As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) appears to be on the rise, researchers like Diana Sarko, PhD, are dedicating their time to finding better therapies. She’s looking at how children with autism can use interactive robots, or social robots, to improve their communication skills and decrease anxiety. Social robots are a special type of robot that combine human-like characteristics with the control, predictability and simplicity of a robot. The controlled robotic interactions often generate less frustration among individuals with ASD. “Individuals with ASD also see the world as

Rebecca Bolinski, MA Graduate Assistant Department of Population Science and Policy Contact rebecca81110@siu.edu Primary Responsibilities My primary responsibility for the Department of Population Science and Policy is to assist in research aimed at improving health outcomes in central and southern Illinois. About I am a Ph.D. student in the sociology department at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. My research interests include the sociology of deviance and crime, substance use, the sociology of race and ethnicity, gender, and social inequalities. I earned my M.A. in sociology at

Two-day event in Springfield aims to create blueprint to improve rural health Springfield, Ill. –SIU School of Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, UIC School of Public Health, SIU School of Medicine Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development and the Illinois Department of Public Health recently hosted an influential group of rural health experts and stakeholders at the 2018 Illinois Rural Health Summit in Springfield, Illinois, on August 6-7. The two-day event gathered information and inspiration to begin drafting and executing

The nation is embroiled in an epidemic that, while not contagious, impacts all sectors of society and devastates communities, especially rural communities. Opioid misuse, including abuse of prescription pain killers and heroin, led to more than 33,000 deaths nationwide in 2016 and nearly 2,000 deaths in Illinois during that same year. And these statistics, counted in lives, continue to rise at alarming rates. National, state, and local governmental bodies fight to stem the tide of this rampant killer. Law enforcement officials, courts, attorneys, and social agencies are caught in the web of

Several Southern Illinois University Medicine faculty were among those honored as "Innovators of the Year" during the inaugural Illinois Capital Innovation Competition. The event, a partnership of the University of Illinois Springfield, Innovate Springfield and the School of Medicine was held April 6, 2018, at the UIS Student Union. More than 100 individual applicants applied for award consideration. The goals of the awards were to identify, celebrate and engage area innovators in the Sangamon County area and bring them together to collaborate with leaders from industry, social impact

Several Southern Illinois University Medicine faculty were among those honored as "Innovators of the Year" during the inaugural Illinois Capital Innovation Competition. The event, a partnership of the University of Illinois Springfield, Innovate Springfield and the School of Medicine was held April 6, 2018, at the UIS Student Union. More than 100 individual applicants applied for award consideration. The goals of the awards were to identify, celebrate and engage area innovators in the Sangamon County area and bring them together to collaborate with leaders from industry, social impact

Several Southern Illinois University Medicine faculty were among those honored as "Innovators of the Year" during the inaugural Illinois Capital Innovation Competition. The event, a partnership of the University of Illinois Springfield, Innovate Springfield and the School of Medicine was held April 6, 2018, at the UIS Student Union. More than 100 individual applicants applied for award consideration. The goals of the awards were to identify, celebrate and engage area innovators in the Sangamon County area and bring them together to collaborate with leaders from industry, social impact

Several Southern Illinois University Medicine faculty were among those honored as "Innovators of the Year" during the inaugural Illinois Capital Innovation Competition. The event, a partnership of the University of Illinois Springfield, Innovate Springfield and the School of Medicine was held April 6, 2018, at the UIS Student Union. More than 100 individual applicants applied for award consideration. The goals of the awards were to identify, celebrate and engage area innovators in the Sangamon County area and bring them together to collaborate with leaders from industry, social impact