April 22, 2026

Graduating computer science major Ashley Baird is the kind of person who thrives on completing what she starts — and crossing the commencement stage on Saturday, April 25, will be the culmination of multiple achievements checked off of her personal Husky bucket list.

Baird’s drive to see things through resulted in a successful Humane Interface Design Enterprise project for the U.S. Department of Defense, working with retired astronaut William H. Shepherd. She also landed an internship at Nissan, working on the team that developed an industry-first personalized sound app.

The app hit the Google Play Store late last year, and Baird is still wrapping her head around how the work she did with Nissan manifested in such a rapid, tangible, widespread way. 

“It’s honestly crazy! I was working on it with the mindset that it was a real project that was going to eventually get developed even if I didn’t work on it. But it’s just awesome to know that it’s out there,” she said. “Like, I made that!”

Learn more about Baird’s achievements and find out what’s next for the soon-to-be graduate at Stories from Husky Nation.

College of Business master’s student Connor Zavislak is an Eagle Scout who found his calling on a baseball diamond in Royal Oak, Michigan. That’s where he discovered that, like another kind of diamond, he thrives when the heat is on and shines under pressure.

Zavislak’s moment of revelation has played out at Michigan Tech in a string of treasured memories and valuable accomplishments. Named the College’s 2024 Engineering Management Student of the Year, he took on multiple leadership roles across campus and community along with a trio of minors — including Financial Technology (FinTech) “for fun.”

Zavislak earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering management in spring 2025, and will again don cap and gown on Friday, April 24, to receive his Tech MBA. For him, his education goes beyond individual degree programs. 

“When I say that my degree is in people, it’s about the skills that I’ve learned and developed here, just being at Tech,” said Zavislak. “It’s understanding what it’s like to have friends, deep conversations, and being there to support and also be supported by people who are technically minded, or in the arts, or in business, but even when they’re kind of in their own lanes are similar to me.” 

“I understand how it feels to communicate with people of completely different backgrounds,” he said. “That’s where I feel my skill set has developed, along with the minors in global business, FinTech and entrepreneurship, which all involve people skills.” 

Find out where Zavislak is headed next — and why he hopes to serve on Tech’s Alumni Board of Directors someday — in a special commencement profile on the College of Business Newsblog.

Last week, a Senior Capstone Design team of six Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) seniors won second place in the overall category of the Aerospace Propulsion Outreach Program (APOP) competition sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). 

Each year, APOP teams are given a small off-the-shelf jet engine and are tasked with modifying the engine to satisfy the requirements specified by the AFRL. This year, the task was to design and manufacture a compact, engine-integrated heat exchange system to heat cold air supplied from the facility using hot compressed air extracted from the jet engine compressor. Other requirements included maximizing the engine thrust and minimizing the increase in the overall size and weight of the modified engine.

Associate Professor Kazuya Tajiri accompanied the group to Dayton, Ohio, to present their work. The team’s modified engine was tested and scored at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base during the trip. The students also attended a poster session as one of 21 participating schools to show the engineering support for their design.

The winning team members include Connor Corry, Ben Herzberger, Max Kleiman, Jackson Reese, Alex Rottier and Miles Slingsby.

The team is advised by Aslihan Vuruskan and William Endres, and Tajiri is the principal investigator of the project.

The Health Research Institute (HRI) at Michigan Tech is excited to announce our 2026 Summer Fellowship Awardees!

The following students have demonstrated a commitment to high-impact, health-related research. This award is a commitment to recognizing and supporting the continuation of their work.

• Amirabbas Benvidi, Biomedical Engineering
• Isabel Chapa, Chemical Engineering
• Jenna Disser, Biological Sciences
• Vedika Khare, Biomedical Engineering
• Ethan Plummer, Biomedical Engineering

The HRI wishes all our recipients continued success as they pursue their doctoral degrees!

These students, faculty and staff were presented awards on Monday, April 20, at the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) Convocation held in the MUB Alumni Lounge.

Congratulations to all!

• Chair’s Award for Outstanding Chemical Engineering Senior:
  Recipient: Andrew Brenner

• Outstanding Sophomore and Outstanding New Student Awards:
  Sophomore Recipient: Maria Tessin
  New Student Recipient: Kenzie Dollison

• Excellence in Communication Award:
  Recipient: Sean Baumann

• Professional Ethics Award:
  Recipient: Nathan Keen

• Prevent Accidents With Safety (PAWS) Award:
  Recipients: Madison Baldwin and Andrew Brenner

• Dow Chemical Marriott W. Bredekamp Award:
  Recipients: Lance Koelzer, Hank Perkins, Bayler Robertson, and Ethan Stefanou

• Senior Design Team Awards:
  Finalist Teams:
  – Third Place: Nathan Keen, Mackenzie Pillote, Nathan White, Austen Braden, Jacob Florida
  – Runner-Up: Grace Wallis, Lance Koelzer, Zachary Moore, Alicia Hinman, Ethan Stefanou
  – Winner: Logan Sandell, Zoe Kumm, Carl Jaeger, Max Zuke

• Davis W. Hubbard Outstanding Junior Award:
  Recipient: Jane Johnston

• Leadership Awards:
  Recipients:
  – AIChE: Grace Wallis
  – CPM: Wyatt Madden
  – OXE: Andrew Brenner
  – SAB: James Hays
  – AEE: Mallory McDonald
  – Green Campus: Olivia Amash

• Department Awards:
  ChE students voted on these categories to honor our outstanding department employees!
  – Teacher of the Year: Daniel Kulas
  – Research Mentor of the Year: Daniel Kulas
  – Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year: Kiernan Vacek
  – Undergraduate Grader of the Year: Vincent Barberio
  – Staff Making a Difference: Tyson Kauppinen
  – Peer Mentor and Coach of the Year: James Hays

To stimulate an interest in biology careers, the Department of Biological Sciences at Michigan Technological University has sponsored a single-day, hands-on problem-solving competition known as the Bioathlon for the past 35 years.

The 35th Annual Bioathlon Competition will be held today, April 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Michigan Tech, with high schools from across the U.P. sending four students each to compete in three lab challenges.

Through these projects, students have to demonstrate organizational skills, critical and creative thinking, knowledge of biological concepts, and laboratory skills. First, second and third place will be awarded at the awards ceremony at 2:45 p.m. in GLRC 202.

The Michigan Tech Graduate School will be closed on Friday, April 24, from 1-5 p.m. to support commencement preparations.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding during this busy time. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, April 27.

Thank you.

Michigan Tech IT will be upgrading the AppsAnywhere server next Wednesday, April 29, from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. AppsAnywhere will be unavailable during this time. Locally installed software (CORE, COMSOL, aspen One and Labview) will not be affected.

If you have any questions, we can help. it-help@mtu.edu">Email IT or call 906-487-1111.

Human Resources (HR) will not have a regular on-site presence in the Memorial Union Building starting Monday, April 27, through Aug. 14. HR will be available by appointment only on Wednesdays and Thursdays during this period. Please reach out to hr-help@mtu.edu to schedule an appointment.

HR’s regular full-day hours on Wednesday and Thursdays in the MUB will resume on Aug. 17.

Next month, Husky Eats is hosting hands-on culinary courses led by executive chef Erik Copeland and sous chef Ron Edwards. Tickets are limited. Don’t miss out!

Husky Eats at Michigan Technological University is offering a new series of Community Cooking Classes in May hosted at The Eatery at McNair Hall. Designed for home cooks of all skill levels, these immersive, hands-on classes provide an opportunity to sharpen essential techniques, expand culinary knowledge and learn directly from Husky Eats chefs.

Whether participants are new to the kitchen or looking to refine their skills, each two-day course offers expert instruction in a welcoming, educational environment. Courses are $50 per person, which includes both class sessions and ingredients.

Each Class Includes:

• Day 1: Kitchen safety fundamentals, knife skills, and preparation of a small takeaway dish.

• Day 2: A deeper exploration of the course theme, culminating in the preparation of a complete meal while building on newly learned techniques.

Classes Offered:

• Knife Skills & Mother Sauces — May 12 and 14
• Basic Home Butchery — May 19 and 21
• Fundamentals of Seasoning: Herbs and Spices — May 26 and 28

Learn More and Purchase Tickets.

All classes are held at The Eatery at McNair Hall on Michigan Tech's campus at 1801 Townsend Dr. in Houghton, Michigan. Final course details, including appropriate attire and parking information, will be emailed to participants after registration.

For additional questions, please contact huskyeats@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1861 during business hours.

Job Posting for Wednesday, April 22, 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.

Director of Financial Aid, Financial Aid Administration.

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.

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), including the KBIC Natural Resources Department and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), partnered with researchers at Michigan Technological University to publish a new article in the journal Socio-Ecological Practice Research examining convergence research in Indigenous-university partnerships.

The article is titled “Expanding the convergence canon: indigenous knowledge systems and place-based convergence research in Lake Superior’s Keweenaw Bay, USA”.

Authors include Evelyn Ravindran of the KBIC Natural Resources Department, Caren Ackley of the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, and MTU researchers Melissa Baird and Larissa Juip (both SS), Valoree Gagnon and Cassandra Reed-VanDam (both CFRES), Judith Perlinger and Noel Urban (both CEGE) and Kelly Kamm (KIP).

The study is based on a National Science Foundation-funded project. The team comprised three institutions and included tribal resource managers, Indigenous scholars, engineers, public health researchers and social scientists.

The team analyzed how convergence research was defined and practiced across institutional and community contexts. Their findings show that convergence operates as a negotiated, practice-based process shaped by distinct roles, timelines and knowledge systems, with community priorities and sustained partnerships central to outcomes.

The MTU Planetary Surface Technology Development Lab (PSTDL) attended the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Earth and Space 2026 conference, held April 13-16 in College Station, Texas. 

The lab’s principal investigator, Associate Professor Paul van Susante (MAE), presented at the short course on the topic of lunar site preparation and hardware development. PSTDL researchers and Ph.D. students Ellie Zimmermann and Christi LeCaptain did an amazing job presenting their papers in the best student paper finalist paper sessions. Congratulations to LeCaptain for winning the best paper award, accompanied by a $500 prize!

Zimmermann’s paper and presentation were titled “New Lunar Mining Hardware Testing Results from Planetary Surface Technology Development Lab” and will be published in the peer-reviewed conference proceedings.

LeCaptain’s paper and presentation were titled “Bearing Capacity Testing and Stress Bulb Characterization of Lunar Simulant in Atmospheric and Vacuum Conditions” and will be published in the peer-reviewed conference proceedings.

Van Susante co-authored three other papers at the conference.

MIT Technology Review quoted Kristin Brzeski (CFRES) in a story about ongoing debates surrounding red wolf conservation and genetic research. The article explores the complexities of species classification, hybridization and emerging technologies like cloning in efforts to support endangered wolf populations.

The Keweenaw Report and Mining Journal mentioned Ph.D. candidate Houssein Yassin (mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics), undergraduate Caelan Mead-O'Brien (environmental engineering), and Michigan Tech Board of Trustees member Jeffrey Littmann in stories about Michigan Tech’s Spring Commencement. Littmann will deliver the keynote address at both MTU ceremonies, happening Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25, at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena. Find out more at Michigan Tech News.

The Keweenaw Report quoted Kiersten Birondo (Rozsa) in a story about the Rozsa Center and Michigan Tech Athletics transitioning to the vivenu ticketing system. The change, effective June 1, is intended to simplify and improve the ticket purchasing experience for patrons. 

WLUC TV6 and My UP Now quoted Suzanne Sanregret (ATH) in stories about Eric Gruber being named Michigan Tech’s new head women’s basketball coach. Gruber joins the Huskies after serving as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois Edwardsville.

MTU Aquatics: American Red Cross Lifeguarding Course

Registration is open for the American Red Cross Lifeguarding Course being held at Michigan Tech's SDC Pool from May 27-31. 

This intensive five-day course offers a comprehensive certification in Lifeguarding (including Deep Water) with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid. Participants must be at least 15 years old and able to perform the course's required water skills.

Registration closes May 20 at 11:59 p.m. Cost is $225. 

For additional details on registering for this course to receive academic credit, please reach out to Ann Boyle at ambengry@mtu.edu or 906-487-2995.

Course Details:

• What: American Red Cross Lifeguarding Course
• When: Wednesday-Sunday, May 27-31 (hours vary by day; detailed schedule will be shared upon registration) 
• Where: Michigan Tech SDC Pool
• Register Now

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Pop:UP – A Short-Term Exhibition Around Campus

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.

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

I-9 Verification at the MUB

Wednesday, April 22, 10 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.

Master's Defense: Cornelius Suom-Kogle

Wednesday, April 22, 3–4 p.m. | Walker Arts and Humanities Center, Petersen Library

Rhetoric, Theory and Culture Advisor: Andrew Fiss Valuing Life and Loss Genre Analysis of Insurance Claims Processing Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/82011231057