Заместитель министра энергетики США посетила Мичиганский технологический университет и стартап Revex Technologies

US Assistant Secretary of Energy visits Michigan Tech, Revex Technologies HOUGHTON, Mich. (WLUC) - Michigan Tech University hosted a special guest on its campus Tuesday morning. MTU students waking up for their second day of classes Tuesday may have noticed U.S. Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson during her campus visit. The visit included viewing multiple student projects and touring university facilities. Robertson says her visit is centered around critical minerals, workforce development, and the university’s role in advancing U.S. energy goals. “We’re really looking to the horizon in the future of how mining, processing and supply chains will evolve in Michigan and the country,” Robertson said. “Those types of ideas and these types of programs and universities are going to lead the way.” Robertson is the lead in the Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation. The campus visit comes on the heels of the department’s creation of the $100 million PROSPECT initiative last month, which aims to double the number of graduates with degrees related to mining, minerals, and associated supply chain technologies within two years. During an interview with TV6, Robertson made an announcement. “Just this morning, we announced an industrial technologies office, which is one of the offices I oversee, the opportunity to deploy about $120 million to projects all across the nation that are advancing industrial manufacturing,” Robertson continued. “Here at Michigan Tech, they received an award this morning of over $1 million to advance bioleaching from low-grade ore sources.” Robertson says the process uses microorganisms in specialized wetland environments to extract and purify usable iron from low-grade ore and use it in manufacturing. However, Robertson’s visit to MTU wasn’t her only stop. She also visited the startup company Revex Technologies for overviews of its mineral-processing plans, REV nickel project, and its workforce development plan. Revex President Michael Cleveland says the company is waiting on the reissuance of its $145 million grant from the Department of Energy to continue its programs. “I believe that she has a lot of influence, and she’s heard it directly from us,” Cleveland said. “But I’m also more excited that she’s looking at what can be done to really move the pipeline for students to get back into, what I’ll consider, the hard careers... Those are areas we sorely lack in the United States.” Cleveland says he appreciates Robertson’s visit and her commitment to the community. Previous Coverage: The video above will feature the TV6 livestream until staff can clip the corresponding story, if available, from broadcasts or other TV6 content. You can subscribe to our YouTube page or download TV6+ to stream the latest local news and weather. Copyright 2026 WLUC. All rights reserved.