2025-09-18 - CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — One of the great challenges of ecology is to understand the factors that maintain, or undermine, diversity in ecosystems, researchers write in a new report in the journal Science. The researchers detail their development of a new model that — using a tree census and genomic data collected from multiple species in a forest — can predict future fluctuations in the relative...
2025-09-04 - CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Five professors at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been named University Scholars in recognition of their achievements in teaching, scholarship and service.The program honors faculty excellence and provides $15,000 to each scholar for three years to enhance their academic careers. That money may be used for travel, equipment, research assistants, books or other...
2025-08-29 - Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bello, a doctoral student in entomology, has been recognized for her groundbreaking work in visualizing insect nanostructures. Bello was the winner of the 2025 Beckman Institute Research Image Contest, showcasing her exceptional talent...
2025-08-27 - In a decisive new study, crop scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service show that soybeans are doubly damaged by drought and ozone pollution, both of which are...
2025-08-22 - A recent study published in Plant and Soil explores how tomato plants utilize both aboveground and belowground defense strategies when exposed to simultaneous environmental stressors. The research, titled "Interactions between soil source, flooding, and herbivory shape tomato plant volatile emissions and rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities," was conducted by Assistant...
2025-08-14 - The Department of Plant Biology and the School of Integrative Biology mourns the loss of Dr. Amy Marshall-Colón, an Associate Professor of Plant Biology, who passed away on July 26, 2025. A researcher in systems biology and a devoted educator and mentor, Amy’s passing marks the loss of a scientist whose work bridged...
2025-08-05 - For over five decades, the partnership between the University of Illinois and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has driven some of the most important advancements in crop science, food security, and sustainable agriculture. From breakthrough developments in soybean and corn genetics to pioneering climate-...
2025-08-05 - What do wizards, princesses, and ecologists have in common? At Cosplay for Science, they all come together to protect ecosystems—while sparking scientific curiosity in kids and families.Organized by Dr. Phil Anderson—in collaboration with the group Cosplay for Science—...
2025-08-05 - Over the past several years, Dr. Esther Ngumbi has been diligently working to bring science to the public. She has become a standout figure in science communication—writing for national outlets, mentoring young scientists, and advocating for inclusive, engaging ways to make scientific knowledge more accessible.Through more than 100...
2025-08-05 - Ben had an unconventional start to college life in Fall 2020, when COVID-19 restrictions left many students confined to dorm rooms instead of bustling lecture halls and study groups. It was this disrupted experience that later drew him to the BSLAS + MS in Integrative Biology program,...
2025-08-05 - When Jenaya Wilder first signed up for a study abroad course in Belize, she wasn’t just looking for sunshine over spring break, she was searching for clarity about her future. Torn between marine biology and entomology, the trip promised not only a hands-on look at coral reefs, but also a chance to grow outside the walls of a traditional classroom. Through the Integrative Biology study...
2025-08-05 - This year, SIB welcomed alumnus Eric Giesing back to campus as the keynote speaker for the 2025 SIB Convocation ceremony. For Eric, it was more than a speech—it was a homecoming nearly two decades in the making. Eric graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Integrative Biology in 2008 followed by a M.S. in 2010 under Dr...
2025-08-05 - As SIB marks its 25th anniversary, the occasion offers an opportunity to reflect on how far the School has come and how much SIB has shaped biology education and research at Illinois. SIB was formally recognized by the university on July 1, 2000, after emerging from a pivotal reorganization of the School of Life Sciences. While other units pursued molecular specializations, SIB was formed around...
2025-08-04 - The Entomological Society of America (ESA) has honored Dr. Andrew Suarez, acting head and professor in the Department of Entomology, by naming him a 2025 Fellow of the Society.Being named an ESA Fellow is a recognition of an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the science and profession of entomology—whether through research, teaching, extension, leadership, public policy, or...
2025-07-28 - CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a new study, scientists used nearly every tool in their toolkit — genomics, transcriptomics, greenhouse experiments and advanced statistical methods — to gain new insight into the complex chemical interactions that take place in underground root nodules, where legumes like soybeans exchange vital nutrients with soil microbes called rhizobia. Reported in the Proceedings...