What a Start!

We briefly paused publication of This Week in Illinois Research during the semester break. It's generally a quiet time—but not this year! Accolades and announcements have just been pouring in over the last few weeks. Here is a sampling:

• Researchers announced promising outcomes from the clinical trial of PAC-1, the anti-cancer compound developed by Paul Hergenrother and Tim Fan.   
• Science recognized advances in perennial rice as a runner up in its annual Breakthrough of the Year competition. Congratulations to co-PI Erik Sacks!
• Erin Riggs has been awarded a highly competitive 2022 Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities. 
• The Prairie Research Institute completed an Economic Impact Study that shows an impressive, multi-million dollar impact on the Illinois economy.
• President Biden has appointed Wanda Ward to a six-year term on the National Science Board.
• A NFI/NCSA team placed second, nationally, in a DARPA competition to locate and assess minerals that are critical to the nation's economy and national security.  
• The NSF's HERD survey details R&D spending by institution—and we're #2 in funding from two agencies: the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy! (See Tables 61 and 64 to size up the competition.) 

I hope you'll join me in celebrating the richness and breadth of excellence across the research enterprise. I don't think I can imagine a more impressive start to 2023—and if you have news to share over the weeks and months ahead, I want to hear about it! 

Sincerely, 

Susan