NIU Today

A Rockford education, industry and workforce development collaborative has submitted a proposal for a highly competitive $2.1 million federal Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (JIAC) grant focusing on the regional advanced manufacturing cluster. This follows the collaborative’s successful proposal in 2011, which brought a $2.4 million grant to the area in support of the aerospace...

NIU’s Enhancing Engineering Pathways (NIU-EEP) aims to establish a sustainable pathway for girls into the field of engineering. To create and strengthen the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) pipeline, another year of NIU-EEP’s free summer camp will take place from June 11 through June 15. The application is available online. Launched in 2008, and...

NIU is joining an effort to help maintain the Rockford region’s status as one of the leading aerospace clustersin the country. Representatives from NIU and the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology joined Rockford-area leaders today to announce a new, community-based initiative that will significantly increase the region’s aerospace talent pipeline for high-paying jobs. Establishment...

NIU’s National Society of Black Engineers student chapter recently won two awards that speak to the success of its organization. The first is the Region Chapter of the Year, which is awarded to a chapter that has excelled at the regional level. The award is given to the chapter that performed well in five categories...

Advancing the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) industries has become a central focus for NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology. NIU chapters of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) recently hosted a STEM night at Still Middle School in Naperville. Suma Rajashankar, faculty adviser for...

The Northern Illinois University chapter of the Society of Women Engineers recently received the Best Collegiate Section Award – National Level and Second Place in the Small Section division of the Society of Women Engineers. The Society of Women Engineers, which was founded in 1950, works to recognize the achievements of women engineers. Members of  the...

Team Light Up Africa is a step closer to its goal of providing cheap, affordable electricity to the developing world. Their portable generator/energy storage device, the Zoom Box, was selected as one of 200 semifinalist in the Dell Social Innovation Challenge. The competition drew more than 1,700 submissions. NIU’s four students are hoping to launch...

OK, here’s a cool summer gig for bright college kids. Northern Illinois University is looking for as many as eight non-NIU undergraduate students who are interested in environmental issues to work closely on research projects with university scientists. Selected students will rub elbows with researchers at federal laboratories, participate in a number of regional workshops...

For the second consecutive year, the NIU College of Engineering & Engineering Technology (CEET) celebrated National Engineers Week with events for all ages. The theme for the 2012 Engineers Week was based on the projected world population of 7 billion people. With that many citizens, the many challenges facing our world requires immediate engineering solutions....

Expanding  their collaboration on programs such as the SF Teen Read and the STEMfest Book Nook, NIU STEM Outreach and the DeKalb Public Library have partnered to create “Bright Futures: Electrify Your Mind @ Your Library.” Throughout the spring, community members are invited to events at the library and NIU’s campus to learn about concepts...

The nationally acclaimed Camp Invention program is coming to NIU the week from Monday, June 25, through Friday, June 29. Created for children entering grades one through six, the exciting Camp Invention program is a weeklong adventure in creativity that immerses its participants in engaging, hands-on activities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), as...

NIU faculty, staff and alumni are invited to serve as judges Tuesday, April 24, for the third annual Undergraduate Research & Artistry Day. The event takes place in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center. Students can sign up to present during one of four sessions throughout the day. Judges can volunteer for one,...