Graduate School Newsblog

MAGS Distinguished Thesis Award Nominee – Fall 2024 – Draper, Thomas R.

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Thomas Draper, M.S. in Engineering Mechanics, 2024

My journey at Michigan Technological University began in the fall of 2019 as an undergraduate in the Mechanical Engineering Department. From the start, I was captivated by mechanics and material behavior, eager to deepen my understanding beyond the standard curriculum. This curiosity ultimately led me to pursue a master’s thesis under the mentorship of the same remarkable faculty who had inspired my undergraduate studies.

In 2023, as I was completing my undergraduate degree, I was introduced to my research advisor, Dr. Susanta Ghosh, who welcomed me to his research team with open arms. Dr. Ghosh guided me into the world of research and helped me shape my research focus—a gift of mentorship for which I am endlessly grateful.

My research centered on understanding the fracture characteristics of 3D-printed lattice metamaterials. Advances in manufacturing techniques, material synthesis, and microstructure design have opened up boundless possibilities in material design. One of the critical properties that can be fine-tuned through these innovations is fracture toughness, essential for structural applications. My work sought to explore how variables such as relative density and build orientation affect the fracture toughness of octet lattice metamaterials through experimental fracture testing.

I extend my sincerest gratitude to the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for nominating me for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award. I would also like to thank the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Department for this honor. Special acknowledgment goes to my advisor, Dr. Susanta Ghosh, for his relentless support, passion for research, and invaluable mentorship. His guidance has been pivotal in shaping my thesis and deepening my understanding of the field. I am truly fortunate to have had the chance to learn from him. Additionally, I want to express my appreciation to my committee members, collaborators, and lab team, whose support has been integral to my academic journey.

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Knauss Fellowship Finalist Ola Ayeni

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Michigan Sea Grant has announced that Master of Engineering Management candidate Ola Ayeni has been named a finalist for the 2025 class of the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship.

The Knauss program matches graduate students and recent graduates with host agencies in Washington, D.C., such as congressional offices, the National Marine Fisheries Service, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For one year, fellows work on a range of policy and management projects related to ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources. Fellows can be placed in the federal, legislative or executive branches.

After spending six years as a network infrastructure engineer and another six as an environmentalist and circular economy practitioner in Nigeria, Ayeni wanted to strengthen her skills in sustainability and leadership. This led her to pursue a master’s in engineering management at Michigan Tech — a program where she could combine her technical expertise with managerial insights.

In addition to being a graduate student, Ayeni is also the founder of a social enterprise called Hopcyku, which won the Social Impact Award during the 2024 Bob Mark Pitch Competition. Hopcyku’s work focuses on waste diversion and pollution prevention through the principles of the circular economy.

Ayeni’s passion for sustainability and waste management perfectly aligns with broader environmental conservation goals, which inspired her to apply for the Knauss Sea Grant Fellowship. She is honored to join over 1,680 fellows who have, over the program’s 45-year history, significantly contributed to environmental policy and management, building impactful careers in national policy making.

Ayeni is also deeply thankful to Sarah Isaacson (GS) for providing unwavering guidance and support throughout the Knauss Fellowship application process. Isaacson’s commitment ensured Ayeni had everything she needed to succeed. She would also like to express her gratitude to Robert Hutchinson (COB) for his recommendation and ongoing support throughout her time in Houghton.

Read more in the Michigan Sea Grant press release.

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Graduate Language Assessment and Support (GLAS) Language Coaching Job

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GLAS Language Coach Job Flyer for Spring 2025

Undergraduate Student Coaches

Are you looking for an on-campus position that allows you to:

  • Meet with students from all around the world
  • Be introduced to various cultures
  • Earn a competitive wage ($16/hr)
  • Improve your communication and tutoring skills
  • Work in a friendly environment with other supportive undergraduate students?

What is GLAS?

A free program designed for international graduate students who wish to improve their English oral communication skills.

For more information about GLAS and how to schedule an appointment please visit the GLAS Webpage.

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Nominations Open for 2025 MAGS Excellence in Teaching Awards

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Nominations are now open for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Excellence in Teaching Awards.  Michigan Tech may nominate one student at the MS and PhD level. Each graduate program may nominate one student at the MS and PhD level. Nominations are due to the Graduate School no later than 4pm, December 11, 2024.

Eligible students

  • will have been enrolled at Michigan Tech during the 2024 calendar year and have a teaching appointment
  • will have earned the Michigan Tech Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award
  • will exemplify excellence in the teaching and learning mission of Michigan Tech

See the application page for complete details on what is required for a nomination

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Nominations Open for 2025 MAGS Excellence in Teaching Awards

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Nominations are now open for the 2025 MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Thesis Award. Please submit nominations to the Graduate School no later than 4pm, October 21, 2024, following our online instructions. This year, nominations are being accepted from dissertations in the fields of:

  1. Social Sciences
  2. Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering

Michigan Tech may nominate one student in each field. Master’s students who have completed all of their degree requirements between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2024, are eligible. The fields of competition for 2026 will be humanities and biological and life sciences.

Nominations must be delivered to Debra Charlesworth in the Graduate School no later than 4 p.m. on October 21, 2024. Please e-mail nominations to gradschool@mtu.edu.  Contact Debra Charlesworth (gradschool@mtu.edu) if you have any questions about the competition.

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King-Chávez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship – Fall 2024 – Stelle Acero Barone

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As a 19-year-old disabled transgender student, Michigan Tech became a safe haven through student organizations and the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences (CFRES). Finally having a space where I was welcomed with open arms, I was able to focus on my passion for research and education. Through Xi Sigma Pi Forestry Honors Society and several volunteer experiences, I confirmed that I wanted to guide peers and eventually teach. My love of research was also fostered at Tech through my REU and McNair Scholars experiences.

I am starting my first year of my Ph.D. research with Dr. Parth Bhatt and Dr. Tao Liu working on deep learning models to enhance forest fire detection. Forest fires impact human and ecological communities. Thus, it’s exciting to be working on technology that could easily affect the future of ecological research and teaching through promoting ecological data science.

I am extremely thankful for the community in CFRES. I am thrilled to be able to contribute to the amazing research and community here. Additionally, thank you to the countless MTU staff, faculty, and students who helped me through my undergraduate degree and encouraged me to return for graduate school. Finally, thank you to Dr. Parth Bhatt and Dr. Tao Liu for starting this five year journey with me.

Sponsored by the King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship from the State of Michigan.

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Finishing Fellowship – Fall 2024 – Adrian Ali Moazzam

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“Reflecting on my academic journey, it is remarkable to see how my passion for electrical engineering and optics has evolved and deepened over the years. Starting with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, I embarked on a path that led me to Michigan Technological University (MTU) in 2018 for my Master’s degree. It was during my Master’s studies that I discovered a profound interest in optics, which set the stage for my PhD journey.

In 2020, I began my PhD in Electrical Engineering at MTU under the guidance of Dr. Guney, focusing on optics and machine learning in optics. As my research progressed, I continued to explore the fascinating realms of turbulent medium imaging. In 2022, an exciting opportunity arose when I joined Dr. Askari’s lab, thanks to an NSF grant aimed at improving imaging through atmospheric turbulence for geology and volcanology applications. This collaborative endeavor, under the supervision of both Dr. Guney and Dr. Askari, has been incredibly rewarding. Our work has centered on employing Active Convolved Illumination (ACI), an advanced optical method that addresses system imperfections, and deep learning methods to tackle atmospheric distortion, improving the moiré apparatus’s capability to measure ground displacement near active volcano vents.

Teaching has always been a passion of mine, and since joining MTU, I have been actively involved in teaching. In my first year as a TA, I was honored to receive the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award in the Electrical Engineering department. Additionally, I was selected to be the graduate instructor for the Signals and Systems course, an experience that allowed me to share my enthusiasm for engineering with students, simplify complex concepts, and witness their moments of realization.

Outside of academics, my time at MTU has been enriched by sports. The excellent sports facilities at MTU have allowed me to become an indoor soccer champion and a softball champion, activities through which I have forged lasting friendships and maintained a balanced lifestyle.

Receiving the PhD finishing fellowship from the Dean of the advisory panel is a tremendous honor. My current work on enhancing imaging through a turbulent medium has significant implications for geological and volcanological studies, and this fellowship will provide the necessary resources and time to ensure that my research contributes meaningfully to the field.

As I look towards the future, I am inspired by the possibilities that lie ahead. My main goal in starting graduate school was to learn how to conduct research and improve my self-learning skills. I am committed to advancing research in imaging through turbulent volumes and contributing to the broader field of optics. With gratitude and determination, I am excited to continue my work and make meaningful contributions to the field of electrical engineering and beyond.”

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Finishing Fellowship – Fall 2024 – Ashwin Karthik Purushothaman

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I began my Ph.D. program in Fall 2019 under the guidance of Dr. Youngchul Ra in the Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (MEEM) department at Michigan Technological University. My research focuses on evaluating the potential of low-carbon, highly reactive gasoline fuels as a future alternative fuel for conventional internal combustion engines. Utilizing the in-house computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool, I performed numerical simulations to gain critical insights into fuel spray characteristics, fuel-air mixing behavior and ignition properties. This foundational work provided strong correlations with experimental data, enabling an assessment of these fuels suitability for multi-mode engine operations.
Building on these findings, I advanced my research by exploring the use of a low-carbon oxygenated synthetic fuel in a 6-stroke engine configuration. Through comprehensive engine simulation studies, I investigated key parameters for optimizing engine performance while striving to meet stringent emission targets. These efforts have offered valuable insights into the potential of synthetic fuels for creating more sustainable internal combustion engines.
I am deeply honored to receive the Doctoral Finishing Fellowship and I sincerely thank the Graduate School and the Dean’s Advisory Panel for this recognition. I also want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Youngchul Ra, for his unwavering support, guidance and mentorship throughout my master’s and doctoral journey. His insights and encouragement have been invaluable in shaping my research and academic growth.

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Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Fall 2024 – Fatemeh Razaviamri

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My journey at Michigan Technological University began in the summer of 2021 when I joined the Ph.D. program in the Biomedical Engineering department. My research focuses on biomimetic chemistry inspired by the strong underwater adhesion mechanisms utilized by mussels. Specifically, I have been developing biomimetic materials for infection prevention and hemostasis applications. This includes creating self-disinfecting coatings to limit the spread of infections and introducing a portable, powder-form hemostatic agent designed to control hemorrhage in prehospital settings while also preventing infection.

I extend my sincere gratitude to the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for the Doctoral Finishing Fellowship. A special acknowledgement goes to my advisor, Dr. Bruce Lee, for his motivation, guidance, and support throughout my journey. His mentorship has helped me not only succeed in my projects but also grow as an independent researcher. I would also like to express my appreciation to my committee members, collaborators, lab members, and the faculty and staff of the Department of Biomedical Engineering for their support and assistance during my Ph.D. journey.

I am excited to apply the technical and leadership skills I have gained during this degree to further research in the healthcare industry.

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Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Fall 2024- Shreya Joshi

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As a Ph.D. candidate in Atmospheric Sciences at Michigan Technological University, my journey began in Fall 2019. Growing up in Kathmandu, Nepal, a city with significant environmental challenges, inspired my passion for studying the complex interactions between humans and the environment. Early internships in Nepal working with meteorological and pollution monitoring instruments further fueled my curiosity in the field. My undergraduate projects at the National Institute of Technology Calicut in India introduced me to using optics to detect and study gasses and their atmospheric effects, combining my background in Physics Engineering with my environmental interests.

At Michigan Tech, my research focuses on the evolution of biomass burning aerosol particles and their role in cloud formation and atmospheric processes. Using Michigan Tech’s cloud chamber, I study how these particles evolve when they form clouds and re-enter the atmosphere. The dynamic challenges of this research, from the chamber’s large size to the particles’ minuteness, have made it an engaging and fulfilling endeavor.

I am deeply grateful to my advisor, Dr. Claudio Mazzoleni, for his unwavering support and wisdom. I also thank my department and everyone involved in the program who has made the cloud chamber experiments possible. Additionally, I extend my gratitude to the Henes Center for Quantum Phenomena and the Graduate Student Government for supporting conference travel, which facilitated interactions with experts and innovations in my project. Finally, I thank the Graduate School for providing this fellowship that will support me in this crucial final part of my graduate journey.

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