November 24, 2025

This week, fourth grade students and their teachers will gather on Michigan Tech’s campus for a special field trip: a hands-on exploration of science, technology and storytelling through Stories & Semiconductors, a new educational series that blends stories and a hands-on curriculum to prepare the next generation of scientists.

The students are visiting Michigan Tech today and tomorrow, Nov. 24 and 25, for the launch of the series, which includes visits to Michigan Tech’s state-of-the-art labs and museum exhibits. They will need to build a Morse code emulator in order to uncover the plot and complete the storyline. They will work in Michigan Tech’s Plexus Lab and Mechatronics Lab in the EERC, visit the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum and operate a scanning electron microscope.

Stories & Semiconductors was developed by Michigan Tech research scientist Joseph Licavoli (MSE), who earned his B.S. and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from MTU in 2006 and 2013. He created the series in partnership with MTU alumna Emily Geiger ’11 ’15 (B.S., Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) and the Verdigris Group.

Enjoy free ground shipping on all online orders from Michigan Tech’s Campus Store and University Images starting on Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, and running through Sunday, Nov. 30. Use promo code THANKFUL25 at checkout.

Please note: Orders placed during the promotion will ship after next Monday, Dec. 1.

Shop at the Campus Store and University Images.

Happy Thanksgiving, Huskies!

Michigan Tech Athletics and Marketplace Foods of Houghton are hosting their annual Kids Day this Saturday, Nov. 29, at the SDC.

Marketplace Foods has purchased 400 youth tickets for the Huskies' hockey game at 6:07 p.m. in the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena and 100 youth tickets for the Huskies' men's basketball game at 2 p.m. in the SDC Varsity Gym. (Kids ages 3-18 years old are considered youth.)

Get Ticket Vouchers Tomorrow
Marketplace Foods will be giving away Kids Day youth ticket vouchers on a first-come, first-served basis tomorrow, Nov. 25, starting at 4 p.m. at the store. There will be a limit of four youth hockey tickets per family. Once they're gone, they're gone.

Fans must exchange the vouchers for actual game tickets at the SDC ticket office by noon on Friday, Nov. 28.

Free Hot Dogs and Soda at the Giveaway!
During the giveaway event tomorrow, Marketplace Foods and Michigan Tech Athletics staff will also be providing 200 free Vollwerth's hot dogs and Coca-Cola products on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.

See you tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. at Marketplace Foods in Houghton for the Kids Day ticket voucher giveaway!

Lake Superior Magazine mentioned Michigan Tech in its weekly “Around the Circle” roundup, noting the Department of Visual and Performing Arts’ production of “Men on Boats” at the McArdle Theatre.

Occupational Health & Safety picked up a U.S. Department of Labor news release announcing more than $10.5 million in Mine Safety and Health Administration state grants nationwide, including $291,052 awarded to Tech for federally mandated miner safety and health training.

The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech alum Emily Geiger ’11 ’15 (B.S., Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) in coverage of her appointment as Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools’ interim superintendent.

December Deadline for Michigan Tech Fund Endowment Check Requests

Please remember to submit check requests for disbursements from the Michigan Tech Fund Endowed Funds to mtfchecks@mtu.edu by next Monday, Dec. 1, to meet the deadline for the Dec. 17 payment date.

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Purchasing Policy Update: Restricted Purchasing of Fire Extinguishers and AEDs on MTU P-Cards

Michigan Tech has updated University purchasing guidelines to ensure the proper management and safety of critical emergency equipment. Effective immediately, portable fire extinguishers and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) may no longer be purchased directly with University P-Cards.

To maintain compliance and ensure these life-saving devices are properly tracked, all purchases of fire extinguishers and AEDs must now be routed through Environmental Health and Safety (EHS). This process allows EHS to:

• Review and approve purchases to ensure equipment meets University standards.
• Include items in the maintenance program for regular inspections, servicing and certification.
• Maintain accurate records of equipment locations and compliance schedules.

This change supports Michigan Tech’s commitment to campus safety by ensuring that emergency equipment is reliable, accessible, and properly certified.

For reference, these items have been added to the University’s P-Card Prohibited list.

For questions and concerns, please contact Purchasing at purchasing@mtu.edu or EHS at ehs-help@mtu.edu.

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No Tech Today on Thursday and Friday

There will be no Tech Today published on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27 and 28, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Graduate student thesis and dissertation defenses scheduled for Dec. 1-5 will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 26, in "Defenses Next Week."

Tech Today will resume publication next Monday, Dec. 1.

Early Deadline for Dec. 1 Tech Today
To be included in our Dec. 1 newsletter, please submit your Tech Today post(s) by noon tomorrow, Nov. 25, using our Submit a Post form.

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Memorial Union Fall Break Hours

The Memorial Union will have reduced hours during fall break:

Building Hours:

• Saturday, Nov. 22, through Wednesday, Nov. 26 — 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 27, and Friday, Nov. 28 — Closed
• Saturday, Nov. 29, and Sunday, Nov. 30 — 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The building will resume normal operating hours next Monday, Dec. 1. — 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Memorial Union Office Hours:

• Monday, Nov. 24, through Wednesday, Nov. 26 — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov 27, through Sunday, Nov. 30 — Closed

The Memorial Union Office (MUB 101) will resume normal operating hours next Monday, Dec. 1 — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To have your event automatically appear, please submit them to the University Events Calendar.

New Huskies Orientation Paperwork Session

Monday, November 24, 8–10 a.m.

PhD Defense: Rourke Sylvain

Monday, November 24, 8–9 a.m.

Biomedical Engineering Co-advisors: Smitha Rao Hatti and Yixin Liu Next Generation Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensing For Wearable Translation Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/89451750814

Master's Defense: Rishin Patra

Monday, November 24, 10–11 a.m. | Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 122

Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisor: Jin Choi Batteryless NFC-Enabled Wireless Sensor Node: Design, Optimization, and Implementation Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/88134631752

Master's Defense: Seth Eacker

Monday, November 24, 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610

Materials Science and Engineering Advisor: Paul Sanders Material Optimization of Thermionic Emitters for Operation in Oxygen-Containing Environments Attend Virtually: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/81393863337

Keweenaw Socialists - General Meeting

Monday, November 24, 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | Fisher 101

KS at MTU weekly general meeting.