April 3, 2026

What does success look like after Michigan Tech? In the current issue of Impact Magazine, three College of Business alumni show how many paths a Tech education can open when Huskies blend passion and purpose with preparation.

Hear from a competitive sailor who enjoyed a successful career with both Dow and KPMG US — and continues to give back to the pack. Find out how an advanced degree helped the former director of the Rozsa Center follow her artistic heart into a profession she loves. And learn from a young alum leveraging artificial intelligence and STEM-infused business skills to make his mark.

Greg Horvath ’85 (B.S. Management Information Systems), Mary Jennings ’19 (TechMBA®) and Daron Hebeler ’23 (B.S. Management Information Systems/Accounting with a specialization in data analytics) share their career insights and how the Husky community continues to be important to them in the latest Impact Magazine.

College of Engineering Dean Michelle Scherer has selected Robert Handler, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE), as this week’s instructor in the 2026 Deans’ Teaching Showcase.

Handler will be recognized at an end-of-term event with other spring showcase members and is a candidate for the CTL Instructional Award Series.

Handler teaches courses focused on sustainability and resilience that are open to all upper-level undergraduates and graduate students. Two of these courses, ENG4515/5515 and ENG4525/5525, are the core courses for the Graduate Certificate in Engineering Sustainability and Resilience.

In Handler’s courses, he makes a concerted effort to involve a variety of guests from inside and outside MTU who can share different perspectives on how concepts of sustainability and resilience are put into practice, which allows students from many different academic backgrounds to see the connections in their own disciplines. Handler also puts the students in charge of their own learning, allowing them to use topics of their choosing as a vehicle for making connections to class material and fully exploring sustainability and resilience themes in contexts that make them excited to learn.

In ENG4515/5515, students are in charge of developing detailed case study presentations to take a deep dive on a particular course theme. Students also develop longer-term project reports and presentations that discuss the sustainability dimensions of anything they might be interested in, from the K-pop music industry to modular nuclear reactors. For graduate students, many of these reports wind up being thesis chapters and journal publications. 

“We want to develop students that have an ability to think critically about aspects of sustainability and resilience, so they can live their lives as citizens and professionals who are prepared to make more informed decisions about the world they create,” said Handler. “I can’t educate them on every topic they might be interested in, so my job is to create opportunities for them to practice this systems-level thinking in areas that interest them!”

“I think your teaching style was great, giving us a case study to further expand on our topics and bringing in frequent visitors to converse about their experiences and their topics of specificity was cool. Giving us real world examples, and then further reinforcing them with your lectures and others lectures was a good system,” wrote a student from Handler’s fall 2025 class.

“Companies recruit our graduates because they cut their teeth on real-world examples like those Rob Handler puts in front of his students. He encourages outside perspectives by bringing in lots of folks who can share their experiences and expertise. This is the kind of education that Michigan Tech is known for and the critical skills students develop is why companies hire them. Having educators like Rob Handler help our students in their educational journey is what makes them top-notch engineers and reinforces Michigan Tech’s outstanding reputation,” said Scherer.

Physics Ph.D. candidate Jester Itliong represented Michigan Tech at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, held March 27 in Kansas City, Missouri. Competing against graduate students from across the region, Itliong advanced to the final round as one of the top 10 presenters.

Itliong’s presentation, “Molecular Choreography: The Physics of Flow in Ionic Polymers”, distilled complex research on battery materials into an engaging narrative for a general audience. His success on the regional stage demonstrates a commitment to both rigorous research and effective science communication.

Read more about the MAGS 3MT competition on the Graduate School Newsblog.

Linh Nguyen Ngoc, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, was recognized with the 2026 ACI-James Instruments Student Award for Research on NDT of Concrete at the Spring 2026 American Concrete Institute (ACI) Concrete Convention, held in Rosemont, Illinois.

The student paper award recognizes outstanding student contributions to nondestructive testing (NDT) of concrete and highlights emerging leaders in the field.

Nguyen earned the award for her research paper, “Non-Contact Ultrasonic Technique for Detection of Initial and Final Set Times of Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials”. Her work advances noninvasive evaluation methods while supporting the development of sustainable, low-carbon concrete technologies.

The month of April is recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), which aims to increase awareness about the causes and risk factors associated with sexual assault and to empower survivors.

Throughout Michigan Tech and the surrounding community, there will be many opportunities for our students, staff and faculty to engage in the dialogue surrounding this important issue. SAAM events offered this month include:

• Friday, April 3 — Teal Ribbons for Sexual Assault Awareness
  Teal ribbons visible on campus for the month.

• Friday, April 10 — Cover the Cruiser at Spring Fling, Noon to 4 p.m. 
  An opportunity to provide messages of support to sexual assault survivors on a Michigan Tech Public Safety and Police Services cruiser.

• Wednesday, April 29 — National Denim Day
  Wear jeans to show support for survivors of sexual assault and sexual violence.

• Wednesday, April 29 — Copper Shores Puppy Parade, 5 p.m.
  A community awareness event and solidarity walk for survivors of sexual assault. Bring your pup to Quincy Green (401 Quincy St., Hancock) and join Copper Shores for a walk through downtown Hancock. Copper Shores victim advocates will be present, offering comfort and helpful information for those seeking support.

The Departments of Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts are pleased to invite you to the Walker Arts and Humanities Center 40th Anniversary Open House next Friday, April 10, from 3-6 p.m.!

The event will feature displays, installations, live demos and media presentations from both departments featuring the work of our diverse and accomplished faculty and students. Light refreshments will also be available.

Tour our facilities, including the Michigan Tech Writing Center, the Walker Lab for the Arts and Humanities — formerly the Humanities Digital Media Zone (HDMZ) — and the Stop Motion Studio, and get a sneak preview of the forthcoming Walker Game Studies Lab in Humanities.

Visit the second floor for displays and live demos in the Ceramics, Costume, and Drawing and Painting Studios; the Lighting and Sound Lab; and McArdle Theatre in Visual and Performing Arts.

Our faculty and students will be present to share work, talk shop and look toward the future of the arts and humanities right here at Michigan Tech.

Beginning Monday, April 27, the University will shift to our summer hours schedule. The core hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., meaning all offices must be staffed during these hours.

Employees are expected to fulfill their usual full-time or part-time obligations. Employee work schedules during this time must be coordinated with, and approved by, their supervisor.

Regular office hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) will resume on Aug. 17.

Michigan Tech EMS is offering a Heartsaver Community CPR/AED/First Aid course tomorrow, April 4, at from 8 a.m. to noon in Wads G42W.

The course will be taught by MTU EMS volunteers, who are emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and certified instructors through the American Heart Association.

The Heartsaver Community CPR/AED/First Aid course is designed by the American Heart Association and teaches important life-saving techniques. The class is divided into two sections: one covering CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and one covering first aid techniques for common medical problems.

After taking the course, students will be better prepared to assist in emergency situations. The course takes approximately four hours.

Each student will receive:

• CPR/First Aid certification card
• CPR pocket mask
• Hands-on training and practice
• Knowledge and know-how to save someone’s life

• Cost: $65 per student 

Please email kamcderm@mtu.edu to register.

This April, let the fun begin with Michigan Tech Rec! 

From heart-pumping workouts and family-friendly events at the Student Development Complex (SDC), to fast-paced and fun pickleball matches at the Gates Tennis Center, and unforgettable excursions with the Outdoor Adventure Program, there’s something for every age, interest and ability level. Whether you're looking to stay active, try something new, or connect with others in the community, we’ve got your recreation covered. Be sure to visit our website for registration links, and check back often — new and exciting programs are always being added!

Be sure to review our Open Rec Hours to schedule your rec time accordingly.

Important Schedule Notes:

• The SDC and Gates Tennis Center will be closed Sunday, April 5. 
• The John MacInnes Student Ice Arena is currently closed for graduation prep and will reopen on May 11. 
• The SDC will be closed from April 24 to May 3 and reopen for summer hours on May 4. 
• Gates Tennis Center will be open with summer hours on April 24, closed April 25, then open from April 26 to May 3. 

Interested in building membership and taking advantage of all the great components? We’ve got you covered! Check out SDC Membership or Gates Membership for all the details.

Questions? Reach out to recreation@mtu.edu.

April Recreation Programs:

• Sports Camps and Events — Spring Camps 
  • Football Little Huskies on April 11 | Deadline: April 3
  • Boys' Basketball Little Huskies from April 13-16 | Deadline: April 6
  • Doghouse Classic 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament on April 18 | Deadline: April 3
  • Volleyball High School Skills Academies
    – Setter Academy on April 18 | Deadline: April 10
    – Libero Academy on April 19 | Deadline: April 13
    
    
• Sports Camps and Events — Summer Camps
  (Registration Now Open!)
  • Boys’ Basketball and Girls’ Basketball
  • Football
  • Hockey
  • Figure Skating
  • Soccer
  • Strength and Conditioning
  • Volleyball
    
    
• Aquatics
  • Lifeguarding Certification from May 27-31 | Deadline: May 18
    
    
• Fitness Coaching and Classes
  • Personal and Partner Fitness Coaching 
  • Group Fitness Classes
    
    
• Outdoor Adventure Program
  • Indoor Rock Climbing (Last Day: April 16)
  • Log Rolling (Last Day: April 7)
  • Equipment Rental
    
    
• Shooting Range 
  • CPL Course on April 11 | Deadline: April 8
  • Hunter’s Safety Course on April 18 | Deadline: April 3
    
    
• Gates Tennis Center 
  • Adult Tennis Lessons (Group and Private) 
  • Youth Tennis Lessons (Group and Private)

Issei Nakamura, associate professor, Department of Physics, Michigan Technological University, will be presenting at this week's Chemistry Seminar. The seminar will be held in person at 3 p.m. today, April 3, in Chem Sci 101.

Nakamura's presentation is titled “Coarse-Grained Stockmayer Fluid Modeling of Ionic Liquids”.

From the abstract:
Ionic liquids, including both nonpolymeric and polymeric systems, exhibit complex solvation, ion coordination, and dielectric response, which underlie a wide range of mechanical and electrochemical behaviors. However, their theoretical description remains challenging because current atomistic simulations and conventional theoretical approaches often cannot efficiently access the relevant length and time scales and correlated dynamics. In this seminar, I will discuss how Stockmayer fluid models provide a physically interpretable and computationally tractable framework for theoretical and molecular dynamics studies of these systems. After briefly reviewing the physical significance of dielectric response in ionic liquids, together with the theoretical treatment of ion-containing polymers, I will introduce the Stockmayer fluid approach as a simple yet effective model for systems in which short-range, dipolar, and electrostatic interactions all play essential roles. I will then discuss our previous studies of nonpolymeric ionic liquids to show how this framework captures key features of ion solvation and dielectric response and provides a foundation for extending this approach to polymeric ionic liquids. Finally, I will present our recent results for polymeric ionic liquids, with emphasis on dielectric response and its connections to mechanical and electrochemical behavior and discuss future directions for Stockmayer fluid modeling across molecular and polymeric regimes. 

Nakamura received his Ph.D. in Physics from McMaster University, Canada. His research focuses on computational soft matter and polymer physics, especially coarse-grained theory and molecular dynamics simulations of ionic liquids, ion-containing polymers and other charged soft materials. He is the recipient of an NSF CAREER Award (Award No. 1944211). He was also a co-PI on an NSF MRI award that supported a GPU-accelerated cluster for research, training and outreach (Award No. OAC-2215734).

Before joining Michigan Tech, he was a postdoctoral scholar at the California Institute of Technology and a professor at the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He has reviewed 129 manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, including Physical Review Letters, The Journal of Chemical Physics, Soft Matter, Macromolecules, Chemistry of Materials, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, and ACS Macro Letters, among others. In teaching and outreach, he was selected for Michigan Tech’s Deans’ Teaching Showcase and has organized the MTU Summer Youth Programs course Introduction to Computational Physics since 2021.

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) faculty and students represented Michigan Technological University at the Spring 2026 American Concrete Institute (ACI) Concrete Convention, held from March 29 to April 1 in Rosemont, Illinois.

Faculty members Quang Tran and Qingli Dai attended alongside a group of CEGE Ph.D. students, presenting research, engaging with industry professionals and contributing to discussions on the future of concrete materials and infrastructure.

“The absolute highlight of this trip was representing Michigan Technological University alongside my colleague Qingli Dai and our fantastic group of PhD students,” said Tran. “Seeing this team present their research, engage with the broader ACI community, and cheer each other on was truly special.”

Another highlight was the recognition of Ph.D. student Linh Nguyen Ngoc, who received the convention’s ACI-James Instruments Student Award for Research on NDT of Concrete for her research paper, “Non-Contact Ultrasonic Technique for Detection of Initial and Final Set Times of Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials”.

The Washington Post featured Robert James Laverne (CFRES) in a story about the connections people form with trees and the benefits of those relationships. Laverne explained how people can develop connections with trees through greater awareness of what they provide.

Chelsea Schelly (SS) was quoted by the BBC in a story about a sustainable community in Colombia and its approach to locally adapted technologies. Schelly discussed the importance of designing technologies that respond to specific environmental and community needs.

My UP Now mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the Bright Futures Fair, where local high school students can win scholarships to attend Michigan Tech’s Summer Youth Programs. The event will feature hands-on activities, academic support and career exploration opportunities.

UPword mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the restoration of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house in Houghton, which earned a 2026 Build Michigan Award. The project restored the historic home following a 2022 fire and returned it to use as student housing.

Lansing’s 517 Mag mentioned Michigan Tech in its April business briefs, highlighting new data on the statewide economic impact of research at Michigan’s R1 universities. The report detailed job creation and statewide economic contributions.

When In Your State mentioned Michigan Tech in a feature highlighting Houghton as a hidden gem in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The story noted the University’s role in bringing energy and year-round activity to the area.

ChE Seminar Series with Sasha Cai Lesher-Pérez

Sasha Cai Lesher-Pérez will present as part of the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) Seminar Series today, April 3, at 10 a.m. in person in EERC 100 and virtually via Zoom.

Join the ChE Seminar on Zoom.

Lesher-Pérez will present “The clock is ticking – why it’s time to engineer biorhythms for in vitro tissue culture systems”.

Read Lesher-Pérez’s abstract and bio on the University Events Calendar.

Lesher-Pérez is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan.

*****

MSE Seminar with Hyunseok Oh

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is hosting a seminar presented by Hyunseok Oh, assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The seminar will be held today, April 3, at from 4-5 p.m. in M&M 610.

Oh will present “Alloy Design Paradigms: From Aristotle to Large Language Models”.

From the abstract:
Alloy design uniquely combines empirical insight with theoretical prediction. This synthesis has deep philosophical and historical roots, stretching from Aristotle’s purpose-driven explanations to early materials science and engineering pioneers, including Cyril Smith and Morris Cohen. This seminar explores how these intellectual traditions have shaped modern alloy design paradigms. It also introduces recent advances in the use of large language models (LLMs) as anew tool for accelerating the innovation cycle in materials research. In particular, LLMs can autonomously synthesize literature, generate novel mechanistic hypotheses, and guide help targeted research directions for CALPHAD and autonomous experiments. Together, these developments point toward a continuous innovation pipeline that may reshape the future of metals and materials science and engineering.

Prior to joining UW-Madison, Oh served as a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He earned both his B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Seoul National University in South Korea. During his Ph.D. studies, he was also a visiting student in the Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design Department at the Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung in Germany.

Oh’s research seeks to understand fundamental process-structure-property relationships in metals and to use that knowledge to design advanced engineering alloys. His group combines advanced in situ characterization, theory, CALPHAD modeling and processing methods to study a wide range of alloys across multiple length scales, with particular interest in materials for extreme environments. More recently, his research has expanded to include LLM-based approaches for intuitive alloy design and hypothesis generation. He was honored with the DOE Early Career Research Award in 2023 and NSF CAREER Award in 2024.

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

Men's Tennis at Ferris State University

Friday, April 3, 12–3 a.m. | Big Rapids, MI

Men's Tennis at Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI

Women's Tennis at Ferris State University

Friday, April 3, 12–3 a.m. | Big Rapids, MI

Women's Tennis at Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI

PhD Defense: John Szczap

Friday, April 3, 8–9 a.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 201

Chemical Engineering Advisor: Lei Pan Mechanistic Foundations and Safety Assessment of Dry Mechanical Recycling of Charged Lithium Ion Batteries Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/88107832114

The clock is ticking – why it’s time to engineer biorhythms for in vitro tissue culture systems

Friday, April 3, 10 a.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 100

Chemical Engineering Seminar Dr. Sasha Cai Lesher-Pérez Assistant Professor University of Michigan Abstract The mechanistic study of pathophysiology and therapeutic action has long relied upon the use of engineered in vitro cell culture systems. These systems, however, lack the periodic fluctuations, or biorhythms, in the cellular microenvironment that effectively integrate “time” into these culture platforms by providing physiological inputs necessary for cellular synchronization and circadian rhythms. Given the central role that circadian rhythms play in health and disease, this absence is puzzling. For example, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and asthma, are just a few diseases with known circadian rhythm effects. Moreover, more than half of the top 100 selling drugs target the product of a circadian gene, and multiple clinical trials have retrospectively shown the impact of time-of-day dosing on improved outcomes and increased patient lifespan. The underlying reason conventional systems largely do not integrate temporal dynamics in vitro is because they either require the use of poorly scalable external flow control systems or manual fluid exchanges. In…

PhD Defense: Asky Tatenda Fungura

Friday, April 3, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 201

Chemical Engineering Advisor: Yixin Liu MECHANISTIC DESIGN OF ELECTROSPUN METAL OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR NANOFIBERS FOR TRACE LEVEL GAS DETECTION

PhD Defense: Yiming Yang

Friday, April 3, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 501

Electrical Engineering Co-advisors: Jeremy Bos and Darrell Robinette Robust Autonomous Driving in Winter Weather: Perception and Integrated Control Under Adverse Conditions Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/83113238242

Master's Defense: Lucy Gibbs

Friday, April 3, 12–1 p.m. | Academic Office Building (AOB), 201

Industrial Heritage and Archaeology Advisor: Jonathan Robins Forging Industry: Craft Practice in the Delaware Mine Blacksmith Shop Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/75790600355

PhD Defense: Reid DeVoge

Friday, April 3, 1–2 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom B

Rhetoric, Theory and Culture Advisor: Michael Bowler RECONCILING DISCRETION WITH THE RULE OF LAW: A RAWLSIAN ANALYSIS OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE BY STATE ACTORS IN LIBERAL-DEMOCRATIC SCHEMES

PhD Defense: Hyeseon Lee

Friday, April 3, 2–3 p.m. | R. L. Smith Building (MEEM), 1021

Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Advisor: Jung Yun Bae Heuristics for heterogeneous multi-robot coordination in autonomous harvesting operations Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/89014599799?jst=3

PhD Defense: Yi Zhi Chu

Friday, April 3, 2–3 p.m. | Fisher Hall, 101

Physics Co-advisors: Ravindra Pandey and Kah Lau First-Principles and Thermodynamic Modeling of Hydrogen Stor age in MXenes Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/81036083560

Bioabsorbable Embolization Materials and Devices for Cerebral Aneurysm Treatment

Friday, April 3, 3–4 p.m. | Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building, 102

Biomedical Engineering Research Seminar Seungil Kim, Ph.D. Mississippi State University Abstract Cerebral aneurysms arise in structurally weakened regions of intracranial arteries, forming saccular outpouchings that are prone to rupture. Rupture can lead to subarachnoid hemorrhage, a life-threatening condition associated with high mortality (25–50%) and substantial long-term disability among survivors. Endovascular coil embolization using non-bioabsorbable metallic coils (e.g., platinum or tungsten) remains a widely adopted treatment due to its minimally invasive nature, reduced procedural time, and shorter hospitalization compared to open surgery. However, clinical outcomes indicate that up to 17% of treated aneurysms undergo recanalization, with approximately 10% of patients requiring retreatment. These limitations underscore a critical unmet need for achieving durable, long-term aneurysm occlusion. Injectable embolic agents, including Onyx™, TRUfill™ n-butyl cyanoacrylate, and EmboGel™, have demonstrated promising clinical performance. Nevertheless, these materials are also associated with cases of incomplete occlusion and recurrence. An ideal embolization strategy would therefore…

College Democrats at MTU April General Meeting

Friday, April 3, 5–6 p.m. | Fisher 125

Monthly meeting of the College Democrats at MTU. Discussing matters of current affairs, policy, involvement opportunities, and news from the County Party.

Keweenawesomefest 2026!

Friday, April 3, 6 p.m.–1 a.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Black Performance Hall

PRESENTED BY WMTU 91.9FM Keweenawesomefest is a celebration of local music and the community of the Keweenaw Peninsula, located in Michigan’s snowy Upper Peninsula! Hosted by MTU's own student-run Radio Station, WMTU, this annual live music event caters to the entire community for a night of fun and entertainment! Things to know DATE | Friday & Saturday, April 3-4, 2026 TIME | 6 p.m. - 1 a.m. LOCATION | Rozsa Backstage SEATING | General Admission PUBLIC TICKETS | Pay As You're Able ($20 Full Fee) What is Pay As You're Able? MICHIGAN TECH STUDENT RUSH TICKETS | Students may attend for free with Student ID CONTENT GUIDANCE | Use of flashing lights and haze Rozsa Lobby is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. M-F and 1-8 p.m. on Saturdays. Seating begins a half hour prior to the event start time. View Rozsa Box Office Hours About the Presenter WMTU 91.9 FM When students at Michigan Technological University want to tune in to the pulse of campus, they don't have to look further than 91.9 WMTU-FM, broadcasting 24/7 from the basement of Wadsworth Hall. Founded in 1956 as WVRW, "Voice of Radio Wadsworth," WMTU is one of Michigan Tech's longest-running student-led organizations. The University-owned…

The Graduate School is pleased to announce the following dissertation, thesis and report defenses occurring next week. Please consider attending to learn more about our students’ scholarship and celebrate their academic accomplishments. Check the University Events Calendar for last-minute updates to times, dates and locations.