Voices of ACES Blog

Diverse destinations: Ashley’s experiences in Panama, South Africa, and Italy

blog placeholder image

Meet Ashley Equihua, a junior studying Nutrition and Health in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES). Ashley is a veteran of study abroad programs, having participated in three short-term programs during her time in the College of ACES. With visits to Panama, South Africa, and Italy, she continues to expand her cultural knowledge and broaden her understanding of diverse parts of the world.

Two ACES faculty win Campus Awards for Excellence in Instruction

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign each year presents Campus Awards for Excellence in Instruction to exceptional faculty and staff members, graduate teaching assistants and advisers campuswide. This year’s recipients, two of which are from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES), are being honored at a ceremony. 

Read full story

Food Science alumna finds her way back to academia

Junior year of high school, Lia sat in chemistry class, listening intently to Mr. Ahring describe the building blocks of proteins. A few hours later, she experienced this same lesson in her food science class. The connection between foods and chemistry? Amino acids. This epiphany and a sit-down pep talk with her chemistry teacher ignited a flame that would catalyze her journey to food science. 

Read full story

Japan’s Kyushu University visits Illinois to increase student exchanges and collaborations

With the goal of eventually welcoming more University of Illinois students to its campus in Japan, a delegation from Kyushu University visited the Urbana-Champaign campus in late March. 

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) Office of International Programs hosted three faculty from Kyushu and organized a robust schedule for the delegates to tour campus facilities and meet with colleagues who share their research interests.

Read full story

Breeding more resilient soybeans may come down to test site selection

In the quest to optimize crop productivity across environments, soybean breeders test new cultivars in multiple locations each year. The best-performing cultivars across these locations are selected for further breeding and eventual commercialization. However, a new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests current soybean testing locations may not be delivering breeders the biggest bang for their buck. 

Read full story
Voices of ACES Blog

Sisters’ unique paths in ACES stem from shared adventures on the farm

blog placeholder image

Since we were young, my sister and I have embraced our differences, but found joy and passion in similar things. 

I am a first-year student just beginning my journey in Agricultural Communications at Illinois, while my older sister, Jamie Abbott, is wrapping up her senior year in Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Despite our unique academic pursuits, our shared passion for agriculture stemmed from the same experiences, rooted in our family farm in small town Orion, Illinois. 

Illinois study identifies atmospheric and economic drivers of global air pollution

Carbon monoxide emissions from industrial production have serious consequences for human health and are a strong indicator of overall air pollution levels. Many countries aim to reduce their emissions, but they cannot control air flows originating in other regions. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at global flows of air pollution and how they relate to economic activity in the global supply chain.

Read full story

Environmental scientist leaves Cameroon conflict as part of Illinois Scholars at Risk program

Leaving behind a dangerous situation where more than 100 armed groups are fighting a separatist war, Eric Zama, an environmental scientist from Cameroon, continues his academic work in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) through the Illinois Scholars at Risk program.  

The conflict Zama left started in 2016 as a peaceful protest by English-speaking teachers and lawyers who were feeling marginalized. By 2018, armed groups escalated the situation, and now the government is fighting back.

Read full story
Subscribe to