Members

Faculty members that join RISE come from varying fields in computer science, forestry, engineering, technology, biology, and psychology and human factors. To join RISE, please contact us! If you feel your Center can become a RISE Center, learn about our Collaborative Centers. If you wish to support RISE activities, become a sponsor.

Biological Sciences

Biomedical Engineering

Steven Lehmann

Steven D. Lehmann

  • Staff Engineer II, Biomedical Engineering
  • Advisor, Velovations Enterprise

Links of Interest

Specialties

  •  LabVIEW programming and instruction
  • Data Acquisition
  • Test Automation
  • Sensors
  • Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
  • Affiliated Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

Links of Interests

Research webpage

Research Interests

  • Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) and Nanotechnology
  • Microfluidics for cancer research
  • Microenvironment platforms to characterize cellular interactions
  • Sensors and devices for biomedical sensing and implantable devices

Chemical Engineering

  • Director, Health Research Institute
  • James and Lorna Mack Endowed Chair in Continuous Processing
  • Professor, Chemical Engineering

Links of Interest

Research Interests

  • Bioseparations
  • Virus removal and detection
  • Biosensors

Chemistry

  • Professor, Chemistry

Research Interests

  • Synthesizing, processing, and characterizing polymers and composites or nanoparticles
  • Stimulus-response nanoparticles for drug delivery
  • Electrospinning of nanofibers for tissue scaffolds
  • Structured nanoparticles for low-leaching wood preservation
  • Biocomposites and biofibers
  • Studies of controlled nanoscale interfaces of rice-hull reinforced composites
  • Engineered wood- or biopolymer-reinforced composites having improved processing, longevity, moisture resistance, and mechanical properties

Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

  • Research Engineer II, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
  • Chair, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
  • Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Research Interests

  • Water and Wastewater Treatment
  • Water reclamation systems and Fate of personal products in treatment systems
  • Associate Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
  • Associate Chair for Curriculum, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
  • Affiliated Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research Interests

  • Application computationally efficient and robust embedded algorithms for monitoring and protection of civil infrastructure assets such as buildings, bridges, pipelines, wind turbines, roadways, and railroads.
Christopher Wojick

Christopher Wojick

  • Senior Researcher, Program Evaluation
  • Great Lakes Research Center

College of Computing

  • Associate Dean, College of Computing
  • Professor, Applied Computing
  • Affiliated Professor, Computational Science and Engineering

Areas of Expertise

  • Cybersecurity
  • Computer Network
  • Machine Learning
  • Computing Education

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science

Andrew Burton
"Every day in the woods is a good day - don't get so caught up in the work at hand that you forget to look around and appreciate where you are."
  • Distinguished Professor
  • Interim Associate Dean for Research
  • Coordinator of Interdisciplinary, Multi-Institutional Research

Areas of Expertise

  • Forest responses to global change factors
  • Belowground processes
  • Carbon and nutrient cycling
  • Physiological ecology of tree roots
  • Undergraduate involvement in research
  • Dean and Professor, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
  • Director of Undergraduate Programs

Areas of Expertise

  • Conservation biology
  • Avian ecology and reproduction
  • Cascading effects of deer overbrowse
  • Island ecology

Computer Science

  • Assistant Professor, Computer Science
  • Assistant Professor, Psychology and Human Factors

Research Interests

  • User experience
  • Human factors
  • Human-computer Interactions
  • Mental models
  • Information representation
  • Rural digital literacy
  • Education, engagement, and retention
  • Digital anthropology 
  • Associate Professor, Computer Science
  • Associate Dean of Data Science Initiatives, College of Computing
  • Director, Data Science, M.S. and B.S. Programs

Area of Expertise

  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
  • Data Mining and Data Science
  • Applications of AI and ML to Energy (microgrids, power systems), Health, and other domains
  • Associate Professor, Computer Science
  • Affiliated Associate Professor, Psychology and Human Factors
  • Faculty Advisor, Husky Game Development Enterprise

Area of Expertise

  • Computer Graphics
  • Virtual Environments
  • Head-mounted displays
  • Human Perception
  • Academic Advisor, Computer Science
  • Professor, Computer Science

Area of Expertise

  • Software Measurement
  • Software Processes
  • Software Engineering Education
  • Women in Computing
  • Retention in Undergraduate CS Education
  • Associate Professor, Computer Science
  • Affiliated Associate Professor, Psychology and Human Factors
  • Faculty Advisor, Humane Interface Design Enterprise

Links of Interest

Area of Expertise

  • Mobile App Design and Usability
  • Software Development and Processes
  • Computer Science Education
  • Assistant Professor, Computer Science
  • Assistant Professor, Psychology and Human Factors
  • Coordinator, College of Computing Learning Center

Area of Expertise

  • Software Engineering
  • Computer Science Education
  • Intelligent Tutoring Systems
Charles Wallace
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool."
—Richard Feynman
  • Professor, Computer Science
  • Affiliated Professor, Psychology and Human Factors

Links of Interest

Areas of Expertise

  • software usability & accessibility
  • gerontechnology
  • smart & connected communities
  • communication in software development
  • agile development methods
  • applied formal methods
  • computing ethics
  • sustainable computing
  • computer science & software engineering education

Engineering Fundamentals

  • Teaching Professor, Engineering Fundamentals
  • Instructor, Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology

Research Interests

  • Educational methods
  • Student engagement and experience
  • Student community development
  • Cross discipline holistic education
  • Assistant Professor, Engineering Fundamentals
  • Affiliated Assistant Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
  • Affiliated Assistant Professor, Psychology and Human Factors

Research Interests

  • Technology Adoption
  • Online Learning
  • Service Learning
  • First-year Engineering
  • Sustainability
  • Teaching Professor, Engineering Fundamentals

Research Interests

  • Active learning
  • Growth mindset
  • Blended and online learning
  • Educational methods
  • Student engagement
  • Chair and Professor of Practice, Engineering Fundamentals
  • Director, Tech Forward 21st Century Education Initiative
  • Co-director, Husky Innovate

Areas of Expertise

  • Design Thinking
  • Strategic Doing
  • Lean Start-up/Entrepreneurship
  • Educational Innovation

Research Interests

  • College to Work Transition
  • Educational Innovation
  • Engineering Identity Formation
  • Associate Professor, Engineering Fundamentals
  • Affiliated Associate Professor, Psychology and Human Factors

Links of Interest

Jon Sticklen CV

Innovation in Education

  • Infusion of systems viewpoints to applied engineering sciences
  • Growth in enrollment achievement
  • Led a strong faculty team to systemically reimagine and implement the Tech First-Year Engineering Program

Research Interests

  • Factors enhancing student engagement in their own learning
  • Systemic approaches to distance learning that enhance active learning, and 
  • Applications of Design Thinking as an exemplar of client-centered design with application to Problem/Project-based learning

Electrical and Computer Engineering

  • Teaching Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Areas of Interest

  • Image processing
  • Undergraduate EE labs
  • Counter-terrorism
  • Electronic warfare
  • Information operations
  • Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Faculty Advisor, Robotic Systems Enterprise

Links of Interest

Areas of Interest

  • Atmospheric optics
  • Statistical optics
  • Quantum optics
  • Image and Signal Processing
  • Autonomous vehicles and vehicular networks
  • Industrial automation and controls
  • Teaching Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Faculty Advisor, Wireless Communication Enterprise

Areas of Interest

  • Parallel computing and UPC
  • Engineering education
Nagesh Hatti

Nagesh Hatti

  • Director, The Enterprise Program and Chair, Enterprise Governing Board
  • Advisor, ITOxygen

Specialties

  • Corporate/Industry Sponsorship
  • Program Management

Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

  • Assistant Teaching Professor Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
  • Recruiting Coordinator
  • Curriculum Development Assistant
  • Professor, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
  • Affiliated Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Links of Interest

Teaching Interests

  • Hydrogeology
  • Ground water Engineering
  • Contaminant Transport
  • Subsurface Remediation

Research Interests

  • Field performance of air sparging for removing volatile organic chemicals from ground water
  • Volatile organic vapor transport in unsaturated soils
  • Sulfur dioxide interactions with volcanic ash
  • Professor of Practice, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
  • Faculty Advisor, Innovative Global Solutions Enterprise

Teaching Interests

  • Engineering Problem Solving and Analysis
  • Systems Modeling
  • Engineering Design Process
  • Wastewater Treatment
  • Mining Methods and Materials Handling 

Research Interests

  • Biotechnology Resource Recovery
  • Environmental Consequences of Mining Waste
  • Engineering Education 
  • Chair, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
  • Professor, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
  • Affiliated Professor, Physics

Links of Interest

Research Interests

  • The long-term evolution of the Earth's magnetic field (especially in relation to the geodynamo mechanisms and the early history of the field) and its geological and geodynamical implications
  • Geodynamics and global plate tectonics (eg., large igneous province formation and true polar wander)
  • Magnetism of rocks, minerals, and synthetic materials
  • Environmental magnetism (eg., biomineralization and the relationships between physical, chemical and magnetic properties of minerals)
  • Development of new techniques and instruments for paleomagnetic and rock magnetic research
  • Professor, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
  • Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Links of Interest

Research Interests

  • Interactions among climate, atmospheric chemistry, air quality, and land use/land cover
  • Impacts of global change on atmospheric chemistry and long-range transport of air pollution
  • Anthropogenic perturbations to the atmosphere and implications for environmental sustainability
  • Atmosphere-biosphere interactions, especially in the context of global change
  • Impacts of aerosols on the global hydrological cycle

Great Lakes Research Center

  • Geosciences Research Scientist, Great Lakes Research Center

Areas of Interest

  • Geosciences Education
  • Geoconservation
  • Geoheritage
  • National Marine Sanctuary
  • Great Lakes Indigenous Knowledge
  • University-Indigenous Community Partnerships

Humanities

  • Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, College of Sciences and Arts
  • Associate Teaching Professor, Humanities Department
  • Assistant Academic Advisor: Humanities and Modern Languages

Specialties

  • Writing About Writing pedagogy
  • Reflective pedagogies and eportfolios
  • American Literature
Erin Smith
"Also, you'll find a pair of safety glasses and some earplugs under your seats. Please feel free to use them."
—Max Fischer, Rushmore
  • Director, Humanities Digital Media Zone
  • Teaching Professor in Digital Media and Cinema, Humanities
  • Faculty Advisor, Cin/Optic Communication and Media Enterprise

Links of Interest

41 North Film Festival

Specialties

  • Digital Media Production
  • Documentary Production and Theory
  • Film Theory and Criticism
  • Academic Technology Administration
  • British Literature

Keweenaw Research Center

Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology

  • Professor and Chair, Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology
  • Affiliated Professor, Psychology and Human Factors
  • Director, Research and Innovation in STEAM Education Institute (RISE)

Research Interests

  • Problem-based learning methods applied in the areas of CAD/CAM
  • Static and dynamic model simulation
  • Product and manufacturing work cell verification

Teaching Interests

  • Parametric Modeling
  • Statics and Strength of Materials
  • Product Design and Development
  • CAE and FEA Methods
  • Computer-aided Manufacturing
  • Senior Design
  • Assistant Teaching Professor, Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology
  • Faculty Advisor, SAE Baja Enterprise

Research Interests

  • Research Interests
  • Hydraulics
  • Vibrations/Modal Analysis

Teaching Interests

  • Applied fluid power
  • Statics
  • Dynamics
  • Vibrations
  • Assistant Professor, Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology
  • Affiliated Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Faculty Advisor, Advanced Metalworks Enterprise

Research Interests

  • Biomechanics—Solid Mechanics
    • Head Impacts
    • Helmet Performance and Design
  • Solid Mechanics
    • Finite Element Analysis and Vibration Analysis
  • Manufacturing
    • Machinability of Metals

Specialties

  • Understanding football helmet design and performance
  • Solid mechanics and finite element analysis methods
  • Helping student groups with design and analysis of components
  • Vibration analysis
  • Shock analysis methods
  • Program Development Specialist, Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology
  • Affiliated Research Assistant Professor, Psychology and Human Factors

Research Interests

  • Cognitive Psychology

  • Educational Research and Assessment

  • Project Evaluation

  • Culture Difference

  • Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis

  • Statistical Analysis

  • R Programming Language

Materials Science and Engineering

  • Senior Research Engineer/Scientist II
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Teaching Interests

  • Focus on X-ray diffraction techniques

Research Interests

  • X-ray diffraction theory and applications
  • Mechanical alloying
  • Intermetallic materials
  • Physical metallurgy
  • Nanoscale materials
  • Materials characterization
  • Powder metallurgy

Mathematical Sciences

Specialties

  • Leads the Early Career Management program
  • Works with research staff members to identify priorities to support mid-career and non tenure-track faculty
  • Coordinates staff in the Offices of the Provost and Vice President for Research in order to host and recruit faculty for the Michigan Tech Research Forum

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Areas of Expertise

  • Acoustics
  • Noise Control
  • Vibration
  • Real Time Control Systems
  • LabVIEW programming and instruction

Research Interests

  • Advanced Measurements and Signal Processing
  • Acoustic Intensity and Vector Sensors
  • Room Acoustics
  • Acoustic Material Characterization
  • Outdoor Sound Propagation
  • Physical Acoustics
  • NI LabVIEW Data Acquisition and Control
  • Microphones
  • Crowd Noise
  • Underwater Acoustics
  • Structural Acoustics
  • Array Signal Processing
  • Professor of Practice, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Faculty Advisor, Formula SAE Enterprise

Areas of Expertise

  • Noise and Vibration
  • Model Validation
  • Modal Analysis
  • Structural Dynamics

Research Interests

  • Model Validation
  • Digital Data Processing
  • Robust Engineering
  • Noise and Vibration
  • System Design
  • Teaching Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Teaching Interests

  • Energy ThermoFluids Courses - Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Thermodynamics, Internal Combustion Engines
  • Mechanics Courses - Statics, Mechanics of Materials

Research Interests

  • Fundamentals of Diesel Spray and Combustion, Spark Ignition
  • Spray Combustion
  • Optical and Laser Diagnostics
  • Internal Combustion Engines
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Thermophysical Properties; Spray & Combustion Modeling
  • Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Links of Interest

Faculty Webpage

Areas of Expertise

  • Vibrations; Modal Testing
  • Anechoic Traveling Waves
  • Digital Signal Processing
  • Data-Analytics
  • Smart Materials 

Research Interests

  • Adaptive Systems and Meta-structures
  • Internet-of-Vibrations
  • Environmental Testing
  • Human-structure Interaction
  • Piezoceramics and SMAs
  • Wave Propagation
  • Structural Health Monitoring
  • Bio-inspired Dynamics
  • University Professor
  • John O. Hallquist Endowed Chair in Computational Mechanics, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Affiliated Professor, Materials Science and Engineering and ASME Faculty Advisor

Links of Interest

Areas of Expertise

  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Materials Science

Research Interests

  • Computational Mechanics
  • Computational Materials Science
  • Computational Chemistry
  • Teaching Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Graduate Seminar Series Coordinator

Teaching Interests

  • Introduction to Manufacturing
  • Quality Engineering
  • Fundamentals of Six-Sigma
  • Design of Experiments
  • Micro-Manufacturing Processes
  • Additive Manufacturing
  • Production Planning
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Sustainable Manufacturing
  • Semiconductor Fabrication Processes

Areas of Expertise

  • Quality Engineering
  • Total Productive Maintenance
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Mechanical Micromachining
  • Macro- and Micro-manufacturing
  • Semiconductor Fabrication Processes
  • Curriculum and Program Development and Improvement
  • Curriculum and Program Assessment
  • Online Teaching and Learning
  • Online Course Design, Development, and Review

Research Interests

  • Process and Product Development and Improvement
  • Macro-, Micro-, and Nano-manufacturing
  • Micro- and Nano-technology
  • Implantable Medical Devices
  • Additive Manufacturing
  • Education Research
  • Curriculum and Program Assessment
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Sense of Belonging
Ryan Towles

Ryan A. Towles

  • Academic Advisor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Assistant Professor, Lou and Herbert Wacker Professorship of Mechanical Engineering
  • Affiliated Assistant Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
  • Multiplanetary INnovation Enterprise (MINE) Faculty Advisor

Teaching Interests

  • Engineering Design Process
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • System Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering Practice
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Intro to Aerospace Engineering
  • Space System Engineering
  • Space Resource Utilization
  • Senior Design Capstone / Enterprise Project
  • Product Realization

Areas of Expertise

  • Solid Mechanics
  • Structural Design
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Engineering Design Process
  • System Engineering
  • Interdisciplinary Engineering (Aerospace, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Mining, Architecture)
  • Extreme Environment Design
  • Civil and Mining Engineering
  • Education
  • Optimization and Modeling

Research Interests

  • Extreme Environment Technologies (Space, Underwater, Mining, Arctic, etc.)
  • Excavation and Mining Technology
  • Planetary Science and Exploration
  • In-Situ Resource Utilization
  • Space Mining and Construction
  • Design Optimization
  • Robotics and Automation
  • System Engineering and Integration
  • Research Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Research Engineer, Advanced Power Systems Research Center
  • Director, Michigan Tech Mobile Lab

Research Interests

  • High-Performance Engines (SI and CI)
  • Direct Injection
  • Compressed Natural Gas
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Energy Efficiency

Areas of Expertise

  • Internal Combustion Engines Combustion System Development Variable Valve Lift / Timing Powertrain Calibration Alternative Fuels Engine Integration
  • Hybrid Electric Vehicles
  • Instrumentation & Testing Ground Vehicle Systems Powertrain Systems

Pavlis Honors College

  • Associate Teaching Professor, Pavlis Honors College
  • Chair, Curriculum and Assessment Committee, Pavlis Honors College
  • Affiliated Associate Teaching Professor, Humanities

Specialties

  • Victorian literature
  • Gender studies
  • History of the book
  • Children’s literature
  • Music and performance history 
  • Humor
  • Emotion/affect studies
  • Qualitative educational research
  • Curriculum Development

Marika Seigel

  • Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education
  • Dean of the Pavlis Honors College
  • Associate Professor, Humanities

Research Areas

  • Educational Innovation
  • Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
  • Writing Program Administration

Specialties

  • Facilitate implementation of Michigan Tech’s undergraduate curriculum
  • Support ongoing growth in the Pavlis Honors College

Physics

  • Professor of Physics
  • Director and John and Phyllis Seaman Endowed Curator, A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum
  • Affiliated Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Teaching Interests

  • Nanotechnology Education
  • Assessment in STEM education

Research Interests

  • Theoretical condensed matter physics
  • Theory and modeling of single-electron transport devices
  • Modeling and simulation of properties of interfaces and interface materials
  • Atomistic computational physics of surface phases and surface dynamics
  • Crystal growth
  • Mineralogy of natural graphite
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Physics

Areas of Interest

  • K-16 Physics Education
  • Material Science and Engineering
  • Origin of Gravitation
  • Nature of Light
  • Nano-biophysics
  • Science-Technology-Society
  • History and Philosophy of Physics and Science
  • Science and Research Policy
  • Teaching Professor, Physics

Specialties

  • Teaching introductory physics for non-majors
  • Blended and active learning in larger classrooms
  • Technology-enabled learning
  • Inclusive STEM teaching

Psychology and Human Factors

  • Professor Emerita, Psychology and Human Factors

Research Interests

  • Motivation Science
  • Self-Efficacy
  • Impact of Values on Behavior
  • Cognitive Dissonance
  • Individual Differences in STEM Learning
  • Associate Research Scientist, Great Lakes Research Center
  • Instructor, Psychology and Human Factors

Areas of Expertise 

  • Design and implementation of professional development for K-12 and undergraduate STEM teachers
  • K-12 STEM education research 
  • Program evaluation 

Amanda's CV

Research Interests

  • Instructional practices that support environmental literacy and stewardship
  • Integration of computing into STEM education
  • Teachers beliefs about reforms-based science instruction including nature of science, inquiry, engineering, Next Generation Science Standards, and technology integration
  • Professional development elements (remote and face-to-face) that support instructional change, teacher leadership and reforms-based science instruction
  • Using levels of inquiry to support teachers' understanding and integration of mathematical and scientific inquiry in k-12 education
  • Teachers' understandings regarding key concepts in science including respiration and photosynthesis
  • Professor, Psychology and Human Factors
  • Visiting Professor, Department of Secondary and Post-School Education, Rhodes University

Research Interests

  • Cultural foundations of cognition
  • Media theory and criticism
  • Lifespan development theory
  • STEM education
  • Digital Literacy Project @ Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa: with funding from Carnegie Foundation.
  • Department Chair and Associate Professor, Psychology and Human Factors
  • Affiliated Associate Professor, Computer Science

Research Interests

  • Basic and applied attention
  • Models of attention
  • Human performance in aviation
  • Display design
  • Tech adoption
  • Technology training

Western U.P. MiSTEM Network

William H. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning