STEM Fest is a fall tradition
By Kristin Brynteson, NIU STEAM director
Fall is my favorite time of year. It’s not just the cool temperatures or the beautiful colors that make me excited about fall. It’s also all the fun fall traditions. Going apple picking, cheering on my favorite local football teams (and marching bands), enjoying the colorful outdoors with friends and, of course, putting on NIU STEM Fest!
I’ll never forget, thirteen years ago, when Pati Sievert, the now-retired director of NIU STEM Outreach, stopped me in the hall and said, “I have an idea.” She enthusiastically explained her vision for taking the Haunted Physics Lab she had been hosting for years on campus and turning it into something bigger. I listened as she described a large-scale festival to celebrate all things science, technology, engineering and math. She wanted to fill the Convocation Center with hands on exhibits from across campus highlighting how STEM is all around us and impacts everyone every day. Her excitement was contagious and from that moment on, I was on board! A small team of us worked together to make her idea a reality. It was no small feat, but months later STEM Fest came to fruition. It has been so rewarding to be a part of making that idea become an event and help grow that event into a much-anticipated fall tradition. Like a seed from an apple tree, her spark of inspiration has grown into something amazing.
As I think back to that first year of STEM Fest, what really got me excited was Pati’s vision that STEM Fest was an event for all. She wanted to get everyone excited and curious about STEM. Not just the STEM students of a certain age or folks with a specific area of interest, but everyone. I believe that’s why this event continues to be such a fun fall tradition and why so many come back year after year. For me, it has been awesome to see the kiddos who came in the early years come back as young adults. Some even come back as STEAM professionals.
Just like growing the best apple orchard, cultivating a yearly event that meets the need of a wide variety of attendees has taken a team effort and years of thoughtful planning. Each year the STEM Fest team brings in a wide variety of activities to reach different audiences. This year is no exception. We have our crowd favorites such as soldering stations at Build-A Blinkie, our NIU experts showcasing new tech or innovations, and the weather balloon launch. This year we have several new and exciting additions. From the Robotics Expo in Anderson Hall to the Artists’ Playground in the Holmes Student Center (HSC) to Founder’s Memorial Library’s new Science On a Sphere, each space has something new to explore.
There is truly something for everyone. Do you have littles in your group? Be sure to stop by the Tot Spot in HSC, head to Founder’s Memorial Library for STEAM Story Times or check out some of the exhibits in the Innovation Studio. Are you a curious adult? Visit the Curiosity Stage for informative talks or chat with faculty about their latest research in the expo areas.
What about those teens who might be thinking about their future? Encourage them to talk to our NIU students who are representing their clubs or volunteering. They can gain some great insight from a near peer about college life. Or, talk to some of the scientists and experts from Thermo Fisher Scientific, Meta and the two National Laboratories, Argonne and Fermilab. Our exhibitors can tell them about all the possible opportunities in the STEM and STEAM fields. (A fun fact – some of our NIU student exhibitors started coming to STEM Fest when they were young students. Now they are on their way to successful careers. Ask them about their Huskie journey.)
Do you have energetic elementary and middle schoolers? No problem! They can have some hands-on fun in the STEAM Studio in Swen Parson and throughout the exhibit hall. They can even fly a drone! And of course, STEM Fest would not be STEM Fest without the fan favorite, traditional Haunted Lab and the NIU STEAM Roadshow in the Holmes Student Center.
Over the past thirteen years, I cannot tell you how many times I have answered the question, “What is your target audience?” People are surprised when I answer, “Everyone!” It’s not an exaggeration. No matter who you are, you’ll find something at STEM Fest that will help you find your spark! I’ll see you at STEM Fest on October 15 in the heart of NIU’s campus.
