The next STEM Café is scheduled for March 16, Tuesday, from 6 PM to 8 PM. Our café is Harvesting the Power of Wind Energy. Our speaker is Dr. Nicholas Pohlman, NIU Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
For millions of years, fossil fuels collected sunlight and were compressed underground, creating fuels dense with energy. However, humans are consuming this energy at a rate that far exceeds its multi-million-year reserve. If we can learn to harness and immediately use lower energy density forms such as wind energy, we can increase sustainability and decrease impact on climate change. However, pivoting to wind energy requires some changes in our thinking and behavior.
Join us to learn more about what’s involved in the change to wind energy. Dr. Pohlman will discuss the kinetic energy of wind, the fluid mechanics involved in harvesting wind power, the distribution of wind farm energy to urban areas and the possibility of incorporating wind energy collection into urban architecture.
Dr. Pohlman will be joined by Derek Hiland, DeKalb County Community Development Director, who will address questions related to growth, zoning and land-use changes in the county.
Attached is the flyer for the event – please share the information with fellow STEM enthusiasts. You can register by going to our NIU STEAM website and search for programs and then STEM Cafés. You will find past cafes, teen cafes, upcoming cafés and our recorded cafés. Registration information will be there and is required for this free online event. Register and learn more at go.niu.edu/windenergy
