blog posts Fighting Illini play for WBIT Championship against Villanova on Wednesday Apr 2, 2024 8:15 am In the WBIT semifinals, Illinois took on a Washington State team that had earned a No. 1 seed. The Illini led for the final 38 minutes in its 81-58 win on Monday evening, sending them to the championship game later this week. Gymnast Brandon Dang earns Big Ten Freshman of the Year award Apr 3, 2024 10:30 am 'Brandon is the first single event specialist in my memory to win the Big Ten Freshman of the year - an award that is typically reserved for the highest-ranking all-around freshman. This just makes his accomplishments even more impressive.' WBIT Inaugural Champions! Apr 4, 2024 8:15 am Behind a big second-half surge, Illinois clinched the inaugural WBIT title in a 71-57 victory over Villanova at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday night. The victory marked the program's first-ever postseason title. Five Illinois students honored with Goldwater scholarships Apr 8, 2024 12:00 pm U of I students Sylvia E, Daniel Feng, Alice Gao, Amelia Korveziroska and Riley Trendler were awarded Goldwater scholarships for their potential to contribute to the advancement of research in the natural sciences, mathematics or engineering. Illini Success report spotlights postgraduation outcomes, rising starting salaries for recent grads Apr 10, 2024 8:45 am We know U of I provides a world-class educational experience. This data 'demonstrates that the decision to come here is also a great investment in your life and career after you graduate,' says Chancellor Robert Jones. The surprising science of how pregnancy begins Apr 12, 2023 2:00 pm NPR (April 12) The more scientists learn, the more they realize that the start of pregnancy isn’t a moment but a process that often ends before it really begins. U of I professor David Miller and other experts weigh in on how a pregnancy begins. Faculty, advisers honored with Excellence in Instruction awards Apr 12, 2023 9:45 am Awardees are recognized for sustained excellence and innovation in undergraduate and graduate teaching, undergraduate and graduate advising and mentoring, online teaching and research guidance. Curiosities found in the U of I Map Library Apr 13, 2023 2:15 pm From illustrating fictional lands to helping you find your way home, these colorful way finders tell us as much about where we are as who we are. Illini Football wraps up spring ball with Orange and Blue Spring Game at Memorial Stadium Apr 22, 2024 8:30 am Illinois will open its 2024 fall schedule at Memorial Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 29, when the Illini host Eastern Illinois. Flying taxi cabs in the near future? Researcher Naira Hovakimyan says, 'Heads up' Apr 27, 2022 9:45 am For years, Hovakimyan's L1 adaptive flight control system has provided maneuverability and safety in airplanes, vastly outperforming human pilots in challenging conditions. This technology is key to making trustworthy small autonomous aircraft. Illini Men’s Golf selected for NCAA Stanford Regional May 2, 2024 9:15 am The Orange and Blue have now qualified for each of the last 16 NCAA regionals, and will make their 19th appearance overall. Coach Mike Small has led the Illini to five NCAA Regional titles. Chemistry professor Nancy Makri elected to National Academy of Sciences May 8, 2023 4:15 pm Election to the National Academy of Sciences is one of the highest professional honors a scientist can receive. It recognizes distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Westcott named Big Ten Player of the Week May 9, 2023 11:00 am Drake Westcott put on an incredible power display at the plate during the Illini's sweep of Michigan State, going 8-for-15 (.533) with eight runs, five home runs and 10 RBI. Illini set for final home series vs. Iowa May 9, 2024 9:15 am Illinois baseball concludes its seven-game homestand with its final home games of the season against Big Ten foe Iowa. The Illini enter the series in sole possession of first place in the Big Ten at 13-5. Can ChatGPT write malware? Answers from a U of I researcher - and from ChatGPT itself May 10, 2023 10:30 am Cybercriminals are already using ChatGPT to create malware and facilitate fraud. While that is concerning, it does beg the question, just how easy would it be for anyone to create malware with ChatGPT? Watch: Tech giants discuss 75 years of the transistor May 10, 2023 4:00 pm 75 years ago, Grainger Engineer John Bardeen invented the transistor, spring boarding the exponential growth in technology that we see today. Leaders from IBM, Intel and NVIDIA talk about what’s next. Preserving the sound of the Altgeld Chimes May 12, 2023 10:45 am With the imminent closure of the bell tower at Altgeld Hall for major renovation work, chimes players are hoping a recording of their music will carry on the Illini tradition of the chimes until the building restoration is finished. (Includes video!) Illini walk-off Nebraska on Senior Day in wild finish May 16, 2022 9:30 am The Illini came back from a four-run deficit to take the final game of the series against Nebraska, 5-4. Justin Janas singled home Branden Comia in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Illinois the series win. U of I hosts PBS NewsHour, experts weigh in on feeding a heating planet May 19, 2023 10:15 am Livestreamed from the Quad: Emmy-award-winning science journalist Miles O’Brien will interview industry leaders alongside experts from the U of I’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Researchers: Green infrastructure plans need to consider historical racial inequalities May 21, 2024 9:45 am 'For the environmental and ecological questions, we have a pretty good handle on what we need to do. The questions that are the hardest... are how to work well with communities, particularly marginalized communities.' Illinois ranked No. 4 in agricultural and biological engineering May 23, 2023 10:15 am The graduate program is ranked No. 4 nationwide by U.S. News & World Report, moving up three spots. Considering a nation without Roe v. Wade May 24, 2022 9:30 am How other nations deal with abortion reveals what the U.S. might face in the near future, and U of I sociologist Cynthia Buckley says the U.S. is not prepared to deal with a likely increase of unwanted and unplanned births. Catch the latest blockbusters under the stars at Summer Outdoor Movies on the Quad May 24, 2024 3:15 pm Catch the latest blockbusters under the stars at Summer Outdoor Movies on the Quad. Every Thursday evening at 9 p.m. from May 23 - Aug. 8, enjoy free movies on the Quad's big screen. U of I earns fifth consecutive STARS Gold rating for sustainability May 27, 2022 3:15 pm New solar and geothermal energy projects, reduced water use, and wide-ranging sustainability research helped Illinois earn its fifth consecutive Gold certification from the nation’s most comprehensive sustainability rating system. Generating the disruptive ideas needed to achieve sustainable flight by 2050 Jun 1, 2022 1:00 pm A U of I study considers the aircraft configuration needed to support a liquid hydrogen/fuel cell electric propulsion system in a single-aisle, transport-class aircraft having the consistent performance capability of a Boeing 737-800. DeSantis: 'There's not been a single book banned in the state of Florida' Jun 1, 2023 10:45 am PolitiFact (May 31) 'It is censorship, because it's about control of access to knowledge. The whole point is to make sure that some people do not have unfettered access to that information,' says U of I professor Emily Knox. Matthew Mayer joins Illini Basketball Jun 2, 2022 9:00 am Mayer was sixth man on Baylor's 2021 NCAA Championship team and helped them to back-to-back Big 12 titles. 'We are thrilled to add one of the most versatile players in college basketball to the Illini family in Matthew Mayer,' Coach Underwood said. Mental health training provides strategies for students, faculty and staff Jun 7, 2022 10:45 am Inside Higher Ed (June 7) - A new case study shows that mental health training is making an impact at Illinois. Mechanical engineers lend fresh insight into battery-based desalination technology Jun 7, 2023 4:15 pm Using fluid movement rather than new materials, mechanical engineers were able to increase the extent of seawater desalination five times over their non-channeled counterparts to reach salinity levels below the freshwater threshold. Awards recognize excellence in public engagement Jun 8, 2022 10:15 am Outstanding individual and group outreach efforts were recognized for their knowledge and expertise to issues for the public good. What the chaos at Twitter means for the future of social movements Jun 12, 2023 10:30 am CNN (June 11) Twitter has provided direct access to lawmakers, but 'there are now issues in how people see Twitter as a source of information and a source of political community,' says U of I media professor Rachel Kuo. University of Illinois offers mental health first aid training for all Jun 12, 2024 1:30 pm WCCU-TV (June 11) U of I Extension is providing five-step mental health first aid training courses. The course is to teach people to recognize a mental health struggle or crisis and save a life if the situation arises. The have and have-nots of higher ed: Enrollments increasingly unequal Jun 15, 2023 10:45 am Chronicle of Higher Education (June 14) – In Illinois, enrollment is up 14.5% at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, down 8.2% at the University of Illinois Springfield, and down 10.1% at Western Illinois University. Illinois announces Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Jun 17, 2024 10:30 am Eight more Illini stars have been elected to the Athletics Hall of Fame. This is the eighth Hall of Fame class and includes one coach and representatives from basketball, football, volleyball, soccer, and fencing. Witherspoon, Howell named Dike Eddleman Athletes of the Year Jun 21, 2023 10:30 am U of I football consensus All-American Devon Witherspoon and track national champion Olivia Howell are winners of the 2022-23 Dike Eddleman Award, presented annually to the top Fighting Illini male and female athlete. Cave excavation pushes back the clock on human migration to Laos Jun 21, 2023 11:30 am Fifteen years of archaeological work in the Tam Pa Ling cave in northeastern Laos has yielded a reliable chronology of early human occupation of the site, revealing that humans lived in the area for at least 70,000 years – and likely even longer. Extinct or elusive? Why birders aren’t giving up on the ivorybill woodpecker Jul 6, 2023 1:45 pm Christian Science Monitor (July 3) Experts say the ivory-billed woodpecker is probably extinct. U of I's Jeff Hoover isn't so sure. 'I’ve learned that the natural world can trick and fool you when you say that something can never happen. I’m still hopeful.' University, area businesses invest $300,000 to fight local crime Jul 11, 2022 11:30 am 'Businesses and organizations have a responsibility...to lift up and advance the communities in which they live and work,' Chancellor Robert Jones said. 'We are coming together to do our part by supporting with words, actions and financial support.' Wenninger, Gowens selected on day two of MLB draft Jul 11, 2023 10:15 am The University of Illinois had two players taken in during day two of the 2023 MLB Draft, both right-handed pitchers. Jack Wenninger is heading to the New York Mets, and Riley Gowens will join the Atlanta Braves organization. Should the TSA end the 3-ounce liquid restriction? Jul 11, 2023 10:30 am The Chicago Tribune (July 5) Sheldon Jacobson, a U. of I. professor of computer science, writes that the 3 ounce rule has endured for 17 years. Since that time, airport security has moved forward strategically and technologically. New book explores the psychology of being duped Jul 11, 2023 8:45 am Nobody’s Fool: Why We Get Taken In and What We Can Do About It gives readers an overview of dozens of types of scams, hoaxes and strategies used by cheaters to deceive, and explains how to evaluate their ploys and avoid becoming a victim. Future of underwater geolocalization: Polarization patterns enable new technology Jul 11, 2023 9:30 am The search and rescue operation for the missing Titan submersible pointed to a significant problem: pinpointing a location underwater, where GPS doesn't work. U of I researchers have created a new promising new solution. Study: Individualized eating program helps dieters lose weight, keep it off Jul 14, 2022 11:15 am An individualized diet program developed by nutritionists at Illinois uses a visual tool that plots protein, fiber intake to help dieters choose foods that limit their calories while consuming recommended amounts of protein and fiber. Thinking about solutions to unwanted noise Jul 22, 2022 1:30 pm Cosmos (Sydney, July 22) Ryan Corey, an engineer at the U. of I., has come up with a unique solution to the challenge of hearing conversations in crowded, noisy venues: turning “smart” hearing aid-style devices into noise-canceling systems. How can cities use green spaces to mitigate the effects of extreme heat on vulnerable residents? Jul 25, 2023 9:00 am Quality and health of urban green space is impacted by environmental factors such as air temperature and the height of surrounding buildings, making it more challenging, costly to maintain a healthy urban green space, says researcher Fang Fang. Older people represent nearly half of all farmers, ranchers who die by suicide Jul 26, 2022 1:15 pm The Daily Yonder (July 26) 'We focus a lot on younger generations,' says Professor Josie Rudolphi, the author of a study on farmer and rancher suicide risks. 'I think we’ve maybe done a disservice to some of our older generations.' Insect protein slows weight gain, boosts health status in obese mice Jul 26, 2023 11:45 am The mice didn't lose weight, 'they just slowed their gain with the mealworms,' says researcher Kelly Swanson. But, 'their LDL, so-called "bad cholesterol," went down and the HDL, "good cholesterol," went up.' Unique Mexican black and pinto bean varieties high in healthy compounds Jul 28, 2023 9:45 am 'These phenolic compounds have the capability of keeping oxidation and inflammation under control, which could help decrease the risk of chronic health issues such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes,' says Professor Elvira de Mejia. Nadya Mason named director of the Beckman Institute Aug 1, 2022 11:45 am 'The (Beckman) institute is such a storied part of our research enterprise, and I am delighted that Beckman’s bright future will be in Nadya’s capable and visionary hands,' said Susan Martinis, vice chancellor for research and innovation at Illinois. Green stormwater infrastructure: A solution for mosquito-borne disease? Aug 9, 2023 1:30 pm The microbial growth from blackberry leaves in aquatic habitats is detrimental to mosquito larval survival. 'It looked to be an organic form of mosquito control,' said professor Brian Allan. They appear to be just as effective as larvicides.