Graduate Student Speaker
Mehnaz Tabassum
Mehnaz Tabassum completed her PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan Technological University in 2023. Her research focuses on vehicular communication, an area in advancing intelligent transportation systems. She is currently serving as an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Wichita State University. Her innovative teaching approach combines theoretical knowledge with practical applications, aiming to empower students to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Tabassum’s achievements have been acknowledged through several prestigious honors. She received Michigan Tech’s Graduate Teaching Award for the 2022-23 academic year and the Graduate Student Service Award for 2021-22. Beyond her academic pursuits, she has held leadership roles as the faculty advisor for the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) student branch at Wichita State University and as an active participant in graduate student governance at Michigan Tech. Her leadership extends to promoting student engagement and fostering a collaborative learning environment.
With a passion for education, research, and community service, Tabassum embodies the spirit of innovation and dedication. She looks forward to contributing further to the field of electrical and computer engineering and inspiring the next generation of engineers.
Undergraduate Student Speaker
Aliyah Maxwell-Abrams
Aliyah Maxwell-Abrams of Ann Arbor, Grass Lake, and Jackson, Michigan, is earning their bachelor’s in civil engineering with a minor in mathematics. After graduating, they plan to begin their career in Chicago as a renewable energy engineer-in-training (EIT) at Stantec, take their Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, and gain work experience in the civil engineering field. They also plan to develop their social venture, the Sunny Buddy, and hope to eventually author and self-publish. In the future, they intend to apply to graduate school programs in business, architecture, or engineering.
Maxwell-Abrams attended Ann Arbor’s Skyline High School and Grass Lake High School, and was an Early College program participant at Jackson College. They chose Michigan Tech because of its focus on sustainability and collaboration.
“I wanted to be somewhere that connected me with nature and allowed me to pursue my environmental interests through practical, hands-on experiences,” they said. “I chose civil engineering because I was always fascinated by architecture and loved math. Civil engineering felt like the ideal balance—a broad field that allowed me to focus on green design and build a career in sustainable infrastructure.”
As a Husky, Maxwell-Abrams studied abroad in Costa Rica. They connected the experience to their Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship on energy access and renewable energy, which they presented at the UCLA McNair Research Conference. In Michigan Tech’s Undergraduate Research Internship Program, they also gained valuable insights while exploring alternative energy in the Keweenaw region—an idea inspired by their McNair research and connected to their Sunny Buddy project. They also took part in leadership programs like LeaderShape and Catalyst, and served on the executive board for several groups, including the Alternative Energy Enterprise, Aikido Club, Association of Women in Mathematics, and Tau Beta Pi. Additionally, through the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program and Husky Innovate competitions, they pitched their Sunny Buddy social venture. They also volunteered as a makerspace coach and were an active member of the Keweenaw Youth for Climate Action student organization.
Some of Maxwell-Abrams’ favorite memories from Michigan Tech are hiking the Nara Nature Trails, volunteering at the Copper Country Humane Society, visiting Lake Superior to watch the northern lights, and enjoying cultural events on campus. Particularly, they will cherish the memory of meeting with a close friend at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum, then walking the Tech Trails and talking for hours. They also loved when friends would stop by to see their cat, Tofu, who sadly passed away earlier this semester.
“Tofu brought so much comfort and joy to my time at Tech, and I miss him every day,” they said.