NIU Today

I learned that NIU would be recommended to receive a grant award. The sponsor required an IRB ruling within just a few days. Patty advised me on completing the IRB application and worked to get the required letter quickly. Thanks to Patty’s support, we met the sponsor’s deadline and (hopefully) will get the funding recommendation.

Lichuan Liu

Technology developed by NIU Electrical Engineering Professor Lichuan Liu and designed to prevent hearing loss in the most vulnerable of newborns could soon find its way into hospital neonatal intensive care units, or NICUs.

NICUs can be noisy. The care units are louder than most home or office environments and have sound levels that often exceed the maximum levels recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Hearing impairment is diagnosed in 2% to 10% of preterm infants, versus 0.1% of the general pediatric population.

Aiming to put her electrical engineering expertise to use to benefit others, Professor Liu invented an apparatus, system and method to significantly reduce harmful noises while maintaining communication between the newborns and their parents or caregivers.

In 2014, NIU began a partnership with Invictus Medical, a Texas-based medical device company, to commercialize the technology. NIU licensed its related patents to Invictus, while the company has continued to refine the incubator-based active noise control (ANC) device, now known as the Neoasis®.

In July, Invictus announced that the company had received a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance-for-use declaration for the device.

“With this clearance for use, Invictus has made a huge step towards deploying the Neoasis® ANC device in neonatal intensive care units,” said George Hutchinson, Ph.D., Invictus Medical’s chief executive officer. “It is well documented that a quieter environment has a positive impact, including improved sleep hygiene and weight gain in infants where both are critical for development.

“The NIU team has been a pleasure to work with,” Dr Hutchinson added. “The Office of Innovation has been a great teammate throughout the entire process.”

The control unit front face and home screen on the Invictus Medical Neoasis® incubator-based active noise control (ANC) device. Photo courtesy of Invictus Medical

The Neoasis® ANC device utilizes a proprietary, innovative active noise control (ANC) system to attenuate noise with canceling sound wave technology. At the same time, it allows a parent’s voice to be directed to the infant, which can also be beneficial for cognitive development. Invictus is currently exploring relationships with strategic partners to get the Neoasis® ANC device into NICUs—now possible with the FDA clearance.

While universities and researchers can realize typically modest financial benefits from technology transfer, the primary intent is to broaden the potential impact of research through the creation of innovative products and services for public benefit, said Karinne Bredberg, director of NIU’s Office of Innovation. The office has guided Liu through the partnership, patent processes, and licensing.

“This is a big deal for Dr. Liu and for NIU,” Bredberg said.

“NIU research has produced other patents and licenses, but we believe this is the first NIU-licensed technology to be incorporated into a device that has an FDA clearance-for-use declaration,” Bredberg said.

Mark Hankins, NIU’s assistant director for technology transfer, credited the ingenuity of Professor Liu, as well as a great working relationship with Invictus Medical.

“Dr. Hutchinson in particular was very diligent in trying to move this technology forward and persevered through a number of roadblocks,” Hankins said.

Professor Liu said it was about a decade ago when President Lisa C. Freeman, then serving as NIU’s vice president for Research and Innovation Partnerships, brought Liu together with Invictus Medical. While Liu developed an initial prototype, the company refined the device, making the it more commercially accommodating for NICU environments.

“It’s a little different working with industry, as opposed to academia,” Professor Liu said. “It was a learning curve for me, but Invictus Medial has been very professional and easy to work with.”

Over the years, the commercialization process received funding support from the NIU Foundation and a National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Small Business Technology Transfer grant. Liu, herself a mother of two, is excited at the prospect of hospitals using the Neoasis® ANC device.

“I think this is fantastic,” Liu said. “I kept working on this project and thought someday there would be payback.

“I have a passion or motivation to work to benefit others,” Liu added. “As a mom, I think this device is really something important. As an engineer, I’m happy to make an impact.”

Liu said her current research includes other ways to use noise cancellation. She is working on a pillow that would cancel out the racket of snoring, and she and NIU Nursing Professor Jie Chen are working on a system for adult intensive care units.

Additionally, Liu is working on an artificial intelligence algorithm that can listen to infant cries and determine whether they are normal or abnormal to potentially indicate a severe or chronic illness. Invictus might incorporate the technology into future versions of its Neoasis® ANC device.

NIU has hired its first executive director of graduate enrollment.

Janelle M. Laudick, Ed.D. will support enrollment initiatives by developing and implementing a goal-focused and results-driven graduate enrollment management plan designed to meet NIU’s graduate enrollment targets related to quantity, quality and diversity.

Janelle Laudick, Ed.D, is the new executive director of graduate enrollment in NIU’s Graduate School.

Laudick came to DeKalb in June from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she served as director of graduate recruitment and marketing for two years. Prior to that, she spent seven years at the University of Kansas as a marketing and communications manager within the School of Education and Human Sciences.

“I’m excited about this position and knowing that I’ll have a lasting impact on graduate education at NIU for years to come,” Laudick says.

“There is significant value in having a centralized strategy for graduate enrollment management and, also, the resources and implementation support to meet said strategy. I also hope to leverage the initiatives already happening at the program and college level,” she adds.

“Our team’s goal is to become the strategic partner in helping that to happen and, that said, there are a good number of immediate priorities for us to focus on. My plan is to get some of the ‘bones’ put into place as we think big-picture and long-term.”

First on the to-do list is to develop and launch a fully functional CRM (constituent relationship management) system that will aid in recruitment communications similar to the one that has been operating at the undergraduate level for several years.

“We are able to more specifically and strategically think about where the pipelines of students are,” she says. “We’re also looking at the bottom of enrollment funnel needs for that admitted-but-not-yet-enrolled portion.”

Enrolling around 4,000 students, the NIU Graduate School offers more than 80 graduate degree programs across six colleges along with graduate certificates in more than 65 courses of study.

Kerry Wilks, dean of the Graduate School, calls herself “incredibly excited to welcome Dr. Laudick to the Graduate School’s leadership team.”

“Her breadth and depth of knowledge position her perfectly for this inaugural role that is pivotal to the future success of graduate education at NIU,” Wilks says.

“Dr. Laudick will aptly lead our graduate enrollment management efforts that will greatly contribute to the success of the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan 2.0,” she adds. “She will also shepherd in the use of a new admission system that will greatly increase our abilities to recruit and retain graduate students at NIU.”

Sol Jensen, vice president for Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications at NIU, considers Laudick an integral component of advancing the SEM plan that guides NIU in attracting and retaining students who represent the diversity of the region, nation and world.

“As we progress further into executing SEM 2.0, we recognize the important role of our graduate student population,” Jensen says.

“Dr. Laudick background in graduate enrollment and marketing, along with her demonstrated experience as a strategic leader and one who has built strong relationships with all key stakeholders across campus, will have a positive impact on our intentional efforts in enrolling, retaining and graduating our graduate students.”

Laudick holds an Ed.D. in higher education leadership and policy from the University of Kansas. She completed her master’s degree in higher education administration with an emphasis in sports administration at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations/marketing from the University of Northern Iowa.

She calls herself passionate about working to change and improve the lives of students and their families, focusing on the who, why and how of those enroll and on “optimizing strategies to improve the national rhetoric around the perceived value of, and respect for, advanced education.”

Critical to that are her skills in policy review and development, strategic budget management and personnel advancement.

Meanwhile, she also is conscious of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability: “My efforts reflect my intent to prioritize equity and inclusivity wherever possible,” she says.

A “communicator at heart,” she began her career at a Kansas City-based advertising agency that counted colleges and universities among its clients.

“I had the opportunity to work with representatives from a variety of institutions in the higher education world, working on enrollment solutions,” she says. “I spent about three years there, and then I knew I wanted to be on the other side of the table in some of the conversations I was having around enrollment planning.”

NIU now feels “like it was meant to be” for Laudick, who draws connections to the NIU community as the owner of an almost 9-year-old, red-blend Siberian Husky.

 “At the core of their personalities, Huskies are determined,” she says. “They’re through-and-through hard workers.”

Jeff is such a pleasure to work with when it comes to hiring. His paperwork is always superbly well done and accurate. He volunteers his time (even during his busiest times) to help ensure all hiring tasks are completed in a timely fashion. I appreciate his thoroughness and ability to ask questions to find out the most efficient way to get things done! You make NIU a better place!

Sheri is such a joy to work with. She extremely thorough in her paperwork, follows through, and volunteers to help when needed. She makes NIU a better place to work because I know she does what needs to be done and offers to help, even during her busiest times.

Barb consistently goes above and beyond to ensure all student hiring is accurate and timely. I appreciate her communication during our busiest seasons to ensure no balls are dropped. She keeps meticulous records and is just a real joy and pleasure to engage with! She makes my job enjoyable and easy to do!

The program welcomed college-bound high school students with disabilities to learn, have fun and prepare for the college transition.

Thanks to a grant from the Illinois Community College Board, 20 college-bound high school students with disabilities experienced a life-changing week on NIU’s campus this summer. The students in the Huskies BELONG program met with NIU faculty and students, experienced hands-on science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) projects, learned about STEAM career fields and got a taste of the college experience. The program was a collaboration between Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling Bryan Dallas in the College of Health and Human Sciences and NIU STEAM in the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development. Dallas oversaw the program, and NIU STEAM Educator Becky Griffith was the lead instructor planning and guiding students through daily STEAM learning activities. Students from NIU’s Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling program worked as camp counselors, helping to support the high schoolers and gain valuable work experience.

“I was hesitant at first because I haven’t had this type of opportunity before,” says Owen Chaidez, a participant who is now entering his senior year at Downers Grove South High School. “This was the first time I was able to go out on my own and experience what college would be like. I gained experience advocating for myself and working with personal care attendants, and I learned I can live on my own and go to college. I am glad I did it and I would encourage other kids to give it a chance. It was a great experience.”

Though the week of camp is over, Huskies BELONG is just getting started for these rising high school seniors. Over the following year, the students will continue to meet online with NIU mentors and their peers from the program for assistance selecting and applying for colleges, completing financial aid documents, and arranging personal care attendants and disability accommodations.

Huskies BELONG is the culmination of a decade of planning and work on the part of Dallas, who has had the goal of gaining external funding for a college-prep program serving these students since he came to NIU ten years ago.

“Individuals with disabilities are underrepresented in the workforce, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) career fields,” Dallas says.

He sees support with the transition to college as one key piece in helping individuals with disabilities successfully attend college and move into the workforce.

“Transitioning into college is a challenge for all of us, but if you need additional supports that a general population of students might not need, that can add more stress to the process,” he says. “College students with disabilities have to take charge of many of the supports that were previously provided by their family or school district, including requesting accommodations from faculty, hiring and scheduling personal care attendants to help with activities of daily living, managing their schedules and organizing accessible transportation. The experience of camp helps students gain practice with self-advocacy and prepares them for success in college.”

Margaret Chaidez, mother of Huskies BELONG camper Owen, says the camp gave a boost of confidence to both Owen and his family.

“This camp was the first time Owen was away from home for more than a night,” she says. “Prior to the camp, we weren’t sure Owen was ready to go away to college and live independently. Owen had to learn to work with new personal care attendants and explain the level of support he needs each day. He had to figure out what to do if someone was late or not available to assist him. The camp experience showed Owen that he can go away to college and be fully supported. He was so busy with activities and hanging out with new friends that he rarely checked in with us.”

During their week on campus, students had a full schedule of academic, therapeutic and social activities to keep them busy. They learned about careers and engaged in hands-on-learning projects with faculty from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the NIU Libraries. They met with staff from NIU Career Services and disability support professionals to explore career possibilities and assistive technology. They experienced therapeutic horseback riding and animal encounters. And they engaged in fun, hands-on learning activities with Griffith and the NIU STEAM staff, such as programming Sphero robots, using Python to code in Minecraft Education Edition and 3D printing. In the evenings, the campers played games in the NIU Esports Arena, tie dyed t-shirts and had free time in the NIU Recreation Center.

“My favorite part of the camp was connecting with people I wouldn’t normally meet and seeing we have a lot of commonalities we didn’t expect,” says Owen Chaidez. “I was the only camper with a physical disability. It didn’t matter, we all just hung out and had fun. We play the same video games, and we all share the same sense of humor. I made friends with people from Libertyville, Barrington, Glen Ellyn and Lombard. It felt good to be in a place where I was seen as a person first rather than my disability.”

Lead instructor Becky Griffith says the week at camp was an amazing opportunity to get to know all of the participants in the Huskies Belong program. “We created a strong community within our short week together where I observed advocacy, autonomy, empathy and creativity. I look forward to providing more accessible STEAM programming with Dr. Dallas and the program.”

So, what’s next for Chaidez and his fellow campers, as well as for Dallas and the Huskies BELONG team?

The Huskies BELONG campers are busy preparing for their college applications – some to NIU and some to other four-year universities or their local community college.

Chaidez says, “This is my Senior Year and I plan to finish strong and push myself. I am planning to attend the University of Illinois Champaign to study Marine Biology/Zoology or Animal Sciences. I think having the extra support and experience from the Huskies staff will be helpful with college applications.  I feel more confident knowing I have additional support as I look beyond camp and beyond high school.”

Dallas is preparing to apply for funding once again to continue the program with a new cohort next year – and he’s excited to bring back the current cohort to serve as peer mentors to the new campers. He’s also planning to follow the students’ progress over the next several years to assess the program’s long-term impact.

“We’re assessing, do students that go through an experience like this have more confidence about their ability to succeed in college?” he says. “Are they more likely to enroll in college, and are they more likely to choose a STEM field? Are they staying in college, then graduating? And what does their early career look like? This sort of data can be challenging to gather, but it’s vital to understanding how to achieve the end goal of student retention and graduation, then employment.”

“This is the best program I’ve ever worked on,” Dallas adds. “It was a great collaboration among different diverse groups on campus and internal and external partners. I was very happy with how well things went and can’t wait to run the program again next year.”

To learn more about the Huskies BELONG program, contact Bryan Dallas at bdallas@niu.edu. Other faculty interested in collaborating on grant-funded projects involving K-16 students should reach out to Amy Jo Clemens, assistant vice president of the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development at ajclemens@niu.edu.

Jim is such a pleasure to work with when it comes to student hiring. He is communicative and thorough. I appreciate that he is flexible to changes and communicates about changes that happening. I cannot imagine going through the busy hiring rushes without him! Thank you for being a rock star!

Lorry is the assistant food service manager in the HSC Retail Dining grill. Lorry is fun, nice, efficient and professional while rocking the register and grill during the summer for guests.
She’s the most exceptional customer facing example we could ask for in this NIU Huskie, that we just had to applaud our colleague for her hustle. You go girl!