Illinois Featured Content

Proofessor Matt Stasiewicz. Photo by Fred Zwicky

How are outbreaks of foodborne illness found and fixed?

Nov 11, 2024 10:45 am

The outbreak of e-coli linked to onions on McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers is just the latest of many recent cases. Food Science professor Matt Stasiewicz talks about how outbreaks happen, how they are traced and stopped.

Dr. Steve Maren standing on the Bardeen Quad at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

'The sound of neurons': Q&A with Beckman Institute Director Steve Maren

Nov 6, 2024 9:30 am

'The first time I heard the sound of neurons firing, this “Pop!” “Pop!” “Pop!” that I can still remember to this day. I realized that as we do things and move through the world, our brains are actively working in real time.'

Journalism professor Melita Garza. Photo by Heather Hendren

Have newspaper political endorsements outlived their purpose?

Nov 1, 2024 10:00 am

Although presidential candidate endorsements can offer readers insight into a newspaper’s thinking about the direction, needs of the country, Professor Melita Garza says there's little evidence thier endorsements sway readers' votes.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign adjunct law professor Taisa Markus. Photo by Fred Zwicky

How should the next US president handle sanctions on Russia?

Oct 29, 2024 2:00 pm

No matter which candidate wins the presidential election, there’s a strong case to keep existing sanctions on Russia in place, says University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign adjunct law professor Taisa Markus.

Paul Bruno, a professor of education policy, organization and leadership. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

How are funding reforms (vouchers and potentially Project 2025) affecting public education?

Oct 28, 2024 9:00 am

Changes on the Project 2025 agenda - such as eliminating meal subsidies and early childhood ed - could have profound implications for public schools students, said education professor Paul Bruno.

Microbiology professor Chris Brooke, who studies respiratory viruses. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Why should you get the new COVID-19 and flu shots?

Oct 22, 2024 9:30 am

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign microbiology professor Chris Brooke, a virologist who studies respiratory viruses, discusses what’s in the new vaccines, the best time to get them and why we need them at all.

University of Illinois professor Jim Best. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

How do hurricanes impact inland regions hundreds of miles from coastal landfall locations?

Oct 7, 2024 12:00 pm

The flooding associated with hurricanes can extend deep into the interior of the continents and needs to be viewed as much more than just too much water, says University of Illinois professor Jim Best.

How is AI changing health care?

Oct 4, 2024 4:15 pm

Dr. Mark Cohen, dean of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, discussed the risks and rewards of using AI tools in health care and medical discovery.

Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at Illinois. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

How should labor movement handle the challenges of AI, automation at work?

Aug 27, 2024 11:00 am

Transitioning to a future of work that accounts for the job-destroying perils of artificial intelligence will require unions to be proactive in their bargaining and policy advocacy around automation, says U.of I. labor expert Robert Bruno,

Professor Robert Bruno. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

What’s the state of labor in the US ahead of the presidential election?

Aug 15, 2024 8:00 am

Organized labor has fared considerably better during the Biden administration than it did during the Trump years, and would likely be better off under a Kamala Harris presidency, says Robert Bruno, a labor expert at Illinois.

Makeshift memorial to victims of the August 3, 2019, mass shooting at an El Paso, TX, Walmart. From Wikimedia Commons

How have U.S. border policies affected attitudes toward migrants and violence against them?

Aug 1, 2024 10:30 am

Latina/Latino Studies Professor Gilberto Rosas says the increasingly militarized enforcement practices at the southern border has hardened attitudes toward migrants and contributed to violence against them,

Illinois anthropology professor Kendra Calhoun describes “linguistic self-censorship,” a technique for fooling algorithms meant to curb "inappropriate" or "offensive" speech. Photo by Fred Zwicky

How do people use self-censorship to avoid content suppression on sites like TikTok?

Aug 14, 2024 9:30 am

Anthropology professor Kendra Calhoun studies the creative language people use on social media platforms to fool algorithms that may incorrectly categorize content as 'inappropriate' or 'offensive.'

Susannah Scaroni, a three-time Paralympian who won gold at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, trains with her teammates on the Illinois Men’s and Women’s Wheelchair Track team during early morning workouts at the track at Demirjian Park. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Continuing success: Illinois wheelchair racers ready for the Paralympic Games

Aug 13, 2024 9:00 am

The 2024 Paralympic Games begin in Paris on August 28. U. of I. head coach of wheelchair track and road racing Adam Bleakney will be coaching for Team USA. All nine of the U.S. wheelchair racing athletes have a connection to Illinois.

Dr. Holly Rosencranz, an internal medicine physician and a clinical teaching professor in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Photo by Fred Zwicky

What are the signs of heat stroke?

Aug 9, 2024 12:30 pm

Heat stroke is a medical emergency, but recognizing the warning signs and knowing vulnerability factors and mitigation techniques can improve outcomes, says Dr. Holly Rosencranz, professor in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.

Communication professor Davis Cisneros. Photo by Fred Zwicky

How do presidential candidates embody ideas about national identity?

Aug 1, 2024 9:00 am

Professor David Cisneros explores the dichotomous rhetoric from U.S. presidential candidates about Latinos and immigrants, as well as how beliefs about national identity and race are shaped by each presidency.

Digital humanities librarian Mary Ton is surrounded by some infamous deepfakes and images created by generative AI from recent years, as well as a magic lantern projector, which was one of the earliest ways to share images with a larger audience. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Deepfakes are harder to detect than ever before. How are they being used?

Jul 31, 2024 11:15 am

Social media provides an international platform to share deepfaked content quickly and anonymously, so be especially wary of the content that you’re encountering on social media this political season.

Communication professor JungHwan Yang. Photo by Leslie Stauffer

Will social media polls accurately predict the winner of the U.S. presidential election?

Jul 30, 2024 10:00 am

Professor JungHwan Yang's research team explored biases associated with political polls posted on social media, how their results compare with those reported by mainstream media and their potential influence on public discourse.

stock image of field workers. Creative Commons license via PxHere

Does new workplace safety rule protect workers against the dangers of extreme heat?

Jul 25, 2024 8:45 am

The Biden administration’s new rule to protect workers from the dangers of extreme heat ultimately may be undermined by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, says U. of I. labor expert Michael LeRoy.

There is archaeological evidence that the Olympics began hundreds of years before the 8th century B.C.E., according to classics professor Dan Leon. (Illustration by Carly Conway."

From donkey chariots to shrines to Pelops: The ancient history of the Olympics

Jul 17, 2024 12:45 pm

With the Paris Olympic Games beginning later this month, classics professor Dan Leon discusses how the original Games looked thousands of years ago in Olympia.

Patrick Sweeney, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor of molecular and integrative physiology. Photo by Fred Zwicky

How do drugs like Ozempic work for weight loss?

Jul 9, 2024 10:00 am

New weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy can be life-changing for those with type 2 diabetes or severe obesity, but are not the best choice for those only looking to lose a few pounds

Lauren R. Aronson, a clinical professor and the director of the Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Law. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

How significant is the Biden administration’s new immigration executive order?

Jul 11, 2024 8:30 am

The new executive order from the Biden administration is more focused on family unity than the 'mass amnesty' some critics have portrayed it as, says University of Illinois law expert Lauren R. Aronson.

Have dynamics changed between teachers, Chicago Public Schools since 2019 strike?

Jun 24, 2024 9:45 am

An extended strike by Chicago public school teachers seems unlikely thanks to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s union credentials, says U. of I.'s Robert Bruno.

How is this year’s chaotic FAFSA application process affecting colleges, students?

Jun 26, 2024 3:00 pm

The release of the redesigned Free Application for Federal Student Aid has been fraught with technical glitches and delays, creating havoc for students and universities across the country.

Lorenzo Baber. File photo by Brian Stauffer

Why offer baccalaureate degrees through Illinois’ community colleges?

Jun 17, 2024 10:45 am

An Illinois bill that would enable community colleges to confer certain baccalaureate degrees could be a game-changer for nontraditional students and other underserved populations, according to U. of I.'s Lorenzo Baber.

Yannick Kluch, a professor of recreation, sport and tourism. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Will the 2024 Olympic Games become the playing field for social justice protests?

Jun 5, 2024 8:45 am

Professor Yannick Kluch explores the contentious history of political protests by Olympic athletes and if the controversial Rule 50 could be invoked to saction those who make them during the 2024 Summer Games.

professor Stefan Vogler. Credit: Fred Zwicky

How are LGBTQ people treated by law enforcement?

Jun 3, 2024 10:15 am

LGBTQ+ individuals reported higher levels of verbal abuse and other mistreatment compared with heterosexual people in a survey cited in a recent ACLU research report co-written by professor Stefan Vogler.

image shows birds and cows sharing space at a feed trough. Photo by Fred Zwicky

How does bird flu infect so many species?

May 1, 2024 10:30 am

Reports of the first documented case of the H5N1 virus passing from birds to cows — and then from a cow to a person — have generated a lot of press. However, 'To date, human mortality as a result of bird flu infection is extremely low.'

Carol Symes, a professor of history at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Photo by Fred Zwicky

How are states altering higher education by redefining academic freedom?

May 2, 2024 8:00 am

State laws that tether faculty tenure and promotions to state politics undermine the academic freedom that is the founding principle of postsecondary education and research in the US, according to Professor Carol Symes.

Suja Thomas, the Peer and Sarah Pedersen Professor of Law at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Photo by College of Law

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.

Sundiata Cha-Jua, an Illinois professor of history and of African American studies. Courtesy Sundiata Cha-Jua

Why is the reparations movement gaining momentum in the U.S.?

Apr 18, 2024 9:15 am

Support for reparations is growing because U.S. political and corporate leaders have retreated from a commitment to racial justice, says Sundiata Cha-Jua, an Illinois professor of history and of African American studies.

Can genetic genealogy restore family narratives disrupted by the transatlantic slave trade?

Mar 28, 2024 10:15 am

African Americans descended from enslaved ancestors are working to trace their family histories and are finding a new sense of identity rooted in specific ancestral lineages and homelands, says anthropology professor LaKisha David.

Carl Bernacchi, a professor of crop sciences and of plant biology at the U. of I. Photo by Fred Zwicky

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.

Professor Cynthia Buckley. Photo by Brian Stauffer

How is the Russia-Ukraine war affecting non-allied countries’ interest in joining NATO?

Mar 27, 2024 8:15 am

Refusing to provide additional aid to Ukraine may diminish the U.S.’s reputational soft power within NATO and with non-allied countries, according to sociology professor and demographer Cynthia Buckley.

astronomy professor Leslie Looney. Photo by Leslie Stauffer

Expert advises eclipse watchers to get the best vantage point – are you ready?

Mar 26, 2024 8:45 am

Only those within the path of totality (about 115 miles in diameter) will be see a total eclipse. 'Partial solar eclipses are interesting, but they pale compared to totality. If you can do it, try to get to the path of totality. It is worth it,' says professor Leslie Looney.

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