The Office of International Programs in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) has initiated the Global Food Security Fellows Program to support exceptional students who are interested in conducting food-related research in a developing country. The first cohort of Fellows included four ACES graduate students and three undergraduates. These Fellows will be sharing their experiences on the Voices of ACES blog.  

URBANA, Ill. — Thirteen University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign students and young alumni, including two from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, were offered student Fulbright grants to pursue international educational, research, and teaching experiences across the globe this coming year, and another seven Illinois students were named Fulbright alternates.

URBANA, Ill. – In its efforts to feed a growing population, the U.S. agriculture industry is incorporating advanced digital technologies and increasingly relying on statisticians to process “big data.” Traditional statistics degree programs typically do not provide a background in agriculture or plant science, leading to steep learning curves for new hires in digital agriculture companies.

Article submitted by Gregory French, ACES Advisor and Graduate Student Intern, who checked in with several ACES students who spent spring 2019 abroad.

For students who have taken their academics abroad and gained exposure to new cultures, the end of an academic year is an opportunity to reflect upon new, memorable experiences and think about where their semester started in comparison to where their journey has since led them.

URBANA, Ill. – Technology in the agricultural industry continues to expand, and with it, the demand for employees prepared to work for agricultural companies. In an effort to build a talent pipeline, The Climate Corporation (Climate), a subsidiary of Bayer, made a $500,000 investment in a new major at the University of Illinois. Leading the digital agriculture revolution, the university launched a first-of-its-kind major combining computer sciences and crop sciences, which the Climate gift benefits.

URBANA, Ill. – Spending time in nature boosts children’s academic achievement and healthy development, concludes a new analysis examining hundreds of studies.

Article submitted by Gregory French, ACES Advisor and Graduate Student Intern

Opportunities to step outsides of one’s comfort zone are among the many reasons students choose to study abroad. For many students, winter break is a convenient time to experience a new culture while earning academic credit by participating in a faculty led study-abroad program.  

URBANA, Ill. – Tour greenhouses, stick your hand inside of a cow, simulate the aging process, explore invasive species of the Great Lakes, learn how ice cream arrives in your bowl, and why popcorn pops at Explore ACES on March 8!  This one-day, interactive event is located on the campus of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois.

Jill Leahy, Jay Haning’s sister, describes her brother as a passionate farmer, a dedicated employee with an unmatched work ethic, a wise agribusiness man, a loyal, funny and generous friend; and a lover of life, laughter, and all things John Deere. A College of ACES endowed scholarship established by Jay’s family and friends honors him for all of these traits.

As an only child, expectations were set high for Cagla Giray’s future career. Giray is from Ankara, Turkey, where her parents are professors at Lokman Hekim University.

Giray’s college career started at Bilkent University, where she received her bachelor’s in psychology. “During my undergraduate, the emphasis was on either clinical or cognitive psychology practices and I couldn’t envision myself as a clinical psychologist,” Giray says.