The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is a special place on the University of Illinois campus. It's large and diverse, offering an incredible depth across the physical and mathematical sciences, humanities, and social and behavioral sciences.
All together, LAS students, faculty members, and alumni made the 2010s a decade worth celebrating. From renovations of historic landmarks to world-renowned research to the launch of several innovative student development programs, the last 10 years will be remembered for generations to come!
Research in LAS: 2010-2019
Note: The handful of stories selected below aren’t meant to be an exhaustive list of LAS events from the past decade. With more than 174,000 alumni, 600 faculty members, and 14,000 students in the College of LAS, we wouldn’t have space to capture all of the great things that happened in the 2010s! Rather, what you’ll find are some of the most read and discussed stories from the past 10 years.
Is there a research milestone from the last decade that you think deserves to be on the list below? Let us know!
Illinois helps produce first image of black hole
In April 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope Project captured the first image of a black hole. The feature is located at the center of Messier 87 – a giant elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. Charles Gammie, professor of astronomy and physics, co-led the theory working group and served as co-coordinator of Paper V, focused on the theoretical interpretation of the EHT data.
Illinois leads $30 million atmospheric science study in Argentina
In November 2018, atmospheric scientists at Illinois led an international team of researchers in a $30 million field campaign in Argentina to research the most intense thunderstorms in the world. Led by Illinois atmospheric sciences professor Steve Nesbitt, two sister projects—Remote sensing of Electrification, Lightning, And Mesoscale/microscale Processes with Adaptive Ground Observations (RELAMPAGO) and Clouds, Aerosols, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI)—consisted of 160 scientists from around the world and was the largest land-based atmospheric sciences campaign ever conducted outside the US.
Humanities without walls receives $4.2 million grant renewal
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded a $4.2 million grant renewal to Humanities Without Walls, a 15-member consortium of universities that aims to foster collaborative research, teaching, and scholarship in the humanities, in ways that cannot be created or maintained without cross-institutional cooperation. The initiative is based at the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities (IPRH) at the University of Illinois.
Faculty recognized for research excellence
Hundreds of faculty in the College of LAS were honored with distinguished awards throughout the decade. A few of the most notable honors include:
- Entomology professor May Berenbaum received a National Medal of Science award from President Obama.
- Julie Dowling of Latina/Latino studies was appointed as Chair of the US Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic and Other Populations.
- Germanic languages and literatures professor Mara Wade was appointed to lead The Renaissance Society of America.
- Nearly a dozen faculty members were elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
- Former faculty member of the Department of Chemistry Martin Karplus received a Nobel Prize for developing computer simulations for complex chemical processes.
The Blue Waters supercomputer enters production
In Spring 2013, the Blue Waters supercomputer at the University of Illinois entered production. At the time, Blue Waters was the most powerful supercomputer on a university campus in the world. Since 2013, it has enabled faculty from across campus to carry out research that would otherwise be impossible, including research in political science, geology and astronomy.
Social and Behavioral Science Research Initiative launches
The Social and Behavioral Science Research Initiative launched at the University of Illinois in 2016. The program, which has now developed into the Center for Social and Behavioral Science, has helped connect experts across disciplines to focus on three grand challenges: solving poverty, the effect of the digital revolution on society, and the role of social and behavioral factors in health.
Earth BioGenome Project launches, aiming to sequence genomes of 1.5 million species
Entomology professor Gene Robinson and his colleagues begin an international effort to sequence the genomes of all eukaryotic species. Robinson, who directs the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at Illinois, explains that the “the greatest legacy of the Earth BioGenome Project will be a complete digital library of life that will guide future discoveries for generations."
Actuarial Science Program named Center of Actuarial Excellence
The University of Illinois Actuarial Science Program was named a Center of Actuarial Excellence (CAE) in 2010 by the Society of Actuaries (SOA), one of a small number of such programs in North America to be so recognized.
Illinois Global Institute formed to strengthen international area studies and thematic programs
The University of Illinois created a new institute within the College of LAS in 2019 to strengthen research, teaching, and outreach that deepens understanding of cultures and societies around the world. The Illinois Global Institute (IGI) is home to 10 longstanding international area studies centers and thematic programs.
Geology field camp program earns distinction
In 2014, the Department of Geology field camp program earned the Geological Society of America/ExxonMobil Field Camp Award, given to one of the best field camps in the country.
Students, alumni, and faculty made the 2010s a decade worth celebrating in the College of LAS! Check out the major campus and alumni stories from the last decade.