Kettering Student Pioneering Sustainable Aviation In More Ways Than One
At just 16, Remington Steenwyk set sights on sustainability’s vast, unexplored potential. Raised in Onekama, MI and later residing in Caledonia, Remington possesses a passion for engineering that blossomed early. “Growing up in areas rich in natural beauty, I saw firsthand the impacts of environmental neglect,” she says. This exposure kindled her interest in finding practical solutions to pressing environmental issues, steering her to her current path.
“I wanted to tackle one of engineering’s most pressing challenges: making flight more sustainable,” Steenwyk says. Now a senior at Kettering, she is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering focusing on alternative energy and sustainability while co-oping at QED Environmental Systems in Dexter, MI – her projects at QED focus on harvesting renewable energy and increasing the sustainability of products. “We’re exploring everything from hydrogen to biofuels and even energy from waste,” she says.
Photo Courtesy of Kettering University
The journey has been challenging, especially the implementation of new technologies. “Navigating the complexities of high-altitude CO2 emissions and the technicalities of renewable energy sources in aviation requires skill but persistence,” Remington says. Her role involves conducting extensive research and practical tests to identify the most efficient and sustainable energy solutions.
Remington has two patents currently pending approval. The first is for a pump-puller to help workers safely remove tubes covered in toxic sludge from the bottom of landfill wells. The second patent is for a new pneumatic pump design, which is the focal point of her thesis work. Remington’s design would allow all moving parts of the pump to be above ground so workers would have easy access.
Reflecting on her experiences, Remington is optimistic about her future and the role she hopes to play in a greener industry. “My aim is to reduce industry’s ecological footprint significantly,” she says. She is driven by a blend of technical interest and a profound commitment to environmental stewardship.
“When you’re up there in the sky, you’re not just flying; you’re carrying the responsibility of the future.”
Remington’s proactive approach to fostering inclusivity extends beyond personal success; she aims to inspire and empower other women. “It’s crucial for women entering STEM to see they are not alone and their contributions are essential,” she says. Through her role as treasurer of Pi Tau Sigma, the International Honor Society for Mechanical Engineers and her participation in the Society of Women Engineers, Remington participates in initiatives encouraging more women to enter and thrive in engineering fields.
Looking ahead, Remington envisions her career will combine innovation with practical applications and hopes to inspire more sustainable practices across the aviation industry. “Sustainability isn’t just a part of my job description – it’s a guiding principle for the future of engineering,” she concludes, hopeful that engineers like her will shape a more sustainable world.
Kettering University Receives $1 Million Gift from Windrose Technology CEO and Founder Wen Han to Advance Sustainability and Clean Energy Innovation
Gift Supports Scholarships and Endowment Focused on Sustainability, Green Manufacturing and Mobility Technologies
Kettering University proudly announces it has received a $1 million gift from Wen Han and his wife, Jessie Jia, on behalf of Windrose Technology, a Silicon Valley-based leader in heavy-duty electric vehicle innovation. This gift by the Windrose Technology founder and CEO and coordinated by Kettering alumnus Jason Roycht ’96 underscores the University’s commitment to incorporating sustainability and clean energy education into the curriculum. The gift is part of a broader ongoing global activity led by Wen and Jessie involving multiple universities to promote education, sustainability and global cooperation.
“Kettering University is pleased to partner with Windrose Technology in preparing the next generation of engineers and innovators to tackle the pressing challenges of sustainable manufacturing and materials as well as clean energy,” said Jennifer Patterson, Vice President of Advancement and External Relations. “This generous gift not only enhances our ability to provide students with hands-on experience in renewable energy and green manufacturing technologies but also represents the critical connection between education and industry.”
The gift includes a Sustainability Endowment that will empower Kettering’s College of Engineering to expand its sustainability initiatives, including hosting guest speakers, organizing faculty and student participation in conferences, and fostering industry partnerships. In addition to the endowment, the Windrose Technology Scholarship will benefit students with interests in sustainability, green manufacturing and mobility technologies. This endowment will be synchronized with efforts and additional endowments initiated by Wen Han across several top universities, including his alma mater, Stanford University, to promote learning, inspiration, innovation and collaboration among students, faculty and alumni toward sustainability efforts.
Windrose Technology’s gift aligns with Kettering University’s commitment to advancing sustainability and clean energy. Wen Han sees this partnership as an opportunity to inspire future engineers to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
“Sustainability is the key mission of my career, and automotive is the key area that drives much of the pollution today,” Han said. “Everyone starts in school before they go into the workforce and they should be entitled to study sustainability before they make a career choice.”
(L-R) Dr. Scott Grasman, Dean of the College of Engineering; Jason Roycht ’96, and Nic Gatlin, Kettering University Director of Philanthropy. | Photo Courtesy of Kettering University
Jason Roycht, an executive at Windrose Technology and a former executive at Nikola Motors and Robert Bosch, played a pivotal role in developing the gift with Han. Together, they identified Kettering as an ideal partner for advancing education in clean energy and sustainability.
“Wen and Jessie are extremely forward-focused to support and inspire students to pursue studies for sustainability,” Roycht said. “When I decided to join his company, I requested Wen’s support to extend these activities to Kettering. Wen quickly became impressed with the depth of the Co-op program and the efforts of key alumni, especially the strong connections to the automotive industry and Detroit.”
For Jason Roycht, the gift is personal. “My father-in-law, Ray Reske, attended and grew out of the General Motors Institute [now Kettering University]in the mid-’60s, firmly in the apex of Detroit and cars,” Roycht said. “Ray was a fantastic example of the technical leaders born out of this time and had a fabulous career at General Motors … We all would like to continue this spirit by supporting and helping more students pursue learning and embracing problems and practical solutions.”
In that vein, the Windrose gift also includes the Reske Legacy Scholarship, named after Raymond D. Reske ’66. This scholarship honors Reske’s legacy of inspiring multiple generations of engineers. His daughters, Laura (Reske) Roycht ’95 and Darlene (Reske) Sypitkowski ’98, earned their degrees from Kettering. During their studies, they also met their future husbands, Jason Roycht and Greg Sypitkowski ’98. Continuing the family legacy is Mike Roycht, Jason and Laura’s son, who is currently a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and Madeline Sypitkowski, Greg and Darlene’s daughter, who plans to begin her studies at Kettering this year.
The donation also underscores the value of Kettering’s unique “hands-on, minds-on” co-op education model. “The Kettering experience did a stellar job in pushing me into the ‘deep end of the pool’ and forcing me to swim,” Roycht said. “The speed, challenges and mindset required to be successful in the EV and AI world pull more from my life experiences at Kettering as an engineering co-op than the technical textbooks of that time. It will be wonderful to expose students to these worlds faster via this endowment and connect the next generation of technical leaders to practical problems and challenges. I can’t wait to get their “minds-on” these things for all our benefit.”
