Huskie Trek Talks 2025: Ideas in Motion
Saturday, March 1
Program begins at 3 p.m.
Reception with appetizers and conversation to follow the program (5:30 p.m.)
Suggested Attire - Cardinal and Black Business Casual
Join us on Saturday, March 1 at 3 p.m. for our 2025 program for Huskie Trek Talks: Ideas in Motion. Now in its second year, Huskie Trek Talks brings campus innovators together with community members to witness the research and discovery happening at NIU and spark discussions that lead to impactful partnerships and idea advancements.
These interactions underscore the essence of the event: to foster a community of innovators driven by a passion to explore and solve complex challenges.
Huskie Trek Talks is produced by the NIU Foundation in partnership with the Office of the Provost, the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development, and the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships.
To learn more about the event and to register to attend in person or virtually, please visit our 2025 Huskie Trek Talks registration page.
See the 2024 Huskie Trek Talks Presenters
In May 2024, Huskie Trek Talks debuted to a filled house, eager to learn more about the exciting innovation and creativity happening throughout Northern Illinois University.
Read more ⇒
View the 2024 Huskie Trek Talks Program ⇒
2025 Featured Trek Talkers
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Sustaining the Steelpan Tradition: Modernizing Craftsmanship and Training the Next Generation
Yuko AsadaMusical Instrument Technician, Assistant with the NIU Steelband
Director of the Community School of the Arts Steelband
Department of Music
College of Visual and Performing Arts -
Edible Campus - Nutrient Density
Bryan FlowerAssociate Director of Food Systems Innovation
Director of the Edible Campus Program
Office of Innovation
Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships
Elizabeth Gaillard, Ph.D.Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences -
Thunderstorm Field Research
Victor Gensini, Ph.D.Associate Professor
Certified Consulting Meteorologist
Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Environment
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences -
Can Artificial Intelligence Help Family Caregivers?
M. Courtney Hughes, Ph.D., M.S.Professor
NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative
Department of Public Health
College of Health and Human Sciences -
Ideapalooza: An Interdisciplinary Program Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset in Technical Students
Becca Husar, M.B.A.Associate Director, Innovation and Partnership Development
De La Vega Innovation Lab
College of Business
Nick Pohlman, Ph.D.Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering and Engineering Technology -
Invisible Threats, Visible Solutions: The Midwest Center for Microplastics Research
Melissa Lenczewski, Ph.D.Professor
Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Environment & Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability, and Energy
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences -
Equitable Early Autism Screening Using Video-based Gait Analysis and Artificial Intelligence
Ziteng Wang, Ph.D.Associate Professor
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
College of Engineering and Engineering Technology -
From Waste to Wonder: Transforming Hemp and Soy Residues into Sustainable Food Packaging
Mahdi Vaezi, Ph.D.Associate Professor
Department of Engineering Technology
College of Engineering and Engineering Technology -
Establishing a Culture-Based Method to Detect Bacterial Pathogen in Bison
Aleena KallanStudent / major: Biological Sciences
Undergraduate Research Ambassador
Research assistant in Singh Biome Lab -
Examining Bias within Social Constructs and Marginalized Groups
Isabelle Van WinkleStudent / major: Biological Sciences
Undergraduate Research Ambassador