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  • Professor Julie Dowling. Photo by Fred Zwicky

    Why does the census matter? What are the challenges this time?

    2020 census information wil arrive in millions of mailboxes this month . A U of I professor who also chairs a U.S. Census Bureau advisory committee explains why the census matters and the challenges in making it work.

  • Chicago's St. Regis tower, designed by the architecture firm of U of I alumna Jeanne Gang. Photo by J E Koonce via Flickr

    Why are so many tall and supertall buildings being built?

    Very tall buildings are attractive options in cities where land is at a premium, but they come with construction challenges, said University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign architecture professor Abbas Aminmansour.

  • Toby Beauchamp is a professor of gender and women’s studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    Why are so many states trying to limit transgender rights?

    An increasing number of states are proposing anti-transgender bills aimed at issues affecting children. They will lead to more legislation limiting the rights of transgender adults as well, says Professor Toby Beauchamp.

  • atmospheric sciences professor Atul Jain. Photo by Brian Stauffer

    Why are global carbon emissions starting to increase again?

    After a brief pause during COVID-19, global carbon emissions from fossil fuel and industry – the main contributors to climate change – are set to increase significantly, says atmospheric sciences professor Atul Jain. 

  • advertising professor Jason Chambers. Photo courtesy of Jason Chambers

    Why are familiar brands with Black images getting a rethink?

    Aunt Jemima is retiring. Uncle Ben is changing. Mrs. Butterworth is getting a review. These and other familiar brands are being rethought due to their use of Black images. Advertising professor Jason Chambers explains why.

  • An empty Coors Field in Colorado. Photo by Jarrett Stewart via Flickr

    Who wins, who loses in MLB labor dispute?

    The current MLB lockout is already shaping up to be the most pivotal labor dispute in the sport since the mid-1990s, which means fans should prepare for the likelihood of more canceled games, says U of I labor law expert Michael LeRoy.

  • Professor Christopher Brooke. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

    Who should get an omicron COVID-19 booster?

    Although the omicron variants seem less deadly, COVID-19 vaccine boosters are needed to keep up with the virus as it evolves, says University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign microbiology professor Christopher Brooke.

  • Dr. Leyi Wang and the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory have played a key role in diagnosing coronavirus infection in animal species in zoos across the country. Photo by Leslie Stauffer

    Which animals can catch the coronavirus?

    The U of I's Veterinary Diagnostic Lab has played a key role in diagnosing coronavirus infection in animal species in zoos across the country. This is important work for understanding the virus’s behavior and its broad host range, Wang says.

  • Kevin Leicht, a professor of sociology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

    Where have all the entry-level professional jobs gone?

     'It’s far cheaper for a big law firm to hold an online meeting with lawyers in India and have them write a legal document overnight while the partners in the U.S. are sleeping than to pay young lawyers in the firm to write it.'

  • political science professor Nicholas Grossman. Photo by Brian Stauffer

    Where do we stand at the two-year mark of the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

    With the prospects of a more sympathetic U.S. president taking office in 2025, Putin almost certainly won’t seek an off-ramp this year from the war in Ukraine, says U of I international relations expert Nicholas Grossman.

  • 2014 photo of Ian Brooks by L. B. Stauffer

    Where does the U.S. withdrawal leave the World Health Organization?

    'One lesson that we should learn from this pandemic is that we really are all in this together. We are so connected that a new disease appearing anywhere...can quickly impact the whole world, and only a global response can control it.'

  • Lauren R. Aronson, director of the Immigration Law Clinic at Illinois. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

    Where does the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program stand?

    The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in its favor, but the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program remains a stopgap measure at best, says immigration expert, Law professor Lauren Aronson.

  • Professor Melissa Littlefield. (Photo courtesy of Melissa Littlefield.)

    Where body meets machine: The promise (and potential peril) of wearable technology

    A professor of English, kinesiology and community health studies the spread of laboratory technology into everyday consumer goods 

  • teens wearing masks. Image by Dmitriy Gutarev via Pixabay

    When will teens recover from social isolation of COVID?

    Social isolation is not a good situation for anybody, but for teenagers it’s particularly hard. Studies have long indicated that teens who are socially isolated are at higher risk for mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression.

  • Ethnographer Ghassan Moussawi

    When danger becomes the norm

    Beirut's inhabitants face daily violence and disruptions, caused by state sanctioned neglect, violence on its people. To ethnographer Ghassan Moussawi, the city reveals how people adapt in the face of continuous danger and scarcity.

  • Vladimir Putin arrest warrant seen in press release from the International Criminal Court in The Hague. On 17 March 2023 in Brussels, Belgium.  Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty Images

    What will result from the war crimes arrest warrants for Russian President Putin?

    'When the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant, it means that the prosecutor has proved to the court that there are grounds to believe that international crimes have been committed and that the people named in the warrant are responsible...' 

  • the thick-billed longspur, formerly known as McCown's longspur in honor of confederate general John Porter McCown. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

    What will be the impact of the decision to no longer name birds after people?

    The American Ornithological Society’s decision to rename birds that were named after people will allow us to consider how we remember historical figures and acknowledge the oppression in our nation’s history, says professor David Sepkoski.

  • A Union Pacific freight train winds its way through Colton, on Wednesday, Mar. 18, 2015. Photo by the Orange County Register

    What were the underlying issues of the railroad labor dispute?

    A strike by railroad unions would have been bad news for the Biden administration and for an already-stressed economy, says Michael LeRoy, an expert in labor relations at Illinois.

     

  • Notre Dame Cathedral. Photo by Corina Benesch

    What was lost in the Notre Dame Cathedral fire?

    Notre Dame Cathedral, severely damaged by fire this week, holds historical and symbolic significance for both France and the world, say two University of Illinois historians.

  • Professor Kashif Ahmad. Photo by: Libby Kacich and Kara Sauder

    What tips can help educators convert in-person courses to online instruction?

    Professor Kashif A. Ahmad, who has taught online courses for a decade, offers his best practices for creating online courses.

  • Robert Brunner, the associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business

    What’s the transformative potential of artificial intelligence?

    Anxiety about artificial intelligence has been driven by its rapid development as well as knowledge worker concerns about potentially being replaced by it, says Robert Brunner, chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business.

  • Professor Robin Fretwell Wilson. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer, 2015

    What's the significance of the Respect for Marriage Act?

    'Civil rights aren’t like colliding trains, where one civil right has to take precedence over another. Protecting civil rights is not a zero-sum game with winners and losers. Civil rights can be like puzzle pieces that can be made to fit together.'

  • AFP Fact Check headline refuting claims that ivermectin should be used to treat COVID-19

    What's the remedy for medical misinformation?

    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.

  • Robert Brunner, the associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  Photo by Fred Zwicky

    What’s the potential of blockchain technology?

    Blockchain technology has the potential to transform industries ranging from health care to government, says Robert Brunner, the associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business.

  • Illinois State Water Survey scientists stand in a creek to collect data

    What's the importance of state scientists at U of I?

    U of I's Prairie Research Institute provides a home to five state scientific surveys: the state Natural History Survey, Geological Survey, Water Survey, Sustainable Technology Center, and the State Archaeological Survey.

  • Political Science professor Nick Grossman

    What's the future of drones in counterterrorism operations, Ukraine war?

    International relastions expert Nicholas Grossman, author of 'Drones and Terrorism: Asymmetric Warfare and the Threat to Global Security,' talks about the implications of the U.S. killing former al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri by drone.

  • political science professor Nick Grossman. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

    What's next for Afghanistan?

    Professor Nicholas Grossman, an expert in international relations, speaks about the repercussions of the abrupt U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

  • history professor Carol Symes. Photo by Brian Stauffer

    What's new with the plague? More than you might think

    Scholars have made key discoveries in the past decade about the 14th-century plague known as the Black Death – for one thing, finding its source – says history professor Carol Symes.

  • Anthropology professor Ellen Moodie. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

    What’s it take to get asylum? And what’s driving those seeking it?

    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

  • What’s in the global carbon budget?

    The Global Carbon Project recently released its 2019 annual report, giving decision-makers access to data on atmospheric carbon concentrations, emissions and trends. 

  • Marsha Barrett. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

    What should we make of the ‘68 Chicago Democratic Convention 50 years later?

    The clash in the streets gets many of the historical headlines, but what was significant about the political battles within the convention?

  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign political science professor Damarys Canache.  Photo by L. Brian Stauffer (2013)

    What should US policy be toward Venezuela?

    Professor Damarys Canache talks about the Biden administration’s decision to ease sanctions on Venezuela, the migration crisis and the upcoming 2024 Venezuelan presidential election. 

  • Nancy Latham, the executive director of the Council on Teacher Education and an associate dean in the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Photo by Jeremiah Cox

    What's behind the teacher shortage in US schools?

    Teacher shortages plaguing primary and secondary schools in the U.S. could be game-changers for people entering the field by boosting salaries and improving benefits and working conditions, said education professor Nancy Latham.

  • Lauren R. Aronson, an associate clinical professor of law and the director of the Immigration Law Clinic at the College of Law

    What’s behind surge in unaccompanied minors crossing southern U.S. border?

    Poverty, natural disasters and the rise of gang recruitment in their home countries all contribute, but the biggest factor is that their countries of origin are as violent as war zones, says law professor Lauren Aronson.

  • SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America members marching in unison, June 2023. Photo via Flickr by ufcw770

    What’s at stake in Hollywood labor strikes?

    'I think this strike will last much longer than three months. In 1988, the writers were on strike for nearly 22 weeks. This time, they're striking over job-killing issues, such as the use of artificial intelligence in generating creative works.' 

  • What’s at stake in auto workers strike?

    Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations, explains the strike of more than 47,000 auto workers.

  • Professor Suja Thomas. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

    What role do judges play in employment harassment cases?

    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

  • Professor Michael Leroy. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

    What protections do no-show workers have during a pandemic?

    The U.S. government can take measures to ensure that essential workers such as health care workers report to their jobs, but forced labor isn’t allowed under the Constitution, says U. of I. labor expert Michael LeRoy.

  • atmospheric sciences professor Deanne Hence.  Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

    What prompted tropical cyclone Hilary’s unusual path?

    Hilary was the first tropical storm to hit the California coast in 84 years. The combination of conditions that prompted the storm's path are not unheard of, but their timing and severity are unusual, says atmospheric sciences professor Deanne Hence. 

  • Professor Wendy Tam Cho. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

    What now with gerrymandering? Are algorithms part of the answer?

    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

  • political science professor Damarys Canache.Photo by Fred Zwicky

    What might come of Venezuela’s political crisis?

    Illinois political scientist Damarys Canache discusses the history and politics behind the crisis of two presidents in Venezuela

  • Psychology professor Dolores Albarracín. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

    What messages best influence public health behavior?

    U. of I. psychology professor Dolores Albarracín has spent much of her career studying how people respond to public health messages asking them to change their behavior.

  • Political science professor Brian Gaines. Photo by Brian Stauffer

    What message did voters send this midterm election?

    Professor Brian Gaines talks about the 2022 midterm elections, the message voters sent, what effect gerrymandering had, and what we can expect from a divided Congress, with a republican majority in the House, and a democratic majority in the Senate.

  • Trespassers on the ramp of the Congress Palace in Brasilia. Image via Wikimedia Commons. Credit:  Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil

    What led to the attempted coup in Brazil, what comes next?

    Professor Jerry Dávila, who specializes in the history of Brazil in the 20th century, spoke about civil unrest in Brazil. 'It was a coup attempt, and it was styled after the (Jan. 6, 2021) attack on the U.S. Capitol.'

  • Deep-sea operations pose significant challenges, such as immense pressure, which restrict the availability of suitable technologies for deep-water search missions, said professor Viktor Gruev, who is an expert in underwater geolocation technology.  He is shown hear standing oceanside wearing a wet suit

    What is the state of underwater geolocation technology?

    Following the loss of OceanGate's Titan submersible this week, U of I professor Viktor Gruev discusses the current state of the science behind underwater geolocation, and some advances his team is working on now.

  • Erik Procko, a professor of biochemistry. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

    What is the new variant of coronavirus in the UK?

    The new strain of coronavirus circulating in the U.K. has a mutation that makes its spike protein bind 20 times more strongly to the receptor on human cells, says Illinois professor Erik Procko.  

  • Robert Brunner, the associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  Photo by Fred Zwicky

    What is the metaverse - and what's its business potential?

    The metaverse’s potential for transformation means it should be on everyone’s radar, says Robert Brunner, the associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business at Illinois.

  • Professor Leyi Wang. Photo by Leslie B. Stauffer

    What is the coronavirus spreading across the globe?

    Leyi Wang, a virologist and professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, discusses the outbreak of the new strain of coronavirus.

  • Illinois scientist Ann-Perry Witmer leads research and an upcoming discussion that takes a fresh approach to climate change adaptation.

    What is place-based adaptation to climate change?

    Place-based knowledge fits a solution to a need, rather than the other way around. 'The impacts of climate change for farmers in Illinois, for example, are dramatically different than the impacts seen by the Navajo Nation in Arizona...'

  • agricultural and biological engineering professor Josie Rudolphi, who co-directs the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center,

    What is driving the high suicide rate among farmers?

    This year saw good harvests in the Midwest and strong commodity prices, but the future is so uncertain. Commodity prices, input costs, and weather are all beyond the farmers' control - and those worries lead to mental health challenges.