Latest news with #UofI
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
From the Farm: Crop Physiology Field Day at U of I
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Crop scientists at the University of Illinois are getting ready for a special event — Crop Physiology Field Day. The fourth annual edition of this event is planned for Aug. 7 at the farm on South First Street. It's a showcase of students' and scientists' research and the results that research has provided in the field. The theme: Yield of Dreams. 'It's really been a lifelong mission;' U of I professor speaks on trailblazing career Crop scientist Fred Below gave a preview of this year's event, which will be split between soybeans and corn. Below and his fellow organizers prefer that visitors register head of time, but it's not a requirement. A schedule of events and more information can be found by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Yahoo
Champaign Co. Crime Stoppers looking for tips on car burglar
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Champaign County Crime Stoppers is asking for help from the public in finding a suspected car burglar. The burglaries happened near the U of I campus the morning of May 6. Officials said that around 5 a.m., a man entered several cars parked near Third and Daniel Streets. He stole items from two of them; the value of the stolen items has not yet been determined. Champaign Fire Dept. investigates Saturday night apartment fire The suspect was captured on video; he was described as a light-skinned Black male who was wearing a black jacket over a gray hoodie. He was also wearing black pants and black shoes. Anyone who has information about this crime is asked to contact Champaign County Crime Stoppers using one of three methods: calling 217-373-8477, visiting Crime Stoppers' website or using the P3 Tips app. All tips submitted using these methods are both anonymous and eligible for a cash reward if the tip leads to an arrest. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
U of I hosting STEM academic boot camp for student veterans
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Saturday marks the start of a week-long academic boot camp held at the University of Illinois. This summer, a new group of enlisted student veterans will engage in a STEM academic boot camp from June 21-28 at the U of I. This program is facilitated and designed in partnership with national nonprofit Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) and will provide an immersive college preparatory experience. CUPHD pushing preventative mosquito measures for summer This specific program requires each participant to complete 75 academic hours, which would simulate a typical 'finals week' in college. The purpose of this is to prepare student veterans for the demands of academic life as they transition from military careers to higher education. Every year, over 115,000 veterans transition from military service to civilian life, and for many, enrolling in college is an important step in starting a new career. In this boot camp — hosted by the Chez Veterans Center, the hub for military populations at the U of I — veterans learn from esteemed Illinois faculty, work with research leads, receive personalized mentorship from successful student veterans and familiarize themselves with campus resources. Staying safe during heat advisory in Central Illinois: 'WSP was more influential than I could have ever expected,' said Navy veteran Adam Sherman, a WSP-Illinois alumnus. 'I was pretty anxious on my way here, but the entire process fostered and reinforced such a motivating and positive mindset that I will carry throughout my entire academic journey. I would do it again a million times over.' Additionally, 88% of WSP alumni have completed or are on track to earn a college degree. This surpasses the national average for veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill (54%) and full-time civilian students (61%). Support from the U of I and investments made by foundations, corporations and private donors cover the program's entire cost for participants. The college has partnered with WSP for four years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Idaho AG drops ‘transparency' lawsuit over University of Phoenix deal
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador dismissed his lawsuit against the Idaho State Board of Education after it ratified an end to the proposed deal between the University of Idaho and the University of Phoenix. Labrador sued the State Board in June 2023 over the way the controversial transaction came about. He accused the State Board of violating Idaho's open meetings law when it negotiated the U of I's planned purchase of the online, for-profit school in private. He said in a news release Wednesday that the legal battle was about government transparency. Both parties agreed to cover their own litigation costs. 'This case was never about the merits of any particular transaction, but about ensuring government remains open and transparent for all Idahoans,' Labrador said. 'Idaho's Open Meeting Law requires government entities to conduct state business in public meetings with proper notice, ensuring transparency when taxpayer resources and state institutions are involved. The law reflects the principle that government accountability depends on public access to decision-making processes, particularly for transactions of significant scope and financial impact.' The universities called the proposed $550 million acquisition quits on June 3 after two years of negotiations. The deal was plagued by ridicule and legal challenges from the start. In December, the Idaho Supreme Court returned a 4-1 victory in Labrador's favor, overturning a lower court ruling that would have OK'd the secret government negotiations, according to the release. The acquisition would have had Four Three Education, a nonprofit created by the U of I, buy Phoenix from its hedge fund owner, Apollo Global Management. The U of I spent over $17 million trying to complete the deal, according to Jodi Walker, a spokesperson for the university. By terminating it, Phoenix is expected to fully reimburse the U of I for out-of-pocket expenses it incurred while pursuing the sale. University of Idaho, University of Phoenix call off $550M acquisition As Idaho's nursing shortage persists, a private Christian university could help
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists make game-changing discovery that could transform aviation industry: 'I wasn't expecting that'
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have discovered several benefits of growing prairie grass for making sustainable aviation fuels. Switchgrass has grown in Midwestern soils for millions of years, but recent studies shared by pinpointed significant economic and environmental considerations for using it to help decarbonize the aviation industry. The switchgrass crop is forecasted to produce up to 230 million dry tons of biomass annually and is a particularly good candidate for SAF due to several beneficial traits. It can be harvested each year for a decade or more without repeated replanting, requires minimal nitrogen fertilizer compared to corn, and provides valuable ecosystem services, the report detailed. The key to these studies is that the U of I researchers focused on finding particularly productive switchgrass cultivars, while tracking fertilizer use and did so at a field scale to gauge real-world potential. "All the data that helps us estimate switchgrass suitability for SAF comes from small plot research or older forage-type switchgrass cultivars. We wanted to test high-yielding switchgrass cultivars on a larger scale to provide a more accurate picture of the benefits these new cultivars provide," said D.K. Lee, senior author of both studies and a professor at the school. The aviation industry is responsible for 2% of the world's carbon pollution, and sustainable aviation fuel has the potential to drastically reduce that number, according to the Department of Energy. Compared with regular jet fuel, using 100% SAF could reduce planet-warming pollution in the industry by up to 94%, depending on which feedstocks are used and how it's developed. The International Civil Aviation Organization reported that over 360,000 commercial flights have already used SAF. Adoption is also growing, going from five million gallons consumed in 2021 to 24.5 million gallons in 2023. To gauge the full economic potential and environmental impact of growing switchgrass for SAF, the researchers spent five years growing five different cultivars across four states, while tracking nitrogen fertilizer use. Should the government be able to control how we heat our homes? Definitely Only if it saves money I'm not sure No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. They found that Independence and Liberty cultivars were the most productive, and they can potentially generate higher profits than conventional row crops on less productive land, according to Nictor Namoi, who worked on the study. Nitrous oxide pollution and nitrate leaching were significantly lower than in corn crops, but that was expected given the reduced amount of nitrogen fertilizer used with switchgrass. There was one quirk with the crop, however, in that it produced more carbon pollution than corn after the second year. "I wasn't expecting that," Namoi said. "But there's a lot more biomass belowground in switchgrass, about five times that of corn." After years of study, the research team felt that the results were positive and that this SAF feedstock crop could help farmers earn more, while contributing to a cleaner environment by reducing reliance on dirtier fuel alternatives. "Our research ensures that we can feed productive cultivars into the SAF production system once the economy and the technology [are] ready to transition," Namoi concluded. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
