John Tolley, February 27, 2020

Winter may be upon us, but we're keeping things hot by debuting a brand new round of BTN LiveBIG vignettes. These videos highlight the ambitious vision and sweeping impact that Big Ten universities have in fields ranging from healthcare to environmental issues to driving innovation.

Throughout basketball season and the tournaments, we will be featuring these vignettes alongside our In-Game articles, which dive a little deeper into each story. They will also roll out for fans during BTN games and regular programming, on BTN- and university-run social media accounts and even on the occasional stadium jumbotron. Keep your eyes peeled.

Enjoy and feel free to share any and all of these amazing vignettes!

ILLINOIS TAKES ON THE PROBLEM OF POLYURETHANES: LIVEBIG 2019-20

Profuse polyurethanes fill our landfills and pollute our environment when discarded or burned. Chemical engineers at the University of Illinois are creating a new class of polymers that easily degrade, allowing for the constituent chemicals to be repurposed into useful, second-life products.

BIG RED 200 SUPERCHARGES RESEARCH AT INDIANA: LIVEBIG 2019-20

The most powerful supercomputer at any college or university in the US, Indiana University's Big Red 200 allows researchers across a plethora of disciplines to "ask big questions."

HOW IOWA IS ADVANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF AUTISM: LIVEBIG 2019-20

At the University of Iowa's Iowa Neuroscience Institute, researchers are studying the ways neurodevelopmental diseases, such as autism, manifest in the brain. Their mission is to create the next-generation of targeted treatments.

A MARYLAND PROFESSOR MELDS ART AND SCIENCE: LIVEBIG 2019-20

Using technological tools akin to those used by scientists, University of Maryland assistant professor Cy Keener is building global connections through artistic recordings of our changing environment.

A MICHIGAN STUDY LISTENS IN ON OUR NOISY LIVES: LIVEBIG 2019-20

Partnering with Apple, researchers at the University of Michigan study the noise levels to which humans are exposed to help curb the harmful impact it can have on our health.

HOW MICHIGAN STATE HELPS FARMERS GROW "MORE FOOD, MORE SUSTAINABLY": LIVEBIG 2019-20

At the forefront of digital agriculture, Michigan State University scientists leverage technologies, such as drones, GPS, and computer modeling, to create efficient and environmentally-sound farming practices.

MINNESOTA AIMS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF INFANT STROKES: LIVEBIG 2019-20

Through neural mapping, noninvasive brain stimulation, and intensive rehabilitation, scientists at the University of Minnesota are vastly improving outcomes for patients who have had a stroke as an infant.

NEBRASKA TURNS TO MANUFACTURING METHODS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS IN MEDICINE: LIVEBIG 2019-20

Engineers at the University of Nebraska are developing methods for 3D printing medical implants, such as plates and screws, that harmlessly dissolve inside the body when their job is done.

NORTHWESTERN CONFRONTS THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: LIVEBIG 2019-20

 

With the overuse of antimicrobial chemicals leading to stronger microbes and weakened human immune systems, Northwestern University environmental engineers look to stem a growing threat by promoting a healthy balance in our everyday lives.

MEET THE PENN STATE DRONE THAT IS OUT OF THIS WORLD: LIVEBIG 2019-20

Tasked with creating a drone able to fly in the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan, Penn State University aerospace engineers leverage 25 years of helicopter design experience to aid in the exploration of our solar system.

PURDUE ENGINEERS LOOK TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE FEEL OF PROSTHETICS: LIVEBIG 2019-20

Biomedical engineers at Purdue University aim to expand biofeedback – such as temperature and pressure – available to prosthetic users, thus enhancing functionality.

RUTGERS AIMS TO HELP ASTHMA SUFFERERS BREATHE EASY: LIVEBIG 2019-20

To help those with asthma live normal lives, physicians and researchers at Rutgers University are studying the causes of and developing treatments for this all-too-common respiratory condition.

WISCONSIN VETERINARIANS TARGET CANINE CANCERS WITH A POTENTIAL VACCINE: LIVEBIG 2019-20

Undertaking the largest interventional clinical trial in the history of veterinary medicine, doctors at the University of Wisconsin are working to create a vaccine that will train the canine immune system to spot and shut down various cancers at their earliest stages.