By Elizabeth Carroll, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

From keeping your peanut butter smooth to making your shampoo foamy, palm oil plays a role in about half of the products you see on grocery store shelves. The already extensive demand for palm oil continues to rise as it has been explored as an alternative to fossil fuels in recent years. In order to match supply to this demand, the area of land used to grow oil palm trees has doubled to 74 million acres since 2007. This thriving industry appears to promise fortunes for the foreseeable future, but the palm oil story is far from a fairytale in the eyes of wildlife — particularly orangutans.

Continue reading “The Problem with Palm Oil: One Industry’s Role in the Decline of Orangutans”

By Zyara Morton, C2ST Intern, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Earth is a remarkable planet that hosts all kinds of life. From glistening oceans with marvelous sea creatures to steamy rainforests with diverse wildlife, there are always new ways of life and living being discovered. With all of these complexities, one might begin to wonder: How did life form on Earth? Scientists have worked endlessly to answer this question, through the creation of many different hypotheses. However, before diving into these proposed answers, let’s first go over what is needed for life to exist.

By Frances Clinite, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

Over the past few years, a chain reaction of government support and policy in favor of nuclear energy has caused a shift in the industry. This November, President Biden released an ambitious declaration to triple the amount of nuclear energy produced by 2050, solidifying it as a vital clean energy source for the U.S. The declaration outlines plans to build new nuclear power plants, upgrade existing ones, and restart retired reactors. While the recent spark in nuclear energy is exciting, many people are still unsure about nuclear energy and its benefits. 

I sat down with Kristin McCoskey, Senior Manager of Nuclear Fuels at Constellation, to gain insight into the nuclear energy industry and her career. She offers a glimpse into the future of nuclear energy she expects to see, highlighting the industry’s uniqueness and her oversight of a dedicated team of engineers.

Continue reading “Sparks in Nuclear Energy Policy: Insight from an Industry Professional”

By Ella Coley, C2ST Intern, Waubonsee Community College

Continue reading “AI in Medicine: Breakthrough Model Transforms Diagnosis”

By Rowan Dunbar, C2ST Intern, University of Illinois Chicago

Here’s the What, Why, and Where from my interview with Dr. Mashito Jimbo. Dr. Jimbo is an expert in patient-physician communication.

What

Dr. Jimbo focuses on decision aids, a tool used to bring patients and physicians to a mutual decision when more than one medical option is available. As part of the shared decision-making model, a physician will contribute their medical expertise, and a patient will contribute their lived experience to reach the best decision. The best decisions are options that the patient will follow through on! 

Continue reading “An Interview with Dr. Masahito Jimbo, an expert in patient – physician communication”