In a computational world, it's the work of our students, faculty, and alumni that puts Michigan Tech at the head of the pack. From outstanding scholarship to superb musicianship, join us in applauding their achievements.
MTU RedTeam Earns More Accolades
When it comes to red teaming, Michigan Tech Computing Huskies are among the best in the nation. The MTU RedTeam earned an overall Cyber Power Ranking of 22nd in the nation from the National Cyber League (NCL) for fall semester 2024.
The NCL includes more than 10,000 individual competitors and 500 teams.
NCL said the ranking represents the ability of students to perform real-world tasks, including identifying hackers from forensic data, penetration testing and auditing vulnerable websites, recovery from ransomware attacks, and other cybersecurity functions.
In real-world operations, red teams are essential to helping organizations make improvements to run more securely. These experts are tasked with testing cybersecurity effectiveness, finding vulnerabilities, and addressing other critical issues that can put companies, industries, and individuals at risk. Michigan Tech's RedTeam has been preparing students to take on this challenging and important mission since 2017 through their participation in national competitions.
The team's faculty co-advisors Bo Chen and Yu Cai are understandably proud of the team's accomplishments—and so is one of Michigan's US senators. In a letter to Michigan Tech Vice President for Research Andrew Barnard, Gary Peters congratulated students for ranking in the Top 50 nationally.
"As Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, cybersecurity is one of my top priorities and it is great to see a Michigan university place so highly in this competition," he said. "This is a testament to the high-quality education MTU provides to its students, and the result is certainly worthy of recognition."
There were other high-ranking team performances to celebrate as the 2024 season wrapped. Tech's primary competitive team, RedTeam@MTU, placed 44th out of 4,893 teams across the United States. Team members are Josh Stiebel, Noah Holland, Noah Strekow, Ethan Norush, Dane Cucinelli, Ethan Onsager, and Max Oftedahl. A second team made up of students Justin Christenson, Joshua Stevens, Lucas Jones, Trent Verboncouer, Carter Ravenstone, and Tyler Ormstad placed 66th.
In addition to team achievements, Husky Noah Holland turned in an outstanding performance, placing fifth out of 8,483 players. Chen and Cai said it was one of the best individual outcomes since the RedTeam began participating in the NCL competition.
In addition to competing, the team also focuses on both teaching and learning opportunities through conferences and as part of weekly on-campus meetings. "RedTeam had talks on a vast variety of cybersecurity-related topics, like social engineering, website application exploitation, wireless privilege escalation, and more," said Isabella Gatti, a spring 2025 cybersecurity graduate who served as MTU RedTeam president this past academic year.
MTU's RedTeam also participated in the spring 2025 NCL competition. Results, when announced, will be featured on the College's Computing News Blog.
College Welcomes Six New Faculty Members
During the past year, the Department of Applied Computing welcomed Assistant Professor Amna Mazen and Professor of Practice Victoria Walters. The Department of Computer Science welcomed Assistant Professor Michael Walker, Research Assistant Professor Dylan Gaines, Assistant Teaching Professor Sujan Kumar Roy, and Research Assistant Professor Scott Pomerville.
Our new faculty members possess expertise in topics including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning; human-robot and human-computer interaction; cybersecurity; natural language processing; and computer architecture. They all love the challenges and rewards of teaching. Huskies taking their courses can expect curricula infused with case studies, hands-on experiments, and group projects.
Amna Mazen
Applied Computing and Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology
An assistant professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Applied Computing and the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology, Amna Mazen has a robust background in electrical engineering and robotics, and more than 10 years of teaching experience. Her expertise includes mobile and manipulator robots, deep learning, and computer vision.
Victoria Walters
Applied Computing
Now a professor of practice, Victoria Walters instructed courses for the Department of Applied Computing in an adjunct capacity starting in 2022. She has 25 years of industry experience in information technology, cybersecurity, and corporate security and compliance. Her primary research interest is cybersecurity law and policy.
Dylan Gaines
Computer Science
A research assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, Dylan Gaines completed his PhD at Michigan Tech in spring 2023 and started as a faculty member in spring 2024. Gaines's research interests lie at the intersection of natural language processing and human-computer interaction, where he investigates the applications of neural language models to create accessible interfaces through user-centered design. In a recent research project, Gaines investigated methods to use brain-computer interfaces to create communication aids for people with severe speech and physical impairments.
Michael Walker
Computer Science
An assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, Michael Walker's primary research interest is humanrobot interaction (HRI), a field of study dedicated to understanding, designing, and evaluating robotic systems for use by or with humans.
Scott Pomerville
Computer Science
A research assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, Scott Pomerville received his PhD in computer science at Michigan Tech in spring 2024. Pomerville's research explores statically scheduled synchronized lane architectures, a processor architecture that he has worked on with fellow Computer Science faculty member Soner Onder and a team at Florida State University.
Sujan Kumar Roy
Computer Science
An assistant teaching professor in the Department of Computer Science, Sujan Kumar Roy was drawn to Michigan Tech's reputation for excellence in engineering, science, and technology, along with its strong emphasis on research and innovation. Roy's research interests range from applications of AI, machine learning, and deep learning, to cybersecurity, medical image analysis, healthcare systems, and speech enhancement.
Guy Hembroff, Jung Yun Bae Receive ICC Achievement Awards
Guy Hembroff and Jung Yun Bae have been awarded the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) Achievement Award. The honor recognizes ICC members who have made exceptional contributions to the institute's mission to promote research and learning experiences through its seven research centers for the benefit of Michigan Tech, the Upper Peninsula, and society at large.
Hembroff, an associate professor of applied computing, was recognized for his leadership in growing the health informatics and data science graduate degree programs at Michigan Tech. He also directs the University's graduate programs in health informatics and computational science and engineering.
Hembroff is a member of the ICC Joint Center of Biocomputing and Digital Health and the ICC Center for Cybersecurity.
Bae, an assistant professor of applied computing and mechanical and aerospace engineering, was recognized both for her significant work in improving climate resilience using modular robotic fleets and for serving as an inspiration and role model to young women pursuing STEM careers.
Bae is a member of the ICC Computing Education Center and the ICC Center for Cyber-Physical Systems.
Also receiving ICC awards were Tan Chen, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, for his award-winning research in bipedal robot locomotion and neural networks, as well as Vinh Nguyen, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, for his leadership of the ICC Center for Artificial Intelligence and significant impacts in the field of automation in industrial systems and manufacturing.
Outstanding Alums Honored
Each year, the College of Computing Honor Academy recognizes Michigan Tech graduates who have distinguished themselves in their professions and others who have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of the College. This year's inductees are computer science alumni William Starke '90 and David Hale '96.
Starke is an IBM distinguished engineer who serves as chief architect for IBM Power microprocessors.
Hale is a seasoned information security professional with nearly 30 years of experience in the field. He previously served as Tech's former chief information security officer and information systems security manager.
Throughout his tenure at IBM, Starke's contributions were vital to the mission-critical transaction processing and analytics platforms underpinning many of the world's largest enterprises in banking, insurance, retail, logistics, and healthcare, as well as systems employed by government agencies, defenserelated activities, and supercomputing applications. He holds over 300 US patents, has authored several articles, and speaks at industry conferences and analyst briefings, client conferences, and product launch events.
Hale worked in Michigan Tech's IT department for 27 years, leading the University's information security efforts for the last 22, up to his retirement. He remains an active contributor to the cybersecurity community and serves on the Department of Applied Computing's Information Technology/Cybersecurity/Health Informatics Industrial Advisory Board. His industry contributions also include volunteer work with the Michigan Civilian Cyber Corps and the Michigan Cyber Partners programs, where he assists businesses and local government agencies with cybersecurity and incident response. In recognition of his contributions to the field, he was honored with the Top 100 Information Security Professional Award at the 2021 OnCon Icon Awards.
Applied Computing Associate Teaching Professor Among University's Distinguished Teaching Award Finalists
Paniz Khanmohammadi Hazaveh was among the 10 University-wide finalists selected for the 2025 Distinguished Teaching Awards. The awards, administered by the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning, recognize exceptional contributions to Michigan Tech's instructional mission.
One of five finalists in the awards' Associate Professor/Associate Teaching Professor/Professor/Teaching Professor/Professor of Practice category, Hazaveh and her fellow candidates were selected based on more than 39,000 student responses rating their instruction.
Hazaveh is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Applied Computing. She serves as director for two of the College's bachelor's degree programs: mechatronics and electrical engineering technology.
Team Wins International Robotics Competition
A collaborative team from Michigan Tech and the University of Detroit Mercy won the 2025 Benchmark Autonomous Robot Navigation (BARN) Challenge at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Key to the team's success was a novel navigation algorithm developed by Tech faculty member Amna Mazen and others during her doctoral research in robotics at UDM. Mazen, an assistant professor in applied computing and manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology, heads the Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab at Tech. Team members from Tech included PhD students Kamyab Yazdipaz and Innocent Mateyaunga.
Faculty Promotions Announced
The College of Computing congratulates our recently promoted faculty members: In the Department of Computer Science, Laura Brown has been promoted to full professor and Jianhui Yue to associate professor. In the Department of Applied Computing, Weihua Zhou has been promoted to associate professor. All promotions went into effect August 11.
College of Computing Grad Students Win Awards for Outstanding Scholarship and Teaching
Michigan Tech's Graduate School recognizes outstanding students each fall and spring semester for scholarship and excellence in teaching. Outstanding Scholarship Awards are presented to students who demonstrate academic or professional qualities that set them apart within their academic programs. Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Awards recognize excellence in teaching. Nominations for both awards are submitted by each student's college or department.
Last fall, computer science PhD student Ronald Stempien received the Dean's Award for Outstanding Scholarship. In the same semester, computer science PhD students Junyao Yang, Joseph Teahen, and Yifu Deng received Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Awards.
Prior to their PhD studies, Stempien, Yang, and Teahen were already Tech alumni. Stempien earned his master's degree in computer science in 2024. Yang earned bachelor's degrees in computer engineering and mathematics in 2020 and completed his master's in computer science in 2021. Teahen earned his bachelor's in computer science in 2023.
For the spring semester, computer science master's student Noah Kolczynski was the recipient of the Dean's Award for Outstanding Scholarship. Additionally, mechatronics master's student Troy Allman and computational science and engineering PhD student Chethana Kadirimangalam were recognized for teaching excellence, along with computer science PhD candidates Caleb Rother and Josh Alele-Beals.
Kolczynski and Allman earned their master's degrees in spring 2025, graduating in April. Kadirimangalam, Rother, and Alele-Beals all earned master's degrees at MTU in 2024. Kadirimangalam received her master's in health informatics and both Rother and Alele-Beals earned theirs in computer science.
Celebrating the Legacy of Linda Ott
Linda Ott's contributions to Michigan Tech, the College of Computing, and the Department of Computer Science are nearly as legendary as the transformational influence she holds in her field. As the third woman in Purdue University's history to earn a PhD in Computer Science, Ott blazed many trails. As she retired on June 30, after a 47-year career at Michigan Tech, colleagues and students who have benefited from her wisdom and vision gathered to celebrate her retirement and offer congratulations and thanks for her contributions.
Throughout her tenure at Tech, Ott was a leading force for the department through many avenues of growth, from the establishment of a PhD in Computer Science to the construction of Kanwal and Ann Rekhi Hall and the creation of the College of Computing. A strong advocate for underrepresented groups, Ott continuously demonstrated excellence in how departments can support their students.
Ott's legacy continues through the new alumni-supported Linda Ott Computing Science Endowed Scholarship. Questions about the scholarship can be directed to Joanne Anderson, director for charitable giving, at joanne@mtu.edu.
Vicky Roy Leaves Lasting Impact
The excellence of the College of Computing's professional staff is a driving force behind our success. Vicky Roy, who retired on June 30, is a case in point.
Roy retired as executive assistant to the dean and director of administration for the College of Computing after nearly 12 years at Michigan Tech. She was department coordinator in the Department of Computer Science for more than six years before moving into her current position when the College of Computing was established at Michigan Tech in 2019.
Roy is a recipient of the Michigan Tech Staff Council's 2024 Making a Difference Legacy Award, bestowed on an individual who has established a long-running and respected reputation for engaging in collaboration, promoting teamwork, improving efficiency, and exhibiting a proactive approach to finding solutions. The ideal recipient also invests time and effort into mentoring colleagues and sharing knowledge with others.
As Dean Dennis Livesay noted in his nomination letter, Roy possesses all of these qualities and also adeptly evolved the role as the College grew. The College and colleagues across campus congratulate Vicky on an award-winning career and wish her happiness in her next chapter!
Coda
We wrap this issue on just the right note, with Dan Fuhrmann, chair of the Department of Applied Computing, on the piano and Tim Havens, executive director of the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems, on bass. Playing together since 2012, Fuhrmann and Havens exemplify the creativity that informs our people, programs, and purpose. Get an encore that goes deeper into the duo's musical roots at the College's Computing News Blog.
Michigan Technological University is an R1 public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
