NIU Today

How can U.S. teachers build the coming generation of U.S. students do to build STEM pipelines? NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology introduced more than 30 middle and high school teachers of science, math and technology to engineering careers through an ASM Materials Science professional development program. The program, which inspires and motivates teachers...

Summer is just around the corner. If you’re looking for a fun, educational way for your kids to spend those school-less months, consider an NIU summer camp. From June to August, NIU offers more than 30 day and residential camps for students entering first- through 12th-grade. From athletics to activism, there is something for every...

April’s strong, gusty winds are good for more than just flying kites. The next Bright Futures program, “Fun with Wind Energy,” will introduce elementary and middle school students to alternative energy and the science behind wind turbines. This free event will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, at NIU’s Engineering Building, 590 Garden Road....

For the second straight year, Northern Illinois University will host approximately 110 student teams from Illinois for the Illinois Destination ImagiNation Affiliate Tournament Finals on Saturday, April 13. The top two teams in each age division of each challenge will qualify for the Global Finals Tournament, scheduled from Wednesday, May 22, to Saturday, May 25,...

The popular Bright Futures series launches its spring 2013 season at local public libraries in February. Hands-on activities for children and their families will spark their understanding of energy, electricity and electrical engineering. Funded by the grant from the DeKalb County Community Foundation, Bright Futures is a partnership of NIU STEM Outreach with libraries in...

As morning dawned Saturday, Oct. 20, on the NIU Convocation Center, thousands of spectators eagerly waited to see what the third annual STEMfest would have in store. Visitors from all over Illinois and Indiana traveled to DeKalb to witness a unique experience of science, technology, engineering and mathematics under one roof. STEMfest continues to grow...

They’ve invaded our rivers. They have moved north with few natural predators to stand in their way. They’re Asian carp, and if they make it to Lake Michigan, experts say that the entire Great Lakes ecosystem could be at risk. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, join Illinois Department of Natural Resources expert Vic Santucci...

Children young and old are invited to bring their imagination and sense of wonder to the NIU campus this October for a day of hands-on activities, demonstrations and exhibits focused on the marvels of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). For the third straight year, STEMfest will wow spectators at the NIU Convocation Center from...

When NIU alumna Peg Keiner was growing up, she took apart nearly anything she could get her hands on just to see what made it tick. Sometimes the most interesting challenge was learning if she could put it back together. Now, as an instructional technology coach in Oak Lawn, she remains just as enthusiastic as...

You might have heard that spider’s silk is one of the strongest materials in the natural world, but did you know that scientists are working to develop genetically-engineered goats that can produce a spider-like silk in their milk? That’s just one of the weird and fascinating things happening in the world of materials science, a...

Question: what’s better than gazing up at a summer sky filled with shooting stars? Answer: gazing up at those same beautiful stars while drinking a cool, crisp glass of wine. On Sunday, Aug. 12, STEM Outreach invites adults to the August STEM Café: “An Evening of Shooting Stars and Chardonels.” This fun, casual event takes...

Engineers are some of the most highly paid and sought-after professionals in the workforce. Yet only about 20 percent of bachelor’s degrees in math and engineering are earned by women, according to a recent study by the American Association of University Women. Because women bring unique perspectives to engineering, the shortage of women in the...