Beckman Institute News

Institute a Point of Pride for Arnold and Mabel Beckman

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:30:43 GMT

Arnold and Mabel Beckman were very involved in the creation of the Beckman Institute, not only because of their financial contribution, but also because of their personal ties to the University of Illinois, the state, and the people here. People who were around for the founding of the Institute and who are still a part of it today remember the Beckmans fondly.

Kramer Speaks at National Press Club

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:11:31 GMT

Beckman researcher Art Kramer recently spoke at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on June 24, 2009. Kramer took part in a discussion on “The Science of Staying Sharp: Healthy Functioning in the Aging Brain.” The findings discussed were from the report “Enrichment Effects on Adult Cognitive Development: Can the Functional Capacity of Older Adults be Preserved and Enhanced?” published in the APS journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest.

Clayton Makes New Finding about Memory in Songbird Brain

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:11:31 GMT

U of I News Bureau -- Research by David Clayton of the Beckman Institute’s NeuroTech group has provided a new picture of memory in the songbird brain. Clayton, who led a successful effort to have the whole genome of the zebra finch songbird sequenced, found that gene expression in the songbird brain was changed in unexpected ways after hearing another songbird’s song.

Can Computer Games Boost Brain Power?

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:57:05 GMT

KING-Channel 5 -- The jury’s still out on computer games to boost brain power. “There needs to be much more research that asks whether these memory-training or reasoning-training products actually translate into living a higher quality life: being able to work longer, being able to drive longer, being able to live independently,” says Arthur Kramer, a Co-chair of the Human-Computer Intelligent Interaction research theme at the Beckman Institute.

Schulten Reports on Molecule That May Play Role in Bird Navigation

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:30:14 GMT

U of I News Bureau -- Beckman Institute researcher Klaus Schulten was principal investigator on a study showing that a toxic molecule may play a critical role in bird navigation, including the mysterious process that allows them to “see” the Earth’s magnetic field.

Senior Odyssey Team Takes Third at World Competition

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

A team from Beckman Institute researcher Elizabeth Stine-Morrow’s Senior Odyssey project took on college students and took home a big trophy at the World Finals of the Odyssey of the Mind competition.

Kramer's Study Cited in New York Times Article

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:36:56 GMT

New York Times -- A study by Beckman Institute researcher Art Kramer showing the beneficial effects of aerobic exercise on working memory, attention, and executive skills in older adults is cited in a New York Times article.

'Cloak of Silence' Tech Could Hide Submarines

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:26:10 GMT

Discovery Channel News -- A new invisibility cloak for sound could help doctors find tiny tumors or hide submarines from enemy sonar. “Our focus is not about dampening noise, but to guide sound waves around structures,” says Nicholas Fang, a Beckman researcher and professor of mechanical science and engineering at the U. of I. Fang is a co-author, with U. of I. graduate research assistant Shu Zhang and Leilei Yin, a microscopist at the Beckman Institute, of a paper that appears in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Greenough's Work, Achievements to be Celebrated

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Beckman Institute faculty member William Greenough, who became a Professor in the University of Illinois Department of Psychology in 1969, is retiring from the department but his remarkable career as a researcher will continue.

20th Anniversary Symposium Keynote Speaker, Registration Set

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:00:00 GMT

The Beckman Institute’s 20^th Anniversary Year has a new Web site while the 20^th Anniversary Symposium that will highlight the groundbreaking research that has taken place here over the past two decades has a Nobel Laureate as its keynote speaker. Nobel Prize winner Susumu Tonegawa of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will give the keynote address of the 20^th Anniversary Symposium, which will take place Oct. 5-7 at the Institute. Registration for the Symposium is now available.