NIU Today

Pi Sigma Epsilon, a national co-ed business fraternity that promotes the growth of sales, marketing and management, is hosting a tie-dye event near the center of campus over several days next week. For just $5, students, faculty and friends are all welcome to custom tie-dye a T-shirt.

The dates, times and locations are as follows: Tuesday, April 11, from noon-4 p.m., MKL Commons; Wednesday, April 12, from noon-4 p.m., DuSable Hall and Thursday, April 13, from noon-4 p.m., MLK Commons.

Included will be multiple designs and options to get creative! Music will be provided, as well as help with your tie-dye shirt. 

Come by and tie-dye with PSE! This is an all-inclusive event so come by and don’t miss out! Rain or shine, we will be there with a canopy to protect you and your creations. Great vibes and good times are sure to be had. For more information, email djetter@niu.edu.

The 2017 Northern Illinois University Mathematics Contest took place on March 1. The first prize of $150, the second year in a row, was taken by Rebecca Dziubla, a senior mathematical sciences major from Roselle, IL. Jeremy Simonson, a senior electrical engineering major from DeKalb, IL, was second and won $100. The third place, with the prize of $75, was won by Matthew Swed, a sophomore mathematical sciences major from Paw Paw, IL. The winners will be recognized at the Department of Mathematical Sciences’ Award Ceremony and Reception on Sunday, April 23.

The annual Northern Illinois University Mathematics Contest has a format where freshmen and sophomores have a fair chance to compete with juniors and seniors. The underclassmen have fewer restrictions on their choice of problems to attempt. The contest is open to all full-time undergraduates at NIU. Each contestant turns in solutions to a choice of six out of eleven problems. Topics this year ranged from logic puzzles, algebra and geometry through calculus, differential equations and linear algebra. Professors Michael Geline, Y. C. Kwong and Gleb Sirotkin supervised the competition.

The following geometric problem was a popular choice among the contestants:

Without using any knowledge about the decimal expansion of the number Pi, show that 3<Pi< 4 holds. You can use geometric ways to introduce Pi for this problem.

Here is a linear algebra problem from the contest:

Suppose A and B are 3×3 matrices such that det A = 2016, det B = 2017 and the matrix products are equal AB = BA. Show that there exists a 3×3 matrix C such that CAB = I – the identity matrix. Moreover, for every 3×3 matrix D, we will have an equation of matrix products C(BAD) = ABCD.

For more information on the annual Math Contest, contact Gleb Sirotkin 815-753-6734 or by email at gsirotkin@niu.edu.

WNIJ 89.5 FM invites all to submit a short poem to the Mother’s Day Poetry Contest. The contest, hosted by Dan Klefstad, will air interviews with the writers of the winning poems every morning at 6:40 and 8:40 beginning Monday, May 8, during the station’s broadcast of Morning Edition.

WNIJ invited prize-winning author Susan Azar Porterfield to select the winning poems. She is the editor of “Zen, Poetry, the Art of Lucien Stryk.” Her book, “Dirt, Root, Silk,” which won the 2015 Cider Press Review’s Editor’s Prize, was a selection in WNIJ’s most recent “Read With Me Book Series.” Porterfield is a distinguished professor emerita of English at Rockford University, an instructor at Northern Illinois University and the recipient of an Illinois Arts Council Award for Poetry. 

Contest entrants must write no more than 20 lines of poetry about mothers, grandmothers or motherhood. The contest deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 24. To learn more about the contest rules and how to enter at the Northern Public Radio website.

WNIJ develops writing contests to engage listeners with outstanding work by writers and writing enthusiasts across the region. Staci Hoste, director and general manager of the station, speaks further about the station’s role in showcasing regional talent: “We are privileged to serve our community with programming that connects our listeners with one another through literature. We are committed to making WNIJ a gathering place for writers and readers alike.” 

For more information about the Mother’s Day Poetry Contest and other WNIJ literature programs, visit wnij.org.

Right to Left: Gillian King-Cargile, director of the STEM Read program; Hannah Carmack; and Kristin Brynteson, director of professional development for the P-20 Center.

For NIU undergrad Hannah Carmack, working with the P-20 Center has been an exciting path to job skills and personal rewards. As a STEM Read program assistant, she does work that simultaneously touches people’s lives and prepares her for a job in publishing, her career of choice.

STEM Read uses live and online programs to inspire young readers to learn more about the science, technology, engineering and math concepts in popular fiction. Participants enjoy the books on their own or with school or library groups, then connect online or meet at NIU to experience hands-on activities, presentations by NIU faculty and staff, author talks, interactive games and collaborative writing projects.

Since starting with the program last spring, Carmack has received mentorship from P-20 Center and STEM Read staff in how to handle the extensive logistics involved in making any outreach program a reality: everything from social media publicity and participant registration to day-of event management. “You never know what’s going to come up,” she says. “And it’s been good to learn how to deal with whatever flies at me without getting stressed out.”

“My favorite part, hands down, is helping with our field trips,” says Carmack. At STEM Read field trips, groups of students come to NIU for a day of STEM challenges and games structured around a popular work of science-fiction and a culminating in a talk by the book’s author.

“I mean, when do you get to see kids excited to do math problems at eight in the morning?” says Carmack. “That’s something very rare, but the field trips create that excitement. They love the idea of meeting a real author, of getting an autograph.”

Carmack herself is a writer, currently finishing a degree in English on the creative writing track. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, then pursue a career in publishing.

“Seeing how meaningful fiction can be to kids––how much it can motivate them––definitely inspires me to keep writing,” she says. “And the practical skills I’m picking up throwing book-related events should be invaluable in the publishing world. There’s so much I know I can do now that I didn’t know I could do before.”

Contact Debbie Pixton (dpixton@niu.edu) about opportunities for students with the P-20 Center. For information about STEM Read, including field trip registration, free educational resources (such as writing prompts, games and videos) and STEM-themed reading recommendations, visit stemread.com or email stemread@gmail.com.

In just the program’s fifth year, NIU’s mock trial team has earned its second consecutive bid to the American Mock Trial Association’s (AMTA) upcoming National Championship Tournament.

NIU went 6-2—with wins over Northwestern, Wheaton College and the University of Arizona included—during the Opening Round of Championship Series (ORCS) competition in Geneva last month, earning one of 48 spots (out of more than 600 teams) in the national. The tournament will be held in Los Angeles, CA, from April 21-23.

NIU is joined by the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as the only state schools to reach the tournament.

Despite being relatively new, NIU’s team regularly competes against top-notch schools from around the country. The team hit a big milestone in 2016 when it qualified for the national in South Carolina, but expected a rebuilding year after the graduation of team leaders prompted an influx of rookies.

Things have gone better than expected.

“This season has been mind-blowing,” NIU Mock Trial President and team Co-captain Kaitlyn Harper said. “Last year we were the underdogs. This year, I was expecting to be in the same position. I don’t think we’re in that position anymore.”

That’s because of solid successes in several invitational tournaments, including a stronger than expected fall, Harper explained. The team posted a second-place finish in the national’s regional stage and ranked in the top six at ORCS to secure back-to-back national appearances.

Political science professor Mitch Pickerill, who founded the team, admits to being a bit of a proud parent talking about the team’s growth.

“I’m excited for them,” Pickerill said. “They are committed and working hard.”

This season, mock trial teams have worked on an age discrimination case, but the national brings with it a new case, involving copyright infringement. Pickerill said the team is developing its game plan.

Team members play the role of lawyers and witnesses, learning public speaking, teamwork and the law along the way. Pickerill said the students go through the equivalent of three law school classes early in the season before heading into competition.

The team’s dedication has led to individual awards for Harper and many of her teammates. Andrea Alcantar and Jeong-Mee Mok-Morrison earned witness awards during the regional. Ben McCarty, Angelica Lebron and Aleesha Parent were recognized by judges at fall invitationals. Lebron won an Outstanding Witness award at ORCS.

Harper, a junior political science major from Minooka, has snagged 11 Outstanding Attorney awards to lead the nation in that category this season, according to Pickerill. He describes Harper as naturally talented, coachable and “quick on her feet.” Harper credits her team for her personal growth.

“I know I’ve learned from them,” she said, noting the team is focused on its goals. That emphasis is why NIU has won the Spirit of AMTA award, which is judged by their opponents, at several competitions.

“We go to put NIU on the map,” Harper said.

Added Pickerill, “I’m proud of them, and I want them to have some pride in the institution.”

Toi Hutchinson

Illinois Senator Toi Hutchinson (’14) will serve as the featured speaker for the College of Law’s annual Francis X. Riley Lecture on Professionalism. Her lecture entitled, “Professionalism and Ethics for Lawyers in Elected Office in the Age of Alternative Facts,” will be given on Friday, April 7, from 4-5 p.m. in the Riley Courtroom in Swen Parson Hall.

Senator Hutchinson, who is an NIU Law alumna from the Class of 2014, has represented the 40th District of Illinois since 2009. She currently serves as chairwoman of the Senate Revenue Committee and is a member of numerous other committees including Commerce and Economic Development, Government Reform, Public Health and the Judiciary. 

Immediately following the lecture, attendees are invited to stay and BID BIG at the Public Interest Law Society Auction from 5-9 p.m. All proceeds will be used for students who volunteer and work in public interest legal positions over the summer.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 22, for your chance to get a look at the NIU football team at the 2017 Huskie Bowl!

Prior to the Huskie Bowl, bring family and friends out for fun, food and more at the Communiversity Block Party from noon-2:00 p.m. between Ralph McKinzie Baseball Field and Chessick Practice Center. Renew or purchase your season tickets, check out Huskie Stadium premium areas and grab your 2017 football poster (while supplies last).

Each academic semester, NIU undergraduate artwork is selected to be on display in the NIU President’s Office in historic Altgeld Hall (room 300). A public reception will be held on Wednesday, April 12, from 4 to 5 p.m., to showcase these works and to celebrate the artists. The NIU student curator Kelsea Nichols, who created the exhibit, will be in attendance to speak on making the selections and preparing the works for display.

Please join us for this reception and then stay for a roundtable discussion with the Northern Star Cartoonists in Altgeld 315 from 5 to 6 p.m.

The NIU Art Museum will also be open on this date from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Make sure to see the Spring 2017 Exhibition Suite which explores the nuanced ways artists respond to their social and political landscapes using visual language and hyperbole to critique, valorize and satirize the events and subjects of their times—often making us grimace and laugh in the process.

Looking for a fun and exciting volunteer opportunity? Look no further – the 2017 Illinois Junior Academy Science (IJAS) Fair/Expo will be held on the DeKalb campus on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, and is in need of student volunteers and judges.

More than 1,400 students in grades 7-12 from all across Illinois – some of the state’s best and brightest aspiring scientists, engineers, designers and problem-solvers – will exhibit research and design investigations. They will compete for scholarships, best in category awards and other special awards.

Volunteers are needed to serve in various capacities over the two-day event. Judging volunteers for the statewide Science Exposition, featuring the winners from each region, will take place on Friday, May 5. Judges will gather at 11:30 a.m. for a brief training, and they will make their decisions by 4 p.m or shortly thereafter. NIU faculty and staff members, NIU graduate students and regional educators are eligible to be judges. Student and community volunteers are needed on May 5 and 6. Four-hour shifts are available and volunteers will be needed to help with check-in and other logistics, as well as when final prizes will be presented.

If you are interested in being a volunteer or a judge for the State Science Fair, please register by Friday, April 21. If you have any questions about the event, contact tlrogers@niu.edu or call 815-753-2090.

The NIU Department of Communication is preparing to raise the curtain on its popular Reality Bytes Independent Student Film Festival at the Jameson Auditorium, located inside the university’s Cole Hall.

Free and open to the public, the 16th annual festival will feature student-film screenings from 9 to 11 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, and Wednesday, April 12.

Christine Dávila, a renowned Latina film festival programmer, blogger and NIU alum, will be the special guest speaker from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 13, the final night of the festival.

Christine Dávila is currently working as a scripted creative executive at Stage13, a digital content company developing and producing short form series, backed by Warner Brothers Television Group’s Digital Networks division. In 2013, she established the nonprofit, Ambulante California, a traveling documentary film festival originated in Mexico by Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Pablo Cruz and Elena Fortes. She has over ten years of experience in film programming and curating at various quality festivals like Sundance Film Festival, where she has been a programming associate since 2008. She tracks Latino films and the festival scene on her blog chicanafromchicago.com.

The film festival was established in 2001 by Laura Vazquez, professor of media production and theory. She created the festival to give film students the opportunity to competitively screen their work and she serves as director of the event.

“I am especially excited about the level of student involvement in planning and promoting the festival. The committee has planned an exciting program for the 2017 festival that includes films of all genres,” Vazquez said. “We are also thrilled to welcome a very engaging speaker this year, Christine Dávila, who will share her LA film experiences with the audience.”

Thanks to the online film submission system Withoutabox, employed three years ago to streamline the film submission and review process, the film festival has received over 60 submissions from high school, undergraduate and graduate students from across the United States and around the world.

Of the 60-plus submissions, 16 short student films have been chosen to be screened at this year’s festival.

The selected films vary in genre from comedy to drama to animation and focus specifically on strong storytelling. Each film category will include a “Best in Show” award. There will also be a “Best in Show” award for the high school film category. The winning films will be announced the final evening of the festival.

More information about the festival is available via Twitter and Facebook or by contacting the Reality Bytes team at niurealitybytes@gmail.com.

The Department of English and the First-Year Composition Program will present the 10th annual Showcase of Student Writing from 3-5 p.m. Thursday, April 6, in the Holmes Student Center, Duke Ellington Ballroom.

Students in First-Year Composition classes will present and pitch their communiversity-based research projects to the public and their peers. Awards will be presented to the top projects.

The event is open to the public and is free. The general public and civic leaders are encouraged to attend and engage with students presenting on DeKalb- and university-based issues they have been studying. 

For more information about the showcase, please contact the First-Year Composition Program at 815-753-1607.

Northern Illinois University’s School of Theatre and Dance and The Third Onion presents “Curious Light on the Last Moments of Naive Mind,” an original performance piece devised by Evan Forbes, Nyssa Lowenstein and Madeleine Lyons. “Curious Light on the Last Moments of the Naive Mind” will be performed Saturday, April 29 through Sunday, April 30, in the Diversions Lounge of the Holmes Student Center. Curtain times are 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. All non-package general admission tickets are $3. Tickets are sold at the door.

The same team that brought “The Elephant Grief” to the stage last semester, Evan Forbes, Nyssa Lowenstein and Madeleine Lyons, once again address human growth in “Curious Light on the Last Moments of the Naive Mind.” The devised piece will address apathy and compassion fatigue in the face of today’s unceasing news feeds from around the world. Compassion fatigue is a loss of empathy towards others in tragic situations. 

“I find compassion fatigue a serious problem, even for myself,” states director Lowenstein. “How much can a person take before self-care is necessary to feel anything at all? I find myself avoiding televisions and even my cell phone because of how much sorrow is present. I tend to dodge it.” Uncertain of her own attitude, she expects the piece will yield more questions than answers. “Apathy is often denounced as a bad thing, but is it really? It’s seen as a perfectly human response to disappointment, but shouldn’t the apathy dissipate after a period of time? Nowadays it doesn’t feel temporary. We get constant information about tragic events but hardly a clue about how to assist.”

The piece will also trace the evolution of global media from their humble beginnings. Forbes explains: “It began with cavemen passing stories, then there were village gossips and town criers, then news from the next village over. More widespread was a kingdom’s news: paid messengers traveling the countryside with proclamations from the throne. As technology developed, we jumped from hand-written accounts to mass-produced print. How have these media combined to create the phenomenon of world-wide news?”

“And how have they affected the individual, the sexes and cultures?” chimes in Lyons. “There’s a disparity in what people care about:  people become furious over the subjects they research or connect to the most, but what about other instances and other individuals? We want others to share our concerns, but we’re suddenly fatigued when it comes to caring about theirs.”         

“Curious Light on the Last Moments of the Naive Mind” will incorporate television, radio and the internet as entities present on stage.

“Our characters dive into this pool, essentially drowning in stimuli of different types. They’re treading water in a rising tide of reported tragedies,” Lowenstein concludes. “How much does it take to close ourselves off? How do we stay active and empathetic?”