Category: News

Interesting stories about and for our students.

Finishing Fellowship – Ashley Hawke – Summer 2025

Summer 2025 Finishing Fellowship Award Winner Ashley Hawke
Ashley Hawke, PhD in Integrative Physiology, 2025

My journey at Michigan Tech first began in 2012, when I came to Tech for my undergraduate degrees. In 2016, I graduated with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and a B.S. in Exercise Science. During my time as an undergraduate, I was heavily involved in human subject research and quickly found a passion in being directly involved throughout the entire research process—from developing a protocol, to recruiting and meeting with subjects, to collecting various measurements, to analyzing results and disseminating the findings. Following my undergrad, I continued on to complete a thesis and obtain my M.S. in Exercise Science, with a focus on human biomechanics.

In Fall of 2021, I returned to the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology and began my PhD while also working full-time as a biomedical engineer conducting occupational biomechanics research. My work and dissertation focuses on reducing musculoskeletal disorders (i.e., back injuries) among healthcare workers who have to manually transfer and move patients without the use of assistive equipment. Specifically, I am investigating the biomechanical, physiological, and subjective responses to various patient handling interventions, how those responses relate to musculoskeletal disorder development, and how healthcare worker acceptability of patient handling interventions and emerging technologies can impact implementation of new equipment. By identifying effective interventions and barriers to implementing these devices, hospitals and other healthcare facilities can use these results to help reduce worker injuries, potentially reduce employee turnover, and improve patient care and safety.

I would like to sincerely thank the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for selecting me for the Doctoral Finishing Fellowship, which will allow me to focus on finishing up my research. I would also like to thank my advisors, Dr. Steven Elmer and Dr. Kelly Kamm, for their continued encouragement, guidance, and mentorship throughout my degree, as well at the KIP Department for their support throughout my degree. My dissertation is just the beginning of my journey in making an impact in healthcare and I hope to continue doing so throughout my professional career.

Summer 2025 Finishing Fellowship Winners

The Graduate School is thrilled to announce the winners of the Summer 2025 Finishing Fellowship! This prestigious award recognizes the hard work and dedication of doctoral students in the final stages of their research. By providing financial support and valuable mentorship, the Finishing Fellowship empowers these exceptional scholars to complete their dissertations and make significant contributions to their fields of study. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and excited to see the impact of their research.

The following students have been selected to receive the 2025 Summer Fellowship:

  • Gustavo Bejar-Lopez
  • Md Mutasim Billah
  • Palas Borkar
  • Abid Danish
  • Shiwei Ding
  • Grace Dykstra
  • Ashley Hawke
  • Seth Kriz
  • Kenny Larsen
  • Dilka Liyana Arachchige
  • Aman Poovalappil
  • Raj Santhosh
  • Megh Raj Subedi
  • Kan Wang
  • Yuguang Wang

Learn more about the students listed above on our blog under Summer 2025 Finishing Fellowships.

Finishing Fellowships provide support to PhD candidates who are close to completing their degrees. These fellowships are available through the generosity of alumni and friends of the University. They are intended to recognize outstanding PhD candidates who are in need of financial support to finish their degrees and are also contributing to the attainment of goals outlined in The Michigan Tech Plan. The Graduate School anticipates funding up to ten fellowships with support ranging from $2000 to full support (stipend + tuition). Students who receive full support through a Finishing Fellowship may not accept any other employment. For example, students cannot be fully supported by a Finishing Fellowship and accept support as a GTA or GRA.

Congratulations to all the Summer 2025 Finishing Fellowship winners! We are excited to see what you accomplish in the coming months and years.

Find out more about the Finishing Fellowship and other awards available for graduate students at Michigan Technological University. You can also find additional funding information on our financial information webpage.

Graduate Students Lexi Tater and Aritra Chakrabarty Honored with World Social Science Association Award

The Graduate School is pleased to announce the well-deserved recognition of two outstanding graduate students, Lexi Tater and Aritra Chakrabarty, by the World Social Science Association for winning the Student Paper Award. This prestigious award, presented during the 67th Annual World Social Science Conference in Seattle, Washington (April 2-6, 2025), specifically recognizes the high quality of Lexi’s and Aritra’s research. This notable award acknowledges the thoroughness of their research and its capacity to develop insightful and compelling analysis in these vital areas.

Lexi Tater presented her research titled “Climate Planning and Energy Sovereignty Among Michigan’s Tribal Nations”. The exceptional quality and impact of Lexi’s work in the Sustainable Communities program highlight their dedication to rigorous research and their ability to produce insightful and compelling analysis that makes a meaningful contribution to the understanding of climate planning and energy sovereignty among Michigan’s Tribal Nations. 

Aritra’s compelling article, “Gender Equity through Renewable Energy Transition: Case Study of a Community Solar Program, India,” was honored for its significant contributions to the field and thoughtful examination of the crucial intersection between renewable energy transitions and gender equity within the context of an Indian community solar program.

The Graduate School is delighted to acknowledge the success of both Lexi Tater and Aritra Chakrabarty, and commends their dedication to valuable scholarly research. These awards highlight the impactful work being undertaken by graduate students at Michigan Technological University, supported by our dedicated faculty and staff.

Celebrating Our Huskies: Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week

We’re excited to announce that Governor Whitmer has officially proclaimed April 7th through April 11th, 2025, as Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week in the state of Michigan. This significant recognition, championed by the Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU), shines a light on the crucial role and immense value that graduate and professional students bring to our universities and the entire state.

As we approach this special week, the Graduate School wants to take a moment to express our sincere pride in each and every one of our graduate and professional students. Their commitment to scholarship, tireless pursuit of knowledge through research, and dedication to mastering their chosen fields are truly commendable. We witness firsthand the late nights in the lab, the thoughtful discussions in seminars, and the innovative ideas our students bring to life. The accomplishments of graduate students, both big and small, contribute significantly to the vibrant intellectual environment of Michigan Tech and have a lasting impact.

Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week is a chance for the entire university community to acknowledge and celebrate the vital role that graduate students play in our community.

Read Gov. Whitmer’s full proclamation.

Seth Kriz Represents MTU for MAGS Excellence in Teaching Award!

We are pleased to announce that Seth Kriz has been selected to represent Michigan Technological University for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Excellence in Teaching Award! Congratulations to Seth on this significant achievement!

Seth’s journey is a testament to his dedication to both research and teaching. He shares a powerful anecdote about his early college experience that ignited his passion for engineering and ultimately led him to Michigan Tech. A pivotal moment involved his engineering physics professor, Professor Joe, who spent two hours helping him debug a program. This experience instilled in Seth a deep appreciation for the impact of dedicated teaching.

Inspired by Professor Joe and other mentors, Seth pursued his own passion for education. He began as a writing center coach and later became the student coordinator of the chemical engineering learning center at Michigan Tech. His graduate advisor, Dr. Caryn Heldt provided him with the opportunity to teach a senior-level bioprocessing elective during the challenging lockdown period. This marked the beginning of his formal teaching career. Since then, Seth has served as instructor of record for four upper-level courses.

Seth’s philosophy of teaching strives to inspire his students, just as he was inspired, while also recognizing the valuable contributions they bring to the learning process. He believes that:

  • Effective teaching is student-centered.
  • Effective teaching is inspirational and empowering.
  • Effective teaching is a symbiotic relationship between an instructor and students.

We wish him the best of luck in the competition! His words resonate with the core values of education, highlighting the importance of mentorship, inspiration, and the dynamic exchange of knowledge.

Learn more about the MAGS awards and Mentoring resources to help you succeed.

Spring 2025 Finishing Fellowship Winners

The Graduate School is thrilled to announce the winners of the Spring 2025 Finishing Fellowship! This prestigious award recognizes the hard work and dedication of doctoral students in the final stages of their research. By providing financial support and valuable mentorship, the Finishing Fellowship empowers these exceptional scholars to complete their dissertations and make significant contributions to their fields of study. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and excited to see the impact of their research.

The following students have been selected to receive the 2025 Spring Fellowship:

  • Oluwatosin Ayo
  • Kendall Belopavlovich
  • Xinqian Chen
  • Alex Czarniecki
  • Yifu Deng
  • Steven Ding
  • Larissa Juip
  • Kazeem Kareem
  • Akash Kumar
  • Jessica LaReaux
  • Seth Nelson
  • Elizabeth Novotny
  • Kyle Parker-Mcglynn
  • Eileen Reeves
  • Abel Reyes Angulo
  • Ryne Rutherford
  • Rhiannon Turner
  • Brennan Vogl
  • Yogita Warkhade
  • Karlee Westrem
  • Junyao Yang
  • Meiling Zhou

Learn more about the students listed above on our blog under Spring 2025 Finishing Fellowships.

Finishing Fellowships provide support to PhD candidates who are close to completing their degrees. These fellowships are available through the generosity of alumni and friends of the University. They are intended to recognize outstanding PhD candidates who are in need of financial support to finish their degrees and are also contributing to the attainment of goals outlined in The Michigan Tech Plan. The Graduate School anticipates funding up to ten fellowships with support ranging from $2000 to full support (stipend + tuition). Students who receive full support through a Finishing Fellowship may not accept any other employment. For example, students cannot be fully supported by a Finishing Fellowship and accept support as a GTA or GRA.

Congratulations to all the Spring 2025 Finishing Fellowship winners! We are excited to see what you accomplish in the coming months and years.

Find out more about the Finishing Fellowship and other awards available for graduate students at Michigan Technological University. You can also find additional funding information on our financial information webpage.

Finishing Fellowship- Spring 2025- Brennan Vogl

Brennan Vogl, PhD in Biomedical Engineering

My journey at Michigan Technological University (MTU) began in 2015 when I attended the Summer Youth Programs Engineering Scholars Program. This transformative experience introduced me to the many engineering disciplines available at MTU and started my fascination with Biomedical Engineering. I vividly recall how excited I was to learn about the many ways biomedical engineers can make a meaningful impact in the world.

In 2016, I officially joined MTU as an undergraduate student in the Biomedical Engineering department. During my first year, I became a research assistant in Dr. Smitha Rao-Hatti’s lab, a role I held until my graduation in 2020. This early start in research motivated my passion for discovery and inspired me to pursue a Ph.D. in 2021 in the lab of Dr. Hoda Hatoum.

My doctoral research focuses on in vitro and in silico assessments of cardiovascular fluid dynamics, with the goal of understanding how cardiovascular diseases start and progress, and how effective some therapies are from a flow dynamics perspective. My work has primarily examined the performance of bioprosthetic aortic valves under various blood pressure states and the effects of atrial fibrillation and its treatments on left atrial flow dynamics. These experiences, especially leveraging a continuous interaction with collaborating cardiologists from all over the world, have solidified my commitment to advancing cardiovascular health through innovative engineering solutions.

I sincerely thank the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for awarding me the Doctoral Finishing Fellowship. I am also deeply grateful to my advisor, Dr. Hoda Hatoum, for her guidance and support, which helped me grow as a researcher. I would also like to thank my lab members, collaborators, and the faculty and staff of the Biomedical Engineering Department for their continued support during my Ph.D. With this fellowship, I look forward to advancing my work and making a positive impact in the healthcare field.

Finishing Fellowship- Spring 2025- Elizabeth Novotny

Elizabeth Novotny, PhD in Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture

I began my PhD in Fall 2020 in the Department of Humanities interdisciplinary Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture program. Through my position as a Graduate Teaching Instructor, I quickly discovered my passion for teaching. At Michigan Tech, I have taught First-Year Composition and other writing courses, such as Advanced Composition and Technical and Professional Communication. I have also served as Assistant Director of our Composition Program.

These experiences led me to specialize in writing studies and my research focuses on the needs of student writers. My dissertation is a classroom research project that investigates how students conceptualize their agency as writers and how this impacts their writing practice. I designed lessons that introduced students to ways of thinking about agency and collected student work throughout a semester, which I analyze through holistic and longitudinal coding to determine the changes in student conceptions of their agency and the effect this has on their writing.

I am very grateful to receive this Doctoral Finishing Fellowship and extend my thanks to the Graduate School and the donors who make this fellowship possible. The time to focus on my research will be invaluable. I also want to thank my advisor, Oren Abeles, and committee members Holly Hassel and Jennifer Nish for consistently going above and beyond to support me and my work.

Finishing Fellowship- Spring 2025- Steven Ding

Steven Ding, PhD in Computer Science

I began my Ph.D. journey at Michigan Technological University in Fall 2018, joining the Department of Computer Science under the guidance of Dr. Scott Kuhl. Over the years, my research has spanned diverse fields, including computer graphics, human perception, and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR). My dissertation, in particular, focuses on developing innovative interaction techniques for AR systems.

In this work, previously supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), I explore the use of acoustic sensors to transform everyday surfaces into intuitive interactive interfaces. By detecting and localizing taps on surfaces through advanced signal processing and algorithms, my system offers a natural, portable, and seamless way to interact with AR technologies. This approach addresses the limitations of traditional input methods in immersive environments, integrating AR more effectively into daily life and making it more accessible.

I am deeply grateful to Michigan Tech’s Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for awarding me the Finishing Fellowship, which enables me to focus on completing my research. I extend heartfelt thanks to Dr. Scott Kuhl and Dr. Keith Vertanen for their invaluable mentorship, which has been pivotal in navigating the challenges of interdisciplinary research.

Looking ahead, I am excited to share my findings with the academic and professional community, contributing to advancements in AR technology and enhancing how humans connect with the digital world.

Finishing Fellowship- Spring 2025- Akash Kumar

My Ph.D. journey at Michigan Technological University began in Fall 2021 in the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, where I have focused on developing complex constitutive and phase-field failure models to gain a deeper understanding of fracture behaviors and improve material performance under diverse loading conditions. My research also explores the development of multiscale and Multiphysics models, contributing to the design of resilient materials for critical structural and industrial applications. Working at the intersection of advanced material modeling and computational mechanics has been both intellectually inspiring and transformative, shaping my approach to tackling some of the most challenging problems in engineering.
The primary objective of my research is to develop computationally efficient models that accurately capture complex fracture phenomena in fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPCs). By incorporating advanced constitutive modeling and phase-field fracture techniques, I investigate crack interactions in FRPCs under the influence of various environmental and loading conditions. My work aims to improve the predictive capabilities of models used in the design and optimization of high-performance materials.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for awarding me the Doctoral Finishing Fellowship. This recognition is both an honor and a motivation as I approach the final stages of my Ph.D. I am deeply grateful to my advisor, Dr. Trisha Sain, whose guidance, encouragement, and unwavering support have been crucial throughout my doctoral journey. Her mentorship has been instrumental in shaping me into an independent researcher and has helped me navigate the complexities of my work. I also want to acknowledge the department of Mechanical Engineering for its support during my PhD studies.
As I enter the final phase of my PhD, I look forward to completing my research and advancing my career in the field of computational mechanics and material science, where I hope to make meaningful contributions to solving critical challenges.