Thursday, November 4, 2021

Campus Updates and Microreactors

 

The News-Gazette is reporting a recent uptick of COVID infections on the U of I campus in today's newspaper, partially due to the colder weather and more indoor activity.

After a month-and-a-half of negligible spread on the University of Illinois campus, COVID-19 cases have ticked up again in the last week.

In the seven-day stretch that ended Tuesday, there were 94 cases detected on campus— four more than the previous three weeks combined. Most of them — 76 — were among undergraduates.

According to UI epidemiologist and Associate Professor Rebecca Smith, an uptick around Halloween weekend was entirely expected, but the holiday isn’t the only suspected variable.

More at the full article here in the News-Gazette eEdition. Just about a month and a half ago, the Daily Illini was reporting that cases were decreasing after an initial surge in the beginning of the fall semester. More on area health care news and COVID vaccine information here.


With the pros and cons of adding microreactor research at the University being debated locally, it's worth highlighting a program at Parkland's planetarium tomorrow explaining the topic. From Smile Politely:

Parkland’s Staerkel Planetarium is hosting the James B. Kaler Science Lecture Series at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, November 5th. Dr. Caleb Brooks, associate professor in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois, is giving a lecture called "Rethinking Nuclear Power: Small Systems, Big Potential." 

Lectures are $2, and capacity is limited to 60 people. 

You can learn a little more about nuclear microreactors in two recent articles (for the current plan and against the current plan). 

That full blurb here. More information at the lecture series link here.


More recent campus news:

No comments:

Post a Comment