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  • Compilation of portraits of the five Urbana campus University Scholars awardees

    University Scholars include five Urbana-Champaign faculty members

    Mar 24, 2023 8:00 am1484 views

    Five University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professors have been named University Scholars in recognition of their excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. The award is presented by the University of Illinois System to faculty members from the Chicago, Springfield and Urbana universities.

  • Photo of Patrick Keenan, an expert in human rights law and international criminal law.

    What will result from the war crimes arrest warrants for two top Russian officials?

    Mar 21, 2023 8:15 am864 views

    The International Criminal Court’s recent issuance of arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin effectively means any country cooperating with Russia is now cooperating with an accused war criminal, says Illinois law professor Patrick Keenan, an expert in human rights law and international criminal law.

  • Photo of then-doctoral student Tyler Kearney and education faculty member Jennifer Delaney

    Are TV sports networks game-changers for financing collegiate athletics?

    Mar 20, 2023 12:45 pm603 views

    Revenue from collegiate sports TV networks may decrease cross-subsidization of athletic programs by other units at these colleges, but athletic programs' spending also seemed to increase, scholars Jennifer Delaney and Tyler Kearney found.

  • Two smiling students sitting under a tree on the U. of I. quad in the autumn surrounded by fallen leaves

    Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative accepting freshmen applicants for fall semester

    Mar 6, 2023 11:45 am3760 views

    The Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is accepting applications from neurodiverse students who will be incoming freshmen in the 2023 fall semester.

  • This graphic shows an instrumented tissue mimic, that will use embedded sensors and probes to better understand and measure human biology.

    Illinois to co-lead new CZ Biohub in Chicago

    Mar 2, 2023 11:00 am25125 views

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has been chosen to lead the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago – a new biomedical hub – along with the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. The three-university team was selected to lead the new biomedical hub as part of a competitive application process for a research initiative explicitly focused on measuring human biology.

  • Photo of 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.

    Is Russia-Ukraine war heading toward stalemate?

    Mar 2, 2023 10:00 am2132 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.

  • 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.

    Should the workweek be shortened to four days?

    Feb 27, 2023 12:30 pm1487 views

    There’s nothing sacrosanct about the five-day workweek, which is long overdue for an overhaul, says Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at Illinois.

  • Mei Shen

    Chemistry professor named 2023 Sloan Research Fellow

    Feb 15, 2023 9:00 am1228 views

    Chemistry professor Mei Shen is among 126 early-career researchers receiving the 2023 Sloan Research Fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. According to the foundation, the awards “honor extraordinary U.S. and Canadian researchers whose creativity, innovation and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of leaders.” Awardees receive a two-year $75,000 fellowship to advance their research.

  • Graphic of Fulbright Top Producers badge within Alma Mater's reach

    Illinois among top producers of Fulbright US Student, US Scholar awards

    Feb 10, 2023 8:00 am865 views

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is among the U.S. colleges and universities that produced the highest number of applicants selected for the 2022-23 Fulbright U.S. Student and Fulbright U.S. Scholar programs, as announced today by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

  • Nick Holonyak Jr. memorial service portrait graphic

    Media advisory: Holonyak memorial service open to news media

    Feb 7, 2023 8:00 am351 views

    A memorial service for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor emeritus Nick Holonyak Jr. will be open to the news media. The event takes place Thursday, Feb. 9, at 4:30 p.m. at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building, 306 N. Wright St., Urbana.

  • Headshot of Abbas Aminmansour

    Why are so many tall and supertall buildings being built?

    Feb 3, 2023 8:15 am1830 views

    Very tall buildings are attractive options in cities where land is at a premium, but they come with construction challenges, said University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign architecture professor Abbas Aminmansour.

  • A composite image of seven faculty portraits

    Seven Illinois faculty members elected to AAAS

    Jan 31, 2023 9:00 am3136 views

    Seven professors at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been elected 2022 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Fellows are chosen by their peers for outstanding contribution to the field.

  • Portrait of Brittney Nadler

    Illinois alum awarded Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship

    Jan 26, 2023 8:00 am894 views

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumna Brittney Nadler recently was awarded a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship. Funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University, the Pickering Fellowship supports individuals who seek careers in the State Department’s Foreign Service.

  • Photo of Jerry Davila

    What led to the attempted coup in Brazil, what comes next?

    Jan 19, 2023 8:00 am1435 views

    The Jan. 8 insurrection in Brazil’s seat of government was styled after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, says Jerry Dávila, the Lemann Chair in Brazilian History at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and executive director of the Illinois Global Institute.

  • Photo of Robin Fretwell Wilson

    What's the significance of the Respect for Marriage Act?

    Jan 17, 2023 8:00 am981 views

    The bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act requires states to recognize same-sex marriages while balancing the interests of religious groups, says Robin Fretwell Wilson, the director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs and the Mildred Van Voorhis Jones Chair in Law at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • Photo of communication professor Emily Van Duyn standing in front of a campus building

    Does a 'fake news' label help audiences identify false information?

    Jan 11, 2023 8:15 am882 views

    Using the term “fake news” does not help audiences distinguish false information or sources and may be doing more harm than good, according to resarch by U. of I. communication professor Emily Van Duyn.

  • Photo of Scott Althaus, director of The Cline Center for Advanced Social Research and a professor of both political science and communication at Illinois.

    Why was the Jan. 6 assault on the US Capitol considered an 'auto-coup d’état'?

    Jan 4, 2023 8:00 am858 views

    The Cline Center for Advanced Social Research’s Coup d’État Project initially categorized the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as an “attempted dissident coup.” But that classification has evolved to include the additional classification “attempted auto-coup d’état,” said Scott Althaus, the center’s director and a professor of both political science and communication at Illinois.

  • Thomas O'Rourke portrait.

    How can we tame the gun violence epidemic?

    Dec 21, 2022 8:00 am691 views

    Thomas O’Rourke, a professor emeritus of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, spoke with News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates about how previous efforts to institute public health measures succeeded and how the same approaches can be employed to reduce the scourge of gun violence in the U.S.

  • Photo of the researchers.

    Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations extends RIPE funding with $34M grant

    Dec 13, 2022 8:30 am2227 views

    Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations has awarded a grant of $34 million to the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency project, an international research effort led by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In its 10-year history, RIPE has demonstrated large increases in crop productivity in replicated field trials on the university farm.

  • Josie Rudolphi standing outdoors with a tractor in the background on the U. of I. farms

    What is driving the high suicide rate among farmers?

    Dec 12, 2022 8:00 am2807 views

    Mental health outreach programs for farmers also need to provide services for their teens, who have similar rates of anxiety and depression, said agricultural and biological engineering professor Josie Rudolphi. 

  • Photo of communication professor Stewart Coles

    Are outspoken social media users more polarized in their views on racial equality?

    Dec 7, 2022 1:15 pm881 views

    In a study of U.S. adults’ social media activity and polarization of their views on the Black Lives Matter movement, communication professor Stewart Coles found that people low in racial resentment who expressed themselves more frequently on these media were less supportive of BLM.

  • Photo of Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, who will visit the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as part of the Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government, presented by the University of Illinois System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs to recognize public officials who promote or demonstrate the highest standards of public service.

    Former ambassador Yovanovitch honored with Douglas Award

    Dec 7, 2022 1:00 pm672 views

    Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, will visit the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as part of the Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government, presented by the University of Illinois System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs to recognize public officials who promote or demonstrate the highest standards of public service.

  • Portrait of Grace Mitchell

    Illinois senior named Schwarzman Scholar

    Dec 7, 2022 8:30 am767 views

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign senior Grace Mitchell, of Dixon, Illinois, was named a Schwarzman Scholar, one of 151 recipients selected from an international pool of 3,000 applicants. Schwarzman Scholars are awarded to students who seek a better understanding of China’s role in the world and have potential as future leaders. Mitchell is the fourth U. of I. student to win the award since the program’s inception in 2016.

  • Ashish Sharma

    How can academia help implement lessons from the 2022 climate summit?

    Nov 28, 2022 1:30 pm539 views

    The 27th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference concluded Nov. 18 at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, after two weeks of deliberations. Ashish Sharma, an atmospheric sciences professor and climate and urban sustainability lead at the University of Illinois System’s Discovery Partners Institute, spoke with News Bureau physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian about the key takeaways from this year’s meeting and how academia can help implement those lessons.

  • Photo of Brian Gaines, a professor of political science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a senior scholar at the U. of I. System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

    What message did voters send this midterm election?

    Nov 17, 2022 8:00 am766 views

    The message sent by voters this midterm election? Candidates matter, since most voters assess candidates in multiple ways, not only according to party label, says University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign political science professor Brian Gaines.

  • Photo of Robert Brunner, the associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he helped spearhead efforts to create iBlock, the first blockchain created by a business school.

    What's the business potential of the metaverse?

    Nov 16, 2022 8:00 am824 views

    The metaverse’s potential for transformation means it should be on everyone’s radar, says Robert Brunner, the associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • Photo of the researchers on this year's list.

    Nine Illinois scientists rank among world's most influential

    Nov 15, 2022 8:00 am6882 views

    Nine U. of I. researchers have been named to the 2022 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers list. The list recognizes research scientists and social scientists who have demonstrated exceptional influence – reflected through their publication of multiple papers frequently cited by their peers during the last decade. This year’s list includes 6,938 individuals from around the world whose papers rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in the Web of Science.

  • Atul Jain

    How can the 2022 Global Carbon Budget report help inform UN Climate Summit?

    Nov 11, 2022 11:00 am513 views

    The Global Carbon Project published the Global Carbon Budget 2022 today, giving world leaders access to data on atmospheric carbon concentrations, emissions and trends for the 2022 United Nations Climate Summit – or COP27 – in Egypt. Illinois atmospheric scientist Atul Jain was among the many scientists worldwide who contributed data to the report. Jain talked about this year’s findings with News Bureau physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian.

  • Photo of Vikram Amar, the dean of the University of Illinois College of Law and the Iwan Foundation Professor of Law.

    Is the independent state legislature theory constitutionally valid?

    Nov 3, 2022 8:00 am1453 views

    The debate surrounding the independent state legislature theory, which is at the heart of the U.S. Supreme Court Moore v. Harper case, is ultimately a lopsided one that, under a principled originalist approach, should result in the court rejecting the theory, says Vikram Amar, the dean of the University of Illinois College of Law and a constitutional law scholar and expert on this theory.

  • Photo of U. of I. law professor Patrick Keenan

    How has national security policy changed in the Biden administration?

    Oct 26, 2022 8:00 am559 views

    The Biden administration’s new national security policy represents a shift to compete with China’s growing power, particularly to make strategic public investments in key industrial areas such as semiconductors, says Illinois law professor Patrick Keenan, an expert in counterterrorism law and international criminal law.

  • Photo of Jim Hansen seated in an armchair next to a bookcase with posters from suspense and horror films on the wall in the background.

    Why do we love horror films?

    Oct 25, 2022 9:15 am919 views

    Horror films let us “choose the shape of our fears and then to face up to those fears,” said English professor Jim Hansen.

  • Dr. Martin Burke sits in front of the automated molecule-making machine he developed.

    Burke elected to National Academy of Medicine

    Oct 17, 2022 10:30 am1187 views

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chemistry professor Dr. Martin D. Burke has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine for his work in chemical synthesis, molecular prosthetics and COVID-19 testing.

  • Photo of Ann-Perry Witmer

    What is place-based adaptation to climate change?

    Oct 10, 2022 1:30 pm2200 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.

  • Michelle Nelson

    What do we know about political advertising?

    Oct 5, 2022 1:30 pm1182 views

    It can be challenging to distinguish between a paid political ad and one that is not in today’s media environment, especially on social media. News Bureau editor Lois Yoksoulian spoke with advertising professor Michelle Nelson about the topic. New research from Nelson and her colleagues found that most adults – even those who are politically engaged and educated – do not fully understand online targeting, sources and funding for political ads, or the unique regulatory environment for political speech that is different from commercial speech.

  • Graphic with portraits of both Voyager Scholarship awardees from the U. of I.

    Illinois students selected for inaugural Voyager Scholarships

    Oct 5, 2022 1:15 pm1088 views

    Two University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign juniors are among 100 students nationwide awarded the inaugural Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service, also known as Voyager Scholarships.

  • Woman and girl at 2021 Homecoming parade

    Homecoming 2022 to celebrate generations of Illini

    Oct 3, 2022 12:45 pm2053 views

    Homecoming Week at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign takes place Oct. 9-15, featuring an appearance by Illinois alumnus and Chicago sports announcer Gene Honda as the parade grand marshal.

  • Photo of Ivan Krastev

    Political scientist, writer Ivan Krastev to speak on Russian invasion of Ukraine

    Sep 29, 2022 8:00 am381 views

    The EU Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will host political scientist and author Ivan Krastev for a lecture on how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is reshaping the political imagination of Europe.

  • Nick Holonyak Jr.

    Nick Holonyak Jr., pioneer of LED lighting, dies

    Sep 18, 2022 3:00 pm15804 views

    Nick Holonyak Jr., a renowned innovator of illumination, has died. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor was 93 years old.

    Holonyak (pronounced huh-LON-yak) is credited with the development of the first practical visible-spectrum LED, now commonly used in light bulbs, device displays and lasers worldwide. 

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

    What were the underlying issues of the railroad labor dispute?

    Sep 15, 2022 10:30 am721 views

    A strike by railroad unions would have been bad news for the Biden administration and an already-stressed economy, says Michael LeRoy, an expert in labor law at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • Photo of YoungAh Park

    What explains 'quiet quitting' in the workplace?

    Sep 15, 2022 8:00 am3276 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.

  • Christopher Brooke wearing a green shirt.

    Who should get an omicron COVID-19 booster?

    Sep 12, 2022 9:00 am910 views

    New COVID-19 vaccine boosters that target omicron variants are being distributed. Although the variants seem less deadly, the boosters are needed to keep up with the virus as it evolves, says University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign microbiology professor Christopher Brooke, a virologist and vaccine expert.

  • Center for Advanced Study announces 2022-23 associates, fellows

    Sep 9, 2022 1:15 pm389 views

    The Center for Advanced Study at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has appointed 16 faculty members as associates or fellows for the 2022-23 academic year.

  • Graduates celebrating at May 2022 commencement in Memorial Stadium

    Spring semester graduates, Dean's List and Bronze Tablet honorees named

    Sep 1, 2022 1:15 pm21937 views

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announces graduates, Dean’s List and Bronze Tablet honorees for the 2022 spring semester. 

  • Eleftheria Kontou

    Can we evacuate from hurricanes in electric vehicles?

    Aug 31, 2022 2:00 pm2253 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.

  • Photo of Don Fullerton, the Gutgsell Professor of Finance at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a senior scholar at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

    How will the Inflation Reduction Act affect US environmental policy?

    Aug 31, 2022 8:00 am576 views

    Funds in the Inflation Reduction Act targeted for energy security and climate change reduction will encourage a major transformation in the U.S. renewable energy infrastructure, says Don Fullerton, the Gutgsell Professor of Finance at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a senior scholar at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

  • Photo of Amit Kramer, a professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who studies the relationship between work, family and health.

    Will pre-pandemic office life ever make a comeback?

    Aug 29, 2022 8:00 am1655 views

    As the COVID-19 pandemic wanes and remote work gradually turns into hybrid work, organizations will pay close attention to which workers and occupations function well in a hybrid-work arrangement, said Amit Kramer, a professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who studies the relationship between work, family and health.

  • Composite of CDSA awardee portraits

    Eight employees honored with Chancellor's Distinguished Staff Award

    Aug 24, 2022 8:00 am1212 views

    Eight civil service employees were recognized for exceptional performance by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Each recipient of the Chancellor’s Distinguished Staff Award receives a cash award and their names appear on a plaque in the Illinois Human Resources Office.

  • Photo of Kadens, Jones and Jackson

    Chancellor Jones named to Hope Chicago Board of Directors

    Aug 12, 2022 10:45 am1005 views

    Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones has been named to the board of directors of Hope Chicago, a nonprofit organization seeking to reduce economic and social inequity by funding postsecondary scholarships and nontuition costs for Chicago Public Schools graduates and adult family members. Founded by businessman Ted Koenig and entrepreneur Pete Kadens, Hope Chicago has a goal of raising and investing at least $1 billion dollars over the next decade to help tens of thousands of Chicago students and family members earn postsecondary credentials.

  • Photo of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign political science professor Nicholas Grossman, the author of “Drones and Terrorism: Asymmetric Warfare and the Threat to Global Security” and specializes in international relations.

    What's the future of drones in counterterrorism operations and the Ukraine war?

    Aug 8, 2022 12:00 pm842 views

    Counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan and the war in Ukraine underscore the importance of unmanned aircraft to future military capabilities, said University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign political scientist Nicholas Grossman, the author of “Drones and Terrorism: Asymmetric Warfare and the Threat to Global Security.”

  • Photo of Chancellor Robert J. Jones and Dr. Lynn Hassan Jones standing in front of library books.

    'With Illinois' fundraising campaign concludes with gift from Chancellor Robert J. Jones and Dr. Lynn Hassan Jones

    Jul 18, 2022 10:00 am3211 views

    The “With Illinois” fundraising campaign officially ended June 30 and concluded with a $200,000 personal contribution from Chancellor Robert J. Jones and his wife, Dr. Lynn Hassan Jones.