Prairie Research Institute archaeologist Sarah Baires was one of 16 selected for the 2026-27 Emerging Research Leaders Academy at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Baires, who earned her doctoral degree in anthropological archaeology from the U. of I. in 2014, is an Illinois State Archaeological Survey researcher and anthropology affiliate studying why humans built and populated urban environments, centering on the Native American city of Cahokia near present-day St. Louis.
“I am excited,” Baires said, “to collaborate with talented colleagues, further develop my research and leadership skills, and share Illinois’s rich archaeological history with fellow Illinoisans and audiences around the world.”
The 16 emerging research leaders selected for the program have secured external research funding, including multiple career awards, earned recognition from professional societies and international conferences, and introduced novel techniques to their field.
In addition to managing their growing research programs, several of these mid-career researchers have stepped into positions of administrative service and leadership within their units, professional societies, and on the editorial boards of leading journals.
Representing 17 units in seven colleges, the 2026-27 cohort reflects the diversity of Illinois’ research enterprise, spanning the social sciences, education, health sciences, biological and biomedical sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. These rising stars also hold affiliations with seven of Illinois’ 10 interdisciplinary research institutes.
The Emerging Research Leaders Academy considers the unique needs of mid-career faculty at Illinois to achieve research success. The program provides vital leadership and team science training that will help faculty pursue large, collaborative grants, lead campus research initiatives, enhance their own research programs, and ultimately position Illinois for research excellence.
The Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides scientific expertise and transformative research to the people of Illinois and beyond. PRI is home to the five state scientific surveys: the Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois State Water Survey, and Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.
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