Illinois Science Council (“ISC”) is an independent 501c3 organization that engages, educates, and entertains the public about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in our everyday lives. ISC serves as the adult complement to student-focused science efforts, and the science & tech counterpart to the region’s arts & culture offerings by raising STEM understanding and appreciation.

ISC explores a wide variety of topics with a fun, non-stuffy approach. We create engaging programs (aimed at adults and accessible to teens) such as: hands-on chemistry (Chemistry of… Beer, Chocolate, Whiskey, Coffee, Honey, etc.); panel discussions on science subjects in the news (Your Brain on Happiness, on Creativity, on Addiction, on Exercise, etc.); author talks (Lisa Randall, Mary Roach, Randall Munroe of XKCD); film screenings (“The Atom Smashers”), plus the Chicago Science Festival; and more.

Carl Sagan observed:

“We live in a society exquisitely dependent upon science and technology in which hardly anyone understands anything about science and technology.”

ISC is certainly working to change that.

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Featured Events

Here are upcoming and most recent ISC events. Or visit our main event calendar below for lots of science events happening citywide. Full Event Calendar
science cocktail party 2019

Science Cocktail Party 2019

D.I.R.T.T. Environmental Showroom, 325 N. Wells Street, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL 60654

Chemistry of Beer

Metropolitan Brewing Tap Room, 3057 N Rockwell St, Chicago, IL 60618
Beaker Cocktail with Syringe

Chemistry of The Cocktail

Koval Distillery, 5121 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
Science Cocktail

Science Cocktail Party 2018

DIRTT Environmental Solutions, 325 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60654

Science Unsealed

A blog about the science of everyday life...and some from out of this world. View More
beer bread recipe

Coronavirus, Corona Beer, and Corona Bread

Leave a comment Kristen Vogt Veggeberg

Everyone is hearing about the coronavirus, and, of course, Corona beer is not having any of it. Maybe they’ll try renaming it, but that’s not going to happen any time soon. I’m going to assume that you probably know that a coronavirus isn’t called that because of the beer. It’s called that because of the Latin term for ‘crown,’ which the virus looks like.

Continue reading “Coronavirus, Corona Beer, and Corona Bread”
how to combat bacterial infectiosn

Mixing a Phage Cocktail to Combat Bacterial Infections

Leave a comment Ananya Sen

In 2013, when Tenzin Kunor was in his last semester of college, he learned that he had a type of tuberculosis (TB) that was resistant to the typical drugs that are used to treat TB. At first, he thought it was a bad cold because he had been experiencing chest pains, a sore throat, and coughing. When it got to the point that it was painful to walk, he received his diagnosis: multidrug resistant TB. This bacterial infection requires special medications, and takes a long time to resolve. For Tenzin, it took two years.

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diabetes group visits

Control Diabetes Before It Controls You: How Group Visits Improve Care

Leave a comment Sara Siddiqui

In Greek mythology, after escaping his prison, Icarus soared close to the sun, despite his father’s instructions to fly neither too high nor too low. His wings of feathers and wax melted before he plummeted to his death. In modern day, patients with type 2 diabetes similarly seek to escape their symptoms at the doctor’s office, and they receive instructions just as difficult—maintain a level of blood sugar that is neither too high nor too low, or face harsh consequences.

Continue reading “Control Diabetes Before It Controls You: How Group Visits Improve Care”

Gallery

For a sense of our events and all the great people who make up our science-loving community, check out this gallery of photos from ISC events. View More