February 28, 2025

In November 2024, the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) announced the official launch of the Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering at Michigan Tech. This program, which will begin enrolling students in the 2025-26 academic year, has been a long time coming for the department.

With NASA-award-winning faculty, preeminent labs and facilities, and alumni working across the industry, MAE has a long history of aerospace education and research. This new program allows the department to both meet the needs of a growing number of students who are seeking a specialized aerospace degree and take advantage of the opportunities presented by a growing industry.

Read more about the foundation of aerospace research happening at Michigan Tech in the inaugural MAE Magazine.

Michigan Tech President Rick Koubek will continue to hold regularly scheduled open office hours during the spring 2025 semester for all faculty, staff and students on Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m.

Please contact Heather Herman at hlherman@mtu.edu if you would like to schedule an appointment.

Nominations are now open to celebrate and recognize the individual and group efforts of students involved across campus at the 31st Annual Student Leadership Awards! The nomination deadline for all awards is March 9 by midnight.

Each week leading up to the nomination deadline, we will highlight two awards for which you could nominate an outstanding member of our community!

• Clair M. Donovan Award: The Clair M. Donovan Award honors a faculty or staff member, student, or an exceptional community member who has provided the most outstanding service during the preceding year. This prestigious award celebrates individuals who embody the spirit of service and leadership exemplified by Clair M. Donovan. As a Michigan Tech alumnus, national president of Blue Key and a dedicated civil leader, Donovan’s contributions left a lasting legacy — and this award continues to recognize those who follow in his footsteps. Nominate a deserving individual today! Help us celebrate someone whose commitment and service have made Michigan Tech and the community a better place.

• Student Organization Advisor of the Year: The Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award honors an advisor of a registered student organization who goes above and beyond to engage and motivate its members. This award recognizes advisors who actively participate, inspire and guide student organizations toward success. Respected by the organization’s members, these advisors play a crucial role in fostering growth, leadership and a sense of community within the group. Show your appreciation! Eligible recipients must be a registered advisor of a registered student organization through Student Leadership and Involvement. Nominate an advisor who has made a lasting impact on your organization.

Find more information about all the awards and nomination forms on the Student Leadership Awards webpage.

The Office of Continuous Improvement is offering a virtual workshop, "Practical Problem Solving: Leveraging the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle," on Wednesday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Practice different problem-solving methods to test and learn your way toward your goals. Problem-solving in a continuous improvement culture is highly participative, focusing on the problem, not the person, and involving the people who actually do the work.

To see the workshop description and register, complete the Upcoming Michigan Tech Lean Courses form or visit the Continuous Improvement website. Once registered, we'll add you to a calendar event for the course.

This workshop will be taught virtually using Zoom and Miro. Miro is a virtual collaboration tool, similar to a virtual whiteboard. Learn more about how to use Miro at the Miro Academy Essentials course. The workshop is considered complete after attending the workshop and submitting a couple of brief activities to demonstrate application of concepts. A certification of completion will be awarded after meeting all requirements. There’s no cost to Michigan Tech employees.

This stand-alone workshop is part of the Lean Basics workshop series. It can be taken independently, or, if you complete all five workshops in the series, we’ll award you a Lean Yellow Belt certificate! For more information, email improvement@mtu.edu.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer mentioned Michigan Tech’s new status as an R1 research institution in her 2025 State of the State address, given Feb. 26 in Lansing. My UP Now highlighted the mention of MTU. Transcripts of the address were published by Bridge Michigan, the Detroit Free Press, CBS News Detroit and Grand Rapids’ WOOD TV8.

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Dan Shtob (SS) was mentioned by State University of New York at Buffalo in a story about the novel RAFT (reversibility, adaptability, flexibility and tailoring) framework for addressing environmental change in urban areas. Shtob led the research behind the new framework.

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Jim Baker (VPR) was quoted by Detroit’s Metro Times in a story about the Businesses and People for Immigration campaign. Launched in January, the campaign supports policies that create a welcoming state and federal immigration system and recognize the “critical role immigrants play in Michigan’s population growth and economic success.”

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UPword mentioned Mont Ripley and the ski area’s general manager Chris Maxon in a story about growth and expansion happening at ski areas in the Upper Peninsula and elsewhere in the U.S.

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Bridge Michigan mentioned Michigan Tech’s Winter Carnival in a story about a push to encourage year-round tourism in the state — in particular, new cold-weather events being added and lapsed events being brought back by multiple communities in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula.

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The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about Laurium’s ongoing campaign to raise funds to renovate the George Gipp Ice Arena and replace its ice generating plant. The University donated floor space and video advertising time at the Huskies’ Feb. 21 hockey game to the effort.

MTRAC Grant Request for Proposals Still Open

Applications for the 2025 Michigan Translational Research & Commercialization (MTRAC) grants are open until March 31.

The MTRAC Innovation Hub for Applied Advanced Materials program at Michigan Tech provides funding and resources to support materials related projects with high commercial potential. This support includes research and development funding for prototype and late-stage translational activities, with consultation and mentoring from an oversight committee including industry and investment experts.

Contact Julie Baker at juabaker@mtu.edu or 906-487-3458 to receive assistance and guidance on proposal preparation.

Proposal instructions can be found in the 2025 MTRAC Applied Advanced Materials Application Process PDF. Information about MTRAC is available on the University's MTRAC page.

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Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar with Michelle A. Cooper

The next Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar will take place at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 3, in GLRC 202.

Michelle A. Cooper, Ph.D. candidate at Michigan Tech, will present "Sustainability as a Mindset for Enhancing Pavement Performance."

Read Cooper's abstract at the University Events Calendar.

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

Isle Royale Art Exhibition - Michigan Tech Art

Friday, February 28, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Galleries A-Space

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT Enter into a world of artistic expression inspired by the wilderness of Isle Royale. The artworks showcased in this exhibition have all been...

Graduating and Still Looking

Friday, February 28, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | Administration and Student Services Building (Admin, Building 1), 220 Career Services

Are you graduating in April? Are you still looking for your first opportunity out of college? Join us Friday mornings for coffee and discuss possibilities and strategies for...

Hockey vs St. Thomas Pregame Social + Game

Friday, February 28, 5 p.m. | Union 32 Craft House

Join volunteer alumni hosts Bethlyn Cummings '08 and Carl Craven '89 for a pregame social and then to cheer on the Huskies as they face off against St. Thomas on Friday,...

Men's Ice Hockey at St. Thomas

Friday, February 28, 8:07–11:07 p.m. | St. Paul, Minn.

Men's Ice Hockey at St. Thomas St. Paul, Minn.

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.