URBANA, Ill. ­– Traffic accidents are the leading cause of non-natural deaths worldwide. Lower speed limits may help prevent accidents. But speed-reduction policies can be controversial and effects are not well documented.

A new study from University of Illinois shows that speed reductions in São Paulo, Brazil, dramatically reduced fatal accidents and increased travel times only minimally.

URBANA, Ill. – Brian Waters, of Liberty, Illinois, was awarded a Fulbright grant to conduct research in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Waters earned a bachelor’s degree in transnational studies from Westminster College. At Illinois, he is pursuing dual master’s degrees in urban planning and agricultural and consumer economics.

Two international grant programs coordinated by the Office of International Programs are helping ACES faculty gain exposure, forge new connections, and procure additional funding for their research projects.

“We recently checked in with some of our past grant recipients, and once again we were impressed by the magnitude of impacts that were reported. The initial funds awarded out of our office have led to additional funding and various other positive outcomes for the College of ACES,” says Alex Winter-Nelson, associate dean of international programs.

The international agricultural and rural development community lost an influential and passionate advocate last week. Burton Swanson, professor emeritus of rural development in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, passed away after a long illness on April 23, 2020.

URBANA, Ill. ­– Climate change creates extreme weather patterns that are especially challenging for people in developing countries and can severely impact agricultural yield and food security. International aid organizations have invested billions of dollars in promoting climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices, but the effects of those programs are rarely documented.

URBANA, Ill. ­– Soybean production in Africa and other developing regions has the potential to alleviate hunger and boost local economies. But the transition from traditional crops such as cowpea or cassava to a major commercial crop such as soybean is fraught with challenges.

URBANA, Ill. – The Soybean Innovation Lab (SIL) was awarded a $335,005 grant from the Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI) to address malnutrition in Malawi. SIL’s nutrition team is housed in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois.

The College of ACES recently hosted a delegation from its longtime partner, India’s G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT). The visit was motivated by GBPUAT’s interest in using funding from India’s National Agricultural Higher Education Program (NAHEP) to revitalize its relationship with the University of Illinois.

An upcoming symposium hosted by the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) will further the University of Illinois’ interdisciplinary work towards food security.

To encourage and support ACES undergraduate students to pursue work related to food and nutritional security in low and middle income countries, the ACES Office of International Programs has launched the Global Food Security Scholars internship program.

Five talented and motivated ACES undergraduate students have been selected to receive salary support for an approved on-campus internship during spring semester 2020. Selected scholars will also receive up to $1500 to support the costs of participating in an international travel experience that is associated with the internship.