On November 15: NIU hosts Innovation Showcase, turns spotlight on AI

Innovation Showcase at Northern Illinois University's College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) on Friday, November 15 will spotlight artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning's growing role in our technology ecosystem.

Cosponsored by the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC), the showcase at NIU's Engineering Building, 590 Garden Road, emphasizes CEET's stature as a key resource for the region's workforce development.

Starting with registration at 9:30 a.m. and concluding at 3 p.m., the event is free and open to the public. It will include tours of the building, research and project posters by students and professors on display, and remarks from CEET's dean, Dave Grewell, and program leaders of CEET's various departments.

At 10 a.m., Grewell will open the event with remarks, followed by brief presentations from each of CEET's six department and program leaders for electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial and systems engineering, engineering technology, biomedical engineering and mechatronics engineering.

Anchoring the day is a panel discussion, "Harnessing AI and Machine Learning," from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m.

The 90-minute panel session will feature four professionals who work in various facets of artificial intelligence: Chipp co-founder Scott Meyer; Greg McFalls, founder of McFalls Technical Solutions; Brian Freeman, senior data scientist at Trane Technologies; and Erin Rau, North America Digital Service Commercialization Leader at Trane Technologies.

Chipp helped NIU launch its first AI tutors in calculus, advising and physics. So far, about 80 students, mostly freshmen, are part of piloting CEET's AI tutor.

Grewell, who will serve as the panel's moderator, said the topic is enormously important to gain insights into the latest advancements and ethical considerations shaping the future of technology.

"It provides a unique opportunity to engage with experts, ask questions, and understand the implications of AI on various industries," Grewell said. "Participating in these types of discussions also fosters networking and collaboration among professionals passionate about innovation."

"So many people, so many institutions are moving much too slowly in embracing AI's potential," he added. "There's a lot of fear out there, partly due to misunderstanding. We want to shed light on AI's potential and the role each of us can play in fulfilling that potential."

CEET Senior Associate Dean Mansour Tahernezhadi echoed Grewell's perspective.

"AI is here to stay. How can we have AI become an empowerment, a support mechanism for humanity and job creation and things of that sort, as opposed to AI being a threat?" Tahernezhadi said. "People are the guardians of innovation AI can be a great support and accelerator of innovation, but a machine cannot innovate itself."

IMEC President Dave Boulay said his organization is proud to partner with CEET on the Innovation Showcase.

"Our longstanding collaboration helps Illinois manufacturers tap into future talent and cutting-edge research," Boulay said. "As AI reshapes industries, events like this are key to driving innovation and preparing the workforce to keep manufacturers competitive."

With headquarters in Peoria, IMEC has four other office locations across the state, including one at the Chick Evans Field House on NIU's DeKalb campus.

Innovation Showcase is free and open to the public. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by November 11^th to Matt Baron, CEET director of marketing and communications, at [email protected].

The Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) serves as the state's U.S. Department of Commerce NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership center. IMEC is a team of industry improvement specialists dedicated to providing Illinois manufacturers with the solutions, tools, and resources to create sustainable, competitive futures.

IMEC drives growth through enterprise excellence, helping organizations become more effective and efficient through tailored solutions and support. In 2023, they assisted over 2,500 companies and helped create or retain over 5,200 jobs, resulting in over $650M aggregate impact to the Illinois economy.

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