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AI-based system forecasts terror threats; new reports released

Northwestern University is set to unveil new reports from the Northwestern Terror Early Warning System (NTEWS), a machine-learning platform designed to forecast potential terrorist activities. The release is scheduled for Thursday, October 17, at the Conference on AI & National Security in Evanston, Illinois.


Community

Campus buildings transition to winter heating mode next week

With the arrival of cooler temperatures, Utilities and Energy Services is set to begin transitioning campus buildings and plants into winter heating mode next week. This process will take several days to complete. If outdoor temperatures exceed 55 degrees after the transition, some buildings may experience discomfort.


Community

Discovery Partners Institute and Amazon partner to advance STEM education in Chicago Public Schools

Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) has partnered with Amazon at SIL4 in West Humboldt Park, Chicago, for an event aimed at advancing STEM education in the city’s public schools. The gathering welcomed over 50 Chicago Public Schools principals, administrators, and educators. DPI's representatives, affiliated with the Chicago STEM Ecosystem, spearheaded the initiative alongside Amazon.


Community

Mathematicians aim for sustainable solutions amid California's groundwater challenges

Severe drought and climate change have impacted groundwater aquifers worldwide. In response, an Illinois Institute of Technology researcher is collaborating to aid California's agriculture industry in redistributing this dwindling resource. Igor Cialenco, a professor of applied mathematics, has secured a National Science Foundation grant alongside Mike Ludkovski, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Their goal is to create a mathematical solution for groundwater distribution.


Community

UChicago students engage in diverse global projects during summer break

As the academic year begins, members of the University of Chicago community return from a summer spent in diverse global locations. Their experiences ranged from scientific research to cultural immersion and professional development.


Community

Northwestern hosts panel on U.S. politics amid tumultuous election season

From the first presidential debate issues to the late entry of a major party candidate and the reality of political violence, the 2024 presidential election season has been significant. To explore these developments, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is hosting its annual panel titled "The Knox Conversations: America, 2024, and a Political Reckoning?" on Thursday, Oct. 17 at Thorne Auditorium in Chicago.


Community

UChicago accelerator building makes way for new engineering innovation center

The University of Chicago's Accelerator Building, constructed in 1949, is set to be demolished in 2024. This facility was initially home to a particle accelerator requested by Enrico Fermi after his work on the Manhattan Project. It operated for ten years and contributed significantly to particle physics before being decommissioned.


Community

Illinois Tech launches $2M initiative for skills training in Bronzeville

Illinois Tech, located in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, is set to strengthen its ties with the community through a new initiative supported by a $2 million federal grant. The project, named the Bronzeville Opportunity Engine, aims to provide skills training for thousands of local residents.


Community

MobilePoser app offers real-time motion capture using mobile devices

Northwestern University engineers have introduced a new system for full-body motion capture that operates without the need for specialized rooms or expensive equipment. Named MobilePoser, this innovative technology utilizes sensors already present in consumer mobile devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds.


Community

Crime expert joins Chicago-Kent faculty after tenure at Kirkland & Ellis

Zach Sommers has joined Chicago-Kent College of Law as an assistant professor in fall 2024, fulfilling a long-held aspiration to work in academia. "It's not an exaggeration to say this is my dream job," he stated. His journey into academia comes after four years with the white-collar-crime group at Kirkland & Ellis, where he gained extensive experience conducting investigations and defending against them.


Community

University professor awarded Nobel Prize for economic research

Professor James A. Robinson from the University of Chicago has been awarded the 2024 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized Robinson, who holds positions as the Reverend Dr. Richard L. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies and University Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy and the Department of Political Science, for his research on "how institutions are formed and affect prosperity." He shares this year's prize with Professors Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson from MIT.


Community

Richard J. Daley College eligible for federal postsecondary success recognition program

Richard J. Daley College has been named among 200 colleges and universities eligible for the U.S. Department of Education's new Postsecondary Success Recognition Program. This initiative is part of the Biden administration’s “Raise the Bar” campaign, which aims to broaden the traditional view of higher education by focusing on equity, inclusion, and student success.


Community

Jamie Franklin named NCJI academic fellow

Chicago-Kent College of Law has announced that Associate Clinical Professor Jamie Franklin has been appointed as an academic fellow of the National Civil Justice Institute. Franklin joined the faculty in August 2020 and serves as a supervising attorney for the C-K Law Group’s Civil Litigation Clinic. Her expertise spans employment discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour law, qui tam litigation, class actions, and other complex litigation for plaintiffs.


Community

AI's impact on credit scores explored by racial justice writing competition winner

Jay Esparza Castillo, a student at Chicago-Kent College of Law, has won the A Perfect Union Racial Justice writing competition with his paper titled "Fair Lending in the Age of AI: Regulations to Combat Discrimination in United States Credit Scoring Systems." In his work, Castillo explores how artificial intelligence could influence credit scoring systems and potentially lead to discriminatory lending practices.


Community

Lewis College welcomes new faculty across humanities, psychology, physics

Lewis College of Science and Letters has announced the addition of four new faculty members for the 2024-25 academic year. These educators are set to contribute significantly to their departments and areas of research.


Community

Northwestern study finds demographic disparities in benefits of artificial intelligence

A recent study by Northwestern University has highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in scientific research, revealing potential disparities among different demographic groups. The study, led by Dashun Wang and Jian Gao from the Kellogg School of Management, analyzed a vast dataset comprising 74.6 million publications, 7.1 million patents, and 4.2 million university course syllabi.


Community

South Side Science Festival connects community with interactive science experiences

Melrinea Davis and her nine-year-old son, Misael, attended the University of Chicago's annual South Side Science Festival after learning about it from his school. Misael participated in activities such as practicing CPR to the rhythm of "Baby Shark," examining snails under a microscope, and observing a liquid nitrogen demonstration by Fermilab scientist "Mr. Freeze." Davis remarked on the importance of such events for providing hands-on science experiences that schools might not offer due to funding limitations.


Community

Students explore Red Summer race riots through creative projects

High school students gathered at the Illinois Institute of Technology in summer 2024 to participate in a program titled Healing 1919. The initiative aimed to explore the race riots of the "Red Summer" of 1919 and foster discussions on race relations. Students, known as justice ambassadors, were encouraged to create projects that promote civic action and racial healing.


Community

Pearson Global Forum explores negotiation amid global tensions

The Pearson Global Forum is set to take place on October 18, 2024, focusing on the theme "Negotiation and Agreement." The event will bring together a diverse group of participants, including academics, political leaders, policymakers, journalists, and members of the public. The discussions aim to address whether negotiation still holds relevance in today's divided world.


Community

Illinois Tech welcomes six new faculty members to College of Computing

Illinois Institute of Technology's College of Computing has introduced six new faculty members for the fall 2024 semester. This addition aims to cater to an increasing student population and promote innovation through research.