In this episode, Romeoville students share their award-winning experience at the NIU STEAM Innovation Challenge, where they earned first and third place by tackling antibiotic resistance and microplastic pollution.

They discuss how understanding the problem, conducting research, and refining ideas led to innovative solutions, while also highlighting the importance of teamwork, time management, and persistence. Students reflect on the challenges of making ideas both scientifically sound and financially feasible, and how they learned to communicate and market their concepts effectively.

The conversation also reveals the critical role of mentorship and the value of connecting student innovation with real world industry insight. As these students move forward into careers in medicine, engineering, and business, they remai ...