blog posts How might President Trump’s proposed education budget affect college access? Apr 13, 2017 9:15 am The proposed federal budget would continue to shift college access, affordability further beyond the reach of low-income, working-class students, says Professor Eboni Zamani-Gallaher Examining Trump's First 100 Days in Office Apr 17, 2017 5:45 pm In this symposium, 31 experts analyze the administration’s achievements—as well as its shortcomings and missteps—across a wide range of areas Are law enforcement agencies abusing civil asset forfeiture? Apr 19, 2017 9:00 am The controversial practice of civil asset forfeiture gets a well-deserved bad rap, says U. of I. law professor and criminal law expert Kenworthey Bilz. Can President Trump pardon himself? Jul 31, 2017 8:30 am No provision of the Constitution prohibits it, but the threat of impeachment should function as a check on the president's clemency powers, said law professor Jason Mazzone How does a grand jury function in Russia probe? Aug 8, 2017 4:15 pm Special counsel Robert Mueller has empaneled a federal grand jury in relation to his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. What does that mean? Are droughts becoming more extreme and severe? Aug 11, 2017 10:00 am "Because future climate projections exhibit 'more extreme extremes,' drought recovery times will be critical for assessing ecosystem resilience." Are you ready for the solar eclipse? Aug 15, 2017 9:45 am Astronomy professor Leslie Looney on what will it look like on – and off – the 'path of totality.' Did news coverage turn Americans against the Vietnam War? Sep 12, 2017 3:30 pm News coverage of the Vietnam War did not have the effect on popular support that many believe, says a University of Illinois researcher. Does President Trump’s tax reform plan add up? Sep 28, 2017 5:15 pm President Trump’s much-hyped tax overhaul plan is tantamount to a 'tax-reform wish list,' said Richard L. Kaplan, an internationally recognized expert on U.S. tax policy Where body meets machine: The promise (and potential peril) of wearable technology Oct 16, 2017 12:30 pm A professor of English, kinesiology and community health studies the spread of laboratory technology into everyday consumer goods What role do judges play in employment harassment cases? Nov 28, 2017 9:00 am Judges can unilaterally dismiss sexual or racial harassment cases through summary judgment, a legal maneuver that ends up favoring employers over employees, says Law professor Suja Thomas Expanding our understanding of justice Mar 20, 2018 11:30 am What is justice? When is it achieved? And how is the study of philosophy affecting how we prepare for earthquakes? Colleen Murphy brings light to some of our most complex issues Could a citizenship question alter the 2020 census results? Apr 4, 2018 4:30 am A citizenship question on the 2020 census could add to existing undercounts, says an Illinois professor who serves on a Census Bureau advisory committee Is autism a disorder, an identity or both? Apr 22, 2018 8:30 am Speech and hearing science professor Laura DeThorne on the need to broaden public perceptions of autism to take into account individuals’ unique experiences, skills and strengths How will upcoming Supreme Court case, teacher strikes affect organized labor? Apr 25, 2018 9:30 am A pending U.S. Supreme Court case could lead to the most significant changes in labor relations since the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, says employment relations exper Robert Bruno How are drones changing warfare, threatening security? Apr 30, 2018 10:30 am Political science professor Nicholas Grossman’s new book looks at the state of drone technology and how it’s changing the nature of warfare and terrorism Will Illinois’ new education law fix the state’s teacher shortage? May 4, 2018 3:30 pm Chris Roegge, executive director of the Council on Teacher Education at Illinois, discusses the impact of new state legislation on Illinois teachers Expert: Legal sports gambling will have a destabilizing effect on economy, sports May 18, 2018 9:00 am The Supreme Court's decision in Murphy v. NCAA will likely usher in an era of unregulated, readily available sports gambling on smartphones, says Emeritus Professor John W. Kindt Roseanne and NFL protesters: What are their speech rights? Jun 4, 2018 10:45 am When an employer credibly cites harm to its business interests or reputation from employee speech, the employee has very little legal recourse if they’re fired because of it On the 50th anniversary of RFK's assassination, how should we remember him? Jun 5, 2018 5:00 am June 5 marks a half-century since Robert Kennedy’s assassination, in the midst of his presidential campaign and a tumultuous 1968 that also claimed civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Do summer jobs provide lifelong benefits for teens? Jun 11, 2018 9:00 am Employers want employees with communication skills and good work ethics. Teens can get practice those in summer jobs, where the consequences are lower than in a professional job later in life What now with gerrymandering? Are algorithms part of the answer? Jun 20, 2018 2:45 pm The Supreme Court 'punted' this week on the issue of partisan gerrymandering, but left the door open to future action. An Illinois professor hopes her research can be part of the solution How might teaching inclusive history affect the educational climate in Illinois' public schools? Jun 26, 2018 10:00 am A bill under consideration in the Illinois Legislature could have a transformative effect on history curricula – and kids – in public schools, according to the U of I's Leslie K. Morrow Should we worry about ticks this summer? Jun 27, 2018 10:45 am Check yourselves and your pets for ticks after spending time in wooded or grassy areas, says Illinois entomologist Brian Allan What is Anthony Kennedy’s legacy as a Supreme Court justice? Jul 2, 2018 8:45 am Justice Anthony Kennedy has been the Supreme Court’s 'pivot point' between its liberal and conservative elements since Sandra Day O’Connor’s retirement in 2006, said Dean Vikram Amar What comes now in the wake of Justice Kennedy’s retirement? Jul 2, 2018 11:15 am What political considerations might influence either the choice of a Supreme Court nominee or the two parties’ strategies in the confirmation fight? What is a neutrino and why do they matter? Jul 18, 2018 9:30 am Illinois physics professor Liang Yang discusses the significance of the recent neutrino detection in Antarctica and what it means for the future of observational astronomy Future Environments with Rohit Bhargava: New tools in cancer microenvironments Jul 31, 2018 1:45 pm Rohit Bhargava, a professor of bioengineering, explains how chemical imaging, machine learning, and 3D printing are changing how we think about and fight cancer Latinos on TV: Where are they? And when should we laugh? Aug 9, 2018 10:30 am Latinos are still a rarity on American television, especially in proportion to their population. That makes the study of Latino characters and how they’re represented even more important, says Illinois professor Isabel Molina-Guzman What should we make of the ‘68 Chicago Democratic Convention 50 years later? Aug 17, 2018 11:00 am The clash in the streets gets many of the historical headlines, but what was significant about the political battles within the convention? How is higher education making college degrees more attainable? Sep 2, 2018 9:30 am Professor Eboni Zamani-Gallaher on the University of Chicago’s decision to no longer require applicants to take the ACT or SAT, reverse transfer degree programs and Facebook’s partnership with community colleges Should the age for required minimum distributions be raised? Sep 7, 2018 1:15 pm Changes to the age for required minimum distributions from retirement accounts could be made after the 2018 mid-term elections, said Richard L. Kaplan How has the #MeToo movement impacted the Kavanaugh nomination? Sep 24, 2018 2:45 pm Without the #MeToo movement, would the allegations leveled against Brett Kavanaugh even come to light? No, says Illinois law professor Lesley Wexler Hurricane victims face long, uncertain road to recovery Sep 27, 2018 3:30 pm Tatyana Deryugina, an Illinois expert on the financial impact of natural disasters says families displaced by Hurricane Florence will face 'months and months' of financial hardship What effect will Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony have on the #MeToo movement? Oct 5, 2018 1:30 pm Ford’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee will likely empower more sexual assault victims to come forward as part of the #MeToo movement, says law professor Lesley Wexler Monster hurricanes: Why have recent storms been so huge? Oct 15, 2018 11:45 am Atmospheric sciences professor Deanna Hence discusses how some hurricanes become so large, the paths they take and how global climate change may affect these factors How worried should we be about the 2020 census? Oct 18, 2018 3:15 pm Demographer, sociology professor Cynthia Buckely says preparations are underfunded and behind schedule, even as the political fight continues regarding adding a citizenship question How does racial discrimination impact users of online dating websites? Oct 26, 2018 3:45 pm In the digital landscape – people write these racist things on their profiles, and you might not experience that upfront if you encountered them in a bar, for example 100 years after influenza pandemic, why should I get a flu shot? Oct 30, 2018 11:15 am 100 years after the world's worst influenza pandemic, an expert on the flu virus and how it adapts discusses the severity of influenza today and how the flu shot works What does Brazil’s recent election mean for its future? Oct 31, 2018 5:15 am Brazil has elected a far-right candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, as its new president. This has many of his opponents concerned about the future of Brazil’s democracy, just three decades old Polling and the election: What to believe? Oct 31, 2018 10:15 am With a much-anticipated midterm just a week away, what should we expect from polls and what assumptions should we question? Can birthright citizenship be taken away? Nov 9, 2018 2:00 pm Professor Michael LeRoy, an expert on immigration and employment law, discusses the implications of President Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship Can we talk about the Illinois climate? Dec 3, 2018 8:00 am Illinois state climatologist Jim Angel, who is retiring in December, discusses his career, climate change and the recently released National Climate Assessment Global carbon emissions at a record high in 2018, What's on the horizon? Dec 5, 2018 12:15 pm Illinois atmospheric sciences professor Atul Jain, a contributor, discusses findings of the new Global Carbon Budget report Illinois presidents: What made them agents of change? Dec 6, 2018 10:00 am As the state celebrates its bicentennial, history professor Marsha Barrett makes the case that all four men who've been president – Lincoln, Grant, Reagan and Obama – changed the nation in some way Brexit clouded by uncertainty, says Gies professor Dec 11, 2018 11:45 am With the scheduled Brexit vote cancelled for Dec. 11, Gies College of Business professor Candace Martinez says, 'Uncertainties are everywhere. This is uncharted waters, to be sure.' What’s it take to get asylum? And what’s driving those seeking it? Dec 13, 2018 1:00 pm An Illinois professor who has aided in asylum cases talks about the criteria, changes in the process and why Central Americans are seeking this protection Should the tech industry end mandatory arbitration for workers? Dec 19, 2018 10:30 am There are few benefits to be gained from tech industry employers ending mandatory arbitration beyond an increased perception of procedural justice, says labor professor Ryan Lamare Five minutes with ... Pasquale Bottalico Dec 19, 2018 4:15 pm The professor of Speech and Hearing Science talks about his study of the effects of ambient noise in restaurants and its relationship to customers' willingness to spend time in them Superfluidity: What is it and why does it matter? Dec 20, 2018 9:30 am Illinois physics professor and 2003 Nobel Prize winner Anthony Leggett talks about the landmark physics discovery of superfluidity on its 80th anniversary