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Huskie Trek Talks: Ideas in Motion

Trek Talk Program

Welcome Remarks

Catherine Squires, ’80
Vice President, Institutional Advancement
President and CEO, NIU Foundation

Host

Rena Cotsones, M.P.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’13
Vice President, Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development
and Chief Engagement Officer

Post Program Remarks

Lisa C. Freeman, D.V.M., Ph.D.
NIU President

Andrea Radasanu, Ph.D.
Director, University Honors

Awards Presentation

Jack Tierney, ’75, M.S.Ed. ’78
Chair, NIU Foundation Board of Directors

Richard Mocarski, Ph.D.
Vice President, Research and Innovative Partnerships

Video Message

Cindy Crocker, ’80
NIU Foundation Board of Directors, Grants Committee

Act One

Talk 1: Caring With Code: The Role of AI in Caregiving

Video 1: Invisible Threats, Visible Solutions: The Midwest Center for Microplastics Research

Talk 2: Nutrient Wars: The Edible Campus Strikes Back

Video 2: From Plains to Dinner Plates: Safeguarding Our Food Supply

Talk 3: The Future of Steelpan: Blending Tradition with Innovation

Intermission: 20 minutes
 

Act Two

Talk 4: Ideapalooza: Harvesting Creativity, Orchestrating Impact

Video 3: Step by Step: How AI-Powered Gait Analysis is Transforming Autism Screening

Talk 5: The Future is Biodegradable: Reinventing Food Packaging and Circuit Boards

Video 4: Making Amends: How Apologies Rebuild Trust

Talk 6: Head in the Clouds: Exploring Thunderstorms Through Fieldwork

Awards Presentation

Welcome to Huskie Trek Talks

Good afternoon!
 

It’s our distinct pleasure to welcome you to Huskie Trek Talks: Ideas in Motion 2025, showcasing inspiring creativity and innovation from the faculty, staff and students who exemplify the Huskie spirit.
 

Today, we connect with our live campus audience and viewers around the globe to share dynamic presentations that showcase NIU’s renowned research and artistry. This event, thoughtfully crafted by the university’s Strategic Development Team, brings together our campus community, donors and friends whose collective support continues to propel NIU forward.
 

After our Trek Talks conclude, you will have an opportunity to connect one-on-one with presenters at our reception in the Capitol Room.
 

Again, thank you for joining us and fueling the sense of discovery that NIU puts in motion.
 

Go Huskies!
 

Catherine Squires, ’80, CFRE
Vice President, Institutional Advancement
President and CEO, NIU Foundation
 

Rena Cotsones, M.P.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’13
Vice President, Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development
and Chief Engagement Officer
 

Richard Mocarski, Ph.D.
Vice President, Research and Innovative Partnerships
 

Our Huskie Trek Talkers

  • CARING WITH CODE: THE ROLE OF AI IN CAREGIVING

    M. Courtney Hughes, PhD, MSM. Courtney Hughes, Ph.D., M.S.

    Professor
    Department of Public Health
    College of Health and Human Sciences
     

    Christy Muasher-Kerwin, PT, DPT Christy Muasher-Kerwin, PT, DPT

    Clinical Assistant Professor
    School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders
    College of Health and Human Sciences

  • VIDEO: INVISIBLE THREATS, VISIBLE SOLUTIONS: THE MIDWEST CENTER FOR MICROPLASTICS RESEARCH

    Melissa Lenczewski, Ph.D. 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

  • NUTRIENT WARS: THE EDIBLE CAMPUS STRIKES BACK

    Bryan Flower Bryan Flower

    Associate Director of Food Systems Innovation
    Director of the Edible Campus Program 
    Office of Innovation
     

    Elizabeth Gaillard, Ph.D. Elizabeth Gaillard, Ph.D.

    Distinguished Research Professor
    Joint Appointment with Biological Sciences Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
    College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

  • VIDEO: FROM PLAINS TO DINNER PLATES: SAFEGUARDING OUR FOOD SUPPLY

    Aleena Kallan Aleena Kallan

    Senior, Biological Sciences

  • THE FUTURE OF STEELPAN: BLENDING TRADITION WITH INNOVATION

    Yuko Asada Yuko Asada

    Director of the Community School of the Arts Steelband
    Department of Music
    College of Visual and Performing Arts

    Intermission

  • IDEAPALOOZA: HARVESTING CREATIVITY, ORCHESTRATING IMPACT

    Becca Husar, MBA Becca Husar, M.B.A.

    Associate Director, Innovation and Partnership Development
    De La Vega Innovation Lab
    College of Business
     

    Nick Pohlman, Ph.D. Nick Pohlman, Ph.D.

    Professor
    Department of Mechanical Engineering
    College of Engineering and Engineering Technology

  • VIDEO: STEP BY STEP: HOW AI-POWERED GAIT ANALYSIS IS TRANSFORMING AUTISM SCREENING

    Ziteng Wang, Ph.D.Ziteng Wang, Ph.D.

    Associate Professor
    Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
    College of Engineering and Engineering Technology

  • THE FUTURE IS BIODEGRADABLE: REINVENTING FOOD PACKAGING AND CIRCUIT BOARDS

    Mahdi Vaezi, Ph.D.Mahdi Vaezi, Ph.D.

    Associate Professor
    Department of Engineering Technology
    College of Engineering and Engineering Technology

  • VIDEO: MAKING AMENDS: HOW APOLOGIES REBUILD TRUST

    Isabelle Van Winkle Isabelle Van Winkle

    Senior, Psychology and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

  • HEAD IN THE CLOUDS: EXPLORING THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH FIELDWORK

    Victor Gensini, Ph.D.Victor Gensini, Ph.D.

    Associate Professor
    Certified Consulting Meteorologist
    Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Environment
    College of Liberal Arts and Sciences