Michigan Tech Great Lakes Research Center

10/02/2026

Happy Plaidurday from our GLRC crew!

Because we’re all connected by a common thread.

09/24/2026

🌋 Did you know the U.P. has a volcanic past?

The Keweenaw Peninsula’s iconic ridges, valleys, and even parts of Lake Superior’s geological foundation were shaped by massive volcanic activity more than a billion years ago.

In a recent Michigan Public On Hand feature, GLRC researchers Erika Vye, geosciences research scientist, and Daniel J. Lizzadro-McPherson, geospatial research scientist III, explain the fascinating geology behind the landscape we know today.

From the Midcontinent Rift System and the massive Greenstone Flow to glaciers, copper deposits, and the unique ecosystems of the Keweenaw, the story of this place is literally written in the rocks. 🌎🪨

Learn more and listen to Erika and Daniel share the story of the U.P.'s volcanic past.

Michigan's Upper Peninsula might not be the first spot you think of when someone says "volcano," but maybe it should be! Around 1.1 billion years ago, a rift volcano started producing massive amounts of lava in the region. That volcano (with the help of some glaciers around 10,000 years ago) formed....

09/16/2026

Today, Michigan Tech recognized outstanding scholarship and teaching at the 2026 Faculty Awards Ceremony, and we’re proud to celebrate two faculty members affiliated with the GLRC Institute:

🏆 2026 Michigan Tech Research Award: Timothy Havens (GLRC/CS)
🏆 2026 Distinguished Professor: Amy Marcarelli (ESC/SHHBS)

Congratulations, Tim and Amy, on these well-deserved honors for your continued contributions to research, teaching, and the Michigan Tech community!

09/02/2026

Welcome to the new Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator Cohort 5!

We are looking forward to working with you. 🌊

07/09/2026

Please join us in congratulating the GLRC’s executive director Tim Havens on receiving the 2026 Research Award! 🎉

Meet an engineer, computer scientist, leader, musician (and cat lover!) helping to shape research and create community at Michigan Tech.

Congratulations to Dr. Tim Havens, our 2026 Michigan Tech Research Award winner! As a Tech alumnus himself, Tim returned to campus in 2012 and has spent the last decade bringing researchers together across departmental lines to tackle society's biggest challenges—from AI to Great Lakes stewardship.

"One of the most rewarding aspects of academia is helping others succeed," Tim says.

Join us in thanking Dr. Havens for his incredible dedication to our students and community! Read the full Michigan Tech News Q&A: https://www.mtu.edu/news/2026/07/michigan-tech-research-award-winner-turns-data-into-better-decisions-and-bigger-discoveries.html

06/10/2026

𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 | geo·her·i·tage | 𝘫ē-ə-ˈ𝘩𝘦𝘳-ə-𝘵𝘪𝘫 | noun

Definition: the connection between geology and human societies.

That's what Erika Vye, a GLRC Geosciences Research Scientist, studies and teaches. Michigan Public NPR interviewed her about it in their article and video: "Beyond the Shore: The ancient origins of, and enduring connections to Lake Superior." See Erika starting at the 1:20 mark: https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/beyond-the-shore/2026-05-22/beyond-the-shore-the-ancient-origins-of-and-enduring-connections-to-lake-superior

📸 Photo excerpt from Michigan Public NPR

05/14/2026

Microbe-powered underwater batteries? For this DARPA BLUE project, we have a number of GLRC members who are part of this team trying to make something that sounds like science fiction into fact. Read more about this fascinating effort:

https://www.mtu.edu/unscripted/2026/05/michigan-tech-researchers-develop-selffueling-marine-battery-for-darpa-blue-program.html

At Huskies have access to opportunities to get their hands dirty. Or, in this case, wet.

Michigan Tech’s Amy Marcarelli is the principal investigator on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency - DARPA BioLogical Undersea Energy (BLUE) project. The program’s focus is on developing a self-refueling power supply system that could capture and convert microscopic forms of marine biomass into electrical power.

“The basic idea is that microbes move electrons around during their metabolic processes. In a microbial fuel cell, those processes transfer electrons from an anode to a cathode, creating an electrical current we can harness,” said Marcarelli, a distinguished professor of biological sciences at Michigan Tech.

The project is made possible through synergy between a strong lineup of co-principal investigators:

🧑‍🔬“The amount of energy that you can extract out of any MFC is pretty small and restricted by the voltage of these systems. So we have to maximize current, which is a key component of power production. ” – Jennifer Becker, Michigan Tech associate professor of civil, environmental, and geospatial engineering with an affiliation in biological sciences.

📊 “We’re using data to understand where in the world’s coastal ocean environment these types of devices could be deployed and successfully generate the power output that the end user would ultimately want.” – Michael Sayers, Michigan Tech Research Institute’s chief research scientist.

🪸“There's a big part of this that is the survivability of these systems in the ocean. Our system is a combination of custom-machined and off-the-shelf components. In the end, we need to keep seawater out and keep them happy, dry, and functioning.” – Jamey Anderson, assistant director of marine operations at Michigan Tech Great Lakes Research Center

🤝“I've worked on tons of projects over the years, both here and elsewhere, and this is one of the best teams I've ever seen.” – Gordon Parker, Michigan Tech’s John and Cathi Drake endowed chair in mechanical engineering.

Additional co-PIs are Steve Techtmann, professor at The Ohio State University, Mario Tamburri, professor at the University of Maryland, and Juliana D’Andrilli, associate professor at the University of North Texas.

Dive into the biology, engineering, research, and data science that could revolutionize marine sensor deployment: http://mtu.news/zppg50YYUS5

Michigan Tech College of Sciences and Arts

05/13/2026

05/11/2026

Did you know that the Great Lakes have over 10,000 miles of shoreline? In the lower 48 states, that's more shoreline than the Pacific and Atlantic coasts combined! 👀 Our Smart Buoy system is integral to knowing more about the lakes and the people who interact with those waters. Learn more about it in the 9&10 News interview with GLRC Senior Research Engineer Hayden Henderson!

Michigan Tech Senior Research Engineer Hayden Henderson discusses spring weather’s effects on the Great Lakes.

04/28/2026

Well ahead of the “official start” to field season, Michigan Tech Great Lakes Research Center has already raised the bar for 2026. With three full size buoys on Lake Superior alone, a wide array of parameters, including some novel water chemistry and quality measurements, will be captured to give a more full dataset and understanding of what happens out on the biggest of the big lakes.

Thanks to Nick Yeager and Hayden Henderson for sharing these photos from the buoys’ deployment. Find the buoy data and all other real-time lake information at seagull.glos.org:
•Ontonagon (45216): https://seagull.glos.org/map?coords=-89.3368506%2C46.9032298%2C9&platform=45216
•North Entry (45023):
https://seagull.glos.org/map?coords=-88.5929685%2C47.2627409%2C9&platform=45023
•South Entry (45025):
https://seagull.glos.org/map?coords=-89.3368506%2C46.9032298%2C9&platform=45025