coaching, passing on what I know to the next generation. And the kids are great! I am pleased that several of the youth I coached went on to play college or professional hockey. A great example is Hancock-born Michigan Tech’s former standout Tanner Kero, who is currently with The Texas Stars.

It is delight to see many of my corporate alumni contacts bringing their children to this camp, as well as other other great sports or stem-related summer youth programs offered at MTU.

Forging New Partnerships

Vice President for Global Campus and Continuing Education David Lawrence praised you for having impressive connections with Tech Alumni and with local industry. Can you speak more about these? How do you plan to leverage these for Global Campus?

I’ve had over 40 years of being associated with both the Michigan Tech brand and MTU initiatives. For instance, I was involved with the Youth Engineering and Science (YES) Expo. YES evolved into MTU’s nationally acclaimed Mind Trekkers program.

Overall, in various roles, I have had the great pleasure of meeting, interacting, and partnering with our Michigan Tech Alumni and friends, especially in the corporate world. I’ve also made a lot of connections with industry leaders who have relationships with Tech. As a result, I have quite a bit of experience navigating the cultures of various organizations. I am hoping to leverage my skills and contacts to reach out to both alumni and MTU corporate partners to introduce them to Global Campus.

We’re still growing our online offerings, I know. But I think I am well suited to listen to the needs of organizations and connect them to the best MTU online program, project, professional development, and continuing education. I’m just getting my feet wet learning about all our initiatives, such as our role on the Semiconductor TAT, but I believe I can be of value to the team.

Promoting the KRC and Michigan Tech

Along with Global Campus, I am proud, of course, to be a part of the multidisciplinary, Keweenaw Research Center (KRC), which is the UP’s best secret. This center is active across a broad spectrum of vehicle development. KRC also maintains more than 900 acres of proving grounds, specifically developed for the evaluation of ground vehicle systems. For instance, one of our main partners is the Department of Defense, so there are usually very tight security measures in place. Unfortunately, because of our work with DoD, I can’t say too much about my role at the KRC.

I’d like you all to know that on August 4, 2024, Alumni and interested public will be able to experience this amazing research center. As part of the Alumni Weekend, the KRC will be celebrating its 70th anniversary with its very first open house.

I’ll end by saying that I have been very lucky to have a great mentor in Jay Meldrum, whom I continue to work with. Now the Director of the Grand Traverse Area Initiative, he had a wealth of industry experience long before his career in academia. He instilled in me that if I am involved with a certain project, but there is no synergy for the potential partner, don’t give up. Find a way. That is, find out what they are interested in and reach out to a different campus group, program, or project and make a new connection, forge a new partnership.

Because at the end of the day, we all play for Michigan Tech.

ChatGPT: Friend or Foe? Maybe Both.

Published May 31, 2023

By Shelly Galliah

Michigan Tech Global Campus

This blog was originally published in May, 2023, but was shortened and re-released to on Nov. 2023.

In 2006, British mathematician and entrepreneur Clive Humby proclaimed that “data is the new oil.”

At the time, his enthusiastic (if not exaggerated) comment reflected the fervor and faith in the then expanding internet economy. And his metaphor had some weight, too. Like oil, data can be collected (or maybe one should say extracted), refined, and sold. Both of these are also in high demand, and just as the inappropriate or excessive use of oil has deleterious effects on the planet, so may the reckless use of data.

Recently, the newest oil concerning many, one that is shaking up the knowledge workplace, is ChatGPT. Released by OpenAI on November 2022, ChatGPT combines chatbot functionality with a very clever language model. Or to be more precise, the GPT in its name stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer.

Global Campus previously published a blog about robots in the workplace. One of the concerns raised then was that of AI taking away our jobs. But perhaps, now, the even bigger concern is AI doing our writing, generating our essays, or even our TV show scripts. That is, many are worried about AI substituting for both our creative and critical thinking.

Training Our AI Writing Helper

ChatGPT is not an entirely new technology. That is, experts have long integrated large language models into customer service chatbots, Google searches, and autocomplete e-mail features. The ChatGPT of today is an updated version of GPT-3, which has been around since 2020. But we can go back farther. We can trace its origins to almost 60 years ago. That is when MIT’s Joseph Weizenbaum rolled out ELIZA: the first chatbot. Named after Eliza Doolittle, this chatbot mimicked a Rogerian therapist by (perhaps annoyingly) rephrasing questions. If someone asked, for instance, “My father hates me,” it would reply with another question: “Why do you say your father hates you?”

The current ChatGPT’s immense knowledge and conversational ability are indeed impressive. To acquire these skills, ChatGPT was “trained on huge amounts of data from the Internet, including conversations.” An encyclopedia of text-based data was combined with a “machine learning technique called Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF).” This is a technique in which human trainers provided the model with conversations in which they played both the AI chatbot and the user.” In other words, this bot read a lot of text and practiced mimicking human conversations. Its responses, nonetheless, are not based on knowing the answers, but on predicting what words will come next in a series.

The results of this training is that this chatbot is almost indistinguishable from the human voice. And it’s getting better, too. As chatbot engages with more users, its tone and conversations become increasingly life-like (OpenAI).

Using ChatGPT for Mundane Writing Tasks

Many have used, tested, and challenged ChatGPT. Although one can’t say for certain that the bot always admits its mistakes, it definitely rejects inappropriate requests. It will deliver some clever pick-up lines. However, it won’t provide instructions for cheating on your taxes or on your driver’s license exam. And if you ask it what happens after you die, it is suitably dodgy.

But what makes ChatGPT so popular, and some would say dangerous, is the plethora of text-based documents it can write, such as the following:

Long definitions
Emails and letters
Scripts for podcasts and videos
Speeches
Basic instructions
Quiz questions
Discussion prompts

Lesson plans
Learning objectives
Designs for rubrics
Outlines for reports and proposals
Summaries of arguments
Press releases
Essays

And this is the short list, too, of its talents. That is, there are people who have used this friendly bot to construct emails to students, quiz questions, and definitions. The internet is also awash with how-to articles on using ChatGPT to write marketing copy, generate novels, and speeches.

Constructing Learning Goals

“College-educated professionals performing mid-level professional writing tasks experience substantial increases in productivity when given access to ChatGPT . . . . The generative writing tool increases the output quality of low-ability workers while reducing their time spent, and it allows high-ability workers to maintain their quality standards while becoming significantly faster.”
Shakked Noy and Whitney Zhang

Noy and Zhang’s findings are taken with a grain of salt. That is, just as many writers don’t trust Grammarly to catch subject-verb agreement errors, others don’t trust ChatGPT to write their emails or press releases.

Nonetheless, as an experiment, this writer tested the tool by asking it to generate two tasks of college instructors.

First, ChatGPT was given this heavy-handed command: “Please generate five learning goals for an introductory course on Science Fiction. Make sure that you do not use the words “understand” or “know” when constructing these goals. Also please rely on Bloom’s taxonomy.

ChatGPT-generated learning goals for a Sci-Fi course.

In a few seconds, out popped the learning goals on the right, which use several of Bloom’s verbs: analyze, evaluate, apply, create, and compare and contrast.

The prompt for the second attempt asked ChatGPT to put these goals in order of ascending complexity, to which it quickly obliged.

(Truthfully, no Sci-Fi course could live up to these goals, but this task was a fun one nonetheless.)

Generating Reference Letters

Next, ChatGPT was assigned a task common to many academics: writing a reference letter.

Students often request these letters, often at the end of the semester, an unfortunate time when many instructors are bone-tired from grading. It turns out that ChatGPT could have helped (however badly) with this task.

Why badly? ChatGPT is only as smart as its user. In this case, the prompt didn’t specify the length of the reference letter. So the little bot dutifully churned out an 8-paragraph, ridiculously detailed, effusive letter, one no reasonable human would write, let alone read or believe.

Let’s hope that admissions officers and scholarship officials are not wading through these over-the-top AI-generated reference letters.

ChatGPT reference letter. — An overly long and over-the-top reference letter generated by ChatGPT.

Recognizing ChatGPT’s Limited Knowledge

Despite helping us with onerous writing tasks, this artificial intelligence helper does have its limitations. In fact, right on the first page, OpenAI honestly admits that its chatbot “may occasionally generate incorrect information, and produce harmful instructions or biased content.” It also has “limited knowledge of world and events after 2021.”

And it reveals these gaps, often humorously.

For instance, when prodded to provide information on several well-known professors from various departments, it came back with wrong answers. In fact, it actually misidentified one well-known department chair as a Floridian famous for his philanthropy and footwear empire. In this case, ChatGPT not only demonstrated “limited knowledge of the world” but also incorrect information. As academics, writers, and global citizens, we should be concerned about releasing more fake info into the world.

Taking into consideration these and other errors, one wonders on what data, exactly, was ChatGPT trained. Did it, for instance, just skip over universities? Academics? Respected academics with important accomplishments? As we know, what the internet prioritizes says a lot about what it and its users value.

Creating Mistakes

There are other limitations. ChatGPT can’t write a self-reflection or decent poetry. And because it is not online, it cannot summarize recent content from the internet.

It also can’t approximate the tone of this article, which shifts between formal and informal and colloquial. Or whimsically insert allusions or pop culture references.

To compensate for its knowledge gaps, ChatGPT generates answers that are incorrect or slightly correct.

Northern Illinois University Guide to ChatGPT

In the case of generating mistakes, ChatGPT does mimic the human tendency to fumble, to tap dance around an answer, and to make up material rather than humbly admit ignorance.

Passing Along Misinformation

Being trained on text-based data, which might have been incorrect in the first place, ChatGPT often passes this fakery along. That is, it also (as the example above shows) has a tendency to generate or fabricate fake references and quotations.

It can also spread misinformation. (Misinformation, unintentional false or inaccurate information, is different from disinformation: the intentional spread of untruths to deceive.)

The companies CNET and Bankrate found out this glitch the hard way. For months, they had been duplicitously publishing AI-generated informational articles as informational articles under a byline. When this unethical behavior was discovered, it drew the ire of the internet.

CNET’s stories even contained both plagiarism and factual mistakes, or what Jon Christian at Futurism called “bone-headed errors.” Christian humorously drew attention to mathematical mistakes that were delivered with all the panache of a financial advisor. For instance, the article claimed that “if you deposit $10,000 into a savings account that earns 3% interest compounding annually, you’ll earn $10,300 at the end of the first year.” In reality, you’d be earning only $300.

All three screwups. . . . highlight a core issue with current-generation AI text generators: while they’re legitimately impressive at spitting out glib, true-sounding prose, they have a notoriously difficult time distinguishing fact from fiction.
John Christian

Revealing Biases

And ChatGPT is not unbiased either. First, this bot has a strong US leaning. For instance, it was prompted to write about the small town of Wingham, ON. In response, it generated some sunny, non-descript prose. However, it omitted this town’s biggest claim to fame: the birthplace of Nobel Prize winning Alice Munro.

This bias is based on ChatGPT being trained on data pulled from the internet. Thus, it reflects all the prejudices of those who wrote and compiled this information. This problem was best articulated by Safiya Umoja Nobel in her landmark book Algorithms of Oppression. In this text, she challenges the ideal that search engines are value-neutral, exposing their hegemonic norms and the consequences of their various sexist, racist biases. ChatGPT, to be sure, is also affected by if not infected with these biases.

Despite agreeing with Nobel’s concerns, and thinking that ChatGPT can be remarkably dumb at times, many writers don’t have want to smash the algorithmic machines anytime soon. Furthermore, many writers DO use this bot to generate definitions of unfamiliar technical terms encountered in their work. For instance, it can help non-experts understand the basics of such concepts as computational fluid dynamics and geospatial engineering. Still, many professional writers choose not to rely on it, nor trust it, too much.

Letting Robots Do Your Homework

But it is students’ trust in and reliance on one of ChatGPT’s features that is causing chaos and consternation in the education world.

That is, many recent cases of cheating are connected to one of this bot’s most popular features: its impressive ability to generate essays in seconds. For instance, it constructed a 7-paragraph comparison/contrast essay on Impressionism and Post-Impressionism in under a minute.

And the content of this essay, though vague, does hold some truth: “Impressionism had a profound impact on the art world, challenging traditional academic conventions. Its emphasis on capturing the fleeting qualities of light and atmosphere paved the way for modern art movements. Post-impressionism, building upon the foundations of impressionism, further pushed the boundaries of artistic expression. Artists like Georges Seurat developed the technique of pointillism, while Paul Gauguin explored new avenues in color symbolism. The post-impressionists’ bold experimentation influenced later art movements, such as fauvism and expressionism.”

With a few modifications and checking of facts, this text would fit comfortably into an introductory art textbook. Or maybe a high-school or a college-level essay.

Sounding the Alarm About ChatGPT

Very shortly after people discovered this essay-writing feature, stories of academic integrity violations flooded the internet. An instructor at an R1 STEM grad program confessed that several students had cheated on a project report milestone. “All 15 students are citing papers that don’t exist.” An alarming article from The Chronicle of Higher Education, written by a student, warned that educators had no idea how much students were using AI. The author rejected the claim that AI’s voice is easy to detect. “It’s very easy to use AI to do the lion’s share of the thinking while still submitting work that looks like your own.”

And it’s not just a minority of students using ChatGPT either. In a study.com survey of 200 K-12 teachers, 26% had already caught a student cheating by using this tool. In a BestColleges survey of 1,000 current undergraduate and graduate students (March 2023), 50% of students admitted to using AI for some portion of their assignment, 30% for the majority, and 17% had “used it to complete an assignment and turn it in with no edits.”

Soon, publications like Forbes and Business Insider began pushing out articles about rampant cheating and the internet was buzzing. An elite program in a Florida high school reported a chatbot “cheating scandal”. But probably the most notorious episode was a student who used this bot to write an essay for his Ethics and Artificial Intelligence course. Sadly, the student did not really understood the point of the assignment.

Incorporating ChatGPT in the Classroom

According to a Gizmodo article, many schools have forbidden ChatGPT, such as those in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Fairfax County Virginia.

But there is still a growing body of teachers who aren’t that concerned. Many don’t want to ban ChatGPT altogether. Eliminating this tool from educational settings, they caution, will do far more harm than good. Instead, they argue that teachers must set clearer writing expectations about cheating. They should also create ingenious assignments that students can’t hack with their ChatGPT writing coach, as well as create learning activities that reveal this tool’s limitations.

Others have suggested that the real problem is teachers relying on methods of assessment that are too ChatGPT-cheatable: weighty term papers and final exams. Teachers may need to rethink their testing strategies, or as that student from the Chronicle asserted, “[M]assive structural change is needed if our schools are going to keep training students to think critically.”

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, also doesn’t agree with all the hand-wringing about ChatGPT cheating. He blithely suggested that schools need to “get over it.”

Generative text is something we all need to adapt to . . . . We adapted to calculators and changed what we tested for in math class, I imagine. This is a more extreme version of that, no doubt, but also the benefits of it are more extreme, as well.
Sam Altman

Read MTU’s own Rod Bishop’s much briefer take on academic integrity and AI.

Artificial Intelligence and Academic Integrity

Learn About AI in Healthcare

APS LABS Offering Short Non-credit Courses on Diesel Engines

Published April 20, 2023

By Shelly Galliah

Michigan Tech Global Campus

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

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

Driving the American Economy

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

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

Diesel Fast Facts

Even though other car sales plummeted, sales of diesel SUVs and trucks grew by 28% in 2020
28%: the market share of diesel in the fourth quarter of 2021
Diesel fuel contains 10-15% more energy than the comparable amount of gasoline

Improving Diesel Engines

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

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

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

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

Teaching Fundamental Diesel Skills

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

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

MEEM 5202 (Diesel Engine Fundamentals)

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

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

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

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

APS LABS Course Page

Promoting Professional Development

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

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

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

Powering the World

Published March 14, 2023

By Shelly Galliah

Michigan Tech Global Campus

an electric power tower against the blue sky

“It’s an unstable system, but we’re bringing stability to it,” so confirmed Glen E. Archer, Teaching Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan Technological University. While making this statement, Archer is standing in EERC 134, or the Smart Grid Operations Center. In this sophisticated classroom, students attack such topics as interoperability, energy management and emergency control, and system protection; as well as monitoring the connections into MTU’s Energy Management System and the regional grid. And so, so much more. It is, from my starry-eyed perspective, a very cool room.

At this point, the Michigan Tech Global Campus team has been touring the Electrical Engineering Resources Center (EERC) and picking Archer’s brain for the last hour. This room is the last stop on our educational tour.

As he speaks, my attention is divided between the brilliant, glowing grid on the wall and the energy and experience of Archer. He clearly has a passion for the important work and research that transpires in MTU’s electrical engineering classrooms and laboratories. And even more of a passion for electrical power engineering itself.

Which brings me, once again, to his earlier comment. He had mentioned that power engineering jobs might not seem particularly trendy, but those employed in this field have very important work to do. And much of this work is done behind the scenes. “Maybe the humble, unsung heroes of the engineering world,” I suggested. He didn’t comment, but smiled.

Power Engineers: Working Wherever the World Needs Them

Electric power engineering, a subfield of electrical engineering, is dedicated to all things electric power: from its generation, transmission, distribution, conversion, utilization, and management. The electrical apparatus and components associated with these systems, both large and small (wiring, cables, circuit breakers, fuses, switches, converters, vehicle drives, and so on), also fall under power engineering. Depending on their specialty and educational pathway, electric power engineers may work with electric power systems, power stations, solar voltaic cells, wind turbines, and electrical grids.

Electric power engineering may also go by other names, such as power engineering, power system engineering, power management, and power systems management. Its engineers are found wherever people and organizations need power, energy storage, renewables, and intermittent power sources.

Some Electric Power Engineering Workplaces

Utility companies
Manufacturing plants
Engineering Firms
Infrastructure related to the oil and gas industry
Other industries
Airports
Hospitals
Residential complexes
Schools

Filling a Shortage of Electric Power Engineers

Although they may not outwardly seem flashy, careers in electric power engineering have the advantage of being both flexible and mobile. Or to put it another way, the knowledge and competencies that power engineers acquire on one job may be transferred to another. This versatility means significant career choice and mobility, both within and between organizations as well as in workplaces throughout the world.

That is, as more countries transition to renewable energy sources and advanced technologies and invest in more infrastructure, the global demand for electric power engineers will likely increase. Some experts even believe that there is a definite shortage right now.

According to a summary of the Global Energy Talent Index Report, “power companies everywhere are struggling to balance talent shortages with changing skills.” The writers continue to say that there is a “looming skills shortage of engineers in the power, nuclear, and renewables sectors.”

What does this shortage look like? The GETI document confirms that as many as 48% of power professionals are concerned about an upcoming skills crisis whereas 32% believe the crisis has already hit the sector. 28% contend that their company has been affected by a skills shortage.

There are three main causes of this crisis: massive retirements, an aging workforce that requires upskilling, and a need for more workers with training in new power electric technologies. The report states that 13% of power workers are 55 years and older whereas 17% are between 45 and 54.

Confronting Upcoming Challenges

In short, both United States and the world need power engineers to not only fill these gaps but also address present and upcoming challenges.

In this nation, one of the biggest issues facing American engineers is contending with an outdated American grid in need of both repair and replacement. This aging grid can cause reliability problems, power shortages, and other complications. However, electric power engineers face other challenges, which affect the United States and beyond.

Improving Energy Storage

A photovoltaic system, otherwise known as a solar panel array.

Increasing the capacity and efficiency of energy storage systems is one key concern. To enable the widespread adoption of renewable energy sources, electric power engineers must develop better and more cost-effective energy storage solutions.

There is a need to improve the performance and efficiency of battery technology, which is essential for the large-scale energy storage. The excess electricity generated by renewable sources can then be used to help meet peak demand or provide back-up power during outages.

Increasing Grid Reliability

As electric grids integrate with more renewable sources (such as wind and power), power engineers must ensure grid stability and reliability. They must also develop solutions for reducing grid congestion. And create strategies for maintaining system stability and resilience in the face of climate change, extreme weather events, cyber-attacks, and other potential threats.

In fact, right here at Michigan Tech, Dr. Chee-Wooi Ten (Electrical and Computer Engineering), has spearheaded an impressive, interdisciplinary research team since 2010. This group contains members from the fields of statistics, business, engineering, and computer science. Its goals are advancing power engineering and developing strategies for improving power grid cybersecurity, grid reliability, interdependence, and sustainability.

Dr. Chee-Wooi Ten

The CIResilience team

Integrating Smart Technologies

Smart technologies are helping to make electricity consumption more efficient. For instance, smart meters allow utility companies to track and measure electricity consumption in real-time. They also enable consumers to monitor and adjust their own energy usage. Automated demand response systems can also reduce or increase electricity consumption according to fluctuations in the grid. And then there are advanced distribution management systems for utility companies to monitor and manage their electric grid in real-time. These can detect outages, schedule maintenance, and react to changing electricity demand.

There is a need for power engineers to understand these technologies and develop ways to integrate new smart systems into the existing grid. These strategies might include implementing communication protocols, creating intelligent control systems, and developing cybersecurity policies.

Ensuring Cybersecurity

Cyberattacks on the grid are not just the stuff of movies. For instance, in 2022, Russian cyber-hackers targeted Ukraine’s power grid. And in 2016, hackers chose a Florida power utility as their mark. The result: pumps ran continuously, causing not only waste but also physical damage. And since 2018, the US has been fending off Russian cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure.

Cyberattacks on electrical grids, then, can cause major disruptions and blackouts. It is obvious that one of the responsibilities of power engineers is improving the cybersecurity of the grid. This task is also one of the main objectives of Dr. Chee-Wooi Ten’s CIResilience team.

Addressing Environmental Concerns

Power plants, especially coal-fired ones, generate substantial emissions. And the cooling and operation of these plants require sizeable amounts of water. In fact, the power sector is the largest industrial power user. Therefore, a main engineering challenge is lessening the environmental impact of electric power systems, including reducing emissions and water consumption, improving efficiency, and minimizing waste.

Pursuing Electric Power Engineering at Michigan Tech

In short, as the world’s population continues to grow, the demand for electricity will increase significantly. Additionally, global citizens are requesting more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy infrastructure. Engineers may answer these calls by developing renewable energy sources and technologies as well as reducing electricity consumption and improving power efficiency.

If you’re up for these (and other) challenges, Michigan Tech offers several educational routes in electrical power engineering. For instance, there is a 13-credit undergraduate certificate in Electric Power Engineering and a 15-credit Graduate Certificate in Advanced Electric Power Engineering. Both of these certificates have been designed with consultation from experts from electric utilities and industry. In other words, students receive the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes that working electric power professionals regularly apply in their careers.

And, of course, there is the 30-credit MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering, with a Focus in Power Systems.

Whatever your preferred educational or career path in power engineering, Michigan Tech can help you get started.

Explore the Online Advanced Electric Power Engineering Certificate

Robots in the Workplace

Published February 14, 2023

By Shelly Galliah

Michigan Tech Global Campus

Two large orange robotic arms in a factory setting.

Robots at Work

A robotic guard dog (or robodog) stationed in an abandoned warehouse relentlessly chases intruders across a barren, post-apocalyptic landscape. Armed with tracking weapons, highly sophisticated sensors, and artificial intelligence, this robodog does not give up its hunt easily.

To avoid spoilers, that is about all I will say about “Metalhead,” the fifth, and arguably, most terrifying episode of season one of the series Black Mirror. Although many have debated the episode’s meaning, one possible interpretation is a gruesome picture of what might happen if evolved, intelligent, unchecked robots ruled the workplace. And if they took their jobs, well, maybe a little too seriously.

The good news is that there are currently no rogue robodogs guarding warehouses and going on killing sprees. However, robots have been in industry for half a century. The effects of this integration, though certainly less sinister, have troubled a few. That is, one of the most popular searches on Google is this question or variations of it: “Will robots take our jobs?”

The answer is complicated: yes, no, and they already have. And the situation might be better or worse than you think.

Making Manufacturing Easier

When many of us contemplate robots in the workplace, we might think of Amazon. This company operates over 100,000 robots on its various factory floors. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) pick, sort, and transport orders; robotic arms pack items; and autonomous ground vehicles navigate the huge warehouses.

However, on the global stage, Amazon is somewhat of a bit player. FoxConn, a Chinese electronics manufacturer, currently has over 300,000 robots in use for assembling its products. These robots help create phones, computers, tablets, and gaming consoles for companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Samsung.

But the electronics industry was not the first to integrate robots into the workplace: the automotive industry was. It took a chance on and then popularized the first industrial robot: Unimate.

Unimate was the creation of Joseph Engelberger, whom many call the father of robotics. Inspired by Isaac Asimov and his vision of robot helpers, Engelberger strove to create robots that would improve manufacturing while making workers’ lives easier.

In 1959, General Motors installed the first prototype of Unimate #001 in its Trenton, New Jersey plant. Weighing a whopping 2700 pounds, this robot’s primary job was diecasting.

The Original Unimate: an industrial robot. — The Original Unimate.

And only a decade later, GM’s rebuilt factory in Lordstown, Ohio, housed an army of spot-welding robots. These robots could build 110 cars an hour, which was double the manufacturing rate at that time.

Choosing the Right Robots for the Job (or Jobs)

An automated machine that does just one thing is not a robot. It is simply automation. A robot should have the capability of handling a range of jobs at a factory.
Joseph Engelberger

Perhaps Engelberger’s dream is best satisfied by articulated robots, equipped for several jobs. With their flexibility, dexterity, and reach, these robots are adept at assembling, packaging, palletizing, welding, and more. Palletizing robots perhaps perform one of the most annoying and dangerous of tasks in a warehouse environment: stacking stuff. These hefty robotic arms spend all day neatly piling items onto pallets.

Other common robots include SCARA (Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm). SCARAs perform actions between two parallel planes or assemble vertical products. Delta (spider robots) excel at high-speed actions involving light loads.

And then there are Cartesian robots, or gantry robots. They “have an overhead structure that controls the motion in the horizontal plane and a robotic arm that actuates motion vertically. They can be designed to move in x-y axes or x-y-z axes. The robotic arm is placed on the scaffolding and can be moved in the horizontal plane.” It also has an effector or machine tool attached to its arm, depending on its function. This article goes into greater detail about the four types of robots that manufacturers should know and use.

The automotive industry (as does much of manufacturing) uses robots to spot-weld, pick, paint, and palletize–boring, yet dangerous jobs. Jeff Moore, Volvo’s vice president of manufacturing in the Americas, says that welding, “with all the heat and sparks and high current and things is a natural spot to be looking at where you can more heavily automate.” However, for intricate work on the assembly line, such as attaching hoods, bumpers, and fenders, “the human touch has a lot of advantages.”

Integrating Robots and Automation

But these metal workers do not just assemble cars and create heavy-duty products. Robots and automation also assist in other industries, such as in agriculture and food production.

Helping With Agriculture and Food Production

In agriculture, for instance, robots may plant, harvest, spray crops, control weeds, analyze soil, and monitor crops. And when it comes to agricultural equipment, some of the biggest players are John Deere, AGCO, CNH Industrial, and Kubota. These companies are also investing in robotics and automation; as well as tractors, drones, and data analytics to improve efficiency and crop yield and to reduce costs. Recently, for instance, Trimble and Horsch collaborated to build an autonomous sprayer.

And in food production, robots might slice, package, and label products at a much more rapid rate than humans. For instance, the global food production and processing company Cargill heavily uses robotic automation. It invented the first robotic cattle herder. Cargill and Tyson Foods, in fact, are also moving heavily into automation and cobots for meat production.

Lucy and Ethel working on an assembly line at a chocolate factory.

In one of the more famous and humorous episodes of I Love Lucy, Lucy and Ethel get employment at a candy factory. Their job: keeping up with increasing production and quickly wrapping candy as it rolls down the belt. They fail miserably as the line picks up, shoving candy in their mouths, their pockets, and even their dresses. Well, thanks to robots, inadequately trained (and slower than ideal) humans will no longer have to keep pace by eating the profits. Their tasks might be made easier by cobots.

Recently, “cobots” or modular, agile, collaborative robots have been the focus of robot manufacturers. Rather than replace workers, cobots work alongside their human employees. Armed with sensors and sophisticated feedback equipment, cobots respond to changes in the workflow and help their human partners perform tasks accurately and safely. Some experts predict that the cobot market (currently valued at $1.1 billion) will expand to $9.2 million by 2028).

Performing Tedious and Dangerous Tasks

Robots can also complete tasks that are too tedious for humans, such as inspecting pipelines or sorting items. Additionally, they can monitor and analyze data in real time, allowing workers to make better informed decisions. In the oil and gas industry, for instance, robots inspect pipelines and inspect wells.

And it is not just repetitive and boring tasks, either. That is, another argument in favor of robots in the workplace is that they can perform hazardous tasks, such as working in extreme temperatures and dangerous environments; and cleaning up harmful materials.

One of of the most recently developed robots who might be fit for these tasks is MARVEL, appropriately named because of its superhero abilities. MARVEL is an acronym for Magnetically Adhesive Robot for Versatile and Expeditious Locomotion.

The brainchild of a research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), this robot is equipped with magnetic foot pads that can be turned on or off.

With these specialized feet, MARVEL can rapidly climb steel walls and ceilings, at speeds of 50 cm to 70 cm a second. Its design and speed make it appropriate for several tricky tasks requiring nimbleness, such as performing inspections and maintenance on high structures (bridges, buildings, ships, and transmission towers.)

Imagine, for a second, MARVEL safely performing maintenance on the Houghton lift bridge while it is still operational. No need to block off one lane and slow down the flow of traffic. No need to be late for work!

Taking Our Jobs? Maybe.

We are approaching a time when machines will be able to outperform humans at almost any task. I believe that society needs to confront this question before it is upon us: if machines are capable of doing almost any work humans can do, what will humans do?
Moshe Vardi

One of the most obvious downsides to incorporating robots in the workplace is that they will lead to job losses. That is, some experts estimate that as many as 20 million job losses will result as companies continue to rely on automation.

Critiquing Robots and Automation

Futurist and New York Times best-selling author Martin Ford has probably been the most vocal about the negative economic and social impacts of automation and robotics.

He has written Rule of the Robots: How Artificial Intelligence will Transform Everything (2021), Architects of Intelligence: The Truth About AI and the People Building it (2018), and Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future (2015).

Ford has argued that automation and robotics will result in job losses, wage stagnation, and widening inequality. These effects, which will be felt most acutely by low-skilled and middle-skilled workers, will also weaken worker bargaining power.

Cover of Martin Ford's book "The Rise of the Robots"

Alleviating These Problems

But there are solutions. That is, Ford has advocated that governments should prepare for and then take steps to address the issues posed by robotics and automation. Governing bodies could provide better access to education and new job training, invest in infrastructure, promote job-sharing, and provide more generous unemployment benefits.

To alleviate inequities caused by increasing automation, Ford has urged governments to create tax incentives that encourage employers to hire people and train them in the use of robots; or for companies to invest in robots designed to complement rather than replace human workers (such as cobots). He has also supported a basic monthly income for citizens so that everyone has a decent standard of living. How will this monthly income be funded? By taxing companies that use robots, or taxing the robots themselves to generate this income.

MIT professors Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, who wrote The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies, also summarized the second machine age and evaluated in terms of its positive benefits (“bounty”) and increasing inequality (“spread”). After stating that the spread of technology is causing greater inequality, they proposed some similar policy interventions.

Defending Robots in the Workplace

Critics of Ford, McAfee, and Brynjolfsson, such as economists Lawrence Summers and Robert Gordon, and industry expert Jeff Bezos, take a contradictory perspective. They argue that robots and automation will create more jobs than they destroy. These technologies, they contend, will also lead to advanced productivity and efficiency, improved demands for goods and services, and, therefore, increased employment. Robots can also help reduce costs, which could lead to increased profits for companies and more jobs overall.

Summers takes a slightly different stand, affirming that robots could increase production and therefore benefit the economy and improve employment. However, governments should still invest in education and job training to ensure that workers have the skills needed to take advantage of the opportunities created by both automation and robotics.

Futurists at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) have sung the praises of robots and automation for years. Their experts content that robots and automation will enhance productivity and reshape global supply chains. New production systems, they claim, will bring more (not less) manufacturing work to the United States.

And then there are the numbers, which currently don’t look that fearful. According to the International Federation of Robotics, in the United States, there were only 255 robotic units per 10,000 employees. Although 47% of CEOs are investing in robots (according to a poll by Forbes, Xometry, and Zogby), robots still only have a 2% presence in industry.

Whatever the industry, it is obvious that robots can increase both efficiency and safety. They can work 24/7. They won’t tire during a 16-hour shift, get repetitive stress injuries, or have fatigue-related workplace accidents. Robots can also increase output capacity by helping American manufacturers save on utilities and worker resources, so that they can compete more effectively with offshore companies.

Preparing for an Automated and Robotic Future

This blog has just scratched the surface of robots in the workplace. That is, it didn’t discuss robotic doctors, such as the impressive Davinci Surgical System. Also, I don’t pretend to be an expert here, just an ex Sci-Fi teacher fascinated with the robotic present and future.

Those who want to prepare for a future in robotics and automation can learn more by taking several educational paths at Michigan Tech. MTU offers major and minor degrees in computer engineering, data acquisition and industrial control, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and robotics engineering.

More specifically, there is mechatronics: a field of engineering that combines mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering to create systems that can interact with the physical world. Mechatronic systems consist of sensors, actuators, and control systems. These systems are fundamental to creating robots and other automated systems. Students in this program can also join the Robotics Systems Enterprise “to solve real-world engineering problems.”

Through Global Campus, Michigan Tech also offers several related online graduate certificates in artificial intelligence in healthcare, manufacturing engineering, the safety and security of autonomous cyber-physical systems, and security and privacy in healthcare. And if you’re interesting in earning an online master’s degree, please check out our MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering or our online Mechanical Engineering programs, both MS and PhD.

Explore Online Programs at Michigan Tech

Learn About AI in Healthcare

Electric Vehicles: Moving Beyond Tesla

Published February 7, 2023

By Shelly Galliah

Michigan Tech Global Campus

Parking lot spot with an icon for electric vehicles.

Increasing Demand for Electric Vehicles

In a previous blog, I discussed some of the challenges and constraints regarding the future of electric vehicles. But despite certain challenges, such as a need for more charging stations, the demands for electric and hybrid vehicle sales are, respectively, either climbing or staying steady.

In fact, in the third quarter of 2022, US sales of electric vehicles and hybrid-plug-in electric vehicles hit an all-time high. According to a Kelley Blue Book report, the total number of electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles (fcevs) sold was 578,402. That number marks a 69% increase from 2021 (339, 671). Also, the total number of hybrid and plug-in vehicles sold was 686,271, which is actually strong but slightly down from 2021 numbers (728, 507). Based on these figures, Kelley Blue Book estimates that there will be over 1,000,000 EVs sold in 2023.

What these numbers mean is that although the demand for hybrids is still strong, the popularity of electric vehicles is accelerating, despite the fact that these latter vehicles aren’t cheap. That is, the average cost of an electric vehicle remains over $65k.

Tesla continues to be the leader with its models 3, S, X, & Y all having dramatically increased sales, despite their hefty price tags.

Producing Electric Vehicles for Different Users

“While EV prices currently align more closely with luxury versus mainstream, the market continues to grow and evolve with more choices hitting the scene all the time. It’s no longer just ‘which Tesla is available,’ but rather an industry-wide boom with more EVs on the horizon from Ford, GM, Hyundai, and other manufacturers.”
Brian Moody, Kelley Bluebook

In other words, it is not just Tesla winning at the electric vehicle game. Based on year-to-date sales numbers, some of the other solid contenders for improved sales were the following:

Mini Cooper: 2,615 (2022) vs. 1,226 (2021) = +113%
Ford Mustang Mach-E: 28,089 (2022) vs. 18,855 (2021) = +49%
Audi e-tron: 10,828 (2022) vs. 7.7939 (2021) = +38.9%
Mini Cooper: 1,099 (2022) vs. 488 (2021) = +125%

On the hybrid and plug-in hybrid front, overall sales remained relatively steady. But some companies experienced huge gains: Acura, BMW, Honda, Toyota, and Volvo. The big winner in the hybrid market, however, was moderately priced Lincoln Corsair, which had 7X as many sales as those of the previous year.

Meeting the EV Challenge with Trucks

Beyond SUVs like the Lincoln Corsair, the next trend on the horizon is electric trucks. The F-150, currently the best selling vehicle in the US, now has an electric version. The F-150’s more climate-conscious cousin, the Lightning, was rolled out in May 2022 after tens of thousands of Americans had already reserved one. (The F-150 also comes in a hybrid model.)

What’s even cooler: The F-150 Lightning can act as its own power source. With its vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities, it has the ability to charge another electric vehicle. And its massive battery can also power your home, yes your home, during an outage. Ford claims, in fact, that a fully charged Lightning can keep a household going for three days.

Chevrolet followed quickly with its Silverado, built on the same electric platform as the Hummer EV. With the EV Silverado, you can also purchase an ultium charging accessory to power your home in emergencies. Both of these innovative products support GM’s goals of creating a more resilient grid. The company is also investing 750M in charging infrastructure, so that everyone can take advantage of what electric vehicles have to offer.

With site hosts and our dealers, we are installing up to 40,000 chargers in local dealers’ communities through GM’s Dealer Community Charging Program—focusing on underserved rural and urban areas. Participating dealers will get level 2 chargers to install in their communities.
GM Newsroom

Pursuing Electric Vehicle Education at Tech

I’ll stop geeking out here about the plethora of new electric vehicles on the horizon. And I’ve obviously just scratched the surface of the automotive future. (In fact, as I was editing this post, one of my former students excitedly chimed in about the 2024 GM E-ray, a snazzy, sleek, powerful electric Corvette!)

The main point is that several automotive companies, beyond Tesla, are thinking greener and rolling out electric and hybrid models to meet the different needs, lifestyles, and, especially, price points of consumers. In other words, what many thought was a trend–vehicle electrification–is now both a business strategy and an environmental mission for several automotive companies. And it is a strategy and a mission that Michigan Tech can help prepare you for.

Michigan Tech offers several online graduate certificates and programs so that you keep up with the mobility revolution.

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Public Policy Experts and Students Attend Conference

Published January 23, 2023

By Shelly Galliah

Michigan Tech Global Campus

Us government building, where public policy decisions are made.

Presenting at an Innovative Public Policy Conference

Recently, Dr. Adam Wellstead, director of the Online Public Policy Certificate, two colleagues, and several students attended a valuable policy conference. They participated in the Conference on Policy Process Research (COPPR) 2023: Advancing Policy Process, Theories, and Methods, held in Denver, Colorado.

Representing the Department of Social Sciences were Dr. Adam Wellstead and Dr. Angie Carter. As well, eight students attended virtually or in-person: Esther Acheampong, Madelina Dilisi, Anne Greub, Kathy Huerta Sanchez, Sidney Mechling, Jason Noe, Caitlyn Sutherlin, and Cassy Tefft de Munoz.

At the conference, Dr. Wellstead delivered research that was a collaboration of one of his inter-university research teams. He, along with Dr. Sojeong Kim (University of California-Davis); and Dr Tanya Heikkila (University of Colorado-Denver), presented their paper, “Policy Learning in Data-Based Policy Innovation Labs.”

Policy innovation labs are one of Dr. Wellstead’s many research interests. That is, previously, he developed a policy lab at Queen’s University. While there, he and students formed a Policy Innovation Lab that consulted stakeholders and developed solutions for the problem of Queen’s homecoming.

Gaining Public Policy Knowledge and Professional Skills

According to Dr. Wellstead, students enjoyed the experience of the conference and its benefits. For instance, they gained insight into the policy process and its leading researchers. They also had the opportunity to explore new public policy topics as well as gain inspiration for future research projects. Furthermore, they advanced their professionalism skills, which they can apply in both future conferences and their careers.

The conference was an incredible learning experience for me. I was exposed to the leading policy scholars within the field with whom I could interact in a student-friendly environment. It was fascinating to see the different research and practical applications for the various theories and frameworks I’ve learned about in my policy courses at Michigan Tech. There are so many fields that apply and derive value from these theories, from healthcare, politics, and environmental studies.
Madelina Dilisi (Acc MS)

Discussing Public Policy With Dr. Wellstead and Conference Attendees

Are you interested in learning more about cutting-edge public policy? Policy Innovation Labs? Or about the versatile skills offered by Michigan Tech’s Online Public Policy Certificate?

If you are curious about the above topics and more, Dr. Wellstead will be hosting an informal discussion with some of the conference participants in the AOB common area. This discussion will take place this Wednesday (January 25th) at 3:30 pm. All are welcome.

David Lawrence: One Man, Several Missions

Published January 17, 2023

By Shelly Galliah

Michigan Tech Global Campus

Vice President David Lawrence in his Grand Rapids office

“I am deeply committed to the success of our students. That is, as Vice President for Global Campus and Continuing Education, I want to ensure that students have the programs and support systems they need to embark on and succeed in their unique educational journeys. . . . I am thrilled to continue collaborating with faculty members and researchers to develop new ideas and initiatives. Overall, it is an honor to enhance the university’s reputation and prestige while achieving our fundamental goals for students, faculty and staff, and the institution as a whole.”
David Lawrence, Vice President for Global Campus and Continuing Education

Catching Up With the Vice President for Global Campus

40: That is the number of times that David Lawrence, Vice President for Global Campus and Continuing Education, has traveled since assuming this role in August 2021. Whether it’s by car or by plane, or both, David Lawrence will make the trip to advance the goals of both Michigan Tech and its Global Campus. He is always on the road to seek opportunities, build connections, and initiate partnerships. And he rarely, if ever, skips a beat. As his team can attest, he regularly takes meetings in his car or tucked away in some cubicle in an airport.

Although based in Grand Rapids, remotely-working Lawrence hasn’t had much time to sit still. He has traveled to Detroit, Auburn Hills, Lansing, Traverse City, and Kalamazoo. Furthermore, he has visited the Michigan Tech campus at least twenty times.

Not surprisingly, his work ethic and traveling schedule come with some remarkably early hours. He’s usually up before the birds, in fact. You can find him in his seat by 4:30 am, planning his day, setting up appointments, and getting work done.

What’s more: he maintains this schedule while being a proud father of five children and a devoted husband of thirty years. Impressive indeed.

Putting His Passion for Online Learning to Work

He has always had this drive, too, especially when it comes to online learning. That is, he has long been dedicated to providing students with opportunities to accomplish their educational and professional goals. Early on, he understood how the flexibility of online education could allow students to learn while balancing their families and lives. So it is natural that he is leading the charge on making education attainable, affordable, and accessible for non-traditional students.

Passionate, ambitious, forward-thinking, and productive: these adjectives describe David Lawrence to a tee.

Luckily, I was able to catch up with Lawrence after the beginning of the Spring 2023 semester: one of those rare quieter weeks. The goals: asking him about his past year at the helm of Global Campus and inquiring about his upcoming plans for 2023.

Recalling a Very Busy Year for Global Campus

It’s been a very busy year for you. Congratulations! Could you summarize some of the Global Campus accomplishments and initiatives?

Well, first, I’ll talk about enrollment. Through our various Global Campus initiatives, we’ve increased both online graduate student applications and enrollment. That is, applications are up by 7% for Fall 22 and by over 58% for Spring 23. Also, enrollment grew by 13% for Fall 22 and by 28% for Spring 23. In fact, the Global Campus is approaching 20% of the Graduate School’s enrollment. Professional Development revenue also grew to over $350,000.

Over the past year, I have worked diligently to broaden and diversify our student body. For instance, I’ve led the initiative for our corporate partnership programs, which include our Corporate Education Fellowship Program. The latter allows employees to return to school using Michigan Tech fellowships. It also provides opportunities for working adults to enroll in our programs.

In other words, it’s been a good year, one involving several initiatives at the university. Considerable time has been spent with faculty and chairs to ensure that Michigan Tech is in the best position to be the leading institution in online programs. I’ve collaborated with the Graduate School and the Office of Financial Aid to allow students to apply for and receive financial aid for graduate certificate programs.

Advancing the Interests of Michigan Tech and Global Campus

These are impressive initiatives. Some of these seem directly related to Global Campus whereas others do not. Can you further explain your reasoning for pursuing these projects?

Well, I’ll start with the ones that are related. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) proposals benefit the Global Campus. They especially help the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering as well as APS Labs. Our MEDC partnership aligns directly with the Global Campus goals for graduate certificates and master’s programs.

And then there are the funding opportunities I’ve participated in. That is, I was involved in two statewide initiatives led by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). They were for the automotive industry and the upcoming semiconductor onshoring plan. Both of these initiatives will bring funding and new students to the university. For instance, for the automotive one, we’ve already been chosen for a $165,000 grant for education.

Moving Beyond Siloed Initiatives

At the same time, I understand the importance of non-siloed work that benefits the entire organization. For example, the Global Campus partnered internally with APS Mobile Labs and externally with Stellantis (formerly Chrysler) in the Propulsion Systems Readiness Program (PReP). Though unrelated to Global Campus, this program does support our undergraduate students. The PReP allows 4th and 5th-year Michigan Tech students to begin a specialized education program, receive scholarships and internships, and begin a career pathway at Stellantis. Additionally, the Henry Ford Corporate Partnership also reaches out to undergraduate students. It provides scholarships and allow them to attend MTU.

I do believe that a rising tide lifts all boats. What we pursue at Global Campus ends up going beyond it: supporting many other departments and forwarding the progress of the university’s goals. That is, our Global Campus initiatives leverage new and existing relationships and ensure that Michigan Tech maintains its national prominence.
David Lawrence, Vice President for Global Campus and Continuing Education

Remembering Rewarding Experiences

Describe some of your favorite moments and experiences of 2022.

One of the best moments of the year was signing the Corporate Education Fellowship Agreement at Nexteer Automotive. With partnerships like these, we are able to create pathways for employees to pursue Michigan Tech’s graduate programs. We had an impressive number of attendees at our presentations, too. And, of course, spending time on Nexteer’s test track and touring their facility were fun. Nexteer has enrolled five new employees for our spring semester and we have over fifteen applications in for future semesters.

Also, working with the Advanced Power Research Labs to advance the customized training initiative for companies such as Stellantis and Borg Warner has been rewarding. It is an honor and a joy to see employees beginning their education through professional development at Michigan Tech. In fact, over 150 employees from Stellantis and BorgWarner have been through the Mobile Lab training program during 2022.

It was an honor to meet the army chief of staff while I was with the Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) in Houghton. We discussed how Michigan Tech’s education and training could positively impact our National Defense system. I also enjoyed touring Advanced Power System (APS) Labs and visiting the Keweenaw Research Center. Meeting with President Koubek about how Global Campus contributes to Michigan Tech’s mission and vision was, and always is, gratifying.

Leaders from Global Campus and Nexteer at the Corporate Education Fellowship Agreement Ceremony. — At the signing ceremony for the Nexteer Corporate Education Fellowship, leaders from Michigan Tech and Nexteer stand in the background while Robin Milavec (President, CTO, CSO, & Executive Board Director of Nexteer) and President Richard Koubek shake hands. Fifth from the right is Vice President David Lawrence, who is standing in front of Jacque Smith, Director of Graduate School Operations and Enrollment Services. Amanda Irwin, Enrollment Manager, stands on the far right.

Collaborating With the Michigan Tech Community

What Michigan Tech community members have you worked with to advance Global Campus initiatives?

There are almost too many people to mention. I mean, so many people have contributed their hours and their expertise to our initiatives. Still, I will name a few: Dave Reed, Vice President for Research; Andrew Storer, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Will Cantrell, Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School. They have all helped advance our objectives.

And several deans have also contributed to Global Campus initiatives. Dean Callahan, Dean Hemmer, Dean Johnson, and Dean Livesay have all been collaborators. Department chairs, such as Jason Blough, Jin Choi, Dan Fuhrmann, John Irwin, Audra Morse, and Jiguang Sun have also supported in and/or led our projects. Then there are the faculty, such as Glen Archer and Guy Hembroff; and the graduate program chairs, which include Paul Bergstrom and Wayne Weaver. In addition, Jay Meldrum (Keweenaw Research Center); and Jeff Naber, Jeremy Worm, and his fine staff at APS Mobile Labs have also been indispensable.

Working Remotely With a Small Team

You’re a remote (but extremely well-traveled vice president) who also has a remote team. Can you say a little about your team and how do they advance the goals and initiatives of Global Campus?

Our small, but mighty and dedicated team comprises Jacque Smith, Director of Graduate School Operations and Enrollment Services; Amanda Irwin, Enrollment Manager; and Shelly Galliah, Marketing and Content Manager.

While devoted to the Graduate School, Jacque Smith has significantly contributed to Global Campus. He has provided advice, direction, and support from its inception to its current state. His experience is indispensable. He knows everyone and is respected, if not loved, by many in the Michigan Tech community.

Amanda Irwin, who began in February of 2022, contributes extensive enrollment experience from both a private university and a community college. Residing in Midland, Michigan, Amanda assists students from the initial inquiry through to the program and registration processes. Her strengths are working with all types of students, making them feel at ease, comprehending their goals, and guiding them toward success.

Shelly Galliah, who began in May 2022, resides in Hancock but works from home. She has held various positions at Tech for the past decade. Holding a Ph.D. from the Humanities Department, Shelly has experience designing and leading online courses, writing professional and technical communication, evaluating countless documents, and teaching MTU students. She writes, researches, and copy edits all kinds of communications for Global Campus.

Leading With Trust and Vision

In your opinion, what is essential for a remote team working together successfully?

Trust is definitely fundamental to remote work. Possessing high-quality individuals who work with dedication and initiative allows the university to have the best employees possible and create the optimal working environment.

The dynamics of working together are complex but rewarding. They include trusting each other, communicating clearly, understanding goals, prioritizing tasks, and focusing on short- and long-term strategies and initiatives. Working remotely can be challenging, but it also creates skills that will be definitely be in high demand in the future, such as conducting productive brainstorming sessions, holding productive virtual meetings, and fostering teamwork.

Turning Challenges Into Opportunities

What are some of the more challenging aspects of your job?

Well, I would say that one of the most challenging aspects of my position is spreading awareness about the benefits of online education and about Global Campus itself. Although online education is not new, it is newer in some areas of Michigan Tech.

Location is so important to our identity as a university. Therefore, it is often difficult for prospective students to see Tech as offering that same rigorous, high-quality education online. Another associated challenge is determining which programs can be delivered online.

I noticed you didn’t mention the traveling. Surely, that has to be tough. What advice can you give to those who travel regularly?

Traveling is just a part of my job; it’s not really a challenge if you’re prepared for it. Still, my travel advice is to plan, plan, plan. The rigorous schedule, demands, and expectations of the meetings, as well as the outcomes that must result from the meetings, can sometimes make travel difficult. My advice for frequent travelers is quite simple: stay focused, have a plan, and get follow-up afterward. Ensure that the meetings you attend are necessary and cannot be accomplished in a remote venue.

Also, make sure that your family and close associates know and support your schedule. Being prepared to delegate while traveling will allow you to be more productive. I would recommend sticking to a schedule and routine that allows you to take care of your health and that provides mental breaks

Looking Forward to 2023

Considering your past successes and your future goals, what parts of your job or initiatives are you most passionate about? And why?

I remain deeply committed to the success of our students. That is, as Vice President for Global Campus and Continuing Education, I want to ensure that students have the programs and support systems they need to embark on and succeed in their unique educational journeys. I am very passionate about establishing internal partnerships with university departments and external ones with organizations, associations, and nonprofits. Lastly, I am thrilled to continue collaborating with faculty members and researchers to develop new ideas and initiatives. Overall, it is an honor to enhance the university’s reputation and prestige while achieving our fundamental goals for students, faculty and staff, and the institution as a whole.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

It is gratifying to hear the stories of our alumni, visit corporations with Tech connections and tour their facilities, and observe MTU’s impact on the state, the nation, and beyond. These experiences not only make me proud of the university but also inspire me to advocate for the university and spread the good news about our achievements.

Whether it is through increasing enrollment, developing initiatives, or building partnerships, I look forward to promoting and growing Global Campus in Michigan, the United States, and, of course, the world.

Explore Global Campus

The Future of Electric Vehicles and Vehicle Electrification

Published January 4, 2023

By Shelly Galliah

Michigan Tech Global Campus

Close up of an electric vehicle being charged.

The Future is Definitely Electric

Despite common perceptions, electric vehicles are not a new phenomenon. In fact, the first battery-powered electric vehicle was built in 1834—more than 50 years before the first gas-powered internal combustion vehicle. In fact, according to an IEEE Proceedings article by Chan (2013), more than one-third of automobiles in the United States were electric by 1912.

What’s behind this rapid growth? What benefits of electric vehicles attract consumers? What is the future of electric vehicles beyond our highways? And how can we continue to build electrical cars responsibly? Read on for more.

Accelerating into the Future with Electric Vehicles

Despite sputtering in the 1990s and early 2000s, advances in electric vehicles have evolved rapidly in recent years. After the wildly popular launch of electric vehicles from Tesla, automakers scrambled to expand their foothold in the market. And they’re getting plenty of help.

Government Cooperation

National governments worldwide are fast-forwarding the future of electric vehicles by setting specific benchmarks. For instance, in the U.S., the Biden administration’s wants half of all vehicles sold in 2030 to be electric. Furthermore, the Inflation Reduction Act encourages companies to install EV chargers at their properties. Those that do so can receive a 30% tax credit.

Also, the European Union’s goal by 2030 is to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent. They plan to do so through a combination of policies that are collectively called the “Fit for 55” program. Even local governments are undertaking strong sustainability initiatives. Paris is in the midst of an ambitious “Bike Plan” initiative to create 112 miles of new permanent bicycle lanes. Furthermore, the city aims to triple the number of bike parking spots to 180,000 by 2026.

Consumer Behavior

These government-sponsored measures are a response to shifting attitudes by consumers about alternative modes of transportation—especially among those who live in cities. One recent survey indicated that inner-city trips with shared bicycles and e-scooters have risen 60 percent year over year. This number is no surprise when you consider that, in 2020, electric bikes outsold electric cars in the U.S. by more than 2 to 1. Also, public consumers aren’t the only ones shifting to electric: The U.S. Army is planning to transition its non-tactical fleet of 177,000 to electric vehicles by 2035.

Improvements in Electric Vehicle Technology

And investors are taking notice of these electric trends. That is, nearly $330 billion in investments have been granted to more than 2,000 mobility companies over the last decade. These companies are focused on automation, connectivity, electrification, and smart mobility (ACES). Thanks to these investments, automakers may research and invent new and innovative ways to increase the quality and durability of electric vehicles. One ultimate goal: making electric vehicles less expensive than gas-powered cars.

By 2035, the largest automobile markets will go electric.
McKinsey Center for Future Mobility

Considering Electric Vehicles Beyond Automobiles

When it comes to the future of electric vehicles, the possibilities go beyond highways and byways. From keeping electric vehicles on the road to changing the perception of electric vehicles in other modes of transportation, there are many innovations to get excited about and challenges to conquer.

Charging Infrastructure

There has been substantial growth in electric car sales. However, nearly half of U.S. consumers say battery or charging issues are their top concern when considering an electric vehicle. As a result, there have been increasing calls for improving charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. This infrastructure entails the network of charging stations, cables, and other equipment needed to power up these vehicles. A summary of this infrastructure is below.

Public charging stations
Home-based charging points
Workplace chargers
Necessary installation services
Software
Energy management systems

To help make charging easier for Americans, the US government has recently stepped in. For instance, the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $7.5 billion toward strengthening charging infrastructure nationwide. A main objective is installing half a million public chargers by 2030.

Sustainable Mobility in Cities

As previously mentioned, Paris wants to become a “100 percent cyclable city.” However, Paris’s vision is not the only option for cities seeking to increase both mobility and sustainability. One possible potent solution from the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility is called “Seamless Mobility.” This solution is a flexible, highly responsive network of transportation options. These include a shared fleet of public electric vehicles, electrified mass transit, and urban planning meant to reduce emissions. Therefore, an average-sized city could reap up to $2.5 billion per year by 2030 by implementing Seamless Mobility practices.

Look! Up in the Sky!

The future of electric vehicles, however, isn’t limited to the road. That is, interest continues to grow in electric air travel through eVTOLs (pronounced “ee-vee-tols”)—electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Think of them as safe, quiet, affordable, and environmentally friendly helicopters. Using eVTOLs as “flying taxis” for short flights or for trips normally taken by cars could substantially reduce emissions. Airbus Innovations, for example, is experimenting with electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems.

Some major airlines are thinking even bigger when it comes to electric aircraft. For instance, United Airlines Ventures, Air Canada, and Mesa Airlines have made significant financial pledges. After joining the investment group for Swedish-based electric aviation startup Heart Aerospace, these companies ordered several 30-passenger electric planes.

Close up of a hybrid-electric plane by the company Airbus. Planes are also electric vehicles. — Airbus Innovations is an initiative launched by Airbus to drive the development of new technologies and capabilities for the aerospace industry, such as electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems, autonomous flight systems, and more.

Or Maybe Down to the Sea.

Cars and planes are not the only vehicles going electric. That is, electric boats are becoming more popular due to their low emissions, quiet operation, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness over traditional gas-powered boats. Some examples of electric boats include electric sailboats, electric ferries, electric speedboats, and electric fishing boats. More and more boat manufacturers are beginning to offer electric models, and electric boats are becoming more widely available.

Several boat manufacturers are offering electric models, including Sea Ray, Yamaha, Beneteau, Bayliner, Chris Craft, Viking, and Four Winns.

Building Electric Vehicles Responsibly

Although the benefits of electric vehicles can be substantial, it’s important to ensure those benefits aren’t canceled out by the environmental and human impact of manufacturing electric vehicles and infrastructure.

Sourcing and Mining Raw Materials

Virtually all batteries used by electric vehicles require lithium. And its price has skyrocketed—by about 550 percent in one year—as the demand for electric vehicles has grown. Mining more lithium, as well as other necessary elements such as cobalt, means more manpower. However, this mining, which often occurs in countries such as China, Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, can be a dirty business. Miners are often subject to unsafe working conditions and potentially toxic side effects of dust and fumes. As with other human and workers’ rights campaigns in recent years, raising awareness of the plight of these workers can pressure on manufacturers and governments to regulate and improve working conditions.

Ensuring Equitable Electricity

The U.S. government’s investment in charging infrastructure is substantial. Nonetheless, this investment will only be successful if those chargers are equitably distributed among its citizens. Currently, most chargers tend to be installed in higher-income areas. For example, California has 112 chargers per 100,000 people in high-income urban districts. Contrast this number with only 24 chargers per 100,000 households in urban districts with low to moderate incomes.

States that have taken specific action to improve their electric vehicle infrastructure include the following:

Arizona
Colorado
Connecticut
Hawaii
Illinois
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New York
Oregon
Washington

Furthermore, several other states, including Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia are working to promote electric vehicle adoption.

A charger for electric vehicles. — Charging stations in remote, rural areas will ensure electricity equity and encourage more Americans to buy electric vehicles.

7 in 10 survey respondents who don’t own electric vehicles said the areas near their homes lack a significant number of chargers.
McKinsey Report

Promoting Electric Vehicles

Nonetheless, roadblocks to even greater adoption of electric vehicles can be overcome. And manufacturers and governments can be catalysts for meaningful change. For example, the European Union recently introduced legislation that would require battery manufactures to identify and respond to human rights or environmental issues in their raw-material supply chain. To help create greater equity in charging infrastructure, “cities and states should “think creatively about providing chargers that work well in public settings such as curbsides, parking lots, and rest stops” (McKinsey Group).

How Will YOU Influence the Electric Future?

You can play a role in creating electric vehicles and in helping others understand the benefits of vehicle electrification. One way to start is by furthering your education through an online graduate certificate or master’s program at Michigan Tech, which has a long and respected history of collaborating with the automotive industry.

Our university also offers several online graduate certificates and programs that meet the cutting edge needs of this industry. Some of these are the following:

Explore Michigan Tech's Online Hybrid Electric Drive Vehicle Engineering Certificate

Investigate these and other graduate programs at our Global Campus. Explore how Michigan Tech can help prepare you for the challenging, but exciting future of electric vehicles.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article is a joint effort of the brilliant Sparky T. Mortimer and Shelly Galliah. Whereas Mortimer provided the initial research and solid content, Galliah provided guidance for more material and then copyedited and formatted the content for this blog. All images, which are copyright-free, are from Creative Commons.

Michigan Tech Signs on to MEDC’s Semiconductor Talent Action Team

Published December 1, 2022

By Shelly Galliah

Michigan Tech Global Campus

Close-up of a circuit board, one of the products that require semiconductors.

Securing state-wide chip production is crucial to several manufacturing industries, such as mobility, and to maintaining the health of Michigan’s economy.

On November 17, 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined forces with The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to form the Semiconductor Talent Action Team (TAT). This collaboration, a public/private alliance led by the MEDC, aims at making Michigan a leader in semiconductor talent, production, and growth.

MEDC’s Talent Action Team involves this organization, the State of Michigan, SEMI (an industry association for global electronics design and its manufacturing supply chain), and four key universities: Michigan Technological University, Michigan State University, University of Michigan, and Wayne State University. Other partners include key community colleges.

The Semiconductor TAT has several goals:

Expanding the development of Michigan-created semiconductors
Ensuring the onshoring of both legacy and advanced semiconductor systems
Creating well-paying manufacturing jobs
Reducing semiconductor shortages
Securing the supply chain

Addressing the Semiconductor Shortage

Semiconductors are the foundation for integrated circuits (or microchips), which are vital components in manufacturing. Semiconductors are material products that lie between insulators (glass) and pure conductors (such as copper and aluminum). These versatile products can have their conductivity altered (through the addition of impurities) to meet the needs of various devices. Chips are found in appliances, medical equipment, gaming devices, smartphones, computers, and, increasingly, automobiles.

In short, they’re everywhere.

But COVID put the brakes on chip production. Labor problems, the shutting down of assembly lines, the closing of factories, and disruptions of the global supply chain all contributed to a semiconductor shortage. There were also drastic reductions in raw materials and substrates and slowdowns in crucial processing steps, such as wire bonding and testing. As a result, consumers were unable to purchase electronic devices as well as larger goods such as appliances and vehicles.

Protecting the Automotive Industry

But the global semiconductor shortage caused significant problems for the automotive industry, driving down both production and sales. Some companies, such as GM, were even forced to build vehicles that were missing parts. By some estimates, the reductions in automotive sales were extreme: down by 80% in Europe, 70% in China, and nearly 50% in the United States.

Why the plummeting sales? Even the most basic automobile is heavily reliant upon semiconductors. That is, the average car can contain more than 100 chips. These tiny devices power such necessary components as the navigation display, digital speedometer, and fuel-pressure sensors.

More sophisticated vehicles, on the other hand, may contain thousands of these chips. For instance, these chips are found in advanced safety features, electrical and powertrain systems, and connectivity components.

And the need for these chips in expanding. Market research company Yole predicts that by 2026, semiconductors in cars will value $78.5 billion dollars, which adds up to a 14.75% CAGR from 2020.

Therefore, securing the semiconductor supply chain is especially crucial to the mobility industry, and, by extension, to Michigan’s economy. To help prevent these shortages and their repercussions, and to further tap into the burgeoning semiconductor market, Michigan’s Semiconductor TAT is on board to secure the state’s semiconductor production.

Accessing Michigan’s Semiconductor Talent

Michigan is well-suited to take advantage of these funding opportunities. The state has a history of semiconductor manufacturing. That is, Michigan is home to Hemlock (semiconductors), SK Siltron (semiconductor wafers), and KLA (semiconductor R & D and supply). Even closer to Michigan Tech is Calumet Electronics, which has been in Calumet since 1968. This Michigan company specializes in manufacturing printed circuit boards for the domestic industrial, power, aerospace, defense, medical, and commercial markets.

What’s more. This state has almost 50 semiconductor-related courses and programs. Michigan Tech, for instance, from its undergraduate to graduate degrees in materials engineering, mechanical engineering, and its electrical and computer engineering ; as well as its specialized graduate certificates in manufacturing engineering and automotive systems, has a long history in preparing students for all things semiconductors. Whether its the materials from which they are made, to their design, processing, properties, applications, integrations, and even their repurposing, Tech has a program. The university also has a history of collaborating with the automotive industry and helping to ensure its success.

Furthermore, on May 5, 2022, The Michigan Strategic Fund approved the Semiconductor Technician Apprenticeship Network Program. Michigan is one of only three states, in fact, that is launching plans to define curricula that will support employers in the semiconductor industry.

In short, both Michigan Tech and the state have the drive, talent, resources, and history to advance semiconductor production and to make Michigan a leader on both the national and global stages.

Making a Historic Investment in Chip Technology

The Semiconducor TAT answers the call of the bipartisan 2022 CHIPS and Science Act (August 9, 2022). Nearly a year in the making, this act implemented previous programs under the 2021 CHIPS for America Act (January 2021). It also authorized nearly $250 billion in semiconductors and scientific research and development. This monumental amount adds up to the country’s largest publicly funded R & D program.

The CHIPS and Science Act responds not only to semiconductor shortages, but also to the decline in American microchip fabrication. That is, in January 2021, the US manufactured 12% of the world’s chips, which is down from 37% in the 1990s.

The act, which focuses on building key critical semiconductor technologies in the United States, has several goals:

Building a stronger and more diverse workforce
Creating high-paying technical manufacturing jobs
Supporting and extending American manufacturing
Investing in American science and innovation
Rebuilding and securing our supply chains

Most of the act’s funds ($169.9 billion) are dedicated to research and innovation. These funds are dispersed among several foundations, which include the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

All departments will expand semiconductor research, development, training, and talent. For instance, in its budget, NSF’s mandate is investing in research, building a STEM workforce, and expanding rural STEM education.

Supporting the Growth of Local and State Economies

The act also directs the DOC to create 20 geographically distributed regional technology hubs. These hubs will focus on developing technology, creating jobs, promoting U.S. innovation, and providing economic development activities for distressed communities.

Besides the $169.9 billion dedicated to research, there is a $54.2-billion-dollar federal advancement for domestic semiconductor production and public wireless supply chain innovation. $39 billion, the responsibility of the Department of Commerce (DOC) Manufacturing Incentives, is allocated to building, extending, and modernizing domestic semiconductor facilities. Another $200 million is for jump-starting the development of the domestic semiconductor workforce, which has faced extreme labor shortages.

In short, the CHIPS and Science Act will support American manufacturing and create jobs, It will also ensure that, when it comes to STEM education, semiconductor research, and chip production, the US will be a global force.

Taking First Crucial Steps: What’s Next for the TAT?

The ultimate goal of the Semiconductor TAT is to help Michigan access funding in order to increase its STEM workforce. Another objective is leveraging the state’s talent, assets, resources, so that it leads the future of the semiconductor industry.

But big goals begin with small steps. The TAT’s first objective is having its partners form advisory boards. These boards will provide strategic direction on the semiconductor programs, talent, and research that exist at Michigan’s universities and colleges. They will also analyze the “broader semiconductor and technology ecosystem” to develop a better understanding of industry needs for semiconductors.

The university community looks forward to learning about Michigan Tech’s contributions to the Semiconductor TAT as well as this group’s ongoing initiatives.

Tag: Michigan Tech Global Campus

Getting His Start at Tech

Turning Pro

Remembering His Time at Michigan Tech

Making Memories in Germany

Learning Life Skills Through Hockey

Returning to the Upper Peninsula

Sharing His Talents

Forging New Partnerships

Promoting the KRC and Michigan Tech

Training Our AI Writing Helper

Using ChatGPT for Mundane Writing Tasks

Constructing Learning Goals

Generating Reference Letters

Recognizing ChatGPT’s Limited Knowledge

Creating Mistakes

Passing Along Misinformation

Revealing Biases

Letting Robots Do Your Homework

Sounding the Alarm About ChatGPT

Incorporating ChatGPT in the Classroom

Driving the American Economy

Diesel Fast Facts

Improving Diesel Engines

Teaching Fundamental Diesel Skills

MEEM 5202 (Diesel Engine Fundamentals)

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

Promoting Professional Development

Power Engineers: Working Wherever the World Needs Them

Some Electric Power Engineering Workplaces

Filling a Shortage of Electric Power Engineers

Confronting Upcoming Challenges

Improving Energy Storage

Increasing Grid Reliability

Integrating Smart Technologies

Ensuring Cybersecurity

Addressing Environmental Concerns

Pursuing Electric Power Engineering at Michigan Tech

Making Manufacturing Easier

Choosing the Right Robots for the Job (or Jobs)

Integrating Robots and Automation

Helping With Agriculture and Food Production

Performing Tedious and Dangerous Tasks

Taking Our Jobs? Maybe.

Critiquing Robots and Automation

Alleviating These Problems

Defending Robots in the Workplace

Preparing for an Automated and Robotic Future

Increasing Demand for Electric Vehicles

Producing Electric Vehicles for Different Users

Meeting the EV Challenge with Trucks

Pursuing Electric Vehicle Education at Tech

Presenting at an Innovative Public Policy Conference

Gaining Public Policy Knowledge and Professional Skills

Discussing Public Policy With Dr. Wellstead and Conference Attendees

Catching Up With the Vice President for Global Campus

Putting His Passion for Online Learning to Work

Recalling a Very Busy Year for Global Campus

Advancing the Interests of Michigan Tech and Global Campus

Moving Beyond Siloed Initiatives

Remembering Rewarding Experiences

Collaborating With the Michigan Tech Community

Working Remotely With a Small Team

Leading With Trust and Vision

Turning Challenges Into Opportunities

Looking Forward to 2023

Accelerating into the Future with Electric Vehicles

Government Cooperation

Consumer Behavior

Improvements in Electric Vehicle Technology

Considering Electric Vehicles Beyond Automobiles

Charging Infrastructure

Sustainable Mobility in Cities

Look! Up in the Sky!

Or Maybe Down to the Sea.

Building Electric Vehicles Responsibly

Sourcing and Mining Raw Materials

Ensuring Equitable Electricity

Promoting Electric Vehicles

How Will YOU Influence the Electric Future?