blog posts Five Urbana-Champaign faculty members named University Scholars Mar 24, 2023 10:15 am Five U of I professors have been named University Scholars in recognition of their excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. The award is presented by the University of Illinois System to faculty members from the Chicago, Springfield and Urbana universities. Why do we love horror films? Oct 25, 2022 9:45 am Horror films dominate Netflix queues right now. English professor Jim Hansen spoke about why we love horror. He says it’s because horror films let us 'choose the shape of our fears and then to face up to those fears.' Ruth emerges as first Illini Big Ten champion since 2018 Mar 11, 2024 8:15 am '(Edmond) Ruth is really starting to cement himself as a national title threat. Him becoming the first Big Ten champion for us since (now-assistant coach for the Illini) Isaiah Martinez is truly incredible,' said head coach Mike Poeta. Grange Grove entertainment lineup set for football season Aug 17, 2022 10:45 am Illinois' premier pregame tailgating location will once again be open with a full slate of entertainment planned for the season. Billions of cicadas are about to emerge. Cicadas on the menu? Mar 15, 2024 3:00 pm National Geographic (March 14) Some Americans plan to sauté some of this year’s double cicada brood. Cicadas are edible, according to U. of I. Extension. People eat them alongside other bugs – such as silkworms, locusts and crickets – worldwide. Five years and $150 million later, what a mega-business school can do Oct 27, 2022 2:15 pm Poets & Quants (Oct. 27) Larry and Beth Gies returned to Illinois to celebrate all that their pledge has helped to make possible. The list of achievements for what became the Gies College of Business is extraordinary by any standard. U of I's Center for Children's Books announces Blue Ribbon Winners Jan 5, 2023 10:15 am 'Readers will find a healthy variety of subjects and genres, and we even have a bonus of short story collections, a format we are always thrilled to see thrive,' says editor Kate Quealy-Gainer. 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.' Before Jackie Robinson, Jorge Pasquel broke baseball’s color barrier — in Mexico Dec 7, 2022 11:15 am L.A. Times (Dec. 7) The Mexican League fully integrated pro baseball. It 'meant that you see each other as equals,' says U of I's Adrian Burgos. 'You share the locker room, the dugout space. It is a different dimension.' Genetically engineered plants: A glow in the dark petunia, bright purple tomatoes Feb 16, 2024 9:30 am Scientific American (Feb. 14) You can now pre-order a genetically engineered plant that glows continuously. 'People’s reactions to genetically modified plants are complicated,' says Steven Burgess, a U of I professor of plant biology. #FakeTok: How to create your own truth filter for TikTok Jul 31, 2023 10:45 am Chicago Sun-Times (July 27) U. of I. information sciences researcher Rachel Magee says that despite confusing messages circulating on social media, it can be a healthy place for young people to develop ideas and social circles. The rise in book bans, explained Jun 10, 2022 9:45 am The Washington Post (June 9): “Book banning” has become a catchall phrase, says Emily Knox, who teaches library science at the U. of I. and is the author of “Book Banning in 21st-Century America.” 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. Illinois Volleyball unveils spring schedule Feb 7, 2024 8:00 am The Illini open the spring schedule with a match against DePaul on March 8. First serve from Huff Hall is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT. Admission is free. 2023 Beckman Institute Research Image contest winners Aug 31, 2023 1:45 pm 'This contest is just a small sample of the 40 academic units we represent, and it shows how many disciplines are impacted by the imaging facilities and capabilities here at Beckman. I love how the beauty and diversity of the science shines through.' Fighting Illini Athletics set to host Spring Sports Fest Apr 9, 2024 9:00 am Fighting Illini Athletics is set to host Spring Sports Fest from April 12-14, featuring 11 home events across four sports - Track & Field, Softball, Baseball, and Women's Tennis. Alumna Ann Thayer Weldy helped readers find comfort—and themselves—in her books Jul 26, 2023 12:15 pm To the world, she became Ann Bannon, the name under which she published six lesbian pulp fiction novels. Over sixty years later, these books remain fundamental to the LGBTQ canon. Illini Men's Basketball opens Big Ten play Saturday at Rutgers Dec 1, 2023 8:15 am No. 24 Illinois begins its 119th season of league play Saturday afternoon at Rutgers (3 p.m. CT, BTN). Illinois is opening B1G play on the road for the sixth time in the last eight seasons. Terrance Shannon Jr: 'I'm Back' Jun 1, 2023 8:00 am Shannon is a major addition to the 2023-24 Illini lineup. He averaged 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals in his inaugural season in Champaign, earning first-team All-Big Ten accolades. NASCAR in Chicago: How will downtown racing affect air quality? Jun 26, 2023 2:45 pm Chicago Tribune (June 26) 'They are now using E15 fuel, which has lower emissions.... But, at the end of the day, (race cars) are still having a very low efficiency. So there’s no way around that,' says atmospheric sciences professor Nicole Riemer. $25M gift to support new interdisciplinary learning center Nov 3, 2022 9:15 am The South Campus Center for Interdisciplinary Learning will be a four-story building on Gregory Drive between the Business Instructional Facility and Huff Hall. Construction will begin in spring 2023 and is expected to be completed by early 2025. Illini Football accepts invitation to 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl Dec 5, 2022 8:45 am The Illinois football team has accepted an invitation to play in the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida. Illinois will play Mississippi State at Raymond James Stadium on Monday, Jan. 2 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2. Illinois' Homecoming game time announced Oct 9, 2023 9:45 am Illinois' Homecoming game against Wisconsin on Saturday, Oct. 21 will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT, the conference office announced on Monday. Television coverage for the game will be announced following games played on Oct. 14. Illini Baseball's weekend road trip at Coastal Carolina Mar 10, 2023 8:45 am Illinois baseball returns to action in Conway, S.C., facing the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers for three games and capping off its 13-game road trip to begin the season. The Illini earned their second-straight series win last week against Sam Houston. U of I's Discovery Partners Institute will launch cannabis research facility Dec 16, 2022 11:30 am Green Market Report (Dec. 15) Given its strengths in agriculture, genomics, medicine, 'It’s a natural for us to be a gathering point' for cannabis research, says DPI director Bill Jackson. 'It’s an industry Illinois wants to win in, ...that’s going to be sizable.' Launch of new Amazon-Illinois Center on AI for Interactive Conversational Experiences Mar 27, 2023 11:15 am 'To begin AICE will focus on a multimodal form of knowledge acquisition. Some tools intake only textual data, but a multimodal interface can continually learn and update knowledge from users through voice, text, image and video interactions...' Fighting Illini Hall of Fame Class of 2022 induction set for Sept. 23 Sep 16, 2022 9:00 am Illinois Athletics will formally induct 15 new members to the Hall of Fame Class of 2022 on Friday, Sept. 23, 6 PM at State Farm Center. The ceremony is open to all and admission is free. Posters will be available to the first 500 fans. On the trail of the Denisovans Mar 4, 2024 12:30 pm The New York Times (March 2) U of I anthropology professor Laura Shackelford said her team's discoveries raised the possibility that Denisovans and modern humans coexisted and interacted for tens of thousands of years. 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. Illinois Volleyball welcomes Northwestern for midweek clash at Huff Hall Nov 1, 2023 11:15 am Illinois volleyball goes for its sixth straight victory when the team hosts Northwestern at Huff Hall on Wednesday night. First serve on Big Ten Network is slated for 8 p.m. CT. Celebrate Black History Month at Illinois Feb 1, 2023 10:15 am Black History Month gives everyone the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of Black heritage and culture. Uase this site to find events and stories of impact from Black students, alumni, faculty and staff at U of I. Did 'woke' investments cause Silicon Valley Bank's collapse? Mar 14, 2023 11:15 am PolitiFact (March 13) U of I business law expert Robert Lawless says 'wokeness' didn’t cause the bank’s collapse. 'It had nothing to do with it. It’s like saying, "Why isn’t ‘blue’ the answer to ‘one plus one’?" It’s Banking 101. That’s what was going on.' Illini Basketball doubleheader watch party set for State Farm Center Mar 27, 2024 8:30 am Fighting Illini Athletics will host a doubleheader watch party at State Farm Center on Thursday, with both women's and men's basketball playing postseason games being shown on the videoboard. Gates will open at 6 p.m. and admission is free. A huge number of homeowners have mortgage rates too good to give up Apr 15, 2024 3:30 pm New York Times (April 15) The average American household has a fixed rate mortgage that’s a whopping three points lower than new mortgage rates. 'You could think of your locked-in rate as an asset that you own,' says U of I professor Julia Fonseca. Four U of I students awarded Boren funding for overseas language study Apr 26, 2023 3:30 pm Graduate student Maxine Katz and undergraduates Neel Khattri, Kellie Sucha and Tina Wayne have received prestigious Boren Awards for study abroad during the 2023-24 academic year. The government is rescuing rural colleges that would otherwise close Apr 27, 2023 11:15 am The Washington Post (April 27) Having a university nearby not only raises household income, U of I research has found; it increases high school graduation rates and boosts employment and other things that contribute to local economies. Scientists found a way to predict your death by how you walk Oct 24, 2022 11:00 am Yahoo News (Oct. 21) The test is 'a very good external measure of what’s going on internally,' and could easily be replicated using the accelerometer in a wrist sensor or a smartphone, says Professor Bruce Schatz, a leader of the U of I study. Illinois Public Media launching new radio station: Illinois Soul debuts February 1 Dec 15, 2023 1:00 pm Illinois Soul will be broadcast on WILL-FM 101.1 and available to stream live at illinoissoul.org. 'We are so excited to launch Illinois Soul, bringing the best in jazz, R&B, and gospel to our listeners, with a unique focus on the Black community.' U of I hosting 2022 NCAA Tennis Championships May 19, 2022 10:45 am The NCAA Championships will take place at Illinois from May 19-28, with the team championship taking place on May 19-22 and individual bracket play taking place May 23-28. Illini Motorsports: National Champions! Jun 28, 2022 9:30 am For the first time in its Formula SAE 40-year history, U of I's team won both competitions that comprised the 2022 Formula SAE National Collegiate series, finishing as the national champions with a nearly clean sweep of first-place trophies. FamILLy Day at Memorial Stadium Set for Aug. 14 Jul 14, 2022 10:30 am You'll get a first look at the Fighting Illini football, soccer, and volleyball teams by interacting with student-athletes on the field. That's followed by a movie night (free admission) where the first 500 fans will receive a free Illini popcorn bucket. Details on move-in week at Illinois residence halls Aug 8, 2022 11:30 am Book your move-in slot, see information specific to your residence hall, and check out information on traffic and parking. Plan ahead for a smooth move! Ludacris returns home to perform at State Farm Center Sep 13, 2022 1:00 pm Ludacris, a Champaign native and rapper, will perform Saturday, October 15 at 8:00pm as part of the University of Illinois Homecoming festivities. U of I Library acquires first edition of Plato’s works in Greek Feb 6, 2024 4:30 pm The Rare Book and Manuscript Library has acquired a rare first edition of Plato’s works printed in the Greek language. it was printed in Venice in 1513 by Aldine Press, one of the most successful printing houses of the time. Wrestler Lucas Byrd selected to NWCA All-Star Classic Sep 28, 2022 10:45 am Illinois wrestler Lucas Byrd has been selected to wrestle in the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic on November 22 in Austin, Texas. 'This group is the elite of the elite in college wrestling,' said Illini head coach Mike Poeta. Bats protect young trees from insect damage, with three times fewer bugs Nov 1, 2022 1:45 pm Bats help keep forests growing. Without bats to hold their populations in check, insects that munch on tree do three to nine times more damage than when bats are on the scene, according to a groundbreaking new study from the U of I. Illinois Men’s Basketball signs top 20 class for 2024 Nov 9, 2023 9:00 am Head coach Brad Underwood announced Wednesday the signing of top-35 national recruit Morez Johnson Jr. and three-star prospects Jason Jakstys and Jase Butler to national letters of intent on the first day of the early signing period. America's greatest AI visionary is... an English professor at Illinois Dec 6, 2023 3:45 pm Business Insider (Dec. 6) In a world filled with artificial intelligence skeptics and chatbot alarmists, Illinois English professor Ted Underwood is making one of the strongest, most compelling cases for the value of artificial intelligence. Skirkey, Anaya earn national titles at NCAA Championships Apr 17, 2023 8:00 am Ian Skirkey (pommel horse) and Ashton Anaya (still rings) both were named national champions at the NCAA Championships Saturday night in State College, Pa. This is the first time Illinois has two national champions since 2012. State of Illinois crafting new, equity-based higher education funding formula May 12, 2022 2:00 pm Crain’s Chicago Business (May 12) Dollars could shift from the flagship U of I system to other state schools which enroll fewer people, but have higher percentages of minority and low-income students.
