Illinois in the News
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Illinois better prepared for possible recession than it was in 2007 or 2020, study shows
Chicago Tribune (Dec. 9) — Illinois is in better shape to withstand a downturn than it was during either the 2007 Great Recession or the 2020 COVID-19 recession, according to the joint study published by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal. The state’s improved financial health could make “a material difference” when the next recession hits, says Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations.
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Cancer interrupted their school lives, but also set them on a mission
NPR (Washington, D.C., Dec. 8) — Chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Brendan Harley landed in the hospital with acute leukemia at age 17. Three decades later, Harley is cancer-free and is developing better tumor models that help improve targeted treatments to both kill cancer and improve the quality of life afterward.
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Opinion: What connects us in this polarizing moment through space and time and humanity
Chicago Tribune (opinion; Dec. 7) — Physics professor Smitha Vishveshwara discusses how during divisive times celestial events like the recent solar eclipse unite us in wonder, connecting scientific insights with our shared human experience and the sacred spaces of the universe.
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Comeback of 1990s Indian crime drama evokes nostalgia
BBC (London, Dec. 6) — At the start of the 1990s, India eased television broadcasting rights, making more channels available says Harsh Taneja, a professor of new and emerging media.
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Scientists made a tiny ‘hand’ to snatch viruses from your body
Vice (New York City, Dec. 10) — Bioengineering professor Xing Wang is part of a team that created a tiny hand from DNA which they used to grab particles from the virus that causes COVID-19.
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Opinion: Preparing a job-ready workforce requires an interdisciplinary approach
Crain’s Chicago Business (opinion; Dec. 6) — Illinois professors discuss why interdisciplinary education is key to preparing students for the future of work across all sectors of the economy — business, technology, nonprofit and even higher education itself.
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Chicago wants to build the Silicon Valley of quantum computing
The Wall Street Journal (New York City, Dec. 4) — The planned Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park will provide breakthrough research and development for the region says Harley Johnson, acting director of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park.
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A new reckoning for nuclear energy
The Atlantic (Washington, D.C., Dec. 2) — This spring kicked off the best stretch for America’s nuclear industry in decades. When nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering professor Kathryn Huff finished her Ph.D. in 2013, more than 1,000 nuclear engineering degrees were being issued annually, a number that has remained roughly steady since.