blog posts

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  Study reveals how social networks shape health in later life

  May 12, 2025 11:15 am

  Older adults with broader, more diverse social networks may feel less lonely and enjoy better health than those whose social circles are smaller, according to recent research led by social work professor Lissette Piedra.

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  Illinois Youth Survey finds troubling substance use trends

  May 8, 2025 10:15 am

  U. of I.'s new Illinois Youth Survey finds disturbing trends among teens, such as obtaining alcohol through home delivery services, binge drinking and reports of cyclical vomiting syndrome, which is often associated with prolonged use of cannabis. 

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  Review: Social drinking also a well-worn path to alcohol use disorder

  Apr 30, 2025 11:15 am

  When picturing a 'typical' alcoholic, people tend to imagine a person drinking at home alone. But that focus overlooks the social origins of many serious alcohol problems.  

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  Study shows gig economy as viable pathway to entrepreneurship

  Apr 28, 2025 11:00 am

  Researchers speculated that 'the gig economy might mirror the experiences of an entrepreneur, allowing individuals to learn about entrepreneurship and accumulate industry-specific experience.' 

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  Computer science teachers may be better qualified than their peers

  Apr 25, 2025 12:00 pm

  A study by Professor Paul Bruno found that instructors’ teaching experience both in general and in computer science specifically had the greatest impact on student learning - not whether faculty members were licensed to teach the subject. 

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  New analytics-driven framework aims to improve care of chronic disease

  Apr 21, 2025 9:30 am

  New U. of I. research finds that a data-informed approach to scheduling patient appointments can reduce risks associated with diabetes management by up to 19.4%, especially for underserved populations.

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  New study finds link between green spaces and police violence

  Apr 24, 2025 3:00 pm

  Higher levels of greenness may reduce violence in four ways: reduced crime, improved short-term and long-term mental health, sending a signal that a place is well-cared for and increasing the use of outdoor spaces by nearby neighbors.

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  Young adults juggle conflicting pressures to hurry up ― and wait

  Apr 16, 2025 12:00 pm

  Researchers have found that young adults today may feel caught between opposing forces, some pressuring them to accelerate their maturation and assume adult responsibilities earlier, others striving to hold them back.

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  Staff shortages exceed those for teachers in many Illinois public schools

  Mar 31, 2025 10:45 am

  The pandemic exacerbated teacher shortages, but a new study of Illinois public schools indicates that need for other certificated staff such as teacher’s aides and social workers may have been a far greater problem for some schools. 

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  Research explores Champaign Park District’s relationship with users who are homeless

  Mar 20, 2025 12:15 pm

  'That was something that the Champaign Park District really wanted to understand ― how do the various constituent groups in the community see this issue and what do they want them to do about it?' said Professor Nick Pitas.

  
  

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  Biography examines spiritual wellness work of political activist Ericka Huggins

  Mar 4, 2025 11:15 am

  Professor of African American studies Mary Frances Phillips wrote about the spiritual wellness practices of political activist Ericka Huggins in her new book “Black Panther Woman.”

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  Retail app outages have surprising impact on in-store shopping, customer behavior

  Feb 20, 2025 10:45 am

  When the app became unavailable, customers would simply switch to the website, especially if they had used the website before. But what the researchers didn’t expect was that the app outage would lead to a decline in in-store shopping.

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  New study evaluates public policy preferences for limiting children’s access to energy drinks

  Feb 17, 2025 9:45 am

  The U.S. is the leading energy drink market and relies heavily on voluntary industry standards, says professor Maria Kalaitzandonakes. A new study gauged the public’s preferences for energy drink policies and marketing.

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  Illinois business experts examine economic fallout from historic wildfires

  Feb 5, 2025 12:15 pm

  Experts warn that the road to recovery from the Southern California wildfires will be long, with significant challenges to the local economy, housing market, and insurance industry. 

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  Songbirds socialize on the wing during migration, new study says

  Jan 15, 2025 12:00 pm

  Birds' flight paths may not be entirely innate, according to U. of I. research. Evidence from recorded flight calls suggests songbirds may 'talk' to other species as they migrate, forming social connections and, perhaps, sharing information about the journey. 

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  Study: More employees are languishing than flourishing at work

  Jan 21, 2025 8:45 am

  'Someone who is languishing will feel like they have little say in what they do...or that they are stagnating in their jobs,' said Professor Oscar Ybarra. 'Employees who get their mental well-being needs met will be more productive and loyal to the organization.'

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  Study: Schools should boost entry-level salaries to better compete for novice teachers

  Jan 16, 2025 12:30 pm

  Despite concerns about teacher shortages in certain school districts and subject areas, a recent study found that schools are not adjusting their salary scales strategically so they can better attract novice teachers. 

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  Board gender diversity improves investment efficiency for companies

  Jan 13, 2025 9:30 am

  The study finds that mandatory and strongly enforced gender diversity interventions trigger larger enhancements in investment efficiency compared to voluntary or weakly enforced policies. 

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  Gies researcher uses novel approach to uncover prevalence of earnings manipulation

  Jan 6, 2025 11:00 am

  'Because executives are often the only people who know that earnings have been manipulated, we thought it would be worthwhile to at least try asking executives directly about whether they have manipulated earnings,' said researcher Alex Vandenberg.

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  Study: Brilliant white male characters more believable, some viewers say

  Nov 22, 2024 8:45 am

  Brilliant characters often play key roles in movies and TV shows. However, when they are played by women and people of color, some audience members dismiss them as unrealistic, even if they portray real people.

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  Study reveals advantages of informative brand names

  Nov 15, 2024 11:45 am

  By clearly communicating a product's purpose, informative names can significantly boost a product's visibility and success, suggesting that businesses can benefit from adopting descriptive names to gain a competitive edge.
   

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  Communication with doctor during first visit affects pain patients’ outcomes

  Oct 30, 2024 9:15 am

  U. of I. researchers found that shared decision-making and the quality of the health care provider’s history-taking and physical exam were the main drivers of spinal pain patients’ satisfaction with, trust in and agreement with their doctors. 

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  Mouse model reveals liver involvement in muscular dystrophy

  Oct 24, 2024 12:00 pm

  A new mouse model mimicking the liver symptoms of the most prevalent form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy provides insight into why patients develop fatty liver disease and display hypersensitivity to medications. 

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  WILD: Genomic study identifies human, animal hair in ‘man-eater’ lions’ teeth

  Oct 11, 2024 10:30 am

  In 1898, two male, maneless lions crept into a camp near the Tsavo River in Kenya, raided tents and dragged off their victims. The infamous 'man-eaters' killed at least 28 people before the civil engineer on the project shot them dead.

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  Raising happy eaters: Unlocking the secrets of childhood appetite

  Oct 18, 2024 11:45 am

  Children are born with a capacity to regulate appetite based on hunger and satiety signals, but with increased exposure to environmental factors, their eating is increasingly guided by psychological reasoning and motivations. 

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  Honey bees in demand: New contract strategies to support pollination services

  Oct 15, 2024 11:15 am

  Beekeepers 'move colonies to the places where there are flowers blooming so the bees can find food. I’m interested in how beekeepers deal with risk in their operation and how that affects pollination contracts,' Professor Brittney Goodrich said. 

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  New book explores the history of the phony cancer drug Krebiozen

  Oct 1, 2024 11:15 am

  Journalism professor emeritus Matthew C. Ehrlich examines the dramatic story of a controversial medicine once touted as a miracle cure for cancer in his new book.

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  Ads featuring interracial couples produce mixed results for brands

  Sep 16, 2024 8:30 am

  'The prevalence of interracial couples in advertising suggests that firms assume this is an effective strategy. But there’s no clear evidence that brands benefit from this inclusion,' said business professor Rosanna K. Smith.  

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  Report: Conscientiousness, not willpower, is a reliable predictor of success

  Sep 10, 2024 8:45 am

  Two psychology professors argue that psychological science sometimes overemphasizes the role of willpower in human success and well-being. The personality trait 'conscientiousness' is a better predictor of success, they write.

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  Book: Healing America’s divisiveness requires changing how we think

  Aug 26, 2024 1:45 pm

  Healing America’s political discord — and saving democracy — demands that we abandon our certainty we are right and snap judgments about those who disagree, says sociology professor Ilana Redstone in a new book. 

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  Study tracks decades of extreme heat, cold in Upper Midwest

  Aug 20, 2024 11:30 am

  U. of I. researchers found significant increases in the frequency of daytime extreme heat stress across the Upper Midwest. Urban areas often saw the biggest increases over time, likely as a result of the 'heat island' effect.

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  Honey added to yogurt supports probiotic cultures for digestive health

  Aug 8, 2024 1:45 pm

  'Our findings showed that pairing honey with yogurt supported the survival of the yogurt’s probiotic bacteria in the gut, so the lab study results did translate to real-world application in humans,' said food sciences professor Hannah Holscher.

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  U. of I. historian’s book provides introduction to gender history

  Aug 7, 2024 12:00 pm

  'Gender makes a huge difference in how political movements unfold and how capitalism works, in the workplace but also in the household. There’s no aspect of public, private, civic or political life that is untouched by gender.'

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  PFAS found in nearly all fish tested from four northern Illinois rivers

  Jul 31, 2024 8:15 am

  ound PFAS-contaminated fish in every one of the 15 sites they tested along four northern Illinois rivers, with channel catfish having the highest accumulation of PFAS in its tissues.

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  First of its kind study shines light on LGBTQ+ farmer mental health

  Jul 1, 2024 1:45 pm

  LGBTQ+ people involved in farm work are more than three times more likely to experience depression and suicidal intent and about two and a half times more likely to experience anxiety than the general population. 

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  Emotional overeating fed by temperament, caregivers’ reactions to children’s emotions

  Jul 2, 2024 11:45 am

  New research on the origins of emotional overeating in 3-year-olds suggests that caregivers' responses to infants’ and toddlers’ negative emotions (disappointment, fear, anger) influences a child’s development of emotional overeating. 

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  Specialist and migratory birds at greater risk under climate change

  Jun 11, 2024 4:30 pm

  Following decades of decline, even fewer birds will darken North American skies by the end of the century, according to a new analysis by scientists at the U. of I. College of ACES.

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  When mothers and children talk about problems, environment matters

  Jun 4, 2024 10:45 am

  Talking to their parents about daily stressors can help adolescents deal with their problems. This is particularly important during the transition to middle school. But does it matter where these conversations take place? 

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  Researchers: Green infrastructure plans need to consider historical racial inequalities

  May 21, 2024 9:45 am

  'For the environmental and ecological questions, we have a pretty good handle on what we need to do. The questions that are the hardest... are how to work well with communities, particularly marginalized communities.'

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  Book details how feds used bribery to end relationships with Native American tribes

  May 28, 2024 12:15 pm

   A new book by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign history professor David Beck examines how the federal government used bribery schemes to end its relationships with Native American tribal nations in the early 20th century. 

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  Cicadas and tinnitus: Here's what you need to know

  May 20, 2024 1:15 pm

  Professor Fatima Husain explains why individuals with tinnitus may find peace among the audial onslaught and offers suggestions for how people can safely shield their ears from the impending 'wall of sound.'

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  Study: Social networks can influence perception of climate-change risk

  May 22, 2024 9:45 am

  A U of I study found that social networks can play a significant role in influencing the financial behaviors and perception of catastrophic risks brought about by climate change. 

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  Tibetan plateau had broader social dimensions than previously thought

  Apr 29, 2024 11:30 am

  Using excavated artifacts, Profewssor Stanley Ambrose and his team discovered that there was a long-distance cultural exchange between the Tibetan plateau and northern China. 

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  Paper: Firms learn more from ‘knowledge-gap’ failures than mere ‘slip-ups’

  Apr 22, 2024 8:30 am

  More organizational learning was associated with design-related product recalls than with process-related recalls. Researchers also learned that a firm’s accumulated patents and investment in R&D enhanced learning from design-related recalls. 

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  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...' 

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  The downside of 'branded access offers': Perceived lack of consumer commitment

  Apr 11, 2024 12:30 pm

  'Brands are constantly pursuing new customers, and the leading trend is a focus on branded access offers... moving away from ownership to more of a short-term rental mode,' said U of I business professor Tiffany Barnett White .  

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  Illinois schools sought to participate in 2024 Illinois Youth Survey

  Mar 18, 2024 9:30 am

  The Illinois Youth Survey is a biennial survey of eighth, 10th and 12th grade students that provides important assessments of school climate issues and substance use across Illinois’ middle and high schools.  

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  Study: Default testing for COVID-19 in K-12 schools more effective than voluntary testing

  Mar 13, 2024 9:00 am

  A new paper co-written by U of I business professors found that default testing of K-12 students for COVID-19 during the pandemic could have saved up to one out of every five school days lost to the coronavirus during the fall 2021 semester. 

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  Study: Americans struggle to distinguish factual claims from opinions amid partisan bias

  Mar 12, 2024 11:30 am

  Americans struggle to tell the difference between statements of fact and statements of opinion – a troubling trend that has grave implications for civic discourse in the U.S., say U of I political science researchers. 

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  Historic racial covenants in property deeds linked to disparities in exposure to dangerous heat

  Mar 6, 2024 8:00 am

  A study by urban and regional planning professor Rebecca Walker is the first to examine the environmental impact of racial covenants, using the first database to map the presence of the covenants in a U.S. metropolitan area.