August 18, 2025

Inside Michigan Tech’s Pi Cloud Chamber, the atmospheric forces that drive cloud dynamics are brought into focus, offering researchers a deeper understanding of their formation and evolution.

The chamber can simulate a broad range of atmospheric conditions, including temperature shifts and aerosol concentrations, making it an ideal environment for controlled experimentation. Will Cantrell (Physics/GS), Raymond Shaw (Physics), and a team of postdoctoral researchers and graduate students are using this cutting-edge facility to explore cloud seeding, the formation of cloud droplets, and clouds’ elusive birth zones.

Find out how MTU researchers are shaping the future of weather science — one tiny droplet at a time — in our 2025 Michigan Tech Magazine.

The Health Research Institute is excited to welcome Bapi Pahar, who has joined Michigan Tech as a senior research scientist for the Translational Health Engineering Research Center (THERC) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He will introduce himself and THERC to the Michigan Tech community at a meet and greet on Aug. 27 from 1-3 p.m. in MUB Ballroom B.

Read more about Pahar on the Health Research Institute Newsblog.

Pahar will be visiting Houghton to connect with HRI members, interested staff and students. During this event, he will share a presentation about his background, research and vision for the future of THERC under the Health Research Institute.

Light refreshments and hors d'oeuvres will be provided.

Event Details:

• What: Meet and Greet with THERC Senior Research Scientist Bapi Pahar
• When: Wednesday, Aug. 27, from 1-3 p.m.
• Where: MUB Ballroom B

Michigan Technological University has released a new policy and procedures outlining the guidelines and responsibilities for the use of University Purchasing Cards (PCards). The policy and procedures are now available on the University Policy website.

This update emphasizes enhanced compliance, reduced liability and mitigated risk in University purchasing. The new procedures provide more defined guidelines to ensure responsible card usage and adherence to regulations. A new 1-2-3 Strike Policy is in place to handle PCard violations.

All cardholders are urged to review the updated documents:

• 2.20 University Purchasing Card
• 2.20.1 University Purchasing Card Procedures

Questions may be directed to the Purchasing Department at 906-487-2510 or pcard@mtu.edu.

As a reminder, MTU Dining Services has set a new process for requesting residential meals on campus. This includes meals that are added to existing Husky ID cards or a paper ticket for visitors. Forms can be found on the Husky Eats website.

Group Meal Card/ID Order Form
If you are planning to host a group in the dining halls, you would use the Dining Hall Meal Passes Group ID Order Form.

Meals requested through this form can be added one of two ways:

• Add meals directly to existing Husky ID cards by uploading a list of names and M numbers. This is helpful when you have a group of students who need the option to eat meals at unscheduled times (for example, student-athletes, SYP staff, RAs or OTLs). To use this form to request meal passes, all participants need to have an active Husky ID.
• Add meals to a Department Dining Card for staff from your department to use as needed (IT charges a $10 fee to cover the cost of a new card or provide an existing card number to reload meals). This is a great option for faculty and staff to use for team meals or when a guest is joining you for a meal.

Visitor Group Order Form
If you are hosting a group of 10 or more in the dining halls for a meal, please use the Dining Hall Meal Passes Visitor Group Order Form at least two weeks in advance of your event to request the proper number of meal passes for your group.

These meal passes will be a physical paper ticket for attendees to use for access to the dining hall. Once the form is completed, your request will be processed by University Marketing and Communications, who will design and print the passes specific to your event. Passes can be delivered by campus mail or picked up from UMC's Print Services. If a visit is scheduled with less than two weeks' notice, please contact Dining Services at huskyeats@mtu.edu to discuss your specific situation.

Additionally, residential dining hall meal passes may be purchased at the door with a credit card (cash not accepted and University Purchasing Cards are prohibited). lf you have any questions or special requests around residential meal passes, please email huskyeats@mtu.edu.

Retail Meal Tickets
If you would like to order campus retail meal tickets for a group, this is also an option. Please contact our team directly at huskyeats@mtu.edu to coordinate the details of the paper ticket and allow at least two weeks for printing.

Join us for the Modern Languages & Cultures Open House on Wednesday, Aug. 20, from 4:30-6 p.m. in Walker 120A!

Students are invited to come with any questions they may have about Modern Languages minors, courses, AP/IB scores, and social activities, as well as meet faculty members and fellow students. You could earn up to 9 credits with previous language knowledge!

We will also answer questions related to Modern Languages and Essential Education, as our courses also count toward Essential Education.

Those who have previous German or Spanish knowledge but have not already taken the placement test may do so at this time. The Modern Language Placement Test may also be taken online before the open house.

All students with more than one year of high school language study are required to take the placement test. Exceptions: 1) Students who scored high on the AP or IB exam are automatically given a waiver for third-year courses; and 2) Students who are receiving transfer credit for a course.

Questions? Contact Leyre Alegre-Figuero at lalegref@mtu.edu.

Tech Today will not publish on Friday, Aug. 22, due to a planned professional development retreat being attended by the University Marketing and Communications news and media relations team. 

Updates to Tech Today systems will also be applied during this time.

Submissions for Monday, Aug. 25, are due by noon on Thursday, Aug. 21.

Do you find grading challenging? Are you looking for strategies to hold students to high standards while effectively managing your grading load?

Please join the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning's (CTL's) Fall 2025 Faculty Book Club, focused on “Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time” by Linda Nilson.

During five biweekly sessions, we will learn about and discuss the specifications grading approach and how it might be applied to improve student and faculty grading experiences. Meetings will be held in Library 103. The first session will be held on Sept. 9 from 2-3 p.m.

Each club participant receives their own copy of the book to retain for their use.

Register for the CTL Fall Book Club.

For accommodations, please contact Catharine Gruver at cgruver@mtu.edu or 906-487-3026.

Book Club Dates:

• Tuesday, Sept. 9
• Tuesday, Sept. 23
• Tuesday, Oct. 7
• Tuesday, Oct. 21
• Tuesday, Nov. 4

The Quiz Bowl registered student organization at Michigan Tech is in need of gently used, good-quality books to give as prizes at the end of events. It is a much-beloved tradition at quiz bowl tournaments that the top-scoring individuals and winning teams receive books as a prize at the end of the day.

Quiz Bowl puts on two high school tournaments per year for regional high schools. In addition, the club hosts or competes in several collegiate tournaments each year, and members host general trivia events for their fellow students in collaboration with numerous other RSOs.

Preferred subjects include recent popular fiction, classic literature, science, history, poetry, art, nonfiction and biography. If you have books in good condition that you would like to donate, they can be dropped off at Career Services on the second floor of the Administration Building (Admin 220).

Have questions or need to coordinate a different drop-off? Contact Quiz Bowl advisors Jim Desrochers at jtd@mtu.edu or 906-487-3461, or Liz Fujita at liz@mtu.edu or 906-487-1161.

The Copper Country Suzuki Association (CCSA) will be hosting an Open House and Yard Sale at its Dollar Bay location on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is a wonderful opportunity to meet CCSA instructors, try out instruments, learn about our music programs and support the CCSA's mission through our fundraising yard sale.

About the Copper Country Suzuki Association
The CCSA offers music instruction for students of all ages and abilities. We provide individual lessons on piano, violin, viola and cello, as well as Music Together classes for children, from birth to 5 years old, and their parents.

Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to continue your musical journey, we welcome you to discover what the CCSA has to offer. Come for the yard sale bargains and stay to explore the world of music education!

Event Details:

• What: CCSA Open House and Yard Sale
• When: Saturday, Aug. 23, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Where: CCSA Building, 23415 Granite Ave., Dollar Bay, Michigan

The Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) Center for Artificial Intelligence is hosting a two-part workshop, with sessions on preparing a proposal budget and AI-enabled proposal support tools, respectively.

Both sessions will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 20, in the MUB Alumni Lounge. Please email James Townsend at townsend@mtu.edu if you would like a calendar invite.

• Practice Preparing a Proposal Budget — Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 1 p.m.
  This event will be an interactive session providing guidance in the submission processes to common sponsors. New faculty and graduate students interested in pursuing a career in research will find this session beneficial, but anyone at MTU (faculty, staff, student) is welcome to attend.

• AI-Enabled Proposal Support — Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 2 p.m.
  Vinh Nguyen (MAE/CAI) and the ICC Center for AI have been working on developing relevant AI-enabled proposal support tools to help you search for funding opportunities and aid with nonscience aspects of proposals. This session will include a showcase of the development of these tools so far, welcoming discussion and feedback from attendees.

Former Michigan Tech hockey player and assistant coach Glen Weller passed away on May 31 at the age of 86.

Weller made his impact on the Michigan Tech hockey program in multiple ways. He lettered for the Huskies in 1958-59 and returned to Tech to work at the Michigan Tech Fund from 1968-73. During that time, he also served as a radio broadcaster for MTU hockey.

Weller became an assistant hockey coach in 1973 and helped the Huskies to three appearances in the NCAA Championship game over his five years.

Read more about Weller's contributions to MTU and find a link to his full obituary at Michigan Tech Athletics.

The Conversation published an article written by Kayla Gabehart (SS) examining recent state policies and environmental initiatives that divide urban and rural residents in Colorado.

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Adam Meckler (VPA) was a guest on Minneapolis-based Jazz88 KBEM-FM radio show “The Afternoon Cruise” on Aug. 14. Meckler discussed his upcoming Minneapolis performances, a new album releasing in November, and how he supports jazz students at Michigan Tech.

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My UP Now and the Keweenaw Report covered the Rozsa Center’s upcoming 25th season, which will feature returning acts like comedian Charlie Berens and National Geographic’s “Earth After Dark,” and new performances from “Dinosaur World Live,” dance company Step Afrika! and comedian Zarna Garg.

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The Daily Mining Gazette mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about former MTU hockey forward Bryce Reddick's new role as assistant coach for the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.

Parking on Campus During Move-In Days

Move-In Days for fall 2025 are today and tomorrow, Aug. 18 and 19, and we are asking for your help, patience and understanding as we welcome our new Huskies. These are landmark days for our new students and their families. With this being an exciting and emotional time for many, we ask for your support as we guide them during this transition to their new Husky home.

Move-In Days/Times:

• Monday, Aug. 18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug. 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

During Move-In, we will have controlled traffic patterns throughout campus to help our new students and their families move through the Check-In and Orientation process. To support our efforts, please park in the following lots:

Open Faculty/Staff Lots:

• Lot 2 — Behind the ROTC Building
• Lot 8 East — Behind the Rozsa
• Lot 10 East and West — Beside East Hall (with solar panels)
• Lot 12 — In front of the MUB
• Lot 13 — In front of Fisher
• Lot 14 — Hamar House
• Lot 18 — Noblet
• Lot 26 — Garnet and Seventh Avenue
• Lot 33 — Meese

The following lots are closed, as they are part of the controlled traffic route to assist new students and their families.

Closed Lots/Entrances:

• Lot 1 — Admin
• Lot 3 — Behind the R. L. Smith Building (MEEM)
• Lot 4 — Hillside
• Lot 5 — Between the Rozsa and East Hall
• Lot 7 East and West — Behind DHH
• Lot 8 West — Behind Walker
• Lot 11 — Black permit lot next to Admin
• Lot 15 East and West — In front of Wads
• Lot 16 — East McNair
• Lot 17 Upper and Lower — Behind Wads
• Lot 27 — Admin visitor lot
• The Hubbell/Townsend intersection will be closed.
• All meters will be closed.
• Cliff Drive parallel parking will be unavailable.

Your patience and cooperation in support of Move-In are a huge help, and we thank you for your understanding as we welcome our students and their families to campus.

Please note that all parking permit holders will receive an email from Transportation Services with additional lot closure information.

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NSF I-Corps Local Program Registration Now Open

Are you interested in taking your idea, technology or process commercial? Entrepreneurially minded faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students, alumni and local community teams are invited to attend the Great Lakes Region Hub National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps program hosted at Michigan Tech. Join us for a series of five virtual workshops this fall.

Course Description
Using the scientific process, customer discovery, and the business model canvas, teams will work to validate key business hypotheses and develop a scalable business model.

Course Benefits
Upon completion of the workshop and the customer discovery interviews (20), you or your team may be eligible for a mini-grant of up to $1,000 for continued customer discovery.

Teams with deep technology who complete the program may become eligible for the NSF I-Corps National Team Program and a $50,000 grant. Participation in the workshop can lead to qualification for research and other funding from several granting agencies, including the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs and various state and regional programs.

Past participants have reported that they saved time and money by better understanding potential applications of their technology and improved their ability to receive add-on funding.

Register to Participate by Sept. 2.

Our fall cohort will meet online via Zoom on the following dates:

• Aug. 31 to Sept. 5 — Pre I-Corps team meetings/orientation
• Sept. 8 — Workshop 1: Kickoff
• Sept. 15 — Workshop 2
• Sept. 22 — No meeting. Continue customer discovery, meet with mentor.
• Sept. 29 — Workshop 3
• Oct. 6 — Workshop 4
• Oct. 13 — Workshop 5: Wrap-up

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Donation Request: Help Build a MUB Games Collection

Dear MTU Campus Community,

Memorial Union staff members are excited to start a games collection at the MUB, and we need your help to make it happen.

If you have any of the following items you no longer use and would consider donating, we’d be incredibly grateful:

• Board games (Monopoly, Scrabble, or newer strategy games)
• Card games
• Puzzles (jigsaw puzzles, brain teasers, etc.)
• Bag toss (cornhole)
• Other fun games students might enjoy, including game consoles

Items should be in good, useable condition. It's OK if a few pieces have been lost — just let us know what's missing!

Donation Details:

• Drop-Off Location: The Memorial Union Office (MUB 101)
• Need a Pickup? Contact Matt or Trevor at mubrooms@mtu.edu

Every donation helps us create a more inviting MUB space where students can relax, connect and have fun. Thank you for supporting this initiative and enhancing student life at the MUB!

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Enrollment Now Open for Faculty Hiring and Review Workshop

As in the past, employees serving on faculty search committees and tenure and promotion committees (TPR) are required to complete a course now called the Faculty Hiring and Review Workshop. The workshop covers high-impact practices for attracting the best candidates, required steps for search committees, legal aspects of hiring, and approaches for successfully promoting and retaining faculty.

The requirements for completing this workshop will remain the same:

• The full workshop is a three-week asynchronous course in Canvas facilitated by fellow faculty members.
• For those who have already taken the full workshop, we offer one-week “refreshers” that include new trends and research.
• A refresher workshop is required every four years to maintain current status. Faculty must be current to serve on a faculty search or TPR committee.
• Those with expired status are required to take the full workshop.
• Each semester we offer one full workshop and two refreshers.

This summer, the workshop content, website and enrollment process have been updated. The workshop is managed by fellow faculty members in collaboration with Academic Affairs, Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX, and the Office of Community Engagement.

Enrollment is now open!

Use the Schedule and Registration page to choose the best course for you. Then, use the Faculty Hiring and Review Workshop Registration form to indicate your preferred workshop. You will receive an enrollment confirmation email from Human Resources. Please allow 48 hours for confirmation!

Use the Workshop Status page to check faculty completion and expiration status (ISO login required).

Please plan your completion of the workshop and refresher courses in advance. These courses have enrollment caps and cannot be provided on demand. The provost will not make exceptions.

New faculty are encouraged to enroll in the full workshop in the spring semester of their first year. Faculty enrolling in a refresher course to maintain their status must complete the refresher before their status expires.

Please note: Faculty who were enrolled in last spring’s workshops that got canceled have priority enrollment for this year’s workshops and will get an extra year to maintain their status without taking the full workshop.

If you have any questions, please contact workshop coordinator Sarah F. Scarlett at sfscarle@mtu.edu or 906-487-2110.

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Environmental Health and Safety Moving to Meese Center

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) has exciting news. We are moving to one location to better serve Michigan Tech's campus. On Monday, Aug. 18, EHS will be moving to the Harold Meese Center.

During the move, EHS will only be responding to emergencies on campus. Emails will be responded to on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

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Student Affairs Launches Husky Family Den Platform

Student Affairs has launched the Husky Family Den, a new digital platform designed to strengthen family engagement and create additional pathways for students to connect with campus resources and support.

What It Offers
The Husky Family Den provides families with personalized information about campus services, flexible communication options, contact information for key offices, event calendars and practical guidance on academic policies and student support. Families sign up to receive automated newsletters and targeted emails for specific updates, and have 24/7 access to resources.

How This Connects to Your Work
While designed specifically for families, the platform supports broader campus goals by creating better-informed families who can help guide their students to appropriate resources. When families are engaged with the Husky Family Den, they get coordinated information from one trusted source.

Research shows that family engagement significantly impacts student retention and success. The Husky Family Den equips families to be more effective partners in supporting their students.

Want to Contribute Content?
Faculty and staff who work with families or have information relevant to student success are invited to partner with Student Affairs to contribute content — and many already are. This could include academic department updates, research opportunities or other important or timely information.

For more information about the platform, to refer families to resources, or to explore content partnerships, contact the Dean of Students office at deanofstudents@mtu.edu.

The Husky Family Den is free for all Michigan Tech families. It is accessible at mtu.campusesp.com.

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

Part 2 - Fall Orientation

Monday, August 18, 9 a.m.–10 p.m. | Michigan Tech Campus

This year orientation programs will look a little different from years past. Incoming students will be required to attend one of four, 2-day summer orientation sessions and...

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Welcome to Graduate School

Monday, August 18, 2–4 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

All new graduate students are invited to attend and meet representatives from a variety of campus and local organizations. Let us share with you the resources that are...

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Celebrity Hypnotist Chris Jones

Monday, August 18, 8:00–9:15 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts

Join us for an unforgettable night with Celebrity Hypnotist Chris Jones on August 18 at 8 PM in the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts! 🎭 Free admission for all students,...