Graduate Students
Alejandra Alvarez
MS Student, Industrial Archaeology
Education
- BS, Social Anthropology with emphasis in Archaeology, Universidad Externado de Colombia
Research Interests
- Originally from Colombia, I worked for three years in the Gold Museum in Bogota in the areas of conservation, preservation and cataloguing of metallurgical artifacts.
- I developed the first Inventory of Industrial Heritage in Cundinamarca, Colombia, sponsored by the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History.
- I am a published member of TICCIH and am developing my thesis on family and gender topics in a sugar central in Aguirre, Puerto Rico. I also enjoy making Colombian food and dancing to salsa music.
John Baeten
PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Education
- MS, Industrial Archaeology, Michigan Tech
- BA, Communications—Mass Media, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
Research Interests
- My MS thesis at Michigan Tech was on historic placer mining technologies and landscapes in Fairbanks, AK.
- Prior to coming to Tech, I worked as a federal archaeologist with the U.S. Forest Service for nearly a decade.
- My interests revolve around cultural resource management, the history of technology, mining communities and landscapes, and the concept of disassembly placed within the context of social change and environmental history.
Aparajita Banerjee
PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- MA, Economics, Jadavpur University
Research Interests
- I have two interrelated research foci for my doctoral dissertation. The first one relates to understanding the socio-ecological impacts of biofuels, primarily on local communities where biofuel production systems are embedded.
- The other research focus is to understand how local, regional, and national level biofuel policies are in sync with community values and perceptions of the members, and figuring out who the main actors and institutions behind these policies are.
- I spend most of my spare time in reading newspapers, travelling, and watching classic, experimental, and rare movies around the world.
Jeff Benjamin
MS Student, Industrial Archaeology
Education
- BA, Studio Art/Asian Studies, St. Olaf College
Research Interests
- I am interested in the materiality of sound—historic sound in particular—its physical remains on the landscape, and its artifactual presence within industrial spaces and structures. Sound is a structural component of the built environment. Sounds of the past are interwoven into sounds of the present. For instance, through its particular material qualities, a historic structure modifies a speaker's voice to give the voice an historic character. Moreover, the simple creaking of a floorboard is itself an aural artifact.
- My thesis project is the creation of a plausible subjective experience of historic sound at the Quincy Mine blacksmith shop, in Hancock, MI in April 1916.
Jayesh Borde
MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- BS, Statistics, Mumbai University
- Diploma, Business Administration, Chetana's Institute of Management and Research
Research Interests
- I have an interest and desire to use my education to bring about a positive change to the society and environment.
- My area of interest is promotion of clean renewable energy and climate change, understanding the social and economic impacts related to use of fossil fuels, and learning the use of techniques like Geographic Information Systems and Cost Benefit Analysis.
- The highlight of my experience so far at Michigan Tech is making friends from different countries and diverse backgrounds.
Leopoldo Cuspinera
PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Education
- MA, (history, valorization, didactic), Erasmus Mundus TPTI (Techniques, Patrimoine, Territoire de l’Industrie), E.U. Diploma (Patrimoni Cientific, Tècnic i Industrial), El Cas de Catalunya, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
- Diplomate Maiore, Patrimonio Culturali Ecclesiae, Pontificia Universitas Gregoriana
- Diploma, Executive Project Manager, College of Architects
- BA, Architecture, Autonomous Popular University of the State of Puebla
Research Interests
- The relationship between man and landscape has always been a constant interest in my professional career (architect-artist, Master in Techniques, Heritage, Territory of the Industry), as well as museography, conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage, thus trying to understand, respect, and go beyond the utilitarian qualities in addition to producing new cultural assets that would demonstrate both evolution and continuity based on a pre-existing tangible and intangible heritage.
- My research at Michigan Tech is intended to expand our knowledge on the latest innovations regarding networks of museums and interpretation centers. It aims to develop the local and territorial management proposals in order to highlight the industrial remains, thereby participating in "saving" sites of particular value which suffer from marginality, metastability and vulnerability—all characteristics of the industrial archaeological heritage that lies outside the main routes of development.
Valoree Gagnon
PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- MS, Environmental Policy, Michigan Tech
- BS, Social Sciences, Michigan Tech
Research Interests
- Funded by the National Science Foundation’s GK-12 Global Watershed Fellowship, I am partnered with a local secondary school teacher and create lessons based on my research for eighth-grade Earth Science students. These programs have been ideal for my interests in environmental outreach, educational initiatives, and environmental justice.
- I’m currently researching Native American perspectives of environment within hunting, fishing, and gathering lifeways in the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. I believe that understanding environment through diverse, place-based perspectives is essential to good policy and the everyday decisions by which we live.
Roger Gerke
MS Student, Industrial Archaeology
Education
- MA, Anthropology (with emphasis in archaeology), New Mexico State University
- BS, Anthropology, University of Oregon
- AA, General Studies, Central Oregon Community College
Research Interests
- I am an anthropologist/archaeologist by training. My research has included California and Great Basin prehistory, behavioral archaeology, GIS mapping and anthropological theory.
- I have written several papers and am co-author for a 2009 book on outer space archaeology.
- Current research is using census and tax records to geo-reference people to houses and neighborhoods in Clifton, MI.
Tim Goddard
PhD Candidate, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Education
- MAA, Historical Archaeology, University of Maryland-College Park
- BS, Anthropology, University of Arizona
- Certificate, Historic Preservation, University of Maryland-College Park
Research Interests
- As a PhD candidate, I am specializing in spatial science and associated tools as they apply to anthropology and heritage. My dissertation focuses around a regional WebGIS for industrial heritage around the Keweenaw Peninsula.
- I chose Michigan Tech for its archaeology and history of technology combination, which provided a unique perspective to look at spatial tools like GIS, geophysical techniques, and remote sensing.
Sean Gohman
PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Education
- MS, Industrial Archaeology, Michigan Tech
- BA, Anthropology, St. Cloud State University
Research Interests
- A native of Minnesota, my academic journey began in 1993. It lasted only four years because I preferred attending rock shows over studying; eight years later, I did return to get my BA. I found out about Michigan Tech’s Industrial Archaeology program while selling TVs in Marquette, Mich., and since I was already interested in that area’s iron mining heritage, I figured I’d make a go of it in Houghton.
- My academic interests include the local copper mining industry, cultural landscapes, 19th century technology, and historic preservation. My MS thesis work focused on the historic copper Cliff mining site in the Keweenaw Peninsula, a scant 30 miles from Houghton, while my dissertation work will most likely focus more on mining landscapes and heritage management.
- I spent three years as a member of Michigan Tech's Graduate Student Council (as both Secretary an Vice President), and I see my graduate experience at Tech having a profound impact on my professional future.
Mayra Sanchez Gonzalez
PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Carol Griskavich
MS Student, Industrial Archaeology
Education
- BS, Geography, Carthage College
Research Interests
- Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, I came into the Industrial Archaeology Master's program after three years working for a Class I railroad in Chicago. This practical experience served to kindle my interest in the hidden and public infrastructure of Midwestern heavy industry. My research interest lies in the social and mechanical elements of “Big Steel,” which I will investigate while interning with the Field Museum Contemporary Urban Collections - Calumet Region project during Summer 2013.
- I am an active member of the Calumet Heritage Partnership, Vernacular Architecture Forum, Society for Industrial Archaeology, American Anthropological Association, American Ethnological Society, and the Society for the Anthropology of Work.
- Currently, I live in Hancock with my dog and harshest critic, Laika.
Marc Henshaw
PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Education
- MS, Anthropology, Western Michigan University
- BA, Anthropology, California University of Pennsylvania
Research Interests
- I own Nemacolin Archaeological Services, a cultural resource management firm that specializes in projects under the National Historic Preservation Act.
- The focus of my PhD research is the steamboat era in the Monongahela Valley of Pennsylvania during the 19th and 20th centuries. I have combined archaeological investigations with oral history interviews to answer questions of class consciousness and class status during the age of steamboats. My interests also include class formation, gender divisions in the workplace, local history, and technology as a conveyor of culture.
- In summer 2012, I conducted field investigations at the John Snowdon Vulcan Iron and Machine Works, an early 20th-century iron foundry in Brownsville, Pa. I collaborated with a research team from California University of PA to locate the forgotten foundry site, where the first cast iron bridge in the United States was patterned and casted, along with numerous steamboat engines, boilers, and other iron implements.
Talva Jacobsen
PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Jennifer Lind
MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy–part time
jflind@mtu.edu
Forestry
Forestry
Education
- MS, Molecular Biology, SUNY–Albany
- BS, Biology, Texas Lutheran University
Research Interests
- I am a PhD student (forest genetics and biotechnology) in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences as well as an MS student (environmental and energy policy) in the Department of Social Sciences. My background is in the natural sciences, but I have always been interested in environmental issues and how the natural and social sciences interact.
- My PhD work involves population genetics studies on northern hardwood forests, while my MS work is looking at how hybridization is handled in the context of the Endangered Species Act.
Fangming (Cathy) Liu
PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Mariah Maggio
MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- MS, Environmental and Energy Policy, Michigan Tech
- BA, Geography, University of Denver
Research Interests
- I came to Michigan Tech after three years working overseas, first as a Peace Corps volunteer and then as a program manager and technical trainer for an international NGO.
- I had discovered a passion for wanting to understand the complexity of international development issues, particularly related to environment and water resources, and to become an influential and interdisciplinary contributor.
- My thesis and dissertation work reflect that continued pursuit to develop my skills in order to participate effectively in policy making for international development efforts in Latin America.
Meghan Marsicek
MS Student, Industrial Archaeology
Education
- BA, History, University of North Carolina at Asheville
Research Interests
- The Industrial Archaeology program at Michigan Tech instructs students not only in the discipline of industrial archaeology, but also incorporates disciplines like historic preservation, the history of technology, material culture, the history of architecture, and anthropology to create a well-rounded individual by completion of the program. This is what attracted me to Michigan Tech. I was excited to see that a program exists that incorporates all of my interests.
Natiffany Mathews
MS Student, Industrial Archaeology
Education
- BA, Anthropology, Indiana University–Bloomington
Research Interests
- While at Michigan Tech, I developed an interest in archaeology outreach and education within the fields of heritage management and historical and industrial archaeology. My thesis "Public Values and Perceptions of Industrial Heritage in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan" will be available digitally through the Michigan Tech library.
- I also served in AmeriCorps before attending Michigan Tech.
Leonor Medeiros
PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Education
- MA, Heritage Management, Ironbridge Institute, University of Birmingham, UK
- BS, History—Archaeology strand, FCSH, New University of Lisbon
Research Inerests
- After studying archaeology in my home country of Portugal, I have focused on heritage management—on how to better preserve and communicate archaeological sites. That led to writing for newspapers and organizing events and workshops (even stand-up comedy acts!) in archaeological science communication, while continuing to do field work.
- Because I have always had a preference for industrial archaeology, my academic research has centered around mining landscapes, especially relating to the issues of landscape management and community involvement.
Sarkar Mokabbir
MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Research Interests
- I am an international graduate student pursuing an MS in Environmental and Energy Policy. My areas of interests are renewable energy and energy transition.
Erik Nordberg
University Archivist
PhD Candidate, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Education
- MS Library Science and Graduate Certificate, Archival Administration, Wayne State University
- MPhil, Literature, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
- BA, Humanities, University of Ulster, UK
Research Interests
- I arrived at Michigan Tech in November 1994 to work a grant-funded project to organize historical records of local copper mining companies.
- I’ve become department head for the Michigan Tech Archives and have responsibility for its collections, course work support, public services, and a variety of outreach and public history programming.
- My dissertation research examines the appraisal, selection, and formation processes of archival collections that focus on American industry and business.
Tyler Patterson
MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- BS, Natural Resource Management, Grand Valley State University
Research Interests
- My hometown is Saline, Michigan. I was a student-athlete as an undergraduate at Grand Valley, competing for four years in cross-country and track and field.
- My current research interests include international water policy, reclamation policy, and policy capacity within the Alberta oil sands.
- While pursuing my master's, I’m also acting as the graduate assistant coach for Michigan Tech cross-country and track and field.
Brian Pattullo
MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Research Interests
- I'm a second year Peace Corps Master's International Student working on a dual master's through the forestry and environmental and energy policy programs.
- I spent three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay and worked primarily on reforestation and agroforestry activities with individual farmers in a small rural community.
- My research is focused on the social aspects of promoting reforestation in a small rural community where the majority of farmers and their families are more concerned about daily basic needs than long term reforestation and environmental planning.
Jessica Peterson
MS Student, Industrial Archaeology
Education
- BS, Anthropology, University of Alaska–Fairbanks
Research Interests
- I am a second-year master's student and am involved with the IA program through an ongoing archaeological project to survey and document two historic mining districts in Alaska.
- I’ve been involved in archaeological work since 2007 and have worked in both prehistoric and historic archaeology.
- I plan to return to Alaska and continue working as an archaeologist and historical preservationist on completion of my degree at Michigan Tech.
Anna Lee Presley
PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Education
- MA, Anthropology, Texas A&M
- BA, Anthropology & Geography (double major), University of North Texas, 1994
Research Interests
- Joining the PhD program in Industrial Heritage and Archaeology at Michigan Tech has afforded me an opportunity to apply my experience in archaeological faunal analysis and biogeography to 19th century industrial contexts.
- My dissertation research focuses on the development of the historical food system in the Copper Country, utilizing a landscape archaeology approach to explore how residents of its newly industrialized communities adapted to challenging local conditions and integrated themselves into larger markets.
- My work integrates nature and culture to apply contemporary issues of food security to the practice of industrial heritage. My areas of interest include: food systems, zooarchaeology, historical archaeology, industrial communities, commodity chains/commerce, industrial food production, and gender.
Hamza Raheel
PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- MS, Engineering Management, University of Kansas
- BS, Chemical Engineering, High Institute of Petroleum
- AAS, Process Plant Technology, Montana State University
Research Interests
- I am a PhD student in the Environmental and Energy Policy program. I focus primarily on fossil-fuel subsidies, their social, economic and environmental impact (more broadly sustainable development), and the challenges to their reform.
- Before joining Michigan Tech, I worked in oil and gas industries for almost nine years. I have two undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering and an AAS in Process Plant Technology from the High Institute of Petroleum, in Tripoli, and MSU-Billings, MT, respectively. Also, I have a Master of Science in engineering management from University of Kansas. My master's field research was on the use of ISO 14001 in Oil & Gas industries.
- When I am not at school, you can find me swimming in the pool, playing soccer, or just going for a hike in the nearby woods, depending on the weather and time of year. I love horse riding, traveling and best of all mechanical projects like working on cars!
Mizanur Rahman
PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- MS, Development Studies, University of Dhaka
- MS, Chemical Technology, University of Dhaka
- BS, Applied Chemistry, University of Dhaka
Research Interests
- I started my career with a financial institution in Bangladesh and also worked with a nonprofit organization as a project coordinator for an education project.
- Currently, I am pursuing my PhD with a primary interest in investigating the potentials of renewable energy for alleviating poverty.
Emma Schwaiger
MS Student, Industrial Archaeology
Education
- BA, History, Michigan Tech
Research Interests
- I was introduced to the Industrial Archaeology program as an undergraduate student and knew this is what I wanted to do. My interest areas include mine wastes, the impact of industry on the landscape, and how landscapes transformed with technological change.
- My current research is focused on Torch Lake, specifically, mapping out changes in the industrial shoreline to pin-point possible PCB pollution sites.
Scott See
PhD Student, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
KHNP Advisory Committee Executive Director
sfsee@mtu.edu
Keweenaw National Historic Park
Keweenaw National Historic Park
Fred Sutherland
PhD Candidate, Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Education
- MA, Anthropology (concentration in historical archaeology), University of Massachusetts–Boston
- BA, Archaeology, Boston University
Research Interests
- I have been an archaeologist since 2002, studying industrial sites and communities since 2006. I came to Michigan Tech for my doctorate in 2009. Understanding how people negotiated the changes brought by industrialization is what inspires me.
- Currently, I am researching the development of the Cuyuna Iron Mining Range in Central Minnesota for my dissertation and am focusing on how the region’s innovations and unusual features made significant national and global contributions in the 20th century.
- Previous projects include the Quincy Smelter in Ripley, Mich. and the Copake Iron Works in Copake, N.Y.
Ariel Terpstra
MS Student, Industrial Archaeology
Research Interests
- I chose industrial archaeology at Michigan Tech because they offered me the ability to look at the effects of industry on people and communities that remain after an industry leaves.
- Furthermore the degree offered here allows me to hone my ability to interpret industrial sites for all levels and age groups.
Ashma Vaidya
PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- MSc, Earth and Environmental Science
- BSc, Environmental Science
Research Interests
- I am interested in learning ways to develop policy designs for promoting and developing sustainable and renewable energy options.
- I believe in sustainable development, and believe that unless we opt for sustainable development, development without extreme environmental degradation and natural resource depletion are not possible.
Jacob Walikainen
MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- B.A. (Environmental Studies, concentration in Mathematics and Biology), Macalester College.
Research Interests
- After some paleoclimatology graduate work at the University of Minnesota, I gained experience in multiple work sectors as an environmental technician, including positions for nonprofits, the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and state governments, along with green building and contracting. I have recently worked in New Jersey and New Orleans, contracting with FEMA as a disaster housing inspector.
- Through this extensive work experience, I am aware of numerous environmental problems that have social causes and roots, the awareness of which guided me to Michigan Tech to be part of environmental and social solutions. By being re-immersed in academia while researching, teaching, taking multiple courses, and pursuing an advanced degree, I am trying to create and impact positive environmental solutions to problems and their causes.
- I am also interested in numerous disciplines, including water resources, limnology, terrestrial ecology, climatology, policy implementation, sustainability, and renewable energy.
- I fill my free time with playing guitar, reading, skiing, snowboarding, and all dog-friendly activities including camping, hiking, swimming/soaking, cross-country skiing, and exploring.
Rhianna Williams
MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- MLS, Indiana University
- BAS, Psychology, University of Minnesota
Research Interests
- My work experience includes social services, academic librarianship, and environmental nonprofits. In all of these areas I successfully connected individuals to the information and resources needed.
- Currently, I am pursuing a master’s degree in environmental and energy policy and am focusing my research on watershed group typology and success.
- Next year I will be working with a watershed group in Appalachia or the Rocky Mountains through Michigan Tech’s OSM/VISTA program.
Xuna (Melanie) Yang
PhD Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Research Interests
- I used to work for the Sustainable Futures Institute (SFI) at Michigan Tech, which frequently collaborates with the Environmental and Energy Policy program. Therefore, it was natural for me to become interested in the policy side of sustainability and decide to pursue a degree in this field.
- My research interest is in China’s biofuel development and policy and its water-related socio-economic impacts. Specifically, I am looking at China’s learning process in the evolution of their biofuel policy and how the policy has affected the cultural sustainability of China. I also study Life Cycle Analysis of several biofuel feedstocks.
Angela Yu
MS Student, Environmental and Energy Policy
Education
- BS, Environmental Science (biology concentration), University of Michigan–Dearborn
- Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), University of Michigan–Dearborn
Research Interests
- I am interested in the ecological and social impacts of invasive species and the same impacts due to mining operations. I am also interested in the various applications of GIS.
- My current thesis topic is still in its planning stages, but will be related to public participation in the realm of invasive species management and environmental monitoring programs.