Latest SparkTalks spotlights close ties of research, education at UIC 

At the University of Illinois Chicago, research is a critical part of student success. The November 2024 edition of SparkTalks — UIC’s regular showcase of lightning talks from faculty and staff — repeatedly emphasized how research can elevate the educational experience.

Multiple speakers from across UIC’s 16 colleges and schools spoke about evidence-driven programs to enable student research experience, from the Become Research Ready program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to the DuSable Scholars program that supports Black students pursuing careers in STEM fields.

Speakers described a virtual cadaver application they developed that’s designed to help medical students learn anatomy and virtual reality avatars that build clinician empathy. Other speakers from medicine, nursing and business talked about how their classes now incorporate intelligent tutoring systems, interactive video and artificial intelligence.

These educational innovations prepare students to participate in the advanced research taking place across campus and on display at the event. Researchers spoke about studying the effects of menopause on the aging brain, the economic benefits and consequences of urban innovation districts, new antibiotics for drug-resistant infections, how artificial intelligence and social media threaten democracy and many other impactful projects.

“UIC is a place where world-class scholars come together to tackle society’s most pressing challenges through collaboration and innovation,” said Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda. “The work we do serves the public good and offers our students incredible opportunities to engage with groundbreaking research. Working at UIC every day, I am encouraged that the future is bold and bright and hopeful.”

Watch a playlist of presentations from the November 2024 SparkTalks and see a photo gallery below.