blog posts Men's Basketball: Two Illini earn All-Big Ten honors Mar 8, 2023 12:45 pm Senior Terrence Shannon Jr. is a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches, while garnering second-team accolades by the media. Graduate student Matthew Mayeris a third-team All-Big Ten pick by both the coaches and media. 'People will like it': 4-day work week paying off for Chicago company Mar 7, 2023 11:15 am WBBM-TV (March 6) An overwhelming majority of employers who've tried it prefer the four-day workweek. Why keep five days? 'I think some habit, some history. We’re stuck in this industrial mode,' says U of I labor expert Robert Bruno. 2023 Commencement Speaker : Jackie Joyner-Kersee Mar 7, 2023 9:30 am Six-time Olympic medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee will serve as U of I's commencement speaker Saturday, May 13. ESPN named her one of the 50 Great Athletes of All Time. Sports Illustrated named her Female Athlete of the 20th Century. Coleman Hawkins: Family Man Mar 6, 2023 11:45 am For Coleman Hawkins, Fighting Illini power forward, family is at the heart of everything. To really know him, you have to know his family. Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative to help students with autism, dyslexia, ADHD Mar 6, 2023 11:00 am Awareness is growing of the array of talents and skills that neurodivergent individuals can bring to the workplace. INI aims to see that students are successfully employed within six months of graduation, said program creator Jeanne Kramer. Midwest farmers tripled use of cover crops, but it’s still a small fraction of acres Mar 6, 2023 10:45 am St. Louis Public Radio (March 6) 'It is certainly not at a level that would be necessary for some of the challenges, like the water quality challenges like soil erosion,' says U of I's Jonathan Coppess. 'It’s going to take a lot more acres to get there.' Big Ten Tournament bracket set for men's basketball Mar 6, 2023 8:15 am Illinois (20-11, 11-9) is the No. 7 seed and opens play Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT on BTN, facing No. 10 seed Penn State (19-12, 10-10). Welcome to our newly admitted Class of 2027! Mar 3, 2023 11:15 am Backed by a rich legacy of innovation and impact, it's time to unleash your power at Illinois. Start by accepting your offer. Illini beat Michigan in double overtime thriller Mar 3, 2023 10:45 am As the Fighting Illini honored the contributions of Terrence Shannon Jr. and Matthew Mayer on Senior Night, the duo did what they have done all season in leading the Illini to a 91-87 double-overtime victory over Michigan. Illinois to co-lead new Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub in Chicago Mar 2, 2023 11:30 am CZ Biohub will work to embed sensors into tissues to understand how healthy and diseased tissues function in unprecedented detail. 'This might feel like science fiction today, but we think it’s realistic to achieve huge progress in the next 10 years.' U of I is getting into the business of angel investing Mar 2, 2023 11:15 am Crain’s Chicago Business (Feb. 28) The Urbana campus is launching Illini Angels, a program that will allow U. of I. alums to invest in startups coming out of the university as well as companies started by students after they leave. Is Russia-Ukraine war heading toward stalemate? Mar 2, 2023 10:15 am One year into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the most likely outcome is a stalemate, despite the mounting cost in blood and treasure, says political science professor Edward A. Kolodziej, an expert in global politics. Senior Night for Illini Men's Basketball Thursday vs. Michigan Mar 2, 2023 9:00 am Illinois will recognize five members of its program at State Farm Center on Thursday night – three managers and two players (Matthew Mayer and Terrence Shannon Jr.) – in a pre-game ceremony that begins at 5:39 p.m. Protecting genomic privacy through phone apps Mar 1, 2023 11:15 am Police are increasingly using genomic databases in their investigations. U of I faculty offer possible technological solutions, such as phone applications, that will ensure Fourth Amendment protections of consumer’s genomic data. Book tackles myths about science of menstruation Mar 1, 2023 11:15 am A new book from a U of I anthropology professor takes an unflinching look at the many ways humans have struggled – and often failed – to understand one of the greatest mysteries of human biology: menstruation. Study compares third-trimester sound exposures in fetuses, premature infants Mar 1, 2023 11:15 am The analysis reveals profound differences in their exposures to noise, language and the biological sounds of the mother, with implications for the infants’ development, says study leader Brian Monson, a professor of Speech and Hearing Science. We have a mink problem: Birds aren’t humanity’s only bird-flu worry Mar 1, 2023 11:00 am The Atlantic (Feb. 28) –A bird-flu outbreak at a mink farm killed thousands of the animals. The good news, says U of I professor James Lowe, is that, 'we’re just not very susceptible' to bird flu, even when other mammals are infected. Illini Men's Golf rallies for big win at Southern Highlands tournament Mar 1, 2023 10:45 am The No. 7-ranked Illini men's golf team rallied from 10 shots down during Tuesday's final round to secure an incredible, come-from-behind win against one of collegiate golf's premier fields at the Southern Highlands Collegiate. Genetically modified trees arrive in U.S. forests, able to absorb more carbon dioxide Feb 28, 2023 11:15 am Marketplace (Feb. 28) A biotech company borrowed a genetic hack from U. of I. scientists who made tobacco plants more efficient at photosynthesis by introducing a couple of genes from other plants. With four career-highs, beam program shatters records against Michigan State Feb 28, 2023 9:00 am No. 24 Illinois women's gymnastics broke its program best beam score. Amelia Knight, Mallory Mizuki, Abby Mueller and Ruthuja Nataraj shattered their career-highs in a 197.450-196.425 loss to No. 13 Michigan State Monday night. What's the remedy for medical misinformation? Feb 28, 2023 8:45 am U of I sociology professor Kevin Leicht is co-leading the development of a software app that will alert clinicians to medical misinformation circulating on social media so they can address it with patients if they choose. Should the workweek be shortened to four days? Feb 27, 2023 1:15 pm There’s nothing sacrosanct about the five-day workweek, which is long overdue for an overhaul, says Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at Illinois. U.N. resolution, smart city concept, Ohio train derailment twisted into baseless plot Feb 27, 2023 11:45 am PolitiFact (Feb. 24) 'The claim that the U.N., which has no power anyway, wants to force victims of environmental disasters to live in panopticon societies is absurd on its face,' says U of I professor Robert Olshansky. Insect Fear Film Festival celebrates 40 years of entertaining, educating about insects Feb 27, 2023 11:00 am The 2023 Insect Fear Film Festival celebrates 40 years of entertaining and educating people about insects and their close relatives. This year’s festival (March 4) features living fossil organisms. Study examines COVID-19 pandemic's effect on Black, Latina women's mental health Feb 27, 2023 10:45 am Black and Latina women reported high rates of depression and anxiety symptoms early in the COVID-19 pandemic. But U of I researchers found that prayer as a coping mechanism had differing effects. Attend a summer program, experience Illinois firsthand Feb 27, 2023 10:00 am To get a jump-start on college and all it entails, sign up for an Illinois summer program. Whether you’re looking to earn class credit or explore possible majors, we have something for you! Four starters finish in double figures in 75-53 road win over Rutgers Feb 27, 2023 9:00 am No. 25 Illinois Women's Basketball set the tone early and dominated from start to finish en route to a 75-53 road win over Rutgers in the team's final game of the regular season. Okra, celery and ham: Students cook up historic African American legacy Feb 24, 2023 10:15 am WBEZ-FM (Feb. 22) 'African American cooking, which has its origins under slavery, and therefore turning food that wasn’t valued into delicacies, is a tradition that can contribute to world culture,' says U of I professor Abdul McWorter Alkalimat. Theory sorts order from chaos in complex quantum systems Feb 24, 2023 9:45 am The theory gives a simple prediction for the threshold at which large quantum systems switch from orderly motion like a clock to random, erratic motion like asteroids moving around in the early solar system. Illini rally for win over Northwestern Feb 24, 2023 8:30 am Illinois overcame a 16-point deficit in the final 11 minutes to defeat Northwestern, 66-62, on Thursday night. The Illini trailed by as many as 18 in the contest, but outscored the Wildcats 47-25 in the second half. Deer protected from deadly disease by newly discovered genetic differences Feb 23, 2023 11:15 am 'This is the first time this gene has been sequenced completely in white-tailed deer. ...without the sequences, there's no starting point to do any kind of research,' says Animal Sciences Professor Alfred Roca. CI MED students' anti-fatigue vest helps surgeons operate at their best Feb 23, 2023 10:45 am Studies indicate that between 50 and 85% of surgeons regularly experience discomfort in the back, neck, and shoulders. The students' solution combines both monitoring functions and supportive features in one product. Illini face Northwestern tonight at State Farm Center Feb 23, 2023 9:00 am Fighting Illini Men's Basketball plays its penultimate game at State Farm Center on Thursday night, facing No. 21 Northwestern. Illinois is 13-2 at home this season and carries a four-game winning streak at State Farm Center. Videos, book highlight history of skin in the early modern world Feb 23, 2023 8:45 am History professor Craig Koslofsky said skin color has not always been seen in the same way or played the same role in society. His work soesn't focus solely on skin color, but also on tattooing, scarification, cosmetics and the microanatomy of skin. Alumnus Tyrone Phillips returns to campus as director of Theatre's 'The Royale' Feb 23, 2023 8:00 am For Tyrone Phillips, telling this story about a great boxer, based on Jack Johnson in 1905, is as much about shedding light on one of America's greatest athletes as it is an act of antiracism today. U of I team helps DOD develop better analysis, design procedures for rail, roads Feb 22, 2023 11:30 am Civil and Environmental Engineering researchers will help the Department of Defense develop better systems to evaluate the structural health of rail lines and modernize pavement design and evaluation procedures. U.S. deaths involving meth are skyrocketing, fentanyl a big factor Feb 22, 2023 11:15 am HealthDay News (Feb. 21) 'The staggering increase in methamphetamine-related deaths in the United States is largely now driven by the co-involvement of street opioids,' says U of I epidemiology professor Rachel Hoopsick. Nebraska visits tonight for Women's Basketball Senior Night Feb 22, 2023 10:00 am The Fighting Illini hope to add another victory to their 20 win season (10-6 B1G) when they face Nebraska (7 pm). Illinois has secured the biggest one-year conference win improvement in program history, the second-best in Big Ten history. Balanced scoring attack leads Illini in 78-69 win over Minnesota Feb 21, 2023 8:15 am Illinois used a balanced scoring effort from its starting five to return to the win column, beating Minnesota, 78-69, on Monday night. All five Illini starters finished in double figures, giving Illinois a season sweep over the Golden Gophers. New Philadelphia becomes National Park as African American history under attack Feb 20, 2023 9:45 am The Telegraph (Feb. 18) 'I’m not surprised, annoyed or upset about what DeSantis is trying to do. This is a wake-up call for the American people,' says Gerald McWorter, a U of I professor emeritus and author of 'The History of Black Studies.' Study finds 'staggering increase' in methamphetamine deaths tied to opioid co-use Feb 20, 2023 9:30 am A new study led by U of I professor Rachel Hoopsick finds a fiftyfold increase in methamphetamine deaths since 1999 may be the deadly result of the contamination or co-use of meth with opioids like heroin and fentanyl. Illini run past Penn State for 20th win Feb 20, 2023 9:00 am Illinois Womens Basketball cruised to victory on Sunday afternoon, using 20-point outings from Kendall Bostic and Genesis Bryant to take down Penn State, 85-62, in front of a big State Farm Center crowd. Illini Men's Basketball at Indiana Saturday Feb 17, 2023 2:45 pm Illinois begins a stretch of four games in nine days Saturday at Indiana (11 a.m. CT, ESPN). Illinois has won two straight in Bloomington, but hasn't won three in a row at Indiana since the 1988-1990 seasons. Campus announces new University Librarian designate Feb 17, 2023 11:15 am Claire Stewart has been selected as the next Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Dean of Libraries and University Librarian Designate beginning May 16, pending approval by the Board of Trustees. New climate change model finds nuanced relationship between temperature, conflict Feb 17, 2023 8:45 am A new framework for studying the intersection of climate anomalies and social conflicts finds a strong link between temperature fluctuations and aggregated global conflicts, says Gies College of Business professor Ujjal Kumar Mukherjee. Illini Hall demolition uncovers a time capsule Feb 16, 2023 10:45 am WCIA-TV (Feb. 15) U of I officials didn't know there was a time capsule in a cornerstone of Illini Hall, but they'll be excited to see what it contains when it's opened this fall as part of the campus YMCA's 150th anniversary celebration. Researchers illuminate gaps in public transportation access, equity Feb 16, 2023 10:30 am Reserachers found that public transit systems offering broad coverage of stops and routes may still underserve the communities that rely on them the most. The study uses the Champaign-Urbana MTD as a case study. Illinois Men's Tennis takes down No. 13 Georgia Feb 16, 2023 8:00 am The Illinois men's tennis team defeated No. 13 Georgia on Wednesday night at the XS Tennis Village in Chicago, Ill. 'The theme of the day was focus,' head coach Brad Dancer said. 'It was a great way to start off Chicago.' A new, more effective way to assess teachers’ competency Feb 15, 2023 2:45 pm Nancy Latham, director of the Council on Teacher Education at Illinois, coauthored a book that makes the credentialing system for teachers simpler and more trustworthy for those hiring them. As a bonus, it can be used in other industries, too. Students' app helps parents visualize their child's heart disorder Feb 15, 2023 2:30 pm An app developed by students at Carle Illinois College of Medicine leverages 3D images to help parents visualize their child’s congenital heart condition, so they’re better equipped to make important treatment decisions.