University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana–28 March 2017

We spent much of the day at the University of Illinois campus. First, we went to the vivarium and took a quick look inside.

Old wooden mailboxes with glass window insets Interior of vivarium showing plants and large light bulbs

From there, we went to the engineering campus. When I attended, I spent a lot of time hanging out at the Digital Computer Laboratory. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the new building had been built around the existing one, so some of the “interior” walls are the old exterior ones.

Interior of Digital Computer Laboratory Whiteboard drawing of Kool-Aid man with text “Oh yes oh yeah!!! Kool-Aid!”

The absolute highlight of the trip was the Civil Engineering lab, which has a huge equipment bay with concrete canoes (yes, there is a competition for concrete canoes) attached to the wall.

Long view of equipment bay with yellow metal beams at top Concrete canoes on wall of Civil Engineering Lab Large orange pistons above concrete columns Broken concrete column Various equipment in lab Concrete canoe painted like a corncob

Back outside on campus:

Color-changing sculpture showing green Sculpture showing yellow and red Abstract sculpture in front of building with diamond pattern in brickworks creek View along path of creek, with brick walls on right and bushes on left.

Here is the “Alma Mater” statue at the entrance to the main campus.

Statue of woman holding arms in welcoming gesture Closeup of man standing to right behind Alma Mater Engraved on side of Alma Mater statue: Cast by American Art Bronze Fdry - 1929 / Jules Berchem and Son, Chicago

Here is Altgeld Hall, the math building. They still use chalk blackboards here, and boy did those display cases with “antique” computing equipment make me feel old.

Old-style domed lamp in front of Mathematics building arch over door Floral-style paintwork on arches above mathematics library Lecturer in front of multiple chalkboards filled with mathematical symbols Abstract flowing sculpture with Navier-Stokes equations printed on it Mosaic on floor with University of Illinois symbol in middle Display case with old electro-mechanical calculators; labeled “Museum of Antiquities” Display case showing old computers and calculatig equipment

Pictures near the student union, and also the tomb of John Milton Gregory, the first president of the University.

Sculpture of standing woman above a fountain Tombstone of John Milton Gregory: “If you seek his monument look about you”

Various pictures from around campus. The table with toys and games is at the undergraduate library. The sculptures that look like Play-Doh® are called “Darwin’s Playground.”

Window frame; carved owl at left and bird’s nest on right Table with toys and games Sign at the Morrow Plots, America’s oldest experimental field established in 1876 Yellow, green, and red sculptures that look like lumps of Play-Doh (TM) darwins playground Green, red, and yellow sculptures in shapes like Play-Doh (TM) University Observatory; gray dome and brown brick building

Wildlife

Woman petting a squirrel Side view of a small brown rabbit

Signage

All but the first two are from the Modern Foreign Language building.

Still tired of waiting for the elevator? The Psychology Department Fitness Program continues: Use the STAIRS Words inlaid on floor: If I have seen further than others, it is because I was looking in the right direction - Carl R. Woese Video is an oppportunity. Let the content lead Cossack pointing at viewer, with word “You” in Russian: Will you be there? Slavic Talent Show Top half of head of man wearing viking helmet: Discover your inner VIking / scandinavian studies Heart filled with American flag design: Hate has no home here. (repeated in arabic, farsi, korean, hebrew, and spanish)

Pan Pizza

I don’t take too many food pictures, but this pan pizza was too magnificent to pass up. It tasted great too.

Deep dish pizza; 11 inches diameter, 2.5 inches thick