37 Notable alumni of Michigan Technological University
Updated: June 16, 2026 EliteDegrees
Michigan Technological University is ranked #605 in the world and #187 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 37 notable alumni from Michigan Technological University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Michigan Technological University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. George H. Garrey
1875-1957 (aged 82)
mining engineer
geological engineer
George Henry Garrey was an American mining geologist and engineer.
2. Karl James Jalkanen
1958-. (aged 68)
biologist
chemist
Karl James Jalkanen, FRSC,, is a research scientist in molecular biophysics. He is currently a research scientist at the Gilead Sciences new La Verne, California manufacturing facility in the Department of Technical Services.
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3. Heather Lewandowski
physicist
university teacher
Heather Lewandowski is a professor of physics at the University of Colorado Boulder. She looks to understand the quantum mechanical processes in making chemical bonds. She uses time-varying inhomogeneous electric fields to achieve supersonic cooling. She also studies how students learn experimental skills in instructional physics labs and help to improve student learning in these environments. She is a Fellow...
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4. Harry Marshall Erskine Evans
1876-1973 (aged 97)
explorer
Henry Marshall Erskine Evans was a politician in Alberta, Canada, and successful businessman. He served as mayor of Edmonton in 1918.
5. Teo A. Babun
1948-. (aged 78)
military historian
Teo A. Babun is a Cuban-American businessman, evangelical philanthropist, and human rights (freedom of religion) advocate. He is the founder of BG Consultants and Cuba-Caribbean Development Co. and also the head of Outreach Aid to the Americas (OAA) and AmericasRelief.
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6. Leonard C. Ward
1917-2001 (aged 84)
military personnel
Brigadier General Leonard C. Ward was a United States Army officer who served as Chief of the Army Division (now Director of the Army National Guard) at the National Guard Bureau.
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7. Fred Clark
1959-. (aged 67)
politician
Fred Clark is an American conservationist, businessman, and Democratic politician from Bayfield, Wisconsin. He served three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Baraboo and surrounding municipalities in central Wisconsin.
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8. R. E. Robertson
1885-1961 (aged 76)
lawyer
politician
Ralph Elliott Robertson was an American lawyer and politician from the territory and state of Alaska. He was a member of the Republican Party.
9. Jack Real
1915-2005 (aged 90)
military flight engineer
Jack G. Real was an aerospace pioneer and Howard Hughes confidant.
10. Jet Lowe
1947-. (aged 79)
photographer
architectural photographer
John T. "Jet" Lowe is an American photographer. He is one of the photographers employed by the U.S. National Park Service on the Historic American Buildings Survey and Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) projects, and was the supervisor of engineering photography for HAER until his retirement in July 2013. His book, Industrial Eye: Photographs by Jet Lowe from the Historic...
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11. Howard Burnham
1870-1917 (aged 47)
explorer
engineer
spy
mining engineer
Mather Howard Burnham, was an American who went by the name of Howard; his brother was the celebrated scout Frederick Russell Burnham. He traveled the world, frequently worked as a mining engineer and, during World War I, he became an intelligence officer and spy for the government of France. He had a wooden leg which he used to conceal tools...
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12. Joel L'Esperance
1995-. (aged 31)
ice hockey player
Joel David L'Esperance is a former American professional ice hockey forward. He most recently played for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL).
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13. Mitch Reinke
1996-. (aged 30)
ice hockey player
Mitchell Jon Reinke is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing under contract with the Eisbären Berlin in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He has formerly played with the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League (NHL).
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14. Blake Pietila
1993-. (aged 33)
ice hockey player
Blake Chester Pietila is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played with the New Jersey Devils in the National Hockey League (NHL). Pietila was drafted by the Devils in the 5th round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
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15. David Edwards
1961-. (aged 65)
biomedical engineer
chemist
David A. Edwards is an American biomedical engineer, and the founder of Sensory Cloud. He was the Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Biomedical Engineering at Harvard University.
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16. William S. Hammack
1961-. (aged 65)
engineer
William S. Hammack (born 1961) is an American chemical engineer, and professor in the department of chemical engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
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17. Davis Payne
1970-. (aged 56)
ice hockey player
Davis Payne is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, and is the former head coach of the St. Louis Blues. He was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings, but was fired on April 11, 2017. He was an associate coach under D. J. Smith with the...
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18. Steve Jensen
1955-2022 (aged 67)
ice hockey player
Steven Allan Jensen was an American professional ice hockey player and owner and director of Heartland Hockey Camps. Jensen was a forward who appeared in 438 games in the National Hockey League from 1976–82. For 39 years, Jensen served as founding owner and director of the Heartland Hockey Camp located in Deerwood, Minnesota, and was a full-time teaching professional with...
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19. Donald L. Shell
1924-2015 (aged 91)
computer scientist
Donald L. Shell was an American computer scientist who designed the Shellsort sorting algorithm. He acquired his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Cincinnati in 1959, and published the Shellsort algorithm in the Communications of the ACM in July that same year.
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20. Tanner Kero
1992-. (aged 34)
ice hockey player
Tanner James Kero is an American professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Kölner Haie of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
21. Andy Sutton
1975-. (aged 51)
ice hockey player
Andrew Cameron Sutton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, Atlanta Thrashers, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks in a 14-year career.
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22. Chris Conner
1983-. (aged 43)
ice hockey player
Christopher Ryan Conner is an American former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL).
23. Matt Roy
1995-. (aged 31)
ice hockey player
Matthew Alan Roy is an American professional ice hockey player who is a defenseman for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the seventh round, 194th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2015 NHL entry draft.
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24. Mel Pearson
1959-. (aged 67)
ice hockey player
Melvin Kim Pearson is a former college ice hockey player and the former head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team. Pearson played for Michigan Tech from 1977 to 1981, then served as an assistant coach for the team from 1982 to 1988. Following the 1987–88 season, he spent 23 years as an assistant coach and associate head...
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25. Baijayant Jay Panda
1964-. (aged 62)
politician
Baijayant "Jay" Panda is an Indian politician. He is the national vice president and spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was a Member of Parliament in the 15th and 16th Lok Sabha from Kendrapara. He was also a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha for two terms from 2000 to 2009.
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26. Jarkko Ruutu
1975-. (aged 51)
ice hockey player
Jarkko Samuli Ruutu; born 23 August 1975) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks. He is currently serving as a European development coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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27. Joe Berger
1982-. (aged 44)
American football player
Joseph David Berger is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL) for the Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL draft. He played college football at Michigan Tech.
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28. Roxane Gay
1974-. (aged 52)
editing staff
novelist
university teacher
journalist
literary critic
Roxane Gay is an American writer, professor, editor, and social commentator. Gay is the author of The New York Times best-selling essay collection Bad Feminist (2014), as well as the short story collection Ayiti (2011), the novel An Untamed State (2014), the short story collection Difficult Women (2017), and the memoir Hunger (2017).
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29. Tony Esposito
1943-2021 (aged 78)
ice hockey player
designer
Anthony James "Tony O" Esposito was a Canadian-American professional ice hockey goaltender, who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 15 of those for the Chicago Blackhawks. He was one of the pioneers of the now popular butterfly style. Tony was the younger brother of Phil Esposito, a centre. Both brothers had notable careers and are enshrined in...
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30. Jujhar Khaira
1994-. (aged 32)
ice hockey player
Jujhar Khaira is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League (AHL). He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild.
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31. Dave Hill
1943-. (aged 83)
engineer
James David Hill was an American professional golfer. He was the brother of Mike Hill who was also a professional golfer.
32. Paul D. Rogers
mechanical engineer
military officer
Paul D. Rogers is a major general in the Michigan Army National Guard. Since February 2019, he has been serving as the 34th Adjutant General of the Michigan Military, which includes: Michigan Army National Guard, Michigan Air National Guard and the Michigan Defense Force.
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33. Kanwal Rekhi
1945-. (aged 81)
businessperson
Kanwal Singh Rekhi is an Indian-American businessman. He was the first Indian-American founder and CEO to take a venture-backed company public on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
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34. John Scott
politician
police officer
John Peter Scott CBE FRSA FBA FAcSS is an English sociologist working on issues of economic and political sociology, social stratification, the history of sociology, and social network analysis. He is currently working independently, and has previously worked at the Universities of Strathclyde, Leicester, Essex, and Plymouth. He is a Fellow of the British Academy (elected 2007), a Fellow of...
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35. Melvin Calvin
1911-1997 (aged 86)
university teacher
biologist
chemist
engineer
biochemist
Melvin Ellis Calvin was an American biochemist known for discovering the Calvin cycle along with Andrew Benson and James Bassham, for which he was awarded the 1961 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He spent most of his five-decade career at the University of California, Berkeley.
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36. Alexander King Sample
1960-. (aged 66)
Catholic priest
Catholic bishop
Alexander King Sample is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Portland since 2013. He previously served as Bishop of Marquette from 2005 to 2013.
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37. Markus J. Buehler
materials scientist
researcher
engineer
Markus J. Buehler is an American materials scientist and engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he holds the endowed McAfee Professorship of Engineering chair. He is a member of the faculty at MIT's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, where he directs the Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics (LAMM),. He is a member of...
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