blog posts What's the future of drones in counterterrorism operations, Ukraine war? Aug 8, 2022 12:30 pm 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. What should US policy be toward Venezuela? Jan 25, 2024 10:00 am 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. What's behind the teacher shortage in US schools? Sep 21, 2022 2:15 pm 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. What's behind the national surge in book bans? A low-tech website tied to Moms for Liberty Oct 5, 2023 2:45 pm USA Today (Oct. 5) 'The real problem is that people try to say, "I know what's best for the school system, and for the library, and the library should reflect my own values – no matter what the values are of other people in the community."' What’s at stake in Hollywood labor strikes? Jul 18, 2023 9:15 am '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 prompted tropical cyclone Hilary’s unusual path? Aug 24, 2023 11:00 am 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. What message did voters send this midterm election? Nov 17, 2022 8:00 am 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. What led to the attempted coup in Brazil, what comes next? Jan 19, 2023 8:45 am 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.' What is the state of underwater geolocation technology? Jun 23, 2023 10:00 am 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. What is the metaverse - and what's its business potential? Nov 16, 2022 10:30 am 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. What is place-based adaptation to climate change? Oct 10, 2022 2:30 pm 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...' What is driving the high suicide rate among farmers? Dec 12, 2022 9:30 am 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. What is a 'passive house' in sustainable building design? Jan 11, 2024 9:15 am Green Building & Design Magazine (Jan. 9) 'Superinsulation' is a staple of passive house construction. The term was coined in 1976 by U of I professor Wayne Schick to describe insulation with a very high R-value. What impact will the Biden administration’s executive order have on AI development? Nov 15, 2023 9:15 am The best way to think of the Biden administration’s wide-ranging executive order on artificial intelligence is as a trial balloon to gauge what works, says Robert Brunner, chief disruption officer at U of I's Gies College of Business. What explains the cryptocurrency crash? Jul 8, 2022 4:15 pm Robert Brunner, the associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer at the Gies College of Business, explains the cryptocurrency market. What explains 'quiet quitting' in the workplace? Sep 15, 2022 9:15 am 'Quiet quitting' means forgoing the extra mile at work but is different than work withdrawal or employee disengagement, says U of I labor expert YoungAh Park, who studies work stress and recovery. What explains labor strife among US workers? Aug 28, 2023 11:00 am The state of U.S. labor and the labor movement in 2023 is 'very agitated,' reflecting decades of stagnant wage increases and deteriorating job quality, says Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at Illinois. What effect will Trump trials have on the perception of jury trial, civic participation? Apr 30, 2024 10:00 am Suja Thomas, who is working on a documentary related to her research on jury trials, speaks about the potential effect of the Trump criminal and civil trials on the public perception of trial by jury. What do we know about political advertising? Oct 5, 2022 1:45 pm Advertising professor Michelle Nelson has found that most adults – even those politically engaged – don't fully understand online targeting, sources and funding for political ads, or how political speech is treated differently from commercial speech. What does the recent rebellion by armed forces in Russia mean for Putin’s future? Jul 12, 2023 2:15 pm Russian president Vladimir Putin weathered a recent insurrection by the Wagner mercenary group, but the crisis has damaged his standing, said Illinois professor of Slavic languages and literatures Richard Tempest. What does the Kansas newspaper raid portend for free speech, journalism? Sep 25, 2023 1:45 pm First Amendment expert Lena Shapiro discusses the police raid on the Marion County Record, a small local newspaper in Marion, Kansas, owned by former U. of I. journalism professor Eric K. Meyer. What does the film 'Oppenheimer' tell us about the development of the atomic bomb? Aug 1, 2023 10:15 am 'Oppenheimer' examines the process of building an organization of unprecedented scale and wrestles with how to view one individual’s decisions as relevant in the face of such a massive system, says Dean Kevin Hamilton. What does the death of Aleksei Navalny mean for the future of opposition movements in Russia? Feb 20, 2024 1:15 pm Russian dissident Aleksei Navalny was able to unite activists and set the agenda for the anti-Putin movement. Now that he’s gone, the coalition he built might splinter, says Professor Richard Tempest. What do bursting bubbles have to do with climate, human health? Jul 22, 2022 9:00 am Bacteria, viruses in ocean water, for example, can be much more concentrated in jet droplets ejected during bubble bursting. Because the droplets are so small, the microorganisms are dispersed into the surrounding air, carried by the wind, may be inhaled by people. What can the Supreme Court do to restore public trust? Apr 18, 2023 10:45 am The most likely outcome of the Clarence Thomas revelations is that the Supreme Court will announce new or clarified ethical standards for justices on the high court, says U of I law professor Jason Mazzone. What can researchers learn about ecosystems, the environment during the solar eclipse? Apr 3, 2024 8:00 am Professor Carl Bernacchi describes the coordination of scientific instruments across the U.S. and Mexico that will be used to measure the physical, atmospheric and ecological changes that occur during the solar eclipse. What are the legal, practical bounds of free speech on college campuses? Dec 18, 2023 9:00 am One of the problems with university 'speech codes' is that they’re selectively enforced, says Lena Shapiro, the inaugural director of the First Amendment Clinic at the U of I College of Law. What are the global security implications of Russia's invasion of Ukraine? Jun 15, 2022 9:15 am The Russian invasion of Ukraine directly challenges the security order established by the Western democracies after World War II, said Edward A. Kolodziej, an expert in international relations and global politics. What a 19th-century farmer’s forgotten notes reveal about growing seasons May 31, 2023 11:00 am Smithsonian Magazine (May 31) Longer growing seasons can be problematic, says Christopher Evans, a U of I forest ecologist. 'The birds don’t have the food sources at the right time, or the pollinators that may pollinate these plants aren’t out yet.' Westcott powers Illini Baseball to 6-4 win over Bradley Mar 22, 2023 9:15 am The Illini's first home win of the season was No. 517 in head coach Dan Hartleb's career, putting him just one win behind Lee Eilbracht for the most in program history. 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. 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. Welcome to our newly admitted Class of 2028! Jan 27, 2024 11:15 am Backed by a rich legacy of innovation and impact, it's time to unleash your power at ILLINOIS.. Welcome to our newly admitted Class of 2028! Mar 1, 2024 2:30 pm We understand your concerns regarding the current financial aid delays, and we're sorry this is happening! If needed, we will change our FAFSA and college commitment deadlines. Our decision to change our deadlines will be announced no later than March 15. Welcome to our newly admitted Class of 2027! Mar 3, 2023 11:15 am Backed by a rich legacy of innovation and impact, it's time to unleash your power at Illinois. Start by accepting your offer. Welcome, Class of 2027 Aug 14, 2023 4:00 pm LInk to Welcome Week events page We have a mink problem: Birds aren’t humanity’s only bird-flu worry Mar 1, 2023 11:00 am The Atlantic (Feb. 28) –A bird-flu outbreak at a mink farm killed thousands of the animals. The good news, says U of I professor James Lowe, is that, 'we’re just not very susceptible' to bird flu, even when other mammals are infected. 'We have a great opportunity to finish strong': Illini seek first postseason title Apr 3, 2024 10:30 am After taking down Washington State in the final four, Illini Women's Basketball booked their ticket in the WBIT championship game, their first appearance in a non-conference postseason title game ever. They face Villanova tonight at 6 p.m. Weekend series against Minnesota closes baseball homestand Apr 21, 2023 8:45 am Fighting Illini baseball (15-18, 4-8) closes out their season-long seven-game homestand with a Big Ten weekend series against Minnesota (10-24, 4-5) at Illinois Field. Website tracks COVID levels in wastewater to help people ‘make informed decisions’ Jan 11, 2023 1:15 pm Chicago Sun-Times (Jan. 10) 'This helps you decide what you as an individual want to do based on the trends in your local area,' says Bill Jackson, executive director of the Discovery Partners Institute in Chicago. Website compiles ocean data from landmark 19th-century scientific voyage Jan 10, 2023 12:45 pm English professor Gillen D’Arcy Wood’s Oceans 1876 project makes a treasure trove of 19th-century marine data accessible to help scientists better understand how our oceans have changed and how to protect them. Webb Space Telescope detects universe’s most distant complex organic molecules Jun 5, 2023 10:45 am Thanks to the capabilities of the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope and careful analyses from researchers, a new study lends critical insight into the complex chemical interactions that occur in the first galaxies in the early universe. Wearable tech offers up-close look at infant development Sep 28, 2022 10:00 am Illinois researchers have developed a tool to measure stress regulation and parent-child bonding in young children. The device enables infants as young as one month to provide useful information from the comfort of their own home. Wearable sensors for Parkinson’s can improve with machine learning, data from healthy adults Apr 12, 2024 10:00 am The study shows that 'the expansion of datasets with healthy older adult motion data and integration with deep learning approaches can help improve the accuracy of detecting differences in motor impairment in persons with Parkinson's...' 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. WBIT first-round game time announced for Illinois at State Farm Center Mar 20, 2024 8:00 am Illinois women's basketball will play its first-round matchup of the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament against Missouri State at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, March 21. Illinois is one of 16 host schools for the first round. Watch the campus celebration of Nick Holonyak, Jr. Feb 13, 2023 9:45 am This is a recording of the live presentation of the U of I's celebration and memorial of Professor Nick Holonyak, Jr., recipient of both the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2002, and the National Medal of Science in 1990. 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. Watch it now: BTN COVID-19 documentary showcases Illinois innovation May 22, 2023 11:15 am 'The New Normal' documentary highlights the development of a quick, saliva-based coronavirus test, and the process that made the University of Illinois campus one of the safest places to be during the pandemic. Washington Post obituary for legendary U of I professor Nick Holonyak Jr. Sep 22, 2022 10:45 am Nick Holonyak Jr., whose development of the first practical visible-spectrum light-emitting diode(LED) was a breakthrough with countless applications, including lightbulbs, cellphones, TVs and microscopic surgical equipment, died Sept. 18.