December 18, 2025

Research Integrity recently completed our first year of the revamped Laboratory Inspection Program. With nearly 600 unique rooms inspected, as well as nearly 200 inspections, this was no small feat. We appreciate the support we’ve received from across campus in working to help keep research safe.

While we reflect on Year 1 and move forward into Year 2, there will be a few changes to the program to enhance the foundation we’ve built this year. More information will come ahead of inspections, but the main focus will be on increased hazard communications and more efficient inspection scheduling. Updates will also appear on our website as we finalize them.

We want to thank the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team for their knowledge and expertise as we worked through the various labs on campus. Thank you as well to all of you who help us to promote safe research at Michigan Tech. Our office is excited to continue working to make the program as robust as it can be, and we hope you have a great holiday break.

The Department of Engineering Fundamentals Office will be closed for the holidays starting Monday, Dec. 22, through Jan. 2.

Faculty and staff will be working remotely or on vacation on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 22 and 23, as well as Jan. 2, and can be reached via email during this time. To contact the department, please email Darlene Saari at dfsaari@mtu.edu.

The office will also remain closed for the holiday break from Wednesday, Dec. 24, through Jan. 1.

Happy holidays!

The Department of Chemistry will be closed for the holidays starting on Monday, Dec. 22, and will reopen on Jan. 2.

Assistant Professor Geordan Gutow (MAE) traveled to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh during the first week of December to deliver an invited talk for UW-Oshkosh’s Mathematics Colloquia. His presentation highlighted the central role mathematics plays in engineering, with particular emphasis on modern robotics research.

Gutow’s talk, titled “Turning Word Problems You Can’t Solve into Math Problems You Can: Formulating Robotics Problems as Tractable Constrained Optimizations,” illustrated how engineers figure out how to turn desires stated in words into problems expressed as math.

“Often, the resulting math problem is a constrained optimization problem, in which the engineer seeks to maximize or minimize a quantity (like profit or mass), while respecting constraints on the design of the engineered solution,” reads Gutow's abstract. “This talk described a number of seemingly disparate problems of interest to roboticists and their transformation into constrained optimization problems using ideas from differential geometry, probability, and operations research.”

Gutow also held an informal session for students considering graduate studies, offering practical guidance on preparing for graduate school, identifying research opportunities and navigating the transition from undergraduate coursework to advanced study in mathematics and engineering.

Through these efforts, Gutow continues to advance understanding of the mathematical foundations of robotics while supporting students’ academic and professional development.

Auto Blog quoted MTU senior Ashley Baird (computer science) in a news release about the new Personalized Sound app, which allows drivers to customize their listening experience through an in-vehicle hearing test. Baird helped write code for the app during an internship at Nissan Technical Center North America near Detroit. The story was picked up by Yahoo! News.

The Escanaba Daily Press picked up a Daily Mining Gazette story covering Michigan Tech’s Midyear Commencement. MTU President Rick Koubek and student commencement speaker Quinn Riordan ’25 (B.S. Applied Ecology and Environmental Science) were quoted.

The Daily Mining Gazette, WZMQ 19 News and My UP Now covered Michigan Tech hockey’s Owen Bartoszkiewicz being named the CCHA Goaltender of the Week.

The University of Olivet included Michigan Tech in its article “12 Welcoming Colleges for First-Generation Students in Michigan,” citing MTU’s Husky Connect Mentorship Program and MiCUP Scholars Program as key resources for first-generation students.

Business Wire and 19 national outlets picked up an LP Building Solutions news release listing Michigan Tech as a recipient of product donations from the company in 2025 to support hands-on learning in building and forestry programs.

Tech Today Holiday Break

Tech Today's annual holiday break will begin on Monday, Dec. 22. Our last newsletter of 2025 will publish tomorrow, Dec. 19, and we will resume publication for 2026 on Jan. 5.

Please take note of the submission deadlines for tomorrow's Tech Today and for our Jan. 5 newsletter. Send in your announcements through our Submit a Tech Today Post form.

Tech Today Deadlines:

• Friday, Dec. 19 — Submissions due today, Dec. 18, by noon
• Monday, Jan. 5 — Submissions due tomorrow, Dec. 19, by noon

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Martin Luther King's Legacy: Your Call to Action at Michigan Tech

The Michigan Tech community is ready to transform this "day off" into a powerful "day on" — a genuine commitment to service, reflection and meaningful action. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy calls us to a higher standard of citizenship and humanity, and these scheduled events provide a powerful path for every student to answer that call and contribute to his vision of “unity through service."

This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, don't just take the day off. Show up. Serve. Reflect. Act. Honor King's legacy by engaging with the events and making a meaningful difference right here in Houghton.

MLK Day 2026 Events:

• MLK Day of Service — We kick off Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. with a Day of Service at multiple volunteer locations where the hands-on efforts of Michigan Tech students and community members can make a tangible difference in the local community. By volunteering, you are actively participating in the work of social uplift that King championed. Give your time, apply your talents and live the spirit of service.

• Volunteer Reading — Michigan Tech students will also read to local schoolchildren, spreading King's history and legacy to young minds in our community.

• Interfaith Service — Our Interfaith Service starts at 4:15 p.m. in the Van Pelt and Opie Library's East Reading Room, offering a space for quiet introspection that draws on King's spiritual foundation and his call for unity across all faiths.

• Peace March — The campus and community are invited to participate in a peace march, beginning with a gathering at the Husky Statue at 5 p.m. The procession will travel to the Alumni House and return. Walking together, we will publicly reaffirm Michigan Tech’s dedication to King's enduring principles of justice and nonviolence, making a powerful, visible statement about our commitment to an equitable future.

• Shared Meal/Panel Discussion — The day concludes with a shared meal and a panel discussion featuring alumni Jemel Thompson, Jailynn Johnson and Austin McFarlane, offering a chance to connect, reflect and hear their stories of resilience. Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the MUB Ballroom. Gather with fellow students, faculty and staff to share stories from your service, discuss the meaning of King's legacy, and strengthen the bonds of the Michigan Tech community.

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MLK Day of Service

Join Michigan Tech students and community members on Jan. 19, starting at 10 a.m., to honor Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy through hands-on service.

This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, don't just take the day off. Show up. Serve. Reflect. Act. Honor King's legacy by engaging with the events and making a meaningful difference right here in Houghton.

Find more information on GivePulse.

Event Details:

• What: MLK Day of Service
• When: Monday, Jan. 19, at 10 a.m.
• Where: Multiple locations, including the Copper Country Humane Society, Letters Against Isolation, the Bluffs Senior Living Facility and the Community Alliance for Progressive Education (CAPE).

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

Appleton Alumni Holiday Party

Thursday, December 18, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. | Appleton Beer Factory

'Tis the season to come together and connect with fellow Michigan Tech alumni and friends in Appleton, WI! You're invited to join volunteer host Leah Enking '10 for a holiday party at Appleton Beer Factory on Thursday, December 18, from 6-8 p.m. CT. Ugly holiday sweaters are encouraged but not required. Appleton Beer Factory is located at 603 W College Ave, Appleton, WI 54914. In addition to a fun and festive evening, you will have the opportunity to score some MTU swag, courtesy of the Office of Alumni Engagement. Food and beverages will be available for individual purchase. There is no charge to attend but please RSVP to ensure we have an accurate headcount.

Keweenaw Alumni Holiday Party 2025

December 18, all day | Small Craft

Celebrate the season with us! Michigan Tech alumni & friends are invited to join volunteer alumni hosts Adam '03 '17 and Beth '04 (Hempel) Mitteer for a holiday party at Small Craft on Thursday, December 18, 2025, from 5-7 p.m. The venue is located at 101 Navy St Hancock, MI. Food and beverages will be available for individual purchase. Advance registration is requested. Please RSVP before noon on Thursday December 11, 2025.