Between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, there will be a five-minute disruption to Internet (wired and Wi-Fi) access for the whole campus while we perform network maintenance. The Technology Services VPN will be available and provide access to campus resources. If you have questions, please contact your local IT department. Any further updates will be posted to Status. 

Move-in for University Housing residents is quickly approaching – Tuesday, Aug. 20 through Thursday, Aug. 22 – and we are in need of volunteers to assist in providing a welcoming atmosphere for our residents and families. Volunteers can staff water stations, fill out parking tags or direct traffic. Please fill out the form linked to this post to volunteer. Thanks for welcoming our newest Illini!

F&S staff will begin flushing campus fire hydrants on Monday, August 5. Crews will work during early morning hours to minimize any potential inconveniences, such as lower-than-typical water pressure or temporarily discolored water. This proactive maintenance helps improve overall water quality, confirms proper hydrant operation, and ensures adequate water flow is available to facilities.

The Connie Frank CARE (Coordination, Assistance, Response and Education) Center is being established on the fourth floor of Turner Student Services Building with donor support from Frank (LAS '65). Managed by Student Affairs through the Office of the Dean of Students, the Connie Frank CARE Center will foster community while also increasing access to resources for all Illinois students.

Our new Coursera course is now live!: Putting the Personal in Personalized Nutrition. This 4-module course is an introduction to personalized nutrition. The primary instructor is Sharon Donovan, PhD, RD, Director of the Personalized Nutrition Initiative at Illinois. In addition, the course includes many Illinois faculty members and external expert lectures, interviews, and panel discussions.   

Don't miss out! Register for The Career Center's annual Graduate and Professional School Fair, 12 - 3:30 p.m. on October 9 at the Illini Union. This is the perfect opportunity for you to engage with students and showcase your graduate program. Register by August 9 and save $100. Click here to learn more and to register.

Cyber criminals often exploit major news events like July's Windows/CrowdStrike outage with scams that involve phishing messages and fraudulent websites. Learn about the connection between major events and online scams by taking cybersecurity training. Visit https://go.uillinois.edu/securitytraining to find out how you can avoid being scammed. 

One of the more stunning aspects of Allerton Park's Holiday GLOW presented by the U of I Community Credit Union is the creativity shown through the art that is onsite for the outside lighted walk. If you are an artist who could contribute to this year’s GLOW, apply here. And pass the world on to your artist friends!

i-Programs are undergoing an exciting transformation and are now known as Leadership Labs! Leadership Labs will continue to offer the same high-quality content that you have come to expect from i-Programs, but with a new name. All the individual i-Programs you love will also still be available, now re-titled with new names. For more info, visit our website or email leadershiplabs@illinois.edu.

Now in its 24th year, the YMCA Dump & Run® keeps over 30 tons of used, quality goods out of Champaign-Urbana’s dumpsters and landfills each year. Summer Community Collections will begin on Monday, August 5, and culminate with the Big Sale on August 24 and 25. All collections and the sale will be held at the U of I Stock Pavilion.

A guided tour of Champaign County Master Gardeners’ Idea Garden is scheduled at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10. No registration is required. Meet at the west entrance to the garden near the parking lot. The Idea Garden is located on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the Arboretum at 2000 S. Lincoln Ave. in Urbana. The tour will be canceled in case of rain. 

Students who are undocumented, DACA, or TPS experience unique challenges in higher education. Join University staff, administration, and faculty to learn to better support undocumented students at the University of Illinois. This training is an opportunity to hear from undocumented students and join a network of campus allies. Space is limited. Register to attend at go.illinois.edu/UndocuAlly

The 2024 AVS Prairie Chapter Symposium will be held in the Illinois Materials Research Laboratory. We will have four outstanding plenary presentations covering a broad range of topics of general interest to the AVS community, as well as a poster session with cash prizes and a scientific equipment exhibit.  Deadlines: Abstract submissions – August 16 Early registration – August 23

For many of us, the adoption of Generative AI remains a daunting challenge. You may have tried using AI but have yet to find any real benefits. You may be reluctant due to ethical and security concerns. This workshop is perfect for faculty and campus professionals looking to innovate their practices and overcome skepticism to effectively and ethically integrate GenAI into their workflows.

Getting ready to deposit a dissertation, wrap-up a thesis or capstone project or just want to gain some tips for dynamic academic writing? We will provide strategies for polishing your writing at the paragraph and sentence-level to achieve more reader-friendly and powerful prose. It is open to current U. of I. affiliates. Please register with your Illinois email account by 11:59 p.m. CT Aug. 7. 

Free People Read Freely™ happens Aug. 20-21 at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center. Register by Aug. 12 for the entirety of this free event, featuring discussions and presentations on freedom to read, cultures of inclusion and exclusion and more. Register for the opening keynote until the morning of the Aug. 20 event or registration reaches capacity.

Learn the basics of mixing healthy drinks at Mocktails: Drinking for Your Health on Wednesday, Sept. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Mansion Solarium. Workshop leader Katie Carillo will instruct students on how to make three different mocktails: one each for hydration, energy and resting. $45/person. Register here by Aug. 21. All sales are final.

Take part in a hands-on activity with current Artist-in-Residence Lemareye Jones at Rooting a Deeper Connection: Altar Workshop on Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Studio and outdoors. At this workshop, participants will create a personal and meaningful sacred space, and go home with a custom altar to cherish. $5/person. Register here by Aug. 7. All sales are final.

This in-person workshop will include reflections on your current writing processes, successes and challenges. We will provide tips for cultivating positive emotions and behaviors around writing, developing and maintaining a writing routine and forming a successful writing group. It is open to current U. of I. affiliates. Please register with your Illinois email account by 11:59 p.m. CT Aug. 4. 

This in-person workshop will lead graduate students through activities related to defining, organizing and writing an effective literature review. We will also discuss strategies for researching, evaluating and synthesizing sources. It is open to current University of Illinois students, faculty and staff. Please register with your Illinois email account by 11:59 p.m. CT Aug. 5. 

Registration is open for the 2024 Personalized Nutrition Innovation Day. Campus faculty, researchers, post-docs and students can submit abstracts (by Aug. 19) on topics related to personalized nutrition. Visit our website for agenda, registration and abstract submission.

At 12:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, NCSA and the Department of Computer Science are hosting David Keyes, a professor of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, for a seminar on "Efficient Computation through Tuned Approximation." Click here for more info and join us online or in person for pizza, cookies and drinks!

Faculty and campus partners are invited to discover how The Career Center empowers diverse students, including first-gen students and students of color. Explore programs like FOCUS and CC-I, designed to enhance their career readiness. Gain practical strategies on how you can support and empower your students too. Click here to register.

Cash at College is a webinar designed to support students headed to college this fall. We'll discuss creating a financial plan for college, budgeting and banking basics, credit myths and managing financial stress. Staff and faculty are encouraged to join in the discussion or share with incoming students and their families.

Researchers at the Human Factors and Aging Lab are seeking participants for a study (3 hours, $60 compensation) to engage with virtual reality applications and understand user preferences. Participants must be 65+, speak & read English, and be able to commute to campus. For more info, please contact the research team at 217-265-9489 or KCH-HFA-CREATEP1@illinois.edu.

Testing the effect of soy flour on hunger, blood sugar and insulin responses. Participants ages 21-45 who are non-smokers, BMI 25-40 kg/m2 and no diabetes will complete questionnaires, product tasting (bread, tortilla or arepa), body composition scans and blood draws. Receive $260 upon completion of four visits for 3-4 hours and free parking. Please fill out our Online Screening if interested 

Help make the Next Alcohol Fitbit! The Alcohol Research Lab is looking for participants for a validation study of transdermal biosensing bracelets. Participation involves attending three laboratory sessions, wearing a transdermal bracelet and filling out surveys for two weeks. Up to $400 in compensation for participation. 

The Alcohol Research Lab is looking for social drinkers to participate in our study. Participation involves attending one 6- to 9-hour laboratory session and completing cognitive, social and communicative tasks while EEG brain responses are recorded. A referral of at least one same-gender friend is required at the time of sign up. Up to $100 in compensation.