April 16, 2026

Bill Muckalt was named Michigan Tech’s 23rd head hockey coach last May. The Huskies welcomed him back to Tech, where he served as an assistant coach from 2011 to 2015.

Muckalt grew up in Surrey, British Columbia. He won a pair of NCAA championships at the University of Michigan as a student-athlete before playing five years and 256 games in the NHL. He has since held various coaching and managing positions with teams in the NCAA, the Western States Hockey League, the North American Hockey League and the United States Hockey League.

Learn more about Muckalt’s coaching style, career influences, pregame rituals and more in a Q&A in the 2026 Michigan Tech Magazine.

The Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs is pleased to congratulate this year’s Distinguished Professor — Amy Marcarelli, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and director of the Ecosystem Science Center.

Michigan Technological University’s Distinguished Professor title recognizes outstanding faculty members who have made substantial contributions to the University as well as their discipline and are not presently recognized through an endowed position. The dedication to scholarship, teaching and service displayed by recipients of this title significantly enriches the intellectual environment of Michigan Tech.

2026 Distinguished Professor: Amy Marcarelli
Marcarelli is a nationally and internationally known researcher recognized for her cutting-edge work on nitrogen fixation in inland and coastal ecosystems. She is also a highly respected leader in teaching and service in her department and field. She received a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award in 2015, which catapulted her research, where she has been awarded nearly $7 million. She is co-principal investigator of the NSF-funded Aquatic Nitrogen Fixation Research Coordination Network, and recently published a reevaluation of inland nitrogen fixation contributions to global nitrogen cycling in Science. Since 2022, she has directed the University’s Ecosystem Science Center, which joined the Great Lakes Research Center research institute this year. 

Marcarelli’s loyalty to educating students is clear, as evidenced by multiple awards. She was inducted into Michigan Tech’s Academy of Distinguished Teaching Excellence in 2018, received Michigan Tech’s Distinguished Teaching Award in the associate professor category in 2023, and was selected as Michigan Tech’s nominee for the Michigan Association of State Universities 2023 Distinguished Professor of the Year. 

Marcarelli has contributed to the Department of Biological Sciences by serving on and chairing the undergraduate curriculum committee; the University by serving as the administrator for what is now known as the Faculty Hiring and Review Workshop and co-leading Women in the Academy; and her professional societies by serving as a vice president on the Board of Directors of the Society for Freshwater Science.

Michigan Tech teams earned top finishes in multiple events and showcased excellence in engineering design, construction and teamwork at the 2026 Eastern Great Lakes ASCE Student Symposium, held at Youngstown State University on April 9-11.

Students from the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) competed against universities from across the region at the event, demonstrating the strength of hands-on, experiential learning through three flagship competitions: Concrete Canoe, Steel Bridge and Timber Strong.

Concrete Canoe
Michigan Tech’s Concrete Canoe team earned first place overall and will travel to Fairmont State University on June 25-27 to compete on the national stage.

• First Place — Overall
• First Place — Women’s Slalom
• First Place — Women’s Sprint
• Second Place — Men’s Slalom
• Second Place — Men’s Sprint
• Second Place — Coed Races
• Second Place — Technical Paper
• Second Place — Final Product

Steel Bridge
Michigan Tech’s Steel Bridge team also earned first place overall and swept most of the competition’s categories. They will now prepare for the national competition at the University of Texas at El Paso on May 22-23.

• First Place — Overall
• First Place — Stiffness
• First Place — Cost Estimation
• First Place — Structural Efficiency
• First Place — Construction Economy
• First Place — Construction Speed
• Third Place — Lightness

Timber Strong
Michigan Tech’s Timber Strong team earned second place overall and was named Best in Show.

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) graduate student Zander Worm is a recipient of the 2025 SAE Excellence in Oral Presentation Award.

Worm, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering candidate and Pathway to Ph.D. awardee, received this honor for the excellent presentation of his paper “Analysis of a Hybrid Light Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator: Considering Performance, Functionality, and Weight” during the SAE Energy and Propulsion Conference on Oct. 14-16, 2025.

This paper discusses battery sizing impacts for a series Hybrid Electric Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator designed and built by Michigan Tech’s Advanced Power Systems Research Center (APS LABS). The evalution makes use of 1D modeling tools, specifically a vehicle and powertrain model in GT-Suite. The paper concludes that battery sizing for future vehicles is highly sensitive on U.S. defense goals for electrification, where prioritization of short-run performance benefits from larger batteries, but overall reduced fuel consumption should push the industry toward smaller batteries. 

From the abstract:
Hybrid powertrain technology serves to improve performance, enable new functional capabilities, decrease fuel consumption, increase operational reach, and increase lethality by supporting advanced weapons systems. Several demonstrators have been developed for the Army, including those recently commissioned and tested by numerous programs over the last decade. This work examines the results of one of these demonstrators for a Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) and analyzes tradeoffs in the components’ characteristics, including the battery size, energy, and power capabilities, specifically regarding the system’s ability to meet key performance and power generation requirements. This work was completed through test data analysis coupled with a vehicle 1D simulation. Results show design implementation impacts and tradeoffs between vehicle weight, performance, EV-only range, and fuel consumption that can be utilized for system-level optimization.

Citation: 
Worm, Z. T., Goodenough, B., Schmidt, H., Putrus, J., & Naber, J. (2025, October). Analysis of a Hybrid Light Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator: Considering Performance, Functionality, and Weight. In SAE Energy and Propulsion Conference. SAE Technical Paper, 2025-01-0388, 2025, https://doi.org/10.4271/2025-01-0388.

On April 10 and 11, Michigan Tech’s Mind Trekkers transformed Hemlock High School into a buzzing hub of innovation for Next Gen STEM Hemlock. The high-energy “science carnival” drew a crowd of 1,500 students and community members to celebrate the wonders of STEM discovery.

With over 20 exhibitors and more than 100 volunteers, Next Gen STEM Hemlock offered an immersive, hands-on experience. Attendees explored over 60 activity stations, featuring fan-favorite demonstrations ranging from stepping inside giant bubbles to testing out robotic systems.

The event was made possible through a strategic collaboration between the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Hemlock Public Schools and Michigan Technological University. By bringing nationally recognized programming directly to the community, these partnerships continue to inspire the next generation of innovators and leaders.

Michigan Tech’s Mind Trekkers will return to the road with a brand-new season of events kicking off next fall. We look forward to seeing how these future engagements continue to spark curiosity and open doors for students across the region!

Michigan Technological University’s Vice President for Research Office (VPR), in coordination with the Research Advisory Council (RAC), is conducting a short survey to solicit feedback on and current opinions of the overall effectiveness of research services, functions and programs at Michigan Tech. We will track satisfaction ratings from this survey annually.

All faculty and research-active staff should have received a survey invitation and personalized survey link by email last Wednesday, April 8. Please provide your responses by April 30.

If you did not receive a survey and would like to participate, please contact research@mtu.edu.

Improvements from Last Year’s Survey
Reporting back on the 2025 survey yielded valuable feedback. Over the last year, VPR units have prioritized several improvements. Below, we highlight improvements in each unit demonstrating that we are listening and making positive change: 

Innovation and Commercialization:

• Initiated, and continue to refine, the pilot of a new Lean Program Management Systems Engineering (LPM) methodology which improves technology de-risking efforts and provides milestone-based plans for translation to commercialization.

• Added a new position dedicated to continuous process improvement and research partner engagement/cultivation, supporting the scaled growth of MTU's research enterprise.

Research Development:

• Streamlined internal award application/proposal requirements and submission/review processes.

Research Integrity and Facilities:

• Created the Materials Characterization and Fabrication Core Facility (MCFF), integrating expertise and instrumentation in microfabrication (MFF), microanalytics (MAF) and chemical/morphological analysis (ACMAL). MCFF improved operations, staffing and access for MTU’s research community.

Sponsored Programs:

• Implemented improvements in proposal deadline clarification, calculation and management to support continued growth in sponsored research.

Research Institutes:

• All freestanding research centers were folded in under an existing research institute or combined into a new one, ensuring strong levels of support to all members.

• The Frontiers Research Institute was created from the Institute of Materials Processing (IMP), Michigan Tech Aerospace Engineering Research Center (MARC), Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI) and Research and Innovation in STEAM Education Institute (RISE) research centers.

The visit from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) originally scheduled for today, April 16, has been canceled and will be rescheduled at a later date.

The Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI) appreciates the time and coordination that went into planning this visit and regret any inconvenience this change may cause. We look forward to welcoming MnDOT in the future and will share updated details once a new date has been confirmed.

On July 1, 2026, Watermark’s Digital Measures at Michigan Tech will transition to a new user interface. This update responds to user feedback and is designed to make reviewing and updating data more efficient. The new interface allows users to scan data within screens without having to open each one individually.

Users can preview the new interface by selecting “Explore the new view!” at the top of their Activities page, which will direct them to their Home page. On the left side of the screen, users may select from the same options they are accustomed to seeing at the top of the Activities page. The “My Profile” tab will take users to their activity data in the new interface.

Watermark and Michigan Tech are still in the process of configuring how data appears within each screen, and this work will be complete before the new interface goes live. The format of the data currently visible in the new My Profile view is still being adjusted, so minor changes may occur between now and July 1. These changes will not affect user data, regardless of which interface is used for data entry.

Additional information and instructions will be distributed campuswide in the coming weeks. In the meantime, users may choose to use either interface. Feedback on the new interface is welcome and can be shared by emailing dm-admin@mtu.edu.

Michigan Tech students taking HU4642 Advanced Photography in the Department of Humanities (HU) will be showing their work at the Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw in Houghton. 

“Contrasting Ideas: Photography Work from Michigan Tech” features 11 students who have been focused on creating work that speaks to their time at Tech.

The exhibit will be up for the next two weeks — please join us for the the opening reception tonight, April 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the museum, located at the corner of Huron Street and Montezuma Avenue in downtown Houghton.

See Event Details on Facebook.

On Sunday, April 19, from 2 p.m. to midnight, the Department of Psychology and Human Factors (PsyHF) will host late-night study hours. All students are welcome to take advantage of a quiet, comfortable study space and a fully stocked coffee bar with snacks and drinks.

Event Details: 

• What: Late-Night Study Hours
• When: Sunday, April 19, from 2 p.m to midnight
• Where: M&M Third Floor Co-Working Space

The 2026 Sustainability Film Series, coordinated by Michigan Tech’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience, will present April’s film “Human Footprint: Shelf Life” at 7 p.m. tonight, April 16, in Fisher 138. 

In this PBS series, biologist Shane Campbell-Staton travels from New York City to rural Thailand to explore the human footprint of the supermarket — a 20th century innovation that transformed our relationship with food, reshaping our bodies, our society and our planet along the way (runtime 55 minutes).

Add "Human Footprint: Shelf Life" to Your Google Calendar.

The Sustainability Film Series offers thought-provoking films and engaging conversation around environmental and sustainability topics. Films are screened on the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. in Fisher 138. Refreshments are provided, and each film is followed by a facilitated discussion. The series is open to the public, and all films are free to attend.

The last guest speaker of the semester in the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BioMed) Seminar Series will present tomorrow, April 17 at 3 p.m. in Chem Sci 102 and virtually via Zoom.

Join the BioMed Seminar on Zoom.

Ge He from Lawrence Technological University will present “A Combined Computational and Experimental Investigation of Nonphysiological Shear Stress (NPSS)–Induced Blood Damage and Its Application to Device Optimization”.

Read He’s abstract and bio on the University Events Calendar.

Please join the Department of Mathematical Sciences in Fisher 326 today, April 16, from 12-1 p.m. for our Graduate Student Seminar Series. 

This week’s speaker is Travis Andrus, whose presentation is titled “Table for 2? An ‘edge’ case extension of the Oberwolfach problem”.

Read Andrus’ abstract on the University Events Calendar.

Refreshments will be provided.

Contact the math department’s graduate program assistant, Andi Schoch, via email at ajschoch@mtu.edu or in person in Fisher 318 with any questions.

Montcalm County’s Daily News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Michigan College Access Network awarding more than $26,000 in Innovative Program Grants. MTU received $6,333 to support a program aimed at improving success rates for incoming first-year students with disabilities.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology News mentioned Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center in a story about developing human-robot teams for underwater missions. The GLRC hosted MIT equipment tests involving an autonomous underwater vehicle and human divers last summer.

The Daily Mining Gazette covered Michigan Tech men’s basketball guard Marcus Tomashek being named to the CSC Academic All-America Second Team for the second consecutive year.

WorldAtlas mentioned Michigan Tech in a listicle naming Houghton as one of the “8 Towns Perfect for Retirement in the Great Lakes.”

Registration Now Open: 2026 Upper Peninsula Teaching and Learning Conference

Registration is now open for the 2026 Upper Peninsula Teaching & Learning Conference (UP-TLC), hosted this year by Northern Michigan University in Marquette. The conference will take place May 29, with a pre-conference workshop on May 28.

UP-TLC brings together educators from across the Upper Peninsula to share innovative teaching practices, research, and strategies that support student success. Sessions highlight topics such as teaching with technology, active and inclusive learning practices, and approaches that enhance student engagement and learning.

The pre-conference workshop, "Exploring AI for Teaching and Learning: A Hands-On Workshop," will provide participants with an opportunity to explore emerging generative AI tools and practical applications for teaching and learning. Please note that seating for the pre-conference workshop is limited, so early registration is strongly encouraged.

Faculty and staff interested in attending should coordinate with their department and/or college regarding registration payment, transportation, and housing needs. 

Register online. Additional conference information can be found on Northern Michigan University's website. 

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MSA Workshop: Streamline Workflows with Agentic AI

Join the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at Michigan Tech for an interactive workshop on Agentic AI and how it can be used to streamline workflows and boost productivity.

The workshop will be held on Saturday, April 18, from 3-5 p.m. at the MTU Mosque, 2001 Woodmar Dr., Houghton.

In this session, Ali Awad will introduce the concept of Agentic AI and demonstrate how modern artificial intelligence systems can automate tasks, assist in decision-making and improve efficiency in both academic and professional settings.

This is a hands-on session — attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops.

What You Will Learn:

• What Agentic AI is and how it differs from traditional AI tools
• Practical ways to automate workflows using AI
• Real-world applications in research, engineering and daily productivity

This workshop is open to all students interested in AI, automation and productivity tools.

See Event Details on Facebook.

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KBIC Hosting Tribal Water Day

The Michigan Tech community is invited to join the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Natural Resources Department in celebrating Tribal Water Day.

Established by the KBIC in 2019 as an annual celebration, the event invites attendees to learn about how we care for and protect our water. It includes presentations, student posters, informational tables and more.

Everyone is welcome to attend, and lunch will be provided!

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Cera Shelafoe at cshelafoe@kbic-nsn.gov or 906-524-5757 ext. 4239, or Grace Krajenka at gkrajenka@kbic-nsn.gov or 906-524-5757 ext. 4247.

Event Details:

• What: Tribal Water Day
• When: Thursday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Doors open at 8 a.m.!)
• Where: Buck's Bingo Hall, 16449 Michigan Ave. in Baraga, Michigan
• Registration: Please register to attend by April 16

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Customer Appreciation Day Sale

The Campus Store and University Images invite you to our annual Customer Appreciation Sale!

• Thursday, April 16 — Stop by in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at both store locations to save in-store. (Union members receive an extra 5% off in-store.)

Whether you’re picking up a grad gift, a diploma frame or something just for you, don’t miss these savings.

Free popcorn at the Campus Store location!

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MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker: Ryan Sills

The next Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Graduate Seminar speaker will present at 2 p.m. today, April 16, in EERC 103.

Ryan Sills will present “Finite-element-based physics-informed neural networks forsurrogate modeling.”

From the abstract:
Neural networks (NNs) provide exciting tools for surrogate modeling applications given their extreme flexibility to learn and their extreme computational efficiency utilizing GPUs. However, in order to enable wide-spread use of NNs for surrogate modeling, two major challenges must be overcome: (1) NN architectures must be developed which can flexibly and efficiently learn the desired physics and (2) training schemes must be developed that do not require overly burdensome amounts of data.

To have your event automatically appear, please submit them to the University Events Calendar.

I-9 Verification at the MUB

Thursday, April 16, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | Memorial Union Building; Room 101

Human Resources will be on-site at the MUB to verify I-9 documentation for new hires.

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Recruitment Training

Thursday, April 16, 9–11 a.m. | MUB Ballroom A

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ICC Executive Director candidate David Dai Leadership and Experience Seminar

Thursday, April 16, 10:00–10:50 a.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom A1

This seminar offers a high-level perspective on the future of interdisciplinary research in an era where computing is central to national competitiveness. Drawing on his unique vantage point from the NSF, Huaiyu ‘David’ Dai will discuss aligning institutional strengths with emerging federal priorities to expand research visibility and impact. The session will explore a vision for the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) as a strategic connector, linking scholarship across departments and fostering an environment where faculty can collaborate to pursue major national initiatives. Attendees will gain insights into building durable research communities and driving innovation in computing research and practical cybersystems.

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ICC Executive Director Candidate Huaiyu ‘David’ Dai - Leadership and Vision Seminar

Thursday, April 16, 10:00–10:50 a.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom A1

This seminar offers a high-level perspective on the future of interdisciplinary research in an era where computing is central to national competitiveness. Drawing on his unique vantage point from the NSF, Huaiyu ‘David’ Dai will discuss aligning institutional strengths with emerging federal priorities to expand research visibility and impact. The session will explore a vision for the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) as a strategic connector, linking scholarship across departments and fostering an environment where faculty can collaborate to pursue major national initiatives. Attendees will gain insights into building durable research communities and driving innovation in computing research and practical cybersystems.

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Finite-element-based physics-informed neural networks for surrogate modeling

Thursday, April 16, 2 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 103

MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Ryan Sills, PhD Associate Professor Rutger University-New Brunswick Abstract Neural networks (NNs) provide exciting tools for surrogate modeling applications given their extreme flexibility to learn and their extreme computational efficiency utilizing GPUs. However, in order to enable wide-spread use of NNs for surrogate modeling, two major challenges must be overcome: (1) NN architectures must be developed which can flexibly and efficiently learn the desired physics and (2) training schemes must be developed that do not require overly burdensome amounts of data. The finite-element-based physics-informed neural network (FE-PINN) methodology developed by our group overcomes both challenges. The method is based on a new class of neural network operators called stenciled operators which utilize the inverse isoparametric map in conjunction with the finite element approximation, providing a flexible class of operators with length-scale-invariant computational cost. In comparison, graph-based operators are intrinsically scale dependent in their cost. Furthermore, FE-PINNs do not require labeled data for training, eliminating the data…

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Boys' Basketball Little Huskies

Thursday, April 16, 4–6 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Multi

Learning skills, working as a team, and having fun: that's Michigan Tech's Little Huskies Boys' Basketball Camp! It's about the best introduction to basketball you can imagine—personalized coaching that emphasizes both individual skills and team play, with plenty of time for gently competitive games in the SDC Varsity Gym. And Michigan Tech's campus is a great environment for meeting new people and making friends. This camp is open to boys in grades 2-5. Daily sessions are 2 hours, and players will leave with fundamental basketball skills like ball-handling, shooting, team play, and defensive play. Boys, Grades 2-5 (age 7-11)

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Huskies Swim Training - Session 3

Thursday, April 16, 4–5 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Huskies Swim Training is a program that provides additional attention and competitive guidance to advanced swimmers looking to focus on stroke technique and efficiency. Sessions will be designed to improve swimming through stroke drills and swimming sets focused on endurance, speed, and race strategy. Coaches will provide feedback and stroke correction in a group environment with an emphasis on promoting a love for competitive swimming and lifelong skills such as discipline, dedication, and teamwork. Come be part of the pack! Competitve swimming opportunities are now availabe to current Huskies Swim Training participants!

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The Buzz: Peer Support Community

Thursday, April 16, 5–6 p.m. | Hamar House

We invite you to join our safe and judgment-free space where students can share, listen, and support each other around substance use and recovery. You are welcome here.

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Learn-to-Swim Levels 1-5 (Ages 6-17 yrs) - Session 2

Thursday, April 16, 5:10–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Come make a splash in Huskies Group Swim Lessons! American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Levels 1-5 are being offered at the SDC Pool.

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Sustainability Film Series: Human Footprint: Shelf Life

Thursday, April 16, 7 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 138

The Sustainability Film Series, coordinated by the Michigan Tech Office of Sustainability and Resilience, offers thought-provoking films and engaging conversation around environmental and sustainability topics. April’s film ‘Human Footprint: Shelf Life’ follows biologist Shane Campbell-Staton as he travels from New York City to rural Thailand to explore the Human Footprint of the supermarket - a 20th century innovation that transformed our relationship with food, reshaping our bodies, our society, and our planet along the way. 'Human Footprint: Shelf Life' will be shown at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 in Fisher Hall 138. Refreshments will be provided, and each film will be followed by a facilitated discussion. The Sustainability Film Series is free and everyone is welcome to attend. A suggested $5 donation is appreciated and helps to support the continued offering of this film series.

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Graduate Student Seminar - Travis Andrus

April 16, all day | Fisher Hall, 326

Please join the Department of Mathematical Sciences in Fisher Hall 326 on Thursday, April 16 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. for our Graduate Student Seminar Series. Refreshments will be provided. Contact the Math Department Graduate Program Assistant, Andi Schoch, via email (ajschoch@mtu.edu) or in person (Fisher Hall 318) with any questions. Speaker this week: Travis Andrus Title: Table for 2? An "edge" case extension of the Oberwolfach problem Abstract: Originally posed by Ringel in 1967, the Oberwolfach problem asks for which 2-regular graphs G can the complete graph K_n be decomposed into edge-disjoint copies of G. Formulated another way, the task becomes to seat n individuals around round tables each day such that after the last day, each person has sat next to each other exactly once. We extend the Oberwolfach problem to consider tables of size 2, that is we aim to decompose K_n into factors consisting of the union of 2-regular graphs along with some number of edges