Huskie Trek Talks Unveils Innovative Research, Artistry and Engagement
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet
Left to right: Richard Mocarski; Catherine Squires; Rena Cotsones; Lisa C. Freeman; Professor Ziteng Wang, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering associate professor and Huskie Trek Talks grant winner; Jack Tierney (Photo: NIU)
A steelpan builder, chef, meteorologist and an engineer walked into a…ballroom?
No joke!
These are all world-class faculty and staff who, among others, shared their life-changing research, innovation and engagement at the Duke Ellington Ballroom for Huskie Trek Talks: Ideas in Motion on March 1, 2025.
For the second year in a row, alumni, donors, and friends, online and in-person, were joined by community leadership and NIU President Lisa C. Freeman to witness the transformative work happening across Northern Illinois University’s campus. Grants were awarded to support each “Trek Talker,” enhancing their discoveries and expanding NIU’s collaborative, transdisciplinary research and engagement opportunities.
Ziteng Wang, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, earned the largest single grant for his team’s investigations on autism. He received $15,000 to test and launch an app that analyzes a child’s gait, or walking pattern, to predict the child’s likelihood of autism. Preliminary tests reveal 80 percent accuracy, and the app would allow users to upload short videos of a child walking and receive an autism likelihood index in return.
"One in 36 children are autistic in the U.S., according to the CDC,” Wang said. “We are experiencing a public health crisis related to autism diagnosis with many children not diagnosed well into their preschool years or even later.”
Having this app at the fingertips of parents across the country could lower the barrier to autism screening and diagnosis for low-income and rural families, raising autism awareness and reducing delays in intervention.
Northern’s Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships also awarded Wang funds for a graduate assistantship, enabling him to recruit a talented student for an outstanding research opportunity.
“Professor Wang and his teams’ gait analysis autism screening has the potential to impact children and their families, healthcare, education and intervention services in profound ways,” said Richard Mocarski, vice president of the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships, who presented Wang with this award. “The interdisciplinary of the team is another strength of the project, as the team is addressing a complex problem from multiple angles.”
Also receiving an award for a health-tech app were M. Courtney Hughes, Ph.D., public health professor, and Christy Muasher-Kerwin, PT, DPT, clinical assistant professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Their project seeks to provide immediate and customized solutions to support family caregivers by leveraging artificial intelligence-enabled models to analyze information sent through caregivers’ smartphones.
During their Trek Talk, Muasher-Kerwin shared her personal experience caring for a loved one with brain cancer. She described her days filled with uncertainty and a specific morning, unclear about how to use a medical device when his breathing was shallow. With partnerships from physicians at leading Chicago-area health systems to recruit participants in their pilot study and a $10,000 grant from Huskie Trek Talks, Muasher-Kerwin is hopeful of improving the lives of other family caregivers.
Also receiving grants totaling $15,000 were Chef Bryan Flower, assistant director for food systems innovation at NIU and director of the Edible Campus program, and Elizabeth Gaillard, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry professor. Their proposed research will compare the nutrient density of produce grown through NIU’s Edible Campus Program versus commercial equivalents. Flower and Gaillard’s witty, Star Wars-themed presentation turned serious when they explained that the nutrient decline in our food supply may eventually be so severe that the food of our future may no longer be nutritious. The Trek Talk grants and additional required funding will support a graduate assistant researcher and lab materials to ensure rigorous testing. The research will support NIU’s commitment to sustainability and showcase how universities can play a role in building sustainable, regenerative food systems as a model for systemic change.
Five additional “Trek Talkers” were each recognized for their vision, impact, collaboration and quality with a $5,000 grant:
• Professor Mahdi Vaezi, Ph.D., for his investigations into biodegradable food packaging and circuit boards.
• Professor Melissa Lenczewski, Ph.D., for her work on microplastics research.
• Yuko Asada, musical instrument technician, NIU Steelband assistant, for her artistry in support of steelpans.
• Becca Husar, M.B.A., associate director of innovation and partnership development for the De La Vega Innovation Lab, and Professor Nick Pohlman, Ph.D., for their Ideapalooza program to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical application.
• Associate Professor Victor Gensini, Ph.D., for his thunderstorm field research.
Victor Gensini (Photo: NIU)Gensini received the audience choice award by popular vote from the live and online audiences. His work will provide better field observations and lead to better severe weather warnings.
Grant funds were provided by the NIU Foundation Board of Directors and its grants committee and the Divisions of Research Innovation Partnerships and Outreach, Engagement, and Regional Development.
During the program, NIU students were featured in two video presentations. Aleena Kallan, a biological sciences major, studies the gut microbiome of bison because they could be carriers of harmful pathogens that could be transmitted to humans. Isabelle Van Winkle, a double major in both women, gender, and sexual studies and psychology, studies the critical impact of apologies and their role in rebuilding trust.
NIU students, faculty and staff persist in pursuing their ideas and dreams, undeterred by the time, funding and initiative required to achieve them. As unveiled in Huskie Trek Talks: Ideas in Motion, they embrace the opportunity to share their intellectual passions and remain dedicated to envisioning a better world where Huskies innovate and create meaningful change.
Help shape the future and invest in NIU’s commitment to supporting students, faculty and staff in their research, artistry and professional development. Please visit niufoundation.org.