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Launched by The Chicago Community Trust in 1990 to spark discussion and understanding on matters of vital interest to Chicago-area communities, Chicago Matters is the nation's longest-running multimedia public affairs series. Learn More
An increasing number of local computer scientists have their heads in the clouds. What are "cloud computing" collaborations, and what do they mean for our region?
Global Visionaries: Rami Nashashibi
Tuesday, October 27, at 7 pm
Through his nonprofit Inner-City Muslim Action Network, founder and executive director Rami Nashashibi strives to engage the Muslim community around progressive issues of social justice.
Chicago Matters: Regionalism by Tollway
Tuesday, October 13, at 7 pm
Could a new tollway linking Illinois and Indiana interstates ease congestion and boost the region's economy? Eddie Arruza looks at a new study that says yes.
Smart Grid Technology
Tuesday, September 29, at 7 pm
How smart is Smart Grid technology? Can it really turn Loop buildings into virtual generators of electrical power? And what does mean for residential consumers of electricity? Rich Samuels reports.
The U.S. now gets more crude oil from Canada than any other country. The majority of that oil is processed here in Midwest refineries. Elizabeth Brackett tells us why some critics say the environmental costs of the heavier, dirtier Canadian crude are much too high.
Global Visionaries: Richard Sandor
Tuesday, July 21, at 7 pm
We meet the man known as the father of "carbon trading," Richard Sandor. Sandor pioneered the world's first voluntary, legally binding greenhouse gas emissions trading system.
Global Visionaries: Jeanne Gang
Tuesday, June 23, at 7 pm
Have you noticed the Aqua Tower, the latest 82-story addition to the Chicago skyline? Its chief designer Jeanne Gang discusses that building and her other structures that are reshaping not only the skyline, but the way many think about architecture.
Chicago Tonight examines a new city ordinance that allows the reuse of construction soil and rubble. The Chicago Department of Environment believes the ordinance will save the taxpayers money and reduce carbon emissions, but some environmentalists believe that the debris could be contaminated with chemicals that could be harmful to the environment, as well as residents. The ordinance has created an alliance between those environmental groups and waste haulers.
Global Visionaries: Richard Thaler
Tuesday, May 26, at 7 pm
Sometimes it just takes a little "nudge" to get people to change. Behavioral economist Richard Thaler believes these little steps can produce big results.
What role will wind energy plan in the region’s future? Right now, the industry is enjoying remarkable growth—but not without growing pains. Rich Samuels will have that story.
Correspondent: Rich Samuels
Global Visionaries: Dr. Carla Pugh
Tuesday, April 28, at 7 pm
Dr. Carla Pugh was frustrated with the lack of hands-on training in medical school so decided to do something about it. She created simulators so medical students could hone their skills without fear of injuring patients. Now she is the director of the Center for Advanced Surgical Education at Northwestern University where she uses innovative methods to train residents. Dr. Pugh holds a patent on the sensor and data acquisition technologies used to measure and characterize the sense of touch. Currently, more than 100 medical and nursing schools use her sensor enabled training tools.
Housing Deconstruction, Tuesday, April 14, at 7 pm
In this week's Chicago Matters, we‘ll look at how to preserve the environment by deconstructing homes piece-by-piece. We will speak with a contractor who takes apart old homes, so that the materials can be re-used. Correspondent Christian Farr will also visit a newly established warehouse that stores used housing materials. And we’ll take a closer look at a program that is teaching a new workforce how to properly deconstruct old homes.
WTTW's first Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham episode spans a full hour on Chicago Tonight. Christian Farr will introduce us to the Starlight project—the "internet of the future"—and explain why its hub is located here. And Rich Samuels will look at calls to modernize the infrastructure of the Illinois Waterways system. Watch all of the segments of this special Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham episode below:
Ali Emadi, Harris Perlstein Professor and Director, Electric Power and Power Electronics Center and Grainger Laboratories, Illinois Institute of Technology
Builds electric engines for buses and other forms of public transportation in order to make a big impact on emission reduction.
Selected as a Visionary for: Making Chicago into a center for hybrid technology research, development and application.
Richard Thaler, Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics and Director of the Center for Decision Research, University of Chicago
Richard Thaler argues that small changes in public policy can dramatically influence individual choices.
Selected as a Visionary for: Articulating public policy based on the relationship between knowing how people think and designing environments that sway their choices.
Sarah Dunn and Martin Felsen, Co-founders, UrbanLab, Co-principals, Archeworks Alternative Design School, Illinois Institute of Technology
Run an architectural and design firm that specializes in modern sustainable design.
Selected as a Visionary for: Creating the sustainable city of the future, including a comprehensive vision for Chicago to recycle one hundred percent of its water usage.
Everyblock.com provides block-by-block 'hyper-local' coverage of Chicago's neighborhoods through rounding up previously-difficult-to-access information on zoning and development changes, crime stats and public health issues.
Selected as a Visionary for: Creating an innovative, game-changing approach to local news coverage in Chicago and other American cities.
Dr. Olufunmilayo (Funmi) Olopade, Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics, Director of the Cancer Risk Clinic, University of Chicago Medical Center
An expert in cancer risk assessment and treatment, particularly in breast cancer research and treatment.
Selected as a Visionary for: Bringing a unique inter-disciplinary and international approach to the prevention and treatment of cancer and extending high-end care to typically underserved populations at home and aboard.
Rami Nashashibi, Founder and Executive Director, Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN)
IMAN is a non-profit community organization that provides social services, fosters the arts and organizes the urban Muslim community to work for social justice.
Selected as a Visionary for: Engaging Chicago's Muslims in civic participation as well as cross-cultural and cross-religious dialogue and action through a shared social justice agenda.
Dr. Nichole Pinkard, Director of Innovation, Urban Education Institute, University of Chicago, Founder of the Digital Youth Network
The Digital Youth Network is a program to develop media literacy among middle school students on Chicago's South Side.
Selected as a Visionary for: Challenging our public education system to make digital literacy a fundamental part of the middle-school curriculum, particularly for students of color.
Maxine Brown, Associate Director, Electronic Visualization Laboratory, Co-Developer of the Starlight Project, University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago's Starlight Project is the largest North American hub of an international fiber optic network that allows scientists to store, see and communicate visual and other cutting-edge research data in real-time.
Selected as a Visionary for: Taking our city's reputation as a communications hub into the twenty-first century by helping to build North America's largest digital hub in downtown Chicago.
From massive murals to comic strips, Kerry James Marshall has achieved global recognition for his work.
Selected as a Visionary for: Portraying African-American life that is too often overlooked in art.
Jeanne Gang, Principal and founder, Studio Gang Architects
Jeanne Gang's curvy tower, Aqua, is expected to be the tallest building designed by a female-headed firm.
Selected as a Visionary for: Designing unique structures with particular attention to how people use them, the materials available and the attributes of their locations.
Gregg Brown, CEO/President, Southside Community Federal Credit Union
The credit union provides an array of financial services to Southside communities, including financial literacy programs, savings and credit opportunities and home ownership counseling.
Selected as a Visionary for: Fighting economic inequity by creating opportunities to build individual wealth and develop community investment funds.
Beyond Burnham
Now in its 19th year, Chicago's award-winning multimedia public affairs series returns in 2009 with Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham to explore how our region can thrive in a global era.
Click Here for more information about Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham
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You Matter…and we want to know what you have to say.Join the Public Forum Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham's Public Forum is where you can engage in discussions and information sessions around this year's topic of environmental sustainability:
