The 2024-2025 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Senate is scheduled to meet at 3:10 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, in the Illini Union Ballroom (2nd floor). Meeting materials are available online. Non-senators may request floor privileges for a specific item or make a public comment by following the procedures established in Senate Standing Rule 16.  We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

CSBS is pleased to announce the application for the Policy & Research Legislative Fellows Program for 2025-26 is open. The deadline to apply is Dec. 1. This non-partisan initiative matches graduate students with state legislators representing Champaign-Urbana and neighboring districts to collaborate on policy research projects, inform public policy and make Illinois a better place to live. 

The Illinois Computes Research Notebooks platform offers a seamless, web-based solution for researchers to harness compute and storage resources via Jupyter notebooks. More than 1,000 campus researchers already utilize ICRN in their work – join the community now! Find out more in this issue of the Illinois Computes Connections newsletter and subscribe so you don't miss out!

On Monday, Nov. 11, the Illini Union Bookstore will be offering a Veteran's Day 20% OFF sale on all hooded sweatshirt styles. The Honoring our Heroes Hoodie Sale will be in-store and online (until 11:59 p.m.) on Nov. 11.

Qiaoyi Nie and Alesha Lewis employ their research backgrounds in Political Psychology and Racial Politics to assess the various factors that govern the U.S. presidential race. 

The campuswide Community-Academic Scholars program matches researchers with undergraduate research assistants and provides training, guidance and a stipend to support their success for 10 weeks each summer. Faculty and staff from any discipline who conduct community-engaged research are encouraged to submit a project proposal for summer 2025 by Jan. 12. 

Plan ahead for upcoming deadlines - book your appointments now! The Writers Workshop will be closed from Nov. 23 through Dec. 1 for Fall Break. We will resume our regular hours on Monday, Dec. 2.

Sophomore first-gen students are invited to apply for the Spring 2025 FOCUS Scholarship Program. This semester-long program aims to close the gap in post-graduation outcomes and starting salaries for underrepresented first-gen students through workshops, site visits and networking. Participants receive a $1,000 scholarship. 

The Grainger College of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will host the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Fair from 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 11, 2025, Illini Union rooms A, B, C and South Lounge. We are seeking representatives from research groups, centers, institutes and programs to present and promote undergraduate research opportunities. SIGN UP here. Deadline: Feb. 3, 2025.

The Reading Room will be closed for a private event from 4 p.m. Nov. 14 until 6 p.m. Nov. 15. Normal hours resume Nov. 16. The Main Library building will be open normal hours Nov. 14 and 15 with all other service points accessible to patrons. Parking in Lot E3 may be limited. Library digital resources remain available and can be accessed through the Library Gateway. Please adjust your schedule.

The Office of Technology Management is now accepting applications for a new round of funding through the Illinois Proof-of-Concept program. IPOC funds projects that help move U. of I. research closer to public use and positive societal impact. Proposals welcome from all disciplines. Awards up to $50,000. Apply by Jan. 28, 2025. 

The Statistical Consulting class (STAT 427) welcomes clients for spring 2025! If you have a statistical problem and you are interested in obtaining free assistance from a team of Statistics student consultants starting January 2025, please contact Alexandra Chronopoulou at achronop@illinois.edu. 

Students can benefit from using Illinois AnyWare, a service providing access to over 100 applications for students working anywhere. It is a remote desktop environment where users may access software securely and save files to and from their own device (Windows, MacOS, Linux).

Please join us for a lecture by Candace Vogler, the David B. and Clara E. Stern professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago, titled "The Highest Good." 

The 2025 MLK Jr. Commemorative theme is “Our Beloved Community: Protecting, Freedom, Justice and Democracy." The Committee invites nominations for the 2025 MLK Champions Recognition. MLK Champions are local partners, students, faculty and staff who have dedicated their talents to enhancing a movement of justice, equity and dignity as illustrated through the pillars or Dr. King's life and legacy.  

Enjoy Allerton Park’s Holiday Showcase with an Afternoon Tea at noon or 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8. Served with the best antique China, enjoy a splendid selection of English tea along with a variety of sweet and savory delights. And don’t forget to peruse the local vendors at the Holiday Showcase in the Mansion from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. $50 per person (5 and under free) Register here by Dec. 2.

Experience the joys of the season at a Holiday Wreath Making from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4 or Thursday, Dec. 5, in Allerton’s Mansion Carriage House (Each date covers the same material). Maggie Taylor of Delight Flower Farm will share basic wreath building and design techniques to help students craft a unique seasonal decoration. $65 per person. Register one week before each workshop.

Experience the fun of cooking together as a family at Family Pasta Night from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, in Allerton’s Mansion Carriage House. In this family-friendly workshop led by Blue Dragonfly Catering owner Leah Bodine, you will learn how to make gnocchi, basic marinara, meatballs and tiramisu. $70 per family. Register here by Dec. 3. 

Learn how to make simple yet elegant appetizers to WOW your holiday guests at Easy Entertaining Appetizers from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, in Allerton’s Mansion Carriage House. Led by Blue Dragonfly Catering owner Leah Bodine, this workshop will prepare you for both invited guests as well as those who just drop in! $60 per person. Register here by Nov. 11.

Join the Physics Department for this fall's Saturday Physics for Everyone on Saturday, Nov. 16. This in-person lecture series continues with Professor Chen-Yu Liu's "Weights and Measures." Snacks will be served at 10 a.m. and the lecture begins at 10:15 a.m. This event is free and open to everyone: friends, family, kids and grandparents. We hope to see you there!

Many international scholars will seek full-time employment in the United States. Find out what you need to know about U.S. immigration policies to make a smooth transition. This presentation by Thomas Arkell, an attorney practicing immigration and employment law, will discuss the H-1B petition process for full-time hires and options for permanent residence.

Please join us for an Intellectual Property and Technology Law Program Speaker Series event, "Copyright's Dominion." Professor Shani Shisha will present a talk on copyright history and neutrality. Free and open to the public, with a limited number of lunches provided.

Join Athletics, Facilities & Services and iSEE for the final tailgate recycling event this football season! Tailgaters, do your part by recycling plastic bottles and aluminum cans in containers located in Lot 31 and Grange Grove. Volunteers are needed for the Saturday, Nov. 16, gameday starting at 11 a.m. Sign up to volunteer through the Volunteer Form.

The Center for Gender and Sex in Health invites you to its next conversation. The goal is to explore avenues for interdisciplinary research and training collaboration and to ensure scholars learn from each other in order to imagine new, transformative ways of performing research and training. RSVP for the first conversation here by Nov. 11. Event details here or subscribe here.

The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 marked a moment of unprecedented material destruction and cultural rupture in modern Japan. The disaster soon became subject to human interpretation and political manipulation as the earth tremors and subsequent fire produced not only physical chaos but also the rumors and violence against Koreans revealing what was fearful and why.

The NAPRRS/NC229: International Conference of Swine Viral Diseases brings together members of the swine disease community, including researchers, industry professionals and field practitioners. This year’s meeting will include six plenary scientific sessions, a translational workshop, poster session, banquet and more. Register by Nov. 22.

Please join the University Archives for the Women in Science Lecture Series from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, with Dr. Supriya Prasanth, professor and head of the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology! This is a hybrid event and will take place in the University Archives (146 Main Library) and over Zoom. RSVP here.

Tremors, butterflies and “blacking out” are common when speaking publicly, but that does not make them any less uncomfortable. Join the Speakers Workshop to learn strategies and mindsets to help cope with these symptoms and more related to speech and presentation apprehension. This is a hybrid workshop available to students in-person and online. Pre-registration is required using the links above.

Circus, in its desire to challenge gravity, to surpass human abilities and to surprise and deeply connect with audience, paves rich, interconnected ways to reach a multitude of realms, traverse art, science, humanity, spirituality and dissolve boundaries. Join Nathalie Yves Gaulthier, director of the youth circus group Le PeTiT CiRqUe®, as she offers a soulful glimpse into her circus journeys.

Join us for a live book event with Daniel Kraus, whose novel "Whalefall" was named one of the “Best Thrillers of 2023” by The New York Times. Kraus will discuss the challenges of writing a science-based novel and his experience adapting it into a movie for Disney. Please register in advance for the in-person event or the livestream at https://illinois.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7Pd2p3Sh8NGN9wa. 

John Coleman joined Illinois as provost in 2023. He oversees the campus' academic programs, policies and priorities to ensure the quality of the educational experience for all students, faculty development and recognition, and an environment that supports academic excellence. Provost Coleman earned a PhD in political science from MIT and a BA in government and history from Clark University. 

Please join the 2024 Beckman Institute Graduate Fellows for a Mini Open House in the Beckman Institute Atrium. Graduate fellows will share their research through a series of lightning talks in the east atrium, followed by a poster session and light refreshments.

Inspired by a 1941 Jorge Luis Borges short story, artist Vicki Bennett's ("People Like Us") "The Library of Babel" (2024) explores themes related to the complex interplay of infinity, knowledge and the cosmic fabric, presented through the metaphor of a vast, seemingly infinite library. The screening will be followed by a discussion with Bennett and special guest Hearty White.

George A. Miller visiting artist Monique Mojica (Guna and Rappahannock) and U. of I. professor of anthropology Brenda Farnell ask, "How do we create an Indigenous theater that moves beyond the 'victim narrative' while embracing an aesthetics of resistance?"

Prototyping gives designers the opportunity to create, communicate and evaluate the ideas that have been developed over the human-centered design process. In this workshop, learners will experiment with prototyping the intangible - experiences! Learn how prototyping can help your designed digital or in-person experiences to reach their goal, whether that's to delight, inform or motivate.

Join Gordon Bauer, of the University of California, Berkeley, as he presents via Zoom at the Fall 2024 Kent Seminar Series Thursday, November 14, from 2-3 p.m. (CT).   Food and soft drinks will be provided beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the ICT Classroom. 

James Nestor, science journalist and New York Times bestselling author of "Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art," shares his reporting on the power of breathing, which he believes is the secret to solving workplace stress and burnout. Join us for a presentation and guided breathing exercise, followed by a Q&A. Register to join via Zoom by emailing Colleen King at cck@illinois.edu.

Alexander Furnas, research professor at Northwestern University, will present a talk on "Partisan Disparities in the Use, Production, and Funding of Science in the United States."  More information on this talk and the iSchool’s CIRSS “Studying Science Scientifically: State of the Art and Prospects for the Science of Science” Speaker Series is available here.

The National Center for Principled Leadership and Research Ethics invites individuals to pilot and give feedback on our new Customizing Your Mentoring Toolkit program. This 1–2-hour asynchronous Canvas course equips mentors with practical, evidence-based tools, case studies and activities to create effective mentoring documents. Outcomes are responsive to the 2024 NSF mentoring plan requirements.

A panel discussion with the HUP collaborators from urban South Africa, United States, Brazil and Bangladesh by Ati Ashtari (University of Memphis), Efad Huq (Smith College), Clarissa Freitas (Federal University of Ceará Fortaleza, Brazil), José Ricardo Vargas de Faria( Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil), Victor Font (U. of I.), Ken Salo (U. of I.) and Faranak Miraftab (U. of I.).

Join the Writers Workshop for an engaging presentation exploring the profound impact of AI on your writing process, examining both its benefits and challenges. Discover how emerging technologies are playing a role in how we conduct academic writing. (And yes, AI helped write this.) Register by Nov. 12 to receive the Zoom link via email on the morning of the event.

Writers Workshop will provide strategies for analyzing, prioritizing and using sources to build and strengthen your own argument and interpretation. Learn to read articles with a writer's perspective! Register by Nov. 13 to receive the Zoom information via email on the morning of the event.

The next Online Student Service Watercooler Group meeting is at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, via Zoom. This month, U. of I. librarians will be joining us to discuss the library resources that current online students and alumni have access to.

This webinar will include bottom liner system design and slope analyses at different stages of construction and operation of heap leach pads. It will also include geomembrane selection, process quality control and construction and operation troubleshooting of heap leach pads. 1.0 PDH

Integrating mindfulness into daily life can transform the aging process into a more empowering and fulfilling experience. Meanwhile, resilience enables us to adapt to changes, bounce back from setbacks and maintain a positive outlook. Explore practical ways to combine these powerful practices to navigate aging with grace, strength and emotional well being. Presenter: Vaishnavi Sridharan.

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. 

We are finally ready to test the SDOH and Place Project’s Data Discovery App! This search engine will be a one-stop-shop for finding free high-quality SDOH data. We are asking professionals within the realm of health equity at U. of I. to join us in testing the app for the first time! Each super user will receive a $25 Amazon gift card for their time. Lunch will be provided. RSVP by Nov. 13th.