Experts Discuss How to Reduce Illinois Prison Population

By Torene Harvin More than 40 people gathered at the Jenner and Block law firm Wednesday to discuss Gov. Bruce Rauner’s plan to decrease the Illinois state prison population. The Illinois Policy and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced strategies to decrease the prison population by 2025. “There are only a couple of ways to […]

Transportation is main source of air pollution affecting children in Pilsen, health experts and activists say

Car spewing smog on a street in Pilsen

By Diana Giambona Medill Reports Children play on the swings, go down the slides, spin on the small merry-go-rounds and play ball at Harrison Park in Pilsen. It seems like a perfect day for outdoor games, but the air they breathe has pollution levels among the highest in Chicago, according to a 2020 air quality […]

Experts Expressed Cautious Optimism for New Climate Deal

By Ruojing Liu Five experts shared concerns and optimism last Monday after the international community’s new landmark COP21 climate change agreement reached in Paris last December. A panel session held by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Feb. 1 included experts from the political, economic, business and media fields to discuss the future impact of […]

Cybersecurity experts needed in corporate board rooms

Trump International Chicago

By Eve Fan As the threat of cyber attacks escalate, it’s only a matter of time before companies start bringing chief security officers into the boardroom, according to a panel of experts speaking at a Chicago Council on Global Affairs event at tech startup incubator 1871. “I think in a lot of cases, the chief […]

Experts cite Ebola’s indirect cost, urge public-private partnerships

By Jin Wu Chicago health care and economic experts said the indirect cost of Ebola is enormous and partnerships between public and private sectors could be a solution for “the market failures” in Ebola prevention and treatment. Dozens of people attended a public conversation called “The Cost of Health Crisis” Wednesday night at Chicago’s Harold […]

Experts cite Ebola’s indirect cost, urge public-private partnerships

By Jin Wu Chicago health care and economic experts said the indirect cost of Ebola is enormous and partnerships between public and private sectors could be a solution for “the market failures” in Ebola prevention and treatment. Dozens of people attended a public conversation called “The Cost of Health Crisis” Wednesday night at Chicago’s Harold […]

Beyond the pandemic: How to set up an ideal work-from-home space

By Yue Li Medill Reports “It’s just temporary. …” Sure. As of June, 66% of Americans worked remotely, at least part time, while 68% would prefer to be fully remote, according to recruiting site Zippia.  “Working from home actually works,” said Mohamad Awada, the lead author of a 2021 research study on productivity during the […]

Technological innovation may be a ‘threat multiplier’ for Doomsday Clock

NASA Earth

By Liam Bohen-Meissner The hands of the famous Doomsday Clock remain unchanged at 100 seconds to midnight, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced Jan. 27. While the time of the clock stresses the risks of nuclear disaster and climate change, Bulletin scientists also expressed concern over some technological advancements. The clock serves as a […]

Content simple, but impact significant for Fed’s Beige Book report

The Beige Book, a publication of the Federal Reserve

By Sarah Foster Medill Reports The words remind him of shuffling through yellow pages inside a library, calling auto dealers at random for informational interviews. The phrase evokes scenes of yelling over large stacks of research documents atop his desk — the only way he could communicate with nearby colleagues. These practices were more than […]

Psychological impact of gun violence causes public health crisis

By Ilana Marcus Medill Reports The long-lasting psychological impact and mental disorders stemming from exposure to gun violence have made Chicago’s shooting epidemic a public-health issue, a panel of experts said last week at an event hosted by Cook County. That’s on top of the monetary costs to the health system associated with treating gunshot […]