Prairie Research Institute
@prairieresearch.bsky.social
Scientists to the State of Illinois at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Exciting news! Researchers from the Prairie Research Institute are helping evaluate a community geothermal energy network for Trumbull Park Homes in Chicago's South Side. Learn more 👉 https://loom.ly/C0cQEGc
October 8, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Exciting news! Researchers from the Prairie Research Institute are helping evaluate a community geothermal energy network for Trumbull Park Homes in Chicago's South Side. Learn more 👉 https://loom.ly/C0cQEGc
Join us for the next Women in Science Lecture with Kelli Trei, Professor and Biosciences Librarian at the U of I! We're delighted to support this series at the University of Illinois Archives.
📆 Oct. 13 | 🕛 12 PM
📍 Main Library Room 146 or Zoom
Register: go.library.illinois.edu/Oct2026WISLecture
📆 Oct. 13 | 🕛 12 PM
📍 Main Library Room 146 or Zoom
Register: go.library.illinois.edu/Oct2026WISLecture
October 7, 2026 at 2:04 PM
Join us for the next Women in Science Lecture with Kelli Trei, Professor and Biosciences Librarian at the U of I! We're delighted to support this series at the University of Illinois Archives.
📆 Oct. 13 | 🕛 12 PM
📍 Main Library Room 146 or Zoom
Register: go.library.illinois.edu/Oct2026WISLecture
📆 Oct. 13 | 🕛 12 PM
📍 Main Library Room 146 or Zoom
Register: go.library.illinois.edu/Oct2026WISLecture
👷We're hiring! Assistant Director for Facilities and Safety at Prairie Research Institute. Lead facilities, environmental health and safety, emergency preparedness, and risk management. Apply by Oct. 26! 🔗 Apply now: https://loom.ly/yCidoYI
October 6, 2026 at 3:03 PM
👷We're hiring! Assistant Director for Facilities and Safety at Prairie Research Institute. Lead facilities, environmental health and safety, emergency preparedness, and risk management. Apply by Oct. 26! 🔗 Apply now: https://loom.ly/yCidoYI
Reposted by Prairie Research Institute
EnergySense, with Choose DuPage, Kane County & the @prairieresearch.bsky.social, provides free tech assistance to 10 small food-focused companies, and then recommendations to reduce food & resource waste & improve operational sustainability. Apply here! tinyurl.com/2s4cxkds #fwpw2026
September 30, 2026 at 4:39 PM
EnergySense, with Choose DuPage, Kane County & the @prairieresearch.bsky.social, provides free tech assistance to 10 small food-focused companies, and then recommendations to reduce food & resource waste & improve operational sustainability. Apply here! tinyurl.com/2s4cxkds #fwpw2026
Reposted by Prairie Research Institute
It's the 3rd annual Central Illinois Bat Festival!
Here to help us celebrate is Joyce E. Hofmann's FIELD GUIDE TO ILLINOIS MAMMALS, replete with images of and info about these little cuties 🦇
www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p0...
cc: @extension.illinois.edu @prairieresearch.bsky.social
Here to help us celebrate is Joyce E. Hofmann's FIELD GUIDE TO ILLINOIS MAMMALS, replete with images of and info about these little cuties 🦇
www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p0...
cc: @extension.illinois.edu @prairieresearch.bsky.social
September 26, 2026 at 4:03 PM
It's the 3rd annual Central Illinois Bat Festival!
Here to help us celebrate is Joyce E. Hofmann's FIELD GUIDE TO ILLINOIS MAMMALS, replete with images of and info about these little cuties 🦇
www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p0...
cc: @extension.illinois.edu @prairieresearch.bsky.social
Here to help us celebrate is Joyce E. Hofmann's FIELD GUIDE TO ILLINOIS MAMMALS, replete with images of and info about these little cuties 🦇
www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p0...
cc: @extension.illinois.edu @prairieresearch.bsky.social
🎉 Great news! The Illinois State Archaeological Survey at PRI has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board. The funding will support a project to organize and digitize archaeological spatial data from past excavations at Cahokia.
September 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM
🎉 Great news! The Illinois State Archaeological Survey at PRI has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board. The funding will support a project to organize and digitize archaeological spatial data from past excavations at Cahokia.
What's been going on with the weather in Illinois this year? In a new report, @ilclimatologist.bsky.social looks back at the record-breaking extreme weather. From 210 tornadoes to a new hail record, Illinois has had a wild year so far. 👉 https://loom.ly/0dmeowY
September 23, 2026 at 2:04 PM
What's been going on with the weather in Illinois this year? In a new report, @ilclimatologist.bsky.social looks back at the record-breaking extreme weather. From 210 tornadoes to a new hail record, Illinois has had a wild year so far. 👉 https://loom.ly/0dmeowY
What's in a disposable vape pen? 💨 In a new study, researchers at the University of Plymouth and Illinois Sustainable Technology Center at PRI analyzed discarded vape pens and found extremely high levels of lead and other metals in the vape liquid. 👉 https://loom.ly/GsmNrCk
September 22, 2026 at 2:04 PM
What's in a disposable vape pen? 💨 In a new study, researchers at the University of Plymouth and Illinois Sustainable Technology Center at PRI analyzed discarded vape pens and found extremely high levels of lead and other metals in the vape liquid. 👉 https://loom.ly/GsmNrCk
Rocks really have great stories to tell!
Heavy lifting: This boulder aficionado helped unearth a 50-ton rock at O’Hare
Heavy lifting: This boulder aficionado helped unearth a 50-ton rock at O’Hare
www.chicagotribune.com
September 21, 2026 at 7:13 PM
Rocks really have great stories to tell!
Thank you to the @uofilsystem.bsky.social Board of Trustees Academic and Student Affairs Committee for inviting Executive Director Praveen Kumar to share the work and impact of the Prairie Research Institute!
September 17, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Thank you to the @uofilsystem.bsky.social Board of Trustees Academic and Student Affairs Committee for inviting Executive Director Praveen Kumar to share the work and impact of the Prairie Research Institute!
It was a wild and wet August, says @ilclimatologist.bsky.social. 🌧️ Illinois had its 5th wettest August on record — with up to 12 inches of rain, flooding rivers, and Danville's wettest August ever. Add in 210 tornadoes this year! 🤯 👉 https://loom.ly/Ow-l14g
September 17, 2026 at 3:03 PM
It was a wild and wet August, says @ilclimatologist.bsky.social. 🌧️ Illinois had its 5th wettest August on record — with up to 12 inches of rain, flooding rivers, and Danville's wettest August ever. Add in 210 tornadoes this year! 🤯 👉 https://loom.ly/Ow-l14g
📣 Great news: we're continuing our partnership with @illinoisdot.bsky.social! In a new 10-year, $185.5M agreement, researchers at PRI will support transportation projects that seek to minimize impact on natural and cultural resources. 👉 https://loom.ly/A-W7tmw
September 17, 2026 at 2:04 PM
📣 Great news: we're continuing our partnership with @illinoisdot.bsky.social! In a new 10-year, $185.5M agreement, researchers at PRI will support transportation projects that seek to minimize impact on natural and cultural resources. 👉 https://loom.ly/A-W7tmw
🌧️ Why did central Illinois get hit so hard with flooding this August? In the latest episode of Weather Realness from @ilpublicmedia.bsky.social, @ilclimatologist.bsky.social and atmospheric scientist Deanna Hence break down the science behind it. Listen here: will.illinois.edu/weatherrealn...
The science behind Illinois’ August flooding | Illinois Public Media
We talk about flooding in central Illinois and why Illinois keeps getting hit with heavy rainfall.
will.illinois.edu
September 16, 2026 at 7:59 PM
🌧️ Why did central Illinois get hit so hard with flooding this August? In the latest episode of Weather Realness from @ilpublicmedia.bsky.social, @ilclimatologist.bsky.social and atmospheric scientist Deanna Hence break down the science behind it. Listen here: will.illinois.edu/weatherrealn...
What is the super El Niño, and how could it affect the weather?
In a recent story by WNIJ, @ilclimatologist.bsky.social shared how El Niño conditions could drive mild weather in the Midwest.
Read the full story at www.northernpublicradio.org/2026-09-11/s...
In a recent story by WNIJ, @ilclimatologist.bsky.social shared how El Niño conditions could drive mild weather in the Midwest.
Read the full story at www.northernpublicradio.org/2026-09-11/s...
A ‘super El Niño’ is on the way. What that means for fall and winter weather in the central U.S.
Warmer-than-normal-temperatures in the Pacific Ocean are driving what could be the strongest El Niño on record. Here’s how that’s likely to impact weather across the central U.S this year.
www.northernpublicradio.org
September 16, 2026 at 6:42 PM
What is the super El Niño, and how could it affect the weather?
In a recent story by WNIJ, @ilclimatologist.bsky.social shared how El Niño conditions could drive mild weather in the Midwest.
Read the full story at www.northernpublicradio.org/2026-09-11/s...
In a recent story by WNIJ, @ilclimatologist.bsky.social shared how El Niño conditions could drive mild weather in the Midwest.
Read the full story at www.northernpublicradio.org/2026-09-11/s...
Illinois officially has a new state hail record! ⛈️ A colossal hailstone, measuring 6.603 inches in diameter, was confirmed by the SCEC following a storm on March 10, 2026, near Kankakee, IL. It reached historic size, weight, and volume! Learn more: https://bit.ly/ILHailRecord
September 9, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Illinois officially has a new state hail record! ⛈️ A colossal hailstone, measuring 6.603 inches in diameter, was confirmed by the SCEC following a storm on March 10, 2026, near Kankakee, IL. It reached historic size, weight, and volume! Learn more: https://bit.ly/ILHailRecord
Stable fly outbreaks have occurred along the shores of Lake Michigan and is more abundant in years with high rainfall, said Chris Stone, medical entomologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey.
Stable flies could be the culprit and they suck blood crudely through ‘bayonet-like mouthparts’
Have you been swarmed by biting flies? Why they're 'no joke'
www.wbez.org
September 8, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Stable fly outbreaks have occurred along the shores of Lake Michigan and is more abundant in years with high rainfall, said Chris Stone, medical entomologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey.
⛏️ Assistant Research Scientist, Archaeology – Join Illinois State Archaeological Survey! Conduct analysis of archaeological materials and coordinate reporting among researchers for compliance with regulations. Apps due Sep. 22, 2026. 👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/wuC16o4
September 8, 2026 at 2:03 PM
⛏️ Assistant Research Scientist, Archaeology – Join Illinois State Archaeological Survey! Conduct analysis of archaeological materials and coordinate reporting among researchers for compliance with regulations. Apps due Sep. 22, 2026. 👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/wuC16o4
Do you know what's underground beneath your home or community? Illinois State Geological Survey researchers at PRI are mapping abandoned mines to help property owners and communities understand subsidence risks in former mined out areas. 👉 fox2now.com/news/illinoi...
@fox2now.bsky.social
@fox2now.bsky.social
Over 330,000 Illinois homes at risk from abandoned mines
Over 300,000 Illinois homes sit atop abandoned mines, with more than a century of coal mining having left a hidden network of tunnels across the state.
fox2now.com
September 4, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Do you know what's underground beneath your home or community? Illinois State Geological Survey researchers at PRI are mapping abandoned mines to help property owners and communities understand subsidence risks in former mined out areas. 👉 fox2now.com/news/illinoi...
@fox2now.bsky.social
@fox2now.bsky.social
🍽️ DuPage & Kane County food businesses: the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center & EnergySense Resilience Center are offering FREE technical assessments to 10 small businesses — restaurants, grocers, food banks & more.
Lower costs. Reduce waste. Spots are limited! 👉 https://loom.ly/tla0huI
Lower costs. Reduce waste. Spots are limited! 👉 https://loom.ly/tla0huI
September 3, 2026 at 6:30 PM
🍽️ DuPage & Kane County food businesses: the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center & EnergySense Resilience Center are offering FREE technical assessments to 10 small businesses — restaurants, grocers, food banks & more.
Lower costs. Reduce waste. Spots are limited! 👉 https://loom.ly/tla0huI
Lower costs. Reduce waste. Spots are limited! 👉 https://loom.ly/tla0huI
El Niño is shaping up to be strong this year. Despite a milder winter, snowfall and extreme winter can still happen. @ilclimatologist.bsky.social
El Niño could mean a milder Chicago winter. But keep your snow shovel handy. buff.ly/FVT1mrh
September 3, 2026 at 5:04 PM
El Niño is shaping up to be strong this year. Despite a milder winter, snowfall and extreme winter can still happen. @ilclimatologist.bsky.social
🤳 We're hiring: Social Media Intern - Join PRI!
Help create social media content, monitor accounts, and contribute to digital science communication! Great opportunity for a current U of I student. Position open until filled.
👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/vEsOV4c
Help create social media content, monitor accounts, and contribute to digital science communication! Great opportunity for a current U of I student. Position open until filled.
👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/vEsOV4c
September 1, 2026 at 2:05 PM
🤳 We're hiring: Social Media Intern - Join PRI!
Help create social media content, monitor accounts, and contribute to digital science communication! Great opportunity for a current U of I student. Position open until filled.
👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/vEsOV4c
Help create social media content, monitor accounts, and contribute to digital science communication! Great opportunity for a current U of I student. Position open until filled.
👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/vEsOV4c
Congrats to John Scott on his appointment as Illinois Pollution Prevention Scientist! John has researched pollutants like PFAS and microplastics at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center since 2001. Now he'll use that expertise to advise on state pollution challenges. 👉 https://loom.ly/xiYC0rI
August 28, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Congrats to John Scott on his appointment as Illinois Pollution Prevention Scientist! John has researched pollutants like PFAS and microplastics at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center since 2001. Now he'll use that expertise to advise on state pollution challenges. 👉 https://loom.ly/xiYC0rI
Is Tornado Alley shifting eastward? And is climate change to blame? The answer is complicated.
@wbez.org spoke with @ilclimatologist.bsky.social Trent Ford and other experts to break it down.
@wbez.org spoke with @ilclimatologist.bsky.social Trent Ford and other experts to break it down.
Here's how the twisters form, and how climate change might be influencing them.
More than 200 tornadoes have hit Illinois this year. How come?
www.wbez.org
August 28, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Is Tornado Alley shifting eastward? And is climate change to blame? The answer is complicated.
@wbez.org spoke with @ilclimatologist.bsky.social Trent Ford and other experts to break it down.
@wbez.org spoke with @ilclimatologist.bsky.social Trent Ford and other experts to break it down.
🦗 New Job: Insect Collections Databasing - Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Help document and database stonefly specimens borrowed from natural history museums! Apps due Aug. 31. 👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/LN3e3rY
August 25, 2026 at 2:04 PM
🦗 New Job: Insect Collections Databasing - Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Help document and database stonefly specimens borrowed from natural history museums! Apps due Aug. 31. 👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/LN3e3rY
Reposted by Prairie Research Institute
Monday’s storms were part of severe weather this summer, with hope that August may bring some relief
Monday’s storms were part of severe weather this summer, with hope that August may bring some relief
www.chicagotribune.com
July 29, 2026 at 12:22 PM
Monday’s storms were part of severe weather this summer, with hope that August may bring some relief