blog posts Rescuing ancient Maya history from the plow Jun 22, 2022 3:45 pm Anthropology professor Lisa Lucero and her colleagues are working to capture the history from Maya ruins before they are plowed under. Returning to Illinois theatre to direct, mentor students Apr 25, 2023 4:15 pm Tyrone Phillips, an Illinois theatre program alumnus and the artistic director of Chicago’s Definition Theatre, returned to direct students in a play this spring. Rocks, moss and muddy tree roots Apr 15, 2018 12:30 pm Campus staff member tells of finding inspiration for her art on a trip to the Great Smokey Mountains. 'I have one goal in mind,' she writews. 'I want to see something extraordinary.' Rohit Bhargava: My path to Illinois Apr 9, 2020 9:15 am 'Illinois technology has transformed lives, from the transistor to the LED, the MRI and the web browser. I knew we had the science and people to transform cancer too, if only we could bring them together.' Searching for turtles in a sea of grass Jun 5, 2018 10:30 am To survey local Ornate Turtles, one has to find them. Turtle tracking dogs help a lot. Searching the Texas brushland for a rare, temperamental plant Aug 18, 2022 9:45 am 'As it stands with most rare species, this work isn’t always easy, but it is fulfilling. The excitement of seeing one rare plant – let alone a thriving population – is enough to sustain me in this work.' Spooky Spaces at U of I: The steam tunnels Oct 28, 2022 10:30 am You can't go inside them - they're dangerous and you'd be arrested - but the steam tunnels under the campus serve important functions. Plus, the old brick tunnelways produce weird noises that complete their creepy image. Staging a threatening encounter at a blackbird nest Oct 7, 2021 8:00 am 'The male stares me down while flicking his tail and wings – a sign that I’m not welcome here. Red-winged blackbirds are among the most brash and vocal birds you’ll ever meet.' Starving mosquitoes for science Feb 22, 2024 9:30 am Go Behind the Scenes with Illinois Natural History Survey medical entomologist Jiayue (Gabriel) Yan as he studies how nutrition influences mosquito infection with dengue virus. Surviving a football frenzy Nov 15, 2019 9:45 am Photographer Fred Zwicky puts you on the field as bedlam unfolds and Illinois fans celebrate a major upset victory over heavily favored Wisconsin. Taking a cicada road trip May 27, 2021 9:30 am 'Every night, we quietly lurk in the dark at the edge of the lawn to listen for the rustling of dried leaves as the cicadas come out of their burrows. It’s a bit creepy, but also stunning...' Teaching generations of students about outbreaks – with art Jan 26, 2023 12:45 pm 'The art show is a midpoint in a journey to revamp the health district’s Germ Busters program, which conducts outreach to K-8 students on a variety of infectious diseases.' Teresa Cardador: My path to Illinois Mar 30, 2020 2:15 pm 'Meaningful work is not simply something you go out and find like an egg at an Easter egg hunt. It’s something co-created, over time, by individuals and the organizations they work in.' The multimedia 'CETACEAN (The Whale)' performance takes you to the sea Sep 21, 2023 10:30 am The 'CETACEAN' performances are Sept. 28 to Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Stock Pavilion, 1402 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Urbana. Admission is free and seating is first come, first served. Tracking a forest’s recovery one year after storm Aug 1, 2018 10:00 am In February, 2017, a tornado swept through this part of the Shawnee National Forest. There are few canopy trees left standing and invasive understory plants have taken over Tracking an invisible world Jul 22, 2019 9:30 am Successful experiments are worth the sleepless nights I spend dissecting the processes in living things that are essentially invisible to us. Unearthing an uncommon, burrowing snake Oct 12, 2020 9:30 am Kirtland’s snakes were once widespread in Illinois, but now are listed as a threatened species. With more than 99% of Illinois’ natural prairies lost to agriculture and urban development, these snakes struggle to maintain their current populations. Using a 19th-century hand press to teach history of printing Dec 8, 2022 9:45 am 'I want students to literally get their hands on historical technology. Rather than talking about how print worked, students do these things – set print, bind books and use computer technology,' says Professor Ryan Cordell. Vet Med: Saving an endangered breed of donkey Jun 3, 2022 10:45 am Numbers of Baudet du Poitou donkeys have dwindled to only 300-400 worldwide. A breeding effort is underway at Illinois to expand their numbers and help save the breed from extinction. Photos by Michelle Hassel. Vivifying ikebana: Japanese flower arranging Oct 21, 2022 9:15 am 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. Waiting for the sun to set to find a rare bird Jun 30, 2022 10:00 am Each night, we perform checks of Whip-Poor-Will nests to record development of eggs and chicks, as well as instances of predation or failure. Nests are at risk on the ground, but a few broods hatch and reach fledging age, when they begin to fly. Will Schneider: My path to Illinois Apr 6, 2020 2:00 pm 'Illinois has historically played a large role in shaping our understanding of child maltreatment, and I believe that we can alter the trajectory of generations of children to come.'
