URBANA, Ill. – Adding soy flour to school lunches in Ghana provides a cost-efficient way of increasing the protein level, according to a new study co-authored by a University of Illinois researcher.

Soy is known to be a low-cost protein source, says Peter Goldsmith, professor of agricultural and consumer economics at the U of I. “But the thesis that soy is a good ingredient in a national school lunch program had yet to be proven, though everyone assumed it.”

URBANA, Ill. – At the southern tip of the Himalayas, farmers in the Kangra region of India’s Himachal Pradesh graze cattle among rolling hills and forests. The forests, under management by the state or farmer cooperatives, are thriving. But a new University of Illinois study shows, unlike state-managed forests, farmer cooperatives directly benefit both forest health and farmers.

To increase student and faculty engagement in France, the Office of International Programs in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) hosted a delegation from the Consulate General of France’s Chicago office on January 24.

The delegation met with faculty and staff from ACES and the University of Illinois, including representatives from education abroad and international centers, to make personal connections that will facilitate additional student and faculty exchanges.   

The visiting delegation included:

Urging younger people “to join the agricultural field to save humanity,” the Director General of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Ruben G.

URBANA, Ill. – A team based in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois will help Sierra Leone enhance its institutions of higher education by supporting outcome-based education and developing a framework for quality control as part of a project funded by the United Kingdom (UK)’s Department for International Development (DFID).

The following are reflections from Martin Overholt, a PhD student in Food Science and Human Nutrition, on his research project,  which was partially funded by an ACES International Graduate Grant: “Determination of sources of variability in pork quality in the Dutch swine production system." Martin's advisor is Dr. Anna Dilger. 

The following are reflections from Luis Ibarra Sanchez, a PhD student in Food Science and Human Nutrition, on his research project, which was partially funded by an ACES International Graduate Grant: “The effect of adding antimicrobials to Queso Fresco on Latino consumers’ acceptance." Luis's advisor is Dr. Michael Miller. 

The following are reflections from Hania Taha, a PhD student in Food Science and Human Nutrition, on her research project partially funded by an ACES International Graduate Grant: “Feasibility of a neoadjuvant modified-ketogenic diet clinical trial to improve cancer outcomes in gastrointestinal and head and neck cancers." Hania's advisor is Dr. Anna Arthur.

The following are reflections from LaKisha David, a PhD student in Human Development and Family Studies, on her research project, which was partially funded by an ACES International Graduate Grant: “Northern Ghana Family Reunification Project.” LaKisha's advisor is Dr. Christy Lleras.

As the world we live in becomes increasingly global and internationalized, there is a profound opportunity for curriculum and instruction to evolve internationally as well. One highlight of this is the Arlys Conrad International Teaching Enhancement Award Program, supported through the College of ACES and the ACES Study Abroad Office. This endowed seed grant opportunity has allowed ACES faculty to better serve students with global experiences and build new programs to bridge the international gap, create partnerships abroad, and bring cultural elements into curriculum.