Voices of ACES Blog

Animal Sciences grad, boxing champion excels in vet school

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An animal sciences student and a 3-time national champion boxer. What comes to mind when you think of the two? Probably not much. Unless we’re talking about Shelby Harrison of course, a previous animal sciences student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and current Doctor of Veterinary Medicine candidate, who was a national boxing champion through the Illini Boxing Club.

ACES doctoral student selected for prestigious NASA research award

Wendy Dorman is determined to map a brighter future for grassland birds. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign doctoral student will use a $150,000 investment from NASA to develop robust maps of grassland habitat across the Midwest and beyond.

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Climate-smart spuds can take the heat

A team from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has engineered potato to be more resilient to global warming, showing 30% increases in tuber mass under heatwave conditions. This adaptation may provide greater food security for families dependent on potatoes, as these are often the same areas where the changing climate has already affected multiple crop seasons.

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New greenhouse will accelerate CABBI bioenergy research

A new greenhouse custom-designed to support research at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) is now open at the University of Illinois Research Park.

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A lifeline on the river: Elizabeth Bruns’ journey from survivor to steward

Elizabeth Brooks Bruns’ journey from a farm girl to a civil engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was not without its challenges. Diagnosed with cancer at age 13, and facing several recurrences, Elizabeth had to pause her education multiple times in her teens and early twenties. “It gave me space to think about what I liked to do and took away the pressure to pick a career too quickly,” she recalls.

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Crayfish map gives conservation a helping claw

If you’re a crayfish, location is everything. Here in North America, times are tough for the mini crustaceans. Habitat destruction, damming, and pollution have decimated local populations, such that many species are in dire need of help. But when some of the same species were exported to Europe, they found a much more favorable environment and are thriving. A little too much — American expats bully European crayfish and spread disease, driving many local species to the brink.

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A full circle journey: K.C. Ting honored with distinguished alumni award

Growing up in Taipei, K.C. Ting never anticipated that agricultural engineering would be his calling. “It took me by surprise,” he shared, recalling the entrance exam system in Taiwan that directed students to universities based on their rankings. Out of 100 options, his assignment to agricultural engineering wasn’t his top choice, yet it set the stage for a lifelong career that blended his love for engineering with agriculture.

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