Since its beginning, LLI has featured weekly talks by experts, primarily NIU faculty. As always, there will be time for questions of our speakers.

March 22 
Inflation: Causes, Consequences and Responses 
Inflation has been on the rise. What causes that? What can we do about it as individuals and as a society? What are the impacts? Should we be concerned? NIU Department of Finance professor Lei Zhou will help us understand the issues. 
 
March 29 
Adventures in the Brewing Trade 
Family-owned and operated Byers Brewing was named the DeKalb Business of the Year by the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce. Co-owner Steve Byers will tell us about his adventures as both a brewer and as an entrepreneur in an expanding local business. 
 
April 5 
Sustaining Peace: The Endgame of International Peacekeeping Operations 
Can international peacekeeping missions work? Is their work ever over? NIU Department of Sociology professor Laura Heideman, who is particularly interested in the role of NGOs in post-war community rebuilding, talks to us about the issues and whether there are answers. 
 
April 12 (on Zoom) 
Electrifying the Auto Industry by 2030: The Future of American Car Building 
With many car companies aiming to build only electric vehicles by 2030 and many aspiring to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the industry is set to undergo sweeping transformations. The challenges include supply chain nightmares, labor shortages, battery capacity, charging infrastructure, pricing setbacks, vertical (dis)integration, and intensified market share competition. The greatest challenge may be making sure that auto workers support the transition and benefit from it. Listen to a panel of Cornell University professors talk about these issues on Zoom. 
 
April 19 
‘A Worthy Calling': 125+ Years of Teaching Teachers 
Since several decades before the Spanish flu of 1918 until after COVID-19, Northern has been educating teachers. Patrick Roberts, who teaches in the NIU Deptartment of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations, explores the evolution of education throughout the United States and locally at NIU.   
 
April 26 
Immigration Law: Family Unity for Some, Family Separation for Many  
Immigration issues are constantly in the news. Immigration laws are debated at the local, state, and national levels and are sure to be issues in the upcoming presidential campaign. NIU College of Law professor, Anita Maddali, shares her research on the impact of immigration laws and policies on families. 

May 3 
Intraparty Politics and The Separation of Powers 
The conflicts within political parties, as opposed to those between them, present real issues on reconciling constitutional theory and political reality. These fights have real significance, argues NIU College of Law professor and public law scholar, Greg Elinson. Much of his research concerns how partisan politics and political polarization have shaped the separation of powers.