News Bureau

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. A computational study on nitrogen inputs to the Mississippi River Basin from the 1950s to the 1990s suggests that better use of the fertilizer such as not over-applying it could substantially reduce the amount of nitrates flowing down river without compromising crop yields.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The built environment will be the focus of two new exhibitions on view Nov. 16 through Dec. 22 at I space, the Chicago gallery of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. A new crash analysis system is helping accident investigators shed more light on the main causal factor of aviation accidents: human error.

The University of Illinois Flash Economic Index fell slightly in November to 98.0 from its October level of 98.4. This reflects continued sluggish economic conditions in Illinois.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. In anticipation of the Dec. 19 release of the film version of J.R.R. Tolkiens classic, "The Lord of the Rings," local Tolkien scholars will gather on Friday (Dec. 7) to consider some of the more academic aspects of the work.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Thomas S. Huang, the William L. Everitt Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has been elected a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. That H.G. Wells' intelligence was rivaled only by his appetite for women has never been a secret.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. First came fullerenes, those cage-like molecules of 60 carbon atoms bound in a ball. Then came long, thin soda straws of carbon atoms called nanotubes. Now there are fullerenes nested within nanotubes, like so many peas in a pod.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The Illinois economy ended the year on a down note as the University of Illinois Economic Index fell to 97.8 in December from its 98.0 reading in November. Like the national economy, the state remains in a recession.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Evidence of a carbon-silicon compound found in a living colony of diatoms could lead to a variety of beneficial applications, from low-cost synthesis of high-performance materials to therapeutic treatments for osteoporosis.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Ancient and contemporary architecture will be juxtaposed in two new exhibitions that open this week at I space, the Chicago gallery of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On view Jan. 11 through Feb. 16:

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Thomas B. Rauchfuss, professor of chemistry and director of the School of Chemical Sciences at the University of Illinois, has been selected as the 2002 recipient of the ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry from the American Chemical Society.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Gordon A. Baym, Center for Advanced Study Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois, has been selected as the 2002 recipient of the Hans A. Bethe Prize from the American Physical Society.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The diverse talents of faculty artists at the University of Illinois will be showcased in the annual School of Art and Design Faculty Art Exhibition Jan. 26 through Feb. 24 at the Krannert Art Museum.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. "Europe in the 21st Century New Fears, New Alliances" is the theme of a lunch-hour lecture series the University of Illinois at Urbana is presenting in Chicago beginning Jan. 30.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Dr. William A. Eaton, the chief of the Laboratory of Chemical Physics at the National Institutes of Health, will give a public lecture, "Searching for a Cure of Sickle Cell Disease," Jan. 31 (Thursday) beginning at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, 405 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Millions of alien invaders live in the United States, and a select bunch of them cause an estimated $20 billion in damage each year. These are not repulsive life-threatening beings from Mars and beyond; rather they are insects and other arthropods, some barely distinguished from homegrown varieties. Some of these aliens will star in this years Insect Fear Film Festival on Feb. 9.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Poetry, dance, theater and music will highlight a series of academic and cultural events during the spring semester at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The events are part of the "Exploring the Human Experience" initiative announced by Chancellor Nancy Cantor in connection with the commencement addresses May 12 by Maya Angelou.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The complexity and diversity of life, from insects to trees to mollusks to big cats and more, will be the topic of a four-day symposium for scientists converging on the University of Illinois campus Feb. 7-10.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture has awarded its 2001-02 Distinguished Professor Award to University of Illinois architecture professor James P. Warfield.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. During the week of Feb. 4, an expert on global information and communications issues will give two free public talks at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On Saturday of that week, a group of storytellers will host an early Valentine's Day event and benefit.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Artwork by four ceramics students in the University of Illinois School of Art and Design has been selected for inclusion in a juried exhibition.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. In the first month of 2002, the University of Illinois Flash Economic Index fell to 97.1 from its 97.8 level in December. Despite isolated signs of recovery, the recession continues in Illinois.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Wild and wacky Rube Goldberg machines, robots fighting for possession of a bowling ball, lively talks by Bill Nye the Science Guy, and more than 150 fun-filled exhibits are among the attractions awaiting visitors to the 82nd annual Engineering Open House at the University of Illinois.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Two new exhibitions will be on view Feb. 22 through March 30 at I space, the Chicago gallery of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign:

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Thomas J. Sargent, a professor of economics at Stanford University, will deliver the David Kinley Lecture in Economics at the University of Illinois March 7 (Thursday).

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. "Thinking Outside the Box" is the title of the keynote talk at a two-day planning and zoning institute at the University of Illinois, but the featured speaker wont be the only one promoting innovative approaches to planning, according to organizers.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Nine undergraduate students in the University of Illinois School of Architecture were honored for scholastic excellence during the 2001 fall semester. A total of $1,350 in fellowships, scholarships and prizes was presented.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. University of Illinois students will exhibit new works in the annual Master of Fine Arts Exhibition at the UI's Krannert Art Museum March 9-April 7.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Maurice "Mitch" Freedman, the president-elect of the American Library Association (ALA), will speak at the University of Illinois on Saturday (March 2).

The University of Illinois Flash Index of Economic Growth remained constant in February at 97.0.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The state finals of the Illinois Science Olympiad will be held April 6 at the University of Illinois. The event, which begins at 9 a.m., is part of a national competition in which middle and high school students compete in 24 events involving science concepts and engineering skills. The public is invited to attend.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Recruiters from half the states and several foreign countries will be looking for teachers to fill thousands of positions March 28 at the University of Illinois at the annual Teacher Placement Day.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The impact of external threats on the United States is the topic of an April 4 symposium at the University of Illinois.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The University of Illinois Flash Economic Index fell in March to 96.3, its lowest reading in nearly 10 years.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Wallace L.W. Sargent, the Ira S. Bowen Professor of Astronomy at the California Institute of Technology, will present the fourth talk in the department of astronomys Icko Iben Jr. Distinguished Lectureship at 4 p.m. April 24 in Foellinger Auditorium, 709 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana. The talk, "Large Optical Telescopes: The Next Generation," is free and open to the public.

Champaign-Ford Regional Office of Education, 893-4921.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. This country's most comprehensive museum exhibition of early works by Louise Bourgeois is among four new shows opening at the University of Illinois' Krannert Art Museum in the coming weeks.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The welcome mat will be out on April 20, when the University of Illinois' Japan House invites the community inside and to experience Japanese arts and culture at its annual spring open house.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Actors Kris Kristofferson, Robert Forster and Cliff Robertson, along with an international cast of directors and other special guests, are scheduled to join film critic Roger Ebert and thousands of film buffs for Eberts fourth annual Overlooked Film Festival April 24-28 in Champaign-Urbana and at the University of Illinois.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Ten years after a Latino/a student demonstration on the University of Illinois campus called for reforms concerning students, faculty, staff, curriculum and campus climate, a forum on April 27 will take a look at the past experiences of Latinas/os on campus and toward the future.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Prize-winning poet Michael S. Harper will read from his works during a free public event at the University of Illinois.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is teaming with General Motors Research & Development and Planning of Warren, Mich., to study driver distractions and how well humans interact with in-vehicle technologies.

The University of Illinois Flash Index dropped again in April to 95.0 from its 96.3 level in March. This is the lowest reading of the Index since February 1992.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Harry G. Drickamer, a pioneer in the field of pressure tuning studies, which led to advances in the study of molecular, atomic and electronic properties, died Monday (May 6) at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Ill. He was 83 years old.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The new executive director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), along with a former University of Illinois president, will be among the speakers at a two-day retreat next week for community college leaders in Illinois.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Charles F. Zukoski, professor and head of the chemical engineering department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has been chosen to be the next vice chancellor for research of the Urbana campus.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Stephen A. Boppart, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has been chosen as one of the world's 100 Top Young Innovators by Technology Review, the world's oldest technology magazine.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The University of Illinois Flash Index dropped to 94.2 in May from its 95.0 level in April. This is the 13th straight month of negative growth for the state economy and lowest monthly Flash reading in more than 10 years.