Illinois Featured Content

Illinois Extension director Shelly Nickols-Richardson. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer (2019)

Why does the state need Illinois Extension?

Nov 18, 2024 10:00 am

U. of I. Extension serves the state by focusing on food and agriculture, as well as the economic, community, environmental and health sectors. Its director discusses how Extension tackles so many issues at once.

hands of several people are stacked together as at the end of a team huddle

Join the 2024 Campus Charitable Fund Drive

Oct 8, 2024 10:15 am

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign raised approximately $1.3 million in 2023 for non-profit organizations in our local community and around the world. See how you can join this important charitable effort.

Pre-teen girls practice swimming drills under the direction of doctoral student Latashia Keys. Photo provided

Developing culturally responsive swim lessons for young Black girls

Oct 21, 2024 11:45 am

RST doctoral candidate and longtime swim instructor Latashia Key says targeted, inclusive swim lessons for young Black girls are crucial in not only decreasing disproportionate drowning rates but to improve confidence and self-esteem.

U. of I. master naturalists working in a prairie

Faced with environmental challenges, Extension Master Naturalists sow seeds of hope

Oct 11, 2024 11:00 am

“Master Naturalists are a link between studies happening at the university and the real-world application of research findings within communities across Illinois,” said Shibu Kar, Extension’s assistant dean of natural resources.

Director of the Online Graduate Program Piper Hodson records a lesson for the new wetlands graduate certificate offered by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. Credit: Kevin Southworth

ACES debuts five online certificates in agribusiness, conservation, and nutrition

Sep 19, 2024 11:15 am

Five new online graduate certificate programs will equip students with cutting-edge knowledge and skills in areas such as sustainable food production economics, alternative investments, wetland conservation, human nutrition, and dairy nutrition.

Oliver Tapaha, an Illinois Distinguished Postdoctoral Research Associate Fellow

Educating Navajo youth about their community and history

May 29, 2024 12:15 pm

Oliver Tapaha is working on a project to help students become researchers, historians, and archivists of the same community that he grew up in: Round Rock, Arizona, on the Navajo reservation.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee stands between two children who are dressed as fruits

U of I partnership with JJK Foundation will create $32 million in labor income by 2026

May 22, 2024 2:15 pm

A 24,000 square-footinnovation center plus indoor and outdoor urban agriculture demonstration facilities are being built to expand programming and food production capacity for the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, Nutrition program.

a visitor tries to control a firehose at a previous Engineering Open House event

U of I's famous Engineering Open House, April 5 & 6

Apr 1, 2024 10:00 am

For the past 100+ years EOH has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors to the University of Illinois and provided a unique outlet for visitors to explore engineering. Welcome to EOH 2024.

Adobe stock image - paintings of six young Asian Americans

TEAACH your children well: Revealing the history of Asian Americans

Apr 10, 2024 11:45 am

The College of Education is serving as a professional development hub to assist public school teachers in educating students about contributions of Asian Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the U.S.

women sitting around a desk as an instructor takes notes

Women, Money & Power online course now open to public

Feb 26, 2024 1:15 pm

'From negotiating for a first job to unique challenges in retirement, Women, Money & Power is valuable to everyone at any stage of their career,' said Presley Fee, digital financial planning program coordinator.

graphic for the 41st annual Insect Fear Film Festival by Grace O'Brien

41st Insect Fear Film Festival features movies about humans shrunk to size of ants

Feb 16, 2024 11:45 am

This year's Insect Fear Film Festival brings a bug’s-eye view of the world. The theme is 'Ant-Men,' and it will feature films in which humans are shrunk to the size of ants and join ant societies. Feb. 24 at Foellinger Auditorium.

Elderly couple using technology at home in their living room. Stock photo via Storyblocks

New app, Deepcover, to help older adults spot online scams

Jan 17, 2024 1:00 pm

'Our goal was to create a game that was fun and would teach older adults the basics of what can be very confusing lingo around digital threats,' said information sciences professor Anita Nikolich.

stock image of a hand water pump in a garden

Coming soon: new hotline, website, and maps on private wells

Nov 28, 2023 2:15 pm

EPA funding aims to support private well owners who are responsible for ensuring their own water is safe. Throughout most of the U.S., there are no government standards for water quality and safety for private wells.

professors and students stand around a sign for the Quantum Leap Challenge Institute

Engineering researchers launch world's first public quantum network

Nov 9, 2023 2:15 pm

Physics professors Lorenz and Kwiat believe it's time for people of all ages to access this new scientific frontier in real time, to better comprehend it and imagine the new possibilities available to all of us in the 21^st century.

Report spotted lanternflies in Illinois: Help slow the spread of invasive pest

Sep 28, 2023 10:45 am

Spotted lanternfly is a leafhopper native to eastern Asia that damages a wide range of fruit, ornamental, and woody trees by feeding on the sap. Reports of sightings from the public will help researchers continue to monitor for populations.

ResearcHStart wraps up, students present projects to community

Aug 21, 2023 3:00 pm

In June, six high school students from Central Illinois and a group of their peers from Chicago walked into research labs on the U of I campus. Two months later, they’re walking away with hands-on laboratory experience and a network of mentors

Illinois psychology professor Daniel Simons studies visual cognition, perception, attention and memory. Shown with the cover of his book, 'Nobody’s Fool: Why We Get Taken In and What We Can Do About It.' Author Photo by Shannon Silfer. Book cover design: Chin-Yee Lai; Image: Michael Burrell/Alamy; Jacket © 2023 Hachette Book

New book explores the psychology of being duped

Jul 11, 2023 8:45 am

Nobody’s Fool: Why We Get Taken In and What We Can Do About It gives readers an overview of dozens of types of scams, hoaxes and strategies used by cheaters to deceive, and explains how to evaluate their ploys and avoid becoming a victim.

ribbon cutting for the Rise Community Market in Cairo, Illinois. Photo by Bridget Lee-Calfas

Partnership, perseverance end food desert in Illinois’ southernmost city

Jun 21, 2023 9:45 am

Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton praised the Rise opening as a model that can be replicated elsewhere in the state. 'Access to healthy food is not just about groceries, it’s about justice,' she said.

The materials collected by anthropology graduate students in the late 1960s include a map of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. Map of Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, 1950, Box 48, Doris Duke Indian Oral History Program Archives, Record Series 15/2/32, University of Illinois Archives.

U of I researchers work with Native Americans to curate to oral histories

Jun 12, 2023 9:00 am

Researchers at Illinois are working with Native American tribes across the country to digitize oral histories and ethnographic materials collected from tribal members and to make them accessible online.

a green lawn that includes some clover. Photo by the author

Go green with eco-friendly lawn care

Jun 13, 2023 10:15 am

Rather that dumping great amounts of water, fertilizer and pesticides on your lawn, there are a few simple steps that landowners can take to make more environmentally sound choices when it comes to lawn care.

IGB Director Gene Robinson introduces the Genomics for Faith panel, which included Christina Laukaitis, clinical associate professor of medical genetics and medical doctor at Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Michael Aref, Assistant Medical Director of Palliative Medicine at Carle Hospital, and Melanie Sheckels, threshold doula and hospice nurse.

Genomics for Faith kicks off, connecting scientists and faith members

Jun 6, 2023 10:15 am

'There are two groups of people that the public turns to for trusted information, and that is scientists, and faith leaders. As the situation exists now, those two groups don't talk to each other much. We would like with your partnership to change that...'

CI MED students partner with Champaign Unit 4 schools to host "Doctor for a Day"

May 22, 2023 3:30 pm

Students from the Carle Illinois College of Medicine are creating new opportunities to expose high school students to careers in health care.

man drives tractor across field, Text: PBS NewsHour “Tipping Point: Agriculture on the Brink”

U of I hosts PBS NewsHour, experts weigh in on feeding a heating planet

May 19, 2023 10:15 am

Livestreamed from the Quad: Emmy-award-winning science journalist Miles O’Brien will interview industry leaders alongside experts from the U of I’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

Sallie Greenberg, a principal research scientist at the Prairie Research Institute (PRI), has been selected as a member of one of the two new White House Council on Environmental Quality task forces to guide the development of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) technologies

U of I scientist to serve on White House task force on carbon capture, storage

Apr 6, 2023 8:15 am

Task force members will provide recommendations on federal permits of carbon dioxide pipelines. The capture of manmade CO₂ can potentially reduce pollution and make further progress on the goal of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.

Scott Irwin, the Laurence J. Norton Chair of Agricultural Marketing in the department of agricultural and consumer economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is the author of “Back to the Futures,” a book that’s part personal memoir and part explainer of the futures market. Photo by College of ACES

New book chronicles personal, professional journey studying futures markets

Apr 11, 2023 8:15 am

Stunts with motorcycles, snowmobiles, race cars, farm equipment and run-ins with renegade cows... 'I thought that I had enough crazy personal stories about risk and risk management that these could serve as scaffolding for a larger story.'

the famous Tesla Coil concert, a part of Engineering Open House

Open House Weekends at Illinois!

Mar 21, 2023 2:45 pm

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign welcomes future students and their families to campus for our incredible open houses. Begun more than 100 years ago with the first Engineering Open House, today we have more wonders to see and experiences to share than ever!

Jacob S. Sherkow, left, and Carl Gunter are interested in developing new ways to protect genomic privacy.

Protecting genomic privacy through phone apps

Mar 1, 2023 11:15 am

Police are increasingly using genomic databases in their investigations. U of I faculty offer possible technological solutions, such as phone applications, that will ensure Fourth Amendment protections of consumer’s genomic data.

stock image of a teacher working with an elementary student via iStock

A new, more effective way to assess teachers’ competency

Feb 15, 2023 2:45 pm

Nancy Latham, director of the Council on Teacher Education at Illinois, coauthored a book that makes the credentialing system for teachers simpler and more trustworthy for those hiring them. As a bonus, it can be used in other industries, too.

Dr. Michael Schlosser, director of the Police Training institute at U of I

Wrongful conviction course now required for all police recruits in Illinois

Feb 1, 2023 8:45 am

U. of I. Police Training Institute director Michael Schlosser worked with colleagues at the Illinois Innocence Project to develop a Wrongful Conviction Awareness and Avoidance course that is now required training for police recruits across Illinois.

Demi Striglos with the Deer Donation program delivered 50 pounds of venison and shared venison recipes with the Standing Stone/Carpenters Table food pantry in Charleston in early December. Photo credit Standing Stone Community Center.

Illinois Extension provides nearly 25,000 meals through deer donation pilot program

Jan 27, 2023 10:15 am

'Food prices are high, meat prices are high, and pantries are really struggling with getting meat right now. This is an opportunity for hunters to help their communities while doing something they enjoy and supporting local small businesses.'

Cover of a winning selection, Odder, by Katherine Applegate. illus. by Charles Santoso

U of I's Center for Children's Books announces Blue Ribbon Winners

Jan 5, 2023 10:15 am

'Readers will find a healthy variety of subjects and genres, and we even have a bonus of short story collections, a format we are always thrilled to see thrive,' says editor Kate Quealy-Gainer.

proposed redistricting map (ca. 2021) of the northern half of Illinois

Researchers' political redistricting proposal: An 'I cut, you choose' system for fairness

Dec 16, 2022 1:15 pm

Institute for Computational Redistricting researchers have proposed an alternative process that takes input from two major political parties and results in quantifiably fairer district maps by several common metrics.

stock image of women in holiday sweater and 'santa' hat looking at cellphone by Julia Larson/Pexels

Ho-ho-hold the phone: Holiday season brings rise in scam attempts

Dec 14, 2022 12:30 pm

The holiday season comes with an increase in celebrations, meals, gatherings, and more. And it also comes with an increase in the risk of scam attempts—for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

Jarrett Lewis, an assistant professor in Educational Psychology in the College of Education

Centering healing for Black youth and young adults

Dec 16, 2022 2:00 pm

Education professor Jarrett Lewis is developing ongoing mental health services to help Black youths process violent and racial trauma—and flourish despite that trauma.

Water samples taken by a male animal biology graduate researcher and female undergraduate researcher. Photo by Brian Stauffer

U of I teams to participate in national program to advocate undergrad research

Oct 17, 2022 8:00 am

Four teams of Illinois faculty, staff, and undergraduate researchers were selected to take part in a new program to build national awareness of the benefits of undergraduate research as a high-impact educational practice.

visitors to a previous Vet Med Open House rub the nose of a friendly horse

Vet Med Open House, Oct. 2: The Adventure Awaits!

Sep 23, 2022 2:15 pm

On Sunday, October 2, more than 300 veterinary students will host a behind-the-scenes look at the state’s only veterinary college. Aspiring veterinarians, animal lovers of any age, there’s something for you at Vet Med Open House.

Crimestoppers booth at a local event. Photo courtesy of Champaign County Crimestoppers

University, area businesses invest $300,000 to fight local crime

Jul 11, 2022 11:30 am

'Businesses and organizations have a responsibility...to lift up and advance the communities in which they live and work,' Chancellor Robert Jones said. 'We are coming together to do our part by supporting with words, actions and financial support.'

Summer humanities program builds bridge between communities

Jun 8, 2022 11:00 am

The program invites humanities students to work collaboratively with organizations in the Champaign-Urbana area, using their humanities knowledge to make an impact in the community.

Agronomy Days tailgate events could include visits to the Student Sustainable Farm (pictured) and other action centers on campus farms and beyond. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

U of I's Agronomy Day growing to include pop-up events and more

May 25, 2022 11:45 am

In its 65th year, Illinois’ 'Agronomy Day' is a day no more. Instead, College of ACES will host a series of events all season long, including traditional field days as well as new pop-up tailgate events and shade tree talks.

Green rooftops in Portland, Oregon. Photo by Noelwah Netusil

Green roofs are worth the cost for urban residents

May 5, 2022 1:00 pm

Countries around the world are investing resources to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff. 'Green roofs are part of the solution because they capture some of the rain that would otherwise end up in sewage systems,' says Prof. Amy Ando.

I-Rural: Helping communities meet increased demand for rural tourism

May 2, 2022 10:45 am

'Many people traveled to rural destinations with low population densities during the pandemic, allowing (Illinois) communities to reimagine their potential for tourism development,' says recreation, sport and tourism professor Sharon Zou.

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High school students perform a reading of Xtigone at Champaign Central High School

High school students use Antigone adaptation to process community gun violence

Apr 4, 2022 10:15 am

Xtigone is an African American adaptation of the play by Sophocles that addresses the trauma of gun violence and need for political change . It's the first in a series of projects that use ancient stories and adaptations that speak to modern issues.

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