Leadership in Gulf science: Mississippi State’s Jamie Dyer has been named director of NOAA’s Northern Gulf Institute, steering Gulf Coast research and outreach on climate, weather, coasts, and hazards. Civic tech for elections: Mississippi Votes Action Fund ran an Election Protection Academy in Hattiesburg, training volunteers on voting rights, polling-day help, and incident reporting. Winter outlook: The Old Farmer’s Almanac expects a milder, wetter winter for Mississippi, with snow chances strongest in early January and mid-February. Storm risk shift: A new climate-model study warns tornado-favorable conditions could spread beyond traditional “Alley” areas into parts of the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast by late century. Mississippi education upgrades: MSU unveiled a renovated fifth floor at Mitchell Memorial Library with more study space and reservable rooms. Local STEM in action: Ocean Springs-based? (No—Ocean Springs isn’t in the text) Instead, Mississippi’s community science shows up in pollinator counting events across the region, including Mississippi. Fire safety tech: Long Beach firefighters used thermal cameras to locate a hidden lightning-caused apartment fire, limiting damage. Space and learning: Jackson’s McNair Davis Planetarium reopening is delayed as operations shift to the Mississippi Museum of Art, with new digital screens and a 60-foot dome.