DeKALB – Learn about the past, present and future of the Chicago candy industry and the art and science of candy making during a lively panel discussion at the next Northern Illinois University STEM Café.

The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, at Fatty’s Pub and Grille, 1312 W. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb. It’s free and open to the public with food and drink available for purchase. Registration and details at go.niu.edu/stemcafes.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Lahey will show clips and discuss the making of his documentary “Shelf Life: The Story of Lanzi Candy,” which recently aired on WTTW, Channel 11. The film explores his Italian immigrant grandfather Elmo Lanzi’s 60 years of candy making, how Chicago became the “Candy Capital of the World” and the quest of a local entrepreneur to bring back Lanzi Candy.

Chef Alain Roby, a certified master chef of pastry and sugar artistry, will discuss the art and science of chocolate making and his journey to owning and operating All Chocolate Kitchen in Geneva. He’ll explain the process of constructing his Guinness World Record-winning candy creations – including the world’s tallest chocolate sculpture and the world’s longest candy cane.

Finally, TaAqua Campbell, platform innovation manager at Ferrara Candy Co., will draw on her B.S. degree in agricultural and biological engineering and more than 15 years of experience in food processing to discuss the 100-plus year history of Ferrara, as well as the company’s newest innovations, including gummy clusters, 3D printing, robotics and sustainable packaging.

NIU STEM Cafés are part of NIU STEAM and are designed to increase public awareness of the critical role that STEM fields play in our everyday lives. STEM Cafés are supported by Bayer Fund and Thermo Fisher Scientific. For more information, visit go.niu.edu/stemcafes or contact Judith Dymond, Ed.D., at 815-753-4751 or jdymond@niu.edu.