The International Student Blog

Michigan Technological University’s science department has recently made some highly innovative discoveries. Their research covers a broad range of topics, and is groundbreaking in every field.

Invisibility Cloak

At MTU, Professor Elena Semouchkina and her graduate students have started creating a cloak that bends electromagnetic waves to make it appear invisible. This kind of technology is revolutionary on its own, as invisibility has never truly been regarded as feasible. Semouchkina and her team explain their approach in detail in a special issue of Journal of Optics. Initially, the cloak contained dielectric resonators that caused the waves to bounce back and forth between chalcogenide glass walls. However, the newest development in the project relies on photonic crystals composed of dielectric rods. Wave transmissions are not determined by the resonances of these crystals, making them optimal for invisibility.

Environmental Impact

In addition to this, research teams at Michigan Tech have contributed greatly to the cause of sustainability and energy renewal. They are constantly finding efficient, alternative ways to convert natural resources into energy without emitting pollutants. Conserving energy is vital for the survival of both our planet and our species. The positive effects of MTU’s environmental research are innumerable, and their progress shows no signs of ending.

The Michigan Tech transportation and infrastructure research team is aware of the demands set by sustainability research. Their effort to maximize safety and practicality while keeping efficiency and environmental impact in mind. The team has access to the most exclusive facilities in the world, securing their position at the top of their field. They work with both domestic and international projects, and cover everything from hydraulics to biogeochemistry.

Mechanical Engineer

The robotics program at Michigan Tech is yet another organization that excels in its field. Much of MTU’s focus goes into manufacturing and industrial appliances. The team has made significant advances in 3D printing research as well. The faculty has even added a 3D printer to the school’s library, and it is available to students who wish to use it. STEM majors note that this is one of the most useful appliances for a class like Calculus 3, as it enables students to see real life, concrete manifestations of shapes and their dimensions. Cecile Piret, a researcher who specializes in Numerical Analysis, Radial Basis Functions, and Fractional Differential Equations, states that “What is incredible about 3-D printers is that one can now easily print, for instance, inventions by Archimedes or by Leonardo da Vinci…, Moreover, it is the case that, historically, breakthroughs in mathematics often emerged from a need to understand and solve concrete engineering problems.” Piret claims that one of the biggest inhibitors of mathematical progress was the inability to see real life applications of difficult problems. Therefore, by integrating a 3D printer into the mathematical process, we are opening doors for the field of mathematics as a whole.

Michigan Tech University has contributed greatly to the development of science. Their revolutionary invisibility research, contributions to sustainable development, and advancements have made significant impacts.  

This entry was posted on Friday, July 13th, 2018 at 4:00 am and is filed under International Student. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Written by Rachel Rollins

Marketing Coordinator Rachel joined EIC in 2016 after graduating from the University of North Florida. Her engagements at her campus, and community have only influenced her to continuously learn and understand her surroundings and beyond.

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