A degree from Michigan Tech can land you the career of your dreams.
Ben Stelzer ’15 is now a video coordinator for the NBA's Golden State Warriors. Megan Baker ’15 is snarge inspector for SES Environmental Resource Solutions. And Dan Green ’12 is a spacesuit design engineer at David Clark.
Learn more about these three alumni and their journeys from Michigan Tech to their dream jobs in the 2026 edition of Michigan Tech Magazine.
The Rural Sociological Society has awarded Associate Professor Angie Carter (SS) its Minnie Miller Brown Excellence in Extension and Public Outreach Award.
The award, named for the late Minnie Miller Brown, honors a society member working at a university or college who has made significant contributions to extension and public outreach. It recognizes public service excellence in academic settings, where excellence centers on having made a significant impact on rural residents, rural life and/or rural policy.
The award will be presented in late July at the Rural Sociological Society's annual meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Professor Richelle Winkler (SS) facilitated Carter’s nomination packet, which included support letters from Associate Professor Melissa Baird (SS); Rachael Pressley, planning director, Western UP Planning & Development Region; Robin Meneguzzo, executive director, Keweenaw Community Foundation; and Madelina DiLisi ’23 (M.S. Environmental and Energy Policy), director of community programs, Keweenaw Community Foundation.
The Rural Sociological Society is a professional association that promotes the generation, application and dissemination of social scientific knowledge. The society seeks to enhance the quality of rural life, communities and the environment, both in North America and elsewhere in the world.
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) is delighted to announce that Cora Taylor, MAE adjunct assistant teaching professor, has been recognized as the MAE Teacher of the Year! This honor is considered very prestigious in the department.
During the 2025-26 academic year, Taylor taught both the lectures and all of the practice sessions in the fall and six of the sections in the spring for ME3911 Mechanical Engineering Practice 4, engaging 272 students across the program. This is the first time a single faculty member has taken on this level of responsibility in offering a MEP course. Taylor’s teaching assignment was structured as an experiment to assess future concepts on how to offer our MAE practice courses. Taylor also advised four Senior Design teams this year.
Taylor has a reputation for clarity, mentorship and engagement with her students. Since she started here, she has become a fixture in the department, known for helping her students navigate through the rigors of laboratory assignments with patience and expert software guidance. She draws from her extensive background in structural dynamics and vibration testing to show students how theory applies to industry challenges and leverages her experience as a former president of Formula SAE, part of Michigan Tech's Advanced Motorsports Enterprise, to help students manage complex team projects and design constraints.
Taylor’s connection to Michigan Tech is deep, having earned her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2018, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2020, and recently her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics in 2025 from the MAE department. Her research into dynamic environment test fixtures and tuned mass dampers has earned her international accolades from the Society of Experimental Mechanics (SEM). This award marks her third major teaching honor at Michigan Tech, following her Outstanding Graduate Teaching Awards in 2019 and 2024.
Whether she was representing the University as the 2018 Winter Carnival Royal Majesty or serving as an associate editor for the Experimental Techniques Journal, Taylor has consistently championed the Husky Spirit. Her unique ability to balance high-level research with a genuine passion for student success is what makes her the definitive choice for this year’s honor.
Congratulations, Dr. Taylor, on being named the MAE Teacher of the Year!
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) at Michigan Technological University celebrated its graduating seniors and recognized outstanding achievements at the 2026 Senior Recognition and Order of the Engineer Induction Ceremony, held Tuesday, April 14, at The Bonfire.
During the ceremony, 120 mechanical engineering students were inducted into the Order of the Engineer, taking a pledge to practice engineering with integrity, honesty and respect; to uphold the profession’s standards and dignity; and to use their skills responsibly in service of the public good. The oath emphasizes ethical conduct, dedication to one’s work and a commitment to benefiting society through engineering.
The event also highlighted undergraduate leadership, innovation and contributions across Enterprise Program and capstone design teams, as well as excellence in teaching.
Recognized students and faculty included:
MINE Enterprise
Advisor: Paul van Susante
Formula SAE Enterprise
Advisor: Jim De Clerck
Senior Capstone Design
Instructor: Bill Endres
MAE Teacher of the Year
Presented by MAESAC President Katherine Rauscher
The ceremony underscored the depth of talent, dedication and impact within the department, reflecting Michigan Tech’s commitment to excellence in education, research and student success.
From innovative designs to real-world problem-solving, students in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) are ready to showcase the results of their hard work and creativity. Join us this Friday, April 24, as our students present their capstone design projects and highlight the impact of their engineering solutions.
CEGE Senior Design Colloquium
Friday, April 24, from 8 a.m. to noon in Dow 641
Prefer to attend virtually? Join the CEGE Senior Design Colloquium on Zoom.
This week, keep your eyes open around campus for Pop:UP, a short-term exhibition of weirdly surprising historical artifacts. You’ll find them in the Van Pelt and Opie Library, the Rozsa Lobby and the Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC). “Pieces of the past” are all around us — find them all!
About Pop:UP — Pieces of the Past in the Upper Peninsula
Pop:UP is a collaboration between Sarah Fayen Scarlett (SS) and Kent Cyr (VPA) and features the work of Michigan Tech graduate students in the Industrial Heritage and Archaeology program and undergrad majors in Theatre and Entertainment Technology. Parts of Pop:UP appeared in “Journey Through the Keweenaw: Interactive Walk-through Installations” in McArdle Theatre from April 9-12.
No matter where you are in life — whether you’re just getting started or planning for retirement — a session with a financial consultant can help you create a plan for your goals. And, it’s at no additional cost as a part of your retirement plan. You’ll get answers to these questions and more:
Ryan Hallowell from the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) will be available on Michigan Tech’s campus for one-on-one sessions from May 11 through May 14. MTU employees can schedule time slots with Hallowell in the MUB Datolite Room (MUB 100) during his time here.
Matthew Bunch also from the TIAA will be available on Michigan Tech’s campus for one-on-one sessions from June 8 through June 12. MTU employees can schedule time slots with Bunch in the MUB Greenstone Room (MUB 106A) during his time here.
RSVP today, as space is limited. You can register for a session with TIAA directly by logging in to your TIAA or guest account, then searching for "Michigan Tech" in the Institution field. When asked how you would like to meet, select "In Person at My Employer."
You can also register for a meeting by calling TIAA at 800-732-8353 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
Eric Gruber has been named the 10th head coach of the Michigan Tech women's basketball program, according to an announcement yesterday, April 20, by MTU Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Suzanne Sanregret.
Gruber comes to Tech from NCAA Division I Southern Illinois Edwardsville, where he was an assistant women's basketball coach for the past three seasons. He was an assistant coach at GLIAC rival the University of Wisconsin-Parkside during the 2022-23 season.
"Eric understands the legacy of our women's basketball program, the high expectations of competing for GLIAC and national success, and what it takes to recruit and develop outstanding student-athletes," said Sanregret. "His strong recruiting connections in Wisconsin and across the Upper Midwest will be a tremendous asset to our program. He values the small-town feel and close-knit community that make our campus special, and we're confident he will build on our winning tradition by attracting top talent that excels both on the court and in the classroom."
Read more about Gruber at Michigan Tech Athletics.
Job Postings for Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email humanresources@mtu.edu. For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.
Machine Learning Program Lead, Michigan Tech Research Institute.
Senior Research Technician, Advanced Power Systems Research Center.
Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Accommodations are available. If you require any auxiliary aids, services, or other accommodations to apply for employment or for an interview at Michigan Technological University, please notify the Human Resources office at 906-487-2280 or humanresources@mtu.edu.
Following the success of their victory at the 2025 Benchmark Autonomous Robot Navigation (BARN) Challenge, Assistant Professor Amna Mazen (AC/MMET) and her team have published a paper in IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine.
The paper, titled "Autonomous Ground Navigation in Highly Constrained Spaces: Lessons Learned From the Fourth BARN Challenge at ICRA 2025", was written in collaboration with challenge organizers. It highlights the Michigan Tech Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab's 2025 BARN Challenge victory and provides insights for future challenges.
Laura Kasson Fiss (HU/PHC) presided over the annual meeting of the Midwest Victorian Studies Association, held in Cincinnati, Ohio, from April 10-12, in her final year as president of the association.
Fiss’ duties included giving the conference welcome, introducing speakers and awarding prizes, including the Lifetime Achievement Award to Professor Emerita Linda K. Hughes of Texas Christian University and prizes for graduate students.
Fiss’ own paper, titled “The Johnny and the Girls: George Grossmith III’s ‘Brainless’ Type,” formed part of an interdisciplinary panel on the 1894 musical comedy “The Shop Girl”.
An article written by Sigrid Resh (CFRES), Troy Tofil (KISMA) and Michigan Tech student Paul Bramstedt (applied ecology) was was published in the Daily Mining Gazette. The article discussed efforts to protect the Keweenaw from invasive species through early detection and rapid response, explaining how coordinated monitoring and public reporting help identify and manage new invasive threats before they spread.
Bill Roberts (ADV) was a guest on the “Copper Country Today” radio program’s April 19 episode, titled “Campaign for Michigan Tech”. He discussed the University’s capital fundraising effort and its impact on the campus and surrounding community.
PsyPost featured Destaney Sauls (PsyHF) in a story about how narcissistic traits influence how individuals perceive humor in their friendships. The story highlights findings from the study “Friendship through a narcissistic lens: The role of narcissism in perceived humor similarity among friends in Germany and the US,” co-authored by Sauls.
Deseret News mentioned a Michigan Tech study in a story about a wolf pup in Yellowstone National Park. The study found that 78% of Americans support maintaining Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves.
Join the Michigan Tech Writing Center today, April 21, for a reception celebrating the Ink & Ore Enterprise’s inaugural year and the students who brought it to life.
In partnership with the First-Year Writing Program, The Lode, and students from both HU3606 Editing and HU3621 Experience in Journalism, the proof is in the pubs:
Light refreshments. Powerful student writing. Good people.
Ink & Ore Enterprise Inaugural Year Celebration
Tuesday, April 21, from 4-6 p.m. in the Michigan Tech Writing Center, Walker 107
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In the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER)*, your department’s support is scrutinized just as closely as your research and education plan. The department chair’s letter is more than a formality — it’s a commitment. Will your letter merely “allow” your work, or will it actively champion your role as a teacher-scholar?
Join the Research Development team on Thursday, April 23, at noon for a focused, one-hour virtual session in which we’ll break down the specific NSF requirements and share strategies for securing a letter that will elevate your entire CAREER proposal.
NSF CAREER Series: The Chair Letter
Thursday, April 23, at noon
Join the Virtual Session on Zoom.
About the Session:
* Note: There are specific eligibility requirements for the CAREER program. Please reach out to rd-l@mtu.edu with any questions.
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Do you know a high school student who could benefit from a head start on their college journey?
Upward Bound is a federally funded TRIO program that supports first-generation, income-eligible high school students in preparing for success after high school. Through academic support, college readiness programming and enrichment opportunities, the program helps students build the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to pursue and complete a college degree. Students are eligible to join beginning the summer after completing eighth grade.
A key component of the program is the six-week residential Upward Bound Summer Program, where students live on campus and experience college life firsthand. Participants engage in academic courses, develop independence and connect with peers in a structured, supportive environment.
This summer, students will also have the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning beyond the classroom. They will work alongside Copper Country Habitat for Humanity on a home build project, gaining valuable teamwork and community service experience. In addition, students will explore creative expression through workshops at the Finnish American Folk School.
The program concludes with a celebratory trip to San Francisco, California, giving students the chance to explore a new environment, learn about career pathways and reflect on their growth throughout the summer.
If you know a student who would benefit from this opportunity, we encourage you to share this information and support them in applying.
Your encouragement could make all the difference in helping a student take the next step toward their future.
Students interested in participating this summer must be accepted into Upward Bound and register before Monday, April 27. For questions or more information, please contact TRIO Pre-College Programs hosted at Michigan Tech at trio@mtu.edu or visit mtu.edu/trio.
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Facilities Management has developed a five-year rotating plan to service the 12,470-volt switchgear and associated circuit breakers on Michigan Tech’s campus. Our campus electrical distribution system depends on this equipment being in good working condition. This work requires a two-night power outage that affects the least number of buildings possible.
We understand that shutting off power can be inconvenient, but we believe that by taking a proactive approach, we reduce the chance of an unplanned failure during the academic year that is even more inconvenient or disruptive.
Please note: In most cases, elevators, fume hoods, exhaust fans, ventilation equipment, normal lighting, plug-in appliances and plug-in equipment will not operate during the outages. Only items connected to the building emergency generator will have power during the outages. The building emergency generators and battery systems that supply power to emergency/egress lighting and special equipment should function as normal. If you are unsure if your equipment connects to the building emergency generator, please contact the Facilities Management building mechanic for your building.
Additionally, Michigan Tech IT will be turning off all network equipment in the affected buildings for these outages, starting at 5 p.m. You should plan to save any work, shut down your computer systems and exit the buildings before the outages.
Buildings affected by the power outages will have the power shut off during the scheduled outages. Some buildings with power will be without phone or internet service.
First power outage:
Second power outage:
Buildings affected:
Buildings with power but no internet or phone:
If there are questions or concerns with this plan, please contact Facilities Management at 906-487-2303.
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Facilities Management’s annual steam shutdown for 2026 will take place during the week following Spring Commencement, from April 26 to May 1, weather permitting.
This outage is required to maintain and service the boilers and steam distribution system on campus. This planned maintenance improves the reliability of our system and reduces the likelihood of an unplanned failure during the winter heating season.
Please be advised: During the steam shutdown, affected buildings will experience a complete loss of heating and hot water. Distilled water will not be accessible from the steam-powered stills, and steam-driven autoclaves and sterilizers will be nonoperational.
Annual steam shutdown dates/times:
Buildings affected:
If there are questions or concerns with this plan, please contact Facilities Management at 906-487-2303.
To have your event automatically appear, please submit them to the University Events Calendar.
Take a break, Huskies. You’ve earned it. 🾠Stop by during finals week for free chair massages and give yourself a moment to relax, reset, and recharge. Whether you’re feeling the pressure of exams or just need a quick pause, we’ve got you covered. Drop in, unwind, and come back feeling refreshed.
*****Rhetoric, Theory and Culture Advisor: Jennifer Nish Healing Harmonies: The Emphasis of Vulnerability and Community in Kendrick Lamar's Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers
*****Civil Engineering Advisor: Yousef Mohammadi Darestani SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE ASSESMENT OF COASTAL POWER SYSTEMS AGAINST STORM HAZARDS Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/3123478045
*****Come join Staff Council for our monthly meeting! Staff Council is a service organization within the University whose charge is: to assist the University in recognizing outstanding performance and ongoing dedicated service by staff membersto maximize the use of talents and resources of the staff to support educational programs and to develop and strengthen skills and professionalism among the staffto provide events and opportunities that enhance the working environment of Michigan TechEach meeting consists of a notable guest speaker to share updates from around campus, updates about upcoming Staff Council programs and events, and opportunities to chat amongst a community of fellow staff members. Membership on Staff Council is voluntary, open, and available to any eligible staff member. Staff Council exists to support Michigan Tech staff: full-time, part-time, nine-month, or ten-month; non-student, non-faculty. As a reminder, union-represented employees are entitled to release time for professional development activities, including staff recognition programs deemed relevant by the University. Employees should work with their supervisors to ensure coverage during their absence. Supervisors…
*****Mechanical Engineering Co-advisors: Jeffrey Allen and Lyon King System-level Assessment of Non-ideal Phase Change Material Behavior in Low Earth Orbit Spacecraft Thermal Control Models Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/84664066882
*****Join us for our weekly free student meal, held Tuesdays during the semester at Good Shepard Lutheran Church. Come to cook, serve, eat, clean up, or all of the above! Cooking begins at 5pm and anyone is welcome to help cook. The meal is served from 6:30pm-7:30pm and any students are welcome to eat at the church and visit with friends or take a to-go box! If you would like to help with the meal but can't be there at 5, we also welcome people to help clean up from around 6:30pm to about 8pm. To stay up to date on weekly menus, follow the LCM instagram @lcm.mtu
