A Legacy of Lifesaving Research
In the heart of the Midwest, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has consistently proven that its research does not just live in academic journals—it transforms daily life. From the light-emitting diode (LED) that illuminates our homes to the first graphical web browser, Mosaic that connected our world, UIUC's innovations are the silent engines of modernity 6 . As an original land-grant institution, this university was built on a promise: to take knowledge from the campus and embed it into the community, tackling societal problems at their root. Today, that legacy continues through a dynamic research ecosystem that addresses everything from the digital divides in our neighborhoods to the energy needs of our future, proving that the most powerful discoveries are those that reach beyond the laboratory walls.
Revolutionizing lighting with energy-efficient solutions
Pioneering the graphical web experience
Embedding knowledge into communities since 1867
UIUC's research portfolio boasts $1.44 billion in research expenditures in FY 2024 6 , demonstrating significant growth over the past decade.
UIUC's research portfolio is a testament to its comprehensive excellence, boasting $1.44 billion in research expenditures in FY 2024 6 . This financial commitment fuels a breadth of discovery that spans disciplines, uniting advanced analytics, engineering, social sciences, and the humanities in a common purpose: creative problem-solving.
Addressing systemic racial inequities and social injustice through community-centered approaches.
Pioneering commercial fusion energy with liquid metal plasma-facing components.
In 2020, Chancellor Jones announced a $2 million annual commitment to a research program focused on systemic racial inequities and social injustice 1 . This "Chancellor's Call to Action Research Program" supports academic work that partners with communities to advance understanding and dismantle generational racial disparities.
This project tackles the digital divide in East Central Illinois by establishing a "Digital Navigators Network." In collaboration with the Urbana-Champaign Big Broadband non-profit and five community organizations, it will train 36 new Digital Navigators to enhance affordable broadband adoption and digital skills in historically marginalized communities 1 .
A powerful participatory research project that positions Black parents, students, and teachers as the experts. They are trained in qualitative methods to collect and analyze testimonies on two decades of school closures in Chicago, with the goal of producing publicly accessible artifacts to inform policy and community action 1 .
This initiative focuses on developing a web-based platform to Support Personalized and Inclusive Cuisines in Healthcare. By co-designing with culturally diverse older adults, the project aims to eliminate dietary exclusion in long-term care facilities, thereby addressing a critical point of health disparity 1 .
On the technological frontier, UIUC is home to groundbreaking energy research. The Grainger College of Engineering has partnered with Tokamak Energy to tackle one of the grand challenges of our time: achieving commercial fusion energy 4 .
This collaboration will use UIUC's Hybrid Illinois Device for Research and Applications (HIDRA), a medium-sized toroidal magnetic fusion device, to conduct pioneering research on liquid metal plasma-facing components 4 .
These components are crucial for building a viable fusion pilot plant, as they must withstand temperatures 10 times hotter than the sun while improving plasma performance and protecting the reactor's inner walls.
This research is a key part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, with the goal of demonstrating net power by the mid-2030s 4 .
| Item/Component | Function in the Experiment |
|---|---|
| Plasma | The fourth state of matter and the primary fuel for fusion reactions; a hot, ionized gas that must be contained and controlled. |
| Liquid Metal (e.g., Lithium or Tin) | Serves as a self-healing, renewable plasma-facing surface that can withstand extreme heat fluxes and reduce material erosion. |
| Toroidal Magnetic Field Coils | Generate the powerful, doughnut-shaped magnetic field that confines the plasma, preventing it from touching and damaging the reactor walls. |
| Neutral Beam Injection | A system that fires high-energy particles into the plasma to heat it to the multimillion-degree temperatures required for fusion. |
| Diagnostic Systems | An array of sensors and instruments (e.g., lasers, spectrometers, cameras) that measure plasma temperature, density, and stability. |
A key strength of UIUC's research enterprise is its deep culture of collaboration. The university acts as a hub, connecting industry, government, and community partners to accelerate the translation of ideas into real-world solutions.
Corporate research support has been significantly increasing, with 362 companies holding active research contracts in FY2024, representing a total corporate investment of $135.7 million 2 . These partnerships are facilitated by a vibrant innovation ecosystem that includes the Research Park and business incubators like EnterpriseWorks 3 .
Long-standing partnerships with state and federal agencies anchor UIUC's applied research. A recent six-year, $48 million agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) continues a partnership dating to the 1940s, focusing on next-generation mobility, safer infrastructure, and equitable transit systems 9 .
UIUC is not resting on its laurels. The university is actively streamlining its processes to stay at the cutting edge of education and research. The Boldly Illinois Curriculum Innovation Process Task Force, charged in 2025, is working to make the university more nimble, enabling it to rapidly create new learning experiences and programs that meet the demands of the future 7 .
Developing agile educational programs for future challenges
Expanding clean energy and environmental solutions
Bridging digital divides and advancing computing frontiers
From its founding mission to its current star-reaching ambitions, UIUC embodies the power of a public research university to serve society, transform industries, and expand the horizons of human possibility.