The last regularly scheduled meeting of the 2023-2024 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Senate is at 3:10 p.m. on Monday, April 22, in the Illini Union Ballroom (2nd floor) at the Illini Union. Meeting materials are available at https://www.senate.illinois.edu/ss20240422a.asp. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

The Office of the Provost provides limited funding assistance to post-tenure faculty who are interested in NCFDD’s Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program. The program is for faculty who have completed NCFDD's Faculty Success Program. Up to two recipients will receive funds. Full-time, tenure-line faculty at Illinois are eligible to apply. Applicants may receive these matching funds only once.

The Office of the Provost provides limited funding assistance to tenure-line faculty who are interested in participating in NCFDD’s Faculty Success Program. Up to eight recipients (five pre-Tenure and three post-Tenure faculty) will be selected to receive matching funds. Full-time, tenure-line faculty members at Illinois are eligible to apply. Applicants may receive these matching funds only once.

Allerton's 11th Annual Plant Sale has an online option so you can order your plants and pick them up curbside at the Plant Sale. Place your order here by April 30, add plants to your cart and pay with a credit card. Profits from this year's Plant Sale will go to The Farms: An Allerton Folk School. The Plant Sale is part of the inaugural Bluebell Festival.

The annual U. of I. outdoor concert, Spring Jam, is taking place at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 28, on the Main Quad. Please note that there will be increased foot traffic and noise that may impact buildings on and around the Quad.

Need compute time, data storage or research expertise? Illinois Computes is available to researchers from every domain on campus to elevate their work with computing and data storage resources, technical expertise and support services – for free. Get started with Illinois Computes now and take advantage of NCSA’s state-of-the-art resources and world-class experts right here on campus.

Join us for an exciting opportunity to discover this month’s theme: applications of GenAI in daily life activities. This monthly online and in-person event sparks inspiration for educators, technologists, researchers, students or those just curious about AI. Come chat and see real-world examples. Use the link to register and feel free to sign up to share a 5-minute presentation.

SKY Happiness Retreat is a total well-being training offered to thousands of university students, faculty and staff across the country. A recent study at Yale University found that SKY Happiness Retreat significantly reduces stress, depression and has a long-lasting impact on mental health. The course features interactive group processes, breath-work, yoga and evidence-based meditation. 

Join us to celebrate the Image of Research – UR Edition competition at the Undergraduate Research Symposium! We invited students across disciplines to engage creatively with their research by visualizing and articulating the importance and impact of the research experience for themselves and others. Don't forget to vote for the People's Choice Award!

This session gets into the technicalities of podcast distribution. We will cover library policies as well as ethical and legal guidelines for ownership and fair use, copyright and ensuring the accessibility of your podcast.

Join the Career Services Council at the Future Ready Campus conference 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 15, 2024, at ARC. Gain insights, explore strategies and enhance services for future-ready students, featuring lightning talks, roundtable discussions, breakout sessions and a workshop. Click here to learn more and to register.

Dr. Jessica Roberts, Assistant Professor at Georgia Tech University, will present her talk entitled "Revealing Information Hiding in Plain Sight: Designing Trellises to Spark Engagement" as part of the TIER-ED Speaker Series. Dr. Roberts’ work focuses on supporting free-choice (nonclassroom) learning by creating experiences to frame information in a way to facilitate curiosity and exploration.

Learn how undergraduate health humanities and public health learners can pivot comics and tools from visual communication toward understanding how environments influence human health. Viewing samples in comic forms, learners focus on environmental factors affecting human health throughout various communities and explore how graphic texts may be used to benefit individuals. 

The Annual Meeting of the U. of I. SUAA Chapter will be addressed by a panel of local state legislators. The meeting will be Sunday, April 28, at the I Hotel and Convention Center. Social time will start at 2 p.m., the program will start at 2:30 p.m., followed by the Chapter's Annual Meeting. Attendees may also join by Zoom. Visit the SUAA webpage for Zoom connection information.

The Grainger College of Engineering is excited to host Dr. Shirley Malcom, Senior Advisor and Director of STEMM Equity Achievement Change at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Join the discussion of "Changing the Narrative: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is Essential to Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine."

The Grainger College of Engineering Institute for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access invites you to attend the 2024 IDEA Conference. This event will celebrate individuals that contribute to DEI and showcase research from our Grassroots Initiatives Addressing Needs Together DEI research projects. 

The Cancer Center at Illinois and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology will host Luisel Ricks-Santi at noon April 30 for a seminar titled "Molecular Epidemiology of Triple Negative Breast Cancer in African American Women." Ricks-Santi is a research member at the University of Florida Health Cancer Center and the Associate Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Babak Hemmatian and Matthew Lowerison will present at the final Beckman Institute Director's Seminar of the semester, held at noon Thursday, April 25, in 1005 Beckman Institute. Lunch will be provided to participants who register in advance.

In this invited lecture, Kunal Basu, who has authored over a dozen books in English and Bengali, will delve into the concepts and research behind his novels, such as "The Opium Clerk," "The Miniaturist" and "The Yellow Emperor's Cure." Please register using this link: https://go.library.illinois.edu/KunalBasuLecture

Join us for an unforgettable evening with Tyler James Williams, renowned star of "Everybody Hates Chris," "Abbott Elementary" and "Let it Shine," as he visits the University of Illinois from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, in the I-Rooms. This event is free with an I-card! Cell phone usage during this event is prohibited. 

Spencer Paysinger is a former NFL linebacker signed as an undrafted free agent in 2011 by the New York Giants. He played until 2017, and in 2018, became a co-producer and actor on the television series All American, which is based on his life story. This event is free with an I-card! 

Join us in person or online at “Cultivating Functional Safety,” a three-day comprehensive workshop on mastering ISO 25119 compliance and preparing for autonomy in agriculture. This engaging event offers in-depth training, insightful discussions and valuable networking opportunities. We have limited spots available – please register today and share this opportunity with your networks.

Earth Day is Monday, April 22! Join us this Earth Day for plant-based dishes and sustainability programming at the IKE Dining Center from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event will feature Chef Pete Halfaday, the sous-chef at Miijim, a James Beard-recognized restaurant. We hope to see you there!

Join professors Jodi Flaws, Lori Raetzman and Kate Clancy as they speak on endocrine-disrupting chemicals in our environment, how they affect reproductive health and what we can do about it. The panelists will provide basic information on EDCs, address connections to environmental racism and reproductive justice and then take questions from the audience. Part of UC Repro Justice week!

The ISUR Research Expo is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. April 23, in Illini Union rooms A, B and C. Drop by and check out the poster presentations of students in the various undergraduate research programs in The Grainger College of Engineering. For program information, visit the ISUR website.

Dance at Illinois presents Continuum, the Spring Senior Dance Concert, featuring the works of five BFA dance majors: Landon Allender, Isabella Saldana, Jaymes Crowder-Acres, Kennedy Wilson and Alana Larry.

The 2024 Undergraduate Research Week and Symposium is finally here! The URW features 17 events hosted by various departments, colleges and units. The URS (April 25) will feature over 900 students presenting their research through oral panels, performances, exhibits and demonstrations. Come be inspired by our incredible undergrads! Full digital program: https://go.illinois.edu/URW. 

Join sophomore history and psychology student Sophia for a walking tour she created for the Illinois Distributed Museum for Undergraduate Research Week. The tour will highlight astronomy-related innovations from the University of Illinois. This is a walking tour that will only have occasional places to sit and will last about an hour and a half. Register at: go.illinois.edu/AstronomyInnovations

BAYER is bringing its mobile escape room to campus April 23-25, 2024. Dive into "Breaking Through Impossible – The Escape Game" by Leaps by Bayer, where you'll rescue a biotech breakthrough. The pressure is on as you navigate through intricate puzzles, decipher cryptic clues and unravel hidden secrets. FREE! Register for a timeslot on the Research Park calendar. 

Come on out to Allerton for a movie, games, karaoke and snacks at a Family Movie Night from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 26 at the Music Barn. Wear your favorite PJs and BYOBlanket and lawn chair to watch “High School Musical.” Each participant will receive a ticket at entry for popcorn, a movie theater boxed candy and a soda or water. $5 per person. Register here. All sales are final.

You are invited to the Forum on Finishing the Unfinished Business of Brown v. Board of Education. This event will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the historic Brown v. Board of Education (1954) with a luncheon keynote and panel with distinguished scholars and change agents connected to this critical history.  

The workshop provides an overview of mainstream materials characterization techniques, including advanced microscopy, spectroscopy, thermal and microstructural characterization emphasizing on practical applications. The event features presentations by MRL staff and industry experts, with a large vendor exhibit. Registration (only $80 including lunch) and program https://mrl.illinois.edu/AMC2024

Experience a fine dining experience with chefs Jordan and Aurora Coffey at Allerton Park’s Supper Club on Sunday, May 5, in the Mansion. Returning after a popular Supper Club appearance in 2023, these chefs bring their experience from Luminary Kitchen & Provisions. View the menu here. 100 per person. Register here by April 28. All sales are final.

Don’t forget to take in some fantastic live music during the Bluebell Festival on May 3-4. Styles will include the R&B, soul and funk stylings of New Souls the authentic rockability strumming of Union Avenue and the string band songs with both bluegrass and contemporary influences from Wildwood. See the schedule here.

Curious about how artificial intelligence can fuel brand trust? From 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, content strategist and author Margot Bloomstein will explore this and other questions. She will discuss her book, "Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap," and share how should businesses engage with AI-generated content to empower their customers and employees.

UIPD will be hosting our semi-annual Blood Drive on Monday, April 29. One of the greatest gifts you can give doesn’t cost a thing. Will you give?

Join the U. of I. Police Department to chat and grab a free slice of pizza! We are taking a spin on our Coffee with a Cop series and looking forward to chatting with you over a slice of pizza provided by our community partner, Rosati's. No agenda! No lectures! Just open conversation! We hope to see you there! Debo! 

Join the Department of Philosophy for a talk by Professor David Gunkel (Northern Illinois University) titled "Person, Thing, Robot: A Moral and Legal Ontology for the 21st Century and Beyond." 

Join us for our next CAS/MillerComm event with Professor Ruth Behar (Anthropology, U Michigan). Hosted by: Program in Jewish Culture and Society. For more information, click here.

Join us for a reproductive justice zine event! Included will be a short presentation about zines and how they provide a space for reproductive justice and plenty of time to create your own zine! Materials and music will be provided as well as the opportunity to look through a selection of the Social Justice Zine Collection housed in the Ricker Library of Art and Architecture.

Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 by visiting the Main Quad. Student organizations have planned Sustainapalooza, a great opportunity to learn about how environmentally-related RSOs, university affiliate groups and community groups are benefiting the environment — and to seek opportunities to get involved in campus sustainability!

After we celebrate campus and student accomplishments, the 2025 Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) writing process will kick off as we ask participants to check out current accomplishments and challenges — and tell us what needs to be included in the next version of this important plan, our pathway to carbon neutrality. RSVPs encouraged for the celebration >>>

Join us for a series of events on campus and in Urbana-Champaign, organized by UCRJ (Urbana-Champaign Reproductive Justice) and sponsored by the University Library. Find full schedule of events here. Any ideas? Submit them here. 

Join us for snacks and a short presentation about what reproductive justice is and how it connects to period poverty/making period products accessible. We’ll also be packing period products to donate during a wellness event with Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. Sign up here if you want to volunteer or pop in to sneak a cupcake!

Dr. Floridalma Boj Lopez (UCLA) will discuss the origins of Mobile Archives of Indigeneity (MAI) as an analytic that emerged from an engagement with Critical Indigenous Studies and her personal lived experience as a member of the Maya diaspora from Guatemala. 

José Arnaud-Bello presents "Rumble Instruments: seeding systemic change."

The Intensive Language Instruction Program (ILIP) offers classes in 13 different languages. ILIP classes combine language and culture via engaging activities led by skilled instructors. No grade, just for fun! Students receive 30 hours of enjoyable language instruction which maximizes exposure to the target language to help them meet their own personal learning goals. Register for ILIP today!

Join Bernhard Hofko of the Vienna University of Technology as he presents in person at the Spring 2024 Kent Seminar Series from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 25. Food and soft drinks will be provided beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the ICT Classroom. 

This workshop will provide an overview of how artificial intelligent tools interpret pictures/sound to generate new images, video and voices. We'll discuss techniques being used for research, in the film industry and across campus to support new scholarship and creative works. We'll also identify strategies for recognizing deepfakes and tools that you can use to protect your own image and voice.

Marta Mattoso, Full Professor at COPPE-Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, will present "Traceability for trust: applications and challenges." Based at the iSchool, CIRSS' Trustworthy Computational Science Speaker Series addresses the challenges of enabling researchers to build on prior computational research with confidence.

The Council of Graduate Schools will host a webinar on NSF's new requirements for PIs who mentor graduate students. The new rules apply to grants submitted after May 22, 2024. The workshop will feature NSF leadership, graduate deans and senior research administrators from various institutions. Join to learn about the new rules and the resources available to help PIs become more effective mentors.

Would you like to know more about self-care but are unsure where to start? This workshop will introduce you to using the web to find information about self-care by learning research strategies to find relevant information and evaluating information for credibility. After this workshop, you'll be able to navigate the wide variety of information available on the web about self-care.

Calls to criminalise "ecocide" are everywhere: from indigenous activists and those in the global periphery to NGOs and political actors in the core. What unites these calls is a sense of urgency and a need for international action. However, the proposed crime of ecocide may be unable to tackle the social reality of ecocide and may indeed compromise further our ability to do so.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to an open forum co-sponsored by the Senate Library Committee and the University Library. The Forum will include remarks from Dean of Libraries and University Librarian Claire Stewart along with the Library's role in AI and an update on space projects. Please register here for Zoom link.

From 10:30 a.m. to noon Thursday, April 25, William Bernhard (Executive Vice Provost) will lead a workshop on "Achieving Promotion and Tenure at Illinois." He will be joined by Rosa Milagros Santos (Associate Provost for Faculty Development), Greg Elliot (Chair the campus P&T Committee) and Carol Tilley (Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee). Registration required: here. 

Join IHSI's Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) team to learn valuable insights and practical tips to bolster the credibility of your work, how to critique the studies you read or review, deepen your understanding of validity, elevate the quality of your research and embark on a journey toward more robust and reliable scientific inquiry.

Join us in person or on Zoom for a hybrid symposium hosted by UCRJ (Urbana-Champaign Reproductive Justice) livestreamed from Spurlock with panelists all day. Discover the panelist line-up and full schedule of events here: UCRJ Week 2024 | UC Repro Justice

The EyeCARE study investigates the relationships between nutritional supplementation and visual and cognitive function. Participation involves five lab visits involving visual and cognitive assessments. You will receive $400 in checks as compensation. If interested, please email bcnnlab@gmail.com or call 217-300-1667 and leave a message with your name and number. Please mention the EyeCARE study.

Children aged 8-11 sought for a study on the impact of daily consumption of plant-based snacks on physical and cognitive development and health. If eligible, your child will visit our lab (6-8 times) for procedures including bone density scans, measurements, blood draws and cognitive assessments as well as simple at-home procedures. Participants receive snacks and compensation ($500-$700).

Last call! Meals are provided for 12 weeks. Three urine collections, four blood draws and seven fecal donations will be required. Those without food allergies, intestinal disease, diabetes, gallbladder removal or bariatric surgery may qualify. BMI greater than 25 meets inclusion criteria. For your participation, you will receive up to $1,000. To find out if you qualify: maggieo4@illinois.edu 

Participants needed for a study on health technology that supports BP medication adherence. Participants must be 65 years of age or older, take at least one medication for high BP and use an iPhone. Participants will receive compensation. Please spread the word to family and friends. (Study in partnership with the University of Arizona). Email bp-system@pharmacy.arizona.edu or call 520-477-9369. 

Recruiting adults between 19-59 years old with a BMI between 25-39 for a two-week feeding intervention to better understand the effects of dairy milk on muscle health and inflammation. All meals are included for two weeks. Blood and muscle samples will be collected. Upon completion you'll receive $300, results from your bone density scan and metabolic health tests. Click the LINK for more details.

Looking for adults aged 60-75 to participate in a study into prolonged sitting and how adults think. The study's aim is to test the feasibility of interrupting sitting with short bouts of high-intensity exercise in older adults and measure brain and cognitive functions before and after sitting. Compensation for participation is $280. If you are interested, please click here.