Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics News

Category: Awards

Eddy Trinklein is an Unsung Hero

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Eddy Trinklein
Eddy Trinklein

ME-EM Research Engineer and Instructor Eddy Trinklein was recognized at the 2017 Making a Difference Awards reception on January 10, 2018.

“This past spring our Michigan Tech student-built nanosatellite was at risk of missing a technical milestone set by the Air Force. If this milestone was missed our 7 year long program would have come to an end without a launch into space. Ed dropped everything he was working on, rolled up his sleeves, and inserted himself into my laboratory where he discovered complicated errors in our serial communication architecture—which he quickly fixed. The satellite shipped to the Air Force in June and, as a result of Ed’s work, will launch into orbit in April, 2018.”

A total of 47 Michigan Tech staff members were nominated for 2017 Making a Difference Awards. Trinklein received an award in the “Unsung Hero” category. The awards are organized by Michigan Tech Staff Council.

Congratulations to Eddy!

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Mahmoudian Named Lou and Herbert Wacker Associate Professor

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Nina Mahmoudian
Nina Mahmoudian

Nina Mahmoudian (MEEM) has been selected by Michigan Tech and the donors, who wish to remain anonymous, to be the first holder of the Lou and Herbert Wacker Associate Professor in Autonomous Mobile Systems. This is an endowed professorship through a generous cash gift of $1,000,000.

One of the donors is a BSME graduate from Michigan Tech, and the endowment is named in honor of his parents Lou and Herbert Wacker.

By Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics.

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Three Inducted into Academy for Fall 2017

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MEEM BuildingIn ceremonies held Oct. 28, the Academy of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Tech inducted three new members. The inductees were Christine R. Roberts (Przybysz), Xintan Chang and Thomas J. Bronz.

The Academy honors outstanding ME-EM graduates, recognizing those who exemplify excellence and leadership in engineering and civic affairs, and who will serve as inspirational role models for current and future students.

Christine Roberts graduated from Tech with a BS in mechanical engineering in 1991, later going on to earn a master’s in project management from George Washington University and her MBA in International Business at DePaul University in 2000. Roberts began her career at Motorola, Inc., where she worked for 20 years, rising from production manager to vice president of product management for Motorola Mobility. In addition to Motorola, she also held positions at Google and Netflix.

Currently, Roberts is at cloud communications services pioneer Twilio as vice president and general manager of Twilio’s Super Network and chairman of the board for the Twilio Sweden Group. She volunteers with programs advancing involvement in STEM fields for young women and underrepresented minorities through hands-on teaching.

Xintan Chang earned his master’s in mining engineering and PhD in engineering mechanics at Tech. Before coming to Tech, Chang had worked in Chinese coal mines for 11 years after earning his BS in mining engineering from Xi’an Mining Institute (now Xi’an University of Science and Technology) in 1969. While at Tech, he co-authored the Transient State Mine Ventilation Simulation Program MFIRE for US Bureau of Mines, which remains the most popular mine fire ventilation simulation software in the world.

Chang returned to Xi’an University in 1988, working his way up to full professor within five years. His research focused on mine ventilation, mine/civil fire simulation and fire-fighting, and public safety/safety management, earning a National Reward for his simulation accomplishments. Chang became president of Xi’an University in 2003, leading several expansions and improvements for the university during his tenure.

Thomas Bronz graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering from Tech in 1989, later earning an MBA from Northwestern University. After graduating from Tech, he worked in the commercial vehicles industry in a variety of management positions overseeing suspensions controls processes. In 2006, he served as the director of high performance product development at Brunswick Corporation where he improved development processes for freshwater boat lines.

Bronz returned to the commercial vehicles market in 2010, helping a start-up business to become a successful standalone within four years. He then moved on to become president and CEO of Hadley Products, once again returning to the suspensions controls field, before ending up as director of aftermarket sales at SAF Holland, where he supports hitches and suspensions for trucking fleets across North America.

William Predebon, chair of ME-EM, says that these alumni set a fine example for current students. “When I think about Tom, Xintan and Christine, I am struck by all they have done and continue to do, by their accomplishments, by the challenges they have faced and persevered, and by their leadership,” Predebon says.

“They have set a high standard for our future alumni to emulate. We are very proud of them and look forward to them returning to campus and interacting with our students.”

This induction honors some of the most successful of the more than thirteen thousand alumni of Michigan Tech’s Department of Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics. Portraits and a brief biography of Academy members are prominently displayed in the lobby of the ME-EM building to serve as inspiration for future mechanical engineering and engineering mechanics students.

By Noah Kozminski.

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Tech Students Awarded at Noise Control Conferences

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NOISE-CON 2017

A total of 14 Michigan Tech students, 13 graduate students and one undergrad, are in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the joint SAE Noise and Vibration Conference and the Institute of Noise Control Engineering of the USA (NOISE-CON 2017). They are students of Jason Blough (ME-EM) and Andrew Barnard (ME-EM).

On Wednesday, Michigan Tech students won 11 awards between the two conferences:

  • SAE NVC Best Student Paper—First place: Troy Bouman, Second Place: Mahsa Asgarisabet
  • INCE-USA NoiseCon Best Student Paper—Micaela Theiry and Trinoy Dutta
  • INCE-USA Hallberg Foundation Travel Award—Theiry, Miles Penhale, Siddharth Parmar, Suraj Prabhu and Asgarisabet
  • Beranek Gold Medal for Excellence in the Study of Noise Control Engineering for an Undergraduate Student—Stephania Vaglica
  • Beranek Pewter Medal for Excellence in the Study of Noise Control Engineering for a Graduate Student—Asgarisabet

The students also had a booth in the expo where they showed off some of their work and it was busy with visitors for two straight days.

By Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics.

The event took place on June 12-14, 2017.

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ME-EM Senior Recognition Banquet April 20, 2017

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The ME-EM Senior Recognition Banquet and Order of the Engineer Program was held on April 20, 2017.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Robin Johnson-Cash, Technical Training Manager, Ford Motor Company. Cash is a 2015 alumna with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics.

WATCH THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS. Closed captioning is available.

Robin Johnson-Cash
Keynote Speaker Robin Johnson-Cash

Spring 2017 Outstanding Student Awards

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.

Isabella Kesler
Isabella Kesler and William Endres

Isabella Kesler, FSAE

Bella joined Formula SAE early in her college career. Bella’s first year on the team marked the beginning of transforming Michigan Tech FSAE from a Monster Garage operation to a race team with a purpose, a plan, and a return to yearly competition. As a new member, Bella learned that building a successful race car requires hard work and dedication. As an FSAE Leader, Bella demonstrated this to her to her teammates. Bella finds out what needs to be accomplished and gets it done. She has a can-do attitude as a team member, SAE Board member, and electrical and controls leader. As President this year, Bella made sure that the team met every competition deliverable on time. Bella was always at the shop working on the cars, preparing competition documents, and occasionally doing homework. Her degrees show mechanical and electrical engineering, but her dedication has been to Formula. Isabella Kesler is the model Outstanding FSAE Member.

Jacob Kendziorski, Erica Huhta
Jacob Kendziorski, Erica Huhta, and William Endres

Erica Huhta and Jacob Kendziorski, SCD 4

Erica and Jake have gone above and beyond within Team 4, which was already a great team to work with as an Advisor. One of the most outstanding qualities of Jake and Erica is their level of professionalism and work ethics. From the first day to the very last one, they have been the driving force and have striven for success and perfection throughout the project. Jake has delivered an outstanding performance and beyond his profound contributions to the team in motion simulation and manufacturing he has shown exceptional leadership skills. Erica, beyond her responsibilities as communication liaison and technical contributions to the team, has kept the team on track and has shown exceptional leadership and professionalism.

Mike Fischer, Lauren Tetzloff
Mike Fischer, Lauren Tetzloff, and William Endres

Mike Fischer and Lauren Tetzloff, SCD 7

Mike Fisher and Lauren Tetzloff have both been exceptional and integral members of Team 7. For both semesters Mike usually ran the meetings, and has been involved with all aspects of the project from brainstorming all the way to testing. In the first semester Lauren did most of the CAD layout and kinematics work. She carried a large part of the work-load and played a key role in every aspect of the project. During the project both Mike and Lauren have been very professional and hard working. The team would not have been as successful without them.

Rachel Pohlod, Cayman Berg-Morales
Rachel Pohlod, Cayman Berg-Morales, and William Endres

Rachel Pohlod and Cayman Berg-Morales, SCD Team 11

As many of you are aware, the ME undergraduate curriculum has undergone a major change recently. That change has challenged students to learn more about implementing modern model-based simulation and analysis tools. This pair of students stood out in taking what they learned in ME Practice, engaging on their own knowledgeable faculty, and taking MotionView far beyond what they had previously learned to simulate sliding, impact, contact and settling (and not tipping over) of gear blanks working their way through the automated handling and inspection system for MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions. For this work, we recognize Rachel Pohlod and Cayman Berg-Morales.

Miller, Tetzloff, Raboin, Johnson
Matthew Miller, Thomas Tetzloff, Kyle Raboin, Dean Thomas Johnson, and William Endres

Thomas Tetzloff, Dean Johnson, and Kyle Raboin and Matt Miller, SCD Team 20

As a team, they did a great job, a fully integrated ME and EE team, and represented MTU extremely well at a national venue in the Air Force Research Labs University Design Challenge. On that team there were a few individuals who really stood out in the spirit of what the Outstanding Student Performance Award is here to recognize. For their extreme dedication from design through prototyping to making it work (more than once), this award goes to MEs Thomas Tetzloff, Dean Johnson, and Kyle Raboin and Electrical and Computer Engineer Matt Miller.

ME-EM Teachers of the Year Award

Radheshyam Tewari
Lecturer Radheshyam Tewari

Radheshyam Tewari is a lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics department at Michigan Technological University since 2014.

Jaclyn Johnson
Lecturer Jaclyn Johnson

Dr. Jaclyn Johnson is a lecturer in the ME-EM department at Michigan Tech, since 2014.

Photo Galleries

View the MEEM Spring 2017 Ceremonies Photo Gallery

View the MEEM Spring 2017 Capstone Senior Design Poster Session Photo Gallery

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John Johnson Award for Outstanding Research in Diesel Engines

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John H. Johnson
John H. Johnson

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and other news outlets around the country reported on the winners of the John Johnson Award for Outstanding Research in Diesel Engines.

The award is funded through contributions from John H. Johnson (ME-EM), his colleagues and former students. Johnson is a Presidential Professor with Michigan Tech’s Department of Mechanical-Engineering Mechanics, a fellow of SAE International and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He is a renowned expert in the field of diesel engines.

See the full story here.

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Army Funding for Course Development in Propulsion Systems

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Christopher Morgan
Christopher Morgan

Christopher Morgan (MEEM/APSRC) is the principal investigator on a project that has received $115,000 from the U.S. Department of Defense, Army — TARDEC.

Jeremy Worm (MEEM) and Darrell Robinette (MEEM) are Co-PI’s. The project is titled “Delivery of Professional Development Courses in Propulsion Systems.”

This is a four-and-a-half month project.

By Sponsored Programs.

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Pohlod Receives GLIAC Commissioner’s Award

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Michigan Tech volleyball player Rachel Pohlod was one of six female recipients of the 2016 Fall GLIAC Commissioner’s Award the league announced Friday.

A total of 12 student athletes (six male and six female) that excel academically and on the fields of play are presented after the fall, winter, and spring athletic seasons with the award.

Pohlod is a senior setter from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is one of only three players in Tech history to record more than 2,000 assists and 1,000 digs in her career.

Pohlod was a CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team selection and All-GLIAC First Team pick in 2016 after career highs in assists (1,238), digs (361), blocks (27), assists in a match (68) and digs in a match (27).

Pohlod was a three-time member of the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team, holding a 3.99 grade-point average in mechanical engineering. She was also a GLIAC Honorable Mention choice in 2015 and team Co-MVP in 2016.

To read the full story and find out more about Michigan Tech sports, visit michigantechhuskies.com.

By Krista Siler, Assistant Director of Athletic Communication.

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Nina Mahmoudian is an Outstanding Young Engineer

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Nina Mahmoudian
Nina Mahmoudian

Eighty-three of the nation’s brightest young engineers have been selected to take part in the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) 22nd annual US Frontiers of Engineering (USFOE) symposium. Nina Mahmoudian (ME-EM) is one of them.

She will join other engineers ages 30 to 45 who are performing exceptional engineering research and technical work in a variety of disciplines; Mahmoudian focuses on robotics with a specialty in marine robotics. The participants, from industry, academia and government, were nominated by fellow engineers or organizations.

Read more at Tech Today, by Allison Mills.

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