Illinois Featured Content

State of the University, 2023

Dec 5, 2023 1:15 pm

'There is no other institution in this state that has the capacity, the vision to translate our missions of teaching and learning, discovery and public engagement into real, measurable and positive impact for the citizens of our state and beyond.'

Diamond semiconductor device (4 mm x 4 mm in size)

Next-gen diamond semiconductors show highest breakdown voltage

Dec 1, 2023 8:15 am

U of I researchers have developed a semiconductor device made using diamond that has the highest breakdown voltage and lowest leakage current compared to previously reported diamond devices.

Production analyst and U. of I. student worker Josh Weiner enters information into the SPOTLITE database. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Database expands to document police uses of lethal force across US

Dec 5, 2023 12:00 pm

“SPOTLITE,” identified more than 23,000 incidents of police uses of lethal force in the U.S. during 2014-2021. SPOTLITE includes any incident in which police used a firearm – including those with nonfatal outcomes – as well as any other use of force that resulted in a death.

graph showing homeowner insurance premiums rose 6.1 percent last year on average

America's insurance crisis: Ballooning premiums for home, car insurance

Dec 5, 2023 12:45 pm

Daily Mail (Dec. 3) 'There’s been an increase in fatalities and accidents, and data showing that people are driving more recklessly,' says U of I professor of finance Lynne McChristian.

orange and blue graphic promoting tonight's basketball game against Florida Atlantic

Top 20 matchup tonight: Illini vs Florida Atlantic in Jimmy V Classic

Dec 5, 2023 9:45 am

No. 20 Illinois, fresh off its Big Ten-opening win Saturday at Rutgers, heads to New York City to take on No. 11 Florida Atlantic in the Jimmy V Classic Tuesday at Madison Square Garden (5:30 p.m. CT, ESPN).

Stephen Long, a professor of plant biology and of crop sciences at the U. of I. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Stephen Long describes three photosynthetic changes that boost crop yields

Nov 29, 2023 11:45 am

In a TED Talk, Professor Stephen Long describes his and his colleagues’ work to improve photosynthetic efficiency in crops. Multiple published studies demonstrate their innovations dramatically increase crop yields.

Three-spined stickleback male (left) inspects an intruder introduced to his territory inside a glass flask. Photos By: Julia Pollack and the Bell lab

Fish brains may provide insight into the molecular basis of decision-making

Nov 29, 2023 11:30 am

How do animals make decisions when faced with competing demands, and how have decision making processes evolved over time? This research points to neurological explanations.

atmospheric sciences professor Atul Jain. Photo by Brian Stauffer

Why are global carbon emissions starting to increase again?

Dec 5, 2023 9:45 am

After a brief pause during COVID-19, global carbon emissions from fossil fuel and industry – the main contributors to climate change – are set to increase significantly, says atmospheric sciences professor Atul Jain.

Image courtesy Shelly Zhang and Science Advances, volume 9, issue 47, November 22, 2023.

New material can perform different tasks depending on temperature

Nov 28, 2023 1:45 pm

U of I-led research produced the new temperature dependent 3D-printed polymer composite. These materials are poised to be part of the next generation of autonomous robotics that will interact with the environment.

researcher's hands hold Struvite granules

Recycled phosphorus fertilizer reduces nutrient leaching, maintains yield

Dec 4, 2023 11:45 am

The fertilizer, struvite, offers a triple win: it recycles nutrients from wastewater streams, reduces leaching of phosphorus and nitrogen, and maintains or improves soybean yield.

Terrence Shannon Jr. recorded his first double-double of the season, and his third as an Illini, with 23 points and 10 rebounds

Illinois opens Big Ten play with dominant road win over Rutgers

Dec 4, 2023 8:15 am

The Fighting Illini grabbed 55 rebounds, their fourth straight game with at least 50 boards. They got 19 offensive rebounds and registered 14 second-chance points, and they finished with a +28 rebounding margin on the glass.

Martha Durr, who left her job earlier this month as Nebraska's principal communicator of climate information. "It gets draining over time," she said. Photo by Elizabeth Rembert/Harvest Public Media

Midwest weather experts say climate change reporting brings burnout, threats

Dec 1, 2023 8:45 am

NPR (Nov. 29) 'The message is the same if I’m talking to an environmental nonprofit or a farm bureau in a conservative county, but the way the message is delivered may differ,' says Illinois climatologist Trent Ford.

Arte Johnson famously played Wolfgang in "Laugh-In." — Courtesy of the Johnson family.

Late 'Laugh-In' brothers Arte, Coslough Johnson share comedy history with U of I Library

Nov 29, 2023 11:45 am

The brothers each have donated artifacts to the University Library from Emmy Award-winning work on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, which aired 1968-73 on NBC, and for which Arte was an actor and Coslough was a writer.

graphic shows Dain Dainja holding a basketball rim. Text has game details for Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023

Illini Men's Basketball opens Big Ten play Saturday at Rutgers

Dec 1, 2023 8:15 am

No. 24 Illinois begins its 119th season of league play Saturday afternoon at Rutgers (3 p.m. CT, BTN). Illinois is opening B1G play on the road for the sixth time in the last eight seasons.

Professor Michael LeRoy. Photo by Brian Stauffer

Would court ruling mean college athletes are employees?

Nov 28, 2023 9:45 am

A ruling in favor of college athletes in Johnson v. NCAA could potentially herald the most consequential change in college athletics since the NCAA was formed in 1906, says U of I labor expert Michael LeRoy,

Graduate student Morgan Gugger works with P. aeruginosa in the Hergenrother lab. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Team discovers how to fight tough-to-treat bacterial infection

Nov 27, 2023 8:30 am

A U of I research team has discovered the physical and chemical rules for overcoming the defenses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium responsible for tens of thousands of hospital infections every year in the U.S.

Governor Pritzker signs the new book ban legislation in a library surrounded by supporters. No photo credit provided.

Illinois book ban reform: U of I's Emily Knox explains key changes

Nov 29, 2023 9:00 am

Chicago Defender (Nov. 27) 'It basically says that in order to remove books from Illinois state libraries, you have to go through a certain process. You can’t just walk up and say "I don’t like this book" so someone can remove it.'

Jer'Zhan Newton in motion running forward

Newton named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year

Nov 29, 2023 9:15 am

Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year and the Defensive Lineman of the Year. He's just the fourth Illini in history to earn the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award.

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.

A stream of extracellular vesicles travels through blood vessels near a tumor. Photo by Stephen Boppart

Professors Marni and Stephen Boppart: Tracking the traffic between our cells

Nov 21, 2023 10:30 am

The 2023 Allen Distinguished Investigators are visualizing and tracking extracellular vesicles: tiny packages of molecular cargo in nanosized lipid carriers, released by all cells in the body.

Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) researchers David Shapiro and Paul Hergenrother

Unprecedented compound takes a step toward breast cancer clinical trials

Nov 27, 2023 10:30 am

TEQ103 targets estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) positive breast cancer cells and kills only the cells with an activated stress response, the so-called a-UPR.

a trail runs through a rainforest reserve in Sri Lanka. Photo by the author

Exploring multispecies relationships by walking 'with' the forest in Sri Lanka

Nov 28, 2023 9:30 am

Emma Lundin, a graduate student in tourism at the U of I, discusses her research in a rainforest in Sri Lanka, exploring how to create sustainable nature-based tourist experiences by walking 'with' the forest.

Giving Tuesday: Support basic needs for Illinois students

Nov 28, 2023 9:15 am

When students are facing unplanned emergencies, health challenges, and more, academic success can feel unattainable. We want our students to do more than survive—we want them to thrive.

C-sections in Mexico increase with obesity level and health care specialization

Nov 21, 2023 4:00 pm

'Our hypothesis was that hospitals with a higher pool of obese patients become specialized in C-sections, and therefore will be more likely to perform the procedure,' said study co-author Catalina Herrera-Almanza.

model of human brain sits inside an orange football helmet

Carle Illinois College of Medicine behind research that may help detect concussions

Nov 27, 2023 10:45 am

WGN-TV (Nov. 21) New research from the U. of I. may help doctors do a better job of detecting concussions. U. of I. medical student Annabelle Shaffer discusses the new study.

female African lion. Photo by Relic38 via Wikimedia Commons

Poachers beware: New online tool traces illegal lion products back to source

Nov 13, 2023 12:30 pm

A new conservation tool from the U of I is helping protect lions across Africa, allowing authorities to examine the geographic origin of illegally traded teeth, claws, bones, and other body parts from poached animals.

Robert Brunner, the associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business. Photo by Fred Zwicky

What impact will the Biden administration’s executive order have on AI development?

Nov 15, 2023 9:15 am

The best way to think of the Biden administration’s wide-ranging executive order on artificial intelligence is as a trial balloon to gauge what works, says Robert Brunner, chief disruption officer at U of I's Gies College of Business.

Graduate student Amir Maghsoodi was the first author of the study. Photo provided.

Cultural capital is key to a sense of belonging for college students of color

Nov 20, 2023 11:15 am

Researchers found that college students derive belongingness from four broad factors – their identification with the university overall; feelings of being a social match with others; their sense of being accepted and welcome; and their cultural capital.

Kendall Bostic scored 12 points, her fourth time in double digits this campaign. She made three steals and one block and grabbed four boards.

Five Illini score in double figures in win over Canisius

Nov 27, 2023 8:30 am

The Fighting Illini began a five-game homestand with a 32-point triumph over head coach Shauna Green's alma mater, a school she played at for four years.

graph - "Americans with medical debt in collections" from Urban Institute.

Medical debt: New federal rules could provide credit relief for millions of Americans

Nov 22, 2023 9:30 am

Yahoo! Finance (Nov. 18) CFPB proposals could help end the negative effects of medical debt on credit reports, but Professor Julia Fonseca says a reduction in reported information could lead to changes in lenders' risk formulations.

Branford Marsalis Quartet will perform at the Krannert Center this spring

Nov 13, 2023 10:00 am

Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis will perform with his quartet at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets for the spring season went on sale online Nov. 15.

Junior offensive line player Seth Coleman featured on a banner promoting the football game against Northwestern on November 25.

Illini look to keep the hat, earn bowl berth against northwestern

Nov 21, 2023 9:45 am

Illinois returns to Memorial Stadium to battle for The Hat in its regular-season finale and Senior Day game against Northwestern. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.

police tape sections off part of a wooded area. Stock image via ShutterStock

Murders of LGBTQ+ people often go unsolved.

Nov 21, 2023 9:30 am

The Advocate (Nov. 17) 'LGBTQ people...tend to find their interactions with the police to be less fair. They have more experiences of unwanted contact with the police,' explains Stefan Vogler, a professor of sociology at Illinois.

workers remove the terra cotta roof tiles from the roof below the bell tower, stacking them to be reinstalled after reinforcements to the roof and the addition of an ice and water shield. All photos by Fred Zwicky

Renovating historic Altgeld Hall

Nov 20, 2023 2:00 pm

'The renovation of Altgeld Hall will mark the rebirth of one of the campus’s most storied and iconic buildings. The facility, which opened in 1897, was instrumental in the university’s early growth, and this project ensures that its legacy will continue,' says project manager Kevin Price.

A person pickets outside Netflix in Los Angeles on Nov. 7. (Jenna Schoenefeld for The Washington Post)

5 ways the Writers Guild, SAG-AFTRA strikes might change Hollywood

Nov 20, 2023 11:45 am

Washington Post (Nov. 15) Professor Michael LeRoy: Given the rising costs, there could be fewer projects. 'It will mean fewer employment opportunities for actors,' but 'when those opportunities come along, they'll pay much better.'

An optical micrograph showing the chiral liquid crystal phase of a polymer that researchers are exploring to produce highly efficient semiconductor materials. Courtesy Ying Diao

Researchers identify unexpected twist while developing new polymer-based semiconductors

Nov 14, 2023 8:15 am

Fresh insight into the development of semiconductor materials that can do things their traditional silicon counterparts cannot – harness the power of chirality, a non-superimposable mirror image

Marcus Domask and Terrence Shannon Jr. smack hands after a scoring play

Illinois dominates the paint in blowout win over Southern

Nov 20, 2023 8:30 am

The Fighting Illini recorded 62 points in the paint, their most since 2019. Their 88 points is the season high, shooting a season-best 57.1% from the field. Luke Goode had his third straight game scoring at least three treys.

New antifungal molecule kills fungi without toxicity in human cells, mice

Nov 16, 2023 10:15 am

A new antifungal molecule, devised by tweaking the structure of prominent antifungal drug Amphotericin B, has the potential to harness the drug’s power against fungal infections while doing away with its toxicity.

Illinois remains a leading destination among public institutions for international students

Nov 15, 2023 4:30 pm

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is once again a top destination for international students, according to data from this year’s Open Doors report. The report, released on November 13 by the Institute of International Education (IIE), ranks the University of Illinois second in the nation among public universities for the most international students.

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