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  • Fellowship awardees Owen MacDonald (History), Adrian Wong (Institute for Communications Research), and Marisa Natale (History).

    Three grad students receive Fulbright-Hays Fellowships for doctoral research abroad

    These are highly competitive fellowships that support dissertation-level research abroad in 'modern foreign languages and area studies.' Fellowships provide a stipend, cover research and travel expenses, and offer up to 12 months of support.

  • graphic promoting the 10/29/2022 football game at Nebraska features linebacker Ryan Meed

    No. 17 Illini travel to Lincoln to take on Nebraska

    Illinois returns from its second bye week and will travel to take on Nebraska in Lincoln on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT as the Fighting Illini look to extend their five-game winning streak.

  • stock image of a student struggling in a classroom (Getty Images/Kobus Louw)

    US test scores fell during the pandemic - but experts say don't blame school closings

    Salon (Oct. 25) "Even when instruction was being provided...students and staff may have been dealing with issues that meant there was less focus on conventional academics, or that instruction may have been less effective,' says U of I's Paul Bruno.

  • tudent volunteers from the Wildlife Society’s U. of I. student chapter move in close to see a tiny yet spirited bird, the house wren, before it is released.  Photo by Fred Zwicky

    A marvelous morning of migratory bird banding

    Birds throughout the world are in trouble, and habitat loss is one reason for their decline. Understanding their life cycles and habitat requirements during migration is increasingly important – especially as climate change continues to affect the world.

  • English professor Jim Hansen in his office, surrounded by horror movie posters. Photo by Fred Zwicky

    Why do we love horror films?

    Horror films dominate Netflix queues right now. English professor Jim Hansen spoke about why we love horror. He says it’s because horror films let us 'choose the shape of our fears and then to face up to those fears.'

  • Five students dressed in orange and blue pose at Memorial Stadium looking excited and happy

    Apply now! Early action deadline for admission Nov. 1

    Are you ready to apply to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

  • Kate Duong and Megan Heuser pose with Tennis Head Coach Evan Clark

    Fighting Illini close ITA Regionals with doubles championship

    Kate Duong and Megan Heuser concluded Illinois' action at the ITA Midwest Regionals on Monday with a win in the doubles finals. The duo racked up five of Illinois' 15 wins across regional play. 

  • Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Getty

    Scientists found a way to predict your death by how you walk

    Yahoo News (Oct. 21) The test is 'a very good external measure of what’s going on internally,' and could easily be replicated using the accelerometer in a wrist sensor or a smartphone, says Professor Bruce Schatz, a leader of the U of I study.

  • The plague of Florence, 1348; a scene from Boccaccio's Decameron. Etching by L. Sabatelli the elder after G. Boccaccio.

    Illinois journal highlights new findings on the Black Death's timeline, origin

    The bacterial cause of the Black Death existed millennia earlier than previously thought and is now known to have caused the First Plague Pandemic, which devastated the 6th century Roman world, says U of I medieval studies expert Carol Symes.

  • Kate Duong and Megan Heuser pose in front of white screen featuring Illini logos and sayings

    Duong, Heuser earn first Illini ITA Regional Doubles Finals berth since 2011

    Kate Duong and Megan Heuser have won their way into the ITA Midwest Regional doubles finals with four weekend wins from Ann Arbor, Mich.

  • simple orange and blue graphic says, 'I (heart) graduate students'. Graphic by Michael B. Vincent

    Graduate Student Appreciation Week

    Check out the list of events for Grad Student Appreciation Week, October 24 - 28, as the campus celebrates their many contributions to the missions of the University.

  • Tamar Dallal, a senior in engineering physics, creates a flower arrangement for an exhibition at Japan House. Photo by Fred Zwicky

    Vivifying ikebana: Japanese flower arranging

    Tamar learned jiyuka, or freestyle arrangement, which encourages contemporary artistic expression using simple design principles to create miniature arrangements highlighting the theme of kokoro, or heart, mind and spirit.

  • woman suffering with COVID symptoms wearing a mask. iStock illustration.

    What we know and don’t know about long COVID

    The Hill (Oct. 20) 'People don’t talk about just getting COVID anymore,' says Tara Leytham Powell, a professor of social work at Illinois. 'Long COVID is more of a fear.'

  • graphic shows profile image of Chase Brown with text, 'Chase Brown: Chasing History

    Chase Brown: Chasing History

    The nation's leading rusher is Illini Chase Brown. He's the first Illini to rush for 100+ yards in the first seven games of a season, leads the nation in all-purpose yards, yards gained after contact, and rushes of 10+ yards. This website is all about him.

  • study co-authors Greg Howard, a professor of economics, and Russell Weinstein, a professor of labor and employment relations and of economics. Photo by Brian Stauffer

    Regional public universities increase access, social mobility for nearby residents

    'When legislators are thinking about allocating funding for regional public universities, it’s important for them to know just how many benefits they provide to students in the surrounding community,' said economics professor Russell Weinstein.

  • A pink Lyft, Inc., car drives in Los Angeles. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

    Biden administration proposal would make it harder to classify workers as contractual

    WTTW-TV (Oct. 18) 'By classifying workers as independent contractors, employers like Lyft and Uber...are not required to follow any of the same federal laws or state or local laws that other employers do,' says U of I labor expert Alison Dickson.

  • Phil Ansell, director of the new Center for Sustainable Aviation at Illinois

    U of I's new Center for Sustainable Aviation: Not just about reducing carbon emissions

    Conversations about making aviation more sustainable typically land on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuel resources. Those are primary factors, but Center director Phillip Ansell is taking a more holistic approach.

  • Men's golf team, with Coach Small, poses with the invitational trophy

    Illini Men's Golf overcomes elements for Dayton Flyer Invitational title

    Behind a third-consecutive top-five finish from senior Tommy Kuhl, the Illini recorded the low team score in Rounds 2 and 3 to move past WSU and hold off MU for the four-stroke win, the 80th of Coach Mike Small's career.

  • curious chickens watch photographer Michelle Hassel as she takes their picture

    Learning from chickens

    A tour of the U. of I.’s Poultry Research Farm reveals that chickens are daring, pragmatic and curious about humans. The facility trains students in all aspects of chicken care, breeding and management, and supports research at Illinois and beyond.

  • A new model will help biologists calculate the forces involved when one organism stabs another with its puncturing tools. Pictured: A viper skull.  Credit: Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

    Model calculates energetics of piercing fangs and claws

    Because the model can be applied to a variety of organisms, it will help scientists compare many types of biological puncturing tools, and help engineers develop new systems to efficiently pierce materials or resist being pierced. 

  • Chris Brooke, an associate professor of microbiology (left) with lead author and graduate student Tongyu Liu. Photo by Julia Pollack

    Researchers explore gene interactions in influenza to help improve vaccine accuracy

    'Every year we try and pick which of the many different co-circulating flu strains to target with the next year's vaccine ...So it's really important to understand the evolution of the virus so that we can better predict the specific pathways it'll take.'

  • RJ Melendez lines up a jump shot

    Illini Men's Basketball ranked 23rd in AP preseason poll

    Illinois is one of just three Big Ten teams ranked in the preseason poll, along with Indiana (No. 13) and Michigan (No. 22). They'll face a challenging non-conference schedule against No. 8 UCLA, either No. 5 Baylor or No. 18 Virginia, and No. 12 Texas.

  • An illustration of a SpaceX Starship entering Mars' atmosphere and decelerating aerodynamically. (Image credit: SpaceX)

    Landing on Mars: A balance of technical skill and hard-earned luck

    Space.com (Oct. 15) U of I professor Zachary Putnam sees two problems. 'Landing really big things...for more advanced missions and human exploration, and landing lots of smaller, less expensive things at relatively low cost.'

  • Celebrate U of I's global reach

    International Education Week celebrates the broad impact of global learning, cultural exchange, and scholarship uniquely experienced at the U of I. Check out our educational, cultural, and recreational events that celebrate our reach.

  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chemistry professor Martin D. Burke has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.  Photo by Fred Zwicky

    Burke elected to National Academy of Medicine

    'Dr. Burke’s election is well-deserved recognition of his pioneering research methods ...a testament to his unwavering focus on finding solutions that can directly impact people’s lives and the health of our  communities,” Chancellor Jones said.

  • U. of I. field school students at the Pottersville kiln site in 2011.  Credit: Photo by Bridget Lee-Calfas

    Bringing an enslaved potter's story to the Met

    George Calfas unearthed a jug in 2011 that is now part of an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, 'Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina'

  • Water samples taken by a male animal biology graduate researcher and female undergraduate researcher. Photo by Brian Stauffer

    U of I teams to participate in national program to advocate undergrad research

    Four teams of Illinois faculty, staff, and undergraduate researchers were selected to take part in a new program to build national awareness of the benefits of undergraduate research as a high-impact educational practice.

  • Tight end Michael Marchese carries the ball down the Illinois sideline in a file photo

    Homecoming football preview

    Both Illinois and Minnesota come into Saturday's game with just one loss this season, and a win for either team would provide a big boost in the fight for a Big Ten West title.

  • U of I alumna Tomeka Reid with cello

    U of I alumna among 2022 McArthur 'genius' grant winners

    WBBM-TV (Chicago, Oct. 12) Tomeka Reid, who earned her DMA at Illinois, founded the Chicago Jazz String Summit in 2013. It's an annual event celebrating stringed instruments and their 'unique contributions to the improvisational jazz sphere.'

  • recreation, sport and tourism professor Liza Berdychevsky at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

    People who viewed sex as a leisure activity enjoyed more, better sex during the pandemic

    People who strongly viewed sex as a leisure activity before and during the pandemic used their downtime to engage in more frequent, satisfying and creative sexual activity, according to a study by professor Liza Berdychevsky.

  • graphic promoting the B1G tailgate show on October 15

    BTN's Tailgate show airs live from Memorial Stadium on Saturday

    The set will be located in the southeast corner of Lot 31 (across the street from Grange Grove). Illini fans can make signs onsite or bring their own to show live on B1G Tailgate before Illinois hosts Minnesota in its 112th Homecoming game.

  • Illinois volleyball players celebrate a point against Rutgers on their home court

    Nationally televised volleyball: Illini sweep Rutgers

    Using its second-best hitting percentage of the season, Illinois swept Rutgers at home on Wednesday night in a match aired live on ESPNU. The team is now 9-8 overall, 4-3 reading in Big Ten play. 

  • a video camera views U of I Women's Basketball Head Coach Shauna Green at Big Ten Media Days press conference

    Women's Basketball Coach Shauna Green's debut at B1G Media Day

    The name of the game will be defense: It prevent opponents from scoring and allows the Illini to play fast. 'We want to play really, really fast, but...you can't run and play fast if you're playing off of a dead ball and a make, so gotta get stops.'

  • Yihao Liu, a professor of labor and employment relations and of psychology at Illinois. Photo by Brian Stauffer

    Paper: Established employees need adjustment period with new colleagues

    Adding new employees to an established work team can have a multitude of consequences for long-standing employees, according to new research co-written by IYihao Liu, a U of I professor of both labor relations and psychology.

  • Susannah Scaroni propels her racing chair at the Chicago Marathon

    3 Marathons. 3 Weeks. 3 Top-3 Finishes.

    New York Times (Oct. 10) Susannah Scaroni, an Illini and Paralympic gold medalist, broke three vertebrae when she was hit by a car in a training session a year ago. On Sunday, she won the Chicago Marathon, her third marathon in three weeks.

  • Brad Underwood at the podium at the Big Ten Conference media day on October 11, 2022

    See men's basketball coach Underwood's B1G Media Day comments

    U of I head coach Brad Underwood comments on the aproaching season, the young players who'll try to fill big shoes at the guard positions, and more.

  • Team uses digital cameras, machine learning to predict neurological disease

    Illinois researchers led the development of a new approach for identifying people with multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease.

  • Illinois scientist Ann-Perry Witmer leads research and an upcoming discussion that takes a fresh approach to climate change adaptation.

    What is place-based adaptation to climate change?

    Place-based knowledge fits a solution to a need, rather than the other way around. 'The impacts of climate change for farmers in Illinois, for example, are dramatically different than the impacts seen by the Navajo Nation in Arizona...'

  • The US President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address has been stored on modified DNA from E. coli bacteria (Credit: Alamy)

    How to store data for 1,000 years

    BBC News (Oct. 7) Researchers might have hit on the perfect medium for long-term data storage, but DNA is incredibly fragile. Humidity, acids damage DNA. 'But if it’s kept cold and dry, it’s good for hundreds of years,' says professor Olgica Milenkovic.

  • psychology professor Karen D. Rudolph and graduate student Haley Skymba.  Photo by Fred Zwicky

    Peer adversity may cause girls to feel their self-worth is constantly at risk

    A history of peer adversity sensitizes teen girls to situational threats to their self-esteem and interpersonal needs, cultivating feelings that their self-worth is constantly in jeopardy, a new study found.

  • defensive linemen for the Illini react after a tackle for loss in the Oct. 8 victory over Iowa

    Illinois Football ranked in the AP Top 25

    The Illinois football team comes in at #24 in this week's poll. Illinois (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) is tied for first in the Big Ten West standings thanks to the top scoring defense in the nation and the nation's leading rusher, Chase Brown. 

  • U. of I. student Sruthi Navneetha, part of SPOTLITE’s student research team, compiles data and scans news articles for police uses of lethal force. Photo by Fred Zwicky

    New database catalogs police shootings in Illinois to improve accountability

    An interdisciplinary team of U of I experts has developed a statewide registry on the use of lethal force by police officers in Illinois. It identified more than twice as many police-involved shooting incidents than previously reported.

  • black and white image of Jimmy, shirtless, in Saigon. Courtesy of Peter McDowell

    Alum's film about his brother's life, death in Vietnam screening on campus

    When Peter McDowell was growing up in Champaign, the life of his older brother, a Vietnam War veteran, and his untimely death in 1972 at age 24 were a mystery. See the award winning film, 'Jimmy in Saigon', and discuss it with McDowell. 

  • Senior offensive lineman Alex Palczewski grimaces while awaiting the next play

    Illinois takes on Iowa in Big Ten West showdown

    Saturday marks the Illini's first Big Ten home game of the season, and they will look to snap an eight-game losing skid against the Hawkeyes dating back to 2008. Here are three storylines to watch.

  • Five Star Veterinary team members Liz Alatorre, Shelby Cody and Hillary Sims take extra precautions when moving a combative cat named Leo to the examination table. Photo by David Blanchette

    Not enough vets for pets

    Illinois Times (Oct. 6)  The U of I College of Vet Med wants to increase its admissions to meet a growing demand. 'I have students just starting the third of their four years who are getting job offers from practices that are willing to give signing bonuses.'

  • advertising professor Michelle Nelson

    What do we know about political advertising?

    Advertising professor Michelle Nelson has found that most adults – even those politically engaged – don't fully understand online targeting, sources and funding for political ads, or how political speech is treated differently from commercial speech.

  • Voyager Scholarship winners Ella Dennis and Linh Nguyen

    Illinois students selected for inaugural Voyager Scholarships

    The inaugural Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service, also known as Voyager Scholarships, provide up to $50,000 to use toward education-related expenses, and a $10,000 stipend toward an immersive work-travel experience.

  • The U of I research team responsible for spearheading the new Speech Accessibility Project.

    Tech giants partner with U of I to launch Speech Accessibility Project

    Forbes (Oct. 4) Tech heavyweights Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft join Illinois in a 'one-of-a-kind collaboration rooted in the belief that inclusive speech recognition should be a universal experience.'

  • Chancellor Jones sits in the Presidents Lounge in the Illini Union. Photo by Fred Zwicky/Public Affairs

    Why Chancellor Jones is absolutely bullish on Illinois’ future

    Here's why Chancellor Robert Jones says, 'I’m more than just optimistic. I’m downright giddy and excited about the future. And you can quote me on that!'

  • graphic promoting game vs Iowa on October 8, emphasizes 'orange out' request for fans to wear orange

    Illini Football returns home to take on Iowa

    The Illini enter the contest on a three-game winning streak, most recently beating Wisconsin in Madison. The Illinois defense remains one of the best in the country, and it held Wisconsin to just two rushing yards in Saturday's 34-10 win.