Mark Rudnicki
Advisor
mrudnick@mtu.edu
Dr. Mark Rudnicki is currently a Professor of Practice of Forest Biomaterials in the College of Forest Resources & Environmental Science at Michigan Technological University, where he conducts and coordinates research & teaching in sustainable bioproducts & more holistically, the circular bioeconomy. Mark is an advisory board member for the 2021 World Bioeconomy Forum & a founding member of the Houghton-based FinnZone, a commercial launchpad for Finnish tech companies entering the United States. His diverse research interests include tree biomechanics, forest meteorology, circular bioeconomy, biomaterials & mass timber. Dr. Rudnicki was also the Executive Director (2015-2019) of the Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute since its establishment as a non-profit NGO dedicated to the facilitation of the forest bioeconomy in the State of Michigan.
Sara Schrader
President
sjschrad@mtu.edu
Sara is a senior Chemical Engineering student. She enjoys yoga, reading, knitting, and spending time with her dog. Sara is passionate about sustainability and wants to use her degree in a way to help the environment. Sara has been a member of Hotforest since Fall 2022 and has since become interested in the Circular Economy and would like to reduce waste to landfills.
Nicole McGinn
Vice President
namcginn@mtu.edu
Nicole is a fourth-year Sustainable Bioproducts student with a concentration in sustainable structures and a minor in business. She is also a member of the club softball team and enjoys participating in as many intramural events as she can. Nicole is passionate about sustainability and finding new ways to participate in the circular economy especially when it comes to engineered wood products
Josie Kalepp
Public Relations
jkkalepp@mtu.edu
Josie is a fourth year chemical engineering student. She is also a member of the MTU cheer team and sorority Phi Delta Chi, and enjoys hiking and hanging out with her cat. Circular economy is important because we are using up the resources the Earth has provided for us and we are going to exhaust those. With circular economy Josie wants to find ways or create products that allow us to cycle those resources back into use again and again.
Dominink LaChapelle
Chief Financial Officer
dclachap@mtu.edu
Dominik is a fourth-year environmental engineering student. He is also the treasurer for Engineers Without Borders at Michigan Tech. In his spare time, he likes to go on hikes, hang out with friends, and play intramural sports. Dominik joined Hotforest is the Spring semester of 2023, an he is interested in the process of developing sustainable products in order to further advance the circular economy.
Hannah Moody
Secretary
hkmoody@mtu.edu
Hannah is a fourth-year Sustainable Bioproducts student with a concentration in Circular Economy. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the Keweenaw, spending quality time with friends, and being an active member of her sorority, Delta Zeta. Hannah has been a member of Hotforest since Fall 2022 and is passionate about closing production loops so that less waste is generated in manufacturing/production.
Arianna Mlinar
Digital Relations
ammlinar@mtu.edu
Arianna is a senior chemical engineering student. She enjoys crocheting and spending time outdoors hiking, and biking. She is also involved in the Women’s Leadership Council and her sorority. She joined Hotforest in Spring 2023 to learn more about how she can use innovative technology to have a positive impact on the environment and promote the circular economy.
Irelynn St. Louis & Mia Mundinger