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Tag: NIU STEM Cafes
What if our cars could help save the environment? At the next STEM Café, “Renewable Nation: How Hybrid Cars and Smart Grids Will Change America,” NIU assistant professor Kevin Martin will explain how technology could transform vehicles from gas guzzlers into key components of a smarter, more sustainable power system. The free talk and discussion...
The April 9 tornado near Franklin Grove, Ill. Photo courtesy Walker Ashley, NIU Department of Geography
All DeKalb-area residents can remember the violent and deadly tornado that tore through Rochelle and Fairdale last April, leveling houses and trees in its path. At the next STEM Café, “Tornado Tracking: How Meteorologists Predict and Pursue Storms,” NIU associate professor Walker Ashley will tell the story of how he forecast and chased the tornado....
Matt Streb
At the next STEM Café, “Predicting the Primaries: How Math Shapes Presidential Elections,” Department of Political Science Chair Matt Streb will explore the nitty-gritty of election polls, discussing how they work, how they are analyzed and how they can affect outcomes. The free talk and discussion will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday,...
Photo of a robot
For years, humankind has thought of capable, intelligent robots as the stuff of science fiction, from the friendly droids of “Star Wars” to the mechanical overlords of “The Matrix.” In fact, smart robots are already all around us – with more coming every day. The ongoing invasion of robots into our everyday lives is the...
Last fall, the automobile industry and eco-minded consumers were rocked by the revelation that Volkswagen had intentionally manipulated sensors in its cars – 11 million in all – to beat emissions tests, letting their diesel engines spew illegally high amounts of harmful nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere. At the next STEM Café, two NIU professors...
Still looking for that perfect gift for a child you know? Something exciting, hands-on, and educational for a budding inventor? Something they will remember for years to come? Northern Illinois University’s STEM Outreach has gift options ready for you – a diverse new schedule of STEM Saturday classes designed to get young people fired up...
Reed Scherer
Antarctica is melting, according to evidence brought back to Illinois by NIU Geology professor Reed Scherer and his students. At the next STEM Café, Scherer will discuss his Antarctic research, why it matters and what it reveals about global climate trends. The free talk and discussion will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday,...
This prosthetic leg is one of the many things that can now be manufactured by 3D printers.
The technology in your home office probably allows users to print letters and photos, but what if you wanted to print 3D toys, bracelets or even dinner for your family? Advances in 3D printing are actually allowing researchers and average folks to print everything from car parts to body parts. At the next STEM Café,...
Thompson will appear as her comic book creation Spectra during STEMfest.
If you love “Game of Thrones“ – either the hit HBO show or the bestselling novels – you might think the story is pure escapism: a fantasy romp set in a faraway world of magic and dragons. In fact, its creators get a surprising amount right about the fundamental laws of science and physics. At...
Do you know where your personal data is going – or even how much is out there? Each time you browse the web, post on social media, use your smartphone’s GPS or make a credit-card purchase, you generate records and build your data trail, which grows longer every day. At the next STEM Café, NIU...
Most of the Midwestern tall grass prairie vanished in the 19th century with the rise of the steel plow, but researchers say that prairie restoration is essential for maintaining native plant and animal habitats, improving water and soil quality and reducing erosion. Here in Illinois, NIU professors are fighting to save the prairie ecosystem at...
Photo courtesy NASA.
Here come the meteors! Once a year, our planet crosses the path of the Swift-Tuttle Comet. Debris from the comet’s tail slams into the Earth’s upper atmosphere, creating the dazzling Perseid meteor shower. This year, watch the meteors streak across the sky with NIU STEM Outreach at “Star Gazing,” a STEM Café event at Bliss...
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