NIU Today

NIU junior Linnea Scherer hopes to change the way women are portrayed in video games, and she already has developed an impressive game concept thanks to the McKearn Summer Fellows program she participated in last year. “The McKearn Fellows Program was amazing. It was what got me to this point,” says Scherer of Elburn, a...

Brianno Coller, a newly named Presidential Teaching Professor, will speak Wednesday, April 30, on “Learning While Playing Video Games.” The talk is planned from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Illinois Room of the Holmes Student Center. For the past few years, NIU engineering students have been learning complex mathematical and physical concepts while playing...

For the second time in as many years, the NIU Robotics Club engineered the “Most Innovative Design” at the annual AMD Jerry Sanders Creative Design Competition. “NAI” – its name originates from the acronym, Northern Autonomous Intelligence – is a 145-pound ground robot designed to navigate through a series of objective-based challenges. In March, students...

Experience seemed to be a strong factor in the recent 2014 Northern Illinois University Mathematics Contest, as the top two places went to returning participants who improved on their results from last year. The $100 first prize was won by Taylor Brysiewicz of Bartlett, while Robert Marks of Crystal Lake took home $75 for finishing...

While he hasn’t spent much time on a snowboard, Brianno Coller could appreciate better than most the complaints about the halfpipe at the Sochi Winter Olympics. The NIU professor of mechanical engineering is featured in a video produced by NBC Learn, which explains the engineering that goes into creating a world-class halfpipe. The video is...

NIU mechanical engineering professor Brianno Coller is featured in “Science and Engineering of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games,” a new 10-part video series. The series was created through the collaborative efforts of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NBC Learn, the educational arm of NBC News. The videos are the latest installment in NSF’s and...

Most people can thank a teacher for making them who they are today. Many teachers inspire and encourage students to do the best they can and can help create dreams and make them a reality. NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology has one of those teachers. For Nicholas Pohlman, assistant professor of mechanical engineering,...

Through the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET), Huskie Pride is crossing borders and changing lives. Pettee Guerrero, a mechanical engineering graduate student and president of the NIU Society of Women Engineers, left the comforts of summer in DeKalb to bring the knowledge she has gained at NIU to Camp Eureka in Puerto Rico....

Imagine having two short weeks to learn about these lecture topics: Advancement of materials in micro-manufacturing Vibrations, energy and environment CAD/CAM and finite element methods in modern design and manufacturing Intercultural orientation U.S. geography, leadership, language and culture Now, imagine being taught in Mandarin. How would you do? NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology...

Imagine taking classes by video game. You wouldn’t just try to get to the next level or beat the game for the fun of it, you would play to ace a test and pass a class. Researchers are harnessing that motivation to play and win video games to teach new and challenging concepts to learners...

Senior Design Day at the NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology showcases the diversity of the creative work happening within the college while students from all departments revel in end-of-semester energy and the creativity of the bold ideas on display. Engineering seniors present their design projects to corporate judges, board members from the Engineering...

While most NIU students enjoyed the first week of summer, members of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology Mini Baja Team spent their weekend in competition. At stake: a regional title – and a chance to prove to the rest of North America that NIU has what it takes. Each year, the Mini Baja...