Tech Prairie STEAM Expo to Showcase Innovators Throughout Illinois

For Immediate Release – August 16, 2021

Springfield, Illinois – Tech Prairie STEAM Expo, a new destination at the Illinois State Fair, is set to open this week on Wednesday, August 18 in the Orr Building. The Expo will showcase drone racing, Esports competitions, interactive exhibits and demonstrations from over 30 organizations throughout Illinois highlighting the use of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) in K-12 education, postsecondary education, research, business and industry.

“We are thrilled to debut the Tech Prairie STEAM Expo at this year’s fair to demonstrate the many ways STEAM is being advanced in Illinois,” said Jennifer Ricker, Illinois CIO and Acting Secretary for Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT). “At DoIT we recognize the importance of promoting STEAM to strengthen our state and equip students with the skills needed to be successful in the 21st century workforce.”

The Expo is being presented by Illinois DoIT, in collaboration with the University of Illinois Extension Office, Illinois Innovation Network and Springfield’s “Grow Our Own” Program with participation from Hanson Professional Services, the City of Springfield and Sangamon County. The event will allow fairgoers to engage and interact with STEAM exhibitors from across the state including:

Interactive microscope demonstrations and anatomy dissections from OSF Healthcare
• Flight simulations from Frasca International with IDOT’s Bureau of Aviation Safety
• Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining from Southwestern Illinois College
• The Illinois Innovation Network, with participation from all 12 public universities, offering engaging and diverse educational demonstrations toward their mission of driving inclusive innovation, workforce development and equitable economic growth throughout Illinois
• And for younger fairgoers, the Learning Technology Center of Illinois and Illinois Digital Educators Alliance will provide an interactive “Tech Playground” that includes a smart electrical grid, K-8 robotics, Makerspaces & 3-D printing, virtual reality in education, and drones

The Tech Prairie STEAM Expo will be open daily from 10am to 7pm at the Orr Building from August 18 through August 22 and admission is free to fair attendees. As an indoor event, masks are required for attendees regardless of vaccination status. Visit the STEAM Expo website for drone racing and Esports competition registration links, a list of exhibitors, livestreaming links and schedule of events at www.illinois.gov/steamexpo.