The Big Ten Academic Alliance has launched a Data Viz Championship to celebrate International Love Data Week. Two visualizations (one student and one faculty/staff) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will represent our university in the BTAA Championship. Please consider participating in the campus competition! More information may be found on our Love Data Week site.

Though the government shutdown has ended, food insecurity continues to weigh heavy on our campus and local community. As a reminder, these assistance resources are available to students, faculty and staff. For those unsure of how to best support the local community during economically challenging times, we asked local community organizations to share their most pressing needs. You can view responses in this Food Assistance Info List. This list will remain active through December. Updates and additions to this list are welcome. Contact faces-idea@illinois.edu. 

SHIFT is a 12-week program that helps educators apply human-centered design in real, practical ways. Build new skills, connect with peers and take on a custom design challenge. Register by Jan. 9!

In this course, Vijay Singh and Brian Jacobson explore how fermentation transforms industries and advances sustainability. Discover its evolution from ancient traditions to modern precision fermentation, dive into microbes and feedstocks and examine products shaping food, beauty and industrial materials. Gain insight into scaling fermentation from lab to commercial production and enroll today!

Step into the sparkle and rhythm of Bollywood for an unforgettable afternoon of dance, laughter and high-energy fun! Bollywood Dance Jam is a beginner-friendly dance class designed especially for people who want to move, groove and let loose in Bollywood style! We'll learn signature Bollywood moves with dramatic hand gestures, theatrical expressions and full-body energy, set to the beats of exciting Bollywood film hits. No experience necessary. Free and open to all.

Are you interested in learning about the wide range of entrepreneurial programming, resources, mentorship and funding opportunities available across campus? Drop by the first Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Office Hours to connect with campus representatives who can answer questions and help you navigate the next step. Faculty, staff and students from all units are welcome. No appointment is needed – just bring your questions and curiosity! (If you can't make it Dec. 5, visit entrepreneurship.illinois.edu to learn more about the ecosystem.)

Be among the first to play our brand new mobile lab escape room! This escape room was created in partnership with the Community FAB Lab and students enrolled in the escape room design courses in the Department of Theater and School of Information Sciences. Ro Dent and their team has been studying the Mus muscivirus, but they have run into trouble and need your help! As they find themselves increasingly mired in a medical mystery, they are counting on you to take the lead in understanding the virus and finding a cure.

Join us for an exciting opportunity to hear about research innovations and insights from four College of Education student and faculty researchers. This monthly online and in-person event sparks inspiration for educators, technologists, researchers, students or those just curious about artificial intelligence. Come chat and see real-world examples. Register to attend.

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is pleased to announce that the Holiday Magic show is back! Open to the public, with all ages welcome, this exciting show features chemistry whizzes and bangs sure to delight all! Some demos will cause loud noises or flashes of light that may be disturbing. An announcement will be made immediately before those demos and attendees will be given the opportunity to leave the show while those demos take place. Contact aramey2@illinois.edu for accommodations.

From high cholesterol to high blood pressure, support your heart health with knowledge and action. In this 1-hour webinar, learn about four categories of nutrients — sodium, fat, added sugar and fiber — and how each impacts heart health. This program is free to attend.

Seeking participants (21-64 year olds) who had a sleeve gastrectomy 1-5 years ago or have not had any bariatric surgeries (control group). Participants must not smoke and drink alcohol at least once a month. There will be blood draws, body composition assessments, alcohol challenge tests and questionnaires. Compensation will be provided (up to $850 upon completion of four visits and free parking). Please fill out our online pre-screening form if you're interested, using the following link: https://illinois.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7R2VUEoOuh2cTXw or contact ornella2@illinois.edu.

Are your students learning Spanish or American Sign Language? Students can earn up to $50 in gift cards! We are seeking undergraduate participants for an online study about language and science learning. Eligibility: Spanish or American Sign Language learner, any language level, taking or took a language class within the last six months, and 18+ years old in the U.S. Take the screening survey (https://go.illinois.edu/language-and-science-learning) or contact contact Logan Lauren (lauren1@illinois.edu) with questions. Study approved by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IRB no. 25-0183.

The Nutrition and Exercise Performance Research Group is looking for participants to partake in a 2-day study to establish the utility of the indicator amino acid oxidation method in adults. Participation in this study involves 2-day habituation lead in with all meals provided, muscle biopsies and blood, breath and urine sampling during two all-day trials. Upon completion, you will receive $150 and information about your body composition and caloric needs. Contact our lab (NEPRESEARCH@illinois.edu) for more information! Male participants are strongly encouraged!