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—...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign junior R. Fisher Houston is one of 65 students nationwide awarded the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship. This highly competitive scholarship program identifies future...
A newly published study in the Journal of Chemical Ecology offers new insight into how plants respond when faced with multiple environmental challenges at once. This work was led by former undergraduate researchers in the lab of...
