Hydrodynamics, Climate, and Environment Research Team
- Associate Director, Great Lakes Research Center
- Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
- Director, Numerical Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Great Lakes Research Center
- pexue@mtu.edu
- 906-487-1837
- GLRC 208
Links of Interest
Teaching Interests
- Introductory Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
- Hydrodynamic Modeling
- Water Resources Engineering
- Ecosystem Dynamics Modeling
Research Interests
- Hydrodynamic modeling
- Regional climate modeling
- Coupled ocean-atmosphere dynamics
- Data assimilation and machine learning
- Biophysical processes in the Great Lakes
- Estuary and coastal ocean processes
- Assistant Research Scientist, Great Lakes Research Center
Area of Expertise
- Hydrodynamic modeling
- Regional climate modeling
- Physical limnology
- Nearshore processing
Research Interests
- Great Lakes cross-scale hydrodynamics
- Integrated Earth modeling system
- Long-term climate change and projection over the Great Lakes
- Short-term hydrodynamic forecasting in the Great Lakes
- Interactions between atmospheric and lake processing
- Postdoctoral Scholar
- czhao4@mtu.edu
- GLRC 210
Research Interests
- Great Lakes hydrodynamic modeling and data assimilation
- Coastal disaster prevention and mitigation
- Waves and currents interaction with vegetation
- Sediment transport in vegetated regions
- Visiting Scholar
- ychen25@mtu.edu
- GLRC 210
Research Area
Utilizing machine learning techniques for the Great Lakes system, particularly for the projections of water levels, waves, and coastal flooding regions
Environmental Biology, Biotechnology, and Water Quality Research Team
- Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
- Associate Director, Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC)
- smtechtm@mtu.edu
- 906-487-3250
- Dow 531
Research Interests
- Environmental Microbiology
- Next-generation sequencing technology and bioinformatics/computational biology
- Microbial physiology and biochemistry
- Microbes as sensors for the environmental impacts of oil and gas production
- Microbially-mediated remediation of crude oil contamination
- Sustainability and plastic biodegradation
Dre Senyk
- Laboratory Technician, Environmental Biotechnology Lab
- asenyk@mtu.edu
- GLRC 112
Areas of Interest
- Microbial Biotechnology
- Material Upcycling
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Environmental Remediation
- Apiculture and Pollinator Health
- Research Facility Organization
Malik Sankofa
- Laboratory Technician, Environmental Biotechnology Lab
- msankofa@mtu.edu
- GLRC 114
Areas of Interest
- Bioinformatics
- Microbial ecology
- Plant-microbe interactions
- Community structure
Sulihat Aloba
- Research Engineer
- Laboratory Manager, Environmental Biotechnology Lab
- soaloba@mtu.edu
- GLRC 112
Areas of Interest
- Sustainable Materials Conversion
- Analytical Chemistry and Instrumentation
- Experimental Design and Implementation
- Biofuels and Biomaterials Development
- Process Optimization and Validation
- Project Management and Coordination
Smart Ships Coalition
- Research Engineer, Great Lakes Research Center
- Relief Captain, Great Lakes Research Center
- tmwhite@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2877
- GLRC 310
Specialties
- Responsible for administration of the Marine Autonomy Research Site and Smart Ships Coalition and coordination with the Marine Research Assets Shared Use Facility (MRAF) in support of client needs.
- Provide scientific and engineering support to faculty, staff, partners, and sponsors with expertise in design, manufacturing, and integration of marine systems. Support budget and proposal development, project management, and strategic planning.
- Over 10 years' experience as a licensed captain on the Great Lakes with expertise in navigation systems, marine electronics, mechanical systems, and maintenance, repair, and operations.
- Expanded Biography.
Mi-STAR
Marianne Semones
- Mi-STAR Program Director and Senior Research Scientist
Stephanie Tubman
- Mi-STAR Senior Research Scientist
Research Interests
- Teacher leadership development
- Science teacher beliefs, attitudes, and practices around effective science instruction
- Decision-making and power sharing in instructional and organizational settings
Specialties
- Design of curriculum for Next Generation Science Standards in the middle (6-8) and high school (9-12) gradebands
- Design and evaluation of inquiry-based curriculum for grades 6-12
- Environmental and place-based education
- Integration of Next Generation Science Standards into place-based educational frameworks
- Design and implementation of professional learning for STEM educators
- Coaching and facilitation of teacher leaders
- Earth science, water resource, and natural hazards education
- Project Management
Gregg Bluth
- Mi-STAR Senior Research Scientist: Assessment and Curriculum
- Adjunct Professor, Geological and Mining Engineering
Links of Interest
- Science Education
- Science Assessment Development
Chris Geerer
- Mi-STAR Professional Learning Coordinator
- Associate Research Scientist
Specialties
- K-12 Educational Leadership
- K-12 Professional Development
- K-12 Science Education
Lindsey M Watch
- Mi-STAR Research Scientist
Research Interests
- STEM/CS/CT K-12 curricular integration
- STEM educator professional development
Specialties
- K-12 NGSS curricular design
- Professional development for STEM educators
- Place-based environmental education
Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience (CISR)
- Professor of Sociology, Department of Social Sciences
- Affiliated Professor, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
- Director of Research, Center for Innovation in Sustainability & Resilience
Research Interests
- Socio-technological system transitions
- Technology adoption
- Energy policy
- Energy practices
- Sustainable communities
- Self-provisioning
- Environmental education
"You can't change the world, but you can make a dent!"
—Sheldon Mopes
—Sheldon Mopes
- Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering
- Affiliated Assistant Professor, CEGE and Social Sciences
- Faculty Advisor, Green Campus Enterprise
- rhandler@mtu.edu
- 906-487-3612
- H-STEM 235
Courses
- ENG 4515/5515 Introduction to Sustainability and Resilience
- ENG 4525/5525 Systems Analysis for Sustainability and Resilience
- CM 3980 Sustainable Chemical Engineering
- Green Campus Enterprise
Research Interests
- Life-cycle assessment
- Sustainability and resilience
- Food, Energy, and Water systems
- Sustainable materials and manufacturing
- Ecosystem services
- Aquaponics and hydroponics
- Assistant Professor of Economics, College of Business
- Director of MS in Applied Natural Resource Economics
- jlapries@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2223
- Academic Office Building 123
Teaching Interests
- Principles of Economics
- Microeconomics
- Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
Research Interests
- Coupled human and environmental systems
- Fishery economics and management
- Computable General Equilibrium Modeling
- Regional economic modeling
- Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
- Associate Research Director, Center for Innovation in Sustainability & Resilience (CISR)
- Advisor, Outdoor Venture Crew
- adyreson@mtu.edu
- 906-487-1173
- R. L. Smith 930
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Solar photovoltaic and thermal power plants
- Electricity grid operational modeling
- Energy-water nexus
Research Interests
- Impacts of climate change on electric power systems
- Energy transitions in cold climates
- Solar photovoltaic design for cold climates
- Heat pump performance
- Thermal power plant modeling
- Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
- Affiliated Professor, Chemistry
- jperl@mtu.edu
- 906-487-3641
- Dow 863
Links of Interest
Teaching Interests
- Environmental Engineering
- Transport & Transformation of Organic Chemicals
- Boundary Layer Meteorology
- Sustainability
Research Interests
- Air and Water Quality
- Atmosphere-biosphere Exchange of Chemicals
- Micrometeorology
- Environmental Analytical Chemistry
- Sustainability
- Professor Emeritus, Chemical Engineering
- Research Professor, Chemical Engineering
- drshonna@mtu.edu
- 906-487-3468
- Dow 840A
Research Interests
- Bioprocess engineering
- Alternative energy/Biofuels
- Sustainability
Hardwood Timber Mass Institute (HTMI)
- Professor of Practice in Forest Biomaterials
- Coordinator of Industrial Research, Innovation, and Commercialization
- Director of Ford Center and Forest
- mrudnick@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2603
- Noblet Building 175
Areas of Expertise
- Forest Biomaterials
- Tree biomechanics
- Wind and trees
- Dendrochronology
- Extension and Outreach