College of Engineering faculty members honored

Qian Chen, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering, has been named to Science News SN10: Scientists to Watch. Chen is coaxing nanomaterials to self-assemble in new and unexpected ways to mimic the machinery that living cells have already perfected.
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SungWoo Nam, an assistant professor of mechanical science and engineering, has won a NASA Early Career Faculty Award for his research “Corrugated Two-dimensional Material Enabled Flexoelectricity for Cryogenic Actuator Technology.”
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George H. Miley, professor emeritus of nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering, has been honored with the American Nuclear Society Seaborg Medal. The award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding scientific or engineering research contributions to the development of peaceful uses of energy.
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Zahra Mohaghegh, a professor of nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering, has received the 2016 American Nuclear Society Mary Jane Oestmann Professional Women’s Achievement Award. Cited for her leadership, entrepreneurship, substantial multidisciplinary research and scholarly contributions in the area of probabilistic risk assessment, Mohaghegh is noted for her pioneering introduction of human and organizational factors in PRA of socio-technical systems in nuclear and other fields.
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Katy Huff, a professor of nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering, has received the American Nuclear Society’s Young Member Excellence Award. Huff was cited for her outstanding contributions to advanced modeling and simulation, in particular in the fuel cycle analysis area, and her tireless leadership within ANS.
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Study: Microalgae and bacteria team up to convert CO2 into useful products

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists have spent decades genetically modifying the bacterium Escherichia coli and other microbes to convert carbon dioxide into useful biological products. Most methods require additional carbon sources, however, adding to the cost. A new study overcomes this limitation by combining the photosynthetic finesse of a single-celled algae with the production capabilities of […]

Expert viewpoints Portrait photo of Ellen Moodie

Why were Venezuelan immigrants sent to El Salvador?

On March 15, more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants were accused of engagement in gang activity and deported from the U.S. — not to Venezuela, but to El Salvador, some 1,600 miles away from their home country. Ellen Moodie, an anthropology professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is the author of “El Salvador in the […]

Education

Staff shortages exceed those for teachers in many Illinois public schools

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. ― Despite widespread concern that the pandemic exacerbated existing shortages of teachers, a new study of Illinois public schools indicates that need for other certificated staff such as teacher’s aides and social workers may have been a far greater problem for some schools. Paul Bruno, a professor of education policy, organization and leadership […]

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Study: Microalgae and bacteria team up to convert CO2 into useful products

Why were Venezuelan immigrants sent to El Salvador?

Staff shortages exceed those for teachers in many Illinois public schools