A program operating within the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that assists farmers with financial management and decision-making welcomes a new CEO this August, while also celebrating a monumental milestone in their history.

Digital technologies on the farm improve efficiency, productivity, and profits, but few farmers are taking full advantage of available tools. According to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers, communication channels play an important role in farmers’ decision-making process around technology adoption.

Elephant conservation is a major priority in southern Africa, but habitat loss and urbanization mean the far-ranging pachyderms are increasingly restricted to protected areas like game reserves. The risk? Contained populations could become genetically isolated over time, making elephants more vulnerable to disease and environmental change. 

Black Americans experience racial discrimination on a regular basis, and it is a cause of chronic and pervasive stress. It is known to contribute to elevated risk for poor mental health outcomes, but most research has focused on individuals.

Waterhemp is a nuisance for any crop producer, but in snap bean fields, the weed’s stem segments can break off during harvest, contaminating the crop with inedible look-alike “pods.” Vexingly, snap bean is harmed by many of the herbicides registered for waterhemp, leaving producers with few chemical solutions. 

An interdisciplinary research project has led to new ways of making music and of approaching engineering design through interactions with Indigenous communities in Bolivia and Sierra Leone.