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Explore UChicago

Ours is a campus of contrasts and convergences: old and new, ancient and modern, historical and forward-looking. It is a place where both budding and seasoned scholars explore cutting-edge ideas and push against the frontiers of knowledge to seek new ways of understanding and changing the world.

When you visit here, you’ll get a sense of these qualities in the gray stone and ivy-covered traditional English Gothic quadrangles juxtaposed with soaring contemporary structures designed by renowned architects such as Eero Saarinen and Mies van der Rohe.

We invite you to stroll among the tall, old trees in the luscious botanic garden that is our 211-acre campus. Look up to see the playful grotesques and gargoyles that grace our buildings, many of which were put into place during the 1893 Columbian Exposition.

Step inside our buildings to walk along the paths of  Nobel laureates , pathbreaking  researchers , and tomorrow’s leaders. We invite you to get to know the community where we live.

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The University of Chicago: Graduate Studies

The university of chicago.

Fall Open House Schedule

2023 fall open house overview, early bird campus tour, front lawn, rockefeller memorial chapel, rockefeller memorial chapel, luggage drop-off, library, ida noyes hall.

Drop off your luggage with our staff, and we'll take care of it for you until you need it again!

*Please pick up all luggage no later than 2:00 p.m.

Campus Tours

Current UChicago students will lead walking tours of our beautiful campus at 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 1:00 p.m.

Tours in Mandarin and Spanish are available at 12:00 p.m.

Model Classes

See following schedule for room locations.

Join distinguished members of our faculty for insightful presentations drawn from the material covered in one of their small, discussion-based classes.

Campus Partner Presentations

Join staff from various campus offices as they provide overviews of many opportunities UChicago students have to engage in a fulfilling undergraduate experience.

Schedule of Events

Jim Nondorf, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, will welcome students and parents to campus and prepare them for the day ahead.

Highly Selective Admissions

Jim Nondorf, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, will discuss the process of applying to highly selective schools.

Institute of Politics

Max palevsky cinema, ida noyes hall.

Join Institute of Politics Staff and a panel of undergraduate students for a discussion on their work this quarter.

Career Advancement

Cloister club, ida noyes hall.

Meredith Daw, Associate Vice President of Enrollment and Student Advancement and Executive Director of Career Advancement, will discuss our co-curricular career programs.

UChicago Arts Information Session

Third floor theatre, ida noyes hall.

Faculty of the various Arts programs will discuss opportunities in the academic departments and student arts groups.

Financial Aid: No Barriers

Institute for the study of ancient cultures.

A Financial Aid representative will lead a session on financing a UChicago education.

Essay Writing Workshop

From the personal statement to institution-specific supplements, essays are an integral part of the admissions process at highly selective institutions. An admissions counselor will review some basic do's and don'ts and share some insight into how essays can add an important perspective to the application.

Model Class: Economics

Ufuk Akcigit, Arnold C. Harberger Professor of Economics, will lead a model class in Economics.

Study Abroad

A Study Abroad representative will discuss our dynamic study abroad programs.

UChicago Summer Session for PreCollege Students

West lounge, ida noyes hall.

Carol Lin-Murphy, Director of Admissions, Summer Session & Special Programs, will provide an overview of summer opportunities for high school students at UChicago.

Housing and Virtual Residence Hall Tour

Learn about our College Housing Communities and take a virtual look into the various residence halls on campus. Current students will join via Zoom to provide tours of their rooms and houses.

Model Class: Biology

Nipam Patel, Professor of Anatomy & Director of the Marine Biological Laboratory, will lead a model class in Biology.

An admissions counselor will discuss the process of applying to highly selective schools.

Admisión Y Ayuda Financiera

Consejeros ofrecerán detalles sobre el proceso de admisión y ayuda financiera en español.

Fourth-Year Student Panel

Jim Nondorf, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, will moderate a panel of fourth-year students and discuss their overall experience at UChicago.

Model Class: Free Speech

Leila Brammer, inaugural director of the College's Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse, will lead a model class focusing on Free Speech and Free Expression.

Social Hour

Join admissions counselors, current students, and other University representatives for refreshments and conversation.

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University of Chicago Students Groups

UChicago tours are available in-person. Tours are available to UChicago classes, student and staff groups, and other interested members of the University community. There is no charge for any UChicago group. 

Professors are welcome to give self-guided tours in the galleries. However, you must make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance.

Requests for a guided tour must be received at least 14 days in advance. Requested dates and times are subject to availability.

Making a Reservation 

To make a reservation, fill out this form here.

Guided Tour Options

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures  is pleased to offer tours for the University of Chicago community. Special tour requests can focus on a requested topic or object(s), or be led by a requested individual at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures. Please email for more information about the types of tours that are offered. Available tours include: 

Postcolonial tour of the ISAC Museum

Law in Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt

Queens and Princesses in the Ancient World

Cost: Free for University of Chicago students and other University of Chicago groups.

Self-Guided Tour Options

ISAC allows professors to lead tours to their classes through the galleries. You are also welcome to bring a group to walk through the gallery without a guide or guiding them yourself. 

Cost: Free for University of Chicago students and other University of Chicago groups. 

Educational Programs

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures is pleased to offer educational programs for the University of Chicago community. Please email for more information about the types of programs that are offered.

Questions? Email  [email protected]

Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures The University of Chicago 1155 E 58th St. Chicago, IL 60637

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ISAC Museum Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, Saturday–Sunday 10:00am–4:00pm Friday 10:00am–8:00pm The Museum will be open 2:00–4:00pm on June 1, 2024. Visitor Information

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The University of Chicago The Law School

Tours of the law school for prospective and admitted students.

Visit us virtually with these videos about the Law School and the University of Chicago campus.

Video Tours of the University of Chicago Law School

Join three UChicago Law students on a tour of the school:

Bill Watson, class of 2014, recorded this audio tour, accompanied by photos, about the history and community that make UChicago Law unique. For a table of contents with links, view the description on YouTube .

The "Neighborhoods" of the University of Chicago Campus

Wendy Doniger, Mircea Eliade Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Religions, discusses how different architectural styles coexist and complement one another on campus.

[GRAD] Show Me Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago Tour

Graduate Commons Programs

Join us for an immersive exploration of world-class art at the Art Institute of Chicago, presented as part of our  Show Me Chicago  series. This inspiring journey, “Art Across Borders,” invites you to delve into the diverse cultures and epochs represented within one of the most renowned art collections in the world. From timeless classics to modern masterpieces, this tour will enhance your appreciation of the creative expressions that transcend geographical boundaries and historical periods. Don’t miss this chance to connect with art and culture in an extraordinary setting.

This event is free and exclusively for graduate students with UCID. Registration is required.

Alumni Awards & Social Justice Address

Crown Family School, Lobby 969 E. 60th St. Chicago, IL 60637

The Crown Family School is hosting the 2024 Social Justice Address featuring Adrian Perkins, politician, attorney, and former Mayor of Shreveport, LA. He will discuss the challenges and opportunities of making local change while sharing his experiences as mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons from his journey about the complex and rewarding work of addressing society's most pressing issues. 

Directly following the Social Justice Address, the Crown Family School's Alumni Association will honor our annual award recipients, including alumni and community agencies working innovatively to advance a more human society.  

A light reception will follow the program.

This event is free and open to all . 

Professional Development Credit is available.

This lecture will provide 1 hour of Continuing Education Credit for attendees seeking professional development.

*There is a fee for those attendees seeking Professional Development Credit

Mayor Adrian Perkins is Senior Vice President at Prospect Park, a merchant bank and financial and governmental advisory firm. He is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana. In the wake of 9/11, he accepted a nomination and eventually graduated from West Point as Class President. In 2008, he entered the United States Army, eventually serving three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, achieving the rank of Captain and Company Commander and receiving the Bronze Star for his service. After transitioning from the military,

Adrian was accepted into Harvard Law School, where he was elected Student Body President and a Pat Tillman Scholar. On December 31, 2018, Adrian was elected the 56th Mayor of the City of Shreveport. Unfortunately, his mayoral term was disrupted by the global pandemic. As the youngest mayor of any major American city in 2021, he led with distinction and was highlighted by the Washington Post as being the first to identify COVID's disproportional impact on minority communities. Also of note, Mayor Perkins hired Shreveport’s first CTO, who was a founding member of Mayors for Guaranteed Income and transformed a 1.2 million dollars deficit into a 55-million-dollar surplus in three years.

In addition to serving as Mayor, Mayor Perkins also served on several boards, including the Federal Communications Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, United States Conference of Mayors Board of Trustees, and Northwest Louisiana’s Metropolitan Planning Organization.

After leaving the Mayor’s Office in 2022, Mayor Perkins became a University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics Pritzker Fellow, Stanford Veterans Fellowship Program, and continues to serve on the boards of Service 2 School, Mayoral Roundtable, and the Southern Rail Commission.

We hope you will join us in acknowledging and celebrating this year's recipients' professional accomplishments and societal impact.

If you have any questions about access or to request a reasonable accommodation that will facilitate your full participation in this event such as ASL interpreting, captioned videos, Braille or electronic text, food options for individuals with dietary restrictions, etc. please contact the event organizer.

Upcoming Events

May 18 CASE Program Networking Event May 18, 2024 9:30am (CDT) Learn more

May 18 Crown Family School’s Class of 2019 - 5th Reunion Party May 18, 2024 4:30pm (CDT) Learn more

May 18 Crown Family School’s Class of 2014 - 10th Reunion Party May 18, 2024 4:30pm (CDT) Learn more

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UChicago Students Set Up Campus Encampment, Joining Pro-Palestine Protests Nationwide

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HYDE PARK — Hundreds of students and community members set up camp on University of Chicago’s main quad Monday morning in solidarity with Palestinians abroad and in the United States who are demanding an end to violence in Gaza.

The protest, which comes amid similar actions on campuses nationwide, is intended to center the violence Gazans have faced and the needs of all Palestinians — not the students themselves, organizers said.

“We are seeing how, with all of these college movements, the focus on the news has become about the universities,” said Rayna, an organizer with UChicago United for Palestine who did not share their last name. “We want the focus to always remain on Gaza, on Palestine, on the fact that people are being bombed daily.”

Hamas, the group which controls the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip, launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Militants killed an estimated 1,200 Israelis and took around 240 hostages in what  President Joe Biden called the deadliest day for Jewish civilians  since the Holocaust.

The Israeli military has retaliated with  months of airstrikes ,  raids  and other military actions in Gaza. Health authorities say more than 34,000 people — or about 1.5 percent of Gaza’s pre-war population — have been killed,  the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday .

At least 434 more Palestinians  have been killed in the West Bank territory since the war started, the majority by Israeli forces, according to the United Nations.  Human rights advocates  and critics of the war have raised concerns and accusations that Israel is going beyond the bounds of war on Hamas to commit genocide against Palestinian civilians, something Israel has roundly rejected.

For nearly the entire seven months of war, pro-Palestine UChicago students have organized on campus to demand university leaders “divest, disclose and repair.”

Organizers want UChicago to cut ties with Israeli companies and the Israel Institute, publicize its investments in weapons manufacturers, and commit to a program of reparations “from Palestine to the South Side,” among other demands.

Past student actions include a November sit-in at Rosenwald Hall, during which police arrested 26 students and two faculty members before prosecutors dropped charges,  according to the Chicago Maroon . Organizers also  gathered daily in the quad starting last fall , giving passersby context on the war which centered Palestinians.

This week’s encampment began  after a rally and march on campus Friday that drew more than 200 people . Activists have planned the encampment for months, and some organizers are willing to remain in place as long as necessary to achieve their demands, Rayna said.

“I would choose to stay here indefinitely, and I know that other people would also,” Rayna said. “… We will be here until the university acknowledges the scholasticide that is happening in Palestine.”

University President Paul Alivisatos said in a campus-wide message the encampment “clearly violates policies against building structures on campus without prior approval and against overnight sleeping on campus.” For now, however, leaders will not move to clear the encampment, saying the university’s general principle is to give “the greatest leeway possible for free expression, even expression of viewpoints that some find deeply offensive.”

“I believe the protesters should also consider that an encampment, with all the etymological connections of the word to military origins, is a way of using force of a kind rather than reason to persuade others,” Alivisatos wrote.

“For a short period of time, however, the impact of a modest encampment does not differ so much from a conventional rally or march. Given the importance of the expressive rights of our students, we may allow an encampment to remain for a short time despite the obvious violations of policy — but those violating university policy should expect to face disciplinary consequences.”    

Alivisatos urged students to consider other methods to make their point.

“If necessary, we will act to preserve the essential functioning of the campus against the accumulated effects of these disruptions. I ask the students who have established this encampment to instead embrace the multitude of other tools at their disposal. Seek to persuade others of your viewpoint with methods that do not violate policies or disrupt the functioning of the University and the safety of others,” he wrote.

Organizers at the encampment spoke to the need for solidarity between South Siders and Palestinians, as both groups experience systematic violence and displacement, they said.

Owing to longstanding issues surrounding  the university’s relationship with the community it inhabits , students also called on the school to  abolish its private police force ,  fund South Side housing and education programs , stop new construction projects in the area, and more.

“We say ‘free Palestine’ from the Mississippi River to the Mediterranean Sea,” an organizer with Not Me We said during a rally Monday afternoon.

The university historically has resisted academic boycotts and demands of divestment, saying it does not endorse social or political stances in order to preserve academic freedom.

Leaders  rebuffed calls to break with companies doing business in Israel in 2016  and  opposed calls to boycott Israeli institutions in 2013 . The university also resisted calls  to divest from companies doing business with the Sudanese government  during the war in Darfur.

“This is [the university’s] chance to change the narrative you have built for yourself,” Abby, an organizer with Social Workers Against Genocide and a master’s student at the Crown Family School of Social Work, told the crowd at the rally.

“The whole world is watching you,” Abby said. “Now is the time to divest. Now is the time to listen to your students and to the community members who you have displaced.”

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), who has staunchly supported pro-Palestine organizing and calls for a ceasefire in Gaza , arrived on campus late Monday afternoon to speak to the demonstrators.

The Pilsen alderman recently drew backlash after speaking at a pro-Palestine rally where a demonstrator burned an American flag. A vote to oust him from his committee chair position failed earlier this month .

“I stand in full solidarity with the movement here on the University of Chicago and the students who are a facing a reckoning with the history of the University of Chicago that has been on the wrong side of history for many other things,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “I’m so proud as a City Council member to see the unity of the students, the clarity and the courage of you all, in the midst of the atrocity of a genocide happening in front of our very eyes.”

Sigcho-Lopez was among the City Council members who supported the resolution calling for a ceasefire in February. Mayor Brandon Johnson casted the tiebreaking vote in favor.

“There’s no mistake that the resistance starts in our college campuses,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “Chicago took a courageous stance being the first large city to pass the ceasefire resolution, because of the organizing of our communities on the ground.”

One counterprotester released a “stink bomb” in the early minutes of the encampment, leading to a confrontation that was resolved fairly quickly, an organizer said.

A video apparently showing the aftermath of the stink bomb shows organizers confronting the person. Police escorted the counterprotester away, and that person did not return, organizers said.

https://t.co/s2ZvigJl6F pic.twitter.com/G377Tww0EJ — kxh (@halfmoonpoem) April 29, 2024

The encampment drew a noticeable police presence, but the encampment remained peaceful as of noon Monday. UChicago Police officers mostly stood or drove Segways around and watched.

At Northwestern University in nearby Evanston, officials announced Monday they reached an agreement with pro-Palestine protesters to end an encampment that began Thursday,  according to the Daily Northwestern .

The agreement will allow protests and gatherings in support of Palestine at Deering Meadow through June 1. University officials also committed to providing an “immediate temporary space” for Middle Eastern, North African and Muslim students as a permanent home for those students is completed, the Daily Northwestern reported.

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New Fellowship Connects UChicago Students with Cleantech Startups

The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced the inaugural cohort of the Resurgence Fellowship – a new program connecting students with startups in its cleantech accelerator.

The program is supported by a Breakthrough Energy Fellows Ecosystem Grant and provides selected University of Chicago students with the opportunity to support innovation and business development in the clean energy and sustainability space.

“The Resurgence program is designed to bring cleantech entrepreneurs from around the country to Hyde Park and connect them with the University of Chicago ecosystem. The Breakthrough Ecosystem Grant provided us with the opportunity to create an organized effort aligned with this mission: a meaningful experiential learning opportunity for students and a source of talent for the tech entrepreneurs in our accelerator. This has been a great first step towards building a connected network and a nurturing ecosystem for our entrepreneurs to maximize their impact,” said Ozge Guney-Altay, director of Resurgence.

The inaugural cohort of Resurgence Fellows are all MBA candidates at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. They will support the startups in key business development areas such as financial modeling and projections, customer discovery, market opportunity assessment, and investor readiness, including data room staging.

“Breakthrough Energy is proud to support the University of Chicago with an ecosystem grant. We are committed to using our resources to empower organizations helping students, scientists, and innovators work together to develop climate solutions,” said Ashley Grosh, vice president, Breakthrough Energy. “Through the development of our own business fellow program, we’ve witnessed firsthand the effectiveness of the collaborative model the Resurgence program is working to implement. It’s a proven framework that drives impact, and we’re excited to see the program come to life.”

Resurgence Fellowship Cohort 2024:

• Matthew Cason // Matthew is interested in advancing the world’s technological base in pursuit of a greener, more prosperous society. Prior to Booth, he worked at Accenture, Oasis Financial, and Capital One, in addition to a variety of political advisory roles. Matthew holds a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Chicago. As a Resurgence Fellow, he will be supporting Alpha Nur.
• Natalia Cuenca // Prior to attending business school, Natalia worked as a materials engineer across the refining and petrochemical industries. Her work in the field led to her interest in climate tech and accelerating the energy transition. She is particularly interested in advancing solutions for hard-to-abate sectors and will be supporting ExPost Technology.
• Kelsey French // Kelsey is passionate about North American commodity markets and decarbonization. Previously, she was an expert consultant in McKinsey & Company’s energy practice and has worked as an investor in both early-stage (VC) climatetech and late-stage (PE) industrial services sectors. She is based in Houston, Texas with her husband and three cats. As a Resurgence Fellow, Kelsey will be supporting C+UP.
• Alexis Joo // Alexis has a background in materials engineering and logistics. As a Resurgence Fellow, Alexis is excited to contribute to the growth of the company Natural Science through sustainable business development and by strengthening market establishment for the company’s magentic oil separation technology.
• Tim Reichmann // Passionate about sustainable energy solutions, particularly battery technology and energy storage, Tim will be supporting Stranergy. He has prior work experience as a software engineer and in management consulting.
• Kohei Yagura // Kohei worked in a government-owned development bank specializing in infrastructure development prior to starting business school, first as a loan officer supporting power plant project development and then as a risk analyst engaging mainly in climate risk management. He is passionate about renewables development and scaling clean technology and will be supporting Blaze Power.

“We designed the fellowship to connect the University of Chicago’s top business talent with the technical founders participating in our accelerator program because we know that combining business and technical expertise is a recipe for success in deep tech venture acceleration,” said Ryan Brownlow, program manager at the Polsky Center.

Fellows also are able to attend Resurgence lectures, workshops, and events, and have the opportunity to connect with other innovators, investors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs working in industries relevant to cleantech.

// The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering . Startups gain access to business training and technical advisement, premier facilities, industry mentors, student talent, and venture capital, as well as additional funding opportunities.

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University of Chicago President Says ‘Encampment Cannot Continue’

The university is home to the Chicago statement, a framework for free expression that has been embraced by other colleges.

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By Mitch Smith and Robert Chiarito

Reporting from Chicago

• May 3, 2024 Updated 7:03 p.m. ET

The president of the University of Chicago said on Friday that the pro-Palestinian encampment on his campus’s quad “cannot continue,” a position that was being closely watched in higher education because the university has long held itself up as a national model for free expression.

Administrators had initially taken a permissive approach to the camp and pointed toward what is known as the Chicago statement, a set of free speech standards adopted in 2015 that have become a touchstone and guide for colleges across the country. But President Paul Alivisatos said on Friday that those protections were not absolute, and that the encampment had run afoul of university policies.

“On Monday, I stated that we would only intervene if what might have been an exercise of free expression blocks the learning or expression of others or substantially disrupts the functioning or safety of the university,” Dr. Alivisatos said in a message to the campus. “Without an agreement to end the encampment, we have reached that point.”

In the hours after his announcement, hundreds of protesters remained at the encampment, where they chanted and held signs as counterprotesters gathered nearby. At one point, some pro-Palestinian demonstrators and counterprotesters briefly fought one another. By early afternoon, more police officers, both from the university and the city, were visible near the quad.

The scene had quieted down, at least temporarily, by early Friday evening. Several security guards were stationed around the quad, where protesters moved quietly around their encampment while others studied or walked nearby. There was no effort by law enforcement to forcibly disband the encampment.

Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, issued a statement saying he had been in touch with Dr. Alivisatos and had “made clear my commitment to free speech and safety on college campuses.”

Like at dozens of colleges across the country, Chicago students have erected tents on campus and issued a set of demands to administrators, including divesting from weapons manufacturers. A member of a group leading the encampment, UChicago United for Palestine, accused the university of “negotiating in bad faith” in a statement on Friday.

The protest group “refuses to accept President Alivisatos’s repeated condescending offer of a public forum to discuss ‘diverse viewpoints’ on the genocide, as this is clearly a poor attempt at saving face without material change,” said Christopher Iacovetti, a student who participated in negotiations.

Dr. Alivisatos, a chemist who became president of the university in 2021, said in his message to campus that the encampment had become far more than a cluster of tents. He accused protesters of vandalizing buildings, blocking walkways, destroying a nearby installation of Israeli flags and flying a Palestinian flag from a university flagpole.

“The encampment has created systematic disruption of campus,” Dr. Alivisatos said. “Protesters are monopolizing areas of the Main Quad at the expense of other members of our community. Clear violations of policies have only increased.”

The University of Chicago, a private college that is one of the country’s most selective, has been praised by conservatives and free speech advocates in recent years for its approach to expression on its campus.

As part of its free speech philosophy, the university also put forward the principle of institutional neutrality.

In a 1967 declaration , the university called for schools to remain neutral on political and social matters, saying a campus “is the home and sponsor of critics; it is not itself the critic.” But at other colleges, students over the years have frequently and successfully pressed their administrations to take positions on matters like police brutality and global warming.

In August 2016, the University of Chicago informed incoming freshmen : “We do not support so-called trigger warnings, we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual safe spaces where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own.”

Versions of the university’s declaration of free speech principles have been adopted by dozens of other colleges in recent years.

“In a word, the university’s fundamental commitment is to the principle that debate or deliberation may not be suppressed because the ideas put forth are thought by some or even by most members of the university community to be offensive, unwise, immoral or wrong-headed,” that declaration said.

But the statement also describes clear limits, including a right to prohibit illegal activities and speech “that constitutes a genuine threat or harassment.”

Mitch Smith is a Chicago-based national correspondent for The Times, covering the Midwest and Great Plains. More about Mitch Smith

Our Coverage of the U.S. Campus Protests

News and Analysis

The most recent  pro-Israel counter demonstration was at the University of California, Los Angeles, home to large Israeli and Jewish populations. More are planned in the coming days , stirring fears of clashes.

An officer whose gun went off inside a Columbia University building fired it accidentally  as the police were removing pro-Palestinian protesters from the campus, the New York Police Department said.

A union representing academic workers said it would file unfair labor charges  against the U.C.L.A. and potentially walk out over the handling of protests this week.

Exploiting U.S. Divide:  America’s adversaries have mounted online campaigns to amplify  the social and political conflicts over Gaza flaring at universities, researchers say.

A Year Full of Conflicts:  The tumult in Bloomington, Ind., at Indiana University where large protests have led to dozens of arrests and calls for university leaders to resign, shows the reach of the protest movement .

Seizing Hamilton Hall:  Some of those arrested during the pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia were outsiders  who appeared to be unaffiliated with the school, according to an analysis of Police Department data.

A Collision Course:  Desperate to stem protests that have convulsed campuses across the country , a small number of universities have agreed to reconsider their investments in companies that do business with Israel. But how?

A blueprint for training graduate students at the intersection of AI and materials science

May 1, 2024

By Emily Ayshford

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• AIMEMS program information
• Training graduate students to tackle sustainability issues across disciplines
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Creating a more sustainable future will increasingly rely on the tools of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

But training leaders who can guide us into this future — by using AI to discover and design new materials for more efficient batteries, for example — requires a new educational approach.

A University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering graduate training program, called AI-enabled Molecular Engineering of Materials and Systems for Sustainability (AIMEMS), aims to do just that.

For the past several years, AIMEMS has trained more than 16 graduate students on both the tools of AI and machine learning and the importance of interdisciplinarity collaboration, communication, and outreach.

The program’s unique approach — giving each graduate student a mentor from UChicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and industry, as well as developing new courses and outreach programs — has been so successful that those involved think it could be a blueprint for integrating AI across disciplines. ( Read about three student experiences here .)

Together with similar programs from Duke University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, AIMEMS faculty and staff wrote a Focus paper for the journal Science Advances , detailing their approach and successes.

“Adoption of AI and machine learning in scientific domains has been slow, and the limiting factor is the workforce,” said Prof. Juan de Pablo , executive vice president for science, innovation, national laboratories and global initiatives, and PI of the grant that funds the program. “We see this as an incredible opportunity to teach graduate students how to break down department siloes and collaborate across disciplines to accelerate the discovery and design of materials for sustainability. It’s an approach that can be applicable to many fields.”

Breaking down silos

The program focuses on the field of materials informatics, which integrates AI/machine learning and computational methodologies with materials science for rapid materials discovery, understanding, and design. Materials informatics has the potential to affect a wide range of fields, including batteries, water, catalysts, and nanomedicine.

But reaching that potential will require scientists and engineers to have both the technical skills of data analytics and AI/machine learning along with the domain-specific knowledge of materials science. They must also learn to work across disciplines, communicate their research, and provide outreach to the next generation of potential scientists.

Since 2021, AIMEMS, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Research Traineeship program, has recruited three cohorts of the program to focus their education and efforts toward the wide-ranging issue of sustainability. Graduate students from across molecular engineering, computer science, physical science, and social science have undergone boot camps to learn new technical skills and taken new courses on advanced materials characterization and AI/machine learning.

Along the way, each student has had three mentors: a UChicago faculty member, a scientist from Argonne, and an industry professional. These mentors guide graduate students on research, professional development, teamwork, and entrepreneurship.

AIMEMS trainees have also developed outreach events for K-12 students from schools that have predominantly low-income underrepresented minority populations. Events have included lab tours, hands-on activities, and lessons on how the idea of sustainability might affect their local communities.

“Our students have been really engaged and excited to make their science interactive for high school and middle school students,” said Jennifer Nolan, project coordinator for AIMEMS. “It helps develop their communication skills and it helps these young students learn about STEM. Each experience has been a real highlight of the program.”

A new model to integrate AI into science

In the paper, AIMEMS faculty and staff offer key steps to making such programs work: providing core training in AI/machine learning, breaking down department silos to encourage students to work in collaborative teams, and prioritizing partnerships with national labs and industry.

“We found that we need to first provide coursework or boot camps to get everyone up to speed on AI and machine learning,” said Prof. Junhong Chen , a leader of the AIMEMS program who is also a lead water strategist at Argonne National Laboratory. “And then we need to facilitate interdisciplinary projects, but that is how students learn the most. Solutions across departments will always be better than solutions from one discipline.”

The program has been so successful that students and faculty have been invited to share their experiences at National Science Foundation events. “Students talk about the program with a sense of ownership and pride,” Nolan said. “It has created a community that they have fueled with their own creativity and passion.”

Ultimately, faculty would like to expand this model to integrate AI into other disciplines across the university. “We hope those in our community will be inspired to create a similar educational approach to train students to tackle more global problems,” Chen said.

The program is currently accepting applications for the 2024-25 school year.

Paul Sereno’s Fossil Lab moves to Washington Park

May 2, 2024

By Matt Wood

Assistant Director of Communications, Biological Sciences Division

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• PaulSereno.org

Soon, South Side residents won’t have to travel to the Field Museum to see a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton—there will be one in their own backyard. Paleontologist Paul Sereno’s Fossil Lab at the University of Chicago is moving to the center of the Washington Park neighborhood on South Wabash Avenue, just off Garfield Boulevard. The 6,000 square foot facility will open May 2, 2024, transforming a 1921 wood-beam warehouse into a fossil wonderland.

“It’s a dream lab for paleontologists and archaeologists,” said Sereno, who is a Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at UChicago. “It will be one of the largest labs of its kind in the world, one designed for high throughput of massive dinosaur skeletons.”

In addition to housing Sereno’s fossil specimens, the new lab is designed to welcome the neighborhood as well. Featuring a colorful dinosaur mural on the front of the building, the glass walls of the Prep Lab and the mobile work desks and projector screen of the central Learning Room aren’t just for scientists and research. Sereno will invite community groups, teachers, and students to tour the facility and use its spacious rooms for meetings, service training, in-school visits, and after-school programs.

“Washington Park is getting its own T-rex skeleton,” said Sereno, who is readying the new lab to receive tons of new dinosaurs he and his team collected in the Sahara Desert on an excursion in the fall of 2022. “This is a game-changer for any kid in the neighborhood that dreamed of getting within arm’s reach of dinosaur bones.”

Hands on with the community

Washington Park Resident Advocacy Council President Cecilia Butler says neighborhood residents are excited to get up close with fossils in the new lab. “It’s wonderful to be part of the work and see and feel things like we see on science shows on TV,” Butler said. “Paul is giving us an opportunity to be hands on and everyone in the community is extremely excited.”

The Prep Lab in the new facility is what Sereno calls his “bone makerspace,” featuring an array of tools and microscopes for cleaning, stabilizing, and protecting fossils. Fossil technicians with decades of experience will guide college students, volunteers, and high school interns in their work on unique fossils collected by Sereno’s team around the world. It’s all hands-on work with bones, fossil and recent, to recompose skulls and skeletons.

The lab’s Learning Room is a large multi-purpose resource room for researchers, college students, and teens in after-school programs. It can also host community meetings or even film screenings, with kitchenette counters for coffee and popcorn. Its large projector screen, marker boards, movable workstations, and 3D printers facilitate interactive learning. As a final dramatic touch, skeletons of living birds, mammals, and alligators hang from the ceilings as final projects in one of Sereno’s college classes.

The facility will ramp up what Sereno can achieve in research output. It’s arranged on one floor with a wide freight entrance, meaning staff can move large specimens with ample workspace. “Everything will be more efficient in the new space,” Sereno said. He has a backlog of fossils stored in field jackets in another warehouse, a haul he estimates at more than 50 tons.

Rev. Jesse Knox III, Senior Minister at the Church of the Good Shepherd and Executive Director of the Good Shepherd Community Services Organization in Washington Park, said the timing for the lab is a perfect complement to other new developments on the South Side. “Bringing amenities to the whole area is crucial to have a vibrant community,” he said. “It signals the beginning that other good things are coming to the neighborhood. Introducing young kids to get excited about science in a hands-on, positive environment has been needed for a long time. Excitement is an understatement.”

Contributing to the neighborhood scene is equally exciting to Sereno and his team. “For teens, the possibilities are endless. We’ll have a Jurassic Park show, surrounded by gigantic bones, and talk dinosaur science,” Sereno said. “I’m thrilled to operate a science lab in a neighborhood. It’s just off the main drag and soon a recognized landmark when the dinosaurs arrive.”

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Education | Students at University of Chicago set up…

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Education | Students at University of Chicago set up protest encampment in solidarity with Gaza as movement grows

People are seen on the Main Quad of the University of Chicago on April 30, 2024, where there are signs of support for Palestine and calls for the university to divest from investments connected to Israel. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP) launched an encampment on the main quad of the University of Chicago on April 29, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Protestors create a privacy wall during prayer as UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP) occupy an encampment on the main quad of the University of Chicago on April 29, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Activists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn look on as UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP) occupy an encampment on the main quad of the University of Chicago on April 29, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP) occupy an encampment on the main quad of the University of Chicago on April 29, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Protestors block the camera of an outside agitator as UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP) launched an encampment on the main quad of the University of Chicago on April 29, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Protestors block the view of an outside agitator during prayer as UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP) launched an encampment on the main quad of the University of Chicago on April 29, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Activist Frank Chapman addresses protesters during a rally after UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP) launched an encampment on the main quad of the University of Chicago on April 29, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Protesters embrace during a rally as UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP) launched an encampment on the main quad of the University of Chicago on April 29, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

After setting up more than a dozen tents in the Main Quadrangle on the Hyde Park campus, U. of C. protesters led an hourlong rally dissenting Israel’s bombardment of Gaza as the death toll in the besieged area climbs to more than 34,000 people since Oct. 7.

The rally, which also called on U. of C. to end partnerships with Israeli universities and commit to transparency, drew nearly 500 people erupting in chants.

U. of C. senior Youssef Hasweh, who is Palestinian, led the crowd in a run of “Paul, Paul what do you know? Where does all our money go?”

Students said the chant references university President Paul Alivisatos’ refusal to meet with students on the school’s investments, which they’ve been demanding since last fall.

In a statement late Monday afternoon, Alivisatos said the university will only intervene when and if the protests block the learning or expression of others or if the demonstrations “substantially disrupts the functioning or safety of the University.”

“I believe the protesters should also consider that an encampment, with all the etymological connections of the word to military origins, is a way of using force of a kind rather than reason to persuade others,” Alivisatos said. “For a short period of time, however, the impact of a modest encampment does not differ so much from a conventional rally or march. Given the importance of the expressive rights of our students, we may allow an encampment to remain for a short time despite the obvious violations of policy—but those violating university policy should expect to face disciplinary consequences.”

In a follow-up statement, Michele Rasmussen, dean of students at U. of C., said setting up tents on the Quad or erecting other structures and obstructions without prior approval is a violation of university policy and will result in disciplinary action.

“We are monitoring the situation closely. The individuals involved are on notice that the university is prepared to take further action in the event of continued violations of our time, place, and manner policies governing protests, threats to public safety, disruption of operations or academic activities, or destruction of property,” Rasmussen said.

Hasweh said the encampment was designed to be “a university within a university” complete with a welcome tent, a library consisting of a shelf filled with books and tables with food and water. Inside the camp, several students worked in groups on laptops.

Student organizers chose to begin the demonstration two days early, Hasweh said, after a right-leaning media outlet on campus leaked their plans to occupy buildings for a peaceful sit-in.

Protest encampments have popped up in the past week at nearly two dozen college campuses across the country, including Harvard, Brown, the University of Michigan and University of Texas at Austin. New York’s Columbia University became the epicenter of the large, and at times violent, movement in recent days, as demonstrators clashed with police and administrators announced classes on the main campus would be held remotely for the rest of the semester.

Last week, the Palestinian-led movement sparked protests at several Chicago-area universities and colleges, including at Northwestern University where an agreement between students and administration was reached Monday afternoon.

Activists hug after Northwestern officials announced Monday that they have reached an agreement with students and faculty protesting against Israel-Hamas war, April 29, 2024, in Evanston. The deal comes five days after demonstrators established an encampment in Deering Meadow, a popular common area on the Evanston campus. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Northwestern University officials said in an email that the move allows demonstrations to continue on campus through June 1 but requires the immediate removal of tents and sound systems, as well as a commitment that all protesters will adhere to university policies.

Students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago and Roosevelt University also marched Friday in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

At an unrelated event Monday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his team has been in touch with universities across Illinois as campus protests evolve.

“It is obviously very important to me that we keep order — it is also important to me that we protect people’s right to protest and their First Amendment rights,” Pritzker said. “So we’re monitoring it very closely. Again, it shouldn’t interfere with people’s ability to go to class, to take their exams, which they’re in now in many places … but if people are going to protest, they should protest in a peaceable and peaceful fashion, allowing the university to operate as it should as an academic institution for those who are paying tuition and attending.”

School administrators nationwide are also cracking down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators with arrests and canceled classes. In an email, members of UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP), said the scale of the repression of students’ freedom of speech across the country is incomparable to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and across the occupied Palestinian territories.

The relationship between student activists at U. of C. and the university has been tense since November, when 26 students were arrested by campus police for refusing to leave the admissions building on campus during a sit-in. Charges for criminal trespassing were later dropped but the students still face disciplinary hearings, less than two months from graduation.

Further sparking the pro-Palestinian movement on campus was a meeting between Alivisatos and Yinam Cohen, consul general of Israel to the Midwest, in February. In a post on X, Cohen said the purpose of the meeting was “to further enhance the partnership between (the University of Chicago) and Israeli research institutions and to make sure that every Jewish or Israeli student feels safe on campus.”

Hasweh, who was among the students arrested in the fall, said he simply “wants to be noticed” by university administrators through the encampment.

“It’s insane to feel you’re invisible but know that you’re not,” he said, adding that U. of C. is choosing not to engage with pro-Palestinian students. “What power can you do with that? And that’s what we’re trying to figure out.”

In attendance at the encampment Monday was longtime Chicago revolutionary organizer Frank Chapman, who serves as the educational director and field secretary at the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Chapman, who began organizing in 1961, sat in a red chair at the center of the rally. He leaned in, focusing on the speeches made by student organizers, before one of them handed him the microphone.

“I’m tired but I ain’t tired of fighting,” Chapman said. “When it comes to the course of liberation in Palestine, I am representing the entire oppressed Black community.”

Mike Miccioli, a second-year physics doctoral candidate and member of UChicago STEM for Palestine, said amid student protests on college campuses, he wants to recenter the conversation on Gaza.

“The reason we are here is to end the genocide,” he said. “And I think it’s energized a lot of people.”

As the encampment grew into the afternoon, a few counterprotesters walked through the crowd to “agitate” people, organizers said. The overarching policy is to not engage, said third-year student Anuj who declined to give his last name out of privacy concerns.

“If they want to make a scene we can’t stop them,” he said. “We know why we’re here.”

Chicago Tribune’s Olivia Olander contributed. 

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New federal subpoena targeting Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard's spending

Village hired former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to investigate, as well

DOLTON, Ill. (WLS) -- A new federal subpoena is targeting Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard's spending.

A Dolton trustee confirmed the subpoena is seeking records about trips made by village officials and expenses they were reimbursed for.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

It also includes payments made to Henyard and the village's chief administrator.

Dolton recently hired former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to lead an investigation into the same thing.

Henyard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A law firm that had been representing Dolton dropped the south suburban village as a client earlier this week, saying it hasn't been paid.

Keith Freeman, a senior administrator for both the village of Dolton and Thornton Township, was also recently charged with engaging in a bankruptcy fraud scheme.

SEE ALSO | Senior admin. for Dolton, Thornton Twp. Keith Freeman arraigned on bankruptcy fraud charges

READ MORE | Lori Lightfoot hired to investigate Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard

SEE ALSO | FBI investigates Dolton Village Hall amid corruption allegations about Mayor Tiffany Henyard

READ MORE | Ex-Dolton village employee says trustee sexually assaulted her during Las Vegas work trip: lawsuit

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