April 23, 2026

For more than seven decades, the Copper Country has been a hub for engineering, manufacturing, testing and research aimed at national security. Now, Michigan Tech and local business leaders have banded together to strengthen their collective voice amid the United States’ booming defense industry.

When Andrew Barnard took the reins of Michigan Tech’s research enterprise as the University’s vice president for research in 2024, one of the first things he did was organize the Keweenaw Defense Industry Consortium — a group of companies in Houghton and Keweenaw counties that develop next-generation defense technologies as part or all of their business portfolios.

Having seen the surge in defense investment happening both nationally and in Michigan, Barnard seized the opportunity for Michigan Tech to collaborate with these local businesses in a more coordinated way.

“It’s not just one business working on one thing,” said Barnard. “It’s a really extensive and vibrant defense industry ecosystem. And with us all working together, we can better tell the story of all the national security efforts happening here in the Copper Country.”

Learn more about the Keweenaw Defense Industry Consortium in our 2026 Michigan Tech Magazine.

On the water or in the lab, Department of Mathematical Sciences (Math) student Aili Toyli meets every challenge with curiosity and determination. This statistics major came to Michigan Tech seeking adventure, community and research — and found all three.

“Tech promotes the mindset that everyone can succeed, while still pushing students to meet high standards. People are very genuinely curious about problems, love to learn, and love to talk about what they’re learning. I was having weekend adventures with people I’ve met pretty early on, because everyone’s just looking for something to do and to get to know people,” said Toyli, who will earn her bachelor’s degree on Saturday, April 25, at 2026 Spring Commencement.

“We have multiple successful undergraduate researchers in the department, and Aili definitely is one of our most successful students,” said Weihua Zhou, an associate professor of health informatics and applied computing with an affiliation in the Math department.

“I’m very impressed by Aili. When she encounters challenges, she takes the initiative to explore the solutions on her own before coming back with thoughtful questions. She’s very confident in moving from learning concepts to applying them independently in research,” said Qiuying Sha, distinguished professor of mathematical sciences.

Read about Toyli’s adventures as a student, researcher and outdoor enthusiast on the College of Sciences and Arts Newsblog.

Michigan Tech’s Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience (CISR) is excited to announce that Rob Handler has been selected to serve as CISR’s new associate director of research. Handler started this role in the spring 2026 semester.

A research center within the Great Lakes Research Center research institute, CISR supports a community of scholars working on sustainability and resilience topics. 

As associate director of research, Handler will be working with Ana Dyreson, CISR’s director of research, to support growth in visibility and connectivity among researchers across campus who are interested in working within the domains of sustainability and resilience. We are particularly excited to grow interdisciplinary team science and community-engaged partnerships that support research and education in sustainability and resilience.

Handler is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering whose research and teaching focus on environmental life cycle assessment methods to evaluate new technologies in alternative energy, materials and manufacturing, and other areas. He also advises the Green Campus Enterprise, and brings extensive institutional experience with team science at Michigan Tech. He is an affiliated assistant professor in both the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, and the Department of Social Sciences.

Welcome, Rob!

The Department of Physics is concluding the 2025-26 academic year by recognizing our undergraduate and graduate students with the following awards.

Undergraduate Student Awards:

• Ian W. Shepherd Award: Andrew Konop
• Elizabeth Henes Award: Delaney Henderson

The Ian W. Shepherd Award is presented annually to the most promising physics or applied physics senior student(s). The Elizabeth Henes Award is presented annually to the most outstanding female senior physics or applied physics students. The winners are selected by Physics faculty, and the recipients’ names are engraved on the plaques displayed in the Physics department.

Graduate Student Awards:

• Best Graduate Student Oral Presentation Award: Nayana Suresh Palaparambil
• Best Poster Presentation Award: Daniel Watson

Physics and applied physics graduate students have developed a peer-review evaluation process to select the best oral and poster presentations. Each spring semester, physics and applied physics students present their research progress in the weekly Physics Colloquium series. All second-year graduate students present at the poster session, and senior graduate students present at the oral sessions. These annual events are the platforms for our graduate students to practice and enhance their professional skills in physics research.

Job Posting for Thursday, April 23, 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.

Custodian – First Shift (12 months), Athletics and Recreation. (​AFSCME posting dates are April 23 to April 30, 2026. External applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal ​AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal ​AFSCME posting dates.)

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.

James Juip (GRF) is the lead author of a new paper, co-authored with Don Lafreniere, Sarah Scarlett and Mark Rhodes (all SS), published in the journal Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History.

The paper is titled "Creating and Sustaining Public Engagement in Spatial Humanities and Deep Mapping Projects". It outlines best practices for creating and sustaining public engagement in mapping projects using the Keweenaw Time Traveler as a case study.

Birmingham’s Downtown Newsmagazine mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about microplastics in inland lakes. The article highlights ongoing research and monitoring efforts across Michigan to better understand the environmental and public health impacts of microplastic pollution.

The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech in a story previewing the University’s Board of Trustees meeting tomorrow, April 24.

Michigan Tech alum Kanwal Rekhi ’69 (M.S. Electrical Engineering) was a guest on the April 21 episode of the Carnegie Endowment’s Grand Tamasha podcast, titled “The Indian Who Helped Build Silicon Valley.” Rekhi discussed his new memoir and his journey from India to becoming a pioneering entrepreneur, as well as his role in shaping the tech industry and supporting entrepreneurship in India.

Clarkston News mentioned Michigan Tech alum Jason Markesino ’03 (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) in coverage of Team RUSH 27 winning the 2026 FIRST Robotics Competition’s Michigan state championship. Markesino, a team mentor, won the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award after being nominated by team members. As an MTU student, he helped start FIRST Robotics team FRC 857 in the Copper Country.

Army and Air Force ROTC Joint Commissioning Ceremony

Michigan Tech’s Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC invite you to our Spring 2026 Commissioning Ceremony, being held tomorrow, April 24, at 7 p.m. in the Rozsa Center Lobby.

This semester, we have five Army cadets and two Air Force cadets commissioning. Those commissioning are from the following programs:

• Chemical Engineering
• Computer Science
• Forestry
• Geospatial Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

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Recreation Summer Building Hours

Summer facility hours are almost here! As Michigan Tech transitions from the spring semester to summer, Recreation has some updates regarding facility hours. 

Summer Hours:

We encourage you to review the full Open Rec Hours schedule before visiting so you can plan your workouts and rec time accordingly. 

Stay active and enjoy your summer! Questions? Email recreation@mtu.edu.

Important Dates:

• April 23 — Last day of spring semester building hours
• April 24 — Gates Tennis Center summer hours begin
• April 25 — Gates Tennis Center closed
• April 24 to May 3 — SDC closed
• May 4 — SDC summer hours begin
• May 25 and July 4-5 — All Recreation facilities closed
• Aug. 30 — Last day of summer building hours

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Upcoming Changes to Digital Measures at Michigan Tech

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.

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

I-9 Verification at the MUB

Thursday, April 23, 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.

The Chair Letter (NSF CAREER Series)

Thursday, April 23, 12:00–12:50 p.m.

In the NSF CAREER* program, 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 us 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 proposal. Anyone interested in submitting a CAREER proposal in 2026 or later is encouraged to attend.This session is especially well-timed for those beginning conversations with their chair.Check out the RD Toolkit folder for all our NSF CAREER resources. *note: there are specific eligibility requirements for the CAREER program

Master's Defense: Mackenzie Phillips

Thursday, April 23, 1–2 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), 202

Biological Sciences Advisor: Gordon Paterson Fluctuation of Organochlorine Concentrations In Bull Sharks At Different Life Stages Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/87243623397

Rehearsal - Graduate Student Commencement

Thursday, April 23, 1–2 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Multipurpose Room

Commencement Rehearsal Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room in the SDC. Graduate students should arrive at 12:45 p.m.

Rehearsal - Undergraduate Student Commencement

Thursday, April 23, 3–4 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Multipurpose Room

Commencement Rehearsal Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 3 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room in the SDC, please arrive by 2:45 p.m.