News Bureau | ILLINOIS

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Why schools should move from traditional to 'balanced' calendars

Jun 22, 2006 9:00 am3981 views

A Minute With™... Carolyn Shields, the head of the department of educational organization and leadership
Why not have one national primary election for presidential nominees?

Feb 16, 2016 10:45 am3952 views

A Minute With...™ Mattias Polborn, professor of economics and political science
Is it possible to overcome our biases in the face of conflict?

Jun 4, 2020 2:30 pm3949 views

Our biases, conscious and unconscious, influence how we process news of events like the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, and the media plays an important part in forming and reinforcing those biases, says Travis Dixon, a professor of communication at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Why is a past attempt to ban 'Beloved' from a high school curriculum a political issue now?

Nov 10, 2021 8:30 am3889 views

Emily Knox, a professor in the School of Information Sciences and the author of “Book Banning in 21st-Century America,” said societal issues, such as changing racial demographics and disagreements over how to teach the history of race, prompt challenges to certain kinds of books.
Why are familiar brands with Black images getting a rethink?

Jun 29, 2020 8:00 am3862 views

At least one familiar brand is being retired and others are getting a rethink due to their use of Black images. Illinois advertising professor Jason Chambers explains why.
Is the Every Student Succeeds Act an improvement over No Child Left Behind?

Dec 10, 2015 11:00 am3811 views

A Minute With...™ Lizanne DeStefano, professor emerita of educational psychology
Vietnam War at 50: What has been the legacy of Agent Orange?

Sep 5, 2017 11:30 am3773 views

A historian looks at the Vietnam War herbicide Agent Orange and how it changed ideas about war wounds and the cause of birth defects.
Comparing the '60s civil rights movement and today's gay rights movement

Jul 2, 2013 9:00 am3758 views

A Minute With™... Illinois history professor Kevin Mumford
The edTPA assessment and licensing of student teachers

Apr 25, 2016 9:30 am3724 views

A Minute With...™ Illinois Professor Chris Roegge, executive director of the Council on Teacher Education
What has been the impact of the Washington Football Team's name change?

Sep 20, 2021 11:00 am3662 views

The changes in the past year in the use of Native American imagery in sports and elsewhere have been unprecedented, said Jay Rosenstein, a Center for Advanced Study professor of media and cinema studies.
How are Illinois birds faring?

Sep 24, 2019 8:00 am3655 views

According to a new study reported in the journal Science, bird populations in North America have experienced a troubling decline in the past five decades. The scientists estimate the continent has lost close to 3 billion birds, roughly 29% of their total numbers in 1970. Senior wildlife ecologist Thomas J. Benson of the Illinois Natural History Survey discusses the status of birds in Illinois with News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates. Benson leads the Critical Trends Assessment Program, which monitors the biological condition of the state’s forests, wetlands and grasslands, and collects data on plants, birds and arthropods.
What does the tax reform bill mean for the middle class?

Dec 20, 2017 10:45 am3591 views

The current tax bill fits with a 30-year trend that doesn’t favor income from work, says sociologist Kevin Leicht
Is there a cure for potholes?

Feb 27, 2019 2:00 pm3531 views

Temperatures may be on the rise, but many motorists and pedestrians remain focused on the ground as they attempt to navigate safely around the many potholes that develop this time of year. Industrial and enterprise systems engineering professor Henrique M. Reis spoke with Illinois News Bureau physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian about how potholes form and if there are any potential solutions.
The social trends behind the '12 Years a Slave' story

Oct 23, 2013 9:00 am3499 views

A Minute With™... Ronald Bailey the head of the African American studies department at the University of Illinois
What drives us to blame the marginalized for epidemics?

Apr 16, 2020 9:15 am3463 views

There’s a long history of scapegoating marginalized people in epidemics, and of seeing difference in the way those of different races respond to disease, says Rana Hogarth, a U. of I. professor who studies the history of both medicine and race, and the connections between.
Is Academia Waking Up to the Problem of Sexual Harassment?

Sep 19, 2016 2:15 pm3447 views

U. of I. anthropology professor Kathryn Clancy supports a federal legislative effort that would require universities to report – and federal funding agencies to consider – findings that any university professor engaged in discrimination on the basis of sex.
How will public spaces change as result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Jun 17, 2020 8:45 am3433 views

Pandemics have changed our physical spaces throughout history, but changes made as a result of COVID-19 may not be long-lasting, says Illinois architecture professor Benjamin Bross.
What explains 'quiet quitting' in the workplace?

Sep 15, 2022 8:00 am3418 views

“Quiet quitting” means forgoing the extra mile at work but is different than work withdrawal or employee disengagement, says University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign labor expert YoungAh Park, who studies work stress and recovery.
Are global warming, recent Midwest cold snap related?

Feb 12, 2019 8:15 am3361 views

Last month, the Midwest experienced record-breaking cold temperatures and many are wondering how, when the climate is experiencing an unprecedented warming trend, we can still experience such frigid cold. News Bureau physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian asked University of Illinois atmospheric sciences professor Don Wuebbles to explain.
Does hunting with lead ammunition endanger human, environmental health?

Nov 12, 2020 8:45 am3319 views

A recent study from Wesleyan University found that 48% of ground meat samples made from white-tailed deer killed with lead shotgun slugs in Illinois were contaminated with lead, while meat from deer killed by archers contained no lead. Illinois Natural History Survey human dimensions scientist Craig Miller spoke to News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates about the risks associated with lead ammunition in hunting.
What are the global security implications of Russia's invasion of Ukraine?

Jun 15, 2022 8:00 am3293 views

The Russian invasion of Ukraine directly challenges the security order established by the Western democracies after World War II, said Edward A. Kolodziej, Emeritus Research Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an expert in international relations and global politics.
How does 'Mad Men' help us understand '60s culture?

Apr 21, 2015 1:00 pm3171 views

Robert Rushing, an Illinois professor of comparative and world literature
Are bats to blame for the coronavirus crisis?

Apr 24, 2020 8:15 am3138 views

Horseshoe bats in China are a natural wildlife reservoir of SARS-like coronaviruses. Some health experts think wildlife markets – specifically in Wuhan, China – led to the spillover of the new coronavirus into human populations. Though not confirmed, the hypothesis has given bats around the world a bad rap, and public fears of exposure to bats are on the rise. Illinois Natural History Survey wildlife biologist Tara Hohoff, the project coordinator of the Illinois Bat Conservation Program, spoke to News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates about bat biology and conservation, and the flying mammals’ role in human health.
Will a coronavirus vaccine be a cure-all?

Aug 25, 2020 8:15 am3104 views

Global health authorities are frantically pursuing a vaccine against the novel coronavirus in the hope that it will allow everyone to get back to a pre-COVID-19 reality ASAP. Thomas O’Rourke, a professor emeritus of community health, says those expectations are probably overblown.
Which animals can catch the coronavirus?

Oct 14, 2021 1:15 pm3046 views

Dr. Leyi Wang and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory have played a key role in diagnosing coronavirus infection in animal species in zoos across the country. This is important work for understanding the virus’s spread and its broad host range, Wang says.
How should universities handle controversial speech?

Aug 30, 2017 8:30 am2975 views

The proper way to register dissent with speech one finds offensive doesn’t involve blockades or threatening violence. It’s more speech, says lllinois law dean Vikram Amar
Will Illinois’ new education law fix the state’s teacher shortage?

May 4, 2018 1:00 pm2792 views

Chris Roegge, the executive director of the Council on Teacher Education at the University of Illinois, discusses whether new legislation in Illinois will remedy the state's shortage of teachers.
How has the definition of ‘effective leadership’ changed?

Nov 2, 2016 3:30 pm2721 views

David Rosch, a professor of agriculture education and an expert on leadership, spoke recently about popular perceptions of good leadership and how those standards have changed.
Why the calls for defunding police?

Jun 11, 2020 2:00 pm2652 views

Calls for defunding or even abolishing the police in the wake of George Floyd’s death may sound radical to many, but the idea is not new, says A. Naomi Paik, a professor of Asian American studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
100-year-old trans fat pioneer celebrates news of an FDA ban

Jun 4, 2015 1:00 pm2634 views

A Minute With™... Fred Kummerow, trans fat expert
The Midwest has a new national park. How did that happen?

Mar 8, 2019 9:45 am2619 views

The Midwest has a new national park at Indiana Dunes, and a University of Illinois professor explains how it happened and why the park is valuable.
Is Russia-Ukraine war heading toward stalemate?

Mar 2, 2023 10:00 am2599 views

One year into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the most likely outcome is a stalemate, despite the mounting cost in blood and treasure, said Edward A. Kolodziej, Emeritus Research Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an expert in international relations and global politics.
60 years ago this month, Emmett Till's death sparked a movement

Aug 17, 2015 10:30 am2519 views

A Minute With...™ Christopher Benson, author and professor of journalism
'Red Tails': Why the story of the Tuskegee Airmen is still important

Feb 1, 2012 9:00 am2447 views

A Minute With™... Sundiata Cha-Jua, a professor of history and of African American Studies
Latinos on TV: Where are they? And when should we laugh?

Aug 9, 2018 10:15 am2442 views

Professor Isabel Molina-Guzman’s new book examines the role of Latinos in TV sitcoms, as well as the changing form of the genre in a “post-racial” television era.
What was lost in the Notre Dame Cathedral fire?

Apr 17, 2019 12:00 pm2371 views

Notre Dame Cathedral, severely damaged by fire this week, is widely understood as “the beating heart of France,” with global significance beyond that, says one University of Illinois historian in a Q&A. Another notes how a key aspect of music as we know it today was invented for the cathedral’s unique resonant space, a soundscape lost in the fire.
How can educators, coaches support student-athletes’ academic success?

Aug 9, 2019 8:15 am2362 views

Coaches and educators should work together to help athletes achieve their full potential, U. of I. scholars and former collegiate athletes Joseph L. Cross and Bruce W. Fouke say in a new study.
How does sexual harassment affect young women in physics?

Apr 23, 2019 10:30 am2360 views

In a study reported in the journal Physical Review Physics Education Research, nearly 75% of 471 undergraduate women in physics who responded to a survey offered during a professional conference reported having experienced at least one type of sexual harassment – mostly gender harassment – in their field. U. of I. anthropology professor Kathryn Clancy, a co-author of the report, talked to News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates about the study, which also examined the respondents’ feelings of belonging and legitimacy as scientists and scholars.
What is the new variant of coronavirus in the UK?

Dec 23, 2020 8:00 am2345 views

New mutations to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 are emerging, including one in the United Kingdom with higher infection rates that has sparked new travel bans. Erik Procko, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has been studying mutations in the spike protein, the part of the virus that binds to human cells. In an interview, Procko discussed the new variation and whether mutations to the spike protein could create resistance to vaccines or other treatments.
Transgender bathrooms: An architectural perspective

May 26, 2016 11:00 am2324 views

A Minute With...™ Kathryn Anthony, an Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Distinguished Professor of architecture
The US used a drone to kill an Iranian general. What might be the consequences?

Jan 9, 2020 8:45 am2316 views

An expert on the growing role of drones in warfare and terrorism discusses the implications of the recent killing of Iranian general Qassim Suleimani in a Q&A.
Is affirmative action in college admissions under threat?

Aug 23, 2017 9:00 am2297 views

An Illinois expert on affirmative action in higher education talks about the Justice Department’s plans to investigate possible racial discrimination in college and university admissions policies
Can we evacuate from hurricanes in electric vehicles?

Aug 31, 2022 2:00 pm2282 views

As emergency coordinators across the U.S. prepare for the upcoming hurricane season, they are busy planning evacuation routes. Currently, these plans don’t anticipate the needs of people driving electric vehicles, which have shorter driving ranges than gas vehicles and require recharging at stations with charging ports. Civil and environmental engineering professor Eleftheria Kontou spoke with News Bureau physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian about this issue and her newly published study.
Monster hurricanes: Why have recent storms been so huge?

Oct 15, 2018 10:45 am2268 views

Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, as the first Category 4 storm in recorded history to reach shore in the northeast Gulf Coast. News Bureau physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian spoke with Illinois atmospheric sciences professor Deanna Hence about the storm’s size, strength and path, and the impact of global climate change on future hurricanes.
What is place-based adaptation to climate change?

Oct 10, 2022 1:30 pm2252 views

A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll states that roughly half of registered voters say climate change is either “very important” or “one of the most important issues” in their vote for Congress this year. However, many citizens struggle to understand their place in this global issue. Applied Research Institute senior research scientist Ann-Perry Witmer, also a lecturer in agricultural and biological engineering, spoke with News Bureau physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian about a more digestible approach to the climate crisis and encouraged readers to participate in a public panel discussion this week.
Should educators worry about ChatGPT?

Apr 4, 2023 9:15 am2201 views

Educators need to help students understand and use artificial intelligence language tools in appropriate ways to prepare them for a future in which their use is commonplace, says English and information sciences professor Ted Underwood.
In person or by mail? What to consider in choosing how to vote

Sep 14, 2020 10:00 am2189 views

Voters this fall must determine not only who they’re voting for, but also the safest way to cast a ballot. Brian Gaines, a political science professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, maps out some risks to consider and mistakes to avoid. He also cautions against leaping to conclusions about any alleged irregularities on Election Day.
Should the government implement a vaccine passport system?

Jul 29, 2021 8:00 am2178 views

Vaccine passports strike the right balance between letting life go on for the vaccinated while still being realistic about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, said Jacob S. Sherkow, a professor of law at Illinois and bioethics expert.
Can data analytics help you fill out a March Madness bracket?

Mar 7, 2017 9:30 am2145 views

Fill in your March Madness bracket from the center out, says bracketologist Sheldon H. Jacobson.
What is a neutrino and why do they matter?

Jul 18, 2018 9:30 am2127 views

Scientists recently announced the discovery of a subatomic particle that made its way to Earth from an event that occurred 3.7 billion light-years away. Sensors buried within Antarctic ice detected the ghostly cosmic particle, called a neutrino, and traced its origin to a rapidly spinning galactic nucleus known as a blazar. Physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian spoke with physics professor Liang Yang about the significance of the discovery.

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