blog posts 20 somethings who speak their minds at work are changing the office forever Dec 18, 2023 10:15 am 'I think you still want work to matter in your life, but you’re thinking about how it fits into your identity, into your consciousness in a more critical way than I think the previous generations likely did,' says U of I labor expert Robert Bruno Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative to help students with autism, dyslexia, ADHD Mar 6, 2023 11:00 am Awareness is growing of the array of talents and skills that neurodivergent individuals can bring to the workplace. INI aims to see that students are successfully employed within six months of graduation, said program creator Jeanne Kramer. Nurturing a tropical paradise in the heart of the Midwest Mar 10, 2023 9:00 am The U of I Plant Biology Greenhouse and Conservatory houses more than 200 species and 60 families of tropical and subtropical plants selected for their botanical interest or economic importance. Illinois Athletics announces 2023 Hall of Fame inductees May 9, 2023 11:45 am The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics named 12 new members to the UI Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023, including athletes and coaches from nine different teams. Kyprianou named director of Illinois Track & Field, Cross Country Jul 27, 2022 9:45 am Petros Kyprianou was a three-time U.S. Track & Field Coaches Association National Coach of the Year. In six seasons as head coach at the University of Georgia, he led the Bulldogs to a pair of NCAA titles and a total of 16 top-ten NCAA finishes. Grant supports online Women, Power, and Money Program for Financial Planning Aug 5, 2022 11:45 am The Women, Power, and Money Program familiarizes students with financial planning fundamentals and negotiation skills, and empowers them to make confident decisions and overcome sexism and other obstacles in the workplace. U of I researchers have a plan to harvest fresh water from ocean vapor Dec 21, 2022 10:15 am Gizmodo (Dec. 20) U of I professor Praveen Kumar says drought-affected places like the American Southwest would be ideal beneficiaries of a device that would harvest water vapor from above the ocean to supply fresh water. Poets&Quants’ MBA Program of the Year for 2022: The Gies iMBA Jan 5, 2023 10:45 am Poets & Quants (Jan. 5) Illinois' iMBA has revolutionized online business education, and not just because of its $23K price tag. In 2022, it launched a pair of fully online, credit-bearing graduate certificates, with up to six more options within the year. New study discovers coal's unexpected role in next-gen microelectronics Jan 8, 2024 11:30 am Interesting Engineering (Jan. 4) 'Our novel processing techniques have transformed coal into high-purity materials,' says U of I's Qing Cao. 'These materials have unlocked possibilities for creating ultra-small electronics with exceptional performance.' Women’s Basketball to honor Illini coaching great Theresa Grentz Feb 8, 2023 4:15 pm The Illini welcome back former head coach and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Inductee Theresa Grentz to celebrate her legendary career with a Hall of Fame banner ceremony on February 19 before a game against Penn State. Planet Hunger: Inside the global food crisis Jun 20, 2022 10:30 am Rolling Stone (June 19) Study says crop production today 21% lower than without climate change; alarming declines may begin as early as 2040. 'The largest single global change that threatens food security is high temperature,' says Professor Don Ort. Anaya, Wiles voted Illinois Freshmen of the Year Jun 28, 2022 9:45 am The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced its 2021-22 Freshmen of the Year. Lauren Wiles (softball) and Ashton Anaya (gymnastics) have been named the top female and male freshman competing for the Fighting Illini. Heat waves may cause humans to slow down. But it gets crickets chirping Jul 24, 2023 11:45 am Nebraska Public Media (July 21) Insects might find themselves out of sync with plants they rely on, says U of I's May Berenbaum. 'If you’re an insect with one host plant and you emerge when the leaves are no longer edible, you’re out of luck.' Thousands of farmers in China have started to grow a remarkable new perennial rice Nov 9, 2022 10:00 am NPR ( Nov. 7) 'This is a really big deal. This is a change in the way that we think about agriculture,' says Erik Sacks, a plant geneticist at the U. of I. who collaborated with the Chinese scientists and co-wrote a new study. Magic lamps: Microcavity plasma devices Nov 10, 2022 11:15 am The most prominent application of microcavity plasma devices to date has been producing ozone for drinking water disinfection. Microcavity plasmas developed in Eden’s lab overcome raditional barriers of cost and power consumption. 3M plant in Illinois was nation's worst emitter of climate-killing ‘immortal’ chemical in '21 Jan 3, 2023 11:30 am Inside Climate News (Dec. 29) 'Any emissions of CF4 are going to drive further climate change and lead to things that are going to affect our planet for many, many thousands of years.' says Professor Donald Wuebbles. Illinois Men's Tennis takes down No. 13 Georgia Feb 16, 2023 8:00 am The Illinois men's tennis team defeated No. 13 Georgia on Wednesday night at the XS Tennis Village in Chicago, Ill. 'The theme of the day was focus,' head coach Brad Dancer said. 'It was a great way to start off Chicago.' With four career-highs, beam program shatters records against Michigan State Feb 28, 2023 9:00 am No. 24 Illinois women's gymnastics broke its program best beam score. Amelia Knight, Mallory Mizuki, Abby Mueller and Ruthuja Nataraj shattered their career-highs in a 197.450-196.425 loss to No. 13 Michigan State Monday night. Hartleb: Winningest coach in Illini Baseball history with victory over Michigan Apr 3, 2023 8:45 am Dan Hartleb is now Illinois baseball's winningest coach in program history. With Sunday's victory over Michigan, Hartleb overtook Lee Eilbracht, who finished his Illini career with 518 wins. Denial of institutional racism linked to anti-Black prejudice, U of I study says May 24, 2022 11:00 am UPI (May 23) 'The denial of structural racism appears to be a big barrier to racial equity because it allows for more victim-blaming explanations of systemic inequality,' says doctoral student, study leader Jacqueline Yi. CI MED Welcomes Class of 2027 Jun 30, 2023 1:45 pm Carle Illinois College of Medicine – the world’s first engineering-based medical school – welcomed the Class of 2027, its largest class to date. Bonuses are a little bit bogus - ask for a raise instead Sep 7, 2023 12:15 pm Vox (Sept. 7) A one-time bonus is not a lasting change to your compensation, and it can be taken away just as easily as it’s given out. 'Merit increases actually provide a higher sense of security and stability,' says Professor Mengjie Lyu. Illini overpower Wisconsin for Big Ten West road win Oct 3, 2022 8:00 am Illinois picked up its first Big Ten win of the season on Saturday, taking down Wisconsin, 34-10, in Madison for the first time since 2002. The Illini scored 17 points on three takeaways to move to 1-1 in conference play and 4-1 overall. Scientists crack upcycling plastics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions Oct 3, 2022 9:45 am Researchers have developed a breakthrough process to transform the most widely produced plastic - polyethylene - into the second-most widely produced plastic, polypropylene, which could reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When libraries like Gaza’s are destroyed, what’s lost is far more than books Dec 13, 2023 10:45 am Los Angeles Times (Dec. 12) U of I professor Laila Hussein Moustafa writes about what is lost when libraries are destroyed during times of war, especially as it pertains to the libraries in the Gaza Strip in the ongoing conflict. Illini Men's Basketball welcomes Hoosiers to State Farm Center tonight Jan 19, 2023 10:30 am Illinois comes into tonight's game (7:30 start, FS1) tied for the Big Ten's longest active winning streak at four straight. That matches U of I's 4-0 start to open the year. U.N. resolution, smart city concept, Ohio train derailment twisted into baseless plot Feb 27, 2023 11:45 am PolitiFact (Feb. 24) 'The claim that the U.N., which has no power anyway, wants to force victims of environmental disasters to live in panopticon societies is absurd on its face,' says U of I professor Robert Olshansky. Unique opportunity to learn how Illinois soils have changed over 120 years Mar 16, 2023 3:00 pm In a dusty U of I barn that was scheduled for demolition, soil scientist Andrew Margenot discovered a time capsule in the form of thousands of jars of soil from around the state, some dating as far back as 1862. Makira Cook named to AP All-America honorable mention list Mar 16, 2023 8:45 am Cook is the first Illinois women's basketball player to earn AP All-America accolades since Karisma Penn following the 2012-13 season. In her first season with the Orange and Blue, Cook has put together the best year of her career. Perennial rice: Plant once, harvest again and again Mar 27, 2023 10:45 am NPR (March 27) – Illinois crop sciences professor Erik Sacks, who helped develop perennial rice over the last two decades, discusses how perennial grains could bring huge environmental benefits and be a boon for farmers. Illini Baseball set to play Bradley in Peoria tonight Apr 27, 2022 8:30 am The Illinois baseball team travels to Bradley for a midweek night game against the Braves. Illinois (20-17, 11-4) is coming off their first B1G series loss of the season against Maryland. Professor Nancy Sottos elected to National Academy of Sciences May 4, 2022 11:45 am Election to the NAS is one of the highest professional honors a scientist can receive. Sottos is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Commencement speaker, architect Jeanne Gang, designs buildings that connect people, nature and communities May 8, 2024 3:00 pm Internationally renowned architect Jeanne Gang believes architecture can connect people to each other, their environment and their communities. She is the U. of I. Commencement speaker and an Illinois alumna. Commencement! May 10, 2023 4:45 pm The university-wide Commencement ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. in Memorial Stadium. It will be livestreamed at https://go.illinois.edu/live. As the suburbs go, so goes America Jun 7, 2023 3:45 pm The New York Times (June 7) 'Since 1970, the share of Black individuals living in suburbs of large cities has risen from 16 to 36%,' write Alexander W. Bartik and Evan Mast, economists at the U. of I. and Notre Dame. U of I Library: Victorian-era books may have heavy metal-based pigments Jun 15, 2023 1:30 pm The Heavy Metals Project of the University Library will survey the 19th-century books in the Library’s collection and test those with their original cloth-covered bindings to determine if they contain traces of heavy metals in the pigments used for the covers. As teacher shortage worsens, Illinois schools cast wary eye on fall reopening Jul 12, 2022 10:15 am Chicago Tribune (July 12) 'When teachers are saying, "I can go to Amazon and make $22 an hour – I’m out of here," how do we respond?' says Nancy Latham, associate dean for the College of Education at U of I. Why you want bats in your yard — and how to attract them Jul 28, 2023 10:00 am Washington Post (July 27) 'Plant long-lived trees like oaks, which will provide both foraging and roosting habitat,' says Professor Joy O’Keefe. Also, fast-growing trees like pines will provide roosting space under the bark, or in cavities inside dead branches. The short, spectacular life of the viral room-temperature superconductivity claim Aug 9, 2023 11:15 am Science (Washington, D.C., Aug. 8) 'I appreciate that the authors took appropriate data and were clear about their fabrication techniques,' says U. of I. physics professor Nadya Mason. Still, she cautions, 'The data seems a bit sloppy.' Study quantifies satellite brightness, challenges for ground-based astronomy Oct 2, 2023 12:15 pm Although bright satellites won't necessarily damage telescopes, they will still cause data loss from the streaks. Extremely bright satellites could ruin the entire field of view, like trying to stargaze when someone shines a flashlight into your eyes. BTN's Tailgate show airs live from Memorial Stadium on Saturday Oct 13, 2022 9:15 am The set will be located in the southeast corner of Lot 31 (across the street from Grange Grove). Illini fans can make signs onsite or bring their own to show live on B1G Tailgate before Illinois hosts Minnesota in its 112th Homecoming game. U of I's new Center for Sustainable Aviation: Not just about reducing carbon emissions Oct 19, 2022 2:30 pm Conversations about making aviation more sustainable typically land on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuel resources. Those are primary factors, but Center director Phillip Ansell is taking a more holistic approach. Illinois Football travels to Minnesota on Saturday Oct 31, 2023 11:15 am Following its off weekend, the Illinois football team is back in action Saturday against Minnesota in Minneapolis. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network. My Thanksgiving: How testifying for Native Americans made me a witness to history Nov 28, 2022 10:45 am Salon (Nov. 24) 'I’m a scholar of Native American history,' writes Frederick Hoxie, a professor emeritus of history, law and American Indian studies at Illinois. 'But my real education came from working with Native people in the present.' No. 14 Illini host rematch vs. Rutgers Sunday Jan 20, 2024 2:15 pm Illinois hosts its first Big Ten rematch vs. Rutgers, on Sunday at sold-out State Farm Center (noon, BTN). The Illini defeated the Scarlet Knights, 76-58, in the teams' 2023-24 Big Ten opener on Dec. 2 at Jersey Mikes Arena in Piscataway, N.J. ECE building becomes U of I's first zero energy certified facility Feb 14, 2023 9:45 am All operational energy used by the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building is now offset through on-site solar production and solar renewable energy credits, earning an official Zero Energy Certification from the International Living Future Institute. USS Illinois: The forgotten Iowa-class battleship the Navy never finished Feb 23, 2024 8:45 am The National Interest (Feb. 21) The ship’s bell was finished, and you can see the bell at the U. of I.’s Memorial Stadium, where Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps students strike the bell to signal touchdowns. $680M commitment to iFAB will help Illinois become 'the heart of biomanufacturing' Mar 4, 2024 12:45 pm 'With the U.S. Economic Development Authority's support, we can lock in thousands of jobs and secure billions in market potential,' said iFAB principal investigator Beth Conerty. A double emergence of periodical cicadas isn’t cicada-geddon—it’s a marvel Mar 12, 2024 11:00 am Scientific American (March 11) 'I’ve been looking forward to this for years,' says U of I entomologist Catherine Dana. 'We have two different broods emerging in the same state, and that’s a very rare thing.' AI chatbots will never stop hallucinating Apr 5, 2024 3:00 pm Scientific American (April 5) When generative AI models produce responses that don’t match reality, it's called 'hallucination.' U of I professor Dilek Hakkani-Tür, says AI hallucinations spring from their fundamental construction.