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News and Events

We'll see you at Convocation!

Don't miss out on a chance to celebrate with your classmates and professors. Fill out the forms and make sure you're with us at SIB's Convocation.

Visit our Convocation page
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SIB Distinction

Want to stand out and dive deeper into biology? The Distinction program is your chance to work on cool research projects, get hands-on experience, and team up with world-class faculty mentors. It’s a great way to boost a resume, sharpen biology skills, and get ready for whatever’s next—whether that’s grad school or a dream job. Check it out and see how you can make your biology journey even more exciting!
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Awards

Celebrate the achievements of our talented students, faculty, and staff! Our Awards and Honors page highlights the outstanding accomplishments and recognitions that showcase the hard work and dedication within our community. It’s a great way for alumni, friends, and supporters to see the impact we’re making in biology and beyond.

Celebrate our 2026 winners

SIB News

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PEEC graduate student Emmy Medina-Espinoza awarded the Graduate College Dissertation Travel Grant
 In Spring 2026, PEEC graduate student Emmy Medina-Espinoza was awarded the Graduate College Dissertation Travel Grant, which provides funding to support travel and fieldwork essential for doctoral dissertation research. The grant enabled Medina-Espinoza to conduct fieldwork in the Peruvian...
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Plant Biology Professor Wendy Yang one of five Illinois professors recognized as University Scholars
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Five professors at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been named 2026-2027 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...
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High resolution x-ray analysis reveals the inner life of leaves while advancing engineering efforts to reduce crop sweat
 In the midwestern summer, humans and plants have to breathe through the heat and humidity. Researchers hope that a retooled crop plant—one with an improved ventilation system within its leaves—could thrive while avoiding drought stress by reducing “crop sweat”. Thanks to a next generation...
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Plant Biology graduate student Angelique Acevedo wins Katherine Esau Award at Botany 2026
 Plant Biology graduate student Angelique Acevedo attended the Botany 2026 conference in Tucson, Arizona, where she received the Katherine Esau Award for her presentation, “Fascinating Fasciation, Whorls, and Spirals: Cellular and Molecular...
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SIB Director Carla Cáceres one of two newly named endowed chairs
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Two University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty members have been named as university endowed chairs, an honor awarded to highly distinguished scholars for their excellence and prominence in research, teaching and service.“An endowed chair represents one of the university’s...
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Entomology Professor Xuguo "Joe" Zhou Named 2026 Fellow of the Entomological Society of America
 SIB is proud to share that Professor Xuguo "Joe" Zhou, the C. W. Kearns, C. L. Metcalf, and W. P. Flint Endowed Chair in Entomology, has been named one of nine distinguished entomologists honored as 2026 Fellows of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). This recognition highlights...

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