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  • Continuing success: Illinois wheelchair racers ready for the Paralympic Games

    All nine of the wheelchair racing athletes representing the U.S. at the 2024 Paralympics have a connection to Illinois. U. of I. head coach Adam Bleakney discusses his background, the competition and what he’s looking forward to at the Paris Games.

  • The team excavates ancient Maya mounds under palapas in a maize field.

    Unveiling the ancient Maya’s relationship to animals and nature

    As the scorching May sun of Central Belize blazes down on us, temperatures soar to a staggering 106°F. Local farmers anxiously await the onset of the rainy season to sow their crops, but the much-needed first rain remains elusive. This property is owned by a community of Mennonites who live in the town of Outlook to the west. The maize fields lie empty except for us. We are the Valley of Peace Archaeology project team, named after a nearby village where our foremen and excavation assistants live. We are braving the extreme heat to conduct salvage excavations of 11 ancient Maya mounds.

  • Dr. Rosencranz stands outdoors in front of a sign for the Carle Illinois College of Medicine

    What are the signs of heat stroke?

    Heat stroke is a medical emergency, but recognizing the signs leading up to it and knowing how to mitigate exposure and vulnerability factors can improve outcomes, says Dr. Holly Rosencranz, an internal medicine physician and a clinical teaching professor in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

  • Headshot of Antoinette Burton

    Illinois historian’s book provides introduction to gender history

    Gender history is relevant to understanding political, economic and private life in the past and today, says Antoinette Burton, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign history professor and the director of the Humanities Research Institute.

  • Photo of a group of musicians in a semi-circle outside, most of whom are playing percussion instruments and two of whom are playing French horns.

    Illinois researchers’ project seeks to learn from Indigenous practices in music, engineering

    An interdisciplinary research project of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explored Indigenous practices of making music and of engineering design in Bolivia and Sierra Leone.

  • Headshot of Gilberto Rosas

    How have U.S. border policies affected attitudes toward migrants and violence against them?

    The increasingly militarized enforcement practices at the southern U.S. border have hardened attitudes toward migrants and contributed to violence against them, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Latina/Latino studies and anthropology professor Gilberto Rosas said about the fifth anniversary of the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, that targeted Latinos.

  • Communication professor J. David Cisneros

    How do presidential candidates embody ideas about national identity, including views of Latinos?

    J. David Cisneros' research explores political candidates' dichotomous rhetoric about Latinos that alternately courts them for votes while disparaging immigrant communities, and the ways in which U.S. presidents embody ideas about race and national identity.

  • Joseph Irudayaraj in the lab

    PFAS found in nearly all fish tested from four northern Illinois rivers

    Scientists tested nine fish species from four northern Illinois rivers for contamination with per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances, synthetic chemicals found in numerous industrial and commercial products and known to be harmful to human health. They found fish contaminated with PFAS in every one of their 15 test sites. Elevated levels of PFOS, one type of PFAS compound, were found in nearly all fish tested.

  • Communication professor JungHwan Yang

    Will social media polls accurately predict the winner of the U.S. presidential election?

    Communication professor JungHwan Yang is a member of a research team that is exploring the biases associated with political polls posted on social media, how their results compare with those reported by mainstream media and their potential influence on public discourse.

  • Researchers Laura Rice and Sahel Moein

    Study: Fear of falling, fall-related injuries haunt full-time wheelchair, motorized scooter users

    Many studies have focused on falls among people who are ambulatory and have conditions like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, but research to address falls among those who rely on wheelchairs or motorized scooters is rare, scientists report in a new study. The researchers found that full-time wheelchair or motorized-scooter users also experience falls and fall-related injuries, and many live with the fear of falling again. 

  • Michael LeRoy, an expert in labor law and labor relations at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

    Does new workplace safety rule protect workers against the dangers of extreme heat?

    The Biden administration’s new rule to protect workers from the dangers of extreme heat ultimately may be undermined by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, says Michael LeRoy, an expert in labor law at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • The researchers stand in a field at the U. of I. Energy Farm.

    Study identifies best bioenergy crops for sustainable aviation fuels by U.S. region, policy goals

    Researchers analyzed the financial and environmental costs and benefits of four biofuels crops used to produce sustainable aviation fuels in the U.S. They found that each feedstock — corn stover, energy sorghum, miscanthus or switchgrass — performed best in a specific region of the rainfed United States. Their study will help growers and policymakers select the feedstocks most suited to meeting goals like reducing production costs, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and building soil carbon stocks.

  • Communication professor Charee Thompson, Dr. Tiffani Dillard and communication professor Mardia Bishop in a patient exam room

    Virtual reality training for physicians aims to heal disparities in Black maternal health care

    A new virtual reality training series being co-developed by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign teaches medical students about implicit bias in health care and the ways it harms Black patients and contributes to race-based health disparities.

  • An overhead view of a large landslide showing a detachment and numerous land fractures

    Researchers clarify how soft materials fail under stress

    Understanding how soft materials fail under stress is critical for solving engineering challenges as disparate as pharmaceutical technology and landslide prevention. A new study linking a spectrum of soft material behaviors — previously thought to be unrelated — led researchers to identify a new parameter they call the brittility factor, which allows them to simplify soft material failure behavior. This will ultimately help engineers design better materials that meet future challenges.

  • Humanities students build bridges to strong communities

    Doctoral student in humanities participating in community-based project to bring awareness to food sourcing and sustainable agriculture.

     

  • Ying Bao, a professor of business administration at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

    Study: Consumption-tracking technology mixed bag for consumers

    Consumption tracking technologies meant to head off consumer penalty fees offer the promise providing an early-warning system to consumers about potentially incurring penalty fees, but also may instill a false sense of security among consumers who are only partially cognizant of their own forgetfulness, says Ying Bao, a professor of business administration at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • Lauren R. Aronson, a clinical professor and the director of the Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Law.

    How significant is the Biden administration’s new immigration executive order?

    The new executive order from the Biden administration aimed at protecting the undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens from deportation will benefit upwards of half a million unauthorized immigrants, meaning it’s more focused on family unity than the “mass amnesty” some critics have portrayed it as, says Lauren R. Aronson, a clinical professor and the director of the Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Law.

  • Elliott named new dean of Gies College of Business

    W. Brooke Elliott has been selected as dean of Gies College of Business and the Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor in Business, pending approval by the U. of I. Board of Trustees. Until officially approved, her title will be dean of Gies College of Business and Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor in Business designate. The appointment will begin Aug. 16.

  • A man stands, arms crossed, in front of a banner with cellular imagery

    How do drugs like Ozempic work for weight loss?

    New weight-loss drugs like those sold under the names Ozempic and Wegovy can be life-changing for those with type 2 diabetes or severe obesity, but are not the best choice for those only looking to lose a few pounds, says Patrick Sweeney, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor of molecular and integrative physiology. 

  • Two men look at cell images on a screen

    Light targets cells for death and triggers immune response with laser precision

    A new method of precisely targeting troublesome cells for death using light could unlock new understanding of and treatments for cancer and inflammatory diseases, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers report.

  • Pinholster named new dean of College of Fine and Applied Arts

    Following a national search, Jacob Pinholster has been selected as dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts, effective Sept. 16, pending University of Illinois Board of Trustees approval. Pinholster’s title will be dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts designate until board approval.

  • Team members, from left, first author Sehyun Ju, professor Kelly Bost and graduate student Samantha Iwinski

    Emotional overeating fed by temperament, caregivers’ reactions to children’s emotions

    The roots of emotional overeating may be found in temperament and self-regulation of one’s emotions, but caregivers’ responses to children’s negative emotions also influence whether those as young as age 3 eat to ease their distress, according to new study by researchers at the U. of I.

  • Stacy Bennett, a professor of education policy, organization and leadership

    How is this year’s chaotic Federal Student Aid application process affecting colleges, students?

    Release of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid has been fraught with glitches and delays, according to Stacy Bennett, a professor of education policy, organization and leadership, and a senior research associate for the Office of Community College Research and Leadership. 

  • The researchers in a laboratory. Between them is a fish tank with an octopus inside that has been placed in the temporary tank for the photograph.

    From 'CyberSlug' to 'CyberOctopus': New AI explores, remembers, seeks novelty, overcomes obstacles

    By giving artificial intelligence simple associative learning rules based on the brain circuits that allow a sea slug to forage — and augmenting it with better episodic memory, like that of an octopus — scientists have built an AI that can navigate new environments, seek rewards, map landmarks and overcome obstacles.

  • Two men in front of projected microscope images.

    A heart of stone: Study defines the process of and defenses against cardiac valve calcification

    The human body has sophisticated defenses against the deposition of calcium minerals that stiffen heart tissues, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and collaborators at UCLA Health and the University of Texas at Austin found in a new study that provides the first detailed, step-by-step documentation of how mineralization progresses.

  • Zeynep Madak-Erdogan photo portrait.

    Study links neighborhood violence, lung cancer progression

    Scientists have identified a potential driver of aggressive lung cancer tumors in patients who live in areas with high levels of violent crime. Their study found that stress responses differ between those living in neighborhoods with higher and lower levels of violent crime, and between cancerous and healthy tissues in the same individuals.

  • Photo of Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at the Urbana campus of the University of Illinois and the director of the Labor Education Program in Chicago.

    How have the dynamics between Chicago teachers, public schools changed since 2019 strike?

    An extended strike by Chicago public school teachers seems unlikely thanks to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s union credentials, says Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at Illinois and co-author of the 2016 book “A Fight for the Soul of Public Education: The Story of the Chicago Teachers Strike.”

  • Photo of John Paul Meyers dressed in a suit and leaning toward a Victrola record player.

    Illinois scholar’s book examines how popular music connects to the past

    Popular music has a deep relationship with invoking the past, writes University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor of African American studies John Paul Meyers in his new book “Same Old Song: The Enduring Past in Popular Music.”

  • sociology professor Jose Atiles

    Puerto Rico’s anti-corruption laws promoted fraud by outsourcing government services

    Fraud and corruption in Puerto Rico flourished under its anti-corruption policies, which promoted the outsourcing of government services to private sector corporations, according to new research by sociology professor Jose Atiles.

  • The researchers in a laboratory.

    Gut microbes from aged mice induce inflammation in young mice, study finds

    When scientists transplanted the gut microbes of aged mice into young “germ-free” mice — raised to have no gut microbes of their own — the recipient mice experienced an increase in inflammation that parallels inflammatory processes associated with aging in humans. Young germ-free mice transplanted with microbes from other young mice had no such increase.

  • Professor Yannick Kluch standing in Memorial Stadium on the U. of I.'s Urbana-Champaign campus.

    Will the 2024 Olympic Games become the playing field for social justice protests?

    Yannick Kluch, an expert on sport as a platform for social justice protests, explores the contentious history of political protests by Olympic athletes and if the controversial Rule 50 could be invoked to saction those who make them during the 2024 Summer Games.

  • Team members Xavier Ramirez, Karen Tabb and Sandra Kopels.

    State of Illinois a leader in legislation on perinatal mental health, study says

    Despite the state of Illinois' exemplary record in advancing policies on the detection and treatment of perinatal mental health problems, more work remains to be done, according to a review of the state's policies by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • Aarya Mehta gets hoisted up as he throws his arms out to the eclipse as members of the Illini Astronomical Society celebrate witnessing the historic total solar eclipse

    The Great American Eclipse and all of its magic

    Crowds of people bustle about at the Martinsville Agricultural Fairgrounds on a Monday afternoon with their eyes on the sky. The air ripples with excitement as we eagerly await our chance to witness the moon consuming the sun — a total solar eclipse!

  • Diptych image with a headshot of Corey Van Landingham and the book cover of "Reader, I."

    Illinois poet’s new book of poetry reflects on marriage, its constraints and its hopefulness

    Poet Corey Van Landingham, an English professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, writes about new marriage, its conventions and how it can both shrink and expand one’s world in her new collection of poems, “Reader, I.”

  • The research team standing on stairs.

    New antibiotic kills pathogenic bacteria, spares healthy gut microbes

    Researchers have developed a new antibiotic that reduced or eliminated drug-resistant bacterial infections in mouse models of acute pneumonia and sepsis while sparing healthy microbes in the mouse gut. The drug, called lolamicin, also warded off secondary infections with Clostridioides difficile, a common and dangerous hospital-associated bacterial infection, and was effective against more than 130 multidrug-resistant bacterial strains in cell culture.

  • Diptych image with book cover of "Bribed With Our Own Money" and a headshot of David Beck.

    Book details how federal government used bribery to end relationships with Native American tribes

    In a new book, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign history professor David Beck describes how the federal government used bribery to end its legal and political relationships with Native American tribes.

  • Illinois partnership with the JJK Foundation in St. Clair County set to provide more than $32 million in labor income creation throughout the state by 2026

    A study conducted by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign economist found that the activities of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation in St. Clair County, Illinois, will provide $32 million in labor income creation, 474 new jobs and $10.7 million in new tax revenue throughout the state of Illinois by 2026.

  • Short but severe episodes of flooding from hurricanes in Texas and Florida triggered a nationwide increase in flood insurance sign-ups depending on how socially connected a county was to the flooded counties, says new research co-written by U. of I. professor of agricultural and consumer economics Yilan Xu, left, and U. of I. graduate student Sébastien Box-Couillard.

    Study: Social networks can influence perception of climate-change risk

    Short but severe episodes of flooding from hurricanes in Texas and Florida triggered a nationwide increase in flood insurance sign-ups depending on how socially connected a county was to the flooded counties, says new research co-written by U. of I. professor of agricultural and consumer economics Yilan Xu and U. of I. graduate student Sébastien Box-Couillard.

  • Headshot of Rebecca Walker

    Green infrastructure plans need to consider historical racial inequalities, say researchers

    Urban greening projects should consider historical development patterns and past discriminatory practices to avoid exacerbating the unequal distribution of environmental benefits, says Rebecca Walker, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign urban and regional planning professor.

  • Graduate student Yingqi Jia, left, and professor Shelly Zhang in their lab

    Researchers introduce programmable materials to help heal broken bones

    Natural materials like bone, bird feathers and wood have an intelligent approach to physical stress distribution, despite their irregular architectures. However, the relationship between stress modulation and their structures has remained elusive. A new study that integrates machine learning, optimization, 3D printing and stress experiments allowed engineers to gain insight into these natural wonders by developing a material that replicates the functionalities of human bone for orthopedic femur restoration.

  • Portrait of researchers in a laboratory. They are sitting in front of two computer monitors displaying data and visualizations of their experiments.

    By listening, scientists learn how a protein folds

    By converting their data into sounds, scientists discovered how hydrogen bonds contribute to the lightning-fast gyrations that transform a string of amino acids into a functional, folded protein. Their report, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offers an unprecedented view of the sequence of hydrogen-bonding events that occur when a protein morphs from an unfolded to a folded state.

  • Photo of Charles Lloyd on stage playing a saxophone, wearing a blue jacket and beret and sunglasses.

    Krannert Center for the Performing Arts announces 2024-25 season performances

    Krannert Center for the Performing Arts will feature a wide variety of performers for its 2024-25 season.

  • A colored microscope image depicting a green nerve surrounded by red and blue muscle cells.

    Nerves prompt muscle to release factors that boost brain health

    Exercise prompts muscles to release molecular cargo that boosts brain cell function and connection, but the process is not well understood. New research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that the nerves that tell muscles to move also prompt them to release more of the brain-boosting factors.

  • Carol Symes stands in Spurlock Museum with sculptures in the background

    How are states altering higher education by redefining academic freedom?

    Numerous states have enacted laws that redefine tenure and academic freedom protections at their universities. Carol Symes, a professor of history at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, discusses how these laws may fundamentally change teaching and research.

  • Photo of Dr. Lowe standing near a cattle feed lot.

    How does bird flu infect so many species?

    Dr. James Lowe, a professor of veterinary clinical medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, describes the factors that influence infection with the H5N1 virus in humans and other animals.

  • Suja Thomas, the Peer and Sarah Pedersen Professor of Law at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and author of the 2016 book “The Missing American Jury: Restoring the Fundamental Constitutional Role of the Criminal, Civil, and Grand Juries.”

    What effect will Trump trials have on the perception of jury trial, civic participation?

    The Trump criminal and civil trials are likely to highlight the importance of juries and civic participation by ordinary citizens, says Suja Thomas, the Peer and Sarah Pedersen Professor of Law at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and author of the 2016 book “The Missing American Jury: Restoring the Fundamental Constitutional Role of the Criminal, Civil, and Grand Juries.”

  • Image of BFA exhibition catalog cover with hand-drawn caricatures of faces.

    Art and design seniors show their work in Krannert Art Museum exhibition

    The School of Art and Design Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition at Krannert Art Museum gives University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign seniors in art and design an opportunity to show work that is a culmination of their education.

  • A collage of the portraits of the five honorees.

    Five Illinois faculty elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

    Five University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty members have been elected members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the oldest honorary societies in the United States. Nancy M. AmatoRashid BashirAlison BellCharles Gammie and Paul Selvin are among the 250 inductees for 2024.

  • a gif showing molecules in motion

    Electron videography captures moving dance between proteins and lipids

    In a first demonstration of “electron videography,” researchers have captured a microscopic moving picture of the delicate dance between proteins and lipids found in cell membranes. The technique can be used to study dynamics of other biomolecules, breaking free of constraints that have limited microscopy to still images of fixed molecules, say University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers and collaborators at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

  • Photos of birds seen in the study. Clockwise, from top left: ring-necked pheasant, common redpoll, common nighthawk, red-bellied woodpecker and dickcissel.

    Illinois study: Backyards, urban parks support bird diversity in unique ways

    Researchers tracked bird diversity in public parks and private backyards in twin cities in Illinois with significantly different development histories and green space management practices. They found that birds rely on both public and private spaces in different seasons and for different reasons. The study linked park management practices aimed at conservation and restoration to increased bird diversity and the persistence of rarer species.