By definition, universities are institutions of higher learning that conduct both teaching and research. Perhaps the people on campus most affected by research are graduate students. They frequently do most of the hands-on work of a research project, which allows them to gain experience with new technologies, work on problems of great current or future importance, and fashion the direction of their field of interest. The depth of these experiences goes far beyond what is possible during an undergraduate program, and positions these students to be competitive in the high-end job market, where they may become the future leaders in their fields. As our society progresses technologically, the importance of such training will undoubtedly increase.
Undergraduates benefit from research as well.
Many of them, as student workers, function as part of a research team. However, undergraduates are probably more greatly impacted by the influence of research on faculty. Good research attracts to a university good teachers who are stimulated by the discovery and innovation of the research process, and who can relay cutting-edge concepts in the classroom to better prepare students for the workforce. Of course, the research conducted at SIUC also offers great benefits to the people of Illinois, and society in general. Microbe hunting in Antarctica, our cover story, may sound far removed from society's interests.