Graduate School Newsblog

Finishing Fellowship Award – Summer 2026 – Breeanne Heusdens

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Breeanne Heusdens, PhD in Geophysics, 2026

I have spent an incredible time, both length and quality, at MTU. The Keweenaw was my favorite campus location since touring universities for my undergraduate choices, and I have completed both my BS in Geological Engineering and my MS in Geophysics here prior to returning once more for this PhD opportunity. Being in the GMES department, I quickly knew most of the professors and became involved in many opportunities like AIPG and my accelerated MS, all the way to becoming involved with working with HPCs in my current project. I have also been able to travel to AGU conferences with other students in working with my advisor to share our research, as well as gain important exposure to other professionals in our field.

My research focuses on drone-borne ground penetrating radar data for use in soil moisture predictions. These predictions can be used by large farms to optimize irrigation for water conservation due to the variance of soil types and different crop needs. I developed a signal denoiser via continuous wavelet transform and deep learning that can significantly improve the signal feature clarity and remove most obscuring noise. I now work with a data projection through deep learning to convert the individual signals into subsurface permittivity images that will become the soil moisture maps. Developing these machine learning and data science skills were an important step in developing applicable research experience for the future, despite a less computationally focused background.

I am grateful to my advisors Dr. Askari and Dr. Chatterjee in GMES and my committee members for their support throughout my PhD learning process, as well as the SoilX project at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for collaborating with MTU, making this opportunity possible. Thank you to the graduate school and decision panel for awarding me the finishing fellowship and giving me the opportunity to represent MTU with my best novel research.

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Finishing Fellowship Award – Summer 2026 – Brandon Woolman

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Brandon Woolman, PhD in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors, 2026

I joined the Aging, Cognition, and Action lab in the Fall of 2021. After some training I was onboarded for a project, funded by the National Institute of Health, looking at early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease and long-term retention in motor adaptation. We specifically were looking at two different types of motor adaptation: visuomotor rotation and force-field adaptation. This work helped me not only learn valuable research skills but fueled my passion for research.

I have spent my years at Tech investigating the impacts of aging and cognitive decline on motor adaptation. My dissertation seeks to distinguish the overlapping- and unique- neural networks involved in motor sequence learning and motor adaptation. We plan to measure changes in oxygenated hemoglobin in the pre-frontal cortex using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We expect this region to be of importance to the explicit memory systems involved in motor learning. This work will contribute to knowledge of how healthy aging changes motor learning, and how better understanding motor learning may help better assess cognitive abilities and supplement neuropsychological evaluations.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for granting me this award. I would also like to thank my advisor, Dr. Kevin Trewartha, for his continued support and guidance throughout my graduate school journey. I am excited to complete my PhD and continue my passion for health-related research.

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Nominations open for the 2026 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

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Nominations are now open for the 2026 Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award. Please submit nominations to the Graduate School no later than 4pm, May 28, 2026, following our online instructions. This year, nominations are being accepted from dissertations in the fields of:

  1. Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering
  2. Social Sciences (note: history is classed within the humanities and is not a field of competition in 2026)

Michigan Tech may nominate one student in each field. PhD students who have completed all of their degree requirements between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2026, are eligible. The fields of competition for 2027 will be Biological/Life Sciences and Humanities and Fine Arts (including history).

A nomination packet must be submitted by the department chair or college dean to our google form no later than 4 p.m. on May 28, 2026. Contact Debra Charlesworth (gradschool@mtu.edu) if you have any questions about the competition.

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Finishing Fellowship Award – Summer 2026 – Janith Godakawela

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Janith Godakawela, PhD in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, 2026

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for the Finishing Fellowship award. I would like to sincerely thank my advisor, Dr. Bhisham Sharma, for his continued guidance and support throughout my doctoral journey.


I earned my B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University in 2021, where I also began my PhD before transferring to Michigan Tech in 2023 to continue my research under Dr. Sharma. My dissertation focuses on the design and optimization of additively manufactured acoustic liners for aerospace applications. Using 3D printing, I develop architected porous structures and investigate how their geometry can be tailored to achieve targeted sound absorption characteristics. My work spans computational modeling, experimental acoustic characterization, and aeroacoustic validation under conditions representative of aircraft engine environments. Through collaborations with industry and government partners, I have been able to test and refine these designs beyond idealized laboratory settings, confirming their potential for real world noise control applications.


Alongside my research, I have had the opportunity to contribute to teaching through assistantships and grading, as well as mentoring senior design teams and undergraduate researchers. I have also had the pleasure of being a founding member of the Acoustical Society of America student chapter at Michigan Tech, where I currently serve as the national representative.


As I complete my dissertation, I am grateful for the support this fellowship provides. I look forward to pursuing an academic career where I can continue contributing to mechanical and aerospace research and mentoring the next generation of engineers.

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Finishing Fellowship Award – Summer 2026 – Harikrishnan Changarnkothapeecherikkal

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Harikrishnan Changarnkothapeecherikkal, PhD in Computational Science & Engineering, 2026

I am deeply honored and grateful to receive a Doctoral Finishing Fellowship from the Graduate School. This support is a meaningful milestone in my journey at Michigan Tech, which began with my MS in Data Science and has grown into a PhD in Computational Science and Engineering focused on healthcare AI.

My dissertation research uses artificial intelligence to make osteoporosis screening more proactive, accessible, and precise. Working closely with my advisor, Dr. Guy Hembroff, and collaborators at Henry Ford Health, I helped develop OsteoFusionNet: a multimodal deep learning framework that assesses osteoporosis risk from routine knee X-rays and basic electronic health record data. The goal is to turn images patients are already getting for other reasons into an early-warning system, flagging at-risk individuals for confirmatory testing and follow-up before fractures occur.

This work goes beyond initial screening to include longitudinal bone health trend analysis and fairness evaluation across patient groups. What excites me most is creating AI that fits seamlessly into clinical workflows, practical tools that alert clinicians to hidden risks without disrupting care or replacing established diagnostics.

This project sits at the perfect intersection of technical innovation and real clinical need. I’ve loved the challenge of building mathematically rigorous systems that are also practical and grounded in healthcare realities. That balance has shaped my approach to research and deepened my commitment to this field.

I am also grateful for the opportunities Michigan Tech has given me to grow as a teacher and mentor. Serving as a lead instructor for graduate courses in clinical decision support & AI modelling and population health informatics has been one of the most rewarding parts of my graduate experience, and receiving the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award in 2024 was a great encouragement.

I am sincerely thankful to my advisor, committee, collaborators, department, and the Graduate School for their support. This fellowship will help me focus fully on completing my dissertation and preparing for the next stage of my career in healthcare AI research and education.

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Finishing Fellowship Award – Summer 2026 – Victoria Santillan

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Victoria Santillan, PhD in Biomedical Engineering, 2026

I was taught since I was a little girl that education and knowledge are the pillars of freedom and progress. These beliefs led me to pursue a career in science and set my path in education and research. I joined Dr. Smitha Rao’s group and the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the Fall of 2022, and since then, my life has changed completely. Under Dr. Rao’s guidance, I had the privilege of engaging in meaningful research and outreach activities. My research on localized therapy for cancer treatment led me to gain insights into how impactful research can be in people’s lives and to better understand how challenging cancer as a disease is. At the same time, I had the pleasure of sharing the science we perform with the local community through fun activities. I will always cherish the memory of seeing the joy wash over a kid’s face as he looked at the wing of a butterfly in a microscope.

I want to thank the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel and the Dean for selecting me to receive this amazing award, which will support me in the final miles of my PhD journey. I also want to express my gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Rao, for her full support throughout the program and for helping me grow as a researcher and to find my path. I am deeply thankful for her guidance and help. I am extremely proud of all the work we have done together. I also want to recognize the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Graduate Student Government for all their support.

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Finishing Fellowship Award – Summer 2026 – Logan Schexnaydre

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Logan Schexnaydre, PhD in Computer Engineering, 2026

Autonomous vehicles are becoming more common and can make transportation safer. Yet, it is uncertain how autonomy will affect a vehicle’s energy consumption. While pursuing a PhD in Computer Engineering, I worked to understand how perception systems affect this uncertainty. My research models the effect of lidar sensing and processing on the energy efficiency of automated vehicles.

I explore two ways of saving energy with lidar: automated vehicle following and road grade estimation. First, I show that a leader and follower vehicle can be aligned using lidar, reducing the follower’s aerodynamic drag and energy use. Then, I expand this work to adverse weather by characterizing the effect of snow on lead vehicle estimation. Finally, I show that the lidar can measure the grade of a road ahead of a vehicle, information which can be used for efficient traversal of hilly terrain. This work will enable engineers to design efficient perception systems and autonomous vehicles.

What I appreciate about my time at Michigan Tech is learning how to design technology for the environment and its inhabitants. Enjoying the nature of the Keweenaw with friends I have made here has shown me how important this work is.

Thank you to the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for awarding me the Finishing Fellowship. I am also grateful to my advisor, Dr. Jeremy Bos, and my dissertation committee for their guidance and support. Without my peers on campus and in my lab, I would not be the researcher I am today. Without my family and friends, I wouldn’t be the person who I am today. Thank you to all who have helped me along the way.

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Finishing Fellowship Award – Summer 2026 – Laura Albrant

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Join Uddin, PhD in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors, 2026

Gratitude and honor do not express my thankfulness enough to the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean’s Advisory Panel for awarding me this Finishing Fellowship. This fellowship provides me with time, and a weight off my shoulders, to effectively finish my dissertation on schedule. I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Leo C. Ureel II. Their support, guidance, expertise, patience, trust, and encouragement not only make them the best advisor, but also help me to thrive.

Michigan Tech has been my home since I started my undergraduate degree in Computer Science in Fall of 2018. Now, I am a PhD candidate in the Applied Cognitive Science & Human Factors program within the Psychology and Human Factors department. My research revolves around computer science education, often with a focus on first-year college students using an artificial intelligence tool. It is a lovely blend of my background in computer science and applied human factors with user experience and learning. It allows me to flex my programming and machine learning skills, my UI/UX designing skills, as well as my quantitative/qualitative research and statistical analysis skills.

My dissertation is focused on examining the process of computer science students’ user experience and learning while programming with an interactive, web-based tool called WebTA. This application is also referred to as a code critiquer, providing rich and immediate feedback to students on their code. This software allows students to get quality feedback at any time of day and aids instructors in managing large courses.

As I near completion of my PhD, I am excited to disseminate my work and continue my contributions to academia. I currently aim to become a professor in an interdisciplinary field with CS and HF applications.

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Finishing Fellowship Award – Summer 2026 – Join Uddin

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Join Uddin, PhD in Applied Physics, 2026

I am a PhD student in Applied Physics. My research focused on photovoltaic band structure modulation by van der Waals core-shell quantum structures. During my Ph.D. studies, I have worked on several research projects that will contribute to the fields of nanotechnology and renewable energy applications.


I developed a UV–Vis spectroscopy–based method to quantify quantum dots (particles <10 nm) in liquids produced via cryo-mediated exfoliation. This approach enables precise quantification across diverse applications, improving research reproducibility, reducing measurement errors, and shortening measurement time.


My research on core–shell heterostructure solar cells demonstrates that integrating novel core materials with suitable shells can achieve measurable power conversion efficiency (PCE). This core material, developed in Dr. Yap’s laboratory, shows significant potential when incorporated into carefully engineered core–shell architectures. These findings highlight a promising pathway toward more efficient, stable, and environmentally friendly materials for next-generation solar cells.


I am sincerely thankful to the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Advisory Panel for this fellowship. I am deeply grateful to my advisor, Dr. Yap, for his invaluable guidance and unwavering support.

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Finishing Fellowship Award – Summer 2026 – Lei Yin

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Lei Yin, PhD in Civil Engineering, 2026

I would like to thank the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean’s Advisory Panel for their support through this fellowship. I am a Ph.D. candidate in Civil Engineering at Michigan Technological University. My research focuses on rubber-modified asphalt materials for sustainable pavement design, with an emphasis on improving pavement performance and resilience under cold and wet-freezing conditions.


During my Ph.D. study, I have worked on multiple projects supported by state transportation agencies and county road commissions, involving both laboratory research and field implementation. My work focuses on developing high-rubber-content asphalt materials to enhance pavement durability, sustainability, and resilience to climate-related environmental conditions.


My research has been disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications and presentations at conferences such as the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting. It investigates the performance and aging behavior of treated crumb rubber-modified asphalt and provides practical guidance for material selection and implementation.


In addition to research, I have contributed to collaborative projects, proposal development, and field testing with agency and industry partners. I am grateful for the support of my advisor, Dr. Zhanping You, and my collaborators throughout my Ph.D. This fellowship will allow me to focus on completing my dissertation and preparing for the next stage of my career.

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