You say Cairo, I say Cairo: New online resource provides audio pronunciation of Illinois places and landmarks
URBANA, Ill. – Run your finger over a map of Illinois, and you’re sure to find some exotic sounding cities; Cairo and Marseilles come to mind. While these Illinois cities may bear the name of world-famous destinations, many cities and towns across the state feature uniquely “Illinois” pronunciations.
For a radio or TV broadcaster, public speaker, or announcer, mispronouncing a city’s name could hurt their credibility or offend the locals. But finding proper pronunciations of places not listed in dictionaries can be difficult.
Former assistant dean of student development, career services passes away
For Charles “Chuck” Olson, being assistant dean for student development and career services in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) was his passion, what he would call a service project that happened to pay his salary. Olson passed away on April 14, 2019.
University of Illinois researcher leads $1 million grant to reduce food insecurity
URBANA, Ill. – Millions of Americans struggle with food insecurity.
ACES 2019 Funk Awards recipients recognized
URBANA, Ill. - Each spring the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences recognizes faculty, staff, and graduate students who have demonstrated outstanding achievements or exceptional service to the college. Recipients are honored at the annual Paul A. Funk Recognition Awards Banquet. This year, the banquet was held Monday, April 8, at Pear Tree Estate in rural Champaign.
When introduced species interact: Degraded Hawaiian communities operate similarly to native ones
URBANA, Ill. – On the Hawaiian island of Oahu, it is possible to stand in a lush tropical forest that doesn’t contain a single native plant. The birds that once dispersed native seeds are almost entirely gone too, leaving a brand-new ecological community composed of introduced plants and birds. In a first-of-its-kind study published today in Science, researchers demonstrate that these novel communities are organized in much the same way as native communities worldwide.
Leadership programs on college campuses may teach skills, but do students stay motivated to lead in the years after?
URBANA, Ill. – Colleges and universities across the nation often make it part of their mission to equip students to be next-generation leaders in the workplace, offering a variety of leadership experiences and programs for students.
But just how successful these programs are in training long-term leaders can be difficult to assess.
Study: Families spend half of their evening meal distracted by technology, tasks
URBANA, Ill. — When families gather for dinner at night, they spend nearly half of their time distracted by electronic devices, toys and tasks that take them physically or mentally away from the table, a new study found.
However, fathers’ presence at meals may have a positive impact – reducing the amount of time that young children are distracted and increasing mothers’ responsiveness to children’s eating behaviors, according to the researchers.
Counties with more trees and shrubs spend less on Medicare, study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study finds that Medicare costs tend to be lower in counties with more forests and shrublands than in counties dominated by other types of land cover. The relationship persists even when accounting for economic, geographic or other factors that might independently influence health care costs, researchers report.
The analysis included county-level health and environmental data from 3,086 of the 3,103 counties in the continental U.S.
Curry wins NIFA Excellence in Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Award
URBANA, Ill. - Martina Curry, a community worker with University of Illinois Extension, has received the Excellence in Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Award from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Curry was presented the award during the program’s 50th year celebration on March 12, in Crystal City, Virginia.
Curry has committed over 35 years to nutrition education programming while working with families in Cook County.
Illinois study identifies a key to soybean cyst nematode growth
URBANA, Ill. – The soybean cyst nematode, one of the crop’s most destructive pests, isn’t like most of its wormy relatives. Whereas the vast majority of nematodes look like the microscopic worms they are, the female soybean cyst nematode shape-shifts into a tiny lemon after feeding on soybean roots. In a new EvoDevo article, a University of Illinois research team explains how it happens and why.