Founded in 1867 and located about 140 miles south of Chicago, the University of Illinois is one of the preeminent research universities in the world. As one of the original 37 land grant institutions created after Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act, the university has a long history of research, teaching, and public service.

Illinois innovation has quite literally shaped modern life. From the first Internet browser capable of showing images, to the LED that illuminates our alarm clocks, streetlights, and portable electronic devices, to the MRI – all were conceived of by Illinois faculty or alumni. To support this innovation, the university annually spends more than $500 million on research and development in science and engineering. The university has been a leading recipient of NSF funding for decades, and counts among its many supporters a variety of state, corporate and industry partners.

Illinois is home to the nation’s oldest soil fertility test plots, the Morrow Plots, founded in 1876. For more than 130 years, crop scientists have been using the plots to improve the output of our nation’s farms. This expertise makes the university a natural partner for leading EBI research into the plant species, or biomass, that can be used to create biofuels. In addition, the campus has extensive field plots, greenhouses and plant growth chambers, is home to a decade-long project on novel approaches to biomass production and is recognized for its leadership in fermentation processes used to make biofuels.

More than 11,000 graduate students and nearly 3,000 faculty members make up the Illinois research community. The university claims 11 Nobel Prize winning faculty, 45 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 63 members of the National Academy of Engineering, and numerous other members of national and international societies, academies, and foundations.