What we’re about
Hi there! We're a group of people who love science, and we come from all walks of life. Whether you have a scientific background or not, whether you do science for a living or not, if you barely recall anything from high school science or have a self-taught PhD -- if you are curious person, we're the group for you. We are all about public outreach in science, technology, engineering, and math.
We like to showcase and celebrate the extraordinary Science Sector and the research done in and around Chicagoland. If you like bugs or beer, astronomy or atoms, medicine or microbes, neuroscience or nanotech, you'll love ISC!
Upcoming events (2)
See all- The Brain & AddictionSulzer Regional Public Library, Chicago, IL
NOTE: Registration (not just RSVP here) is Required for this event HERE Space is limited.
Can you explain the difference between coffee and cocaine addictions, or gambling vs a shopping addiction? If not, you don’t want to miss this!
People use the term “addicted” all the time – “You’re addicted to that show.” “I’m addicted to morning coffee.” Consider these terms: preference, habit, obsession, use disorders, addiction. Do they look different in your brain? Can you define the difference between a caffeine addiction and a cocaine one? Or between food and alcohol? What about social media, cell phone usage, compulsive shopping, gambling, or online gaming?
If you’re curious about differences between substance addictions and behavioral ones, or what’s being learned about addictions from the widespread use of new medications for obesity, you won’t want to miss this program.
Dr. Celeste Napier of Rush University will give a fascinating talk explaining how scientists study addiction, what neuroscience tells us about it, and why that matters. You’ll gain an understanding of how the brain works when any of us make unhealthy choices. This talk help you better appreciate disorder differences, and how to support those that suffer from use disorders and addictions.
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 at 6:30pm; doors open at 6:00pm
Sulzer Public Library
4455 N Lincoln Av, Chicago, IL 60625
Free, but Registration (not just RSVP on Meetup) is Required HERE.T. Celeste Napier, PhD, is Professor Emerit of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Napier is also the Education Advisor for the IL Council on Problem Gambling and on the Scientific Advisory Board for the International Center for Responsible Gaming.
FAQs
Best route for public transit
The CTA Brown line stop at Western is about 2.5 blocks north of the library, just west of Lincoln Av at Western Av. The #49 Western bus stops about 2 blocks west at Sunnyside. The #78 Montrose bus stops about 1.5 blocks east on Montrose. Easy!
What's the parking situation?
There is a small free parking lot behind the library. Street parking in the area is frequently metered, so use the ParkChicago app to pay by zone. If on a non-metered street, be sure it isn't restricted to only cars with a certain numbered sticker. We wouldn't want you to get a ticket!
Will there be food & drink available?
No, but the Library allows patrons to bring their own beverages. (We won't tell if you need to bring a snack as long as you're discrete and it's not loud or smelly.) There are lots of restaurant options both north and south of the library on Lincoln for dining before or after the talk.
Will this be appropriate for kids?
All ages are welcome, just know that the talk's content will be most accessible for those of at least high school age. - The Brain and FearThe Bad Apple, Chicago, IL
**NOTE: Tickets are Required for this event. $5 **HERE ** Space is limited.
The Brain and Fear
Just before Halloween is a great time to consider - what is fear anyway? Do you remember the last time you felt really afraid? Is it innate or is it learned? What’s really going on within your brain that makes you afraid, and is there anything you can do about it?
But fear is not an emotion at the ready all the time – it is only experienced when something is perceived as threatening. And situations perceived as threatening are based on previous fear-inducing encounters, so require memory. Jelena Radulovic, MD, PhD, Einstein College of Medicine, studies the neuroscience of fear and will share with us how researchers study it in the lab and what it means for us humans. She’ll explain how animals shape their fear responses first through brain development, and then through experiences of their inner and outer world. But what if you don’t know something is threatening, would you be afraid? Dr. Radulovic will explain for us how this happens at the level of brain cells and networks.
We promise it will be non-scary but memorable!
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 at 6:30pm
The Bad Apple, 658 W Belden, Chicago, IL 60614
Tickets $5 HERE. Seating is limited.
See other events in this series HEREDr. Radulovic is a Professor of Neuroscience at Einstein College of Medicine in NY where she is Director of the Psychiatry Research Institute at Montefiore Einstein (PRIME).
## Frequently asked questions
Best route for using public transit
The Fullerton stop (Red, Brown, and Purple lines) is about 3.5 blocks away at Fullerton & Sheffield. The #8 Halsted bus is just 2 blocks west of The Bad Apple. The #22 Clark and #36 Broadway buses stop 3 blocks east at Clark and Belden. Easy!Will there be food & drink available?
Absolutely! Check out The Bad Apple's menu here: https://www.badapplebar.com/ If you plan to eat, doors open at 5:30 and we recommend you arrive by 6pm so you can order and have your food before the talk begins so as to not be disruptive to others.What's the parking situation?
There are some parking garages on Lincoln Av north of Belden. Street parking in the area is mostly metered, so use the ParkChicago app to pay by zone. If on a non-metered street, be sure it isn't restricted to only cars with a certain numbered sticker. We wouldn't want you to get a ticket!Will this be appropriate for kids?
All ages are welcome, just know that the talk's content will be most accessible for those of at least high school age.
