May 13, 2025

Extracurriculars aren’t just fun activities at Michigan Tech — they’re unique experiences that help students find their path. Coming to Tech as a first-year student, Ben Amat ’26 knew Tech was the right place for him based on the University’s intimate class sizes, his love of the outdoors, and the positive experiences of his older brother, a computer engineering major. He didn’t know what he wanted to study or where his career would take him.

As a new Husky, Amat joined the Mushing Club at Michigan Tech because he missed his dog back home. He expected the time spent with furry friends to help with his homesickness. He didn’t expect it to help him choose a career.

"After joining the mushing club, I figured out within a couple of months that I wanted to be a veterinarian," said Amat. "Now I'm club president and I never looked back."

Read how Amat is racing toward his dream profession in the classroom, in the lab and behind a team of sled dogs at Stories from Husky Nation.

The Michigan Tech community is invited to watch the MTU AstroHuskies team, part of the Multiplanetary INnovation Enterprise (MINE), participate in the qualifying round of the NASA Lunabotics Challenge at the University of Central Florida.

NASA invited the AstroHuskies to take part after receiving the team’s proof of life video of their robot. The team will compete in a three-day Qualifying Challenge at UCF's Florida Space Institute starting on Thursday, May 15. Following qualifications, the top 10 teams will be invited to NASA’s On-Site Challenge at the Kennedy Space Center.

Representing MTU in Florida are 10 AstroHuskies team members: Asher Zeyl, Connor Eddy, Joshua Prall-Stankewitz, Kade Nielsen, Katherine Rauscher, Ben Christians, John Dagg, Braeden Moore, Drew Knutson and Tanner McLean. Traveling with them is the team’s faculty advisor, Paul van Susante (MAE).

The AstroHuskies are Team 11 in the Qualifying Challenge. They will appear on the UCF Lunabotics 2025 Event Livestream at the following scheduled times:

MTU AstroHuskies’ Qualifying Challenge Schedule:

• Practice Runs: Thursday, May 15, between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (no assigned MTU AstroHuskies time slot)
• MTU AstroHuskies Qualifying Competition Run 1: Friday, May 16, at 11:20 a.m.
• MTU AstroHuskies Qualifying Competition Run 2: Saturday, May 17, at 4:30 p.m. (may slip to Sunday, May 18, at 8 a.m. if any delays occur)
• Closing Ceremony Qualifying Event: Sunday, May 18, at 6 p.m.

NASA’s On-Site Challenge at the Kennedy Space Center will be streamed live starting at 7 a.m. ET next Tuesday, May 20, on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center YouTube channel. Competition run times for the top 10 teams are not scheduled yet.

Kennedy Space Center On-Site Challenge Schedule:

• Opening Ceremony: Tuesday, May 20, at 8:30 a.m.
• Competition Runs:
  • Tuesday, May 20, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Wednesday, May 21, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Thursday, May 22, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Award Ceremony: Thursday, May 22, at 3:15 p.m.

Congratulations and thank you to all of the amazing staff members who have reached a five-year anniversary this fiscal year! Your service and commitment to Michigan Tech is admirable and we are grateful to work alongside you.

Staff members who have reached a milestone anniversary will be honored at the annual University Staff Service Awards luncheon on June 10 at noon in the MUB Ballroom. President Rick Koubek and Staff Council Chair Laurie Stark will present service awards to more than 150 individuals this year! Recent staff retirees will also be recognized.

Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. This year, a catered meal featuring a fajita bar, southwest salad and sopapillas will be provided. This event is free to all honorees who RSVP in advance. If you would like to attend the event as a guest or in support of an honoree, you may purchase a ticket online. Tickets are $14.50 and must be purchased by June 2.

Thank you to the Office of the President for continuing to support and fund the University Staff Service Awards luncheon and awards!

Rodney Chimner (CFRES/ESC) is the principal investigator on a project that has received a $12,000 research and development grant from the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College.

The project is titled "Enhancing Research in Aquatic Ecosystems That Provide Traditional Food and Medicines for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community."

Maria Bergstrom (HU) was a guest on the May 11 episode of the “Copper Country Today” radio program, where she discussed Michigan Tech’s new Essential Education program.

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Jim Baker (VPR) was quoted by Crain's Detroit Business in a story about proposed state funding cuts to technology startup programs.

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Digital Engineering mentioned Michigan Tech in a press release about the new partnership with the Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL) program to enhance and scale up industry-driven training opportunities for current and prospective metalworking and manufacturing professionals.

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MLive mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the state’s 2024 road conditions report and the role of the University in pavement surface evaluation and rating (PASER) training for the Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council.

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Michigan Tech alum Nicholas Johnson ’09 (M.S. Environmental Policy) was mentioned by the Belleville News-Democrat of Alton, Illinois, in a story about his upcoming talk on Illinois' Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act.

Fall 2025 CSCHF Graduate Assistantship Nominations Open

Pre-proposals for Fall 2025 Copper Shores Community Health Foundation (CSCHF) Graduate Assistantships are being accepted and are due to the Graduate School no later than 4 p.m. next Tuesday, May 20. Students who best meet the foundation’s criteria will be invited to submit a full application, which will be due on June 25. Instructions for all steps of the process, including the pre-proposal, full application and evaluation process, are found online.

Students are eligible if all of the following criteria are met:

1. Must be a Ph.D. student conducting a research or outreach project that will promote and/or improve the overall health of Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, and Ontonagon communities.
2. Must be two years after starting the graduate program at the time of application.
3. Must not be a prior recipient of a Portage Health Foundation or CSCHF Graduate Assistantship.
4. Preference will be given to applicants with long-standing local connections to Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, or Ontonagon counties.

Previous recipients of a CSCHF Graduate Assistantship are not eligible to reapply.

Priority will be given to students originally from Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga or Ontonagon counties. Nonresident students and international students are encouraged to apply if their health research is applicable to health needs and job shortages of our local community (obesity research, rural health, medical informatics, drug delivery and lab testing, physical therapy, etc.).

These assistantships are available through the generosity of the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation. They are intended to recognize outstanding Ph.D. talent in health-oriented research areas. Applicants should be a catalyst for promoting and improving the overall health of Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, and Ontonagon communities through one of the following:

• health research and technology development
• health education or preventive and wellness initiatives
• rural health care access, informatics and assessment of care

Students who receive full support through a CSCHF Graduate Assistantship may not accept any other employment. For example, students cannot be fully supported by a CSCHF Graduate Assistantship and accept support as a GTA or GRA.

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CEO Operations Moving to Wadsworth Hall for Summer

Today, May 13, the Center for Educational Outreach (CEO) will finish making our annual transition to Wadsworth Hall to oversee Summer Youth Programs (SYP) operations. During the transition, response by phone and email will be delayed. Following the move, staff will be available in our summer office locations, Wads 400E-410E.

We are looking forward to another exciting, impactful year of hands-on learning for the nearly 1,000 participants expected to take part in an SYP course.

CEO staff will return to our regular locations in Admin 217 and Admin G36 in early August, before the start of the 2025-26 academic year.

For more information about Summer Youth Programs, including scholarship opportunities for local middle and high school students, please visit mtu.edu/syp.

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