COVID-19 vaccination rates remain low in many African countries, often because providing access to vaccines is difficult in remote areas. A new international research project showed that intervention with mobile vaccination teams in Sierra Leone is an effective way of reaching rural populations to increase vaccination uptake.

Today, the Walder Foundation of Chicago announced the recipients of its 2024 Biota Awards, recognizing early-career researchers working to understand, protect, and restore the unique and diverse ecosystems in Chicago and around the world.

Rodney Johnson has been named associate dean for research and director of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His appointment will begin on June 16, 2024, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.

Paul McNamara, whose decades of work in developing and strengthening international extension systems has enhanced the lives of millions of smallholder farmers, has been selected as the new director for the ADM Institute for the Prevention of Postharvest Loss (ADMI), which is housed in the College of Agricultural Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-

As greenhouse gases go, nitrous oxide (N2O) is a doozy. With a global warming potential 273 times that of carbon dioxide, mitigating N2O could make a big difference. But before mitigation can happen, it’s important to understand where the compound is coming from. 

A new book by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert in law and policy explores the history and development of the U.S. conservation policy, offering insight into how Congress works, how policy is put together, and the challenge of balancing narrow and public interests in addressing pressing agricultural and environmental topics. 

As a college student, Rachel Wyffels made a serendipitous class choice that sparked a passion and shaped her career path.

“As a horticulture major, I was focused on landscape design; then I took one of Dianne Noland's floral design classes because I needed to fill an elective. I ended up really loving it, and I became passionate about flowers,” she said. “I got an internship over the summer working with a floral design business in Chicago that did events, and I was hooked.”

When scientists look at the Earth’s available water for ecosystem services, they don’t just look at precipitation. They must also account for water moving from the ground to the atmosphere, a process known as evapotranspiration (ET). ET includes evaporation from soil and open water pools such as lakes, rivers, and ponds, as well as transpiration from plant leaves. The difference between precipitation and ET indicates the water balance available for societal needs, including agricultural and industrial production. However, measuring ET is challenging.

In recent years, the scientific community has increasingly turned its attention to sustainable agriculture, aiming to maximize crop yield while minimizing environmental impact. A crucial aspect of this research involves understanding the fundamental processes of plant photosynthesis and how they can be monitored at scale. One promising method for assessing photosynthetic activity is through the measurement of sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence, a byproduct of photosynthesis that can be detected from ground-based sensors as well as from satellites in space.