Discover, Innovate, and Create
Research in Focus
CAS Dean’s Research Challenge Symposium returns October 12
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) will host the Dean’s Research Challenge Symposium on Monday, October 12, showcasing scholarly projects conducted by recipients of the Dean’s Research Challenge Grant program.
Grant recipients were announced in April, and six faculty members from across the college received awards to support their innovative projects. At the symposium, they will share their work and discuss how their research engages with the theme of transformation.
The event will be held in Stevenson Hall 401. It is free and open to the public.
2026 Researchers to Know: ISU professors recognized for innovative research
The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) has named two Illinois State University professors as Researchers to Know: Dr. Robert L. Rhykerd and Dr. Ben Sadd. Researchers to Know is an annual recognition from the ISTC that honors faculty from Illinois universities and research institutions whose work is driving discovery, solving real-world problems, and creating inclusive opportunities for innovation.
Drs. Sara Jones and Oguzhan Dincer to give 2026 African American Studies fall lecture
What can a hit television comedy and the history of racial terror teach us about the inequities that continue to shape African American communities? Drs. Sara Jones and Oguzhan Dincer will explore this question through two distinct presentations as part of the African American Studies Fall Lecture Series.
The lectures will be held on Friday, October 30,, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in 401 Stevenson Hall at Illinois State University. The event is free and open to the public, though registration is requested. Lunch will be provided for registered guests.
Student Researcher Accomplishments
Then and now: Wren Crew
The Wren Crew is a group of six to eight students, under the guidance of Illinois State faculty, who spend countless hours observing and collecting data from 820 nestboxes used by wrens at the Sears-Butler tract, the United Methodist Church East Bay Camp, and the Merwin Preserve of the ParkLands Foundation on the Mackinaw River, 15 miles from Bloomington-Normal.
Recent graduate visits family roots in Guatemala to uncover reforestation success
Nearly everyone two Illinois State researchers met during their trip to Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, could recite these phrases. The locals learned both as part of a national reforestation effort—one that can now be seen from space.
The transformation caught the eye of Dr. Jonathan Thayn, professor of geography, as he prepared to teach a class on remote sensing in spring 2026.
From Majorca to the U.S.: Graduate student studies hidden cost of dialect prejudice
When Maria Sanso Font arrived in the United States from Spain as an exchange student, she expected the English around her to sound familiar. Instead, she began to notice subtle shifts.
Resources For Faculty
Faculty and Staff in the CAS can access important resources by visiting the CAS Faculty/Staff Intranet (Restricted Access)