The university has published a new federal updates website that houses information, resources and answers to frequently asked questions regarding new federal directives. This website will be updated as more information becomes available. Faculty, staff and students seeking additional resources or information are encouraged to email federalupdates@illinois.edu. Our overriding goals will be transparency and compassion as we navigate these important issues together. 

The 2024-2025 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Senate is scheduled to meet at 3:10 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, in Illini Union Room A (1st floor). Meeting materials are available online. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Safety is key to our campus being a world-class place to learn, research and work. That’s why the Divisions of Research Safety and Safety and Compliance joined forces to create a new safety-focused website for a broad campus audience. Visit besafe.illinois.edu to learn about basic safety principles, take the Illinois Safety Pledge, peruse photos of people doing safe work across campus and more. 

The Library has a subscription to Rosetta Stone Foundations, which features 30 languages (and advanced levels for many of them). Access the database via the link above. For more information or help setting up an account, please contact the Literatures and Languages Library.

Did you know that University of Illinois employees have insurance plans that cover hearing aids and related services? If you or a family member have been experiencing hearing difficulties, now is the perfect time to explore your benefits and take advantage of the hearing healthcare options available to you at the U. of I. Audiology and Speech Language Pathology Clinic. Call 217-333-2205 or email shsclinic@illinois.edu.

The BRIDGE Seed Fund is available to support the development or implementation of educational and research collaborations with University of Birmingham counterparts. Proposals in the social sciences and humanities are encouraged as well as proposals that foster relationships in the Global South. Proposals are due by March 3, 2025. Application information is available on the BRIDGE Partnership website.

The Intensive Language Instruction Program offers classes in 11 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. Online and in-person options are available. Register for ILIP today!

Faculty and units developing microcredentials for Illinois public educators should contact the Council on Teacher Education. CoTE coordinates the microcredential process with the Illinois State Board of Education so that Illinois public educators may earn a digital badge on their Professional Educator License. ISBE must approve microcredentials prior to Illinois public educators earning them. Visit the CoTE website for more information.

In compliance with the Illinois State Board of Education, the Council on Teacher Education approves qualifying professional development events for licensed educators. All departments or units that want to award professional development hours must secure advanced approval by submitting a PDH proposal on the CoTE website.

Please encourage your undergrad students to present their research at the 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 24 at the Illini Union. The URS is a daylong event where students can showcase their in-progress and completed research through posters, oral and creative presentations. Apply by March 7 at go.illinois.edu/URS.

LabEscape brings you the final and most exciting chapter in the story of renowned quantum physicist, Professor S. LabEscape is the world's only science-based "escape room!" Absolutely NO science background is necessary to succeed. This chapter features a unique set of awesome puzzles and challenges. Cost is $8 for students and $12 for non-students and is perfect for a fun team-building activity!

You can become an important part of Allerton Park by volunteering! Allerton’s generous volunteers help serve visitors, preserve the natural areas and improve the spectacular park for future generations. If you want to know more, take part in a New Volunteer Orientation from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, in the Greenhouse Auditorium. Free. Register here. All ages are welcome.

The Writers Workshop is located across campus to meet all students, faculty and staff where they are! In addition to the Main Library, appointments are available at The Grainger Engineering Library or Burrill Hall (MCB Learning Center). Both locations offer in-person and online appointments, and MCB currently offers written feedback appointments as well. In-person drop-ins are also now available at the Lisnek LAS Hub, staffed by graduate and undergraduate consultants.

Throughout your life, you will — almost certainly — give presentations. We have all sat through presentations that were boring, confusing and drab. How do you communicate your message most succinctly? What visuals will captivate and inform your audience the best? Is it only about your slide design or are there other techniques that leave a lasting impression? In this session we distill the magic that just might take your next presentation from bland to grand.

New to the university? Need a refresher on using the library? This hands-on workshop will introduce you to library resources and services. After this workshop, you’ll be able to navigate the library website with confidence to access print and electronic materials. Come with questions if you have them!

Did you know that there are multiple methodologies to create literature reviews, with different aims, goals, protocols and outcomes? Attend this workshop to learn about the range of evidence synthesis (literature review) methodologies, from a traditional narrative review to rigorous reviews such as systematic reviews and umbrella reviews. We will discuss 12 types of reviews, identify the similarities and differences between them and provide insight into how to select the review type that is best suited for your project.

Are you having trouble organizing all of your sources but don’t know where to start? A citation manager can help you store your files, create citations and insert formatted citations into papers. This hands-on workshop will introduce you to three popular citation managers — Mendeley, Zotero and Endnote. We will go over pros and cons of each one and give you a preview of how they work to help you choose the best fit for your citation needs.

Enjoy a conversation with exhibiting artist Millie Wilson and curator David Evans Frantz, in conjunction with Millie Wilson: The Museum of Lesbian Dreams at Krannert Art Museum, on view through March 1. Wilson’s artwork has been exhibited widely in the United States and internationally. She has deftly examined feminism, queerness and the historical erasure of such positions from institutions of art. David Evans Frantz is an independent curator based in Los Angeles. Overflow seating in Krannert Art Museum. Sign up to get the Zoom link >> go.illinois.edu/MillieWilson

Join Jeffery Roesler of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as he presents in person at the Spring 2025 Kent Seminar Series from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. Presentations this semester focus on topics related to autonomy in transportation. Food and soft drinks will be provided beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the Illinois Center for Transportation Classroom.

The Russian, East European and Eurasian Center, Ukrainian Students Association and Spurlock Museum invite you to visit "Unissued Diplomas" in the Central Core Gallery at Spurlock. This student-led exhibition, held in 45+ universities worldwide, shares the stories of 40 Ukrainian students whose lives were taken by the Russian full-scale invasion that started on February 24, 2022. Learn more at https://www.unissueddiplomas.org.  

Join us for a discussion on global collaboration and period poverty as we come together to watch the trailer for the compelling documentary "Uman Tok: Tailoring Hope, Renewing Futures," which sheds light on the critical issue of period poverty in Sierra Leone. This event is more than a film screening; it’s an invitation to engage critically with the intersections of gender justice, health equity and global power structures. (Attendees are encouraged to donate one or more menstrual products to "Code Red" for distribution to women and girls in central Illinois.)

Interested in conducting a systematic review or evidence synthesis but unsure where to start? The Library offers a workshop series led by expert librarians to provide essential training on definitions, methods and tools. Topics include types of literature reviews, systematic searching techniques and AI tools. Workshops are free and open, but pre-registration is required. For online sessions, a Zoom link will be sent the morning of the session. 

Join us for a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony! "Chado," or the Way of Tea, is one of the most ancient and revered arts of Japan, and is at the very heart of Japan House. Each week will feature a different seasonal "wagashi" (traditional Japanese sweet) for guests to enjoy with a bowl of matcha. Space is limited to 20 guests. Reservations are required, no walk-ins will be permitted. Tea ceremonies are offered weekly at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Systematic reviews are a form of structured research that requires a comprehensive collection, appraisal and summary of all research on a topic. Systematic reviews are high-impact publications that carry weight to inform evidence-based decision making. 

The International and Area Studies Library is hosting the 2025 Global and Area Studies Meet and Greet, an informal social event that brings together faculty and students in the field. Join us to explore research resources, engage with subject librarians and connect with fellow scholars over refreshments. 

Join the Education Justice Project for the panel, "Deported Americans," a book by attorney and professor Beth Caldwell. The term refers to deported people who lived in the U.S. since childhood. It also refers to the estimated 1 million U.S. citizens who left the U.S. to keep their families together. Join Beth Caldwell, Tran Dang, the director of The Rhizome Center for Migrants, EJP member Alex Vergara and Chelsea Hurtado, deported Americans living in Guatemala and Mexico, respectively. On campus? Stop by the EJP office for a free copy of the book to read before the event. Register here.

Get ready for the 2025 International Career Festival Week, Feb. 10-14! This week-long series of six in-person and virtual events is designed to prepare international students for upcoming career fairs and future job and internship opportunities. The exciting lineup of workshops and presentations will equip you with essential skills and insights to excel in your career journey. Visit Handshake to learn more about the events. 

The SKY Happiness Retreat is an internationally acclaimed life-skills program that helps participants develop a relaxed, stress-free mind and an energetic, healthy body. The retreat teaches tools such as evidence-based meditation, yoga, breathwork and self-exploration in a fun and an experiential format. Join us on campus for a detox-weekend! Fully funded for all U. of I. students.

Well-designed presentations are about balance. The problem? Balance is a hard thing to strike. How much text is too much? How do I decide on a color palette? How do I craft a coherent visual narrative? In this workshop, learn practical skills for creating a standout slide deck and more. Pre-registration required using the link above.

Kristin Henning (Georgetown Law) will present "The Rage of Innocence: DeCriminalizing Race, Adolescence, Trauma, and Disabilities" for the David C. Baum Memorial Lecture on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. Free and open to the public with a limited number of lunches available to attendees. Livestream is also available here: https://www.youtube.com/live/PnqiWIn7E3Y.

Our theme is “Opening the Classroom Door: Creating a Culture of Dialogue and Reflection.” As reflective teachers, we should enhance awareness of our teaching from many vantage points. Attend this retreat to hear from colleagues and students about what excellent teaching looks like, sounds like and feels like. Engage in innovative ideas, interactive activities and available grants. Register here. Space is limited.

The UI Black Chorus and Dr. Ollie Watts Davis, artistic director and conductor, presents PILLAR, a concert of faith, perseverance and the rich legacy of Black sacred music. The concert will premiere original music, welcome alumni and friends from Champaign-Urbana, Hope College and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and feature School of Music students. Award-winning guest artists will join this uplifting and joyous experience. kran-tix@illinois.edu

Level up your coffee and teatime and Learn to Bake Scones from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, in the Allerton Mansion Carriage House. Chef Leah Bodine will lead students through the process of mixing batter for two different flavors of scones. Students will take home recipes, instructions and dough to bake their scones at home. $45 per person. Register here by Feb. 17. All sales are final.

Have you ever wandered around Allerton and wondered what the inside of the historic Mansion looks like? Would you like to hear more about the unique history of Robert Allerton and the creation of his estate? Learn all of this and more during a Public Mansion Tour from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16. $10 per person (5 and under free and do not require a ticket). Register here.

Make time for some moving meditation followed by a drink and conversation at Stretch ‘n Sip Yoga at Allerton Park from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, in the Mansion Library. Josie Heck with Yoga Off the Square will help you reconnect with your mind and body. $15 per person for Stretch and Sip (21+), $10 per person for Stretch only. Register here. All sales are final.

What does it mean to imagine and implement climate justice? This interdisciplinary symposium is driven by the urgent need for a range of interventions and tools: critique, experimentation, imagination, pragmatics and policy. Bringing together thinkers from Europe and the U.S., scholars and practitioners will explore climate, energy and infrastructure across networked urban and regional scales: from city to region to nation to planet. Sponsored by the European Union Center and the Climate | Change Research Initiative at the Center for Advanced Study at U. of I.

In an analysis of FORDISC, a database of skull measurements used to identify human remains, Iris Clever demonstrates how a focus on accuracy might struggle to account for the entwined relationship between humanity, science and technology. Clever is a postdoctoral researcher at the Committee on Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science, University of Chicago. She is also an iSchool Research Fellow at Illinois for 2024–26. 

Moms Weekend is April 4-6, 2025! New Student and Family Experiences invites you to add your events to the official 2025 Moms Weekend Calendar. Please use the plus sign in the top right corner. If you have any questions or issues, please contact Taylor Cargo.

Make a big impact on digital accessibility in a short time with Quick Start Accessibility Workshops. Designed for faculty and staff, these sessions teach you how to create digital materials and course materials that are accessible to all. Workshops will be hosted throughout the spring semester. Topics include Microsoft Word, PDF, PowerPoint, Excel, PopeTech and more. 

The Center for Informatics Research in Science and Scholarship will host a talk by Sayash Kapoor, Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University's Center for Information Technology Policy and a co-author of "AI Snake Oil," on “Can AI Automate Science?” as part of its Generative AI and the Future of Research speaker series.  Details available here.

Please join us on Zoom for an AI and Legal Practice Speaker Series event, featuring Tom Trujillo, Chief Innovation and AI Officer at McGuireWoods. Mr. Trujillo will speak on how large firms can make use of — and better use — AI in their practices. Free and open to the public.

NCSA, NVIDIA and OpenACC will host a virtual Open Hackathon from April 1-17 (April 1, April 7 and April 15-17). This will be a multi-day, intensive hands-on event pairing participants with dedicated mentors. The goal of the Hackathon is for researchers to port, accelerate and optimize their AI/ML workflows. Registration is open to everyone wanting to take their projects to the next level, but priority acceptance will be given to NCSA- and NAIRR-affiliated scientists and their collaborators. The application deadline is Feb. 19. More information can be found at the event website.

Join us on April 3 and 4 at the 2025 University of Illinois Web Conference. Now in its 25th year, this two-day virtual conference brings together web designers, developers, social media marketers, content managers/creators and other web professionals within higher ed and beyond. U. of I. employees and full-time students get a discounted rate. Registration includes access to recordings for a limited time.

Labs That Work for Everyone is an interactive, asynchronous professional development program designed to promote healthy lab environments and equip lab members with skills to own and manage their careers. Join the pilot and develop vital leadership and communication skills today. Pilots can be fully independent or take place with your lab group.

What actions and innovations are needed to create an inclusive AI system?  Join Payal Arora in conversation as she draws from her MIT Press book "From Pessimism to Promise" longlisted for the 2024 Porchlight Business Book Awards, to lay out a pathway for inclusive digital futures that is fundamentally cross-cultural, collaborative and equity oriented. She argues that it is time we stop underestimating and, instead, start understanding the creative potential of the Global South.

Attending a career fair or other networking event? This workshop will provide tips for corresponding concisely and professionally in platforms like email and LinkedIn. This event will be held through Zoom. Please register with your Illinois email account by Feb. 11, and we will send an email with the Zoom meeting invitation on the morning of the event.

International Student and Scholar Services would like to invite you to join us for a special Names Training focused on Bangladeshi names from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 11. This session will provide valuable insights into the cultural background and pronunciation of names commonly used in Bangladesh. You will learn key aspects of the Bangla names, pronunciation techniques and cultural significance. Registration is required. After you register, you will receive the virtual meeting link via email. 

The next Online Student Service Watercooler Group meeting is at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, via Zoom. This month, we will be discussing how different online programs are staffed/structured and training for remote/hybrid teams. 

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. Fill out our interest form!

Healthy adults ages 18-40 with no hearing loss are invited for a study on listening in noise. Study involves online survey to determine eligibility, followed by lab visits for those who qualify. Visits include hearing screening, listening to sounds and measuring ear and brain activity. Compensation for lab visits. To participate, complete our survey.

Looking for adults ages 40-75 for a study on prolonged sitting and cognition. The study tests interrupting sitting with short, high-intensity exercises and measures brain and cognitive functions before and after. Participants earn $280, with travel expenses covered if living 30-plus miles from Champaign. Interested? Click here to join.

This study consists of viewing a digital trauma-focused intervention (RENEW), completing an online survey about the intervention and a focus group discussion. Caregivers who have a middle school-aged child who has experienced a major life event (e.g. violence, poverty) are eligible. You will earn a $100 Amazon gift card for viewing the digital intervention, completing a brief survey and participating in a 60- to 90-minute virtual focus group. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out by calling the research team at 217-265-7587 or email us at stepplabillinois@gmail.com. Thank you!