blog posts A long list of campus capital projects slated for this summer May 18, 2015 9:30 am Substantial completion of the nation’s preeminent educational center for wounded veterans highlights the more than 40 capital improvement projects taking place on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus this summer. Facing the fat: Address your pet's extra weight May 18, 2015 11:30 am “The lack of recognition by the owner that there is a problem with the animal’s weight contributes to pet obesity,” says Dr. Gary Brummet Commencement weekend highlights from Engineering at Illinois May 18, 2015 1:30 pm A look at the images and a few of the stories behind this year's class of graduates from Engineering at Illinois. #GirlsWithToys at Illinois May 27, 2015 7:45 am Illinois anthropology professor Kate Clancy started #GirlsWithToys, a hashtag that highlights women in STEM and the research tools that they use every day. Developing intelligence in Bert, Beckman Institute's iCub humanoid robot May 27, 2015 9:15 am Though language learning comes naturally to a child, encoding this complex process into a computer system is difficult; it lacks the physical and emotional connections to sounds and objects that are vital to the process of interpreting, conceptualizing, and understanding language. Studying history to shape the future May 27, 2015 10:45 am In the course of answering questions about the history of education, Professor James Anderson helps shape its future. President Killeen reflects on his first week at the University May 28, 2015 10:00 am President Killeen has completed his tour across the state and to all five University of Illinois campuses. Scientists tackle our addiction to salt and fat by altering foods' pore size, number Jun 1, 2015 2:45 pm Researcher Pawan Takhar has found that meticulously managing pore pressure in foods during frying reduces oil uptake, which results in lower-fat snacks without sacrificing our predilection for fried foods’ texture and taste. Museum of Science & Industry's new exhibit features Illinois professor Jun 2, 2015 3:45 pm Steven LaValle, a professor of computer science, is featured in videos for the exhibit, Robot Revolution. Illinois alumna’s innovative work creates new field of scientific research Jun 10, 2015 9:00 am Dr. Mary-Dell Chilton’s groundbreaking work with genetic engineering in plants started with what seemed to her like a ludicrous theory: that particular species of bacteria could attach to plant genomes and proceed to spread DNA to them. Have you checked on progress at State Farm Center lately? Jun 15, 2015 9:45 am Check the progress as what was once known as the Assembly Hall is transformed into the state-of-the-art State Farm Center. Sixteen U. of I. students and recent alumni offered Fulbright grants Jun 18, 2015 1:30 pm Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The U. of I. has consistently been among the top producers of Fulbright recipients in the U.S. Pride Month 2015: LGBT History on Campus Jun 18, 2015 1:45 pm Pride Month (June) honors the Gay Liberation Movement’s Stonewall Riots (New York, June, 1969). After the riots in Manhattan, Pride groups formed at the U of I to fight for acceptance and change. Illinois hosting 300 high school students for Illini Summer Academies Jun 24, 2015 4:00 pm This week Illinois is hosting about 300 high school students from around the state for Illini Summer Academies. This 4-H program enables prospective students to learn more about Illinois and their desired degree field. IGB director receives honorary doctorate from Hebrew University in Jerusalem Jun 29, 2015 3:15 pm The university’s senate credited Gene Robinson for helping to define the new field of sociogenomics, bridging many disciplines, including animal behavior, neurobiology and genomics. Advertising alumnus part of award-winning team at Cannes Lions Jul 10, 2015 10:00 am Nick Ciffone, 2010 advertising alumnus, was part of the team from TBWA Chiat Day that produced two Cannes Lion award-winning ads. As the copywriter, Ciffone and his partner Dave Estrada, Art Director, came up with the ideas. Who was 'The Most Popular Girl in School?' Jul 10, 2015 2:00 pm In April 1914, the Chicago Sunday Tribune named ten girls “The Most Popular Girls in College.” Clara Cronk was ours. New robotic lawn mower will require little set-up Jul 13, 2015 3:00 pm Researchers at the Coordinated Science Lab at Illinois are working on “an omnidirectional-vision-based system to detect the containment status of a robotic lawn mower.” John Deere is funding the project. Five graduate students earn National Defense Science and Engineering Fellowships Jul 14, 2015 11:30 am NDSEG Fellowships are designed to increase the number of U.S. citizens and nationals trained in science and engineering disciplines of military importance. Athletics has a new website at fightingillini.com Jul 15, 2015 2:00 pm The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has partnered with SIDEARM Sports, a leader in collegiate athletics web solutions, to launch a completely redesigned FIGHTINGILLINI.com on July 1, 2015. Campus celebrates 25th anniversary of the ADA and UI's key role in its creation Jul 16, 2015 10:00 am Twenty-five years ago this month, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act. Twenty-five years before that, the U. of I. was at the forefront of the movement to improve conditions and access for students with disabilities – and had been doing it for nearly two decades. 2015 Illinois Proof-of-Concept Program award recipients announced Jul 17, 2015 2:15 pm Illinois Proof-of-Concept funds development projects that will help demonstrate an innovation's viability to potential investors and partners. Illinois ranked among top 10 public universities in America Jul 21, 2015 11:00 am The Center for World University Rankings uses eight indicators to determine its rankings, including quality of education, alumni employment, and influence. Two Illinois professors honored by Simons Foundation Jul 23, 2015 9:00 am Two Illinois professors are awardees of the Simons Foundation, an organization whose mission is "to support basic – or discovery-driven – scientific research." Paralympian Jean Driscoll on being 'picked on,' then 'picked out' Jul 23, 2015 4:00 pm In the following excerpts from an interview with the University of Illinois Archives in 2010, Illinois alumna Jean Driscoll discusses navigating school, teaching herself to ride a bike and discovering her passion for wheelchair athletics. Illinois helps facilitate plan to reduce nutrient pollution in the Gulf of Mexico Jul 24, 2015 11:15 am The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant has helped facilitate the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, a new plan to keep nutrients from fields, city streets and wastewater treatment plants out of the Gulf of Mexico. Alumni's dorm room game will soon be told in Target stores nationwide Jul 28, 2015 11:15 am Business Insider (July 27) - When Tim Swindle and Dave Mazurek were in college at Illinois, they made up a card game that involved combining stereotypical accents with outrageous phrases. Disability pioneer Tim Nugent nominated for Congressional Gold Medal Jul 29, 2015 2:00 pm On Tuesday, July 28, U.S. Representative Rodney Davis and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk introduced a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Dr. Timothy Nugent. Two Illinois students chosen as Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Fellows Jul 30, 2015 1:15 pm Illinois students Hua Wang and Yang Xu (both from China) have been chosen as 2015 Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Student Research Fellows. Students' smartphone computer is runner-up in smartphone encore challenge Jul 31, 2015 3:30 pm Neo, the smartphone-turned-computer, created by two ECE ILLINOIS students, was the runner-up in the Sprint Smartphone Encore Challenge in May. Illinois freshmen (and their parents) on new year nerves Aug 3, 2015 10:00 am Registering for classes before computers? A 'mad rush' Aug 4, 2015 9:30 am We may think that using U of I’s Banner system is a bit of a hassle, but it’s much simpler than the system students of the past had to use! Illinois Student Startup Accelerator demos head to Chicago Aug 4, 2015 10:30 am Demos by the 13 startups in the Entrepreneurship at Illinois iVenture Accelerator on August 6 at 2 pm in Chicago's Willis Tower Business schools at White House: Increase opportunities for women Aug 4, 2015 12:30 pm At a White House meeting today (August 5) on increasing the ranks of women in business schools, the University of Illinois’ College of Business enthusiastically signed onto an agenda for action. Campus asks students to get mumps vaccine before fall semester begins Aug 5, 2015 11:15 am ...even if they have already received one or two previous vaccinations with the MMR vaccine. Master Naturalists needed to preserve Illinois' environment Aug 15, 2015 2:45 pm Adults who have a passion for the outdoors – and are interested in sharing that with others – are needed statewide as volunteers in the University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalist program. Here are a few Illinois faculty you can learn from in (and out) of the classroom Aug 17, 2015 9:45 am You see them in class or in the lab, but Illinois faculty are also tweeting, podcasting, Instagramming and making YouTube videos. Let these Illinois professors, scientists, writers and musicians make your social media feed another place to learn. Two engineering alumni on MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35 List Aug 18, 2015 2:15 pm Canan Dagdeviren and Melonee Wise have been named to MIT Technology Review's annual list of '35 Innovators Under 35.' Illinois graduate student wins Ford Fellowship Aug 20, 2015 8:30 am Vanessa Rivera-Quinones of Carolina, Puerto Rico, a second-year PhD student in Mathematics, is one of 60 students nationwide to win a Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship. ELLNORA 2015 The Guitar Festival at Krannert Center Aug 20, 2015 11:00 am Three days, seven performance spaces, and 29 performances from “a prodigious array of the world’s most distinctive and influential guitarists.” It all starts September 10. Japan House to host Matsuri Festival to celebrate Japanese culture Aug 20, 2015 1:45 pm Matsuri will serve as a kickoff for the semester, a welcome for international students and a way for the community to learn more about Japanese culture. It will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at Japan House, 2000 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana. We're getting the (marching) band back together! Aug 21, 2015 12:30 pm Since 1907, the Marching Illini has entertained millions of fans with traditional and innovative performances that have made them “The Nation’s Premier College Marching Band.” Welcome New Students! Aug 21, 2015 1:00 pm See a list of all events organized by New Student Programs for freshmen and new transfer students. It’s like Quad Day for Study Abroad! Aug 24, 2015 12:45 pm Discover how studying abroad can enrich your college experience during Illinois Abroad Day, September 1. Campus campaign against sexual violence gets important new resource Aug 25, 2015 11:00 am New site includes quick links for those who want to report an incident, talk to someone, support survivors, and for people who do not necessarily know what to do. Three alumni play key roles in New Horizons' Pluto flyby Aug 26, 2015 12:45 pm "(Pluto) turned out to be far more astounding, beautiful, and complex than we ever could have imagined.” - Aerospace Engineering Alumnae Coralie Jackman A look back at Panhellenic Formal Recruitment over the years Aug 27, 2015 4:15 pm A young lady no longer takes part in "Sorority Rush." The former "rushee" is today's potential new member who takes part in Panhellenic Formal Recruitment Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to visit campus Aug 31, 2015 11:30 am Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is hitting the road for his sixth annual back-to-school bus tour, and announced the eleven stops (including Illinois) he’ll be making in seven states during the week of Sept. 14. Katzenellenbogens receive Endocrine Society's Koch Lifetime Achievement Award Sep 1, 2015 3:45 pm The award honors Benita S. Katzenellenbogen and John A. Katzenellenbogen for their exceptional contributions to the field of endocrinology. Renowned banjo player, alumnus returns to play ELLNORA Sep 6, 2015 3:30 pm Noam Pikelny's second solo album, “Beat the Devil and Carry a Rail,” released in 2012, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.