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Illinois may be famous for being the Land of Lincoln and home of “Da Bears,” but few are familiar with one of its lesser claims to fame, which lies underground.

The commercial cultivation of horseradish in Southern Illinois took root in the 1850s, when German immigrant farmers discovered that the region’s sandy, nutrient-rich soil created an ideal environment for the unassuming crop to thrive. 

Life on Mars may sound like science fiction for some, but for Luis Rodríguez, it marked the beginning stages of his career in biosystems research. He laughs, remembering his first major project after completing his Ph.D. in industrial and systems engineering and bioresource engineering at Rutgers University: designing reliable zero-waste ecosystems capable of supporting crop production on Mars at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 

Fertility rates in much of Sub-Saharan Africa remain high, despite declining child mortality and improved access to contraceptives and female education — factors that generally lead to smaller families and improved economic conditions in developing countries.

Three ACES scientists are among 12 faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who have been named to the 2025 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers list. The list recognizes researchers and social scientists who have demonstrated exceptional influence, as reflected through their publication of multiple papers frequently cited by their peers during the last decade.

The Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences has announced the Finalists for the

Literacy rates in Sub-Saharan Africa remain low, despite increased primary school enrollment. In rural Mozambique, only 3% of children possess grade-level reading skills. Poor learning outcomes in lower grades are a barrier to further expanding school enrollment at higher grade levels.

A scientist in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

There are many barriers Illinois residents face in making healthy choices. For over 30 years, University of Illinois Extension’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) programs have helped people stretch their food dollars while increasing their nutrition and improving their health. Each year, SNAP-Ed reaches over 1 million Illinois residents, working with over 1800 community partners across all of Illinois’ 102 counties, making healthy choices and healthy food more accessible throughout the state. 

Elected to a one-year term in the office of vice president for the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), Jim Drackley, emeritus professor in the Department of Animal Sciences

Maggie Wave is the new Assistant Dean for Advancement in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.