Fall exhibits and programs at the Pick Museum

 Exhibit Info: “How We Rebuild” (Sep. 2 – Dec 19, 2025)

After conflicts have ended, what does it take to recover the heartbeat of humanity? How We Rebuild, a penetrating and transformative photography exhibition, draws from twelve years of work created by grant winners and finalists from The Aftermath Project, a non-profit organization committed to telling the other half of war stories, after the conflicts have ended—what it takes for individuals to rebuild destroyed lives and homes, to restore civil societies, and to address the lingering wounds of war while struggling to create new avenues for peace. This exhibition is a program of ExhibitsUSA, a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance and The National Endowment for the Arts.

 

Summary of upcoming events at the Pick Museum:

All events in Pick Museum of Anthropology gallery (Cole 114) unless otherwise noted. Additional events may be added.

 

Tue, Sep 2 (4-6 pm)    

Opening Reception for “How We Rebuild”. Includes brief opening remarks at 4:30 p.m.

 

Thu, Sep 25 (5-6 pm) 

How Music Rebuilds. In celebration of the International Day of Peace, this event showcases how music has contributed to community resilience in the aftermath of conflicts. Each musician will introduce and perform a song connected to a community that has experienced conflict. Refreshments provided.

 

Fri, Oct 10 (12-1 pm) 

Gallery talk: Haley LeRand (executive director) on the work of  Global Gardens Chicago. Event in conjunction with the Burma Studies Conference. Light lunch will be provided.

 

Tue, Oct 14 (5-6pm), Cole 100 

Lecture (Title TBC): Prof. Eleana Kim (Professor of Anthropology, UC-Irvine) on ecologies of the Korean DMZ. Reception to follow.

 

Tue, Oct 21 (11am-12pm)

Pros at the Pick: Laura Furman (curator of collections & education, Midway Village Museum). This is an informal conversation and networking opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about what it’s like to work in a museum. Coffee and bagels from Einsteins.

 

Thu, Nov 6 (5-6pm), Cole 100

Lecture and Conversation (Title TBC): Giselle Futrell (executive director) and Moki Tantoco (director of programs and exhibitions) will speak about their work at the National Veterans Art Museum. Reception to follow. 

 

Thu, Dec 4 (5-7pm) 

Trivia Night at the Museum. Join us for an end of year celebration, featuring trivia related to the current exhibit and fall programs. Prizes and refreshments provided.

 

Every Friday (except Thanksgiving), Sep 5 through Dec 19 (10am-12pm)

Crafting Community. Try the week’s featured activity, bring your own project, or use the supplies provided to do your own thing. Drop in and leave as you need. 

Study Abroad in Japan (ENVS 491: Special Topics in Environmental Science)

 

Exciting NIU Career Services Updates for Fall 2025

 NEW this fall – Career Success Clinic: On Tuesday, Sept. 16, we are launching our first-ever Career Success Clinic! Employers and alumni will be on campus to review resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and cover letters while offering real-time advice. This is a fantastic way for students to prepare for the semester ahead. Please encourage your students to join us. More details can be found HERE.

What’s New & Important for Fall 2025:

• Advising Appointments in Huskies Get Hired (Symplicity): All student appointments are now scheduled in Huskies Get Hired, where they can also explore career fairs, internships, and job postings. Helping students get comfortable with this system will set them up for success. (Advisors, please see helpful PDF attached).

• Resume Reviews through Drop-In Services: Students can now meet one-on-one with a Career Peer Coach at our new Student Hub. They’ll also gain hands-on experience with Quinncia, our new AI-powered career readiness platform offering personalized feedback on resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and interview skills. We are thrilled to bring this innovative tool to campus!

• Huskie Career Launchpad (Digital Badging): Students can build and showcase their skills through digital badges that highlight their career readiness. These badges can be added to LinkedIn and shared with future employers, a powerful way for Huskies to stand out in a competitive job market.

• Forage Virtual Job Simulations: Forage offers free, online simulations designed by leading employers. Students can explore career paths, build real-world skills, and strengthen their resumes, all at their own pace. It’s an excellent way to bring classroom learning to life.

Applications are open now for 2026 Biota Award Postdoctoral Fellowships

 Applications are now open for the 2026 Biota Awards, a program to fund early-career researchers based in Illinois who seek to restore, protect, and conserve biodiversity locally and around the world. 

Applications are due October 21, 2025.
 

2026 Biota Award Application

Award Eligibility
For the second year running, the 2026 Biota Awards are exclusively focused on providing support for postdoctoral scientists. We intend to return to supporting independent investigators in the 2027 Biota Awards. 

Postdoctoral fellows must be employed by and have a primary adviser at an institution in Illinois by the start of the grant. Researchers that are currently based outside of Illinois (either completing a Ph.D. or working as a postdoc) are encouraged to apply by developing a proposal with an adviser at an institution in Illinois. 

For researchers proposing projects at Chicago-region* institutions, the geographic focus of the research is not restricted, and projects may focus on biodiversity and conservation topics relevant to the Chicago region or elsewhere, for example biodiversity hotspots and/or the Global South.  

For researchers proposing projects at Illinois institutions outside of the Chicago region* (e.g. University of Illinois Urbana Champaign or Illinois State University), the geographic focus of the research and intended outcomes must be the Chicago region.

If successful, the researcher would need to move to the region to take up employment at a local grantee organization.

*The Chicago region is broadly defined as the Metropolitan Statistical Areaaccording to the United States Census Bureau.

Award Program Aims
We aim to:

·         Attract and retain exceptional postdoctoral scientists in Illinois

·         Encourage postdoctoral scientists to think creatively and independently about how their research can be applied to deliver on-the-ground results

·         Develop a more inclusive and equitable biodiversity research community by supporting fellows from a wide range of backgrounds

Award Support
Selected Biota Award recipients will receive:

·         Annual salary of $70,000 in Year 1 and $73,500 in Year 2

·         Fringe benefits at the host institution’s rate for postdocs 

·         Annual research and travel allowance of $20,000

·         Relocation allowance of up to $3,000 for those moving from outside of Illinois

·         Indirect costs of 15% to the host institution

Further Award Details
Full program and application details and requirements are available on the Biota Awards website. In addition, interested applicants may register for an informational webinar about the opportunity that will take place on July 29, 2025 at 12 p.m. Central.

Food Loss & Waste Program Event Planner/Workshop Coordinator Call for Applications

 

Food Loss & Waste Program Event Planner/Workshop Coordinator Call for Applications     Distributed by SARE Outreach on behalf of Southern SARE Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Food Loss & Waste Program Event Planner/Workshop Coordinator Call for Applications Application Deadline: September 1, 2025, 5 p.m. EST Contract Funding Amount: $56,818 Project Timeline: October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026 Call for Applications Link: SARE Grant Management System For more information, contact: Lisa Johnson at ljohnson@sare.org Application Timeline: August 2025: Call for Applications Released September 1, 2025 at 5 p.m. EST: Applications Due September 2025: Applications Reviewed October 1, 2025: Position Start Date Introduction The United States Department of Agriculture recognizes the impacts of food loss and food waste on food security and the environment. In response, USDA, in concert with agency partners, is working toward the goal of reducing food loss and food waste by 50 percent by 2030. In the latest effort in reduction activities, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) has initiated a Food Loss and Waste Program, supporting projects that align with USDA activities aimed at reducing food loss and reducing food waste. The Southern region SARE program, based at the University of Georgia, serves as host institution for the Food Loss and Waste Program. SARE is a USDA grant-making program focusing on sustainable agriculture principles. In addition to supporting Food Loss and Waste prevention and reduction projects through grant funding, USDA-NIFA has provided additional funding to convene state, city, county, and tribal stakeholders, along with non-profit partners, to identify local efforts needed and ongoing to further prevent food loss and waste. Recent research has identified the fact that many food loss and waste efforts fall into the recycling category, such as composting, rather than the prevention and reuse categories which can provide benefits beyond recycling. Immediate progress is necessary in order to reach national goals. One-day Food Loss and Waste workshops in 10 U.S. states aim to connect local stakeholders, identify achievable goals, and leverage available staff and resources to spark immediate action. Virtual meetings including several states will follow in-person workshops. In order to successfully hold 10 workshops around the U.S., Southern SARE is seeking one (1) Event Planner/Workshop Coordinator to assist in the planning, coordination, and execution of the workshops. Scope of Work The following include responsibilities of the Event Planner/Workshop Coordinator. Collaborate with National SARE Food Loss and Waste (FLW) Program Manager to: Develop background information and list of invitees for each of ten states; Plan agenda, activities, and logistics for each workshop; Engage stakeholders to commit to attendance at workshops; Lead workshop activities including (but not limited to) leading sessions and activities, notetaking, sending invitations and registering attendees, reserving venues, ordering workshop meals and supplies, and set-up and take-down; Coordinate and execute virtual meetings that include stakeholders from several states; Summarize activities, outcomes, and findings in a comprehensive final report. Who Can Apply The Event Planner/Workshop Coordinator is a national seat open to qualified applicants in the contiguous U.S.; Alaska; Hawaii; the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Micronesia, and Northern Mariana Islands; and sovereign nations Republic of Palau and Marshall Islands. Individuals meeting qualifications are invited to apply. The Event Planner/Workshop Coordinator will be funded through a one-time, cost reimbursement subaward agreement between University of Georgia and the individual to fulfill the listed responsibilities. The successful candidate will report to the National SARE FLW Program Manager as needed throughout the term of the contract. Applicants should: Have a strong understanding and familiarity with USDA and SARE programs; Have previous experience and deep understanding of food loss and waste programs and policies across the spectrum of food systems (agriculture, businesses, consumers, schools); Be skilled in program development, including, but not limited to, planning, leadership development, grantmaking, business management, evaluation and communications; Have a proven track record of ability to work with diverse stakeholders; Demonstrate strong governance and exhibit good research and critical thinking skills. Application deadline is September 1, 2025, 5 p.m. EST. For more information on how to apply and review criteria, visit Event Planner/Workshop Coordinator Call for Applications at https://www.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/SARE-Call-for-Applications-FLW-Event-Planner.pdf. Released by SARE Outreach on behalf of the Southern Region of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Southern SARE operates under cooperative agreements with the University of Georgia, Fort Valley State University, and the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture to offer competitive grants to advance sustainable agriculture in America’ Southern region. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.