blog posts High impact University of Illinois Extension SNAP-Ed Programs face elimination Jun 26, 2025 2:15 pm The House-passed reconciliation bill and current version of the Senate bill, ends funding nationwide for SNAP-Ed, including all programs administered through University of Illinois Extension. Black women’s beauty, fashion choices intertwined with Black history, politics Jun 26, 2025 1:00 pm Sociology professor Brittney Miles explored the ways in which Black women’s beauty is connected to their social and political experiences. Bill Gropp announces his retirement Jun 25, 2025 11:15 am After eight years as the director of the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Bill Gropp is announcing his retirement. Model tackles key obstacle to efficient plastic recycling Jun 24, 2025 8:00 am Researchers developed a better model for the catalytic depolymerization of plastics, addressing a key obstacle to widespread plastic recycling. AI-engineered cement formulations promise to cut carbon emissions in half Jun 23, 2025 1:00 pm Forbes (June 22) At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, researchers partnered with Meta and concrete supplier Ozinga to develop AI-optimized concrete that cut carbon by 40%. How are veterinarians advancing cancer research in dogs, people? Jun 23, 2025 1:00 pm A professor of veterinary clinical medicine at Illinois is among those developing new treatments for cancer in dogs and studying their translation to human medicine. Awards recognize excellence in public engagement Jun 23, 2025 12:00 pm The 2025 Campus Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement were recently awarded to faculty, staff and students who address critical societal issues. Study: Climate change cuts global crop yields, even when farmers adapt. U.S. Midwest could get 'hammered' Jun 18, 2025 10:45 am The projected losses for U.S. agriculture are especially steep. 'Places in the Midwest that are really well suited for present day corn and soybean production just get hammered under a high warming future.' Machine-learning method helps bring diagnostic testing out of the lab Jun 16, 2025 4:30 pm The new method, dubbed LOCA-PRAM, improves the accessibility of biomarker detection by using machine learning - instead of technical experts - to perform the image analysis. Machine-learning model reliably predicts cognitive performance Jun 16, 2025 8:45 am A machine-learning algorithm developed byIllinois researchers determined that age, blood pressure and BMI were the best predictors of cognitive performance. Researchers capture nanoparticle movements to forge new materials Jun 18, 2025 10:15 am Remarkable materials, such as the rugged yet lightweight skeletons of deep-sea sponges, have inspired engineers to develop highly advanced metamaterials that can adapt to extreme environments. Safeguarding soybeans: Preserving genetic diversity for a resilient future Jun 11, 2025 11:45 am Inside a large walk-in refrigerator on the Illinois campus, thousands of envelopes hold the fate of global food security, not to mention a significant portion of the world’s economy. It's the country’s only public soybean seed bank. Book explores how ‘domestication’ of environmentalism limits who it protects Jun 11, 2025 10:45 am Landscape architecture professor Pollyanna Rhee examines how the modern environmental movement has been used to protect the property and interests of affluent homeowners in her new book. Study links influenza A viral infection to microbiome, brain gene expression changes Jun 18, 2025 10:00 am In a study of neonatal piglets, Illinois researchers linked influenza A viral infection to alterations of the nasal microbiome and potentially detrimental changes in brain gene expression. Fermenting legume pulses boosts their antidiabetic, antioxidant properties Jun 6, 2025 2:45 pm U. of I. researchers identified the optimal fermentation conditions for pulses ― the dried edible seeds of legumes ― that increased their antioxidant and antidiabetic properties and their soluble protein content. How to boost your creativity: Proven ways to unleash the power of your imagination Jun 16, 2025 11:45 am Woman’s World (June 12) Being passionate is key to creativity. 'A study on intrinsic motivation found that poets who believed they were writing for the joy of it - not for external rewards - produced more creative work,' said U of I Professor Jack Goncalo. Study: Erasing medical debt has little impact on financial health, credit access Jun 2, 2025 9:00 am Major credit bureaus will eliminate medical debt from credit reports in hopes of making it easier for debtors to get other loans. U. of I. researchers found no evidence the change would effect consumers’ credit scores or borrowing behavior. Heat-resilient crops are within reach — given enough time and money Jun 12, 2025 1:45 pm In a review in the journal Science, Illinois researchers describe the many field- and laboratory-tested approaches to increasing crop resilience in a warming world. As labor costs rise, AI is learning to farm Jun 12, 2025 10:30 am Chicago Tribune (June 11) The labor demands of fruits and vegetables deter farmers from growing anything but corn and soybeans. U of I ag specialist Elizabeth Wahle says farming is increasingly dependent on foreign labor. Report: ‘Future-proofing’ crops will require urgent, consistent effort May 29, 2025 8:00 am Droughts, floods, other climate-related events are already disrupting ag systems. Projected temperature extremes and climate instability will further reduce crop yields, increasing starvation and mass migration, writes Professor Steven Long. What it’s like to graduate from college while inside an Illinois prison Jun 11, 2025 10:45 am WBEZ-FM (June 8) There is high demand for educational programs in prison but very few opportunities. Only about 600 inmates are enrolled in higher education programs, according to the Education Justice Project at the U. of I. Experts doubt FBI’s claim that crop fungus smuggled by Chinese students is a threat Jun 9, 2025 1:45 pm Fusarium graminearum as a potential agricultural terrorism weapon? 'As a weapon, it would be a pretty ineffective one,' says Jessica Rutkoski, a professor of crop sciences at the U. of I. Interested in Illinois? Visit campus this summer! Jun 6, 2025 4:15 pm The best way to know if a school is for you is simply by being there. Visit and find out for yourself what it's like to be an Illini! ELLNORA Guitar Festival guests, performances announced May 28, 2025 1:15 pm Roseanne Cash, Jeff Tweedy, Samantha Fish, Gary Clark Jr., Daniel Casares, Bertha: Grateful Drag (a drag tribute to the Grateful Dead), Herbie Hancock, Sunny Jain, Ravi Coltrane and Terence Blanchard, Rhiannon Giddens, and MORE University of Illinois braces for visa revocations for Chinese students Jun 6, 2025 1:45 pm Chicago Sun-Times (June 4) 'I’m really scared because if Trump is going after Chinese students, it means it could happen to other students from other countries,' said a student from Indonesia. What did the COVID shutdowns teach us about public health policy? May 28, 2025 1:15 pm An expert in public health policy talks about what the 2020 shutdowns and the public responses to them have taught us about what works — and doesn’t work — in public health policy. Does Ukraine drone attack inside Russia augur new era of asymmetric warfare? Jun 6, 2025 8:00 am Ukraine’s daring drone attack deep within Russia is significant but not war-redefining, and may hinder U.S. efforts to end the war, says Illinois international relations expert Nicholas Grossman. Charles Lee Isbell Jr. named 11th chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Jun 5, 2025 10:15 am Introducing Charles Lee Isbell Jr., the 11th chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Isbell comes to Illinois from UW-Madison, where he was provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs since August 2023. His term as Illinois chancellor starts July 16, pending Board of Trustees approval. Harvesting data discovered in the stars Jun 4, 2025 2:30 pm The Rubin Observatory project aims to conduct a 10-year optical survey of the visible sky. It's an enormous, decades-long undertaking and all that data requires an expert to help sort through it. That's where NCSA comes in. Wonder in the world beyond the classroom: Rob Kanter’s lasting legacy May 30, 2025 11:30 am Kanter excelled at 'taking students into a natural place and just having them experience it,' says Jonathan Tomkin, head of the Environmental Sustainability program. 'That’s where the deepest learning happens—when they’re immersed.' Can a special diet help children focus? Jun 4, 2025 2:15 pm Illinois reserachers found that school children who more closely adhered to the so-called MIND diet (high in fiber and antioxidants, low in fat and full of colorful berries and vegetables) showed better control over their attention. U.S. moms say their mental health is getting worse Jun 3, 2025 4:30 pm Science News (June 3) Depression during pregnancy puts the mother at risk for postpartem, says professor Karen Tabb Dina. 'It’s not like you have a baby and you flip the switch and, oh, everything is done, depression is gone.' Eating craved foods with meals lessens cravings, boosts weight loss May 19, 2025 1:30 pm Eating small amounts of craved foods as desserts with well-balanced meals helped dieters lose weight and manage cravings, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found in a new study. Staging a fight - with theatre professor Zev Steinrock May 30, 2025 11:00 am 'The theater is supposed to hold a mirror up to real life. It’s an important part of humanity, and storytelling should not shy away from the chance to explore violence and mortality and intimacy through theater.' A holistic approach to artifacts May 20, 2025 9:45 am Anthropology alumna returns to campus as the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures collections storage coordinator, overseeing day-to-day activity within the artifact preservation center. Chancellor Jones: Let's fund Illinois higher education the right way May 29, 2025 12:45 pm Crain’s Chicago Business (May 27) Robert Jones discusses the importance of funding education the right way. 'We must be more thoughtful and strategic as legislators consider a new funding model for our state’s public universities.' New AI methodology improves predictability of gully erosion May 22, 2025 8:45 am Gully erosion is the most severe form of soil erosion, and it can seriously impact agricultural fields, contributing to sediment loss and nutrient runoff into waterways. How electric vehicles are targeted by the Republican policy bill May 28, 2025 3:15 pm The New York Times (May 23) “We will not realize the energy efficiency and health benefits as fast as we could and as fast as other countries are realizing them,” says U. of I. professor Eleftheria Kontou. Illinois student awarded Boren funding for overseas language study May 22, 2025 11:15 am Almoatasim Shahbain is a political science major with a minor in philosophy. He plans to become a U.S. diplomat to Southeast Asia to further advance and promote good relations with the region, especially in Indonesia. At 10 year anniversary, Chez Veterans Center honors family and friends May 21, 2025 10:00 am With residential services available for student veterans, plus research opportunities, scholarships, classes and counseling, the Chez Veterans Center is a first-of-its-kind facility supporting veterans’ transition to university life. Teaching about sea ice while standing on it May 28, 2025 12:15 pm It’s April in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. I’m here to help run a sea ice field trip for eighth graders and assist with fieldwork. The Zoom chat lights up: “How thick is the ice?” 1-3 meters. “How do you deal with polar bears?” We have guards posted, scanning the horizon. Scientists make intriguing breakthrough in battery technology using laser pulses May 27, 2025 2:45 pm The Cool Down (May 21) At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, experts are using lasers to turn planet-warming carbon dioxide into cleaner synthetic fuels. Illinois Youth Survey finds troubling substance use trends May 8, 2025 10:15 am U. of I.'s new Illinois Youth Survey finds disturbing trends among teens, such as obtaining alcohol through home delivery services, binge drinking and reports of cyclical vomiting syndrome, which is often associated with prolonged use of cannabis. Dust storms in Illinois: Examining roles of weather and farming practices May 21, 2025 10:15 am Has spring weather become windier, leading to storms that coincide with the period when crop fields are most vulnerable in April and May, before and just after planting? U of I alumna, software engineer codes self-twirling and illuminating gowns May 21, 2025 3:30 pm CNN (May 21) Illinois alumna Christina Ernst has attracted hundreds of thousands of followers for her whimsical fashion projects that incorporate coding and circuitry. Her self-twirling dress and Medusa dress are two favorites. Does REAL ID really make flying safer? May 9, 2025 11:30 am Obtaining a REAL ID has become straightforward in every state, provided you can provide the necessary documentation. Once you have your first REAL ID, obtaining renewals is straightforward and seamless. 2025 Campus Awards for Excellence in Faculty Leadership May 14, 2025 3:45 pm The Campus Award for Excellence in Faculty Leadership recognizes distinguished faculty who enrich the intellectual vitality of campus and the broader community. Because America never forgot: Finding the final resting place of the 'Heaven Can Wait' crew May 20, 2025 10:00 am For our family, as for so many families of MIAs, all that came back from the war were a few personal effects and a letter of condolence from Tommy’s commander. The Memorial Days that followed would be painful for those who remembered him. Study reveals how social networks shape health in later life May 12, 2025 11:15 am Older adults with broader, more diverse social networks may feel less lonely and enjoy better health than those whose social circles are smaller, according to recent research led by social work professor Lissette Piedra. Supreme Court hears arguments on ending birthright citizenship May 20, 2025 9:45 am Illinois labor and employment relations professor Michael LeRoy discusses the Supreme Court arguments about ending birthright citizenship.