The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has once again been awarded the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification — a national distinction recognizing institutions with deep, sustained commitments to public engagement. Illinois previously received this recognition in 2008 and 2015, underscoring a sustained, long-term commitment to public engagement. Illinois’ application documented how community engagement is embedded across […]
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Welcoming Our New I-Sci Undergraduate Research Assistants
Curiosity starts early, and with the right support, it can last a lifetime! Illinois Science Explorers (I-Sci) connects University of Illinois students with local organizations to bring hands-on, inquiry-based STEM learning directly to young learners. By pairing near-peer mentors with K-5 students, I-Sci helps make science approachable, exciting, and accessible—especially for students who may not […]
CSBS Small Grant Spotlight: Shardé McNeil Smith
Shardé McNeil Smith, associate professor of Human Development and Family Studies and African American Studies at the University of Illinois, received a 2024 CSBS Small Grant to examine how structural racism and racial discrimination shape relationship functioning among Black couples. Her project reflects the Small Grant Program’s commitment to advancing innovative social and behavioral science […]
Applications Open for Partnerships for Evidence-Based Public Policy
Apply to the Partnerships for Evidence-based Public Policy (PEPP) Fellowship Program for the 2026–27 academic year—don’t wait! About the Fellowship:PEPP, co-hosted by the Center for Social & Behavioral Science (CSBS) and the Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA), supports mid-career faculty across the Illinois System in conducting year-long policy research projects in collaboration with […]
Upcoming AI Methods & Machine Learning Workshops
How do we measure ideological bias in media, in AI systems, and even in human judgment? In this online session, Nicholas Beauchamp (Political Science, Northeastern University) examines how early computational models attempted to detect bias—and where they fell short. While many approaches rely on opaque “black-box” systems, his work introduces theory-informed structure to large language […]
From lab to learning: How Illinois Science Explorers brings science to kids
The Illinois Science Explorers (I-Sci Explorers) program connects University of Illinois researchers with children in the Champaign-Urbana community through hands-on, research-inspired STEAM modules. Designed for grades K–8, these modules turn the latest research into engaging, age-appropriate activities, helping children see themselves as capable and connect to science while developing their passion for it. Faculty can […]
Building connection and trust: shared lessons in community-engaged research
Researchers from across campus came together on September 30 to exchange ideas, share experiences, and build connections during Cultivating Connection and Trust in Community-Engaged Research. The completely full event (with standing room only by the end) brought more than 80 participants from disciplines such as entomology, linguistics, sustainable technology, music, landscape architecture, French & Italian, […]
Machine learning workshop connects research approaches from across disciplines
The October 3rd Machine Learning for Social and Behavioral Science Workshop brought together researchers eager to explore how emerging computational tools can help answer complex questions in their fields. Hosted by CSBS in partnership with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), the event was led by Dr. Jeff Levy from the University of Chicago […]
Research Resource – NIH’s Unified Strategy: Key Takeaways for Grant Applicants
August 20, 2025 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced its new unified strategy on August 15, 2025, with a statement from Director Jay Bhattacharya highlighting the agency’s renewed commitment to aligning funding decisions, public accountability, and strategically prioritizing research initiatives. NIH will focus investments in the following priority areas to address critical research gaps […]
NSF Career Club wraps up first cohort
In July, CSBS wrapped up its inaugural NSF CAREER Club, a new initiative aimed at equipping early-career faculty in the social and behavioral sciences (SBS) with the tools, guidance, and support needed to develop competitive proposals for the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER). Launched in January 2025, the NSF CAREER […]