Engineering faculty member John Rogers sets a high bar for media outreach and responsiveness. He has an excellent sense of what is newsworthy and a gift for explaining science in layman’s terms. He works extensively with the News Bureau to prepare multimedia press packages when a major publication is imminent. Despite a very busy schedule, he responds quickly to all media requests – even those from small markets. Recently, he was willing on a two-hour notice to rearrange his schedule and drive down to the WDWS studios to complete an interview with NPR.
Professor Rogers mentions his affiliation to the university in every interview he conducts. Every press package that went to national and international media regarding his development of electronics applied to the skin included images of the “column I” temporary tattoo. The Discovery Channel, NBC News, the Big Ten Network, and many other media outlets have visited his lab for demonstrations of his work.
Dr. Rogers’ amazing work represents the best of Illinois. But the access he gives the media has been key to linking the University of Illinois to groundbreaking, transformative research for thousands of people around the world.