Outreach and Engagement
History
Using funding from the State of Illinois, particle physics faculty Dave Hedin and Jerry Blazey initiated a physics outreach program in 2001 which was dubbed the Frontier Physics Program to reflect NIU ties to Fermilab and Argonne. Activities included school visits, summer science camps and the Haunted Physics Lab, with this evolving into NIU's STEM Outreach program in 2008.
Haunted Physics Laboratory and STEM Fest
The Department of Physics holds an annual Haunted Physics Laboratory (HPL) as part of the NIU STEM Fest. Started in 2003, the event gained popularity and outgrew its original location at Faraday Hall. In 2010, HPL was moved to the NIU Convocation Center and was expanded to include other STEM disciplines and became the backbone of STEM Fest. The HPL and related LaserFest displays are still some of the most popular parts of STEM Fest, which is held in late October each year.
Hands-on Physics
NIU STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Outreach can bring 25-100 of the interactive physics displays, developed for the Haunted Physics Labs, to your school for a day-long or evening event. Billed as Physics Phun Labs, except near Halloween when they are still recognized as Haunted Physics Labs, these investigations are sure to intrigue students from kindergarten through high school.
Frontier Physics Road Show
NIU's popular and dynamic physics demonstration programs for students in kindergarten through high school can be customized for each audience by choosing themes and concepts that reflect the materials currently being covered in class. Demonstrations using liquid nitrogen, plasma globes, strong magnets, lasers and diffraction-lensed rainbow glasses among many other intriguing demos excite students as they bring physics concepts to life.
To arrange to bring either the Hands-on Physics or Frontier Physics programs to your school or community, contact steam@niu.edu.
Campus Visits
STEM Outreach can assist with arrangements for campus visits in any of the STEM fields and in arranging for faculty or students to visit your classroom.
Professional Development
Whether you are looking for ways to engage your students or increase your content knowledge, STEM Outreach can help you connect with professional development resources at NIU.
To connect with NIU faculty in Physics or other STEM fields for visits or professional development, contact
Pati Sievert
STEM Outreach Director
815-753-1201
psievert@niu.edu
Observatory
NIU's Davis Hall Observatory is open to the public for telescope viewing on Wednesdays when NIU is in session and at other times by appointment.
Fermilab Tours
The general public can visit Fermilab and see many sites at the lab on its own. But of special interest is a tour of the D0 experiment and the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. This tour has to be arranged in advance. The tour guides are members of the D0 collaboratiopn including some from NIU.
Quarknet
The physics department also sponsors a number of programs with high school teachers and students including the Quarknet week during the summer.
