The Department of Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics hosted a boat cruise during the Michigan Tech Annual Alumni Reunion aboard the Ranger III cruising down the Portage Canal on Thursday, August 4, 2016.
Alumni toured the Keweenaw Waterway and learned about exciting research happening in the ME-EM department. A portion of the ticket sales were donated to the department scholarship fund.
The ME-EM Senior Recognition Banquet and Order of the Engineer Program was held on April 19, 2016.
The keynote speaker was Seth Newlin, Chief Engineer, Oshkosh Airport Products, Oshkosh Corporation. Newlin is a 1994 alumnus with both a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering.
From time to time we observe exemplary and outstanding performance of an individual or group of individuals in Senior Capstone Design or Enterprise, and when that happens we recognize those students with an Outstanding Student Performance Award.
Nate and Alex led the team’s use of simulation and test to understand the root-cause of their design problem on Team 11 Driveline NVH Improvement for Ford Motor Company. Although Alex and Nate were responsible for different aspects of the driveline NVH, they worked together to learn how to use new simulation tools and used test data to validate models of the current driveline system. They used the models to gain insight to limitations of the current design and study the effect of design options rather than guessing or hoping for a successful prototype at the end of their project. Nate and Alex demonstrated that hard work and cooperation are key elements of a successful project.
Josh Dillon has demonstrated outstanding dedication to Formula SAE. Over the past three years, Josh held leadership positions in the FSAE Enterprise, the SAE Student Chapter, and Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. As the 2016 FSAE Chief Engineer, Josh was responsible for the concurrent design, build, and test of three successive competition vehicles. Through these experiences in leadership roles, Josh has developed a leadership style based on responsibility and cooperation. Preparing for the 2016 competition provided many learning opportunities for FSAE leadership. The initial attempt to make a one-piece body was an epic failure. Two aspects of the chassis did not meet rules criteria; one was noted by a design judge just last week. Josh worked with the sub-team leaders to correct the issues and focus on good engineering. With Josh’s leadership, Formula SAE is looking forward to improved success at competition in May.
Marissa has performed outstanding from day 1 of the Team 19 Magna Seating Design Project. She is an excellent communicator and kept everything going smoothly between the client and MTU as well as the client and the team. She managed the team, asked for help when needed, communicated with faculty, staff, team and customer in an organized and effective manner and when the project changed scope organized the document scope rewrite and approval on the MTU and Magna Seating side. She was very effective in leading her team through a complex and challenging project and with her team tackled any challenges that occurred during the project.
Connor Kmiec is the team lead this year for the Ferro Pedal project. Not only did Connor do a great job leading this team, he differentiated himself by doing the majority of the machining work on this project. He even sacrificed his Spring Break to perform machining work when outsourcing quotes came in much more expensive than forecasted. To save time and money, Connor allowed the team to use his personal 3D printer to create prototype parts to verify fit and size. Connor also led the team to raise additional funds for this project and placed first for both the best Marketing Plan and Most Unique Visitors in the Superior Ideas Rekhi Challenge. Connor’s strong engineering skills coupled with great hands-on know how and leadership skills is exactly the type of engineer we want to represent Michigan Tech and our Mechanical Engineering department.
Dr. Endres has the following to say about Paul St. Louis, a member of Senior Design Team 4 Surgical Tool Attachment, sponsored by Stryker Instruments: Occasionally there is a student who exhibits outstanding organization and team leadership skills that keeps things well on track with great communication and scheduling. This team as a whole did very well with a great team effort, and with the great organization of this team member, things progressed incredibility smoothly. The technical results of this team are truly exciting in my opinion and I look forward to our customer taking it to the next level and ultimately a potential new product. This award goes to Paul St Louis of the Stryker Instruments Surgical Tool Hub Interface project.
Michigan Technological University is renowned for their prestigious engineering program as they prepare students to enter a disorganized world with the tools and capabilities to make a constructive difference. Today, green technologies bring innovation and change into our daily lives; and, Michigan Tech alumnus Patrick McCabe continues to utilize his strong engineering background, along with his brilliant entrepreneurial skills to redefine the solar industry.
Patrick is COO and co-founder of GreenLancer, a Detroit-based startup company that utilizes an e-commerce platform to produce high-quality solar design documents. Creating solar designs may seem simple on the surface, but the innovative combination of engineering and virtual manufacturing allows GreenLancer to actively compete with the traditional brick and mortar design firms.
Upon graduating with his BSME degree, Patrick moved to Salt Lake City, then to San Diego to pursue a job in the solar industry. He began to work from home as a freelancer, but that wasn’t enough. Alas, GreenLancer emerged, originally named Stellar PV. Pat, along with a few friends, traveled across the country doing web-based design work for solar electricity companies. After several years on the road, Pat decided to bring the work back to Detroit in hopes of redefining manufacturing and the working class, both of which have plagued the city’s reputation in the past.
The idea of cultivating a remote workforce, managing workflow, and streamlining processes via technology began to attract attention from the city’s evolving tech start-up scene. Through family and friends, Patrick was able to raise $50,000 to bring the company to Bizdom, a start-up incubator on the heart of Detroit. There, generous investors gave an initial investment of $1 million to continue the advancement GreenLancer. In April of 2015, the company finished raising a Series B funding of $5 million from new and existing investors. The trajectory of GreenLancer and its concept is moving upward from solar to potentially all green technologies.
Patrick applauds Michigan Technological University for challenging him during his academic career. “I’m grateful for the education I received at Michigan Tech as it has helped to propel my achievements,” Patrick stated. Similarly, “It is exciting to see fellow alumni contributing to solving problems across the world.” Pat is looking forward to watching the continued success of the engineering program at Michigan Tech.
“Patrick McCabe, 29: CEO and co-founder, GreenLancer Energy Inc., Detroit” (Article from Crain's Detroit)
For more information about GreenLancer, please visit GreenLancer.com.
The ME-EM Senior Recognition Banquet and Order of the Engineer Program was held on Tuesday, April 14, at 6 p.m. in Rozsa Center Lobby.
The keynote speaker was Jeff Zawisza, Fellow at Dow Chemical and a 1983 ME-EM alumnus.
ME-EM Outstanding Enterprise Student Award: William Gielda, Clean Snowmobile Enterprise team
ME-EM Teacher of the Year: Charles Van Karsen
According to the Order of the Engineer manual: The Order of the Engineer is a solemn obligation to oneself to uphold devotion to the standards and the dignity of the engineering profession. It is an obligation to turn to practical use the principles of science and the means of technology…to serve humanity by making the best use of earth’s precious wealth.
The Obligation is a creed similar to the oath attributed to Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) that is generally taken by medical graduates and which sets forth an ethical code. The Obligation likewise, contains parts of the Canon of Ethics of major engineering societies. Initiates, as they accept it voluntarily, pledge to uphold the standards and dignity of the engineering profession and to serve humanity by making the best use of Earth’s precious wealth.
Photos of the ME-EM Senior Recognition Banquet included in the ME-EM Photo Gallery
The mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics department held its semi-annual Senior Capstone Design Day Program. Eight teams presented the fruits of their efforts over the past two semesters during presentations to industry reps, faculty, staff, and students. The teams also displayed posters and, in some cases, their prototypes in the rear first-floor hallway of the MEEM building.
Keynote Speaker: Gerald E. McGlynn III, 1984 B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Michigan Tech, Intellectual Property Attorney, Howard and Howard; J.D., cum laude, from Detroit College of Law in 1988
The General Motors Foundation has given Michigan Technological University a $100,000 grant through its University/Organization Partner Program. The gift will support a variety of student activities, including the Advanced Hybrid Electric Vehicle and Advanced Motorsports Enterprises, Environmental Engineering senior design programs, student groups and diversity initiatives.
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The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) honored Michigan Tech alumnae Britta Jost and Kaitlyn Bunker at its annual conference, WE14, in Los Angeles last week. Jost received the SWE Distinguished New Engineer award, and Bunker was recognized as 2014 Outstanding Collegiate Member.
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The Michigan Technological University Mobile Lab was a featured exhibitor at the 2014 Battery Show – “The Expo for Advanced Batteries” – and the Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo September 16-18 at Novi, Michigan, USA.
The lab was set up indoors at the Battery Show in Novi, where Professor Steve Hackney (MSE), instructor Trever Hassell (ECE), Mobile Lab operations manager Chris Davis, and Mobile Lab director Jeremy Worm provided hands-on seminars to conference and show attendees.
The documentary film Wings of Angels” will be Shown During Alumni Reunion.
The public can view “Wings of Angels,” a documentary film featuring Michigan Tech mechanical engineering students, in the lobby of the MEEM building during Alumni Reunion. The movie will be shown on the hour, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 7-9.
News from Tech Today — July 23, 2014 —
The Michigan Tech Mobile Lab traveled to several college campuses in southern Michigan recently. Instead of a single person providing a lecture, the Mobile Lab team provided a hands-on seminar for the Wayne County Community College Districts ongoing Global Conversations Speaker Series in Detroit and Taylor, Michigan. Attendees included students from both Wayne State University and Wayne County Community College.