Category: Winners

Ryan Michael Miller

I’m a second year Construction Management major taking the Railroad Transportation Minor. I was elected to be the Railroad Engineering and Activities Club Treasurer for the 2024 semesters. I’ve always been fascinated with transportation but I recently got involved with the railroads through my internship this past summer and discovered I absolutely love the industry, driving my decision to make rail transportation my focus throughout my career. Receiving this scholarship will greatly help me to achieve my goals of graduating with a Construction Management degree with a Rail Minor.

Brendan Nathaniel Tanner

I’m Brendan Tanner, a civil engineering major with a focus on structures and a minor in railroad transportation. Prior to coming to Michigan Tech, I worked as an engineering student for the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Office of Rail for 2.5 years, which prepared me for my role as Vice President of REAC and allowed me to share my knowledge and passion for the rail industry with my fellow huskies. This scholarship means that I can continue to focus on promoting and educating others about the rail industry through REAC.

Abigail Rose Smith

Major: Mechanical Engineering
REAC Involvement: Since being at tech I have served as President, Vice President, and Marketing Officer of the REAC club and have had the privilege of attending two AREMA conferences.

“Since getting the freshman year scholarship, and being in our AREMA student chapter all four years of college, I have had the chance to seriously develop my leadership skills, network with our alumni, and take courses pertaining to rail. The Rail Transportation Program has really given me a great circle of folks these last few years and I am thankful for all the opportunities it has given me.”

Learn more about the Michigan Tech Alumni and Friends Scholarship.

Mohammad Anas Taeb

I arrived at MTU as Fulbright Scholar and gained my master’s degree in civil engineering in summer 2021 and am currently pursuing a Ph.D. while working on the research project titled “Developing an LCA Framework for Railway Track Maintenance Operations.” My introduction to AREMA and REAC occurred during the “Railway Engineering” class. Over the past two years, I have participated in AREMA conferences, providing me with valuable opportunities to connect with industry experts and committee members. Additionally, I attended the Railroad Environmental Conference (RREC) in both 2022 and 2023. During the latter, I had the privilege of presenting on the “Life Cycle Assessment Project for Railway Track Maintenance,” sharing insights from the project’s endeavors.

Apart from my involvement with REAC, I have been engaged in the FRA’s “Tracks to the Future” program for the past two years. In this role, I coordinate activities tailored for high school students, involving the preparation of materials, and delivering classroom instruction. Recent environmental changes and improved access to data aspire me to work on seeking optimal sustainable solutions aligned with the railway industry’s evolving economic and environmental objectives. Before embarking on my academic journey at MTU in 2020, I already had gained eight years of project and construction management experience. I also hold Project Management Professional (PMP)® credentials since 2017.

What This Scholarship Means

I am sincerely grateful for being awarded the Albert J. Reinschmidt railway scholarship. This support will further encourage me to dedicate myself fully to my research and studies, enabling me to contribute meaningfully to the field of sustainable railway infrastructure.