May 28, 2025

Whether they’re stepping up to engineer front-of-house sound at Lollapalooza, setting up speakers for Taylor Swift, or soundscaping award-winning video games, Michigan Tech alumni are making waves in the audio industry.

Charles Southward graduated in 2018 with a degree in audio production and technology and hit the ground running with Eighth Day Sound in Cleveland, Ohio. Dave Peterson graduated with a degree in audio production and technology in 2020, ready to help run the family business. And Steven Green graduated in 2014 with a degree in sound design and has since become a technical sound designer on award-winning video games.

Read about their accomplishments and where they are now at Stories from Husky Nation.

Michigan Technological University has joined the Institute for Research on Innovation & Science (IRIS), a national consortium of leading research universities dedicated to using data to understand and demonstrate the public value of research investments.

IRIS, housed at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, maintains an IRB-approved data repository to collect and analyze research expenditure data from its member institutions. This data is used to generate university-specific and aggregate reports that illustrate the economic and workforce impact of research funding.

Michigan Tech’s membership comes with tailored reports showcasing how the University's research enterprise contributes to industries and regional economies, supports national and in-state vendors, and impacts the career trajectories of research staff and trainees. Additionally, Michigan Tech researchers will gain free access to IRIS UMETRICS, a de-identified research dataset that includes transaction-level information on over $192 billion in sponsored research funding across more than 100 campuses nationwide. The dataset, released biannually, has been used in publications of numerous books and peer-reviewed articles.

“Joining IRIS will empower Michigan Tech to tell a more complete story about the impact of the work we do in the Upper Peninsula and around Michigan,” said Andrew Barnard, vice president for research at Michigan Tech. “Our researchers do incredible, impactful work throughout the state and region, and we’re proud to celebrate that through the improved data visualization that IRIS can provide.”

Read the full press release at Michigan Tech News.

Please join the Graduate School in congratulating Michigan Tech's Summer 2025 Finishing Fellows.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Doctoral Finishing Fellowship and would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for this recognition,” writes Aman Poovalappil, Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering.

Poovalappil is advised by Darrell Robinette and Jeff Naber, and is grateful for their guidance, mentorship and unwavering support. He also appreciates the support of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and APS Labs, whose resources and collaborative environment have played a vital role in his research development.

Read more about Poovalappil’s journey at Michigan Tech on the Graduate School Newsblog.

WLUC TV6, the Mining Journal, Detroit News, College Hockey Insider and 65 other outlets nationwide covered Michigan Tech’s hiring of Bill Muckalt as head coach of the University’s hockey program.

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The American Society of Civil Engineers mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the 2025 ASCE Civil Engineering Student Championships, where MTU students will compete in the Concrete Canoe and Timber-Strong Design Build competitions June 27-29 at California Polytechnic State University.

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Crain’s Detroit Business mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about the rebranding of the University Research Corridor (URC) to Research Universities for Michigan (RU4M), highlighting the expanded statewide focus and collaborative efforts across the state's top research institutions.

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Crain’s Detroit Business mentioned Michigan Tech in an opinion piece about the impact of proposed federal research cuts.

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Canada’s University Magazine mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about colleges with the most career-ready graduates, highlighting the University's strong career services and hands-on learning opportunities.

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Retired Michigan Tech professor Joe Kirkish (HU) was mentioned by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story about his 100th birthday celebration, honoring his contributions as a philanthropist, mentor and longtime community figure in the Keweenaw.

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WLUC TV6 mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about YouTuber “GFed” touring U.P. athletic venues, including MTU’s Kearly Stadium and John MacInnes Student Ice Arena, as part of his “Walk On Challenge” series.

Submission and Formatting 101: Master the Dissertation, Thesis and Report Process

Students who are completing a dissertation, thesis or report are invited to join the Graduate School to learn about the resources available to them to assist in scheduling their defense, formatting their documents, and submitting their documents. In one afternoon, you can learn everything you need to be successful and complete your degree in a timely fashion! Faculty and staff who assist students with submissions are also welcome to attend. Attend the entire event, or stop in for the seminar that interests you.

• When: Thursday, May 29, from 2-4:30 p.m. (see a detailed schedule on our blog)
• Who: Students completing a dissertation, thesis or report; faculty and staff who assist students with submission.
• Where: Virtually via Zoom (please register to attend online and receive participation instructions) and in person in Admin 404 (room capacity is 30).
• Registration: Please register to receive handouts via email or attend online. The seminar will be available online as well as on campus

If you are unable to join us, the event will be taped and available online after the event. The previous semester’s seminars are always available online.

Information on submitting, formatting and more can be found online for dissertations and theses or reports.

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Fall 2025 Finishing Fellowship Nominations Open

Applications for Fall 2025 Finishing Fellowships are being accepted and are due no later than 4 p.m. next Wednesday, June 4, to the Graduate School. Please email applications to gradschool@mtu.edu.

Full instructions on the 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.
2. Must expect to finish during the semester supported as a Finishing Fellow.
3. Must have submitted no more than one previous application for a Finishing Fellowship.
4. Must be eligible for candidacy (tuition charged at Research Mode rate) at the time of application.
5. Must not hold a final oral examination ("defense") prior to the start of the award semester.

Finishing Fellowships provide support to Ph.D. candidates who are close to completing their degrees. These fellowships are available through the generosity of alumni and friends of the University. They are intended to recognize outstanding Ph.D. candidates who are in need of financial support to finish their degrees and are also contributing to the attainment of goals outlined in the Michigan Tech Strategic Plan.

The Graduate School anticipates funding up to 10 fellowships with support ranging from $2,000 to full support (stipend plus tuition). Students who receive full support through a Finishing Fellowship may not accept any other employment. For example, students cannot be fully supported by a Finishing Fellowship and accept support as a GTA or GRA.

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