blog navigation

Illinois Featured Content

list of blog posts

  • Dosunmu: CBS Sports Preseason First-Team All-American

    Oct 28, 2020 11:30 am

    '...Dosunmu opting to return to campus to give Illinois its best outlook in a decade-plus might be the best,' according to the CBS Sports article. 'The heady, athletic, fearless lead guard has Illini fans dreaming of a Final Four.'

  • Alum Michael Hopkins commands the SpaceX Crew Dragon, launching on Halloween

    Oct 28, 2020 11:15 am

    KYTV-TV (Oct. 27) 

  • Metropolitan farming offers surprise opportunities for U of I junior

    Oct 28, 2020 10:30 am

    'Since joining this project, I’ve seen a lot more articles about different types of urban farms and a lot more opportunities in this area than I ever imagined,' ACES junior Maggie Furr says. 

  • Did the presidential debates matter?

    Oct 27, 2020 3:00 pm

    Two experts in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences say debates are highly effective with undecided voters - if there are any.

  • Politics aside, market forces mean fossil fuels will get phased out

    Oct 27, 2020 12:30 pm

    Washington Post (Oct. 26) 'The Republicans are intentionally ignoring that fact because they want fossil fuel supporters to think it’s the Democrats that are against them, not just impersonal market forces,’ says U. of I. economist Don Fullerton.

  • Rare Book and Manuscript Library event explores history of witchcraft

    Oct 27, 2020 10:15 am

    The webinar will include discussions of the many materials related to European witchcraft in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library’s collection, including an account of the 1612 Lancashire witch trials in England.

  • Sapora Symposium: Lou Henson's work to integrate collegiate sports

    Oct 26, 2020 3:45 pm

    Wednesday's panel discussion of legendary coach Lou Henson will include his family members and colleagues. The theme of this year's Sapora Symposium is Sports and Social Justice.

  • Instability of school re-openings taking a toll on students' ability to learn, mental health

    Oct 26, 2020 12:45 pm

    Axios (Oct. 26) 'In hindsight, we can say it would have been better to go all-remote,' says U of I professor of education policy Jon Hale. 'But there was so much (social and political) pressure to open.'

  • Illinois looks to keep the cannon Saturday vs. Purdue

    Oct 26, 2020 8:00 am

    The Illinois football team kicks off its home schedule Saturday with the Battle for the Cannon against Purdue. Big Ten Network will carry the television broadcast at 11 a.m. CT.

  • Racial disparity in jobless aid grows as Congress stalls on COVID-19 stimulus

    Oct 22, 2020 2:00 pm

    USA Today (Oct. 22) 'For Black workers, it’s gotten worse as the pandemic has dragged on. They’ve been less likely to bounce back and find jobs than other groups,' says Eliza Forsythe, a labor economist and professor at Illinois.

  • Illinois Football uniforms to promote social justice awareness

    Oct 22, 2020 2:45 pm

    The players have been active in the area of social justice since returning to campus this summer, and these uniform changes are another example of their continued advocacy for social change. 

  • Cicada-inspired waterproof surfaces closer to reality, researchers report

    Oct 22, 2020 1:15 pm

    A multidisciplinary group that studies the physical, chemical properties of insect wings has demonstrated the ability to reproduce the nanostructures that help cicada wings repel water and prevent bacteria from establishing on the surface.

  • The 100 year history of the Altgeld Chimes

    Oct 22, 2020 9:30 am

    The path from an idea to the installation of the Altgeld Chimes was long and full of detours, but the generosity of Fighting Illini classes of 1914 to 1921 created one of the campus's most beloved traditions.

  • Paper: Congress must clarify limits of gene-editing technologies

    Oct 21, 2020 1:30 pm

    How the next Congress decides to handle the issues related to editing human sperm and eggs will affect the science, ethics and financing of genomic editing for decades to come, writes law professor Jacob S. Sherkow.

  • Robots deciding their next move need help prioritizing

    Oct 20, 2020 2:15 pm

    Researchers used a model based on the game Capture the Flag to develop a new take on deep reinforcement learning that helps robots evaluate their next move.

  • Illini Football travels to No. 14 Wisconsin for 2020 opener

    Oct 20, 2020 10:00 am

    The Illinois football team begins its 2020 season Friday evening (7 p.m., BTN) at Wisconsin, the first game of the season for any Big Ten teams.

  • Illinois announces changes to spring academic calendar

    Oct 20, 2020 10:15 am

    Spring semester classes at Illinois will begin a week later in 2021. The semester will not include a spring break, but classes will not be held on three midweek days.

  • Concert series celebrates Altgeld Chimes' centennial

    Oct 19, 2020 1:15 pm

    For 100 years, the Altgeld Chimes have provided a soundtrack for the Urbana campus. Starting Oct. 25, a weeklong series of concerts will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the chimes, with a special livestreamed concert Oct. 30 at 3 p.m.

  • The tricky business of coronavirus testing on college campuses

    Oct 19, 2020 11:45 am

    National Public Radio (Oct. 16) And education reporter's weekslong road trip to get an up-close view of how colleges across the U.S. are handling the pandemic comes to Urbana-Champaign.

  • Where and when to vote on campus

    Oct 15, 2020 9:00 am

    On-Campus Early Voting starts Monday, October 19, and runs through Monday, November 2. You can also vote at campus locations on Election Day, November 3.

  • Delivering the vote

    Oct 19, 2020 10:00 am

    How the Civil War shaped mail-in voting today: It was complicated then, and it's complicated now.

  • Octopus-inspired sucker transfers thin, delicate tissue grafts and biosensors

    Oct 16, 2020 2:00 pm

    Seeking a way to quickly pick up and release the thin, delicate sheets of cells or electronics without damaging them, the researchers turned to the octopus for inspiration.

  • Exercise and nutrition regimen benefits physical, cognitive health

    Oct 19, 2020 8:45 am

    Psychology professor Aron Barbey and his colleagues designed a 12-week exercise and nutrition intervention that enhanced physical and cognitive performance in active-duty Air Force airmen.

  • Zoom around the world!

    Oct 16, 2020 9:30 am

    Illinois has global reach and is a destination for scholars from every continent. These educational, cultural, and recreational events will explore the cultures, languages, and Illini found around the globe.

  • Finding one elusive bird

    Oct 16, 2020 9:00 am

    Illinois Natural History Survey assistant ornithologist Anastasia Rahlin conducted field surveys in Volo Bog State Natural Area, and her efforts paid off with the discovery of a king rail, a water bird that blends in well with its surroundings.

  • A proposed change to Illinois' income tax is mired in conflicting rhetoric

    Oct 15, 2020 12:15 pm

    Illinois Times (Oct. 15) Opponents say the tax change would lead to higher income taxes across income levels. U of I's David Merriman says that's probably not so.  'Changes to personal income tax rates just aren’t that common.'

  • Prominent documentary filmmakers featured in Ebert Symposium

    Oct 14, 2020 10:45 am

    Kirby Dick, Sacha Jenkins and Dawn Porter have had films aired or streamed on CNN, HBO, Netflix, PBS and Showtime, among other venues. Three documentary filmmakers on the Illinois faculty will also be on the panel.

  • Distracted learning a big problem, golden opportunity for educators, students

    Oct 13, 2020 12:00 pm

    Although experts say using electronic media while doing schoolwork negatively impacts learning, many students believe they’re immune to any ill effects because they’re good multitaskers, says Professor Shelly Schmidt.

  • Illinois may consider lowering the compulsory school age to 5

    Oct 13, 2020 10:15 am

    The Center Square (Oct. 12) – Christopher Span, a professor of education policy, organization, and leadership at Illinois, says not offering early education to five-year-olds widens opportunity gaps that will eventually manifest as achievement gaps. 

  • FYI: It's technically illegal to take a selfie with your ballot in Illinois

    Oct 12, 2020 11:30 am

    Time Out Chicago (Oct. 9) – 'The idea that any state would ban taking photos of a ballot like that is to make sure it’s hard to show someone how you voted and to (sell votes),' says U of I political science professor Brian Gaines.

  • U of I professor part of Latino baseball project, book for Smithsonian

    Oct 12, 2020 10:00 am

    Adrian Burgos Jr. is a co-author of a new book, “¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues,” about baseball’s role in Latino culture in the U.S. The book is part of a collection project organized by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

  • College of Media's largest gift establishes Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation

    Oct 12, 2020 10:15 am

    'Now more than ever there is a critical need for good, solid, objective journalism in this country.  We are encouraged our contribution will help create the highest level of learning for the next generation of journalists...' said Rich and Leslie Frank. 

  • Check off that Gen Ed requirement! Register now

    Oct 12, 2020 9:00 am

    Courses are taught by Illinois faculty and are offered to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign undergraduate students and non-degree students from around the globe.

  • Unearthing an uncommon, burrowing snake

    Oct 12, 2020 9:30 am

    Kirtland’s snakes were once widespread in Illinois, but now are listed as a threatened species. With more than 99% of Illinois’ natural prairies lost to agriculture and urban development, these snakes struggle to maintain their current populations.

  • Should the Senate conduct Supreme Court hearing amid pandemic, election season?

    Oct 12, 2020 9:15 am

    There is no election-year exception to the process the Constitution creates for the nomination of individuals to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, says law professor Jason Mazzone.

  • Understanding a dream for Utopia

    Oct 12, 2020 9:00 am

    Historian Maria Todorova's new book explores the lives and ideas of early socialists

  • U of I receives funding for mental health resource network for farmers

    Oct 9, 2020 12:00 pm

    Researchers at the University of Illinois and Illinois Extension are working to ensure producers and their families have the resources and access to services to manage their stress and mental health.

  • Unions predict a Great Awakening during a Biden presidency

    Oct 9, 2020 10:15 am

    Politico (Oct. 9) Increased union membership across the country would give all workers more leverage, helping to achieve progressive economic goals Democrats have long been calling for, says Illinois labor economist Robert Bruno.

  • Study finds fungal disease of snakes in 19 states, Puerto Rico

    Oct 8, 2020 1:15 pm

    A new study finds a wide distribution of Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, a fungal pathogen that afflicts more than 30 species of snakes. This emerging disease is sometimes fatal.

  • New Gies Business professor: Preventing the misbeliefs that lead to big mistakes

    Oct 8, 2020 11:15 am

    With just a little knowledge under their belt, new learners enter what Sanchez calls the 'beginner’s bubble,' where they can become overconfident, putting too much faith in faulty theories or ignoring feedback that could help them avoid mistakes.

  • Genomic study reveals evolutionary secrets of banyan tree

    Oct 8, 2020 10:00 am

    Researchers have identified regions in the banyan fig’s genome that promote the development of its unusual aerial roots and enhance its ability to signal its wasp pollinator.

  • Flipping the Focus: Campus photographer Fred Zwicky

    Oct 7, 2020 11:00 am

    A photographer’s magical power is to freeze time. 'As life passes us by in a blur, I think the still image gives us just enough time to process that individual moment in isolation. An effective photograph coalesces how that scene makes us feel...'

  • Showtime! Remembering the old campus-area movie theaters

    Oct 7, 2020 10:45 am

    The Co-Ed on Green Street was 'full all the time.' Students flocked to the Thunderbird Theatre on Goodwin, too, as well as the Rialto, with its massive steel-and-glass marquee; the art-deco Princess; and the Orpheum, with its 24 Greek columns.

  • After a rocky start, U of I is a national model at managing COVID-19

    Oct 6, 2020 11:15 am

    The Center Square (Oct. 5) 'The vast majority of our students have been amazing,' says spokeswoman Robin Kaler. 'They have done the hard thing for 18- to 22-year-olds to do, which is to stay away from each other. That is a big ask.'

  • Fighting Illini fan cutouts available for 2020 football season

    Oct 6, 2020 9:45 am

    No fans will be inside Big Ten stadiums this football season, but you can get a piece of yourself represented in Memorial Stadium through the Fighting Illini Fan Cutouts packages. 

  • Researchers extract more energy from sunlight with advanced solar panels

    Oct 6, 2020 9:15 am

    Silicon solar panels are reaching their limit, but researchers are combining silicon with other materials to squeeze more energy out of sunlight in hopes of boosting the efficiency of consumer solar panels by 50%.

  • Young or old, you'll love Vet Med's Virtual Open House

    Oct 5, 2020 11:45 am

    More than 50 videos and dozens of interactive presentations! If you know a young person who would like to become a veterinarian - or anyone who loves animals - this is the (virtual) place to be!

  • 12 professors recognized for demonstrated leadership potential

    Oct 5, 2020 10:45 am

    Twelve professors at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been selected to participate in the 2020-2021 Building Pathways for Emerging Leaders Fellows program.

  • Six faculty selected for BTAA Academic Leadership Program

    Oct 5, 2020 10:45 am

    Seven professors at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been chosen to participate in the Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program.

  • Trump team delaying work on major climate report

    Oct 5, 2020 10:45 am

    E&E News (Oct. 5) Trump administration is slow-walking the next climate report by not seeking out scientists to work on it, says Donald Wuebbles, a U. of I scientist who co-led the first volume of the fourth National Climate Assessment.