VIRTUAL STEMCON 2021
***COMING SOON***
Due to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, all College of DuPage events have been cancelled until further notice. Please continue to check back for updates. However, we are excited to bring you a VIRTUAL STEMCON in April 2021. Check back soon for more information!
Get Your Geek On!
STEMCON is a public outreach event designed to inspire and educate K-12 students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This family-friendly event encourages scientific discovery through hands-on activities and demonstrations while providing the opportunity to learn about scientific careers from actual researcher, industry representatives, and STEM educators.
Exhibitor Registration is Closed
Thank you for expressing interest in participating as an exhibitor in STEMCON 2020! This year's event takes place on Saturday, April 25, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the PEC Arena on the College of DuPage campus in Glen Ellyn, IL.
At this time, all of our booth space has been reserved. If you would like to be added to the waiting list in case a booth becomes available, please contact the STEM Outreach Coordinator.
2020 Exhibitors
Check below to see a list of our current exhibitors. More will be added as we get closer to the event, so be sure to check back often!
American Institute of Architects: Northeast Illinois Chapter
Create your own puzzles and explore the relationships between different uses of space
and how they relate to one another.
American Science and Surplus
Discover the strange and incredible properties of dry ice through a variety of activities,
including making a spoon sing and blowing giant soap bubbles.
Argonne National Laboratory
Explore the materials design cycle from product design and testing to production to
recycling. Engage in interactive activities related to advanced manufacturing research:
tribology (the study of friction) and additive manufacturing (3D printing). Examine
how scientists and engineers study and create solutions to problems that result from
unwanted friction.
Boy Scouts of America, Pathway to Adventure Council
Make your own Caesar Cipher codebreaker kit and learn how it plays a role in cyber
security.
Build-a-Blinkie
The return of Blinkie! Learn how to solder your very own STEMCON blinkie.
Chibots - Chicago Area Robotics Club
Learn about robotics through a variety of exhibits and participate in interactive
activities, including a virtual search and rescue mission.
Chicago Area LEGO User Group/ Windy City LEGO Users Group
Examine a LEGO Rube Goldberg ball loop display, along with other mechanized LEGO creations,
and make your own constructions at a play brick area.
Chicago Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
Learn about clinical lab techniques by using microscopes to look at blood smears and
bacteria.
COD Architecture
Build LEGO structures to place on a city map, while learning about scale and context
as you develop designs for a specific location on the city plan.
COD Biology
Explore the microscopic world by making slides of specimens to observe using foldscopes
and compare the results with those of light microscopes. You will also have the opportunity
to win foldscopes through raffle drawings held throughout the day.
COD Biology – Botany
Plants have been used medicinally across the globe to treat a wide variety of illnesses
for thousands of years. Learn about a variety of plants and other beneficial products
that are available without a prescription and test your knowledge with an interactive
quiz.
COD Biology – Ecology
While Illinois is known as the "Prairie State," less than 0.01 percent of the original
22 million acres of prairie that once existed here is still intact. Test your knowledge
by guessing prairie seed numbers, learn about seed processing and take home seeds
to plant on your own.
COD Biology – Genetics
Get a hands-on and up close view of a variety of ball python "morphs" (color and pattern
mutations) and learn about the genetics that go into producing amazing combinations,
including dominant, incomplete dominant and recessive genes.
COD Biotechnology Club
Explore the ins-and-outs of genetic modification through this interactive, hands-on
activity.
COD Chemistry
Learn about chemistry through several hands-on activities, including detecting acid-base
neutralization through natural dyes and indicators, chromatography and exploring molecular
interaction with slime or silly putty.
COD Chemistry – Modeling
View and manipulate digital protein structure models to learn about the complex and
well-designed world of proteins.
COD CIS - Game Design and Development
Be among the first to play test a variety of student-created games which may include
AR and/or VR technology.
COD Computer and Internetworking Technologies
Learn about the exciting world of computers, including topics such as computer repair,
cybersecurity and cyber competitions from members of the CIT program.
COD Computer and Information Science
Engage in hands-on activities demonstrating logical problem solving strategies used
in efficient software design.
COD Continuing Education
Explore the concepts of lift, drag, and other principles of aerodynamics as you test
your paper airplane skills.
COD Earth Science – Astronomy
Explore telescopic viewing and make spectroscope observation of gas spectra to simulate
how astronomers identify the composition of stars.
COD Earth Science – Hydrology
Use a stream table to model the development of a river system by producing precipitation
and runoff. Examine the resulting erosion of the sand and observe sediment transport
and deposition processes and the landforms that are produced by these processes.
COD Electrical Engineering
View demonstrations of electrical engineering student design projects and engage with
interactive demos.
COD Electro-Mechanical Technology
Get hands-on with motor controls and discover how programmable logic controllers operate
and how they are used in industry.
COD Electronics Technology
Learn about electronics by assembling a LED circuit that you can wear and take home.
COD Engineering and Technology Club
Learn about the design and build process for a robot and view demonstrations from
the award-winning COD Robotics team.
COD Food Security Initiative
Examine the establishment and maintenance of a community garden while learning about
local food security initiatives.
COD Horticulture
Learn about horticultural machines and equipment and take part in an activity focused
on plant propagation.
COD Humanities – STEAM
Explore the mathematics of the golden ratio and its application in the arts and architecture
through interactive activities.
COD Library
Experience virtual reality through smartphone powered Google Cardboard devices, interact
with a 360-degree camera and learn how to create your own immersive VR/360 experiences.
COD Mathematics
Examine how math and music work together in this hands-on visual booth, learn about
the mathematics that go into deciphering coded messages, explore the mathematics behind
an elliptical pool table, and get in-depth with math by using mental math and paper
to explore a variety of math games and tricks.
COD Music – STEAM
Make music using a real-time, use-initiated music composition system based on random
probability, logical sieves and digital synthesis.
COD Physics
Discover how the forces of electricity and magnetism function in the world around
us and how they are related to each other through a variety of hands-on activities.
COD Psychology - Cognitive Science
Experience interactive demonstrations of interesting psychological phenomena, including
visual illusions, tricks of perception, the limits of attention and errors in memory.
You will also have the opportunity to see your own brain in action using an electroencephalograph
headset.
COD Store
Come check out our swag you can take home to remember STEMCON all year long!
COD Student Education Association
Experience concepts in science and engineering working with limited resources and
under constraints while building a load-bearing structure out of pipe cleaners.
COD Welding
Learn about different types of welding, including shielded metal arc welding (SMAW),
flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), and their differences
and uses.
CodeNinjas
Delve into computer coding by creating elements of video games on a laptop.
CPs-BE Research Company
Participate in a variety of activities exploring topics such as gravity and Newton's
Law, hand and feet coordination, improving cognitive ability and enriching the coordination
between brain lobes.
DuPage County Farm Bureau
Learn about seed germination, plant needs and polymers. Make a necklace that uses
a polymer, water and body heat to germinate a soybean which can be taken home and
planted.
DuPage County Stormwater Management
Interact with two watershed models, one showing how to control flooding through measures
and the other showing how to mitigate for pollution in waterways. Engineering staff
will be on hand to answer questions about stormwater management and career paths.
DuPage County Regional Office of Education
Construct a harmonica from simple materials and experiment with the various components
to see the effects.
FermiLab
Join America's premier particle physics and accelerator laboratory to participate
in hands-on activities and engaging demonstrations covering what particle physics
examines, as well as how the study of neutrinos may uncover new information about
the interaction between particles and forces.
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Learn about the life cycle of freshwater mussels, how and why they are bred and studied,
and interact with biological specimens. Examine freshwater mussel specimens and use
a microscope to count glochidia just like a freshwater mussel ecologist.
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana
Support your cookie. With only a few items, create a structure to hold up a cookie
for the longest time.
Glen Ellyn Public Library
More information coming soon.
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Discover the underlying kinematic physics of the various summer Olympic sports. Design,
build, test and optimize your own take-home catapults.
Information and Tour Check-In (Customer Service)
Have a question? Need to check-in for a tour? Lose something? This is the booth for
you!
International Society of Automation
Learn about industrial control systems and components from experienced local engineers
and technicians.
Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum
Explore activities and topics in the life sciences, including hands-on examination
of pelts and skulls from native wildlife.
Mathnasium of Glen Ellyn and Carol Stream
Discover how fun and interesting math can be through a variety of mathematical strategy
games.
Midwest Torrance Center for Creativity
Learn about chemistry while making your very own slime to take home.
Naperville Astronomical Association
Explore the solar system through telescopic viewing of the Sun using both full-spectrum
and hydrogen alpha films (weather permitting). Indoor demonstrations include solar
system geometry covering moon phases and eclipses.
Nicor Gas
Examine underground pipelines and several aspects of above ground operations, and
spin the question wheel featuring questions about natural gas. Energy experts will
be on hand to answer questions about career opportunities in the energy industry.
Prairie Tours
Visitors will learn about prairie restoration at COD and tour the Ecological Study
area, a section of approximately 15 acres of woodland, marsh, and reconstructed prairie.
No RSVP necessary. View our Schedule for more information.
Prize Table
Collect all 8 STEM stickers and then turn in your sticker card for a small prize!
Project Lead the Way
Participate in hands-on activities focused on a range of STEM areas, including engineering,
computer science and biomedicine.
Red Oak Nature Center
Compete against some of nature's greatest athletes in the Animal Olympics!
SciTech Hands-On Museum
Explore Science up close with hands-on experiments and STEM activities.
Selfie Station
Snap a photo with Chappy and tag our event on social media #STEMCONCOD
SimplyFly
Ever wonder what keeps a plane in the air? Learn about the physics of flight and how
aircraft are affected by the four opposing forces of thrust, lift, drag, and weight.
A real Remos aircraft will be on hand.
STEAM Ahead with NASA
Discover the mysteries of black holes through indirect observation, identifying black
hole locations based on the movements of nearby objects.
STEM Hall of Fame
Learn about STEM Careers and check out our COD STEM Hall of Fame.
STEM Teacher Resources
Visit our one-stop teacher spot for STEM resources from COD and other booths participating
in our STEMCON event.
STEMinar Talks
Hear amazing presentations from some of our STEM experts as well as nationally and
internationally recognized speakers.
Swift Nature Camp
Meet "Bubba" the pig and learn about nature, earth science and the environment.
The Morton Arboretum
Take a closer look at trees and explore other natural items.
U.S. Army
Explore the U.S. Army STEM Truck featuring robots; command, communication and satellite
systems; and an indoor VR headset booth.
UIC Motorsports
Learn about the engineering behind our Formula and Baja vehicles.
University of St. Francis Aftermath
Spin the Wheel of Probability and learn about varying degrees of the mathematics behind
chance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about STEMCON. Can't find the answer to your questions? E-mail us at stemcon@cod.edu and we'd be happy to answer them!
STEM is an acronym that stands for the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
In recent years, discussion of STEM-related programs has become a priority because too few college students are pursuing degrees in these fields. The U.S. Department of Labor expects that there are approximately 1.2 million job openings in STEM related fields, but there won’t be enough qualified graduates to fill them.
What’s more, the skills obtained from an increased exposure to all elements of STEM education, including but not limited to analytical and mathematical skills, technical and technological proficiency, and problem solving can be applied to any number of careers.
While STEMCON is open to everyone and sure to thrill attendees of all ages, the convention and activities are primarily geared toward high school and middle school students. Please keep in mind, children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
No. While you don’t need to register for the event, certain activities, including the workshops and prairie tours, have limited space and will require you to sign up for them in advance.
If you are bringing a large group from your school or organization, bus parking will be available in Lot 5.
Yes! We would love to have you help make this event run smoothly. Volunteer for all or part of the day, plus you get a free STEMCON polo! Check back for our volunteer sign-up form.
STEMCON is free and open to the public.
At STEMCON, you will have the opportunity to view and take part in a broad range of STEM-based activities, including hands-on, well facilitated experiments and demonstrations that are fun and informative for the whole family.
Resting in the center of DuPage County and School District 502, College of DuPage is conveniently located at 425 Fawell Blvd., in Glen Ellyn.
Yes. Concessions will be available for purchase on-site for the duration of STEMCON.
The more the merrier. Please email us at stemcon@cod.edu.
Schedule
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10 a.m. | STEMCON Exhibit Hall Opens | PE Arena |
| 10:30 a.m | Prairie Tour | Meet at "customer service" booth 15 minutes prior |
| 11 a.m. | Keynote Speaker - Justin Shaifer "Why STEM is Dope" | PE Arena Stage |
| 12:30 p.m. | Stage Show - FUN with Chemistry! | PE Arena Stage |
| 2:30 p.m. | Keynote Speaker - Justin Shaifer "Why STEM is Dope" | PE Arena Stage |
| 3 p.m. | Prairie Tour | Meet at "customer service" booth 15 minutes prior |
| 4 p.m. | COD STEMCON 2020 Closes |
Stage Shows
Every year, we are excited to welcome amazing speakers and awesome demonstrations to our stage as part of STEMCON. Past Stage Shows have included talks from College of DuPage experts, nationally renowned guest speakers, Bed of Nails demonstrations, weather balloon launches, and more.
Keynote Speaker: Justin Shaifer
P.E. Arena Stage
11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Boring lectures and uninspiring teachers often ruin students' perceptions of STEM. This adventurous talk informs students about real life experiences of modern STEM professionals, and the prospects of STEM careers. Students will leave this talk well-aware of their potential career and scholarship opportunities in STEM.
FUN with Chemistry!
Professors Lubna Haque and Bill Peacy
P.E. Arena Stage
12:30 p.m.
Chemistry demonstrations, for people of all ages, that help spark an enduring interest in this science. Join COD Chemistry Professors Lubna Haque and Bill Peacy for a fun filled event with live demos and explanation of some reactions that deal with various branches of chemistry.
Weather Balloon
Professor Ron Stenz
P.E. Arena Stage
1:30 p.m.
Join us as we explore the world of weather! COD Meteorology will perform a weather balloon launch to showcase one of the most important ways weather data is collected daily around the world.
Prairie Tour
Prairie Manager Remic Ensweiler
Meet at Customer Service Booth
10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Visitors will learn about prairie restoration at COD and tour the Ecological Study area, a section of approximately 15 acres of woodland, marsh and reconstructed prairie featuring nearly 300 species of native tallgrass plants, as well as a variety of wildlife including many species of insects, toads, frogs, turtles, small mammals, and birds such as warblers, wading birds, owls and hawks. Appropriate clothing (long pants and walking shoes) is required.