Our History

Established in 2007, the NI-STEM Center was developed with the help of a proposal submitted to a statewide BioCrossroads STEAM initiative by Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) and Science Central. The center also had financial support provided, in part, by a grant received from the National Center for Outreach, which was submitted by WFWA PBS39 in partnership with PFW and supported by the Fort Wayne Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. 

Our Mission

NI-STEM has been established in partnership with a cadre of regional stakeholders to support and encourage active engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math related activities and educational pursuits. In partnership with a regional stakeholder base, NI-STEM works to incorporate and support the diverse needs of the region's education systems, informal education centers, and the business community. The NI-STEM Center is an ever-evolving center that promises to continue to highlight, unify, support, and increase community involvement in STEAM-related activities for the children and adults in our region, as well as recruit others to participate in the magnificent events regularly hosted in northeast Indiana.

NI-STEM Director: Jeffrey A. Nowak, PhD

Jeff is the executive director of the NI-STEM center. His research interests include how to incorporate and utilize best-practice technologies and inquiry-based instructional strategies in the pre K–12 science classroom. He has also published peer-reviewed articles comparing full-day kindergarten to half-day kindergarten, and enjoys writing science books for children.