The Northern Illinois University (NIU) elementary particle physics group has several primary research activities: participation in the D0 experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and development of calorimetry for the International Linear Collider (ILC). The D0 detector is designed to take full advantage of the 2.0 TeV energy of the Fermilab proton-antiproton collider. The NIU group is involved in numerous searches for new phenomena and has significant responsibility for D0 operations and management. For the ILC, the group is developing scintillation calorimetry and particle flow algorithms, important for improved pattern recognition and energy resolution performance of ILC detectors. The NIU program has a broad impact on education from K-12 through graduate school and increases scientific knowledge throughout northern Illinois. Notably, due the strong program in particle physics, NIU now awards doctoral degrees with specialty in particle physics. Additionally outreach visits to schools by group members have reached thousands of students; very popular public events are a summer camp, a yearly high school Physics Olympiad, and a Haunted Physics Lab. Undergraduate and graduate students are active participants in all aspects of the program including research and outreach.
