WISELI News
News – 2018
Oertel named AAAS Fellow
The Mary Herman Lucien Rubinstein Distinguished Chair of Neuroscience Dr. Donata Oertel was recently elected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow for her distinguished research on the cellular basis for processing acoustic information. Read more here.
UW-Madison joins National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity
The National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity is an independent professional development, training, and mentoring community for faculty members, postdocs, and graduate students. UW-Madison faculty are encouraged to activate their accounts here.
Editorial: Why the Medical Research Grant System Could Be Costing Us Great Ideas
A paper written by UW-Madison researchers that highlights the subjectivity in NIH grant reviews is mentioned in a New York Times editorial. Read more here.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine issues consensus study report on sexual harrassment
A systemwide change to the culture and climate in higher education is needed to prevent and effectively respond to sexual harassment, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Read more here.
Keller's research team decodes chemical signals between bacteria, fungal pathogen
Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immunology and Bacteriology Nancy Keller recently published a study discussing Ralstonia and Fusarium in mBio. Read more here.
Marín-Spiotta: Harassment should count as scientific misconduct
Associate professor of geography Erika Marín-Spiotta discusses the need for effective interventions in Nature. Read more here.
Cirelli wins Sleep Research Society outstanding scientific achievement award
Professor of Psychiatry Chiara Cirelli will be honored on June 4 by the Sleep Research Society for her research on the function of sleep and impact of sleep loss. Read more here.
Larson hosts Women’s Shop Night
Assistant professor of Bio-Waste in Biological Systems Engineering Rebecca Larson started a Women's Shop Night to encourage more women to get hands-on experince in design and fabrication. Read more here.
Li, Loh among faculty to receive NSF CAREER Awards
Assistant professors in Electrical and Computer Engineering Jing (Jane) Li and Po-Ling Loh were among nine UW-Madison engineering faculty to receive prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) awards. Read more here.
Ladson-Billings elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Professor emerita in the School of Education Gloria Ladson-Billings was elected to the 2018 class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Among others elected in 2018 are Barack Obama, Sonia Sotomayor, and two other UW faculty members. Read more here.
Bowers named to Sigma Theta Tau International Honors Society Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame
Professor and associate dean for research in the School of Nursing Barbara Bowers will be inducted in July at ceremonies in Australia. Read more here.
Carnes publishes editorial on new gender equity goals of the ACP
The American College of Physicians (ACP) has published a new position paper promoting gender equity in internal medicine. WISELI co-Director and Professor of Medicine, Dr. Molly Carnes, has published an accompanying editorial expanding on the recommendations through the lens of implicit gender bias, which could derail the goals if not attended to.
Kind appointed to the Wisconsin Partnership Program's Oversight and Advisory Committee
Associate professor and director of the Health Services and Care Research Program in the Department of Medicine Amy Kind, MD, PhD, joins the nine-member panel after her appointment by the UW System Board of Regents. Read more here.
Burnside inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE)
Professor of radiology, associate dean and director for the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research Elizabeth Burnside has been inducted into the AIMBE College of Fellows, among the higest professional distinctions accorded to a medical and biological engineer. Read more here.
Pettersen looks to clouds to understand Greenland's Ice Sheet
Associate Instrumentation Innovator Claire Pettersen, with the Space Science and Engineering Center, recently published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. Read more here.
Prunuske credits her UW-Madison postdoctoral work as foundational to career
Medical College of Wisconsin Basic Sciences Associate Professor Amy Prunuske worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Elizabeth Craig from 2007-2011. Read more here.
Gong studies nanoparticles to deliver drugs more safely
Vilas Distinguished Professor of biomedical engineering and UW Carbone Cancer Center member Shaoqin "Sarah" Gong studies the potential to reduce systemic toxicity in targeted cancer treatments. Read more here.
Know your Madisonian: Laura Albert
Assistant Dean of Graduate Affairs and Associate Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering Laura Albert discusses her Punk Rock Operations Research blog, Badger Bracketology, and homeland security. Read more here.
Know your Madisonian: Jo Handelsman
Wisconsin Institute for Discovery Director Jo Handelsman talks about her journey from UW to Yale, the White House, and back. Read more here.
SciLine connects reporters with scientists
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Medical Microbiology & Immunology Caitlin Pepperell joined SciLine as an expert source for journalists in part to raise profile of women in science. Read more here.
Holloway comments on air emissions in Wisconsin
Professor in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Tracey Holloway provides background on the balance of environmental impact and local economic gain. Read more here.
Byars-Winston leads national study on STEMM mentoring
Professor in the School of Medicine and Public Health (General Internal Medicine) Angela Byars-Winston and researcher Christine Pfund are part of a national study focusing on undergraduate mentorship of underrepresented individuals in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical (STEMM) fields. Read more here.
Handelsman gets nod from CBS Women's History Month #SeeHer project
Wisconsin Institute for Discovery director Jo Handelsman is noted by Julie Chen in a episode one of a video project to highlight women in STEM. See more here.
Backyards, parks can store more carbon than forests
UW-Madison faculty Monica Turner and PhD candidate Carly Ziter recently published a study highlighting the role residential lawns can play in improving urban ecosystem services. Read more here.
Mentoring in Biomedical Engineering
UW-Madison faculty Melissa Skala, Kristyn Masters, and Pamela Kreeger discuss thier own experinces as mentors in practice and in publications. Read more here.
Center for Women's Health Research, collaborators publish research about NIH funding allocation model
In thier recent article, "Low agreement among reviewers evaluating the same NIH grant applications," researchers from UW-Madsion find no agreement among reviwers in evaluating the same application. Read more here.
Physics Today: Gender Matters
A recent article in Physics Today discusses the evidence-based practices to overcome patterns of inequity against women. WISELI's guide for faculty search committees is mentioned. Read more here.
Five UW professors elected as fellows: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Professor of astronomy Amy Barger, former dean and professor of pharmacy Jeanette Roberts, and professor of consumer science Lydia Zepeda were recently honored by their peers as AAAS fellows, a distinction noting meritorious efforts to advance science or its applications. Read more here.
News – 2017
Snedden leads efforts to study concussions in Madison area student athletes
Assistant professor of Nursing Traci Snedden studies the short- and long-term effects of concussions. Read more here.
Responsive marmoset fathers increases liklihood of offspring survivial
Distinguished Scientist Toni Ziegler studies paternal-infant bonding in primates. Read more here.
Hyde: Nobel prize awards are tarnished, steps should be taken to address gender inequities
Helen Thompson Woolley Professor and Director of the Center for Research on Gender and Women, Dr. Janet Shibley Hyde, addresses gender sterotypes about gender and brilliance. Read more here (free registration may be required).
No link between vaccination, autism: Malia Jones lecture
Assistant Scientist Dr. Malia Jones discussed the history and future of the anti-vaccination movement in the United States. Read more here.
Hofmann Named Medical Director, Program for Advanced Cell Therapy (PACT)
Assistant professor of pediatric hematology, oncology and bone marrow transplant Inga Hofmann Zhang will lead PACT and foster increased collaboration wtih the Pediactric Bone Marrow Translplant Program. Read more here.
Lisa Ruth Rand studies space junk
Postdoctoral fellow Assistant professor of History Lisa Ruth Rand studies gallactic garbage. Read more here.
Q&A with Marie Hicks: new faculty in History focusing on gender and sexuality in computer science
Assistant professor of History Marie Hicks explores the "gender flip" in computer science with a new class. Read more here.
Meyerand named as an associate director, Wisconsin Institute for Healthcare Systems Engineering (WIHSE)
Biomedical Engineering professor Beth Meyerand is one of three new additions to the WIHSE leadership team. Read more here.
Werner recieves grant to create web tool for caregivers of Alzheimer's patients
Assistant professor Nicole Werner is working with the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison to better understand how in-home caregiving teams communicate in an effort to improve quality of care. Read more here.
UW-Madison College of Engineering creates new family leave policy for graduate students
Expectant mothers and other can receive up to 12 weeks paid time for childbirth, while other new parents will receive up to six weeks of paid time. Academic requirement deadlines can be extended for the student requesting the leave, consistent with department academic timelines. Read more here.
Ziter studies jumping worms, encourages citizen scientists
Doctoral candidate Carly Ziter works with Arboretum volunteers to survey for an invasive species of worm found in Madison. Read more here.
Monica Turner studies forest regeneration after wildfires
Monica Turner is the Eugene P. Odum Professor of Ecology at UW-Madison and has studied the long-term effects of the 1998 Yellowstone fires. Read more here.
Dr. Nasia Safdar investigates the transmission of a rare blood infection in new article
Nasia Safdar is an associate professor of infectious disease at UW-Madison, the Medical Director of Infection Control at UW Hospital and Clinics, and the Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the William S. Middleton VA Hospital. Read more here.
School of Social Work: Tamara Grigsby Memorial Fund for Diversity and Inclusion
Former state representative and UW-Madison alumna Tamara Grigsby will be remebered for her life's work with a newly established fund that will be used for recruitment, programming, and training. Read more here.
The UW-Madison math department has one of the highest proportions of women facuty in the country
Current math department chair Gloria Marí Beffa and others reflect on the impact of mentorship, academic excellence, and inclusive hiring practices. Read more here.
Preventing sexual harrassment in earth, space, and environmental sciences: a Q&A with Dr. Erika Marín-Spiotta
Learn more about the faculty member behind a federal grant designed to prevent and respond to sexual harrassment in the field. Read more here.
Computer Sciences works to recruit, retain more women
A decline in women who earn bachelor's degrees over the past several decades has led the Computer Sciences department to partner with the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) to address the gap. Read more here.
Marie Hicks: history shows women were foundational to the field of computing
Assistant professor of history Marie Hicks addresses the letter a former Google employee circulated. Read more here.
UW-Madison arboretum, local neighborhood works to restore oak savanna
For the past 25 years, staff at the Arboretum have been working to restore the orignal savanna of oaks in the area in partnership with neighborhood residents by removing invasive plants. Read more here.
Marín-Spiotta leads newly funded bystander intervention sexual harrassment program effort among earth, space and environmental sciences professionals
Associate professor of geography Erika Marín-Spiotta will serve as the lead principal investigator for the four-year, $1.1 million National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant. Read more here.
New paper explores biological causes of pregnancy loss
Associate professor of botany and bacteriology Anne Pringle and her colleague Dan Levitis study the role of meiosis in pregnancy loss. Read more here.
Li, winner of a DARPA Young Faculty Award, develops new computing paradigm
Assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering Jing Li is highlighted as a research rising star. Read more here.
Mosquito-spread encephalitis in 2 horses in Wisconsin
Professor of pathobiological sciences Kristen Bernard comments on transmission of encephalitis to horses and humans. Read more here.
In February, Handelsman returned to UW as the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery director
WISELI co-founder Jo Handelsman reflects on her new role at UW-Madsion. Read more here.
Niedenthal identifies 3 different types of smiles
Professor of psychology Paula Niedenthal recently published her findings of a study that identified three different smiles: reward, affiliative, and dominance. Read more here.
Natalia de Leon wins USDA grant for Genomes2Fields
Professor of agronomy Natalia de Leon studies corn genomes in order to improve yield. Read more here.
Loh models randomness of high-dimensional problems
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Statistics, Optimization Po-Ling Loh studies "noisy" data. Read more here.
Helen Blackwell, colleagues, study superbugs
Chemistry professor Helen Blackwell is working with her collaborators to limit the power of bacteria to become infectious. Read more here.
Susan Carpenter leads efforts photograph endangered bees
Native plant gardner Susan Carpenter identifies and tracks native pollinators, such as the rare rusty patched bumble bee, through photography. Read more here.
Bartholomay, Paskewitz run center to better understand, track diseases spread by mosquitos
Medical entomologist Lyric Bartholomay and Entomology department chair Susan Paskewitz direct the Upper Midwestern Center of Excellence in Vector Borne Diseases. The center recently identified Aedes albopictus, a mosquito that can transmit the Zika virus, in Wisconsin. Read more here.
Jackson, Drier develop, study origins of Chemistry through the kaliapparat
Chemist and Historian of Science Catherine M. Jackson and senior instrument specialist Tracy Drier explore the history of glass blowing for Chemistry. Read more here.
Skin replacement product enters into final clinical trial
Lynn Allen-Hoffmann, founder of Stratatech (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals), has studies skin cells, and is about to see the company's skin replacement material enter into final clinical trials. Allen-Hoffmann is currently on leave from her professorship at UW-Madison. Read more here.
Grant awarded to School of Nursing to expand Native American enrollment
A new grant awarded to faculty members Audrey Tluczek and Mel Freitag in the School of Nursing will aid in the development of a program to admit, retain, and graduate Native American nursing students. Read more here.
Studying invasive plants on the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
A partnership among Badger Volunteers, the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, and a faculty member in the Agronomy department study efforts to control weeds on the "edge." Read more here.
Deadline August 18: Internet2 scholarships for women
Scholarship will be awarded to women, including graduate students, working/studying at an Internet2 member organization (higher education, R&E network member, affiliate or corporate) and attending her first Internet2 event. Read more here.
Remembering cancer researcher Patti Keely
The Jan and Kathryn Ver Hagen Professor of Translational Research Chair of Cell and Regenerative Biiology Patti Keely passed away on June 24, 2017. Her colleagues celebrated her life and on July 10. Read more here.
Zhong recieves outstanding investigator award from National Institutes of Health to support her research
Assistant professor genetics Xuehua Zhong studies epigenetics in plants. Read more here.
Sridharan, Roy, collaborate to study cell type transitions
Assistant professor of cell and regenerative biology Rupa Sridharan and assistant professor of biostatistics and medical informatics, systems biology Sushmita Roy developed CMINT: Chromatin Module Inference on Trees, an approach to understanding and comparing cell types. Read more here.
Allen, Handelsman awarded Vilas Research Professorships
Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and professor of plant pathology Jo Handelsman and professor of plant pathology Caitilyn Allen were recently honored with Vilas professorships. Read more here.
Betty Chewning studies Tai chi as a strategy for prevnting falls and injury in older adults
UW-Madison professor Betty Chewning serves as a principal investigator on an Institute for Clinical and Translational Research grant to improve balance for older adults via Tai Chi classes. Read more here.
Regina Lapate, Center for Healthy Minds study part of brain responsible for emotional spillover
As part of a National Institutes for Mental Health study, Regina Lapate studies the use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in its ability to support the regulation of negative emotions. Read more here.
Chris Pfund creates the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER)
Chris Pfund directs CIMER, a center dedicated to improving research-focused mentoring relationships, which she says directly impact career satisfaction, productivity and progression. Read more here.
Manuela Romero brings $1M grant to enhance College of Menominee Nation relationship
Associate Dean of the College of Engineering Manuela Romero secured a National Science Foundation grant to support the development of high-quality engineering education, research and outreach. Read more here.
Christine M. Pribbenow studies implicit bias via video games
Director of the LEAD Center, Christine M. Pribbenow, will work with two Wisconsin school districts this summer to redesign a video game to allow teachers to experience bias from a student's perspective. Read more here.
UW-Madison will require employees to complete sexual harassment and violence program
Chancellor Rebecca Blank: “UW-Madison’s goal is to maintain an academic and work environment free of sexual harassment and violence for all staff, faculty and students, and to give members of our campus community the tools to respond appropriately when incidents occur.” Read more here.
Mailick and Saha use machine to analyze voice recordings to detect disorder
Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Marsha Mailick and assistant professor of biomedical engineering Kris Saha recently published a study of their efforts to accurately identify individuals with fragile X permutation. Read more here.
Nancy Keller studies fungi and their future in making pharmaceuticals faster
Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Bacteriology Nancy Keller in collaboration with other scientists, has recently published a paper on technology she has been working to develop, known as Fungal Artificial Chromosomes with Metabolomic Scoring (FAC-MS). Read more here.
Dr. Molly Carnes comments on NIH study to reduce bias
Co-director of WISELI and director of the UW Center for Women's Health Research Molly Carnes offers insight on an effort to reduce bias in NIH grant reviews by using anonymized proposals. Read more here.
Amy Barger studies our location in the "celestial bookdocks"
UW-Madison Astronomy Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor, Amy Barger and her student, Ben Hoscheit, presented their findings about the Milky Way's location in the celestial void. Read more here.
Katherine McMahon, Daniel Noguera publish on promise of bacteria
Katherine McMahon and Daniel Noguera, Civil and Environmental Engineering professors at UW-Madison, study the role of anammox bacteria in as a cost saver in wastewater treatment systems. Read more here.
Adena Rissman studies private-land conservation
Associate Professor of Forest & Wildlife Ecology Adena Rissman have found that private-land conservation data is sometimes inaccessible, making it difficult or impossible to advance planning, monitoring and evaluation. Read more here.
Kathleen Antony and Dawn Dudley study Zika virus
In a study published in PLOS Pathogens, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Kathleen Antony and pathology research scientist Dawn Dudley are among a team of scientists showing that the Zika virus poses a wider threat in human pregnancies than generally appreciated. Read more here.
Rose Graves studies cultural value of natural world
Recent PhD Rose Graves investigates which aspects of the souther Appalachians outside of Asheville, NC appeal most to nature enthusiasts, and the answers are sometimes surprising. Read more here.
Larissa Duncan improves birth experiences
Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies Larissa Duncan recently published a study showing how mindfulness-focused childbirth education leads to less depression, better birth experiences. Read more here.
Ophelia Venturelli wins Shaw Scientist award
The award allows Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Ophelia Venturelli to pursue innovative approaches to advancing human health while supporting her career development. Read more here.
Andrea Hicks examines environmental impact of silver
Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering Andrea Hicks has conducted a study to determine the environmental impact of nanosilver-lined hospital gowns vs. disposable gowns. Read more here.
Jing Li accelerates AI learning
Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering Jing Li has developed a method that will enable artificial intelligence applications to learn faster, with less energy. Read more here.
Denise Ney and Bridget Stroup study bone health in PKU patients
Professor of Nutritional Science Denise Ney, and graduate student Bridget Stroup have found that certain kinds of foods prescribed to manage the rare metabolic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) could contribute to skeletal fragility seen in many PKU patients. Read more here.
Christina Kendziorski and Rhonda Bacher develop new algorithm for genetic analysis
Christina Kendziorski, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics & Medical Informatics and her graduate student Rhonda Bacher have developed an algorithm that normalizes single-cell RNA sequenced data. The algorithm ensures accurate analysis and has led to insights into embryonic development, cancer, and neural diversity. Read more here.
Heidi Brown reduces incontinence in women
Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Heidi Brown is testing an educational program to reduce or prevent incontinence in women in southern and central Wisconsin. Read more here.
Jeanette Roberts leads new Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education
Former Dean of Pharmacy Jeanette Roberts will lead the new Center, which aims to improve core competencies in interprofessional health education, in order to enhance interprofessional communication and overcome causes of communication failure among physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. Read more here.
Meloney Linder wins Internet2 Gender Diversity Award
Associate Dean for communications, facilities and technology at the School of Business Meloney Linder was presented with the award at the Internet2 Global Summit in April. Read more here.
Science Careers features WISELI research by Jennifer Sheridan
A recent feature in Science Careers discusses findings from a research article recently published by Jennifer Sheridan, PhD, Research and Executive Director of WISELI. Read more here.
Tracey Holloway studies air pollution increase attributable to air conditioning
Professor of Environmental Studies Tracey Holloway, along with graduate student David Abel, published the study showing how emissions associated with air conditioning increase 3-4 percent for every degree Celsius rise in temperature. Read more here.
Laurel Goodwin documents longest earthquake record
Professor of Geoscience Laurel Goodwin and postdoctoral researcher Randy Williams published used radioactive elements trapped in crystallized, cream-colored “veins” in New Mexican rock, to illuminate a record of earthquakes along the Loma Blanca fault in the Rio Grande rift. Read more here.
Janet Hyde published meta-analysis on gender differences in depression
Professor of Psychology Janet Hyde found that the gender gap in rates of depression between men and women begin as early as age 12, with girls/women experiencing depression at twice the rate of men. Read more here.
Karen Oberhauser named new Arboretum director
Butterfly expert Karen Oberhauser was recruited from the University of Minnesota, and will begin her new position on October 1. Read more here.
Jeanette Roberts leads new Center
After stepping down as Dean of the School of Pharmacy and completing a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation health policy fellowship, Jeanette Roberts, PhD, MPH, is taking on a new role as director of the Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education (CIPE) which will promote greater collaboration and communication between medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. Read more here.
Marsha Mailick investigates interaction of genes and stress
Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education and professor of Social Work Marsha Mailick recently published a study investigating how the interaction of genetics, and high-stress situations (specifically, parenting a special-needs child) may influence health outcomes in later life. Read more here.
Laura Hernandez explores milk production in cows and humans
Assistant Professor of Dairy Science Laura Hernandez's research on lactation, and her career journey, is highlighted in the CALS Magazine for the Life Sciences. Read more here.
Melissa Skala wins Stand Up to Cancer grant
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Morgridge Institute researcher Melissa Skala produced a winning proposal aimed at undermining the metabolism of cancer cells. Read more on this unique award here.
Eve Fine receives WAA Award for Excellence in Leadership at the College, School or Larger University Community Level
WISELI's Director of Curriculum Design and Implementation Eve Fine received the award to recognize her work educating faculty hiring committees about bias, and department chairs about climate. Read more here.
Ahna Skop launches STEM Diversity Network
Associate Professor of Genetics Ahna Skop created the network network with two undergraduate interns to promote the recruitment, retention and success of diverse university members studying and working in STEM fields. Access the network here. To learn more, click here.
Hilary Dugan publishes study on effects of road salt
Postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Limnology Hilary Dugan and her co-authors have published a study demonstrating that road salt is causing the undergone long-term salinization of freshwater lakes over the last 10-to-70 years. Read more here.
Susan Carpenter receives Martha Casey Award for Dedication to Excellence
Susan Carpenter, an outreach specialist at the UW Arboretum, is an unsung hero as curator of the Arboretum's native plant garden. Read more here.
Melanie Boly publishes on epilepsy and sleep
Melanie Boly, MD, PhD, Resident in Neurology, and her colleagues have published an article in the journal Brain demonstrating that patients with epilepsy have abnormal sleep patterns that can interfere with cognitive functioning. Read more here.
Tamara Scerpella receives award
Tamara Scerpella, MD, Professor of Orthopedics & Rehabilitation and Chair, Sports Medicine, is one of the few female professors of orthopedic surgery in the nation. Her research, publications, and leadership were recently recognized at the annual meeting of the American Medical Women's Association where she received its Woman in Science Award. Read more here.
Nicole Werner studies caregivers of dementia patients
Assistant Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering Nicole Werner recently published a study of barriers faced by family caregivers of dementia patients. Read more here.
Molly Carnes and Christine Pribbenow honored with national award for "Fair Play" game
Professor of Medicine and WISELI co-Director Molly Carnes, LEAD Center Director and WISELI's Director of Evaluation Christine Pribbenow were awarded the 2017 Adolphus Toliver Award for their collaborative work on “Fair Play,” a videogame that teaches about unconscious race bias. Read more here.
Heather White develops milk test for cow ketosis
Assistant Professor of Dairy Science Heather White's device can help detect ketosis in cows early, saving money on blood tests and treatment. Read more here.
Five STEMM women recognized with Kellett Mid-Career Awards
Five of the eleven Kellett awards were awarded to STEMM women at UW-Madison. Martha Alibali (Psychology), Amy Barger (Astronomy), Kathy Cramer (Political Science), Lauren Riters (Zoology), and Susan Thibeault (Surgery) received the honor. Read more here.
Women faculty in math highlighted
UW-Madison's math department, with nine current women faculty members, is among the most gender-diverse in the country. Read more here.
WISELI releases results of 2016 faculty climate results
The results for tenured and tenure-track faculty from the 2016 Study of Faculty Worklife have been released. A short summary is available here, and full results can be found on the study website.
Dr. Anne Massey, formerly of Indiana University in Bloomington, will be the new Dean of the School of Business. Read more here.
Karen Strier investigating yellow fever in Brazil's brown howler monkeys
Professor of Anthropology Karen Strier is studying the fast spread of yellow fever in the howler monkey population in southeastern Brazil, to uncover how the disease is spreading so widely and quickly. Read more here.
Sigan Hartley publishes study on parents of children with autism
Associate Professor of Human Development & Family Studies Sigan Hartley and colleagues look at the daily experiences of these parents to provide a more detailed picture of the strengths and vulnerabilities of couples raising a child with ASD. Read more here.
Melissa Motew studies phosphorus runoff into Wisconsin's lakes and rivers
PhD candidate in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Melissa Motew is the lead author on a study of built-up phosphorus in Wisconsin soils, and its effects on Wisconsin's waters. Read more here.
Three awarded Romnes
Three of the eleven Romnes Faculty Fellowships for 2017 were awarded to women STEM faculty. Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Jennifer Reed, Associate Professor of Bacteriology Jue (Jade) Wang, and Associate Professor of Cell and Regenerative Biology and Oncology Beth Weaver earned the honor. Read more here.
Kimberly Palladino studies dark matter
Assistant Professor of Physics Kimberly Palladino is part of a team of more than 200 researchers from 38 institutions in five countries working on the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter experiment in Lead, South Dakota. Read more here.
Karen Schloss studies color preferences
Assistant Professor of Psychology Karen Schloss's forthcoming paper in Cognitive Science explores seasonal color preferences, and what might drive them. Read more here.
Jane Collins, Paula Niedenthal, and Aili Mari Tripp awarded WARF Professorships
Professor of Professor of Community and Environmental Sociology Jane Collins, Professor of Psychology Paula Niedenthal, and Professor of Political Science Aili Mari Tripp are three of the 10 new WARF Professors for 2017. Read more here.
Denise Thomas is a 2016 Outstanding Woman of Color
Denise Thomas, financial specialist for the Wisconsin Alliance for Minority Participation (WiscAMP), has been selected as one of six UW-Madison Outstanding Women of Color. In addition to her work with WiscAMP, Denise is the coordinator of Title VII American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) in the Madison Metropolitan School District. Read more here.
Christy Lowney and Kathy Miner use citizen reports to track Arboretum changes
Arboretum Ranger Christy Lowney and Arboretum naturalist Kathy Miner use "folk phenology" to track signs of spring in the Arboretum. Read more here.
Darcie Moore awarded 2017 Sloan Fellowship
Assistant professor of Neuroscience Darcie Moore studies aging neural stem cells, revealing how they lose their ability to produce healthy daughter cells as they age. Dr. Moore is one of 126 US and Canadian researchers to receive the $60,000 in research funding from the Sloan Foundation. Read more here.
Christina Kendziorski identifies genetic markers for relapse of ovarian cancer
Christina Kendziorski, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, and her colleagues in the Kendziorski lab have identified a set of six genes whose expression corresponds with an increased risk of recurrence of ovarian cancer. Providing more aggressive treatment for women with this set of six genetic traits improves their survival. Read more here.
Corinne Voils publishes on succesful intervention to maintain weight loss
Corrine Voils, PhD, Visiting Professor in the Department of Surgery and a research scientist at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veteran's Hospital has published a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine showing that an intervention consisting of a series of telephone calls focussed on teaching patients skills for maintain weight loss helped reduce weight gain over the course of a year in comparison to a control group. Read more here.
Amy Kind helps Medicare and Medicaid reach out to patients with diabetes
With funding from the NIH, Amy Kind, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Geriatrics, has updated her previously published Area Deprivation Index (ADI) to include every neighborhood in the United States. The ADI ranks neighborhoods by socioeconomic disadvantage and allows programs, such as the Everyone with Diabetes Counts program, to identify communities with medically underserved seniors and provide them with diabetes education programs. Read more here.
Tracey Holloway brings satellites to users
Professor of Environmental Studies Tracey Holloway leads a group of 13 researchers drawn together as NASA's Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST) who are trying to step outside their community of atmospheric scientists and satellite experts to provide space-based tools to relative laypeople. Read more here.
Brenda Gray to Lead Wisconsin Area Health Education Center
Brenda Gray, PhD, former director of the Milwaukee regional office of the Wisconsin Area Health Education Center, will become the statewide director. Nancy Sugden, who served as the statewide director for the past 17 years has retired. Read more here.
Cynthia Haq reports on progress of the TRIUMPH Program
The TRIUMPH Program aims to recruit and train physicians to practice in underserved communities in urban areas. Cynthia Haq, MD, Professor (CHS) of Family Medicine and Community Health recently published a report in the Wisconsin Medical Journal on the program's success. All 50 medical students who graduated through this program went on to residency programs emphasizing service to people in urban, low-income communities. Seven of the twelve participants who have completed residencies will practice in urban areas, including Milwaukee, where at least 50% of the population live in poverty. Read more here.
Natalie Callander launches new study of a personalized vaccine
Natalie Callander, MD, Associate Professor (CHS) of Hematology/Oncology, will launch a clinical trial to test a new customized vaccine created from a patient's own tumor and immune cells. The goal is to use this personalized vaccine to prevent relapse of multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that can be treated, but not cured. Read more here.
Jo Handelsman articulates vision for WID
Dr. Jo Handelsman began her position as Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery on February 1st. She describes her vision for the future of WID here.
Chiara Cirelli publishes research on brain development during sleep
Chiara Cirelli, MD, PhD, and Giulio Tononi, MD, PhD, both Professors of Psychiatry, have published research in Science that relies on electron microscope pictures from the brains of mice as evidence for their theory that neural synapsis which grow due to stimulation when we are awake, shrink while we sleep, allowing for more growth, learning and memory when they are activated the following day. Read more here.
Laurel Rice publishes research on health care disparities for minority women
Laurel Rice, MD, Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has published research in Obstetrics and Gynecology demonstrating that treatment for white women with advanced cervical cancer met national standards 58% of the time, while care for Hispanic and black women met national standards 51.5% and 53% of the time, respectively. Read more here.
Margaret "Gretchen" Schwarze publishes new method of doctor patient communication
Margaret Schwarze, MD, MPP, Associate Professor of Surgery, together with several colleagues, has published research in JAMA Surgery on the benefits of a new model of communication, the "Best Case/Worst Case" model, to help patients and their families make decisions about surgical and non-surgical treatment options. Read more here.
Autumn Sabo studies the indirect effects of deer on eastern North American forest landscapes
The lead author of a study published in the Journal of Ecology, graduate student in Wisconsin Ecology Autumn Sabo shows that damage to forest floor vegetation is primarily caused by the deer eating young trees, rather than the vegetation itself. Read more here.
Chiara Cirelli offers a direct visual proof of the "synaptic homeostasis hypothesis"
Professor of Psychiatry Chiara Cirelli and colleague Giulio Tononi published their four-year study of synapse size changes in wake and sleep in the prestigious journal Science. Read more here.
Lyric Bartholomay and Susan Paskewitz awarded $10 million to study vector borne diseases
Associate Professor of Pathobiological Sciences Lyric Bartholomay, and Professor of Entomology Susan Paskewitz are leading a $10 million consortium of Midwestern universities to establish a new research and training program to stem the spread of disease carried by vectors like ticks and mosquitoes. Read more here.
Rozalyn Anderson and Ricki Colman refine studies of calorie restriction and longevity
Combining data with a team from the National Institute on Aging, Assistant Professor of Medicine Rozalyn Anderson and Senior Scientist at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center Ricki Colman show that restricting calories does indeed help rhesus monkeys live longer, healthier lives. Read more here.
Christie Bartels and Heidi Brown receive grants to address public health issues
Christie Bartels, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Medicine-Rheumatology, and Heidi Brown, MD, Assistant Professor (CHS) of Gynecology are recipients of grants the UW School of Medicine and Public Health's Wisconsin Partnership Program provides to early-career investigators. Bartels will study healthcare disparities in lupus, and Brown will study the effectiveness of a non-medical, non-surgical intervention to improve bladder and/or bowel incontinence in older women. A third recipient, Mathhew Merrins, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Biomolecular Chemistry will conduct research on reprogramming insulin producing pancreatic beta cells as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Read more here.
Angela Gibson's Career Path Profiled
Angela Gibson, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, conducts research on epitheleal regeneration in burn injuries. She is interviewed here about the role an infamous Madison bus fire played in her decision to pursue a career change from burn-unit nurse to surgeon and researcher.
Po-Ling Loh applies abstract math to real-world situations
Assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Po-Ling Loh tackles complex problems like medical imaging or modeling how diseases spread using complex theoretical mathematics. Read more here.
Caitlin Pepperell provides a molecular portrait of a fatal infection in the 13th century
Assistant Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immununology Caitlin Pepperell and a colleague at McMaster University have uncovered ancient DNA from a 13th century skeleton to reconstruct the bacteria that killed her. Read more here.
News – 2016
Julie Chang reports encouraging results for lymphoma treatment
Julie Chang, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine–Hematology and Oncology, presented results of treatment for mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), a rare form of lymphoma, at the American Society of Hematology conference. Her results, a follow-up to a previous study, show that half of all patients in the original clinical trial are still in remission after eight years.
Anna Scheibengraber places second in engineering contest
Anna Scheibengraber is a fifth-year senior studying mechanical engineering. To win the prize, sponsored by PepsiCo and the Society of Women Engineers, she engineered a device and controls package to monitor performance of fountain machines to reduce costs and emissions. Read more here.
Pupa Gilbert uses seashell nacre to record ocean temperatures
Professor of Physics Pupa Gilbert published a study showing that the physical attributes of nacre in modern and fossil shells provide an accurate record of temperature as the material is formed, layer upon layer, in a mollusk. This provides scientists with a new and potentially more accurate method of measuring ancient ocean temperatures. Read more here.
Asuka Eguchi develops novel strategy to reprogram cells
Asuka Eguchi is a Research Associate in Professor Aseem Ansari’s lab in the UW–Madison Department of Biochemistry. She is first author of the study in PNAS outlining the new procedure, which could help speed research and bring the technology to the clinic faster. Read more here.
Margaret Mooney brings GOES-R weather satellite into classrooms
Senior Outreach Specialist at the Space Science & Engineering Center Margaret Mooney leads the GOES-R Education Proving Ground, which brings information about the GOES-R weather sattelite to K-12 classroom teachers. Read more here.
Monica Turner studies lake water clarity
Professor of Zoology Monica Turner has co-led a study showing that reducing the amount of agricultural land immediately surrounding Wisconsin’s waterways could improve water clarity by limiting nutrient runoff. Read more here.
Jo Handelsman named new WID Director
Yale University professor and the associate director for science in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Jo Handelsman has been selected to lead the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery. She begins the position on February 1, 2017. We welcome our WISELI co-founder back to campus! Read more here.
Hilary Miller enhances children's spatial skills
PhD candidate in child development Hilary Miller is targeting ways to enhance spatial skills at an early age in children, improving math skills and ultimately interest in STEMM careers. Read more here.
Xuehua Zhong studies plant aging
Assistant professor of Genetics Xuehua Zhong's work uncovers the mechanism behind how plants age, which may help scientists better understand crop yields, nutrient allocation, and even the timing and duration of fall leaf color. Read more here.
Barbara King and Linsey Steege study the benefits of walking during hospitalization
Assistant Professors of Nursing Barbara King and Linsey Steege have worked together to demonstrate that when nurses promote walking and movement during patients' hospital stays, it improves patients' health and experiences. Read more here.
Hannah Carey, Ann Palmenberg, and Snezana Stanimirovic elected AAAS Fellows
These senior faculty members were among the five from UW-Madison to receive this prestigious honor. Read more here.
Ann Haase Kehl retires
Ann Haase Kehl was the program coordinator for the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) residential learning community at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her retirement leaves some big shoes to fill! Read more here.
Darcie Moore received major research award
Darcie Moore, PhD, Asst. Professor of Neuroscience received the Gruber International Research Award from the Society of Neuroscience. The $25,000 award recognizes and supports Moore's research on the mechanisms behind decreasing regeneration of neurons in aging adults. Read more here.
Jing Li creates computer chips with 'liquid silicon'
Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering Jing Li is creating computer chips that can be configured to perform complex calculations and store massive amounts of information within the same integrated unit — and communicate efficiently with other chips. She calls them “liquid silicon.” Read more here.
Julie Dawson works with Seed to Kitchen Initiative
Assistant Professor of Horticulture Julie Dawson works with local chefs to produce the best-tasting vegetables with high yield. View the video explaining this work here.
Susan Thibeault and colleagues publish research on microbes in the larynx of smokers
A team of researchers led by Susan Thibeault, PhD, Professor of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, has published research in Scientific Reports demonstrating that compared to non-smokers, cigarette smokers had less diverse bacterial communities in their larynxes and greater quantities of Streptococcus bacteria which cause lesions in vocal folds, pneumonia, respiratory infections and ear infections. Marie Jette, the lead author of the study, received her PhD from the UW-Madison Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders and is now a postdoc at the University of Colorado Dept. of Otolaryngolgy
Jennifer Smilowitz wins teaching award
Jennifer Smilowitz wins teaching award
Alliant Energy honored Jennifer Smilowitz, PhD, Clinical Associate Professor of Medical Physics, with its Underkofler Excellence in teaching award. Smilowitz developed the first lab-based course on the physics of radiotherapy treatment and has taught this course to graduate students, medical residents and veterinary residents for 10 year. Read more about Smilowitz's teaching projects here.
Guelay Bilen-Rosas wins WARF Innovation Award
Guelay Bilen-Rosas, MD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology has received a $10,000 innovation award from WARF to help market her invention, a small wireless device that uses ultrasound to monitor a sedated patient's breathing and thus prevent serious and life-threatening complications of anesthesia. Humberto (Tito) Rosas, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology and husband of Bilen-Rosas, collaborated on the invention. Read more here.
Morgan Price works to make driving safer
Doctoral student in Industrial & Systems Engineering Morgan Price studies ways to avoid accidents and improve vehicle safety. Read more here.
Monica Turner studies bark beetle outbreaks
Professor of Zoology Monica Turner and colleagues explored whether wildfires make a forest more susceptible to future bark beetle outbreaks. It turns out they do not, as reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read more here.
Jo Handelsman finalist for WID Director
Former WISELI co-Director and current Associate Director for Science - White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, and Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University Jo Handelsman will be on campus Thursday, November 3 to deliver her public presentation outlining her vision for WID. Read more here.
Caprice Greenberg presents findings on followup care for breast cancer patients
Caprice Greenberg, MD, MPH, Professor of Surgery, presented research showing that 30% of women treated for breast cancer do not receive recommended surveillance breast imaging following treatment. Factors associated with not receiving surveillance imaging are younger age, black race, public or no insurance, worse health, more advanced cancer, and surgical treatment unaccompanied by radiation therapy. Read more here.
Dean Paul Peercy dies
College of Engineering Dean Paul Peercy was an enthusiastic supporter of WISELI, providing an administrative home for a new center with new ideas for tackling gender equity in STEM. We are grateful for all he did to support and encourage us. Dean Peercy died on October 20 at age 75. Read more here.
Catherine Reidy Liermann studies freshwater fish
Postdoctoral scholar Catherine Reidy Liermann and colleagues have documented a big dependence on freshwater fish for global food security. Read more here.
Kelli Pointer publishes research on new biomarker for fatal brain cancer
Dr. Kelli Pointer, an MD/PhD student in the Cellular and Molecular Biology program, is the lead author of a study published in Clinical Cancer Research showing that among patients with highly fatal brain cancer, glioblastoma (GBM), those with rapidly growing tumors had higher levels of a particular gene (hERG) and that treatment with drugs that block the gene's action led to better survival. Read more here.
Tracey Holloway makes sense of satellite data
Professor of Environmental Studies Tracey Holloway is analyzing an unheralded amount of data, measuring air pollution, pollen, smoke and much more. Read more here.
Andrea Hicks discusses lighting technologies and energy savings
Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering Andrea Hicks spoke on Wisconsin Public Radio. Listen to the podcast here.
Laura Albert McLay investigates presidential prediction modeling
Associate Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering Laura Albert McLay discusses the pros and cons of different ways to predict elections. Read more here.
Stephanie Adams spoke at Women in Engineering Celebration
Dr. Stephanie Adams, Dean of Engineering at Old Dominion University’s Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology, spoke at the largest Women in Engineering Celebration every held at the College of Engineering. Dr. Adams is an alumna of the CoE's Summer Engineering Program. Read more here.
Pavana Prabhakar maintains the integrity of structural materials
New assistant professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering Pavana Prabhakar works with a variety of hybrid materials and novel manufacturing technologies to improve their load-bearing abilities by developing relevant simulation and computational tools. Read more here.
Lisa Martin selected as Graduate School associate dean
Professor of Political Science Lisa Martin will focus on the graduate student experience and on the allocation of resources supporting graduate education in her new leardership role. Read more here.
Galen McKinley explains the ‘terrifying’ trends of climate change
Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Galen McKinley spoke with the Nelson Institute news about why the Earth is warming so fast, what research can be and is being done to adapt to and mitigate climate change, and opportunities for hope. Read more here.
Guelay Bilen-Rosas a WARF Innovation Award winner
Assistant Professor (CHS) of pediatric anesthesiology Guelay Bilen-Rosas, along with spouse Humberto Rosas (Radiology), received the honor for their work developing a non-invasive ultrasound monitor that can attach to the neck of a sedated patient and ensure that he or she is breathing properly. Read more here.
Carey Gleason wins grant to study Alzheimer's disease in the African American community
Carey Gleason, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, has received a five-year, $3.8 million grant to study modifiable risk factors associated with Alzhemer's disease in African Americans. The grant is one of several grants awarded to the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Reasearch Center. Read more here.
Cindy Carlsson is named the Louis A. Holland, Sr. Professor of Alzheimer's Disease
Cindy Carlsson, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Geriatrics, is the first recipient of the Louis A. Holland, Sr. Professorship in Alzheimer's Disease. The professorship is funded by the Louis A. Holland, Jr. family in honor of Louis Holland, Sr. Louis Holland, Sr. was a star UW-Madison football player in the 1960s and went on to become a nationally recognized financial analyst based in Chicago. Read more here.
Susan Carpenter promotes bumblebee conservation
The Arboretum’s native plant gardener and bumblebee expert Susan Carpenter is studying the rusty-patched bumblebee in order to preserve it and other wild pollinator populations. Read more here.
Jue "Jade" Wang named HHMI Faculty Scholar
Associate Professor of Bacteriology Jue "Jade" Wang receives research funding for herself and her laboratory each year for the next five years as a result of the coveted award, so she may further her research studying the physical conflicts between the machinery in bacterial cells responsible for making copies of DNA and the machinery responsible for creating RNA from DNA. Read more here.
Jenny Gumperz and colleagues publish finding on T cells
Jenny Gumperz, PhD, Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and a team including 11 other scientists have published research illustrating how T (iNKT) cells act to protect against microbial pathogens. The article, published in Cell Reports is available here.
Vicki Bier earns highest honor in the field of decision analysis
Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering Vicki Bier has been awarded the 2016 Frank P. Ramsey Medal from INFORMS Decision Analysis Society (DAS). The award is the highest honor in the field of decision analysis, with only one person winning each year. The award recognizes Bier’s ability to bridge decision analysis and risk analysis, her analytical mind and practical mindset, and her rigorous answers to problems of great societal importance and impact, such as counterterrorism and nuclear safety. Read more here.
Melissa Harrison receives $250,000 award
Melissa Harrison, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Chemistry is one of four recipiets of the Vallee Foundation's Young Investigator Awards. Harrison will use the award to study molecular mechanisms involved in changes in the embryonic genome. Read more here.
Ophelia Venturelli focuses on microbes
New assistant professor of Biochemistry Ophelia Venturelli is interested in the functions of microbial communities and how mathematical models can be used to predict those functions. Read more here.
Monica Turner examines forest resilience in the face of fires
Professor of Zoology Monica Turner is working with a colleague at the University of Saskatchewan to outline a framework to help scientists better test, understand and predict when forests are resilient enough to recover from fires or when a combination of conditions could tip the scales, drastically altering forest landscapes. Read more here. See also her work on Asian jumping worms here
Padma Gopalan co-leads team that creates carbon nanotube transistors that outperform silicon
Professor of Materials Science & Engineering Padma Gopalan and colleague Michael Arnold co-led the team whose carbon nanotube transistors achieved current that is 1.9 times higher than silicon transistors. The researchers reported their advance in the journal Science Advances. Read more here.
Traci Snedden studies concussions in young athletes
Traci Snedden, a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Nursing, is co-leading a longitudinal study of 200 Madison-area high school athletes and their parents to explore the effects of concussion on learning and school performance. Read more here.
Tracey Holloway to lead NASA health and air quality initiative
Professor Tracey Holloway of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies will lead to lead the multi-institutional effort to help make environmental satellite data more accessible and useful. Read more here.
Ewa Bomba-Warczak publishes on botulinum toxins
Neuroscience doctoral candidate Ewa Bomba-Warczak is first-author on a paper in Cell Reports showing that botulinum toxin may travel further than expected in nerve cells. Read more here.
Barbara Bendlin presents research on Alzheimer's disease
Barbara Bendlin, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine-Geriatrics, and her colleagues presented research from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention (WRAP) study at the the 2016 Alzheimer's Association International Conference. Their research suggests that addressing lifestyle factors such as stress and poor sleep may be preventive especially in people with a family history or genetic risk of Alzheimer's. Read more here.
Aleksandra Zgiersaka receives major research grant
Aleksandra Zgiersaka, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, has received an award of $8.5 million from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to compare the effectiveness of mindful meditation and cognitive behavior therapy in patients using opioids to treat chronic back pain. Read more here.
Maureen Smith receives research award
Maureen Smith, MD, MPH, PhD, Professor of Population Health Sciences, has received an award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to study case management programs, identify the most important parts of case managment, and assess their effectiveness particular for older patients with chronic conditions. Read more here.
Aparna Lakkaraju publishes on macular degeneration
Aparna Lakkaraju, PhD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has published an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that describes research on potential treatments for slowing down or preventing macular degeneration. Read more here.
Elizabeth Burnside receives UW2020 award from WARF
Elizabeth Burnside, MD, MPH, MS, Professor of Radiology, is one of several recipients of the UW2020 Round 2 WARF Discovery Initiative Awards. Along with her collaborators, Burnside will use the award to fund a research on "Translating novel breast cancer genetic markers from the bench to the clinic." Read more here.
Laura Hernandez finds connection between seratonin and calcium in dairy cows
Assistant Professor of Dairy Science Laura Hernandez published her findings in the Journal of Endocrinology, demonstrating that increased serotonin levels lead to increased calcium levels, albeit in different places in different dairy cow breeds. Read more here.
Ellen Zweibel wins 2016 Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics
Professor and Chair of Astronomy Ellen Zweibel's prize recognizes her for "seminal research on the energetics, stability and dynamics of astrophysical plasmas, including those related to stars and galaxies, and for leadership in linking plasma and other astrophysical phenomena." Read more here.
Aparna Lakkaraju's reserach could slow or prevent macular degeneration
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Aparna Lakkaraju pinpoints how immune abnormalities beneath the retina result in macular degeneration, a common condition that often causes blindness. Read more here.
Mara McDonald, passionate scientist and teacher, dies at 68
Dr. Mara McDonald (Zoology) was a longtime assistant administrator in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Laboratory of Genetics and J.F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution. She was passionate about people, for birds, for education, for conservation and more. Read more here.
Susan Pitt receives Carbone's Young Investigator Award
Susan Pitt, MD, MPHS, Assistant Professor of Surgery, is the 2016 recipient of the UW Carbone Cancer Center's Young Investigator Award. A specialist in endocrine surgery and thyroid cancer, she will use the award to study why physicians often overtreat thyroid microcancers which are typically not harmful.
Ann Palmenberg solves structure of cold virus linked to childhood asthma
Professor of biochemistry Ann Palmenberg, with a colleague from Purdue University, has solved the atomic structure of rhinovirus C, a leading contributor to childhood asthma. Read more here.
Denise Ney creates new foods for PKU patients from whey
Professor of Nutritional Science Denise Ney's finding could help such patients lead healthier lives as well as save on costs associated with their special diet. Read more here.
Jennifer Lochner publishes study on changes in physician compensation
Jennifer Lochner, MD, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, has published a study showing that changes to compensation plans for clinical faculty that emphasized quality, measure by patient satisfaction and value, rather than measuring only the number of patients seen, increased physician satisfaction with compensation plans. Read more here.
Shannon Kenney, Jenny Gumperz publish research on the Epstein-Barr virus
Shannon Kenney MD, Professor of Oncology, and her research on the role of viruses, particularly the Epstein-Barr virus, in causing cancer are profiled in this article announcing that UW-Madison, a leader in the field, will host the annual International Herpesvirus Workshop in late July. Kenney's recent publication, co-authored with members of her research team and Jenny Gumperz, PhD, Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunolgy, is described as an example of UW-Madison's leading research in the area. The paper examines the potential of immunotherapy for lymphomas caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.
JoAnne Robbins founds Swallow Solutions
Professor Emerita of Medicine JoAnne Robbins formed Swallow Solutions, licensing three of her patents from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, including the SwallowSTRONG system. Read more here.
Sissel Schroeder hosts public at Aztalan dig site
Professor of Anthropology Sissel Schroeder hosts public archaeology day at the site, with funding from a Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment grant. Read more here.
Chorom Pak's company takes the life science prize at the Governor’s Business Plan Contest
Lynx Biosciences, a business founded by Dept. of Oncology PhD Chorom Pak, aims to refine treatment decisions for multiple myeloma. Her business took the life science prize at the Governor’s Business Plan Contest during the 14th annual Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference in Madison. Read more here.
Cynthia Haq wins award
Cynthia Haq, MD, Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, has received the American Academy of Family Physicians 2016 Exemplary Teaching Award in recognition of her innovative teaching in the areas of community and global health. The Training in Urban Medicine and Public Health (TRIUMPH) program is a prime example of her efforts. Read more here.
Patricia Keely's lab develops new imaging technique to identify cell types in breast tumors
Patricia Keely, PhD, Professor and Chair of Cell and Regenerative Biology, and her team have developed a new technique, multi-photon flourescence microscopy, to identify cell types present in breast tumors. Read more here.
Terri Young publishes research on genetic mutations causing glaucoma
Terri Young, MD, MBA, Professor and Chair of Opthalmology and Visual Sciences, and her research team have published a paper in the Journal of Clinical Investigation demonstrating that mutations in the TEK gene can led to glaucoma. Read more here.
Trina McMahon conducts MOOC on Evidence-Based STEM Teaching
Trina McMahon, PhD, Professor of Bacteriology and of Civil & Environmental Engineering is one of four faculty leading a massive open online course (MOOC) to help STEM instructors become more effective teachers. Read more here and here.
Patricia Brennan appointed Director of the National Library of Medicine
Patricia Brennan, RN, PhD, Professor of Nursing and Industrial and Systems Engineering will become the next director of the National Library of Medicine. Read more here.
Four women receive Romnes Faculty Fellowships
The following four women are among the twelve recipients of Romnes Awards which provide a $50,000 research award to exceptional faculty who earned tenure during the last six years: Audrey Gasch, PhD, Genetics; Kristyn Masters, PhD, Biomedical Engineering; Marzena Rostek, PhD, Economics; and Wei Xu, PhD, Oncology.
Laura Hernandez and Heather White receive major grants to study cow health
Assistant Professor of Dairy Science Laura Hernandez is investigating ways to alleviate dangerously low levels of calcium in dairy cattle around the time they give birth. Assistant Professor of Dairy Science Heather White explores the role of hepatic metabolism in the development of a fatty liver in cows. Read more here.
Barbara Bendlin to lead major Alzheimer's Study
Barbara Bendline, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, will collaborate as co-PI with Shi-Jiang Li, PhD, Professor of Biophysics, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconson, on a four-year, $5.5 million NIH grant to study Alzheimer's disease. Read more here.
Mary Halloran, Jenny Saffran receive Kellett Mid-Career Awards
Professor of Zoology Mary Halloran and Professor of Psychology Jenny Saffran are two of the ten outstanding faculty members who are seven to 20 years past their first promotion to a tenured position to receive the award. Read more here.
Joy Zedler to receive the Town of Dunn's Stewardship Award
Aldo Leopold Chair of Restoration Ecology Joy Zedler is receiving the award for her extensive wetland research. Read more here.
Linda Scott selected as Dean of Nursing
Dr. Linda Scott will begin her position as the new Dean of the School of Nursing on July 15. Read more here.
Katie Brenner co-founds BluDiagnostics
Postdoctoral fellow in Biochemistry Katie Brenner has co-founded a startup called BluDiagnostics, marketing the first saliva-based method for measuring progesterone and estrogen. Read more here.
Xinyu Zhao makes progress in reversing fragile-X syndrome
Professor of Neuroscience and Waisman Center Investigator Xinyu Zhao has used an experimental drug to reverse - in mice - damage from the mutation that causes fragile-X syndrome. Read more here.
Sharon Thoma, Mary Ann Croft win Academic Staff awards
Faculty Associate in Zoology Sharon Thoma was awarded the Chancellor’s Hilldale Award for Excellence in Teaching, while Distinguished Researcher in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Mary Ann Croft is the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research. Read more here.
Sarah Paige creates Ebola Survivor Corps
Assistant scientist and grant writer at the Global Health Institute Sarah Paige created the Ebola Survivor Corps, to "elevate the status of Ebola survivors, leverage their inherent immunity to the disease and have them be the first responders to care, demystifying the health-seeking process and letting patients and their families know what to expect." Read more here.
Katherine Bowie an "accidental anthropologist"
Professor of Anthropology Katherine Bowie's research focuses on Thailand, exploring Thai peasant history, political economy, social movements, electoral politics, gender and Theravada Buddhism. Read more here.
Patti Brennan promotes the Wisconsin Idea in the CAVE
Professor of Nursing and Industrial Engineering Patricia Flatley Brennan uses her Living Environments Lab (the CAVE) to promote science to K-12 groups across the state. Read more here.
Amanda Gevens helps Wisconsin farmers fight potato blight
Associate Professor of Plant Pathology Amanda Gevens administers a tool called Blitecast, a late blight forecasting tool developed in the 1970s, to alert growers when weather conditions are prime for the pathogen to thrive. Read more here.
Sara Hotchkiss teaches new course on Forensic Botany
Associate Professor of Botany Sara Hotchkiss uses her expertise in pollen identification in creating a new course that focuses on science as problem solving. Read more here.
Sarah Pfatteicher named American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Sarah Pfatteicher has been selected as an ACE Fellow for 2016-17. She plans to use the opportunity to work with senior leaders at a yet-to-be-determined host institution to examine shared governance practices in higher education. Read more here.
Thea Whitman studies soil biogeochemistry
Assistant Professor of Soil Science Thea Whitman is a new faculty member who joined the UW-Madison in January. Read more about her here.
Lori DiPrete Brown and Robert Golden honored for advancing the status of women at UW-Madison
Associate Director for Education at the Global Health Institute Lori DiPrete Brown and Dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health Robert Golden have been selected to receive the 2016 Women's Philanthropy Council Champion Awards. Read more here.
Kim Gretebeck helps seniors stay fit
Assistant Professor of Nursing Kim Gretebeck developed an accessible exercise plan tailored to older individuals who want to stay healthy and avoid physical deterioration that could prevent them from living independently. Read more here.
Linnea Burk honored by UW System
Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology, Linnea Burk, has received the UW System Academic Staff Excellence Award for her work directing Psychology Research and Training Clinic at UW-Madison. Read more
Department of Gender and Women's Studies receives UNESCO chair
The UW-Madison department of Gender and Women's Studies (GWS) was awared a UNESCO Chair on Gender, Well-being and a Culture of Peace. With this chair, UW-Madison joins an international, collaborative network focussed on women, well-being, health, and peace. Araceli Alonso, PhD Senior Lecturer in GWS, will hold the chair jointly with Teresa Langle de Paz, co-director of Women's Knowledge International at the Foundation for a Cultural of Peace. Read more here.
Sandra Newbury shows that canine flu can infect cats
Clinical Assistant Professor and director of the Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine Sandra Newbury has confirmed that the virus that sickened a large number of dogs in the Midwest last year has now infected a group of cats in the region. Read more
Dominique Brossard participates in national study of science literacy
Professor of Life Sciences Communication Dominique Brossard is participating on a 12-member National Academy of Sciences (NAS) panel charged with exploring the association between knowledge of science and public perception of and support for science. Read more here.
Susan Thibeault receives NIH R01 grant
Susan Thibeault, PhD, CCC-SLP, Professor of Surgery and Director of the UW Voice and Swallow Clinics, has received an NIH RO1 grant of approximately $2.75 million to study treatments for voice disorders caused by vocal tissue scarring. Read more here.
Aleksandra Zgierska publishes study in Pain Medicine
Aleksandra Zgierska, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, has published a paper in the journal Pain Medicine demonstrating that mindfulness meditation coupled with cognitive behavioral therapy reduced pain in people with opioid-treated chronic lower back pain. Read more here.
Xinyu Zhao identifies the genetic machinery that causes maturation in a young nerve cell
Professor of Neuroscience Xinyu Zhao says that this discovery is part of an exploratory analysis that may open a new window on understanding complex disorders like autism. Read more here.
Tracy Lewis-Williams makes computer science welcoming to all
Tracy Lewis-Williams, faculty associate in Computer Sciences, directs the WES-CS, a program to recruit a broader cross section of UW students to the field. Read more here.
Laura Kiessling wins Hilldale Award
Laura Kiessling, Laurens Anderson Professor of Biochemistry, H. Emil Fischer Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Steenbock Professor of Chemistry, was recognized for her trailblazing work in studying carbohydrates. Read more here.
Valerie Gilchrist named president-elect of national association
Valerie Gilchrist, MD, Professor and Chair of Family Medicine is the new president-elect of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine. Read more here.
Alana Sterkel and Jenna Lorenzini publish article on fungal infections
Alana Sterkel, PhD, Microbiology Fellow in the Dept. of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Jenna Lorenzini, Graduate Student in Medical Microbiology & Immunology are co-first authors of an article describing how fungi can interfere with the body's typical immune response and identifying a potential effective treatment that disrupts this process. Read more here.
Galen McKinley predicts changes to ocean-carbon sink
Associate Professor of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences Galen McKinley describes the best modeling approach to date for predicting the amount of carbon dioxide the ocean can absorb in a new paper in Nature. Read more here.
Lu Wang receives Sloan Research Fellowship
Assistant Professor of Mathematics Lu Wang has won a prestigious Sloan Research Fellowshiop to pursue her work in geometric analysis and geometric partial differential equations. Read more here.
Alison Brooks receives funding to study concussion in student athletes
Alison Brooks, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Orthopedics, has received fuding from the NCAA-U.S. Department of Defense Grand Alliance program to study concussion and traumatic brain injury in student athletes. Read more here.
Amy Alstad documents changes to Wisconsin's prairies
Amy Alstad, a graduate student in Zoology, has recreated a survey of selected Wisconsin prairies and found that human influence has accelerated the rate of species change in these prairies. Read more here.
Laura McLay promotes operations research field
Assoc. Professor of Industrial and System Engineering Laura McLay was highlighted in the local Cap Times publication. She promotes her field of operations research, as well as discusses issues for women in STEM. Read more here.
Christine Whelan discusses the new Barbie on WISC-TV
Assoc. Faculty Associate of Consumer Science Christine Whelan was interviewed on local station WISC-TV to discuss Mattel's "makeover" of the Barbie doll. View the interview here.
Monica Turner's research shows benefits of grasslands
Eugene P. Odum Professor of Ecology and a Vilas Research Professor Monica Turner and colleagues show that growing perennial grassland biofuel crops has multiple natural benefits, especially for birds. Read more here.
Pelin Cengiz publishes research on brain injury in newborns
Pelin Cengiz, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, and her team have published an article in eNeuro that presents an explanation for why male newborns are more vulunerable to brain injury at birth than are female newborns. Read more here.
Dee Warmath studies concussion attitudes
Assistant Professor of Consumer Science Dee Warmath has received a grant from the NCAA to study the best ways to alter concussion attitudes and behaviors among young athletes. Read more here.
Pelin Cengiz shows protein protects female infants from ICE
Associate Professor of Pediatrics Pelin Cengiz discovered that the presence of a particular protein in the brains of infant girls protect them from brain injuries during birth, compared to boys. These brain injuries result in hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (ICE), and it has long been known that boy infants are more vulnerable. Read more here.
Tellez-Giron wins diversity honor
Associate Professor (CHS) of Family Medicine Patricia Tellez-Giron has been awarded the School of Medicine and Public Health's annual Faculty and Staff Equity and Diversity Award for her promotion of equity and improvement of diversity and climate in the Madison community. Read more here.
Chiara Cirelli published article in Current Biology
Chiara Cirelli, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, and her team have published research findings explaining why our brains remain asleep and disconnected from external surroundings while being active engaged during REM (rapid-eye-movement) sleep while we are dreaming. Read more here.
Brittany Travers helps autistic kids improve motor skills
Assistant Professor of Kinesiology Brittany Travers studies how motor skills are related to autism, and uses the Wii balance board videogame to collect data and improve outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder. Read more here.
Angela Byars-Winston featured in the Chronicle
Angela Byars-Winston, PhD, Assoc. Prof. of Medicine, and her work on increasing the diversity of doctoral recipients with the National Research Mentoring Network is featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Read more here.
Christina Locke coordinates efforts to bolster honeybees
Research Associate Christina Locke is working with Prof. Claudio Gratton and others to produce and implement Wisconsin's "Polinator Protection Plan." Read more here.
Xin Sun publishes PNEC discoveries in Science
Professor of Medical Genetics Xin Sun led a team that has discovered the function of as pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs). Read more about their work here.
Beth Meyerand secures $5M NIH grant to study epilepsy
Professor of Medical Physics and Chair of the Biological Engineering Department Elizabeth Meyerand and colleague Jeffrey Binder will create the Epilepsy Connectome Project, using state-of-the-art noninvasive brain imaging methods to understand how communication between brain areas changes as a result of epilepsy. Read more here.
Tracey Holloway honored by AAAS
Professor of Environmental Studies Tracey Holloway is the winner of a AAAS Public Engagement Fellowship, honoring her work linking air quality, energy and climate. Read more here.
News – 2015
Hannah Carey promotes Biotron
Professor of Comparative Biosciences Hannah Carey directs the Biotron, one of the most flexible and unique research facilities in North America. Read more here.
Amye Tevaarwerk finds many with cancer keep working
Assistant Professor (CHS) of Hematology/Oncology Amye Tevaarwerk's findings were recently published online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Read more here.
Brooke Bateman finds bird habitats changing rapidly
Brooke Bateman, a post-doctoral researcher in the department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, published her findings in Global Change Biology. Read more here.
Jacquelynn Arbuckle to direct UWSMPH Native American Center for Health Professions
Jacquelynn Arbuckle, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery, will serve as the new director of the UWSMPH's Native American Center for Health Professions. Read more here.
Lee Wilke and Caprice Greenberg receive endowed chairs in Surgery
The Department of Surgery's highly successful fund-raising efforts have led to a substantial increase in the number of named chairs and professorships. The newly named chairs include Lee Wilke, MD, FACS, who will hold the Hendricks chair in breast cancer research, and Caprice Greenberg, MD, MPH, who will hold the Morgridge Distinguished Chair in Health Services Research. As previously reported, Drs. Sharon Weber and Carla Pugh are also among the newly endowed chairs and professorships. Read more here.
Emily Stanley studies methane emissions from rivers and streams
Emily Stanley, professor of Zoology and Center for Limnology, has found that rivers and streams emit much more atomosphere-harming methane gas than previously thought. Read more here.
Marsha Mailick joins BioForward board of directors
Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Marsh Mailick joins the board of BioForward, an independent voice of Wisconsin’s bio-health industry. Read more here.
Fair Play videogame addresses racial bias in graduate education
Fair Play is a videogame that explores the bias experienced by a fictional African American graduate student. It was developed by Molly Carnes, Professor of Medicine and is being used in educational workshops for faculty with $1.6M in NIH funding obtained by Christine Pribbenow, Director of the LEAD Center. Read more here.
Wei Xu discovers new compound for treating breast cancer
Wei Xu, PhD, Professor of Oncology, and her lab conduct research on naturally occuring molecules with potential for treating breast cancer by targetting estrogen receptors that promote or inhibit cancer cell growth. She has discovered a conmpound, Diptoindonesin G (Dip G), derived from the bark of some tropical plants, that increases levels of estrogen receptor beta, a protein that inhibits cell growth, without also increasing levels of estrogen receptor alpha, a protein that promotes cell growth. Her research is published in Chemistry & Biology. Read more here.
Economics department participates in the national "Undergraduate Women in Economics" challenge
The UW-Madison Economics Department is working to recruit more women into the major, in concert with national efforts. One outcome is the creation of a new Women in Economics student organization. Sara King, a senior majoring in economics, mathematics and Spanish, is the first president. Read more here.
New Title IX coordinator hired
David Blom has been appointed as UW-Madison's new Title IX coordinator. Read more about him, and the responsibilities of the position, here.
Laura Albert McLay models national college football championship finalists
Associate Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering Laura Albert McLay uses statistical modeling taught in her classrooms to predict the national college football championship selections. Read more here.
Jane Mahoney will lead Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute
Jane Mahoney, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine, an internationally renowned geriatrican has been named Director of the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute. Read more here.
Sharon Weber and Carla Pugh hold named professorships in Surgery
The department of surgery's successful efforts to raise endowments has led to the establishment of 11 new chairs and professorships. Sharon Weber, MD, holds the Tim and Mary Ann McKenzie Professorship in Surgical Oncology which supports her research on cures for pancreatic cancer. Carla Pugh, MD, PhD, holds the Susah Behrens, MD, Class of 1975 Surgery Education Professorship. Read more here.
Caitlin Pepperell studies antibiotic resistance in tuberculosis bacteria
Caitlin Pepperell, Professor of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, published findings in PLoS Pathogens exploring the diversity of tuberculosis bacteria within individual patients in order to understand how the pathogen becomes resistant to antibiotics. Read more here.
Monica Turner's research improves water quality and supply
Publishing her findings in the journal Ecosphere with her colleague Jiangxiao Qiu, the Eugene P. Odum Professor of Ecology and Vilas Research Professor of Zoology Monica Turner show that adjusting the landscape composition may be most effective for enhancing surface water quality. Read more here.
Kathleen Shannon named Chair of Neurology
Kathleen Shannon, MD, currently a Professor of Neurology at Rush Medical College, will become the new chair of the Neurology Department in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Her appointment will being on July 1, 2016. Read more here.
Vaishali Bakshi studies stress chemicals causing PTSD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry Vaishali Bakshi and colleagues published a new study showing how stress chemicals reshape the brains of rodents, research that could lead to better treatments for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Read more here.
Sana Salah discovers fertility-protecting drug
Assistant Profesor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Sana Salah and her research team have shown that a heart medication can prevent ovarian damage and improve survival in adolescent mice after chemotherapy. Read more here.
Anna Huttenlocher elected to National Academy of Medicine
Professor of Pediatrics Anna Huttenlocher, a practicing pediatric rheumatologist, is recognized internationally for her pioneering studies of cell migration and alterations of cell migration in human diseases. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine to provide expert scientific advice to the nation that will help shape policies, inform public opinion and advance the pursuit of science, engineering and medicine. Read more here.
Laura Halverson Monahan helps Yale researchers identify new species of Galapogos tortoise
Laura Monahn, curator of the UW-Madison Zoological Museum, loaned the skull and a couple of scutes of a Galapogos turtle to a group of Yale researchers, who used them to identify a new species of giant Galapogos turtle. The specimen, now returned to the museum, is considered a "holotype" specimen — the defining example of a new animal species against which subsequent finds will be compared. Read more here.
Wei Xu publishes on tamoxifen resistant breast cancer cells
Wei Xu, PhD, Professor of Oncology has published a study in the journal, Genes and Development, showing that high levels of the protein Ctr9 are associated with poor survival in breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen. The research suggests that developing therapies that inhibit Ctr9 could be effective in treating cancer cells that are resistant to tamoxifen. Read more here
Anna Wilson-Rothering and Kathy Toohey-Kurth publish study on deadly fish virus
Anna Wilson-Rothering, a scientist with the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL) is the lead author of a study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology. The study describes the persistence and transmission of the virus by using a new test for antibodies to the virus. This test was developed by co-author Kathy Toohey-Kurth, PhD, Clinical Professor of Pathobiological Sciences in the UW School of Veterinary Medicine(SVM) and Virology Section Chielf for the WVDL. Other coauthors include Tony Goldberg, SVM Professor of Epidemiology and Pathobiological Sciences and colleagues at UW-Steven Point, the University of Iowa, and state and federal agencies. Read more here.
Pupa Gilbert uncovers nacre formation
Publishing her findings in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Professor of Physics Pupa Gilbert led a team investigating the precursor phases of nacre formation at both the atomic and nanometer scale in red abalone, a marine mollusk with a domed shell lined with mother-of-pearl. Read more here.
Carla Pugh's Cilical Simulation Program featured on TV
WISC-TV featured a news story about the UW Health Climical Simulation Program directed by Carla Pugh, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery. See the story and the video here.
Monica Turner is new president of the Ecological Society of America (ESA)
Monica Turner, Eugene P. Odum Professor of Ecology and Vilas Research Professor of Zoology, studies ecosystem resilience in the face of ecological challenges. She has just named to a one-year term as president of the Ecological Society of America (ESA), in its centennial year. Read more here.
Melanie Matchett Wood wins prestigious Packard Fellowship
Melanie Matchett Wood, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, takes new approaches to classic questions of number theory in her research. She is one of 18 early career scientists from around the United States named a Packard Fellow for Science and Engineering. Read more here.
Gretchen Schwarze receives $2.1 million grant
Gretchen Schwarze, MD, MPP, Associate Professor of Surgery, has received a $2.1 million award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to study methods of working with older adults and their families to improve doctor-patient communication and patient involvement in decisions about high-risk surgery. Read more here.
Trina McMahon offers MOOC on teaching undergraduate STEM courses
Recognizing that faculty can benefit from education about effective teaching practices, Trina McMahon, PhD, Prof. of Bacteriology and Civil & Environmental Engineering, and colleagues at Vanderbilt and Michigan State are offering an eight-week massively open online course (MOOC) on implementing effective teaching practices designed to engage diverse learners and improve education in STEM courses. See here for more information and here to register for the course.
Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) learning community highlighted in video
Learn about how the WISE learning community supports undergraduate women in STEM at UW-Madison! View the video here.
Alia Gurtov and Caroline Van Sickle played integral roles in the discovery of Homo Naledi
The exciting discovery of a new species of hominin was made by a team of scientists that included graduate student Alia Gurtov and postdoctoral fellow Caroline Van Sickle of UW-Madison. Dr. Van Sickle is the first recipient of the Wittig Postdoctoral Fellowship in Feminist Biology; applications for the 2016/17 fellow are open now: click here.
Karen Moriello earns lifetime achievement award for work in feline dermatology
Karen Moriello, clinical professor of dermatology at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), has been awarded the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM)/Hill’s Pet Nutrition Award for Outstanding Contributions to Feline Medicine. Read more here.
Tracey Holloway named inaugural fellow of AAAS Leshner Leadership Institute
Professor of environmental studies Tracey Holloway joins a group of mid-career scientists who combine demonstrated leadership and excellence in their research careers with interest in promoting meaningful dialogue between science and society. Read more here.
Leah Horowitz joins Nelson Institute faculty
This fall, Leah Horowitz will join the Nelson Institute with expertise in environmental governance. Dr. Horowitz studies grassroots environmental governance, examining the ways ordinary citizens engage with environmental issues that concern them. Read more here.
Angela Byars-Winston highlighted on UW-Madison home page
Angela Byars-Winston, PhD, Associate Professor, General Internal Medicine, and her role as one of the 12 members of the National Academy of Science's Board of Higher Education and Workforce, previously described in WISELI news, are highlighted on the UW-Madison home page in the "News" section.
Chantell Evans publishes research in Journal of Neuroscience
Chantell Evans, a graduate student in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology and a SciMed Graduate Research Scholar, together with fellow graduate student, David Ruhl, and faculty advisor, Ed Chapman, have published research describing how they engineered proteins to change the speed of neurotransmission. Their work has implications for research on short-term memory loss. Read more here.
Christina Hull Researches How Fungal Spores Germinate
Associate Professor of Biochemistry Christina Hull and her colleagues have identified proteins that play a role in the spore formation and germination of the Cryptococcus fungi, potentially leading to drugs that could prevent meningitis and other diseases caused by the fungi. Read more here.
Christina Kendziorski leads development of Oscope
Christina Kendziorski, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics & Medical Informatics led a interdisciplinary team of biostatisticians from her lab and cell biologists from the lab of James Thompson, in developing Oscope a tool that offers a new way to study oscillating gene expression in individual cells. Their work is published in Nature Methods. Read more here.
Carey Gleason and colleagues publish on soy isoflavones and Alzheimer's disease
Carey Gleason, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, and colleagues have published a study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease showing that soy isoflavone dietary supplements do not improve cognitive functioning in older adults with Alzheimer's disease. Their findings contradict an early study and suggest that more research, particularly on differences in how individuals metabolize the soy isoflavings, is needed. Read more here.
Rozalyn Anderson and colleagues advance early diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome
Rozalyn Anderson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, and her colleagues have published a study in the Journal of Lipid Research showing that changes in diacylglycerides, a class of blood lipids, predict the onset of metabolic syndrome earlier than current clinical tests. Earlier detection can improve chances of preventing or slowing the onset of metablic syndrome and thus reduce type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart attack. Read more here.
Anna Huttenlocher studies connections between cancer and immunology
Anna Huttenlocher, MD, Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immunology and Pediatrics, conducts research on cell migration, studying the molecular mechanisms that control the movement of immune cells and tumor cells. Her work aims to improve the precision of treatments for cancer and avoid damage to healthy tissue by relying on the body's own immune system as a tool in fighting cancer. Read more here.
Karen Hansen publishes study on Vitamin D and Calcium Absorption
Karen Hansen, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, has published a study in JAMA Internal Medicine demonstrating that high doses of Vitamin D have no effect on calcium absorption and bone density in post-menopausal women with baseline serum vitamin D levels around 20ng/ml. Read more here.
Jennifer Reed and Rebecca Willett receive Spangler funding
Jennifer Reed, Associate Professor of Chemical & Biological Engineering and Rebecca Willett, Associate Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, are two of the six faculty awarded funds from the Spangler professorship to kick start innovative research. Read more here.
Judith Kimble to chair President's Committee on the National Medal of Science
President Obama has chosen Judith Kimble, PhD, Vilas Professor of Biochemistry, to chair the President's Committee on the National Medal of Science. Kimble, who served on the committee from 2012-2014, is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Medal of Science is a prestigious award given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the sciences. Read more here.
Kristyn Masters and colleagues publish research on stem cell survival
Kristyn Masters, PhD, Assoc. Professor of Biomedical Engineering together with her colleagues, Alex Laperle, Kris Saha, and Sean Palecek recently published an article in the journal Stem Cell Reports that describes their identification of the protein, a-5 laminim, as a critical component in the survival and self-renewal of human pluripotent stem cells. Their findings could lead to the development of synthetic environments that support stem cell survival. Read more here.
Marianne Fairbanks and Trish Andrew Collaborate on Solar Textiles
Marianne Fairbanks, MFA, Asst. Professor of Design Studies and Trisha Andrew, PhD, Asst. Professor of Chemistry are weaving science and art together to create solar textiles. The idea of incorporating solar cells into fabric is not new, but their collaboration has led to a novel manufacturing approach with potential to develop inexpensive, consumer-friendly solar textiles with varied applications. Read more here.
Barbara Bendlin publishes article on insulin resistance and memory
Barbara Bendlin, PhD, Assoc. Professor of Medicine, together with Dr. Auriel Willette of Iowa State University, and other colleagues has published an article in JAMA Neurology that used brain imaging scans to demonstrate that insulin resistance is associated with reduced metabolism of glucose in areas of the brain used to develop memories. Read more here.
Katie Yang Awarded Prestigious Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study from HHMI
Katie Yang, a doctoral candidate in neuroscience in the lab of otolaryngology Professor Michelle Ciucci, is one of two UW-Madison graduate students to receive an award of up to $443,000 for each of three years from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Read more here.
Patricia Brennan's 3-D Environment-Scanning Technology Helps Wisconsin Law Enforcement
Patricia Brennan, Professor of Nursing and Industrial & Systems Engineering, partners with Wisconsin law enforcement officials to create a new use for the 3-D environment scanning technology that she uses to study personal health information usage in the home. Read more here.
Nasia Safdar publishes research on infection control at UW Hospital
Nasia Safdar, MD, PhD, Assoc. Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of infection control at UW Hospital has published a study in the American Jounal of Infection Control showing that only about half of health care workers correctly remove and dispose of the personal protective equipment designed to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The study points to the need for continuous and ongoing training and education. Read more here.
Miriam Shelef receives grant from the Doris Duke Foundation
Miriam Shelef, MD, PhD, Asst. Professor of Medicine has received a $486,000 award from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to support her research on the genetic and immunological basis of rheumatoid arthritis. Read more here.
Laura Kiessling Discovers New Properties of Intelectin Protein
Professor of Chemistry Laura Kiessling led a team that describes the knack of a human protein known as intelectin to distinguish between our cells and those of the disease-causing microbes that invade our bodies. Read more here.
Barbara Bendlin Advances Research on Alzheimer’s
Assistant Professor of Medicine Barbara Bendlin uses "big data" to identify "connectivity differences" for Alzheimer's patients. Read more here.
Two STEMM researchers earn Outstanding Women of Color awards
Earlise Ward, Associate Professor of Nursing and Heather Johnson, Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, are among the seven receipients of the 2015 Outstanding Women of Color awards. Read more here.
Megan McClean innovates cellular engineering with light
Megan McClean, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, was highlighted in the College of Engineering's Focus on New Faculty series. Read her profile here.
Raluca Scarlat researches fluoride salt for an advanced nuclear reactor
Raluca Scarlat, Assistant Professor of Engineering Physics, was highlighted in the College of Engineering's Focus on New Faculty series. Read her profile here.
Patricia Brennan explains "The CAVE"
Patricia Brennan, Professor of Nursing and Industrial & Systems Engineering, was recently interviewed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to explain how the cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE) is helping health care researchers understand in-home care, and other innovative uses of the technology. See the news item here.
Xinyu Zhao finds Fragile X proteins involvedin proper neuron development
Professor Xinyu Zhao, Waisman Center and Department of Neuroscience, published a new study in the journal Cell Reports showing that two proteins implicated in fragile X play a crucial role in the proper development of neurons in mice. Read more here.
Kari Wisinski to lead research on treatments for cancers caused by mutations in the HER2 gene
Kari Wisinski, PhD, Department of Medicine, will lead one section of the National Cancer Institute's NCI-MATCH trial. The trial is a new effort to target treatments to the specific genetic mutations causing cancer, rather than targeting the body part or organ in which the cancer manifests. Wisinski will work on mutations in the HER2 gene which plays a role in certain breast and gastric cancers. Read more here.
Carey Gleason publishes study on Hormone Replacement Therapy
Supplementing previous studies showing that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal women increased the risk of cognitive decline in women over 65, Kari Wisinski, PhD, Department of Medicine, has published a study of 693 women at nine academic medical centers, demonstrating no cognitive impairment in younger menopausal women with an average age of 52.5 years.
Katie Brenner Wins 2015 Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest
Biochemistry postdoctoral researcher Katie Brennan was chosen from an initial pool of 238 entries for her app-based device that monitors female fertility. The BluDiagnostics Fertility Finder analyzes hormones found in saliva and displays results through the app. Read more here.
Diana Hess Named Dean of the School of Education
Diana Hess, senior vice president of the Spencer Foundation in Chicago, has been named dean of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Hess is also a professor in the department of Curriculum and Instruction. Read more here.
Marjory Givens publishes study on health issues faced by shift workers
Marjory Givens, PhD, UW Population Health Institute, has published a study in the journal Sleep Health demonstrating that people who work shifts other than typical daytime hours are more likely to experience sleep problems, obesity, and diabetes. Read more here.
Carrie Eaton Rewrites History of Geology Museum's Mastadon Skeleton
Carrie Eaton, curator of collections at the university's Geology Museum, used historical documents, CT scans, and DNA testing to discover unexpected origins of a mastadon skeleton that has been on display in the Geology Museum for 100 years. Read more here.
Jamie Hoberg Finds Declining Wolf Tolerance in Wisconsin
Nelson Institute researcher Jamie Hoberg is the lead author on a study of wolf acceptance in Wisconsin, published recently in Environmental Conservation. Read more here.
Erin Silva Convenes "Pasture Partnership"
Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology Erin Silva assembled a large, multidisciplinary team to study the health of Wisconsin's pasture land, a vital resource for the dairy industry. Read more here.
Jessica Cederquist Named CALS's New Dairy Herd Manager
Jessica Cederquist (MS, Veterinary Science), a new staff member in Dairy Science, will incorporate the college’s research and teaching mission in the management of the herds. Read more here.
WARF Professors Announced
Ann Palmenberg, Professor of Biochemistry and Judith Harackiewicz, Professor of Psychology, are two of the six faculty named as WARF Professors. Read more here.
Vilas Research and Distinguished Achievent Professors Announced
Monica Turner, PhD, Professor of Zoology, is one of seven faculty members to receive a Vilas Research Professorship in recognition of her nationally and internationally reknowed research. Recipients of fifteen Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorships, awarded to recognize distinguished scholarship as well as exceptional effort in teaching and service include: Amy Barger, Astronomy; Lingjun Li, Pharmacy; and Katherine McMahon, Civil and Environmental Engineering. For more information about the awards and other recipients, click here.
Angela Byars-Winston to serve on National Academy of Sciences Board of Higher Education and Workforce
Angela Byars-Winston, PhD, Associate Professor, General Internal Medicine, has been selected to serve a three-year term as one of the 12 members of the National Academy of Science's Board of Higher Education and Workforce. This distinct honor will enable Dr. Byars-Winston "to help inform and direct national policy and funding priorities for Congress, and subsequently NIH and NSF." The board will benefit from her expertise in higher education, knowledge of the science and engineering workforce, and committment to excellence, equity, and diversity. Read more here and here.
Gibbs Studies Rain Forest Deforestation
Assistant Professor Holly Gibbs (Geography and Nelson Institute) and a diverse research team including academics and NGOs is the first to evaluate the impacts of "zero deforestation agreements", which are aimed at curbing the destruction of rain forests in Brazil. Read more here.
Buhr-Lawler Promotes Hearing Conservation in Rural Areas
Clinical Associate Professor of Audiology Melanie Buhr-Lawler led the first-ever hearing conservation outreach project at last summer's annual Budweiser Dairyland Super National Truck and Tractor Pull. Read more here.
New faculty member Jing Li works on innovative computer hardware
Jing Li, PhD, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, joined UW-Madison in winter 2015 after spending several years at IBM where she gained substantial experience building prototypes to test her innovative concepts in computer architecture. Li’s research plans for working collaboratively across schools and departments on software and hardware innovations are described in this recent news article.
Pascale Carayon Named One of "50 Experts Leading the Field of Patient Safety"
Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering Pascale Carayon has been named as an expert leading the field of patient safety by the Becker Hospital Review. Read more here.
Jenny Saffran Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Psychology Jenny Saffran was Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in recogniation of her work on how infants learn. Read more here.
Carla Pugh Pioneers Next Frontier of Medical Education
Associate Professor of Surgery Carla Pugh's revolutionary work is highlighted in the SMPH Quarterly. Read the article here.
Nancy Wong designs app for tracking personal energy comsumption and carbon emissions
Nancy Wong, PhD, Professor of Consumer Science has designed a new app for both iOS and Android devices that allows users to track their efforts to reduce their carbon emmissions and energy consumption. The app which uses a diary format similar to that used by food-tracking apps will launch on April 20 during the Nelson Institute Earth Day Conference. Read more here.
Amy Barger Lands Guggenheim Fellowship
Barger, a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Astronomy, will observe at many wavelengths the most extreme star-forming galaxies in the universe to complete the cosmic history of star formation and infer the impact of supermassive black hole growth on galaxy growth. Read more here.
Christina Hull receives research award
Christina Hull, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomolecular Chemistry, is one of two receipients of the Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Award. The award will support her research on cryptococcus, a fungus that causes brain infections in people with compromised immune systems. The other recipient, Luis Populin, Associate Professor of Neuroscience, will use the award for research on simplifying drug treatments for ADHD. Read more here.
NIH profiles Carla Pugh's Research
The NIH home page features the research of Carla Pugh, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery, on the use of sensor technology to improve physician's skills in performing breast exams. Read more here.
Christina Hull Receives Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Award
Associate Professor of Biomolecular Chemistry Christina Hull has received the 3-year award to explore Cryptococcus, a fungus that causes brain infections in people with immune deficits due to cancer treatment, transplant or AIDS. Read more here.
Jo Handelsman, Shirley Tilghman, and Other National Leaders Visit Campus to Discuss the Future of Biomedical Research
On Saturday, April 11, authors of the article "Rescuing US biomedical research from its systemic flaws" along with OSTP Associate Director Jo Handlesman will meet on campus for an all-day workshop. Read more here and here. Registration is required!
Marsha Mailick named Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education
Chancellor Rebecca Blank has selected Marsha Mailick, PhD, former director of the Waisman Center, to become the university's first Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education. Read more here.
Jennifer Edgoose publishes strategy for reducing physician burnout
Jennifer Edgoose, MD, PhD, Asst. Professor in the Department of Family Medicine has published a study demonstrating the effectiveness of a structured intervention for improving physician satisfaction in clinical interactions with challenging patients. Read more here.
Food Scientist Maya Warren Developing TV Show
Maya Warren will earn her PhD in August 2015 (Food Science), and will develop a show showcasing frozen desserts around the world. Read more here.
Dolly Ledin Honored for Science Outreach
Longtime UW-Madison campus and community outreach champion Dolly Ledin has been awarded the Wisconsin Campus Compact 2015 Sister Joel Read Civic Leadership Award. Read more here.
Jami Morton and Neva Hassanein Honored
Nelson Institute alumnae Jami Morton and Neva Hassanein are the 2015 recipients of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies' annual alumni awards. Read more here.
Vilas Life Cycle Professorship Program Highlighted
Dr. Christine Pribbenow, Director of the LEAD Center, profiles the Vilas Life Cycle Professorship to illustrate how evaluation research helps enhance and sustain programs. Read more here.
Erin Silva Finds Strategies to Increase Number of Organic Grain Farms in Wisconsin
Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology Erin Silva's 2015 report highlights possible strategies to increase the number of farms and acres producing organic grain in our state. Read more here.
Three STEM Women Faculty Win Romnes Awards
Padma Gopalan (Professor, Materials Science and Engineering), Irena Knezevic (Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering), and Xin Sun (Professor, Genetics) are among the nine awardees of the 2014/15 Romnes Faculty Fellowship. Professor of Life Sciences Communication, Dominique Brossard, was also among the winners. Read more here.
Katherine McMahon Receives Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Katherine McMahon was awarded a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship for her work exploring the relationships between environmental and microbial sciences. Read more here.
Rebecca Larson Brings Biogas to Developing Countries
Assistant Professor of Biological Systems Engineering Rebecca Larson won a seed grant from the Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI) to support her work designing, installing, and upgrading small-scale anaerobic digester (AD) systems in developing countries. Read more here.
Christy Remucal Wins NSF Career Award
Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Christy Remucal was awarded the highly-prestigious Career award from the National Science Foundation for her research on how contaminants move through water. Read more here.
Gail Coover Supports Minority STEM Students
Gail Coover, Assistant Scientist and Director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Minority Participation (WiscAMP), ensures that more under-represented minority students receive bachelors degrees in STEM in Wisconsin. Read more here.
Valerie Stull's and Rachel Bergmans's Research Saves Lives and Wins Awards
Valerie Stull and Rachel Bergman are both graduate students in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. Their research focuses on the viability and sustainability of mealworms as a major food source. This research not only has the potential to save lives by introducing a cheap and easy source of protein for humans, but is also a more sustainable way to farm such proteins. Read here for more about their project. To read about their selection as UW-Madison Climate Quest winners, click here.
Melanie Matchett Wood Wins Sloan Fellowship
Melanie Matchett Wood, Assistant Professor of Math, has been selected for an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship. This is an honor awarded on a competitive basis to promising young researchers in the early stages of their careers. Read more here.
Catherine Middlecamp Honored for Encouraging Chemical Careers for Disadvantaged Students
Professor Cathy Middlecamp (Nelson Institute) has been has been honored with a national award from the American Chemical Society (ACS) for encouraging disadvantaged students into careers in the chemical sciences. Read more here.
Rupa Sridharan Increases Reprogramming Efficiency to Get Pluripotent Stem Cells
Assistant Professor of Cell and Regenerative Biology, Rupa Sridharan's discovery is increasingly important for drug discovery trials, regenerative medicine experiments and personalized cancer treatments. Read more here.
Amanda Ochsner Encourages Girls to Code
Amanda Ochsner is a researcher at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery's Games + Learning + Society (GLS) and a graduate student in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. She works with local after-school clubs to help students learn to create their own games, especially reaching out to female students. Her work has significantly increased the number of girls in the club in just one year. Read more here.
Jeanne Skül named DoIT Network Services Director
Jeanne Skül has been named Division of Information Technology (DoIT) Director of Network Services at the University of Wisconsin-Madison after a distinguished 30-year career in higher education information technology. Read more here.
Veronica Berns Communicates Chemistry Thesis Via Comic Book
Dr. Veronica Berns used a comic book format to communicate the complex ideas in her PhD thesis in the area of solid state chemistry to the public. Read more here. To purchase a copy via her Kickstarter campaign, click here.
Lisa Flook Shows that "Kindness" Education Boosts Student Success
Dr. Lisa Flook, an Associate Scientist at the Waisman Center, participated on a team that developed, taught, and evaluated a curriculum for kindergartners based on "mindfulness." Their research shows that this curriculum increased student attention span and task switching. Read more here.
Holly Gibbs's Work Shows Soy Moratorium Works
Holly Gibbs, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Geography, published her study of deforestation linked to soy production in the Amazon in Science. Read more here.
UW-Madison to Participate in Student Sexual Assault Survey
In order to inform and strengthen campus policies, services and response to sexual assults of UW-Madison students, the UW-Madison will be participating in a national survey designed by a White House task force to protect students from sexual assault. Read more here.
Chancellor Rebecca Blank wins prestigious award
The American Academy of Political and Social Science has awarded UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank its prestigious Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize. The Moynihan prize honors social scientists and other public leaders who use "sound analysis and social science research in policy-making, while contributing to the civility of public discourse and pursuing a bipartisan approach to society's most pressing problems." As part of the prize ceremony, Blank will deliver a public lecture at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2015. Read more here.
Ruth O'Regan to Lead Division of Hematology and Oncology
The UW School of Medicine and Public Health's Department of Medicine has appointed Ruth O'Regan, MD as head of its Division of Hematology and Oncology. An internationally recognized physician and researcher on breast cancer, particularly cancers resistant to current therapeutics, Dr. O'Regan was previously a faculty member at Northwestern University and then served in several leadership positions at Emory University. Read more here.
Sandra Newbury Leads New Program in Animal Shelter Medicine
Sandra Newbury Leads New Program in Animal Shelter Medicine
Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine Sandra Newbury will oversee shelter medicine training for veterinary medical students at the SVM, which will involve a shelter medicine rotation, an elective course, a weeklong intensive "selective" course, clinical studies, consultation experiences and externships, and a student shelter medicine club. Read more here.
Gopalan Finding Could Increase Battery Life
Padma Gopalan, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, along with colleague Michael Arnold and students, has reported the highest-performing carbon nanotube transistors ever demonstrated. Read more here.
News – 2014
Maria Hart's Work Helps Neighborhoods Co-Exist with America’s Freight Networks
Hart, an associate researcher with the UW-Madison Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE), along with a colleague at the University of Memphis, recently began what may be the first study by planners and civil engineers of how freight operations affect the livability of nearby communities. Read more here.
Pascale Carayon Helps Hospitalized Patients Avoid Fatal Blood Clots
Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Pascale Carayon is creating new, more robust decision-support software that could help prevent a frequent, potentially fatal blood-clotting condition in hospitalized patients. Read more here.
Christina Lewis Finds Way to Identify Transplanted Stem Cells
PhD student Christina Lewis, who works with her major professor Masatoshi Suzuki(School of Veterinary Medicine), has found that inserting a gene into transplanted stem cells that picks up a manganese isotope allows future PET and MRI scans to trace the "daughters" of the cells into the future. Read more here.
UW School of Medicine and Public Health Celebrates Women in Leadership
A recent article in the UWSMPH's Quarterly magazine profiles and celebrates nine women department chairs and other leading women in the school. The article, in which Dean Robert Golden discusses the benefits a diverse leadership team provides as well as his commitment to diversifying the faculty and student body, also features women leaders discussing issues of work-life balance, professional mentors, role models, and implicit bias. Read more here.
Natalie Ruldolph Receives 2015 Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award
Natalie Rudolph, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, received the award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers for her research on 3-D printing. Read more here.
Laura Ward Good's Work Reduces Phosphorus Runoff
Dr. Laura Ward Good, Associate Scientist in the Department of Soil Science, was part of a multi-institutional team that worked with farmers in southwestern Wisconsin to change farming practices, leading to a significant reduction of harmful phosphorus runoff in the nearby Pecatonica River. Read more here.
Adena Rissman Finds That Shorter Winters Affect Forestry
Assistant Professor of Forest and Wildlife Ecology Adena Rissman and co-author Chad Rittenhouse found a significant decline in the duration of frozen ground over the past 65 years, and at the same time, a significant change in the species being harvested. Read more here.
Amy Kind's Tool Predicts Geriatric Patient Readmission
Seniors living in the most disadvantaged 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods are much more likely to make repeat trips to the hospital. Amy Kind, Assistant Professor of Medicine, has developed a tool to alert physicians about the relative disadvantage of patient neighborhoods, allowing them to provide appropriate support. Read more here.
Adrienne Shelton's Collaboration Yields New Organic Sweet Corn Variety
UW-Madison graduate student Adrienne Shelton collaborated with the Organic Seed Alliance to produce the first in a series of organic, open-pollinated sweet corns. Read more here.
Christy Tremonti Observes Regulation of Star Formation
Assistant Professor of Astronomy Christy Tremonti and UW-Madison colleague Aleks Diamond-Stanic are part of an International Team using a radio telescope in the French Alps to observe a never-before-seen stage of galactic evolution. Read more here.
Susan Zahner Honored with APHA’s Ruth B. Freeman Award
Susan Zahner, Associate Dean and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor at the School of Nursing, received the Ruth B. Freeman Award from the Public Health Nursing Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Read more here.
Donata Oertel named Chair of Neuroscience
Donata Oertel, PhD, will serve as Chair of the newly organized department of neuroscience in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Read more here.
Tricia Andrews Working to Convert Light into Electricity
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Tricia Andrews has been named a Packard Fellow for Science and Engineering for revolutionizing electronic devices by controlling the spin on electrons, and then shutting down devices if the proper spin is absent. Read more here.
Rachel Dvorak Finalist for Marshall Scholarship
Rachel Dvorak, a graduate student in Biochemistry, aims to develop treatments and prevention methods for dementia-related diseases and disorders. Read more here.
Karen Young Inducted into ESVCP Veterinary Clinical Pathology Hall of Fame
Karen Young, clinical professor of clinical pathology at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, was inducted into the European Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ESVCP) Veterinary Clinical Pathology Hall of Fame during the ESVCP Congress in Milan, Italy, in October 2014. Read more here.
Sagan Friant Studies Human Susceptibility to Disease
Friant, a doctoral student in Environment and Resources at UW-Madison, has been conducting primate research in Nigeria that focuses on human susceptibility to disease. Read more here.
Dr. Carla Pugh Champions Hands-On Tests for Doctors
Dr. Pugh, Associate Professor of Surgery, is developing anatomical models embedded with sensors and using motion-tracking systems to monitor doctors’ movements, steps that could help shift medicine toward more tactile training and testing. Her work was featured in the Wisconsin State Journal, here.
Dean Julie Underwood to Return to the Faculty
After nearly a decade leading UW-Madison's School of Education, Dean Julie Underwood announced that she is stepping aside from her post in August 2015 to return to the faculty. Read more here.
Jessica Cook to publish paper on smoking addiction
Jessica Cook, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, will publish a paper in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology documenting that anhedonia is a major symptom of nicotine withdrawal and demonstrating the effectiveness of medications at counteracting its effects. Read more here.
Lee Wilke publishes study on repeat surgery after lumpectomy for breast cancer
Lee Wilke, MD, Professor of Surgery and Director of the UW Breast Cancer has published a comprehensive national study examining the rates of and reasons for repeat surgeries after lumpectomies for breast cancer. The study calls for the adoption of standard guidelines to reduce the wide variation in repeat surgery rates across the country. Read more here.
Cynthia Haq earns Humanisim in Medicine Award
The AAMC has honored Cynthia Haq, MD, Professor of Family Medicine and Population Health Sciences, with its annual Humanism in Medicine Award. Read more here.
Heather Johnson publishes study on Hypertension
Heather Johnson, MD, Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, has published a new study indicated that young adults, especially young adult males, with hypertension do not receive education about beneficial lifestyle changes from their healthcare providers. Read more here.
Pamela Kreeger awarded 2014 New Innovator Award from NIH
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Pam Kreeger will use the funds to expand her research on how ovarian cancer spreads. Read more here.
Susan Hagness and colleagues commercialize a new technology to treat tumors
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Susan Hagness is working with colleagues in Engineering and the Medical School to design smaller ablation antennas that can reach tumor sites through less invasive methods. Read more here.
Molly Carnes and colleagues publish study on reducing gender bias
Molly Carnes, MD, MS, Professor of Medicine, Director of the Center for Women's Health Research(CWHR), and co-director of WISELI, together with Patricia Devine, PhD, Professor of Psychology and colleagues at CWHR and WISELI has published a cluster randomized, controlled study that demonstrates the effectiveness of an intervention to minimize gender bias. The study is available here.
Chiara Cirelli wins major grant
Chiara Cirelli, MD, PhD, Co-director of the Center for Sleep and Consciousness and Professor of Psychiatry, along with her co-director, Giulio Tononi, MD, PhD, have receive a multi-million dollar grant from the National Institue of Neurological Disorders. Read more here.
Carol Lee receives Fulbright Scholar award
Dr. Carol Lee, a professor of Zoology, has received a prestigious Fulbright Scholar award to travel to Taiwan to further her research, “Evolution in Response to Novel Pathogens During Biological Invasions”. Read more here.
Postdoctoral researcher Katie Brenner receives L'Oreal "For Women in Science" Fellowship
Dr. Brenner is one of five scientists nationwide to receive the honor. She will use the funds to further her research on the use of urine samples to predict illness in premature infants. Click here for more information.
Yongna Xing discovers how protein cells interact to cause cancer
Yongna Xing, PhD, Associate Professor of Oncology, together with her research team has discovered that two protein cells known to be involved in cancer development interact with one another to promote development and growth of cancerous tumors. Her work calls for new research on methods of disrupting the interaction of these two cells and the therapeutic implications of doing so. Read more here.
Slawny directs UW-Madison's Ice Drilling Design and Operations
Kristina Slawy works with a drilling team in Antarctica that extracts ice cores in order to analyze the past atmosphere. Read more here.
Branchaw leads new WISCIENCE institute
The former Institute for Biology is expanding, to become the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement, or WISCIENCE. Directed by Asst. Professor of Kinesiology Janet Branchaw, the new mission extends across the natural sciences and expands responsibility for facilitating cross-campus collaboration and coordination in the areas of science outreach and support for groups underrepresented in science.
Sorkness, Pfund, Branchaw, and Byars-Winston to lead National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN)
Four campus women are among the leaders of a new research mentor and mentee program that will serve as a national hub for the NIH's new Diversity Program Consortium. The Consortium will received "nearly $31 million in fiscal year 2014 to develop new approaches that engage researchers, including those from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical sciences, and prepare them to thrive in the NIH-funded workforce." Christine Sorkness, senior associate executive director at the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR); Christine Pfund, researcher with the Department of Medicine, UW ICTR, and the Wisconsin Center for Education Research; Janet Branchaw, assistant professor in kinesiology and director of WISCIENCE; and Angela Byars-Winston, associate professor of medicine and director of research and evaluation of the Center for Women's Health Research, are the leaders of the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), part of the consortium effort. Dr. Pfund will serve as the Principal Investigator for the UW-Madison site and as the director of the NRMN Mentor Training Core. Read more about the award at UW News and in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Teresa Adams to lead new transportation workforce center
Teresa Adams, professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been named the leader of the UW-Madison branch of the Midwest Transportation Workforce Center (MTWC). The MWTC is one of five centers nationally to receive funding from the Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. Read more here.
Trisha Andrew named Packard Fellow
Trisha Andrew, assistant professor of chemistry, has been named named a Packard Fellow for Science and Engineering. Dr. Andrew is one of 18 early career scientists working in the U.S. to receive the award in recognition of the potential significance of scholarship and innovation from her work. Read more here.
Monica Turner and Peter Blank publish study in PLoS ONE
Monica Turner, Eugene P. Odum Professor of Ecology in the Department of Zoology, and Peter Blank, a postdoctoral researcher in the Turner Lab, have published a new study in the journal, PLoS ONE. As UW News explains, they investigated "whether corn and perennial grassland fields in southern Wisconsin could provide both biomass for bioenergy production and bountiful bird habitat." Read more about the study and its findings here.
Tracey Holloway begins nonprofit organization to support women earth scientists
Tracey Holloway, associate professor of environmental studies at the Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), has announced the creation the Earth Science Women's Network. Dr. Holloway is the co-founder of the ESWN and serves on its inaugural leadership board. The ESWN, once an informal organization of women earth scientists, is now a nonprofit organization focused on connecting and supporting women in their career development. Read more about the program here.
Pamela Kreeger wins NIH Innovator Award
Pamela Kreeger, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, has received a 2014 New Innovator Award from the National Institutes of Health. The award of nearly $2.3 million will allow Dr. Kreeger to study the spread of ovarian cancer in women's bodies. Read more about the award and Dr. Kreeger's research program here.
Kimberlee Gretebeck adapts program to improve health of African American senior citizens in WI
Kimberlee A. Gretebeck, assistant professor of nursing, has won a $150,000 award from the University of Wisconsin Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (UW ICTR) to adapt a program intended to support the health of African American seniors in Madison and Milwaukee. The "Adapting the Physical Activity for Life for Seniors (PALS) Program for Older African Americans" is a culturally tailored, two-year initiative that will use an evidence-based exercise program to increase physical function and prevent chronic illness. Professor Gretebeck will be partnering with Earlise Ward, associate professor of nursing, and Jane Mahoney, professor of geriatrics, and community and health organization leaders. Read more about the program here.
Monica Turner and Brian Harvey publish study in PNAS
Monica Turner, Eugene P. Odum Professor of Ecology in the Department of Zoology, and Brian Harvey, a graduate student Department of Zoology, have published a new study on the effects of mountain pine beetles on pine trees in Northern America. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, Turner and Harvey found that while the beetles have damaged and killed tree in tens of millions of acres, they are not actually to blame in causing the severe wildfires that have characterized the western United States and Canada. Rather, they found that weather and topography play an important role in the severity of the fires. Read more about the study here.
Angela Byars-Winston and Christine Pfund win NIH R01 award to facilitate effective mentoring
Angela Byars-Winston, Associate Professor of in the Department of Medicine, and Christine Pfund, researcher in the Department of Medicine and the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, have won a renewal of their R01 award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study effective mentoring. Building on work that they began in 2010, the pair and their colleagues "will assess whether cultural-diversity training of research mentors makes a positive difference for those they are mentoring in biomedical research." Read more about the award here.
Sigan Hartley publishes new study in Brain
Sigan Hartley, assistant professor of human development and family studies, has published a new study in the journal Brain. She and her colleagues "looked at the role of the brain protein amyloid-beta in adults living with Down syndrome, a genetic condition that leaves people more susceptible to developing Alzheimer's." As UW News explains, the researchers found that found that many adults with Down syndrome had high levels of amyloid-beta protein but did not suffer the expected negative consequences of the elevated protein. Find out more about the study, its findings, and their implications here.
Helen Blackwell publishes new study in Chemistry & Biology
Helen Blackwell, professor of chemistry, has published a new study focused on quorum-sensing bacteria in the journal Chemistry & Biology. She and her research team investigated whether small changes in proteins could affect the way in which bacteria function in the body or in soil. Find out more about Dr. Blackwell's study and planned work here.
Women scientists compete on The Amazing Race
Two UW-Madison food science graduate students, Amy DeJong and Maya Warren, recently competed on the CBS reality show The Amazing Race, now in its 25th edition. In a recent interview with UW News, the pair credited their training as scientists as helping them as they competed. Read more about their experience here.
Women's Philanthropy Council celebrates 25th anniversary
The Women's Philanthropy Council, supported by the University of Wisconsin Foundation, is celebrating its 25th anniversary at UW-Madison this month. Founded in 1988, the group's work has "led to increased giving by women, progress toward women making major gifts, and more women serving on boards of visitors for schools, colleges and departments, and the UW Foundation's board of directors." According to UW News, the group has given more than $85 million to UW-Madison and more than $500 to the UW Foundation since its inception. Read more about their council and their upcoming anniversary celebration here.
Jerlando Jackson and colleagues publish book on glass ceiling effects in higher education
Jerlando Jackson, Vilas Distinguished Professor of Higher Education Director and Chief Research Scientist of the Wisconsin Equity and Inclusion Laboratory (WeiLAB), along with his colleagues Elizabeth M. O'Callaghan and Raul A. Leon, has edited a new book on glass ceiling effects in higher education for women and members of minority groups. With chapters addressing theoretical and critical perspectives, rigorous research, and practical recommendations for understanding and addressing this issue, the book is intended to both deepen readers' understanding and serve as a sourcebook for action. Read more here.
Sabrina Brounts earns certification in equine sports medicine and rehabilitation
Sabrina Brounts, clinical associate professor of large animal surgery, has become the only veterinarian in the state to be board-certified in equine sports medicine and rehabilitation. The School of Veterinary Medicine News reports that Dr. Brounts completed all pre-requisites and earned the credential in August 2014. To learn more about the certification and her current clinical trial, click here.
Sherry Tanumihardjo interviewed by Grow magazine
Sherry Tanumihardjo, professor of nutritional sciences and director of the Undergraduate Certificate in Global Health, was recently interviewed by Grow magazine. Dr. Tanumihardjo shared her expertise and research on working with orange vegetables and their vitamin A statuses. Read more here.
Elizabeth Jacobs receives $2.1 million award
Elizabeth Jacobs, MD, MAPP, Associate Professor of Medicine and Population Health Sciences has received a $2.1 million award from the Patient-Centered Outcome Research Institute. She will use the award to compare the effectiveness of "peer-to-peer support to standard community services in the promotion of health and wellness for older adults." Read more here.
Laura Kiessling publishes study in Proceedings of the National Academies of Science
Laura Kiessling, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and her colleagues have published a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Their study investigated how "blank slate" stem cells become a variety of specific cells, such as muscle or bone, and found that that the stiffness of the surfaces on which stem cells are grown can exert a profound influence on the final form of a cell. Read more here.
Marsha Mailick begins role as interim vice chancellor
Marsha Mailick, Vaughan Bascom and Elizabeth M. Boggs Professor and Director of the Waisman Center, has begun her new position as the interim vice chancellor for research and graduate education at UW-Madison. Dr. Mailick will be responsible for overseeing the research portfolio of the institution and implementing the structure of the new Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education. Read more about her plans and goals for the office here.
Wendy Crone named interim dean of the Graduate School
Wendy Crone, professor of engineering physics and an associate dean for graduate education, has been named the interim dean of the Graduate School at UW-Madison. She will head the leadership team of the Graduate School as it operates with the new Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education. Read more here.
Karen Cruickshanks awarded for her research
Karen Cruickshanks, PhD, Professor of Opthalmology & Visual Sciences and Population Health Sciences, received a Distinguished Alumi Award from the University of Pittsburg's Graduate School of Public Health. The award recognized Cruickshank's research on sensory and neurological disorders of aging and generational differences in aging. Read more here.
Joan Jorgensen publishes new study in Endocrinology
Joan Jorgensen, associate professor of comparative biosciences, has published a new study in the journal, Endocrinology. In the study, Dr. Jorgensen and her colleagues "identified a molecular mechanism that enables prostate cancer cells to produce hormones that promote aggressive tumor growth." As the School of Veterinary Medicines News service explains, the finding could lead to better treatments for the disease. Read more about the study and Dr. Jorgensen's work here.
Bridget Catlin and Julie Willems Van Dijk receive $12 million award
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will continue to fund the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps project led by Bridget Booske Catlin, PhD, MHSA and Julie Willems Van Dijk, RN PhD of the UW Population Health Institute. The $12 million award supports their work on ranking and providing guidance for improving the health of counties across the nation. Read more here.
Laura Hernandez wins Alfred Toepfer Faculty Fellow Award
Laura Hernandez, assistant professor of dairy science, was presented with the Alfred Toepfer Faculty Fellow Award by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Dr. Hernandez was recognized for her research and its benefits to agricultural activities in the United States. Read more about the award and her work here.
Leyuan Shi wins National Science Foundation grant
Leyuan Shi, professor of industrial and systems engineering, has been awarded a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to develop digital technologies for shop floor planning and scheduling issues. Dr. Shi will collaborate with Kimberly-Clark Corporation to carry out the research. Read more about the award here.
Naomi Chesler, Richard Moss receive grant to study heart cells
Naomi Chesler, associate professor of biomedical engineering, is part of a team who won a grant from the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation to study heart function and failure, using experimental treatments of genetically engineered mice. Learn more about the grant and international collaboration here.
Pascale Carayon named to Institute of Medicine committee
Pascale Carayon, Procter & Gamble Bascom Professor in Total Quality in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, has been named to the Institute of Medicine committee on diagnostic errors in healthcare. Read more about her appointment here.
Naomi Chesler receives diversity honor
Naomi Chesler, associate professor of biomedical engineering, has been named the 2014 recipient of the Biomedical Engineering Society Diversity Award. Professor Chesler is being honored for her work toward gender equity in biomedical engineering. Read more about the award here.
Pam Kreeger named Young Innovator
Pam Kreeger, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, has been named a Young Innovator by the journal Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering, along with her colleague Kris Saha. The journal published a special issue to recognize to recognize the contributions of different authors in the field. Read more here.
Sara Souther publishes study in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Sara Souther, a conservation fellow in the UW-Madison Department of Botany, has published a new study in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment concerning the impact of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, on wildlife biology. As UW News explains, fracking is a part of shale gas production, and the process "uses high-pressure injection of water, laden with sand and a variety of chemicals, to open cracks in the gas reservoir so natural gas can flow to the well." The effects of those chemicals being introduced into the environment are often unknown, but are explored in the study. Read more about the study and Dr. Souther's work here.
Eight honored as Outstanding Women of Color
Eight women have been named by UW-Madison as the 2014-2015 Outstanding Women of Color, and will be recognized at a reception at the Pyle Center on October 1. The faculty honorees include Shawnika Hull, assistant professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Lillian Tong, faculty associate, WISCIENCE (formerly Institute for Biology Education); Angela Byars-Winston, associate professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health; Eva Vivian, associate professor (CHS), School of Pharmacy; Carla Pugh, associate professor, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health. Read more about all of the honorees here.
Susan Horowitz passes away
Susan Horowitz, professor emerita of the computer sciences department, passed way in June 2014. Professor Horowitz joined the faculty at UW-Madison in 1985 after receiving her computer science doctorate from Cornell University. In addition to her award-winning scientific achievements, Dr. Horowitz devoted much effort to increasing the number of underrepresented students in computer science, including women and members of racial and ethnic minority groups. She was a founding member of the Academic Alliance of the National Center for Women and IT, launched the Wisconsin Emerging Scholars-Computer Science program (WES-CS), and served as faculty director for the Women in Science and Engineering residential learning community. Read more about her many accomplishments here and here.
Leona Su, Dominique Brossard and colleagues publish new study in Science Communication
Leona Su, a graduate student at UW-Madison, and Dominique Brossard, professor and chair in the Department of Life Sciences Communication, have published a new study in the journal Science Communication. Su, Brossard, and their colleagues investigated the influence of socioeconomic status on the understanding of scientific topics and confidence in understanding these topics. Read more about the study and the team's findings here.
Azita Hamedani named chair of Emergency Medicine
Azita Hamedani, MD, MPH, Associate Professor, has been named chair of the deparment of Emergency Medicine. Hamedani earned her medical degree from Yale, completed her residency at Harvard, and served as chief on the Division of Emergency Medicine, within the department of Medicine, for five years. The patient volume in the emergency department and the department's educational and research activities have increased substantially during Hamedani's leadership and the division will now become a new academic department with Hamedani as chair. Read more here
Laura McClay and colleagues receive NSF grant
Laura McClay, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering, and her collaborators at George Washington University have received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The project will focus on optimizing the network models that influence how emergency traffic responders are located and utilized. Read more about the grant and Dr. McClay's work here.
Sabrina Bradshaw receives Canadian Geotechnical Journal honor
Sabrina Bradshaw, a research scientist in geological engineering, and her colleagues were among those named in the 2014 Canadian Geotechnical Journal's 2014 Editor's Choice selections. Their paper, "Freeze–thaw cycling concurrent with cation exchange and the hydraulic conductivity of geosynthetic clay liners," was among the most important and high-caliber entries it has published in 2014. Read more about the honor here.
Wendy Crone named Society of Experimental Mechanics fellow
Wendy Crone, a professor of engineering physics, biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering and associate dean for graduate education, has been named a fellow of the Society of Experimental Mechanics. Read more about Dr. Crone's research and the fellowship here.
Izabela Szlufarska named a Romnes faculty fellow
Izabela Szlufarska, associate professor of materials science and engineering, is a recipient of a Romnes faculty fellowship. Romnes awards recognize exceptional faculty members who have earned tenure within the last six years, and recipients are selected by a Graduate School committee. Read more about Dr. Szlufarska's work and the fellowship here.
Laura McClay receives best paper award
Laura McClay, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering, was was awarded the best-paper award for a paper published in the journal IIE Transactions. Read more about the paper and Dr. McClay's award here.
Lindsay Traeger and colleagues publish new study in Science
Lindsay Traeger, a UW-Madison graduate student in genetics, is the co-lead author of a study published in the new issue of Science. Working with biochemistry Professor Michael R. Sussman and a team of other researchers, Ms. Traeger identified the genetic factors the animals used to create an organ that can deliver a powerful electric jolt. According to UW News, the study also includes the first draft assembly of the complete genome of an electric fish, in this case the South American electric eel. Read more about the study here.
Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholar: Christy Erving
Christy Erving, PhD, will join the 2014-2016 cohort of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars conducting research at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Erving earned her PhD in Sociology at Indiana University – Bloomington. Her research examines how social factors such as socioeconomic status, stress, and social support predice racial, ethnic, and nativity patterms in people with co-occurring physical and mental health conditions. Read more here.
Monica White studies sustainable community food systems, food security
Monica White, assistant professor of community and environmental sociology, was recently interviewed and shared developments about her first book (in progress), Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement. With a joint appointment in CALS and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Dr. White studies community responses to food insecurity and local and urban agriculture, among other topics. Read more about Dr. White's work here.
Carol Ryff, Susan Stanford Friedman, and Janet Shibley Hyde receive named professorships
Carol Ryff, professor of psychology, and Susan Stanford Friedman, professor of English and women's studies have been named Hilldale professors, while Janet Shibley Hyde, professor of psychology and gender and women's studies, has been named a Bascom professor. Selected by the Named Professorship Advisory Committee, the Hilldale and Bascom professorships are awarded to faculty who excel in their scholarly activities and research, and to support faculty in their continued work. Read more about the named professorships here.
Pamela Ruegg leading development of new dairy training center curriculum
Pamela Ruegg, professor of dairy science, is leading the development of curriculum for a new dairy training center established by the Nestle corporation in China's northeast province of Heilongjiang. Under a three-year, $1.7 million agreement, the center and its staff will will design and help deliver a series of courses for the center. Read more about Dr. Ruegg's leadership role in establishing the competencies and curriculum for the Dairy Farming Institute. Read more here.
Laurel Rice, Emily Auerbach, and Dawn Crim receive YWCA's Women of Distinction Leadership Awards
Several women affiliated with UW-Madison are among the six recipients of YMCA Madison's Women of Distinction Leadership Awards. They include: Laurel Rice, MD, Professor and Chair of the UWSMPH Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Emily Auerbach, PhD, Professor of English and Director of the UW Odyssey Project; and Dawn Crim, Associate Dean of External Relations, School of Education. Read more here.
Izabela Szlufarska and Claire Wedland receive Romnes Faculty Fellowships
Izabela Szlufarska, associate professor of materials science and engineering and of engineering physics, and Claire Wedland, associate professor of anthropology, obstetrics and gynecology, and medical history and bioethics, are among the 2014 Romnes Faculty Fellows. Romnes awards recognize exceptional faculty members who have earned tenure within the last six years, and the winners are selected by a Graduate School committee. Read more about this year's recipients here.
Terri L. Young named Chair of Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Terri L. Young has been named the new Chair of the UW-Madison Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. She is currently a professor of ophthalmology, medicine, and pediatrics at the Duke University School of Medicine, and will begin her new position in September 2014. Read more about Dr. Young here.
Nasia Safdar wins awared from NPSF Patient Safety Congress
Nasia Safdar, Associate Professor in the UW-Madison Department of Medicine, was recognized this week as the inaugural winner of the John Q. Sherman Award for Excellence in Patient Engagement at the 16th annual National Patient Safety Foundation Patient Safety Congress in May, 2014. Dr. Safdar received this recognition for her successful initiatives in engaging patients and staff to develop interventions at every level of the care delivery process to reduce hospital-associated infections. Her innovative approaches led to significant reductions in catheter-associated urinary tract infections, C-diff infections and surgical site infections.
Erika Marin-Spiotta publishes new study in Nature Geoscience
Erika Marin-Spiotta, professor of geology, has published a new study in the journal Nature Geoscience in which she reports that soils formed on the Earth's surface thousands of years ago are rich in carbon. As UW News explains, "is significant as it suggests that deep soils can contain long-buried stocks of organic carbon which could, through erosion, agriculture, deforestation, mining and other human activities, contribute to global climate change." Read more about the study and the implications of the findings here.
Susan Paskewitz featured in local media
Susan Paskewitz, professor of entomology, was recently featured in the Madison media for her research on deer ticks in WI. Professor Paskewitz and her research team are working at the UW Arboreutm to test the efficacy of an insecticide that kills ticks, and hope that their findings will help homeowners in protecting themselves from ticks in the future. Read more here.
Ruth Litovsky, Judith Burstyn finalists for Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff
Ruth Litovsky, professor of communication sciences and disorders, and Judith Burstyn, professor of chemistry and pharmacology, are two of the three finalists for the position of UW-Madison Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff. Michael Bernard-Donals, professor of English and chair of the University Committee, is also a finalist. Read more about the position, the finalists, and the dates and times for their public presentations here.
Margaret McFall-Ngai, Natacha Kremer publish new study
Margaret McFall-Ngai, Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, and Natacha Kremer, a UW-Madison post-doctoral fellow, along with Professor Edward Ruby, have published a new study in the the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. They investigated the luminescent qualities of the Hawaiian bobtail squid, known for its predator-fooling light organ, and the role played by the blood pigment hemocyanin. Read more about their research here.
Margaret McFall-Ngai elected to National Academy of Science
Margaret McFall-Ngai, Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, is one of three UW-Madison faculty members who were elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Fellows are elected in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Read more about Dr. McFall-Ngai's election and research career here.
Susan Hagness named College of Engineering Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs
Susan Hagness, Philip Dunham Reed Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been named Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs in the UW-Madison College of Engineering, Dean Ian Robertson announced on Monday. In this position, she will have responsibility and oversight for the research and graduate education activities in the College, and will also act as a liaison to the Graduate School. Professor Hagness will begin her two-year appointment on May 26, 2014.
Kathy Cramer named interim director of Morgride Center for Public Service
Kathy Cramer, professor in the Department of Political Science, has been named the interim director of the UW-Madison Morgridge Center for Public Service. As School of Education News notes, the Morgridge Center advances the Wisconsin Idea by developing and promoting civic engagement and learning through service within local, national and global communities. Read more Dr. Cramer's appointment here.
Naomi Chesler graduates from ELATE academy
Naomi Chesler, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, recently completed the Executive Leadership in Academic Technology and Engineering (ELATE) Fellowship program at Drexel University. ELATE is a year-long leadership development program designed specifically for women in academia in STEM disciplines. Read more about Dr. Chesler's experience in the program here.
Megan Nelson, Lori Bierman, and Kara Novotny receive Pieper Foundation awards
Two UW-Madison undergraduate projects that received grants from the Pieper Servant Leadership Fund in 2014 will use their awards to reach out to the female engineers of the future, the College of Engineering announced. Both of the funded projects in 2014 will be led by members of the UW-Madison student chapter of Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Megan Nelson, a sophomore majoring in civil and environmental engineering, and Lori Bierman, a senior in industrial and systems engineering, helped secure $1,500 to support the long-running Engineering Tomorrow’s Careers (ETC) camp. Kara Novotny, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, received $1,000 to support a new outreach effort, the Women in Engineering and Computer Science Tie Blanket Project. Read more here.
Arrielle Opotowsky honored with two nuclear opportunities
Arrielle Opotowsky, a doctoral student in materials and science engineering, has received both a Department of Homeland Security Nuclear Forensics Fellowship and a chance to attend an intensive course on nuclear safeguards at the Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, the College of Engineering has announced. Read more about these opportunities here.
Margaret McFall-Ngai elected to National Academy of Science
Margaret McFall-Ngai, Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, is one of three UW-Madison faculty members who were elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Fellows are elected in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Read more about Dr. McFall-Ngai's election and research career here.
Susan Hagness named College of Engineering Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs
Susan Hagness, Philip Dunham Reed Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been named Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs in the UW-Madison College of Engineering, Dean Ian Robertson announced on Monday. In this position, she will have responsibility and oversight for the research and graduate education activities in the College, and will also act as a liaison to the Graduate School. Professor Hagness will begin her two-year appointment on May 26, 2014.
Marsha Mailick named interim dean of the Graduate School
Marsha Mailick, director of the Waisman Center and Vaughan Bascom and Elizabeth M. Boggs Professor of Social Work, has been named the interim dean of the UW-Madison Graduate School. Dr. Mailick will succeed Martin Cadwallader, who is returning to the faculty, and begin her new position on September 1. She will serve as the university's research officer, managing the graduate education and research portfolios of the campus. Read more about her appointment here.
UW-Madison students win sustainable design award
A team of University of Wisconsin-Madison undergraduates has won a $90,000 award to expand a novel Styrofoam reuse and recycling program in the Madison area. Students Emily Baumann, Jenna Walsh, Katelyn Budke and Jared Ottmann presented their project, called Styrocycle, at the National Sustainable Design Expo in Washington, D.C., April 25 to 27. Read more about their project and the competition here.
Tracey Holloway and Earth Science Women's Network featured in Nature
Tracey Holloway, PhD, Professor of Environmental Studies, and the Earth Science Women's Network she founded with colleagues ten years ago are profiled in the journal Nature. Read the article here.
Department of Gender and Women's Studies establishes endowed fellowship in feminist biology
Janet Hyde, professor of psychology and director of the Center for Research on Gender & Women, has announced the establishment of an endowed postdoctoral fellowship in feminist biology, the first in the nation. The first post-doctoral fellow, Caroline VanSickle, is now completing her Ph.D. in biological anthropology at the University of Michigan. As UW News explains, when her two-year fellowship begins in September, she plans to continue her research on female human ancestors by investigating changes in pelvis shape - and therefore childbirth anatomy - during the course of human evolution. Read more about the fellowship and Ms. VanSickle's research here.
Jennifer Reed wins Presidential Early Career Award
Jennifer Reed, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, is one of this year's recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. The award is the highest honor the U.S. government bestows on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. Read more about Dr. Reed and her research program here.
Christina Kendziorski to give lecture series about ovarian cancer treatment
Christina Kendziorski, Professor in the UW-Madison Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, along with Dr. William Bradley of the Medical College of Wisconsin, will be giving a lecture about their project that uses computation to better pinpoint ovarian cancer treatment. Sponsored by the Morgridge Institute for Research, the series is intended to showcase research excellence at UW-Madison around cross-disciplinary themes in biomedicine. The event will be held on Wednesday, April 23, in the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery DeLuca Forum from 6-8 p.m. Read more about the lecture series here.
Amita Kapoor publishes new study in Pediatric Research
Amita Kapoor, assistant researcher at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center's Assay Services, and Christopher Coe, UW-Madison professor of psychology and director of the Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, have published a new study in the journal Pediatric Research. Dr. Kapoor, the first author of the study, found that hair from rhesus monkeys can provide researchers with information about the womb environment in which the infant formed. Data about the womb's hormonal environment, in particular, could have significant implications for a variety of fields. Read more about the study and findingshere.
Sarah Mangelsdorf named next provost of UW-Madison
Sarah Mangelsdorf, dean of Northwestern University's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, has been named UW-Madison's provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Mangelsdorf is expected to arrive on campus on Aug. 4 in preparation for the 2014-15 academic year. Read more about Dr. Mengelsdorf and the role she will play as provost here.
Ruth Litovsky named Fulbright scholar
Ruth Litovsky, professor of communication sciences and disorders, has been named a 2014-15 Fulbright Scholar for the East-Asia Pacific Region. The College of Letters & Science news reports that she will "collaborate with colleagues in the Bionics Institute in Melbourne, Australia, on the use of novel imaging techniques known as functional near infra-red spectroscopy (fNIRS). She plans to learn about ways in which the brain tissue of deaf individuals responds to sound." Read more about Dr. Litovsky's research here.
Seibert, Hayes, Breit, DeSmet, Petersen, and Terpstra among Academic Staff Excellence Award winners
Six of the nine 2014 UW-Madison Academic Staff Excellence Award winners are women. Christine Seibert, associate dean for medical education in the School of Medicine and Public Health, is the recipient of the Chancellor's Hilldale Award for Excellence in Teaching. Lynn Haynes, distinguished researcher in the Department of Surgery, is the recipient of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research -- Critical Support. Fran Breit, Program Manager III for Wisconsin Careers in the Center on Education and Work, is the recipient of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Service to the University. Christine DeSmet, faculty associate in the Division of Continuing Studies, is the recipient of the Robert and Carroll Heideman Award for Excellence in Public Service and Outreach. Jean Petersen, student services coordinator in the Department of Genetics, is the recipient of the Martha Casey Award for Dedication to Excellence. Jane Terpstra, director and instructor of Distance Education Professional Development in the Division of Continuing Studies, is the recipient of the Ann Wallace Career Achievement Award. Read more about all of this year's awardees here.
Beth Weaver and team publish new findings on the use of Taxol to treat breast cancer
Beth Weaver, PhD, Assistant Professor of Cell & Regenerative Biology has published a new study show that Taxol, a popular chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, does not shrink tumors by stopping cancer cells from dividing and reproducing as previously thought, but instead alters the way chromosomes of cancer cells divide. This finding could improve physicians' abilities to determine which patients will benefit from the use of Taxol. Weaver's coauthors include Lauren Zasadil, Kristen Andersen, Dabin Yeum, Gabrielle Rocque, Lee Wilke, Amye Tevaarwerk, Ronald Raines, and Mark Burkard. Read more here.
Nancy Keller, Mary Louise Roberts appointed to WARF professorships
Nancy Keller, Robert L. Metzenberg and Kenneth B. Raper Professor of Mycology, and Mary Louise Roberts, Lucie Aubrac Professor of History, are two of six faculty members who have been appointed to Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation named professorships in 2014. The appointments, which include $75,000 in research support from WARF over five years. To read about all six appointed faculty members, click here.
Roxann Engelstad named ASME fellow
Roxann Engelstad, Stephen P. Timoshenko Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Dr. Engelstad is being honored for her expertise on mechanical issues associated with lithography. For more about the fellowship, click here.
Soyoung Ahn joins Civil and Environmental Engineering
Soyoung (Sue) Ahn recently joined the UW-Madison Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering as an associate professor, and was recently featured in the College of Engineering "focus on new faculty." Professor Ahn, a member of the Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory, which partners with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to develop practical transportation solutions, studies traffic congestion and other problems. For more about her research, click here.
Donata Oertel receives Hilldale award
Donata Oertel, professor in the UW-Madison Department of Neuroscience, is among four recipients of the 2014 Hilldale Awards. As UW News explains, the annual awards "are based on the university’s four divisions: biological sciences, physical sciences, social studies, and arts and humanities" and are given in recognition of a faculty member's contributions to teaching, research, and service. Dr. Oertel is this year's recipient for the Biological Sciences division. For more, click here.
Teresa Adams, director of CFIRE, signs agreement with Pentagon
Professor Teresa Adams, Executive Director of the National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) and faculty member in civil and environmental engineering, has signed an agreement with Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in Mississippi that could save the Defense Department millions of dollars as military equipment begins to make its way back to the United States from Afghanistan. For more about the agreement and CFIRE's work, click here.
Professor Que Lan passes away
Que Lan, professor of entomology, passed away on March 7, 2014. A member of the faculty at UW-Madison since 2001, she studied how insects metabolize metabolize cholesterol and successfully developed inhibitors to block this pathway. For more about Dr. Lan's many research contributions to the field, click here.
Sarah Baisley, Vaishali Bakshi and team find promising new treatment for schizophrenia
A collaborative effort between Sara Baisley, PhD candidate, Neuroscience Training Program, Quentin Bremer, Sr. Research Specialist, Psychiatric Institute, Vaishali Bakshi, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychiatry, and Brian Baldo, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, has led to a potential new treatment for schizophrenia that eases the symptoms of psychosis without producing the side effect of promoting obesity and metabolic disorders common to currently used antipsychotic drugs. This research represents an intersection of Baldo's work on addiction, food reward, and satiation in the brain with Bakshi's work on schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Read more here.
Cara Westmark publishes study correlating soy formula and seizures in infants with autism
Cara Westmark, PhD, Senior Scientist in the Dept. of Neurology and the Waisman Center, has published a study based on her analysis of seizures among infants with autism. Using a database from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative, Westmark found that infants who were fed with soy formula had 2.6 times as many seizures as infant fed with a dairy-based formula. Westmark's study does claim that soy formula causes seizures, but suggests that additional research is needed. Read more here.
Zsuzsanna Fabry publishes research on new drug for stroke
Zsuzsunna Fabry, PhD, and Matyas Sandor, PhD, Professors of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, have published a study presenting new information about how strokes cause brain damage in mice. The study shows that after an ischemic stroke, a protein compound successfully blocks the body's immune response and greatly reduces brain damage and disability. The study also documented a similar immune response in humans and suggests that the protein compound might be an effective treatment for stroke. Read more here.
Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, Katherine S. Newman, and Julie Underwood named finalists for UW Provost position
Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, Katherine S. Newman, and Julie Underwood are among the four finalists for position of provost at UW-Madison. Mangelsdorf is dean of the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, professor, Department of Psychology, Northwestern University; Newman is the James B. Knapp Dean and Professor of Sociology, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Johns Hopkins University; and Underwood is the dean of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Each candidate will meet with the campus community and give public presentations discussing the position. For more, click here.
Wendy Crone publishes new study in Biomaterials
Wendy Crone, professor of engineering physics, biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering at UW-Madison, and her colleagues have published a new study in the journal Biomaterials. The research focused on the use of "human embryonic stem cells (hESC) to differentiate toward pure-population, mature heart muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes," according to UW News. For more, click here.
Nataliya Batina wins graduate support fellowship
Nataliya Batina, a graduate student in Industrial and Systems Engineering, has been awarded a Graduate Support Fellowship from her department. The endowed Fellowship will support her research on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and its spread within nursing home communities. For more about the fellowship and Batina's research, click here.
Laura McLay elected president of INFORMS professional society
Laura McLay, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering, has been elected president of the Section of Public Programs, Services and Needs of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS). For more about this story, visit Engineering News here.
Sushmita Roy, Shan Lu awarded Sloan Research Fellowships
Shushmita Roy, assistant professor of biostatistics and medical informatics, and Shan Lu, Clare Boothe Luce assistant professor of computer science are among recipients of prestigious fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. They will each receive $50,000 grants from the foundation in support of their research. For more information about the award and a list of all recipients, click here.
Gong creates aerogel technology to clean up oil spills
Shaoqin "Sarah" Gong, a researcher at WID's BIONATES research group and associate professor of biomedical engineering, along with her colleagues, has created and patented an aerogel technology to aid in cleaning up oil spills. Engineering News explains that as part of her search for alternative, greener materials to absorb oil and chemicals, Dr. Gong prepared an aerosol gel made of sustainable wood-based materials and environmentally friendly polymers. These materials can allow for the absorption of spilled oil and chemicals from water and other surfaces. For more about the discovery and ongoing developments, click here.
Havens, Paulnock among finalists for UW Arboretum director position
Kayri Havens, of the Chicago Botanic Garden, and Donna Paulnock, professor of medical microbiology and immunology and associate dean for the biological sciences in the Graduate School at UW-Madison, are among the finalists for the position of UW Arboretum Director. All three finalists will visit campus and give public presentations beginning Wednesday, February 26. To learn more about the Director's role and to see times for the candidates' presentations, click here.
Ellen Damschen publishes study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Ellen Damschen, an assistant professor of zoology at UW-Madison, has published a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences focused on tracking seed dispersal in newly carved out "habitat corridors." As UW News explains, these corridors "are designed to improve conditions for uncommon native species living in separated habitats," species that might not otherwise survive. Tracking seed dispersal into and out of these corridors can give valuable insight into conservation science. Read more about the study here.
Kyoung-Shin Choi publishes study in Science
Kyoung-Shin Choi, Professor of Chemistry, and postdoctoral researcher Tae Woo Kim have published a new research study in the journal Science. Professor Choi's study focused on new, inexpensive production materials that can be used to generate electricity using hydrogen fuel. Read more the research and findings here.
Ann Sheehy publishes study questioning new Medicare guidelines for "observation" patients
Ann Sheehy, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, and colleagues have published a retrospective study in the Journal of Hospital Medicine. The study demonstrates that the new guidelines will classify patients as "observation" or "inpatient" on the basis of the length of their hospital stay, rather than on their actual medical condition. This will lead to increased out-of-pocket costs for patients classified as "observation" and for patients who are transferred from one hospital to another.
Heather Johnson publishes new study on hypertension
Heather Johnson, MD, Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, and several colleagues recently published a reasearch article in the Journal of Internal Medicine. Johnson's research indicates that primary care physicians are slow to prescribe medication to young adults, particularly young men, with high blood pressure. Read more here.
Mihaela Teodorescu publishes new study on inhaled corticosteroids
Mihaela Teodorescu, MD, Associate Professor of Mecince, has published a new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. The study suggests that inhaled corticosteroids commonly used to treat symptoms of asthma may lead to sleep apnea. Teodorescu and her coauthors, Christine Sorkness, UW School of Pharmacy, and Atul Malhotra, University of California-San Diego, caution that results from this pilot study need to be replicated in a larger study. Read more here.
Shobhina Chheda become Director of Clinical Education
Shobhina Chheda, MD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, will be the new director of clinical education for the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Read more here.
Tess Hauser remembered for contributions to UW-Madison
Members of the campus community paused to remember Tess Hauser, formerly a senior scientist at the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), who passed away in January 2014 in Washington, D. C. Hauser played a critical leadership role in the WLS, and her advances in survey research methodology contributed significantly to the success of the study, in addition to her development of specialized computer software to archive the longitudinal data in secure and stable ways. She is also remembered for commitment to mentoring and supporting generations of students and staff who worked on the project. Read more about Hauser's contributions here.
LaBelle to head Office of Corporate Relations
Susan LaBelle has been selected as the new director of the UW-Madison Office of Corporate Relations (OCR). Drawing on extensive experience in the private sector and degrees in medical technology and marketing and management, LaBelle will lead OCR in its efforts to connect UW-Madison with business and industry. She also teaches in the UW-Madison biotechnology master's degree program. Read more about her appointment here.
Irene Hamrick pilots fall-prevention program in Wisconsin
Irene Hamrick, a physician and researcher in UW-Madison Department of Family Medicine, has implemented a pilot iteration of the Lifestyle and Functional Exercise program (LiFE) fall-prevention program for the elderly. As UW News explains, LiFE "is an in-home program for patients 70 years or older that integrates exercises into daily activities." Initially piloted in Wausau, Hamrick is expanding the program statewide. Read more about the program and its outcomes for participants here.
Cooper, De Leon, Gong, Halverson, Ratner-Rosenhagen, Schwendinger among winners of Vilas Associates competition
Six female faculty members are among this year's winners of the Vilas Associates Competition at UW-Madison. The awards recognize new and ongoing research of the highest quality and significance, UW News reports. The female faculty members selected by their divisional Graduate School Research Committees include Lisa Cooper (English), Natalia de Leon (Agronomy), Shaoqin "Sarah" Gong (Biomedical Engineering), Erica Halverson (Curriculum and Instruction), Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen (History), and Laura Schwendinger (School of Music). Read more about the competition and awards here.
Janet Hyde publishes study challenging claims of single-sex schooling benefits
Janet Hyde, professor of psychology, has published a new study challenging the benefits of single-sex schooling in grades K-12. An extensive meta-analysis that includes over 184 studies, Dr. Hyde and colleagues included data from 57 studies assessing the impact and value of single-sex schooling. They found little evidence that the practice offers educational or social benefits, especially when factors such as parental education or economics are considered. Read more the study and its conclusions here.
Teresa Adams honored with past president award
Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Teresa M. Adams has been honored by the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) with its Past President Award. The College of Engineering News notes that the award recognizes Dr. Adams' service to CUTC, an organization of university transportation centers. Read more here.
Teresa Adams, Alex Marach, and Ernest Perry win research award
Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Teresa M. Adams, and co-authors Alex J. Marach and Ernest B. Perry, won the Best Paper Award at the 2014 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in January in Washington, D.C. The College of Engineering News reports that the research team was honored for their work on rural freight corridors. Read more about the award here.
Mary Blanchard named associate director of the Wisconsin Energy Institute
Mary Blanchard, the former Director of Marketing and Governmental Affairs at Virent, Inc., has joined the Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI) as the new associate director. Drawing on twenty years of industry experience, the WEI reports that Blanchard will play a key role in leveraging opportunities to expand the energy research they are conducting. Read more about the new position here.
Patricia Keely selected Chair of Cell and Regenerative Biology
Effective April 1, Patricia Keely, PhD, Professor of Cell and Regenerative Biology, Director of the Molecular Pharmacology Graduate Program, and Co-leader of the UW Carbone Cancer Center's Tumor Microenvironment Program, will become the new chair of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health's Department of Cell and Regenerative Microbiology. Read more here.
Lori McElroy named Chief Information Security Officer
Lori McElroy has been named chief information security officer (CISO) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ms. McElroy was hired after a competitive national search, and will lead teams in both the Office of Campus Information Security (OCIS) and the Division of Information Technology (DoIT). Read more about her background and leadership plans here.
News – 2013
Carla Pugh publishes new article
Carla Pugh, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery and Clinical Director of the UW Health Clinical Simulation Program, has published a new article in the MedSim Magazine that considers which type of simulations and clinical assessments best meet specific learning objectives. Read more here.
Alia Gurtov participates in South African archeological dig
Alia Gurtov, a graduate student at UW-Madison, is one of several researchers participating in an archeological dig in South Africa. Ms. Gurtov and several other scientists are part of an international collaboration working to remove hundreds of fossilized bones from a cavern 30 meters underground at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. UW News reports that the Rising Star Expedition also includes UW-Madison Anthropology professor John Hawks among its members. Read more about the expedition and find links to more coverage of the findings here.
Ei Terasawa discovers that the brain produces, releases estrogen
Ei Terasawa, professor of pediatrics at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and senior scientist at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, and her team have discovered that ovaries are not alone in the production and release of estrogen in the body. Dr. Terasawa and her team have discovered that the brain can also produce the hormone, which may help in our understanding of overall hormone changes as part of the aging process. Read more about the study and its publication in the Journal of Neuroscience here.
Rebecca Willett joins the faculty in electrical and computer engineering
Rebecca Willett recently joined the faculty as an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and a fellow in the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID) optimization group. In these new roles and as a part of her "big data" research program, Professor Willett hopes "to develop tools for using discrete event data to draw reliable conclusions about an underlying physical phenomenon." Read more about Dr. Willett's plans in a College of Engineering faculty profile.
Nayomi Plaza, Don Stone, and Joseph Jakes study wood nanostructure
Nayomi Plaza, a doctoral student in Materials Science and Engineering, along with Professor Don Stone and Dr. Joseph Jakes, have collaborated to study the nanostructure of wood, in order to better understand why some adhesive bonds fail in "glued" wood. The College of Engineering News service explains that Plaza is conducting research at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, "where she has developed methods and customized tools that enable her to use neutron scattering to study how unmodified and modified wood swells at different moisture levels." Read more about her work here.
Naomi Chesler publishes study in PLOS ONE
Naomi Chesler, associate professor of biomedical engineering at UW-Madison, and her team have published a new study in the journal PLOS ONE. As the College of Engineering News service explains, the team "discovered important biomechanical changes in human arteries that could increase understanding of how pulmonary hypertension leads to heart failure." Read more and read about the findings here.
Dominique Brossard among four UW-Madison faculty named AAAS fellows
Dominique Brossard, professor of life sciences communication, is among four faculty from UW-Madison elected this year as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Dr. Brossard is being honored "for distinguished contributions to our understanding of the role media plays in influencing public opinion and policy about science and technology, particularly controversial scientific innovations." Read more about the fellowships here.
Laura Kiessling, Samuel Gellman Win National American Chemical Society Awards
Professors Laura Kiessling and Samuel Gellman, both of the UW-Madison department of chemistry, have won national American Chemical Society Awards in recognition of their contributions to the field. Dr. Kiessling will receive the Alfred Bader Award in Bioinorganic or Bioorganic Chemistry when the Society meets in early 2014 in Dallas, TX. Read more about the awards here.
Rachel Mallinger develops online bee identification guide
Rachel Mallinger, a graduate student in entomology, has developed an online bee identification guide to benefit farmers, landowners and curious citizens. Funded by a USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant, the guide includes over 200 species of wild pollinators. As CALS news service reports, the resource will help users distinguish among different types of bees and learn about the important roles they play in nature and agriculture. Read more and link to the guide here.
Gloria Sarto to be honored with endowed chair
Gloria Sarto, professor emerita of obstetrics and gynecology, will be honored with an endowed chair to recognize her long career in supporting and researching women's health and health equity. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is seeking funds to support the Gloria E. Sarto Chair in Women’s Health and Health Equity Research. Read more about Dr. Sarto's work here.
Carla Pugh featured in Slate Magazine
Carla Pugh, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery and Clinical Director of the UW Health Clinical Simulation Program, is featured in a Slate Magazine article on "Play at Work." The article describes how a close call in the emergency room led to her efforts to create simulations for training surgeons. Read more here.
Dörte Döpfer develops improved treatments for hoof disease in cattle
Dörte Döpfer, assistant professor of food animal medicine, has developed safer and more effective treatments for hoof diseases in dairy cattle. As UW News explains, digital dermatitis (also called heel warts) is a very common, very painful disease found on nearly every beef and dairy farm in North America, and treatments for the disease can be environmentally dangerous and expensive. After developing and testing an experimental model in the lab to reproduce and treat the lesions that result from the disease, Professor Döpfer's team found that approaches such as adding supplements to the cattle's diets can not only treat the disease more effectively, but more affordably. Read more about Dr. Döpfer's work here.
Naomi Chesler, Zhijie Wang publish new study in PLOS ONE
Naomi Chesler, associate professor of biomedical engineering, and Zhijie Wang, a research scientist in the Chesler lab, have published a new study in the journal PLOS ONE reporting that changes in human arteries could increase our understanding of pulmonary hypertension and heart failure. As UW News explains, they and their colleagues examined whether a link exists between arterial changes caused by pulmonary hypertension and dysfunction in the heart's right ventricle. Read more about the study and paper here.
Lynn Edlefson, Steve Cramer honored as Champions of Women
Lynn Edlefson, campus child care coordinator and director of the Office of Child Care and Family Resources, and Steve Cramer, associate dean for academic affairs of the College of Engineering, are the recipients of this year's Women's Philanthropy Council (WPC) Champion Awards at UW-Madison, reports UW News. The Champion Awards honor a man and a woman, nominated by their peers, whose commitment and effort have advanced the status of women at the university. The recipients will be honored on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at Union South. Read more here.
Maureen Smith and colleagues publish study in Health Affairs
Maureen Smith, MD, MPH, PhD, Professor of Population Health Sciences, Family Medicine, and Surgery, and colleagues have published a study showing that interdisciplinary teams of physicians and nurse practitioners or physician assistants produce equivalent or better results for patients with chronic illness than do physician-only teams. Other authors of the study are Christine Everett (Duke University), Carolyn Thorpe (University of Pittsburgh), and the following UW-Madison faculty members: Mari Palta, Pascale Carayon, and Christie Bartels. Read more here.
R. Alta Charo earns award
R. Alta Charo, JD, Warren P. Knowles Professor of Law and Bioethics, received the Adam Yarmolinsky Award from the National Institute of Medicine in honor of her extensive contributions to the Institute through service on its boards, committees, and forums. Read more here.
Angela Byars-Winston coauthors study published in Science
Angela Byars-Winston, PhD, Associate Professor, Medicine, co-authored a study outlining evidence-based strategies for increasing student persistence in STEM majors. The study published in Science identifies early research experiences, active learning in introductory courses, and participation in STEM learning communities as "proven interventions" that lead students to persist in science majors. Coauthors include Jo Handelsman, Mark Graham, Jennifer Frederick, and Anne-Barrie Hunter. Read more here.
Ann Palmenberg, Holly A. Basta provide model explaining lack of cure for common cold
Ann Palmenberg, a UW-Madison professor of biochemistry, and Holly A. Basta, a graduate student in cellular and molecular biology, have published a new study in the journal Virology explaining why there is no known cure for the common cold. As UW News explains, Dr. Palmenberg, Basta, and their team conducted a pair of studies exploring the genetic sequencing of rhinovirus C, and then developed a 3-D model of the pathogen. Read more the studies and resulting model here.
Margaret McFall-Ngai collaborates with social scientists to study microbiome
Margaret McFall-Ngai, a professor of medical microbiology and immunology, recently participated in a workshop intended to bring together biologists and social scientists with expertise in longitudinal studies. Co-sponsored by the Center for Demography and Health and Aging and the Center for Demography and Ecology, the workshop allowed Dr. McFall-Nagi and other faculty members, such as Alberto Palloni, professor of sociology, to explore the ways in which interdisciplinary collaboration might enhance their studies, as conference organizers. Read more about the workshop and collaboration here.
Julie Dawson begins plant science program to support local produce
Julie Dawson, an assistant professor of horticulture and an extension specialist, is the first UW-Madison plant scientist hired to specialize in urban and per-urban agriculture. As UW News reports, Professor Dawson will focus on the needs of direct-to-market farms and community gardens, including those around urban areas. Learn more about the developing program and goals here.
Trisha Andrew develops dye-based solar cells
Trisha Andrew, assistant professor of chemistry, and the researchers in her lab are using an organic, or carbon-containing, compound is a dye called copper phthalocyanine to make solar cells. The compound in the dye that gives it its color can also conduct electricity and generate power, and the use of carbon-based materials makes the cells drastically more affordable than expensive silicon. Read more about the development and research in the Andrews lab here.
Carnes, Devine, Ford and colleagues awarded $4.8 million grant from NIH
Molly Carnes, professor of medicine and co-director of WISELI, along with colleagues Professor Patricia Devine (Psychology) and Professor Cecilia Ford (English), has been awarded a $4.8 million Transformative Research Award from the NIH. The purpose of the study is to investigate differences in grants awarded by the NIH by gender or race and ethnicity. As UW News explains, the group will analyze the text of actual reviews written by the researchers who conduct peer review of grant proposals presented to NIH, looking for differences that may be connected to factors such as applicant gender, race or employer. Read more about the study plans here.
Whitney Witt elected to leadership position in APHA
Whitney Witt. PhD, MPH, Assoc. Professor of Population Health Sciences, was elected by her peers to serve as Section Councilor for the American Public Health Association (APHA) Maternal and Child Health Section. Read more here.
Carla Pugh researches methods for teaching surgeons to master skills of robotic surgery
To improve clinical training of surgeons, Carla Pugh, MD, PhD, Assoc. Professor of Surgery, Vice-Chair for surgical research, and director of the UW Health Clinical Simulation Program, will conduct research on methods surgeons use to make decisions quickly and effectively. She will conduct this research using sensing technology and information recorded by a "da Vinci robot." Intuitive Surgery, the company that makes the robot, donated the robot to support Pugh's research after hearing her give a presentation. Read more here.
Amy Trentham-Dietz and Michael Gold receive grant
Amy Trentham-Dietz, PhD, Assoc. Professor of Population Health Sciences and Michael Gould, PhD, Professor of Oncology have received a grant from the Breast Cancer and the Environment Program. They will conduct a study comparing the genes of more than 7,000 Wisconsin women to study how genetic differences and environmental factors interact to contribute to breast cancer risks. Read more here.
Anjali Narayan-Chen and Liqi Xu place in international computing competition
Anjali Narayan-Chen and Liqi Xu, graduate students in the UW-Madison computer sciences department, have created a computer program that can independently play the video game Angry Birds. In August, the pair competed and placed third in the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Beijing with the program. Read more about the program and their future goals here.
Colleen Hayes publishes study on vitamin D-based treatment for MS
Professor Colleen Hayes, of the Department of Biochemistry, has published a new study in the Journal of Neuroimmunology. Dr. Hayes and her colleagues, in investigating better treatment options for MS patients, found that vitamin D-based treatments could halt or even reserve the course of the disease in mice. This discovery may lead to promising therapies for human patients. Read more about the study here.
Sheila McGuirk honored by Bovine Magazine
Professor Sheila McGuirk and Professor Kenneth Norlund, both of the the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, have received honors for excellence in their field. Dr. Norlund is being honored as the 2013 "Industry Person of the Year" by the World Dairy Expo, an award that Dr. McGuirk won last year. Meanwhile, both Dr. Norlund and Dr. McGuirk have been named among the 20 most influential beef and dairy veterinarians in North America by Bovine Magazine. Read more about these honors here.
Wen Li publishes study on anxiety and smell perception
Wen Li, assistant professor of psychology at the UW-Madison Waisman Center, has published a new study in the Journal of Neuroscience. Dr. Li and her colleagues have found that when humans experience anxiety, our brains can transform neutral odors into negative ones. UW News explains that this transformation could fuel a feedback loop that could heighten distress and lead to clinical issues like anxiety and depression. Read more about the study here.
Vivian Pinn gives keynote address
Vivian Pinn, MD, Director of the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health will visit campus and provide the keynote address for the 2013 Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) Symposium. The BIRCWH program, directed by Dr. Gloria Sarto, is a career development program that connects junior faculty with senior faculty mentors who have research interests in women's health and sex differences research.
Medical Residency Match Program successfully accommodates couples
An article in the summer 2013 issue of Quarterly, a magazine published by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, discusses the importance and the success of the National Residents Matching Program in meeting the needs of couples seeking residencies in the same cities. Beginning with how uncommon such accommodations were when Dean Robert Golden and Professor Shannon Kenney sought joint residencies 34 years ago, the article highlights the fact that 935 couples seeking joint residencies in 2013 had a success rate of 95.2%. Read more here.
Elizabeth Petty selected for AAMC Council of Deans
Elizabeth Petty, MD, Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, is one of three people selected from medical schools across the country to serve as a 2013-2014 fellow of the Association of American Medical Colleges' Council of Deans. The fellowship promotes development of leaders in academic medicine. Read more here.
Karen Strier featured in Smithsonian magazine
Karen Strier, professor of anthropology and zoology, has been featured in Smithsonian magazine for her study of muriquis, or large Brazilian primates. Dr. Strier has been observing muriquis since 1982 and, according to the article, and has featured their peace-loving, egalitarian lifetsyles in her work. To read the piece, click here.
Ruth Litovsky and Tom Yin study binaural hearing
Ruth Litovsky, professor of communicative disorders and director of the Binaural Hearing and Speech Lab at the UW-Madison Waisman Center, and Tom Yin, professor and interim chair in the Department of Neuroscience, have collaborated to conduct research on binaural hearing, or the ability to hear sound with both ears. Professors Litovsky and Yin recently appeared in a video to discuss their work and future directions. Learn more about the study and their findings here.
Chiara Cirelli to publish new research findings
Chiara Cirelli, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, has discovered that during sleep genes involved in making cells that produce and repair the myeline sheath that insulates nerve cells are activated. This finding has potential implications for research on diseases such as multiple sclerosis in which the myelin sheath is damaged. Read more here.
Stratatech/B. Lynn Allen-Hoffman receive $47.2 million contract
The Stratatech Corporation, founded and directed by B. Lynn Allen-Hoffman, PhD, Professpr of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, has received a five-year contract for up to $47.2 million from the US Department of Health and Human Services to support development and testing of StrataGraft skin tissue to treat severe burns. Read more here.
Lyndsey Runaas receives hematology research award
Lyndsey Runaas, MD, former medical resident at the UWSMPH, has received a Hematology Opportunities for the Next Generation of Research Scientists (HONORS) award from the American Society of Hematologists. The award aims to encourage medical students and residents to pursue research careers. Runass will use the award to conduct research with Rachel Cook, MD, Assistant Professor of Hematology. Read more here.
Rozalyn Anderson publishes study on muscle loss in older adults
Rozalyn Anderson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, recently published a study demonstrating that changes in metabolism that may lead to loss of muscle mass in older adults occur earlier than previously thought and before muscles show obvious signs of aging. Read more here.
JoAnne Robbins and Richard Hartel develop beverages for people with swallowing disorders
JoAnne Robbins, professor of medicine, and Richard Hartel, professor of food engineering, have collaborated to develop a new nutritional drink designed for people who have dysphagia, a disorder that makes it difficult to swallow. UW News reports that the professors, along with a colleague from the University of Minnesota, are in the process of patenting their beverage technology. To read more, click here.
Melissa Harrison, Kate O'Connor-Giles, and Jill Wildonger collaborate to study genome editing
Melissa Harrison, assistant professor of biomolecular chemistry, Kate O'Connor-Giles, assistant professor of genetics and molecular biology, and Jill Wildonger, assistant professor of biochemistry, have collaborated to study genome editing, resulting in a new paper being published in the August issue of the journal GENETICS. UW News reports that the paper, first posted online in May, has become one of the most-viewed papers of the month. To learn more about the study and collaboration, click here.
Caitlin Pepperell and colleagues publish study in PLoS Pathogens
Caitlin Pepperell, an assistant professor of medical microbiology and immunology and medicine, along with her colleagues, has published a new study on the tuberculosis (TB) pathogen in the journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) Pathogens. As UW News reports, Dr. Pepperell and her colleagues analyzed of dozens of tuberculosis genomes gathered from around the world, in order to create a more detailed picture of why TB is so prevalent and how it evolves to resist countermeasures. To learn more, click here.
Margaret McFall-Ngai and colleagues uncovers essential mechanism of symbiosis in Hawaiian squid
Margaret McFall-Ngai, professor of medical microbiology and immunology, along with her colleagues Natacha Kremer and Caitlin Brennan and others, has published a new article about the essential mechanisms of symbiosis found in Hawaiian squid. UW News reports that the study was published in Cell Host & Microbe. To learn more , click here.
Jo Handelsman nominated as Associate Director for Science, Office of Science and Technology Policy
Former WISELI co-Director Jo Handelsman, currently a professor at Yale University, has been nominated by President Obama to be the Associate Director for Science in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Read more here.
Rozalyn Anderson wins new investigator award
Rozalyn Anderson, an assistant professor of medicine, has won the Nathan Shock New Investigator Award from the Gerontological Society of America. Inside UW reports that the prestigious award recognizes Dr. Anderson's contributions to new knowledge about aging through basic biological research. To learn more about the award and Dr. Anderson's work, click here.
Susan Paskewitz identifies lone star tick in Wisconsin
Susan Paskewitz, a professor in the Department of Entomology, reports that the lone star tick has been found in Wisconsin. UW News explains that the tick has a range from Texas to Maine, but is not normally found in the state. Professor Paskewitz explained that the lone star tick can transmit bacterial infections that are not normally tested for because of the rarity of the tick in the area, which could lead to significant public health outcomes. She encourages anyone who encounters one of the ticks to contact her lab. For instructions on how to identify the tick or contact the Paskewitz lab, click here.
Barb Bendlin documents links between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease
In a study involving healthy participants with a family history of Alheimer's disease, Barb Bendlin, PhD, Assistant Professor of Geriatrics, found that participants had a range of insulin resistance — the ability to respond to insulin. Those with higher insulin resistance had lower glucose intake and poorer performance on memory tests. Bendlin's research suggests that maintaining proper blood sugar levels may be an early intervention that could potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Bendlin's finding will be published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia. Read more here.
Mei Baker receives grant to develop new Cystic Fibrosis screening protocal
Mei Baker, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and co-director of the newborn screening laboratory at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygeniene together with Philip Farrell, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Pediatrics has received a grant to use new DNA sequencing technology to develop a new protocal of screening newborns for cystic fibrosis. The goal of this new protocol is to reduce the likelihood of false positive results. Read more here.
Colleen Curran selected for global cancer task force
Colleen Curran, a postdoctoral scholar in molecular and environmental toxicology and a member of Patricia Keely's laboratory, has been selected to join "The Halifax Project," a collaborative, multi-disciplinary, international initiative that aims to investigate new therapeutic approaches to cancer and to study the potentially carcinogenic effects of exposure to low levels of chemicals commonly encountered in the environment. Read more here.
Corinne Engelman and Julie Mares publish study on Vitamin D
Corinne Engelman, MSPH, PhD, Assistant Professor of Population Health Sciences, and Julie Mares, MSPH, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences have published research findings showing that recommended dosages of Vitamin D do not meet the needs of all people. Their research, published in the Journal of Nutrition, shows that approximately 40% of people in their study had variations in their genes that put them at risk for Vitamin D deficiency. For these people the recommended dose of Vitamin D was not sufficient to maintain adequate Vitamin D levels. Their study suggests that physicians need to tailor recommended dosages of Vitamin D to the needs of individual patients. Click here for more information.
Adena Rissman publishes study of conservation easements in Wisconsin
Adena Rissman, assistant professor in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, has published a study of 34 conservation easements in Wisconsin in the Journal of Environmental Management. According to UW News, Dr. Rissman and her colleagues investigated how well land covered in fixed legal documents (the easements) could cope with constantly changing environmental conditions. They found, among other things, that the language of the easement contracts may not contain the flexibility to adaptively respond to current land management needs in a timely fashion. To learn more about the study and its findings, click here.
Fathima Wakeel publishes article in health disparities research
Fathima Wakeel, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in health disparities research has published findings from the 2007 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby Study (LAMB) demonstrating that pregnant women who experience greater stress and diminished emotional and social support are more likely to experience complications of pregnancy and birth when compared with peers who experience less stress and more support. Published in the Archives of Women's Mental Health, the article's coauthors include Drs. Whitney Witt and Lauren Wisk of the UW School of Medicine's and Public Health's Department of Population Health Sciences and scholars from other institutions. Read more here.
Carla Pugh selected for prestigious leadership program
Carla Pugh, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery, has been selected to join the 2013 Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program (ELAM). ELAM is a year-long professional development program dedicated to advancing senior women faculty to leadership positions in academic medicine. Read more here.
Araceli Alonso receives United Nations Public Service Award
Araceli Alonso receives United Nations Public Service Award
Araceli Alonso, a senior lecturer in Gender and Women’s Studies and a faculty associate at the School of Medicine and Public Health, is the recipient of the 2013 United Nations Public Service Award for Gender, Health and Development for her service-learning project, Health by Motorbike. In the project, UW students trained on campus travel to Kenya to provide knowledge about women's health. To learn more about Health by Motorbike and the UN award, click here.
Rupa Sridharan receives the Shaw Scientist Award
Rupa Sridharan, PhD, Assistant Professor of Cell and Regenerative Biology and member of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery's epigenetics research group is one two UW-Madison scientists to receive the 2013 Shaw Scientist Award. The Award, a bequest from Dorothy Shaw, widow of prominent Milwaukee attorney James Shaw, provides $200,000 in unrestricted research support. Dr. Sridharan's award will support her work on pluripotency — the ability of stem cells to be reprogrammed to serve different functions. Read more here and here.
Stephanie Januchowski-Hartley finds road developments can impact ecosystem restoration
Stephanie Januchowski-Hartley, a postdoctoral researcher at the UW-Madison Center for Limnology, has found that roads and culverts, in addition to dams, can have an impact on stream flow and fish migration. In a new study, Januchowski-Hartley and colleagues mapped every obstacle migratory fish may face, from large dams to small culverts, in the Great Lakes drainage basin. They found that of the smaller obstacles, 64 percent may at least partially block fish movement. The authors also discuss the implications of using the maps to improve contruction and restoration plans, and leveraging resources in the most impactful ways. To learn more, click here.
Anita Bhattacharyya grows Down syndrome neurons from stem cells
Anita Bhattacharyya, a neuroscientist at the Waisman Center, and her colleagues have grown brain cells from the skin cells of persons with Down syndrome. In analyzing the cells, she found that the new brain cells communicated in ways similar to those in a person with Down syndrome. The goal of the study was to explore the roots of Down syndrome, reports UW News. To learn more about the study and its findings, click here.
Jessica Blois publishes paper on fundamental assumptions in prediction of relationships
Jessica Blois, an assistant professor at the University of California and a recent postdoctoral fellow at UW-Madison, is the lead author of a new paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The paper addresses and validates the fundamental assumptions that are a central component in a method used to predict relationships between complex variables, called the "space-for-time substitution." Blois and UW-Madison faculty member John J. (Jack) Williams use the method to predict changes related to climate change, ecology, and biodiversity. To learn more, click here.
Helen Blackwell finds compounds that can curb staph infections
Helen Blackwell, professor of chemistry, is leading a group that identified compounds capable of curbing the bacteria that cause staph infections. According to UW News, the compounds interfere with bacterial quorum sensing, which is considered to be a promising new antibiotic strategy. To learn more, click here.
Brenda Pracheil reports danger, hope for conservation of large-river fishes
Brenda Pracheil, a postdoctoral researcher in the UW's Center for Limnology, is the lead author of a recent study that reports danger to large-river specialist fishes, such as paddlefish and blue catfish. According to UW News, Pracheil and her colleagues found that 60 our of 68 U.S. species are of conservation concern at some level. However, the study also found hope in that the tributaries of major rivers like the Mississippi could be large enough to provide suitable habitats. To learn more about the study and its findings, click here.
Wendy Crone recognized for experimental mechanics work
Wendy Crone, associate dean for graduate education and professor of engineering physics, has been honored by the Society for Experimental Mechanics. Dr. Crone is the recipient of the M. M. Frocht award. To learn more, click here.
Molly Jahn co-directs project to minimize greenhouse gas emissions
Molly Jahn, professor of genetics and agronomy, is co-directing a project intended to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses associated with dairy production practices, in order to be more resilient to the effects of cliate change. UW News reports that "the project is led by UW-Madison and involves researchers and extension staff from seven universities, five federal labs of the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy, and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy." To read more about the project, announced on the UW-Madison campus by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, click here.
Margaret McFall-Ngai, Jennifer Reed, and colleagues receive major research award
Margaret McFall-Ngai,PhD and Edward Ruby, PhD, professors in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology are recipients of a $2.5 million dollar award from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to investigate the genetic material and processes of individual bacteria. Their collaborators include Jennifer Reed, PhD, Asst. Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering. Read more here.
Finalists announced for dean of College of Letters & Science
Four finalists have been named in the search for the new dean of the UW-Madison College of Letters & Science. The finalists are John Coleman, David McDonald, John Karl Scholz, and Jane Tylus. Read more about each of the finalists here.
Naomi Chesler providing virtual internships to attract women to engineering
Naomi Chesler, a professor of biomedical engineering, is collaborating with the UW-Madison Epistemic Games Group to provide virtual internships to first-year students, in the hopes that it will attract them to engineering majors. UW News explains that the Epistemic Games Group "develops computer simulations that help students learn to think like professional scientists and engineers." In the virtual internships, students will engage in technical and nontechnical activities in the hopes that the experiences will motivate them to pursue enginering degrees. To learn more, click here.
Pupa Gilbert studies vaterite crystal structure
Pupa Gilbert, professor of physics, and her colleagues have discovered that vaterite's crystal structure is composed of two different crystal structures that "coexist within a pseudo-single crytal," according to UW News. How the vaterite, a form of calcium carbonate, maintains its crytal structure has been studied by scientists for over 100 years. To learn more, click here.
Yan Liu publishes study on stem cell transplant, learning in mice
Yan Liu, a postdoctoral associate at the Waisman Center, is the first author on a new study being published in Nature Biotechnology, in which she and her colleagues report that human embryonic stem cells were transformed into nerve cells that helped mice regain the ability to learn and remember. UW News reports that the study iis the first to show that "human stem cells can successfully implant themselves in the brain and heal neurological deficits." To learn more about Dr. Liu, the study, and her colleagues, click here.
Mary Ellen Rudin passes away
Mary Ellen Rudin, professor emerita of mathematics, passed away on March 18. After earning her doctorate from the University of Texas, Dr. Rudin spent 54 at UW-Madison, moving from lecturer, to professor (in 1971), to professor emerita (1991). To learn more about Dr. Rudin, please visit the memorial page created by her colleagues, found here.
Marisa Otegui receives Educational Innovation funds
Marisa Otegui, assistant professor in the Department of Botany, is one of six campus Educational Innovation recipients. The funds, intended to help faculty members extend their sabbaticals in order to further an educational innovation project, will allow Dr. Otegui to develop a new module and gather new materials for several of her Botany courses. She also plans to restructure some graduate-level course offerings in the department. To learn more about Dr. Otegui and the other recipients, click here.
Margaret McFall-Ngai leads study on microbes and host biological clocks
Margaret McFall-Ngai, Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, and colleagues have published a new study showing that a microbe can regulate the daily rhythm of its host. As UW News notes, "the work is important because it hints at a deeper and more extensive biological interplay between host organisms and the microbes that are ubiquitous companions and symbionts to all plants and animals, including humans." To learn more, click here.
Carol Menassa receives distinguished young alumni award
Carol Menassa, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, will receive a distringuished young alumni award from the American University of Beirut, according to College of Engineering News. Dr. Menassa, an alumna of the institution, will receive her award on May 8. To learn more about her work, click here.
Cheryl Martin to speak at Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI) symposium
Cheryl Martin, Deputy Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, will open the "From Innovation to Application" symposium at the WEI on Friday, April 5, 2013. The symposium will highlight energy research at the Institute and on campus. To learn more about Dr. Martin and the event, visit the WEI events page.
Women scientists among winners of Cool Science Image contest
Several women scientists from various departments are among the winners of the 2013 UW-Madison Cool Science Image contest. To learn more about them, their images, and the other winners, click here.
Elena D’Onghia and colleagues research spiral galaxies
Elena D’Onghia, an assistant professor of astronomy, and her colleagues have developed new models to explain the formation of spiral arms in disk galaxies. The results were reported in the April 1 issue of The Astrophysical Journal. To learn more, click here.
Earth Day Conference Features World-Renowned Scientists
Céline Cousteau and Jane Goodall are featured speakers at the 7th Annual Nelson Institute Earth Day conference. The conference will be held on April 15th at the Monona Terrace. For more information and to register, visit the conference website.
Regents panel recommends Rebecca Blank as next UW-Madison chancellor
A special committee of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents has recommended Rebecca Blank as the next chancellor of UW-Madison. Currently the acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Dr. Blank was one of four finalists for the position. The Board of Regents is scheduled to vote on the recommendation on Friday, April 5. To learn more about Dr. Blank, visit the chancellor search page here.
Jennifer Reed profiled in The Scientist
Jennifer Reed, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, has been profiled in The Scientist. In the article, she discusses her career pathway and her successes in the field of metabolic modeling. To learn more, click here.
Naomi Chesler named ELATE fellow
Naomi Chesler, associate professor of biomedical engineering, has been named an ELATE fellow by Drexel University. According to College of Engineering News, the Executive Leadership in Academic Technology and Engineering (ELATE) program is a national initiative designed to advance senior women faculty. To learn more, click here.
Marina Emborg and colleagues transplant neural cells from primate skin to brain
Marina Emborg, an associate professor of medical physics, along with her colleague Professor Su-Chun Zhang, have successfully transplanted neural cells derived from a monkey's skin to its brain, a first in the field. According to UW News, the "proof of principle" study and its results could have implications for the treamnet of patients with Parkinson's disease. To learn more about the study, click here.
Caprice Greenberg publishes editorial in JAMA
Caprice Greenberg, MD, MPH, Department of Surgery, published an editorial in JAMA on the need for better methods to assess the quality of care delivered by surgeons. The editorial has policy and fiscal implications for Medicare coverage of bariatric surgery. Read more here.
Elena D'Onghia, Jennifer Schomaker awarded Sloan Fellowships
Elena D'Onghia, assistant professor of astronomy, and Jennifer Schomaker, assistant professor of chemistry, are among 126 national receipients of two-year, $50,000 grants from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. To learn more about the awards and all of the UW-Madison recipients, click here.
Patricia Keely, Marisa Otegui receive Romnes Faculty Fellowships
Patricia Keely, professor of cell and regenerative biology, and Marisa Otegui, associate professor of botany, are among eight recipients of this year's Romnes Faculty Fellowships. According to UW News, the Romnes awards recognize exceptional faculty members who have earned tenure within the last four years. Fellows are selected by a Graduate School committee and receive an unrestricted $50,000 award for research, supported by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). To learn more about all of the recipients, click here.
Sumona Saha, Patricia Loew receive faculty grants
Sumona Saha, of the Department of Medicine in the School of Medicine and Public Health, and Patricia Loew, of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, are among several faculty recipients of grants from UW-Madison. Dr. Saha is a Research-Service Grant recipient, while Dr. Loew will receive a Faculty Professional Development Grant. To learn more about these grants and all of the recipients, click here.
Cris Marsh leads content management of Wildlife Data Integration Network (WDIN)
Cris Marsh, the content manager for the Wildlife Data Integration Network (WDIN), recently shared some of the project's successes and potential benefits to a variety of users with UW News. Intended to support both disease control and prevention and to protect wildlife and domestic animals, along with human health, the WDIN serves as a repository with a wide number of articles and tools available to the public. To learn more, click here.
Whitney Witt publishes new study
Together with her colleagues, Whitney Witt, PhD, MPH, Asst. Professor of Population Health Sciences, has published a new study in the journal of Academic Pediatrics. The study demonstrates that parents of children with cancer or a brain tumor under report their stress levels; they exhibit physical symptoms of stress even when they report they are not experiencing stress. Read more here.
Caroline Alexander - Research Profile
The research of Caroline Alexander, PhD, Assoc. Professorof Oncology, is profiled on the UW School of Medicine and Public Health's news page. Dr. Alexander studies differences in how tumor tissues behave and what treatments are most effective. Read more here.
Brianna Schuyler and colleagues study amygdala response to, recovery from negative stimuli
Brianna Schuyler and several colleagues at the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds in the Waisman Center have published a new study in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, in which they examine how the amugdala responds to and recovers from negative stimuli. The study's results imply that changing the way people recover from negative occurrences may be a good way to improve their emotional and overall well-being, reports UW News. To learn more, click here.
Pam Kreeger studies protein, cell behavior
Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Pamela Kreeger and her students are studying protein networks in cells as a part of their efforts to understand and contribute to cancer therapy choices, according to UW Engineering News. Dr. Kreeger and her students are using these explanatory models to understand everything from cancer therapies, to wound healing, to endometriosis therapies. Read more here.
Douglass Henderson wins Regents' Diversity Award
Douglass Henderson, professor of engineering physics, has received one of the University of Wisconsin Regents' Diversity Awards. Among many other accomplishments, Dr. Henderson is being honored for his leadership of the Graduate Engineering Research Scholars (GERS) program, which offers students a support network of peers among engineering graduate students, faculty, and staff, according to the release. Read more here.
Pupa Gilbert wins science image challenge
Pupa Gilbert, professor of physics, "earned top honors in the 2012 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the journal Science", according to UW News. The images were of individual calcite crystals in sea urchin teeth. Read more and see the winning image here.
Gina Green-Harris and Jill Boissonault receive awards
Gina Green-Harris, MBA and Jill Boissonault, PT, PhD, WCS are the first recipients of the UW School of Medicine's "Faculty and Staff Equity and Diversity Awards." Boissonault was recognized for ensuring that issues of culture and diversity were incorporated into the curriculum she wrote for the Dept. of Physical Therapy's seminars. Green-Harris was recognized for her successful efforts to include African-American participants in Alzheimer's disease prevention research and for her leadership in Milwaukee's African American community.
Karen Timberlake releases report on improving health in Wisconsin
Karen Timberlake, JD, Director of the UW School of Medicine's Population Health Institute, together with colleagues Anne Roubal and Bridget Booske Catlin, has released a report describing how Wisconsin rates on important indicators of health. The report, "Opportunities to Make Wisconsin the Healthiest State," demonstrates what Wisconsin is doing well and identifies areas needing improvement. Useful comparisons are made between health indicators for Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Karen Young receives 2012 Educator Award
Karen Young, clinical professor of clinical pathology at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), has received the 2012 Educator Award from the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP), according to SVM News. SVM peers and students nominated Dr. Young in recognition of her work as a collaborator, mentor, and instructor. Read more here.
Karen Pridham will receive Lifetime Achievement Award
Karen Pridham, Professor Emerita of Nursing, will receive the 2013 MNRS Lifetime Achievement Award from the Midwest Nursing Research Society in March, according to School of Nursing News. The award will recognize Dr. Pridham's record of excellence in research and education, and her career-long work to advance nursing as a profession. Read more here.
Melissa Rosenkranz leads study on alleviating chronic imflammation with meditation
Melissa Rosenkranz, an assistant scientist at the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, located within the the Waisman Center, is the lead author of a study on the effect of mindfulness mediatation on chronic inflammation. According to UW News, the one finding of the study is that mindfulness-based stress reduction was effective than other interventions at reducing stress-induced inflammation. Read more here.
Pascale Carayon speaks at a joint healthcare and engineering initiative
Pascale Carayon, Industrial and Systems Engineering and Proctor & Gamble Professor in Total Quality, spoke about systems approaches to improving safety in healthcare at a national meeting, according to an Engineering News release. The meeting, cosponsored by the Institutes of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering, was the first event for a new initiative, the IOM/NAE Systems Approaches for Improving Health Innovation Collaborative. Read more here.
Sarah Van Orman discusses influenza vaccine effectiveness in the Chronicle of Higher Education
Dr. Sarah Van Orman, executive director of University Health Services at UW-Madison and vice president of the American College Health Association, discussed the effectiveness of this year's influenza vaccine in The Chronicle of Higher Education, in a piece discussing the steps colleges and universities are taking to cope with the spread of the virus as classes soon resume. Dr. Van Orman reported that the effectiveness rate is about 60 percent. Read more about the Chronicle's piece here, or more about Dr. Van Orman here.
Ossorio, Shapiro call for new ethical guidelines for research on social networking
Pilar Ossorio, UW-Madison professor of law and bioethics and bioethics scholar-in-residence at the Morgridge Institute, along with R. Benjamin Shapiro, has published a call for new ethics guidelines regarding online research involving adolescents. They raise concerns about privacy, informed consent for participating in online research, and the effect of interventions on participants. According to a UW News release, the full piece was published in the January 11 Policy Forum of journal Science. Read more here.
Dominique Brossard and Dietram Scheufele encourage accurate science reporting
Dominique Brossard, professor of life sciences communication, and Dietram Scheufele, the John E. Ross Professor in Science Communication, have published a Perspectives piece for the journal Science, encourage scientists to join an effort to make sure the public receives full, accurate and unbiased information on science and technology. According to a UW News release, Broussard and Scheufele caution while that the internet has increased access to scientific information, the ways in which people look up information online may actually restrict what they encounter. They encourage scientists and others to engage in discussions of how to most effecively reach public audiences. Read more here.
Gerda Lerner, women's studies pioneer, passes away at 92
Gerda Lerner, Robinson Edwards Professor Emerita of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, died on Wednesday, Jan. 2. She was 92 years old. Dr. Lerner pioneered the field of women's history. She created the first master's program in women's history at Sarah Lawrence College in 1972. In 1980, she joined the faculty of UW-Madison's and, among many other accomplishments, established a doctoral program in women's history that remains among the top ranked in the field today. In addition to being remembered as a pioneer in the field of women's and gender scholarship, Prof. Lerner was a tireless advocate for the advancement of women in higher education. To read more about Dr. Lerner and her life, visit UW News or the New York Times.
News – 2012
Nature Magazine names Jo Handelsman one of "ten people who mattered" in 2012
Jo Handelsman, PhD, co-founder and former co-director of WISELI and currently Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale University, was named one of "ten people who mattered this year" by Nature Magazine. Dr. Handelsman received this honor in recognition of research she and her colleagues recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Handelsman's study asked academic scientists across the nation to review a job application for a lab manager. The application was randomly assigned a male or female named. Scientists, male and female, rated the female applicant as less competent than the male, would offer her a lower starting salary, and expressed less interest in mentoring her. The article suggests that such biases and practices could be one factor preventing the advancement of women in science. Read more here.
Trisha Andrew named in Forbes "30 Under 30 in Energy"
Trisha Andrew, assistant professor of chemistry, has been named to Forbes magazine's 30 Under 30 in Energy. Her energy research focuses on using unique nanoscale materials to develop new types of solar cells, which can convert solar energy into electrical energy, according to a UW News release. Read more about the list and Professor Andrew's research here.
Barbara Klein publishes research findings in JAMA
Barbara Klein, MD, MPH, Professor of Opthalmology, together with her colleagues, will publish research findings demonstrating that regular use of aspirin is associated with a increased risk of age-related macular degeneration. The article will be published in the December 19 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read more here.
Margaret "Gretchen" Schwarze surveys surgeon's views of post-operative life support
Margaret "Gretchen" Schwarze, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, released survey findings indicating that a majority of the 900 vascular, cardiothoracic, and neurological surgeons participating in her national study were reluctant to operate on a patient who explicity expressed a wish to limit post-operative life support. A majority also indicated a willingness to negotiate an informal contract with patients outlining mutually agreeable limits on aggressive postoperative treatments. Dr. Schwarze hopes the study will lead to better negotiations between surgeons and patients. Read more about the study and explanations for surgeons attitudes here.
Five graduate students of color named to the Bouchet Society
Five University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate students of color— Patrick Brown, Sharee Light, Gregory Mosby, Chidi Obasi and Myeshia Price — will be inducted into the UW-Madison chapter of the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society in March 2013, and inducted into the national Bouchet Society in April 2013, according to a UW News release. Read more about the society and this year's UW-Madison inductees here.
Patricia Flatley Brennan studies virtual healthcare
Patricia Flatley Brennan, Moehlman Bascom professor of industrial and systems engineering and nursing, is studying home health care using virtual reality in a "CAVE". According to an Engineering News piece, the CAVE uses a series of projectors in a cube-shaped room to create virtually any space imaginable, including a patient's home environment like a kitchen or bathroom. Along with colleagues, Brennan is studying ways to stimulate changes in the brain to help people more effortlessly choose health-promoting behaviors, starting in the CAVE. Read more here.
Patricia Kiley named Chair of Biomolecular Chemistry
Following a national search, Patricia Kiley, PhD, has been appointed as chair of the Department of Biomolecular Chemistry in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Kiley received her MS and PhD degrees in microbiology from the University of Illinois and joined the UW-Madison department as a faculty member in 1990. Promoted to full professor in 2002, she is nationally recognized as an outstanding scientist, academician, mentor, and leader. Read more here.
Computational Electrodynamics text by Susan Hagness and Allen Taflove seventh most cited in Google Scholar
UW Engineering News reports that Computational Electrodynamics: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method, co-authored by Philip Dunham Reed Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Susan Hagness and Northwestern University Professor of Electrical and Computer Science Allen Taflove, is the seventh most cited physics publication in Google Scholar. Currently, the text has been cited 10,436 times. Read more about the book, now in its third edition, here.
Tessa Peters awarded organic plant breeding fellowship
Tessa Peters, graduate student in the plant breeding and plant genetics program, has been awarded one of nation's first organic plant breeding fellowships. UW News reports that Peters is currently working with her advisor Bill Tracy, professor and chair of the agronomy department, who selected her for the fellowship. Read more about Ms. Peters and her research plans here.
Shuchi Chawla one of four UW-Madison Kavli Frontiers of Science fellows
Computer Sciences Professor Shuchi Chawla is one of four UW-Madison faculty members who have been named Kavli Frontiers of Science fellows and have been invited to participate in a symposium of the same name. UW News reports, the symposium, sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences and the Kavli Foundation, "brings together outstanding young scientists to discuss exciting advances and opportunities in a broad range of disciplines." Read more about all four fellows from our campus here.
Izabela Szlufarska publishes research on static friction and silicon dioxide surfaces
Izabela Szlufarska, associate professor of materials science and engineering, and Ph.D. student Yun Liu (now a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) are publishing their research on static friction and silicon dioxide surfaces in the journal "Physical Review Letters." Szlufarska and Liu have "learned that chemical reactions between two silicon dioxide surfaces cause the bonds at that interface to "age," or strengthen gradually over time," according to a UW News release. Read more about the discovery here.
Melanie Matchett Wood, Georgia Benkart, Mary Ellen Rudin named American Mathematical Society Fellows
Melanie Matchett Wood, assistant professor, Georgia Benkart, emeritus professor, and Mary Ellen Rudin, emeritus professor have all been named fellows by the American Mathematical Society. According to a UW News release, "the society’s fellows designation recognizes members who have made outstanding contributions to the creation, exposition, advancement, communication, and utilization of mathematics." Read more about all 22 of the UW-Madison fellows here.
Lauren Wisk and Whitney Witt publish new article
Lauren Wisk, PhD student in the Department of Population Health Sciences, and Whitney Witt, PhD, MPHM, Assistant Professor in the same department, published an article in the journal Pediatrics. Their research demonstrates that families experiencing financial stress, whether or not they have health insurance, delay or avoid seeking health care for their children in order to save money. They suggest policy solutions to avoid compromising children's health. Read more here.
Naomi Chesler and team to study link between BPD and adult heart disease
Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Naomi Chesler, along with Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Marlowe W. Eldridge, has won a $3.27 million grant from the National Institutes for Health. Professors Chesler and Eldridge will study how bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a common condition in low-birth-weight infants, acts as a predictor of right heart failure in adulthood, according to a College of Engineering News item. Read more here.
Angela Jones, Martha Rathbun build chemistry education materials
Angela Jones, a postdoctoral researcher in the chemistry department, and Martha Rathbun, an Illinois teacher, have collaborated with faculty, instructors, and the Discovery Center Museum in Illinois to spark children's learning about nanoscience. A playground at the museum modeled after carbon structures is intended to create interest and enthusiasm in the nanoscience concepts, while the signs, website, hands-on materials and curriculum activities created by Jones and Rathbun can promote learning about carbon, chemical bonds and molecular structure. Read more about all of the activities in the initiative in a UW News release here.
Lisa Naughton receives CIES Fulbright Scholar Program grant
Lisa Naughton, professor of geography, is one of four UW-Madison faculty members who have received grants through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, administered by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES). Professor Naughton will be traveling to Chile to focus on environmental studies. Read more about all of the UW-Madison faculty and student Fulbright recipients here.
Tanya M. Higgins wins Early-Career Achievement Award
Tanya M. Higgins, a UW-Madison Engineering Masters alumna, will be presented with the Early-Career Achievement Award by the College of Engineering on Friday, October 26. She is one of seven being honored by the College on its annual Engineers' Day. A UW News release reports that Higgins "focuses on quality in company processes, products and talent and serves as a mentor for women in science and engineering at the company and in the community." Read more about all seven honorees here.
Elizabeth Petty and Cynthia Haq receive new grant
Elizabeth Petty, MD, Sr. Assoc. Dean for Academic Affairs in the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, and Cynthia Haq, MD, Professor of Family Medicine and Population Health Sciences, are co-investigators together with Patrick Remington, MD, MPH, Assoc. Dean for Public Health, on a new $1.5 million grant to plan for the integration of public health into the curriculum for students pursuing MD and PA degrees. Read more here.
Jacqueline Gerhart provides overviews of weight loss, breast health recommendations
Dr. Jacqueline Gerhart, a clinical assistant professor of family medicine, has recently provided overviews of current recommendations for both long-term weight loss and breast health screenings to local media. In one article, she provides three tips that she provides to patients who want to lose weight, while in another she answers a number of questions about when women might see their physician for breast health and mammogram concerns. Read more about Dr. Gerhart's suggestions for weight loss here and information about breast cancer awareness here.
Lucille Marchand teaching Healer's Art class
Lucille Marchand, a professor of family medicine at the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, is teaching a Healer's Art course in which medical students are asked how they take care of themselves. Practicing physicians who have already taken the course also participate, acting as mentors to younger students taking the course. The goals of the course include helping physicians to remain open and sensitive, reports David Tenenbaum of UW-Madison News. Read more about the course here.
Naomi Chesler awarded NSF grant for internship program
Naomi Chesler, associate professor of biomedical engineering, has been awarded a $600,000 Course, Curriculum, Learning and Instruction grant from the National Science Foundation. According to a College of Engineering news item, the funded program will develop and test a new internship simulation, run as part of a freshman-level engineering course, with the intention of retaining students who might otherwise leave the field. Read more here.
Pam Kreeger awarded ACS grant to study ovarian cancer
Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Pam Kreeger has won a $720,000 grant from the American Cancer Society to study cell interactions ovarian cancer, reports a College of Engineering newsnote. Read more about the three-year planned study here.
Cora Marrett receives Distinguished Alumni Award
Cora Marrett, deputy director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), has been honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Wisconsin Alumni Association. Dr. Marrett earned her master's and Ph.D. in sociology at UW-Madison in 1965 and 1968, was a faculty member at UW-Madison from 1974-1997, served as senior vice president for academic affairs for the University of Wisconsin System, and is now in a leadership role with the NSF. Read more about Dr. Marrett and the other award recipients here.
Brenda Pracheil studies freshwater fish migration
Brenda Pracheil, a postdoctoral fellow at the UW-Madison Center for Limnology, and her colleagues from at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission have studied the migration of freshwater fish in the United States, and are publishing the results of their study in the journal Fisheries, according to a UW-Madison news release. Pracheil and her team found that freshwater fish, like the American paddlefish, can migrate across great distances and are therefore subject to the widely varying harvesting regulations of individual states. She and her colleagues therefore recommend a more comprehensive approach to fishery regulations and management in order to protect potentially threatened species. Read more about the study and its results here.
Recipients of UWCCC Awards announced
Kari Wisinski, MD, Asst. Professor in the Dept. of Medicine, (Hematology-Oncology), is one of six PIs to receive awards from the UW Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC) to launch pilot research studies. Wisinski's co-investigators are Jill Kolesar, PharmD; William Schelman, MD, PhD; Anne Traynor, MD; and Jens Eickhoff, PhD. Ellen Hartenbach, MD, Assoc. Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Michael Newton, PhD are co-investigors on another UWCCC award to PI Manish Patankar, PhD. Read more about the UWCCC awards and recipients here.
Sunduz Keles wins major grant
Sunduz Keles, PhD, Associate Professor of Statistics and Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, together with her co-investigators Colin Dewey, PhD, and Emery Bresnick, PhD, has received a new $1.1 million grant from the Nathional Human Genome Research Institute to analyze important, but poorly studied, areas of the human genome. The team will rely on new computational tools they developed to conduct this research. Read more here.
Professors Sesto, Wiegmann, Tevaarwerk, and Heidrich featured in local media
As a College of Engineering news brief notes, Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and Industrial and Systems Engineering Assistant Professor Mary Sesto, Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Associate Douglas Wiegmann, Oncology Assistant Professor Amye Tevaarwerk and School of Nursing Emeritus Professor Sue Heidrich were featured in an article in Madison Magazine highlighting their research and application of human factors engineering principles to improve cancer survivors’ ability to return to work. Read more about their research and the tool that they developed here.
Carla Pugh, Caprice Greenberg part of interdisciplinary collaboration for surgical excellence
Dr. Carla Pugh and Associate Professor Caprice Greenberg of the UW-Madison Department of Surgery are part of an interdisciplinary team that will develop a coaching program to help Wisconsin surgeons achieve and maintain surgical excellence, according to a College of Engineering news release. Read more about the coaching program here.
Lauren Garrison earns best student paper award
Nuclear engineering graduate student Lauren Garrison earned a best student paper award for her research, “The effects of 30 keV He irradiation on single crystal tungsten,” at the American Nuclear Society Technology of Fusion Energy conference, held in Nashville, Tennessee, according to a College of Engineering news brief. Read more about the paper here.
Jean Bahr named to the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board
Jean Bahr, professor of hydrogeology, has been appointed by President Obama to the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board. According to a UW-Madison News article, the board "is charged with providing independent scientific and technical oversight of the U.S. Department of Energy's program for managing and disposing of radioactive waste." Professor Bahr, along with seven other new board members, will serve four-year terms with possibility of a single four-year renewal. Read more here.
Carol Menassa, Nancy Wong join NSF-funded sustainability project
Carol Menassa, the M. A. Mortenson Company Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Nancy Wong, an associate professor of consumer science, will join colleagues on a newly NSF-funded sustainability project. As members of an interdisciplinary team from UW-Madison the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, professors Menassa and Wong will "investigate a holistic concept for future green buildings by researching ways to combine multiple dimensions of building control systems with analysis of how human beings factor into making a building energy efficient," according to a UW News report. Read more here.
Sheila McGuirk, veterinary medicine students provide service to World Dairy Expo
Sheila McGuirk, professor of large animal internal medicine and food animal production medicine, and a cadre of veterinary medicine will be providing invaluable service at the upcoming World Dairy Expo at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison for the coming weekend. The students will process the heath examination papers and status of each animal before they are unloaded, milked, and given a place to bed down after sometimes lengthy journeys. The help of volunteers will not only help the check-in process run more smoothly for Expo participants, but will also help prevent the spread of disease among the cattle. Read more here.
Christine Seibert selected as ELAM fellow
Christine Seibert, MD, Associate Dean for Medical Education and Associate Professor of Medicine, has been selected as a fellow of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program. She joins a cadre of seven other leaders at the UWSMPH who have previously participated in this prestigious program that aims to enhance the leadership skills of senior women faculty. Read more here.
Advances for UW-Madison women in science highlighted
Research investigating the role of women in science shows that in 2011, 31 percent of the UW-Madison faculty was female, an increase from 18 percent in 1990. Bringing together perspectives of several campus leaders, a UW-Madison News article suggests some reasons for the progress and considers ongoing challenges to the advancement and promotion of women faculty in the sciences and engineering. WISELI Executive and Research Director Jennifer Sheridan, describes some of WISELI's efforts to increase the representation of women in science and engineering. Amy Wendt and Molly Carnes, WISELI's directors, also share perspectives. Read more here.
Heidi-Lynn Ploeg studying stronger bone mechanics
Heidi-Lynn Ploeg, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Bone and Joint Mechanics Laboratory, is studying the mechanics of the human skeleton and working to improve bone health. In particular, she and her reearch team focus on tissue, the mechanics of tissue strength, and how samples respond to pressure. Read more about her research here.
Linda Greene named new Vice Chancellor at UC-San Diego
Professor Linda Greene, who served as "Internal Advisor" to WISELI in its early years and has always been a strong advocate for women faculty at UW-Madison, has accepted the post of Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at UC-San Diego. Currently the Evjue Bascom Professor of Law, she has served UW-Madison in faculty and administrative leadership roles for more than twenty years. Read more about Professor Greene and her new position here.
Irena Knezevic awarded grant from Department of Energy
Irena Knezevic, an associate professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the US Department of Energy to study nanoscale power research. Read more about Professor Knezevic and her work here.
USDA honors Molly Jahn
Molly Jahn, UW-Madison agronomy and genetics professor, will be honored today by the USDA at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC. The Secretary's Honor Award, the highest recognition bestowed by the department, will honor her and her work on the "Your Two Cents" program. Read more about Professor Jahn and the program here.
Care for mildly ill children changed to in-home provider
Care for mildly ill children of eligible UW–Madison students, faculty and staff will now be provided by Maxim Healthcare, a contracted in-home provider. Read more about the change and available services here.
Denise Thomas honored by Wisconsin Women of Color Network
Denise Thomas, program assistant for WiscAMP and WISELI affilitate, will be honored for her work with AISES students by the Wisconsin Women of Color Network at their September conference. Read more about the WWCN and the conference here.
Arbuckle honored as one of UW-Madison’s 2012 Outstanding Women of Color
Jacquelynn Dawn Arbuckle, a lecturer and surgical instructor active in the Department of Surgery’s Women and Surgery Club, is one of UW-Madison's four Outstanding Women of Color for 2012. Read more about Dr. Arbuckle and the other honorees here.
Distinguished Alumna, Alice McPherson, MD '51 honored
One on only four women in the 1951 graduating class of the UW School of Medicine, Alice McPherson went on to become a distinguished and pioneering researcher in her chosen specialty of opthalmology. She pioneered the use of xenon, laser, and other therapies to treat diseases of the retina, including diabetic retinopathy. Currently a professor of opthalmology at the Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. McPherson has generously provided endowments to foster research on eradicating blindness. These include a substantial endowment she later provided led to the establishmentof UW Eye Research Institute in 2005. In honor of her work and her generosity, this institute was recently renamed the McPherson Eye Research Institute. Read more here.
Margaret McFall-Ngai completes Guggenheim Fellowship year
Margaret McFall-Ngai, PhD, a professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, recently completed a John Simon Guggenheim fellowship that included a sabbatical year at CalTech and interaction with scientists in several European countries. McFall-Ngai's recent and upcoming publications and her research on symbiosis and its implications for the Human Microbiome Project, immunology, and our understanding of evolution are profiled here.
Gevens, Charkowski and colleagues study, provide resources about potato blight
Scientists from UW-Madison are looking for ways to combat potato blight, as part of the nation's largest group of potato researchers. Assistant professor Amanda Gevens, who has joint appointments with University of Wisconsin-Extension and the UW-Madison Department of Plant Pathology, is researching a pathogenic strain of potato blight, called US-23. Professor Gevens provides expert advice on disease management in potatoes and vegetables and coordinates 'Blitecast' via her wok with the UW Extension service. Meanwhile, professor of plant pathology Amy Charkowski runs the Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program, which ensures that seed potatoes are disease-free, and oversees the state seed potato farm near Rhinelander. Read more about their work and available resources here.
Brennan and colleagues map costs of participating in Health Information Exchange
Patricia Brennan, Moehlman-Bascom professor of nursing and engineering, and colleagues have written a new paper calculating the costs for various stakeholders when emergency departments use health information exchanges (HIEs) to look up patients' electronic records from other institutions. Read more about the research and results here.
Holloway receives award for education and mentorship in clean energy
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies associate professor Tracey Holloway is the recipient of the first-ever Clean Energy Education and Empowerment Initiative, or C3E, award. Sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative, the program is designed to help increase the number of women engaged in clean energy disciplines, from science and academia, to industry, to policy, to advocacy. Read more here.
Blackwell and colleagues study A. baumanni bacteria
Helen Blackwell, professor of chemistry, and colleagues have identified a handful of compounds that effectively disrupt the signaling pathway of A. baumanni, a pathogen that is difficult to treat and contributes to thousands of deaths per year. Current research suggests that the bacteria must accumulate into large colonies or aggregate into "biofilms." The process by which this iis accomplished is called quorum sensing, where chemical signals are used by the bacterium to gather and sense a critical mass of cells, which then act in unison to exert virulence. Read more about the findings here.
Reed, colleagues recipients of Keck Foundation grant
Jennifer Reed, professor of chemical and biological engineering, and three UW-Madison colleagues have received a one million dollar grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to fund research into creating synthetic genome "foundries." Read more here.
JoAnne Robbins to receive prestigious award
JoAnne Robbins, PhD, Professor of Medicine, will receive the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's most prestigious award, the Honors Award, on November 16, 2012. The award recognizes individuals whose work has "changed the course of their profession." Robbins, who also holds appointments in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Nutritional Sciences, is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in the area of swallowing disorders and dysphagia rehabilitation. Read more here.
Barbara Bendlin presents research on metabolic syndrome
Barbara Bendlin, PhD., Assistant Professor of Medicine-Geriatrics recently presented research demonstrating a linkage between metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that often lead to heart disease and type-2 diabetes, and reduced blood flow to the brain. Future research will investigate whether people with metablic syndrome risk loss of memory and cognitive skills. Read more here.
Masters to participate in NAE symposium
Kristyn Masters, associate professor of biomedical engineering, has been selected to attend the National Academy of Engineering U.S. Frontiers of Engineering symposium in September. One of only 78 in the nation invited to attend, Masters will travel to the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Michigan for the event. Read more here.
Roberts to step down as dean of School of Pharmacy
Jeanette Roberts, dean of the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy, plans to step down in September 2013 after serving 10 years in the position. Roberts says she plans to retain her faculty status and potentially return to UW-Madison to teach on public health care policy following work in Washington, D.C. Read more about Dean Roberts, her leadership successes in the School of Pharmacy, and her plans for the future here.
McMahon, Beversdorf warn of algae toxicity dangers
Katherine McMahon, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and graduate student Lucas Beversdorf have noted a transition in blue-green algae found in local lakes that takes place during June or early July, and related levels of toxicity. The algae, called cyanobacteria, changes from relatively harmless bacteria to those that can contain toxins that attack the liver or nervous system. Read more about the discovery, led by Bevensdorf, and ongoing research for both scientists here.
Female scientists among inter-institutional research grant recipients
Several female faculty members were among the recipients of Intercampus Research Incentive grants, a program between UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee. The program is funded by UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee donors, and projects are selected by a committee of faculty and administrators from both institutions. Read more here.
Shaw graduates from the Rockwell Automation Diversity Scholars program
Julia Shaw, an industrial and systems engineering alumna, along with Jay Flores, has graduated from the Rockwell Automation Diversity Scholars program. The program provides full scholarships and internship opportunities to promising UW-Madison engineering freshmen who are under-represented minorities and who come from one of five Milwaukee public high schools. Read more here.
Shim named new dean of School of Human Ecology
Soyeon Shim, a professor and director at the University of Arizona in Tucson, has been selected as the new dean of the School of Human Ecology at UW-Madison. Read more about Dr. Shim and her plans for her new position here.
Study by Jelenchick, Moreno featured in local media
A new study by Lauren Jelenchick, a researcher at the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, and Megan Moreno, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, has been featured in the Wisconsin State Journal. The study investigated whether a link exists between Facebook use and risk of depression in adolescents, and did not find evidence of increased risk of depression among social media users for certain lengths of time. Read more here.
Carla Pugh joins panel of distinguished speakers
Carla Pugh, MD, PhD was among nine distinguished presenters invited to participate in a research symposium celebrating the 10th anniversary of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. Dr. Pugh, vice chair of education and patient safety in the Department of Surgery, is the recipient of the 2011 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Others presenting at the meeting included Nobel laureates and recipients of National Medal of Science awards. See more here.
Wu plays leading role in search for Higgs boson
Sau Lan Wu, the Enrico Fermi Professor of Physics at UW-Madison, played an important role in the discovery recently announced by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Independent international teams of scientists, which include Dr. Wu and two other professors from UW-Madison, have narrowed the search for the elusive Higgs boson, discovering a new particle with a mass in the region of 125 GeV. The scientists have not yet confirmed whether the new particle is the Higgs boson, but the preliminary data are consistent with Higgs predictions. Read more here or in On Wisconsin.
Gill shares doctoral research via social media
Jacquelyn Gill, a doctoral candidate in geography, has found success in communicating about her research both on Twitter and on her blog. Ms. Gill, who studies climate change and the extinction of large animals, is set to defend her dissertation on July 5 before beginning a postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University. Read more here.
Jamison, Garrison selected to attend Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
Laura Jamison, a doctoral candidate in the Materials Science Program, and Lauren Garrison, a researcher in Engineering Physics, are among four graduate students from UW-Madison selected to attend the 62nd annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting held on Lake Constance in Lindau, Germany. Read more about all four attendees from UW-Madison here, or more about the experience at Ms. Garrison's blog.
Moriello translates research into practice volunteering at animal shelter
Karen Moriello, a clinical professor specializing in dermatology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, has spent the last year working with volunteers at an animal shelter to benefit from the techniques she uses in her research lab. Dr. Moriello, who specializes in screening for and treating ringworm, has established a ringworm-control system at a large shelter in Nevada where the fungus had run rampant. Read more about Dr. Moriello and her work here.
White to lead environmental justice teaching and outreach
Monica White has been named assistant professor of environmental justice at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in a position shared by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Department of Community and Environmental Sociology in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Read more about Dr. White and her plans for the program here.
McCoy wins best poster award
Chloe McCoy, a biomedical engineering MD/PhD candidate working with Associate Professor Kristyn Masters, received the best poster award at the 5th Biennial Conference on Heart Valve Biology and Tissue Engineering, held in Mykonos, Greece. Read more about the research and forthcoming PLoS One publication here.
Haq, Jahn named Wisconsin Academy fellows
Professor Cynthia Haq, Department of Family Medicine, and Professor Molly Jahn, Laboratory of Genetics and Department of Agronomy, have been named 2012 Fellows to the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters. The highest level of recognition conferred by the Academy, "Fellows are elected for their extraordinary levels of accomplishment in their fields as well as a lifelong commitment to intellectual discourse and public service." Read more about the Academy and the Fellows here.
Seltzer studies Fragile X gene
Marsha Mailick Seltzer, director of the UW-Madison Waisman Center, led a new study on the mutation of a gene that can cause Fragile X syndrome. The study is being published in American Journal of Medical Genetics, and uses samples from participants in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. Read more about the study and findings here.
Dobrinski a finalist for School of Veterinary Medicine Dean position
Ina Dobrinski is one of four finalists for the position of Dean in the School of Veterinary Medicine, replacing outgoing Dean Daryl Buss. She is currently head of the Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine in the faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary. Read more about the search here.
Reed receives early career award
Jennifer Reed, an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, and Garret Suen, an assistant professor of bacteriology, each received five-year, $750,000 early-career awards from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Biological and Environmental Research to explore new possible ways to produce biofuels. Reed, a faculty researcher in the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, is developing ways to make blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) produce the biofuel butanol from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Read more here.
Barbara Bendlin publishes findings related to early detection of Alzheimers
Barbara Bendlin, PhD., Assistant Professor of Medicine-Geriatrics recently published research demonstrating that proteins related to Alzheimer's found in cerebrospinal fluid predicted degeneration in the brain's white matter. These findings may lead to earlier detection of Alzheimers and enable earlier intervention. Bendlin and her team recently receive a large NIH grant to study connections between Alzheimers and brain white matter. Read more here.
Jeppson studies Japanese earthquake
UW-Madison geoscience graduate student Tamara Jeppson, as part of the Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project, is trying to understand factors that led to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and resulting tsunami. Her work is on location aboard the Japanese drilling vessel Chikyu, as part of an international team. Read more on her personal blog or the study's site.
Chemistry instructor Reich to retire
Ieva L. Reich, an instructor in the Department of Chemistry for 42 years, has announced her plans to retire. Read more about Dr Reich's work, including her award-winning teaching techniques, here and here.
Finalists announced for dean of School of Human Ecology
Three finalists have been named in the search for the new dean of the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology. The finalists are Jeanne M. Hogarth, Laurie Kramer, and Soyeon Shim. Read more about each of the finalists here.
Gretchen Schwarze publishes article in Annals of Surgery
Margaret "Gretchen" Schwarze, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, has published an article showing that surgeons who make a technical error during an operation are less likely to honor patients' requests to withdraw life-support than when post-operative complications are not known to be caused by surgical errors. Read more here.
Georgiana Wilton receives Champion in Women's Health Award
Georgiana Wilton, PhD, Associate Scientist in the Department of Family Medicine, is one of seven recipients of the Champions in Women's Helath Award presented annually by the Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation. Read more here.
Wetterneck inaugurated as Wisconsin Medical Society President
Tosha B. Wetterneck, MD, MS, FACP, Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, was inaugurated as the President of the Wisconsin Medical Society during the Society's Annual Meeting in April. Read more here.
UW-Madison student wins Luce scholarship
Lauren Buckley, a UW-Madison undergraduate student majoring in chemistry, biochemistry and French, was recently named a 2012 Luce Scholar, one of 18 individuals chosen nationally. Read more here.
Professor emerita Jaya G. Iyer passes away
Professor emerita Jaya G. Iyer, who worked in the Department of Soil Science at UW-Madison from 1968 to 2003, passed away on May 2, 2012 at the age of 78. She was the first female faculty member in that department. To read more about Dr. Iyer's remarkable work as an advisor, educator, recruiter and researcher, click here.
Bartz to speak at UW-Madison commencement
Carol Bartz, the former CEO and president of Autodesk and Yahoo! and UW-Madison alumna, will speak to the graduates at the commencement ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20 at the Kohl Center. Read more here.
Whitney Witt receives new grant
Whitney Witt, Assistant Professor of Population Health Sciences has received a new grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Read more here.
Eileen Cullen chairs committee on corn rootworm
Eileen Cullen, Associate Professor of Entomology and Extension Specialist, is charing a committee of scientists working on corn rootworm, a corn crop pest. Following the discovery that more Western corn rootworms are resistant to the toxin contained in widely planted transgenic corn, Cullen and others wrote an advisory letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggesting changes in the management approaches used. Read more here.
Margaret McFall-Ngai elected to AAAS
Margaret McFall-Ngai, Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology is one of three UW-Madison faculty elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences(AAAS). The other electees are Robert Fettiplace, Steenbock Professor of Neural and Behavioral Science, and Steve Stern, Alberto Flores Galindo and Hilldale Professor of History. Read more here.
Lisa Steinkamp receives award
The Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association honored Lisa Steinkamp, PT, MS, MBA, director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, with their Mentor Award. Read more here.
Christopher Coe, Carol Ryff, and Gayle Love win research award
Christorpher Coe, Professor of Psychology, Carol Ryff, Director of the Institute on Aging, and Gayle Love, Researcher at the Institute on Aging together with colleagues from other institutions in the US and Japan received the inaugural annual prize for the Best 2011 Research in Health & Society at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They were awarded for their published research on racial differences in aging. Read more here.
UW Alumnae working at NASA featured in On Wisconsin
UW Alumnae Karina Eversley, Angie Lenius, and Nikki Williams were featured in this month's On Wisconsin for their work at NASA. Read more here.
Booske Catlin featured in The New York Times
Bridget Booske Catlin, a Senior Scientist at the UW Population Heath Institute, recently had her work featured in The New York Times. Dr. Booske Catlin's study has found that Americans' longevity is increasing, but disproportionately so among the better educated. Read more here.
Knight, McDermott, and Pfatteicher honored with Academic Staff Awards
Susan Knight (Center for Limnology), Nancy McDermott (Social Science Computing Cooperative), and Sarah Pfatteicher (CALS Undergraduate program) have all been honored with 2012 Academic Staff Awards. Read more here.
Leyuan Shi to edit industrial engineering journal
Leyuan Shi, professor of industrial and systems engineering, has been named an editor for the IEEE journal Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering. Read more about Dr. Shi and her work on her faculty webpage, found here.
Pascale Carayon to edit leading ergonomics publication
Pascale Carayon, professor of industrial and systems engineering, will be co-editor-in-chief of Applied Ergonomics. She will share the editorship with United Kingdom engineers John Wilson and Ken Parsons. Previously, Carayon served as the publication’s North American scientific editor. Visit Dr. Carayon's faculty webpage found here to learn more about her work.
Molly Jahn serves on Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change
Molly Jahn, Laboratory of Genetics and Department of Agronomy professor, is the U.S. representative to the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change. Comprised of independent scientists from 13 countries, the Commission released a report proposing "specific policy responses to the global challenge of feeding a world confronted by climate change, population growth, poverty, food price spikes and degraded ecosystems." Read more here.
Anna Pidgeon uses Twitter as teaching tool
Anna Pidgeon, assistant professor of forest and wildlife ecology, is using the social media site Twitter as a teaching tool for her Terrestrial Vertebrate Ecology course. Students in the class are required to report at least 10 wildlife sightings or behaviors over the course of the semester, sharing their observations by using the #FWE306 hashtag. Read more here or on Twitter.
Nasia Safdar leading infection control study site
Dr. Nasia Safdar, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine and infection control specialist, is leading a CDC-sponsored national study site. Taking place in the UW Hospital and Clinics, the study requires enhanced "gown and glove" procedures for all ICU patients, whether they have an infection or not. In September, the infection rates of UWHC patients and those of nine other sites that used universal gloving and gowning will be compared to sites that only used the procedure for selected infections. Read more here.
Teresa Adams named to ITS program advisory committee
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has named Teresa Adams, professor of civil and environmental engineering, to the Intelligent Transportation Systems Program Advisory Committee (ITSPAC). Read more here.
Blackwell, Britland, Keles, and Knoll honored with Romnes Faculty Fellowships
Helen Blackwell, professor, chemistry; Karen Britland, professor, English; Sunduz Keles, associate professor, statistics and biostatistics & medical informatics;and Laura Knoll, associate professor, medical microbiology and immunology, have all been honored with Romnes Faculty Fellowships. The Romnes awards recognize exceptional faculty members who have earned tenure within the last four years. Read more here.
WISE residential learning community supports STEM degree completion
The UW-Madison Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) residential learning community is playing a key role in retaining women in STEM disciplines through graduation, new data shows. Read more here.
Teresa Adams named to World Road Association committee
Teresa Adams, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education, has been named to the Freight Transport Committee of the World Railroad Association. Read more here.
Roseanne Clark receives Distinguished Teaching Award
Roseanne Clark, Assoc. Prof. of Psychiatry, is one of ten recipients of UW-Madison Distinguished Teaching Awards and has been awarded the Van Hise Outreach Award. Read more here.
Maureen Smith shows that publicly reporting outcome measures improves patient care
Maureen Smith, professor of Population Health Sciences, and her colleagues recently published their study on the influence of publicly reporting outcomes of treatment innovations for patients with diabetes in the journal of Health Affairs. Read more here.
Ruth Benedict studies intervention for children with cerebral palsy
Ruth Benedict, professor of occupational therapy, and her team have been studying functional effects of a baclofen pump for children with cerebral palsy (CP) . Read more here.
Sheila McGuirk honored as Dairy Industry Person of the Year
Sheila McGiurk, a professor of medical sciences in the School of Veterinary Medicine, is the 2012 recipient of the World Dairy Expo's Dairy Industry Person of the Year Award. Read more here.
Abiola O. Keller named to Bouchet Society
Abiola O. Keller, a doctoral candidate in the Population Health Sciences program, has been named to the Madison Chapter of the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Student Honor Society. Read more here.
Cathy Middlecamp to lead Nelson Institute Community Environmental Scholars Program
The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies has been awarded UW-Madison's first-ever National Science Foundation S-STEM grant for undergraduate scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Cathy Middlecamp, associate professor of environmental studies and Howe Bascom Professor of Integrated Liberal Studies, is the project leader of the five-year, $600,000 grant. Read more here.
Megan Moreno featured in the New York Times
School of Medicine and Public Health professor Megan Moreno was recently featured in the New York Times, discussing how teen Facebook postings can serve as signs of depression and an early warning system for timely intervention. Read more here.
Cat Burkat provides ocular surgery to patients and training to physicians in Vietnam
Cat Burkat, MD, an assistant professor of Opthalmology and Ocular Science, uses her expertise in oculoplastic reconstructive surgery to provide humanitarian service to patients and physicians in Vietnam. Originally born in Vietnam, Dr. Burkat was a very young child when her family fled Saigon and found security in a refugee camp in Pennsylvania. Read more about Dr. Burkat and her work here.
Kristen Bernard, Shelby O'Connor interviewed by local media
Kristen Bernard (Pathobiological Sciences) and Shelby O'Connor (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine) were recently interviewed by the Wisconsin State Journal on the topic of biological research and safety on campus. Read more here.
3 STEM Women Earn Vilas Associate Award
Andrea Arpaci-Dusseau (Computer Science), Irena Knezevic (Electrical & Computer Engineering), and Wei Xu (Oncology) are among the 26 recipients of 2012/13 Vilas Associate Awards.
Pupa Gilbert and colleagues report new uses for mother of pearl
In a new report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Professor Pupa Gilbert and her colleagues show that nacre, or mother of pearl, can be deployed in the interest of science as a hard-wired thermometer and pressure sensor, revealing both the temperature and ocean depth at which the material formed. Read more here.
UW Carbone Cancer Center announces recipients of research awards
Jenny Gumperz, Christina Kendziorski, Pamela Kreeger, Noelle LoConte, Deane Mosher, Heather Neuman, Amye Tevaarwerk, Kari Wisinski, Yongna Xing, and Jing Zhang are among the prinicipal investigators awarded UWCCC IIT Awards for population health and clinical translational research. Read more here.
Katrina Forest named HHMI fellow
Professor of Bacteriology Katrina Forest has been selected by the Institute for Biology Education as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Faculty Fellow for 2012. Read more
Carla Pugh hired to lead UW Health's new Clinical Simulation Program
Carla Pugh, MD, PhD, a specialist in acute care and emergency general surgery, recently received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for her research on the application of simulation technology in clinical education. She will join the UW School of Medicine and Public Health's Department of Surgery and lead the UW Health's new Clinical Simulation Program. Read more here.
Ei Terasawa uncovers pathway to early puberty
Professor of Pediatrics Ei Terasawa's study is the first to document a connection between diet, growth and puberty in nonhuman primates. Read more here.
Fariba Assadi-Porter uncovers new method to reveal early signs of disease
Research published by Senior Scientist Fariba Assadi-Porter (Biochemistry) demonstrates a simple but sensitive method that can distinguish normal and disease-state glucose metabolism by a quick assay of blood or exhaled air. Read more here.
Sabine Pellett and colleagues use assay to detect botulinum neurotoxin
Sabine Pellett, a researcher in the Department of Bacteriology, and colleagues have devised an effective assay for detecting botulinum neurotoxin, the agent widely used in an increasing number of applications. Read more here.
Video clip highlights research of the Kristyn Masters' Lab
Kristyn Masters, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and members of her lab discuss their work on diseased heart valves in this video clip.
Constance Steinkuehler, Sr. Policy Analyst at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Constance Steinkuehler, Asst. Professor in the School of Education's Department of Curriculum and Instruction, is currently funded by the MacArthur Foundation to work in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Her expertise in online games for learning will help to shape "the Obama administration's policies around games that improve health, education, civic engagement and the environment." Steinkuehler's work was recently featured in USA Today.
Wendy Crone named Associate Dean for Graduate Education
Wendy Crone, Professor of Engineering Physics and Interim Associate Dean of Physical Sciences in the UW-Madison Graduate School, has been named as the Graduate School's Associate Dean for Graduate Education. Read more here.
JoAnne Robbins receives Lifetime Clinical Career Award
JoAnne Robbins, Professor of Medicine, has received the 2012 Frank R. Kleffner Lifetime Career Award from the Wisconsin Speech and Hearing Association for the significance of her contributions to the practice and study of swallowing and swallowing disorders. Read more here.
Judith Kimble Selected to Serve on President's National Medal of Science Committee
Professor of Biochemistry Judith Kimble will help choose the next winners of the National Medal of Science, the nation's most prestigious science award. Read more here.
Nancy Mathews, Tally Moses, and Audrey Tluczek win Awards
Nancy Mathews, Professor of the Nelson Institute and Director of the Morgridge Center for Public Service; Tally Moses, Assoc. Prof. of Social Work; and Audrey Tluczek, Assoc. Prof. of Nursing are three of the four winners of travel grant awards from the Global Health Institute. Read more here.
Roseanne Clark earns Distinguished Teaching Award
Roseanne Clark, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, has earned the Van Hise Outreach Distinguished Teaching Award. Read more here.
Carey Gleason receives grant award from the Wisconsin Partnership Program
Carey Gleason, Assistant Professor of Medicine, has received a grant from the Wisconsin Partnership Program through its New Investigator Program. She will explore racial disparities in Alzheimer's Disease. Read more here.
Molly Jahn to Address White House
Molly Jahn, Professor of Genetics and former dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, will speak on the civic mission of higher education at an event on Tuesday, Jan. 10, hosted during the Morrill Act's anniversary year by the White House Office of Public Engagement with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Jahn will represent the land grant universities created by the act, which was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. Read more here.
News – 2011
Beth Meyerand Elected AIMBE Fellow
Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering Beth Meyerand has has been elected a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) in recognition of her contributions to medical imaging, clinical neuroengineering, graduate and undergraduate education, functional magnetic resonance imaging and human brain connectivity research.
Janet Mertz's Study Debunks Myths About Gender and Math Performance
Janet Mertz, senior author of the study and a Professor of Oncology, uses international data on school mathematics performance to cast doubt on some common assumptions about gender and math achievement–in particular, the idea that girls and women have less ability due to a difference in biology. Read more here.
Angela Byars-Winston Receives White House Award
Visiting Associate Professor Angela Byars-Winston is one of 12 Champions of Change, part of President Barack Obama's Winning the Future initiative. Dr. Byars-Winston is receiving the honor for her efforts to enhance job opportunities for young girls, women and minorities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Read more here.
Erica Bickford Demonstrates How to Improve Air Quality in Midwest
Nelson Institute graduate student Erica Bickford will present findings of her study of emission reductions achieved in a switch from truck-borne freight to rail at the American Geophysical Union meetings. Read more here.
Whitney Witt demonstrates links between mental health, pregnancy complications, and low birth weight
Asst. Prof. in the Department of Population Health Sciences, Whitney Witt and colleagues publish research suggesting that effective treatment of mental health issues before pregnancy can reduce risks for pregnancy complications and low birth weight babies. Read more here.
Ana Martinez-Donata addresses health needs of underserved communities
Award-winning scientist, Ana Martinez-Donata, Asst. Prof. in the Department of Population Health Sciences, focuses on health needs and health literacy of underserved communities. Read more here.
Nansi Jo Colley and Team Discover Possible Key to Degenerative Nerve Diseases
Nansi Jo Colley, professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, published their discovery of a new protein they call XPORT in the journal Neuron. Read more here.
Molly Jahn Co-Authors Report Issuing Food Security Policy Recommendations
Professor of Genetics Molly Jahn serves as the U.S. representative for the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change. This Commission recently issued an important report on food security policy, read more here.
Pascale Carayon Receives Distinguished Service Award
Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Pascale Carayon will receive the 2012 Triennial Distinguished Service award from the International Ergonomics Association. Read more here.
Wendy Crone Receives Slesinger Mentoring Award
Professor of Engineering Physics and Associate Dean for Physical Sciences Wendy Crone is the recipient of the 2011 Slesinger Award, which recognizes excellence in mentoring women faculty. Read more here.
Karen Strier Finds Monkey Mothers to be Key to Sons' Reproductive Success
Professor of Anthropology Karen Strier has published a study of wild muriquis monkeys in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week. Read more here.
Margaret Harrigan and Douglass Henderson are Champions for Women
Margaret is a Senior Policy & Planning Analyst in the Office of Academic Planning & Analysis, and Doug is a Professor of Engineering Physics and Director of the Graduate Engineering Research Scholars Program. Both awardees will have $5,000 from the UW Women's Philanthropy Council to give to the organization of their choice on campus. Read more here.
Maggie Grabow Finds Increased Use of Bikes for Commuting Offer Economic, Health Benefits
PhD candidate in the Nelson Institute Maggie Grabow is first author on a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives that details the economic, health, and environmental benefits of replacing short car trips with biking in the summer months. Read more here.
UW-Madison's new Global Health Institute Awards Seed Grants
Recipients of grants funded by the Global Health Institute include Monica Grant, Asst. Prof. of Sociology, for research on "Mobile Phone-Disseminated Health Information," and Nancy Kendell, Asst. Prof. of Educational Policy, for a joint research project with Claire Wendland, Asst. Prof. of Anthropology, on "Participatory Action Research and Programming to Improve Young Women's Reproductive Health." Read more here.
Adena Rissman Studies the Efficacy of Conservation Easements
In a study published in late September in the journal Society and Natural Resources, Assistant Professor of Forest & Wildlife Ecology Adena Rissman compared two large easement projects to assess whether such arrangements meet conservation goals. Read more here.
Marisa Otegui Brings Powerful New Electron Microscope to UW-Madison
Assistant Professor of Botany Marisa Otegui is part of a team that received $1.5M from the National Science Foundation to bring a powerful electron microscope to UW-Madison. Read more here.
Patricia Devine Receives 2011 Scientific Impact Award
Professor and Chair of Psychology Patricia Devine received the 2011 Scientific Impact Award from the Society of Experimental Social Psychology. This prestigious award honors the author(s) of a specific article or chapter offering a theoretical, empirical, and/or methodological contribution that has proven highly influential over the last 25 years. Read more here.
Monica Grant, Nancy Kendall, and Claire Wendland Receive Global Health Institute Seed Grants
Assistant Professor of Population Health Sciences Monica Grant, Assistant Professor of Educational Policy Studies Nancy Kendall, and Associate Professor of Anthropology Claire Wendland have all received start-up funding as part of the UW-Madison's focus on Global Health. Read more here.
Christi Hess Studies Language Progress After Two Cochlear Implants
Christi Hess, a Ph.D. student in Communicative Disorders, is part of an ongoing study of 45 deaf children who had two cochlear implants finds that their language skills are within the normal range. Read more here.
Kathryn VandenBosch Named Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
Kathryn VandenBosch, professor of plant biology at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, has been selected as the new dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Read more here.
Gloria Ladson-Billings Honored by American Educational Research Association
Professor of Curriculum & Instruction Gloria Ladson-Billings will deliver the 8th annual Brown Lecture, an opportunity to convey the significance of education research to addressing issues of equity and equality in education, in Washington DC on Thursday, Oct. 27. Read more here.
Denise Ney Leads Effort to Produce PKU Diet Foods
Professor of Nutritional Sciences Denise Ney has been leading an 8-year, multidisciplinary effort to bring PKU-safe foods to the market. Read more here.
Amy Wendt Leads Effort to Teach the Societal Side of Engineering
Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering Amy Wendt is working closely with teachers, counselors and administrators at six Wisconsin middle schools to develop a new kind of engineering outreach program. This effort is funded by a $1M grant from the National Science Foundation. Read more here.
Susan Coppersmith, Karen Strier Awarded Vilas Professorships
Among the highest honor for a tenured faculty member at UW-Madison, Professor of Physics Susan Coppersmith and Professor of Anthropology Karen Strier have been awarded the Vilas Professorship. Read more here.
Mary Sesto Awarded $600,000 from National Institute on Disability & Rehabilitation Research
Department of Biomedical Engineering Assistant Scientist Mary Sesto was awarded the grant for improving work ability among breast cancer survivors. She will evaluate the effectiveness of a patient-centered, web-based, decision-support tool to minimize work disability in breast-cancer survivors. Read more here.
Melanie Buhr-Lawler Coordinates the UW Hearing Aid Recycling Program
Audiologist and Clinical Associate Professor in the department of Communicative Disorders Melanie Buhr-Lawler leads a hearing aid recycling program that helps provide services to low-income individuals. Read more here.
Carol Menassa Receives Multiple Awards
Civil and Environmental Engineering Assistant Professor Carol Menassa has received approximately $450,000 in total funding from the National Science Foundation and from the Wisconsin Energy Research Consortium to develop decision-making models for sustainably retrofitting buildings to improve their energy efficiency, to model occupant energy use in buildings, and to develop a virtual retrofit model for aging commercial buildings in a smart grid environment.
Anna Huttenlocher Awarded $1.75M NIH Grant
Medical Microbiology and Immunology Professor Anna Huttenlocher, with colleague David Beebe (Professor of Biomedical Engineering) receive the award to study cell migration via microscale in vitro models.
Elizabeth Burnside receives $1.3 Million Grant
Elizabeth Burnside, Associate Professor of Radiology in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, receives a $1.3 million R01 grant from the U.S. National Library of Medicine to improve diagnosis of breast cancer. Read more here.
Sharon Haase receives the American College of Physicians' Laureate Award
Sharon Haase, Clinical Professor of Medicine in the UW School of Medicince and Public Health, is recognized by the Americal College of Physicians for excellence in medical care, medical education, and outstanding service. Read more here.
Gretchen Schwarze earns Dean's Teaching Award
Gretchen Schwarze, Assistant Professor of Vascular Surgery in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health is one of four receipients of the Dean's Teaching Award. Read more here.
Enid Montague Elected Editor
Industrial and Systems Engineering Assistant Professor Enid Montague has been elected newsletter editor for the Health Care Technical Group of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
Janet Branchaw Receives Underkofler Award for Teaching
Dr. Janet Branchaw, faculty associate and interim director of the Institute for Biology Education, received the UW System's 2011 Alliant Energy Underkofler Award for Teaching, along with Dr. Katy Culver, faculty associate in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Read more here.
Laura Kiessling Improves Cell Growth Surfaces
Professor of Chemistry Laura Kiessling is making progress in creating cell-growth surfaces that allow scientists more control over cell growth and differentiation. Read more here.
Naomi Chesler Awarded $2.5M to Study Effects of Exercise on Pulmonary Hypertension (PAH)
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering Naomi Chesler was awarded a four-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the relationships between small artery narrowing, large artery stiffening and their interactions with the right side of the heart in patients with PAH. Read more here.
Residence Hall Renamed After Civil Rights Pioneer
The former Friedrick Hall and each of its floors have been named to honor famous women of the university. The dorm will be named after Wisconsin civil rights pioneer Vel Phillips, and one of the floors will be named after Ruth Bleier, who was among the first American scholars to examine gender bias in the modern biological sciences from a feminist perspective. Read more here.
Izabela Szlufarska Awarded $1M DOE Grant
Associate Professor of Materials Science & Engineering Physics Izabela Szlufarska will study the effects of radiation on fission product transport in silicon carbide with the $1,055,456 grant from the Department of Energy. Read more here.
Sapna Sharma Studies Effects of Climate Change on Cisco Populations
Sapna Sharma, a researcher at the UW-Madison Center for Limnology, finds that 30 to 70 percent of cisco populations could be extirpated in Wisconsin due to climate change. Read more here.
Donna Katen-Bahensky Named to AHA Board of Trustees
Katen-Behensky, President and CEO of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, joins the Board of Trustees of the American Hospital Association. The board develops policy for the AHA and oversees its direction and finances. Read more here.
Patti Brennan Receives Leadership Award
Moehlman Bascom Professor Patricia F. Brennan has been selected to receive the Virginia K. Saba Nursing Informatics Leadership Award, one of two research awards presented by the Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing.
Kristyn Masters and Colleagues Receive $1.12M NIH Grant
Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Kristyn Masters and collaborators BME Assistant Professor Pam Kreeger and Associate Professor Justin Williams have received a four-year, $1.12 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The team will study cellular “decision-making” in the context of dermal wound healing.
Karen Timberlake to Lead UW Population Health Institute
Former secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has been has been named director of the Population Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UW SMPH). Read more here.
Galen McKinley Finds That Climate Change Reduces Ocean's Carbon Dioxide Upta
Combining existing 30 years of existing data, methodologies, and locations spanning most of the North Atlantic into a single time series, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences Galen McKinley and colleagues found that rising temperatures are slowing the carbon absorption across a large portion of the subtropical North Atlantic. Read more here.
Jill Baumgartner Links Indoor Air Pollution to Increased Cardiovascular Risk
A recent PhD in Population Health Sciences, Dr. Jill Baumgartner (now a global renewable energy leadership fellow at the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota) discovered that cooking and heating with biofuels in the home (e.g., cooking over a wood fire) is associated with increased blood pressure among older women. Read more here.
Robin Douthitt To Step Down as Dean of the School of Human Ecology
Robin A. Douthitt, longtime dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Human Ecology, will step down in the summer of 2012. Read more here.
Chancellor Martin Leaving UW-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin, who built a reputation as a visionary thinker and defender of the university’s role as global public research institution, announced that she’s leaving the university to become president of Amherst College. Read more here.
Molly Jahn to Discuss Role of Research in Global Food Security
Prof. of Genetics Molly Jahn participated in the Africa College Food Security, Health and Impact Knowledge Brokering Conference at the University of Leeds, discussing the need for new approaches in agricultural research in the quest to achieve global food security. Read more here.
Wendy Crone, WISELI Win WEPAN Awards
Professor of Engineering Physics and Associate Dean for Physical Sciences in the Graduate School Wendy Crone has earned WEPAN's Educator's Award. WISELI has won the Women in Engineering Program award for 2011. WEPAN is the Women in Engineering Pro-Active Network. For more information, click here.
Cora Marrett Confirmed as National Science Foundation Deputy Director
Emeritus Professor of Sociology Cora Marrett was confirmed by the US Senate as Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation on May 26, 2011. Read more here.
Adena Rissman Guides Graduate Seminar Examining the Use of Conservation Easements in Wisconsin.
Assistant Professor of Forest and Wildlife Ecology Adena Rissman created a graduate seminar to study the question of how well conservation easements work to protect land in Wisconsin. The preliminary results will be presented on June 6. Read more here.
Katherine Curtis and Annemarie Schneider Study Human Impacts of Rising Oceans
Assistant Professor of Community and Environmental Sociology Katherine Curtis, along with colleague Annemarie Schneider (Assistant Professor at the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies) have published a paper looking at the human impacts of rising sea levels. Read more here.
Margaret Raymond Named Dean of the Law School
A 17-member search committee selected Raymond is William G. Hammond Professor of Law at the University of Iowa College of Law Margaret Raymond as the next dean of the UW-Madison Law School. Read more here.
Yongna Xing Named Shaw Scientist
Assistant professor of Oncology Yongna Xing is a recipient of the Shaw Scientist designation, an award that comes with $200,000 in unrestricted research support. Read more here.
Outstanding Women of Color Awards Given to Three Who Promote Women of Color in Science, Technology, and Medicine
Erica Laughlin, Director of the Information Technology Academy (ITA); Ana Martinez-Donate, Assistant Professor of Population Health Sciences; and Manuela Romero, Assistant Dean for Student Diversity and Academic Services in the College of Engineering have all been awarded a 2011 UW-Madison Outstanding Women of Color Award. Read more here.
Laura Kiessling Awarded WARF Professorship
H. Emil Fischer Professor of Chemistry Laura Kiessling was appointed as a WARF Professor, a five-year and $75,000 honor. She is awarded for her work focusing on exploiting the biological roles of proteins — including coaxing bacteria into aiding in the production of surfaces on which human stem cells can grow. Read more here.
Natalie Abts and Molly Snellman Receive AAUW Fellowships
Industrial and systems engineering graduate students Natalie Abts and Molly Snellman have received Selected Professions Fellowships from the American Association of University Women. Given to only 22 master's degree students from around the country, the fellowship comes with an $18,000 award to support research in fields where women are traditionally underrepresented. Read more here.
Pupa Gilbert, Galen McKinley Win Teaching Awards
Professor of Physics Pupa Gilbert received a 2011 Chancellor's Award for Teaching, while Assistant Professor of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences Galen McKinley received the Class of 1955 Award. Read more here.
Lynn Allen-Hoffmann's Spinoff Company Highlighted as an "Economic Winner" for Wisconsin
Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Lynn Allen-Hoffmann began her start-up firm, Stratatech Corporation, in 2000. Hers is one of several biotech startup firms highlighted as bringing jobs and growth to the recovering Wisconsin economy. Read more here.
Engineering Alumnae Working at NASA Will Come to Campus
With funding from WISELI's Celebrating Women in Science & Engineering grant program, Engineering Expo is bringing Engineering Mechanics alumnae Karina Eversley, Angie Lenius, and Nikki Williams to campus on Friday, April 15, 12:30-2 p.m. in Engineering Hall. Read more here.
Katy Huff Leads "Boot Camps" for Scientific Computing
Third-year graduate student in Engineering Physics Katy Huff is president of a student organization called "The Hacker Within," a student organization that supports both undergraduate and graduate students as they learn and explore different scientific computing topics. Read more here.
Lynn Nyhart Named Guggenheim Fellow
Professor of History of Science Lynn Nyhart was named a 2011 Guggenheim Fellow. Nyhart is an historian of modern biology, currently researching the history of concepts of biological individuality. Read more here.
Sara Howden Moves Gene Therapy One Step Closer to Clinical Reality
Dr. Sara Howden, postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Professor James Thompson at the Morgridge Institute for Research, is lead author on a study showing that the process of gene correction is compatible with therapeutic use. Read more here.
Women Faculty in Sciences & Engineering Earn Prestigious Awards
The Hilldale, Romnes, and Kellet awards for 2011 were recently announced. Marsha Mailick Seltzer (Waisman Center), Lingjun Li (Pharmaceutical Sciences), Susan Hagness (Electrical & Computer Engineering), Hazel Holden (Biochemistry), and Anna Huttenlocher (Pediatrics/Medical Microbiology and Immunology) are awardees. Visit: Hilldale, Romnes, and Kellett announcements to learn more.
Molly Jahn Selected for International Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change
Professor of Genetics and former Dean of the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences Molly Jahn is one of thirteen eminent scientists (an the only American) selected to serve on a newly created Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change--a group of international experts on agriculture, climate, food, economics and natural resources. Read more here.
Gloria Hawkins Named YWCA Madison Woman of Distinction
Dr. Gloria Hawkins, Assistant Dean for Minority/Disadvantaged Programs in the School of Medicine & Public Health, has been named one of five "Women of Distinction", an annual award of the Madison YWCA. For more information, visit here.
Jennifer Reed Wins NSF CAREER Award
Professor of Chemical & Biological Engineering Jennifer Reed is has received a 2011 Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER) from the NSF to fund her work designing and conducting new experiments that will more quickly reveal answers about the metabolism of organisms like the Shewanella bacterium. Read more here.
Karen Strier Studies Primate Aging
Professor of Anthropology Karen Strier's work shows that aging rates and the mortality gender gap are similar across primates. Read more here.
Wendy Crone Earns NIH Retraining Grant
Professor of Engineering Physics and Associate Dean for Physical Sciences in the Graduate School Wendy Crone has been awarded an NIH Career Enhancement Award for stem cell research that will enable her to take courses, participate in training workshops, and engage in stem cell research over the next two years.
Kandis Elliot Wins International Visualization Challenge
Senior Artist in the Department of Botany Kandis Elliot uses art to illuminate scientific concepts. She recently won first place for informational graphics in the 2010 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge for her "Introduction to Fungi" poster, along with colleage Mo Fayyaz. Read more here.
Tracey Holloway to Use Satellites to Enhance Air Quality Understanding
Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences and Civil & Environmental Engineering, and also Director of the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), Tracey Holloway and colleagues received a grant from NASA aimed at applying satellite data to air quality issues. Read more here. Dr. Holloway also has been named as a Leopold Leadership Fellow, prestigious environmental leadership and communications training program.
Cathy Middlecamp Focuses on Education for Real-World Sustainability Challenges
Catherine Middlecamp, Distinguished Faculty Associate in the Department of Chemistry, advocates for teaching chemistry to undergraduate students in context. One approach is to teach chemistry through the lens of environmental sustainability. She argued this approach at the recent AAAS meetings in Washington, DC. Read more here.
Susan Coppersmith and Marsha Mailick Seltzer Receive WARF Professorships
Physics Professor Susan Coppersmith and Waisman Center Director Marsha Mailick Seltzer are among eight UW-Madison faculty to receive WARF professorships in 2011. Read more here.
Azadeh Davoodi Wins NSF CAREER Award
Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering Azadeh Davoodi is one of the first people to look at solutions for timing errors in integrated circuit chips, and she has received a 2011 Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER) and grant to support her work. Read more here.
Douglass Henderson and Jo Handelsman Honored with Presidential Awards for STEM Mentoring!
Professor of Engineering Physics Douglass Henderson, Director of the successful Graduate Engineering Research Scholars program in the College of Engineering, and Professor Jo Handelsman, Professor of Microbiology at Yale University and former Co-Director of WISELI, have been selected as PAESMEM awardees. They will receive the award from President Obama this week at a White House ceremony. Read press releases for Dr. Henderson and Dr. Handelsman.
Wendy Crone Selected as Interim Graduate School Dean (Physical Sciences)
Effective January 2011, Engineering Physics and Biomedical Engineering Professor Wendy Crone will fill the role of interim associate dean for the physical sciences in the UW-Madison Graduate School. She will coordinate the physical sciences division of the Graduate School Research Committee, handle special graduate student and program issues in the physical sciences, and coordinate research funding and program review.
Helen Blackwell Named AAAS Fellow
Associate Professor of Chemistry Helen Blackwell is one of eight UW-Madison faculty members selected as a AAAS Fellow in 2011. Read more here.
Lisa Forrest Part of New Radiation Therapy Clinic Team
Professor of Surgical Sciences Lisa Forrest participated in the first clinical trials of the new Radiation technology. Read more here.
News – 2010
Pupa Gilbert Uncovers Secret of Sea Urchin Teeth
A team led by UW-Madison professor of physics Pupa Gilbert describes the self-sharpening mechanism used by the California purple sea urchin to keep a razor-sharp edge on its choppers in the journal Advanced Functional Materials. Read more here.
Leyuan Shi named IEEE fellow
Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Leyuan Shi has been named a fellow of the IEEE, the world's largest professional association for the advancement of technology. Shi was recognized for her contributions to nested partitions optimization methodology.
Pascale Carayon's CQPI recognized by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement, directed by Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Pascale Carayon, has been recognized by the AHRQ for computerized provider order entry (CPOE) project conducted at Geisinger Health System.
Brenda Ogle awarded American Heart Association grant
Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Brenda Ogle and Associate Professor Paul Campagnola were awarded a two-year $150,000 grant from the American Heart Association to support research with multiphoton excitation photochemistry for 3D cardiac tissue engineering.
Polly Newcomb and Amy Trentham-Dietz find age at first pregnancy is associated with breast cancer risk
Senior Scientist Polly Newcomb and Associate Professor Amy Trentham-Dietz led a study of about 50,000 women born between 1912 and 1986 to find correlates of lobular breast cancer diagnoses. Read more here.
Pamela Herd finds that good grades in high school lead to better health
Associate Professor of Public Affairs and Sociology used the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study data to find that people with high grades in high school have lower incidence of health problems at retirement age. Read more here.
Helen Blackwell studies "quorum sensing" in bacteria
Associate Professor of Chemistry Helen Blackwell is working on issues of antibiotic resistance by studying how bacteria communicate with each other. Read more here.
Kim Johnson wins public health award
NIATx co-Deputy Director Kim Johnson was honored with the Community-Based Leadership Award from the 2010 Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) section of the American Public Health Association.
Manuela Romero awarded NSF grant to help Menominee Nation students transfer to the College of Engineering
Assistant Dean for Student Diversity and Academic Services Manuela Romero is the principal investigator on a five-year, $825,000 grant from the National Science Foundation that will help build a bridge for students to transfer from the College of Menominee Nation (CMN) to the College of Engineering.
Wendy Crone publishes book for early career faculty
In October 2010, Morgan and Claypool Publishers released the paperback “Survive and Thrive: A Guide for Untenured Faculty,” by Engineering Physics, Biomedical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering Professor Wendy Crone.
Teri Balser named "U.S. Professor of the Year"!
Associate Professor of Soil Science and Director of the Institute for Cross-College Biology, Teri Balser is being honored in Washington D.C. with this award. The U.S. Professors of the Year program is sponsored by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Started in 1981, it is the only national program that recognizes excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring. Prof. Balser is the awardee in the "doctoral and research universities" category. Read more here.
Ana Martinez-Donate Receives received 2009 Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers
Population Health Sciences Professor Ana Martinez-Donate received the prestigiuos award for her NIH-funded work, studying the rate of HIV infection and the factors that contribute to infection risk among Mexican migrants and immigrants. Read more here.
Laura Kiessling Develops Stem Cell Culture System
Chemistry Professor Laura Kiessling and her team develop a fully defined culture system for stem cells that promises a more uniform and, for cells destined for therapy, safer product. Read more here.
Heidi-Lynn Ploeg Teams Up with Trek for Cycling Research
Mechanical engineering associate professors Heidi-Lynn Ploeg and Darryl Thelen led a UW-Madison team measuring hand pressure during cycling, and studying potential solutions to reduce that pressure. Read more here.
Julia Wilbarger Examines Sensory Disorders
Assistant Professor Julia Wilbarger studies treatments for people who suffer from sensory defensiveness, or sensory processing disorders. Read more here.
Regina Murphy Honored as Bioengineering Fellow
The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering has inducted Smith-Bascom Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Regina Murphy into its College of Fellows. This elite group comprises 1,000 people who are the outstanding bioengineers in academia, industry and government. These leaders in the field have distinguished themselves through their contributions in research, industrial practice and/or education.
Amanda Lang Earns Energy Scholarship
Based on her work as a summer intern at Idaho National Laboratory and her career plans, nuclear engineering sophomore Amanda Lang received a highly competitive Center for Advanced Energy Studies scholarship of $3,000. Lang interned at the INL Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility and spent summer 2010 developing computer code that determines the radiation dose a person would receive after handling specific materials irradiated in the reactor.
Brenda Ogle to Apply Stem Cell Fusion Knowledge in Breast Cancer Study
The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Brenda Ogle and her colleagues $563,000 to test
Molly Jahn, Dean of the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, to Step Down
Dr. Molly Jahn, who has led CALS for four years, will step down as Dean effective January 1st, 2011. She will serve half time as a special adviser to the provost and chancellor for sustainability sciences, a post she will hold through July 31. At that time, she will return to the faculty full-time. Read more here.
Graduate Student Georgia Wolfe to Present at Geological Society of America Meeting
Georgia Wolfe, a graduate student in environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will describe her study of mud cores taken from Madison's Lake Wingra at the upcoming Geological Society of America meeting in Denver. Read more here.
MacDonald Traces the 'Blurry Line' Between Hospital and At-Home Care
With a grant from the National Institutes of Health, Macdonald interviewed 30 families from Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan before bone marrow transplants, during their hospital stays, and once patients returned home, following the families for more than two years. Read more here.
Damschen Study Shows Mountain Vegetation Impacted by Climate Change
"We have lacked the historic data from multiple communities in a single region to be able to test if there are differences in how they respond to climate change," says University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of zoology Ellen Damschen. "The results are profound in that the shifts we will see as a result of climate change may differ over very small spatial scales." Read more here.
Ryff Studies Effects of Psychological Well-Being on Health
Study co-author Carol Ryff reports that psychological well-being is powerful enough to counteract the pull of socioeconomic status on the long-term health of the disadvantaged. Read more here.
Bier a Leader at California Terrorism Risk Center
The Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events at the University of Southern California has been re-funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the next five years with a $15.3 million grant. Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Vicki Bier is the theme leader for the "Management of risks from intelligent, adaptive adversaries" project. Additionally, Bier is performing research on target-oriented utility theory to produce a method to help risk analysts and decision-makers predict and account for terrorist reactions to proposed risk-mitigation strategies. Bier is also studying how to use the probabilistic inversion method to mathematically rank attacker objectives, which could help quantify uncertainty about what attributes are important to terrorists—even if those attributes are unknown to defenders.
Materials Science Program student Sarah Khalil wins Fellowship
Materials Science Program student Sarah Khalil won a Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) Fellowship, which will support her for up to three years to complete her work on understanding diffusion of fission products through SiC for improving TRISO fuel particles.
Carolyn Heinrich elected Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration
La Follette School of Public Affairs director Carolyn J. Heinrich has been elected to become a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, one of the youngest members to ever be elected since Congress chartered the academy in 1967. She is professor of public affairs, an affiliated professor of economics and a Regina Loughlin Scholar at UW-Madison. Read more here.
WISELI Co-Director Molly Carnes Wins NIH Director's Pathfinder Award to Promote Diversity in the Scientific Workforce
The three-year, $2 million grant will fund several researchers and students to work with Carnes and collaborators to develop an interactive video game that will place faculty in situations where they can recognize the self-defeating nature of implicit bias. Read more here.
Sara Lindberg and Janet Hyde Publish Gender & Math Meta-Analysis
The new study looked systematically at 242 articles that assessed the math skills of 1,286,350 people. They find that the mathematical skills of boys and girls, as well as men and women, are substantially equal. Read more here.
Lauren Garrison receives Department of Energy Graduate Fellowship
Selected from more than 3,000 applicants, the DoE Fellowship allows Lauren to pursue her interest in fusion reactions as she completes her PhD. Read more here.
Ice Cube spies unexplained pattern of cosmic rays
Researcher Rasha Abbasi and colleagues study cosmic ray data as part of the Ice Cube project. Read more here.
Supporting women in science: One professor's solutions
It is Prof. Nick Balster's personal mission to make a successful science career possible for graduate students with children. Read about his approach here.
Confronting toxic blue-green algae in Madison lakes
Dr. Trina McMahon, with colleagues Colleen Mouw and Paul Hanson, are working to understand the when, where and why of dangerous blue-green "blooms" in Madison lakes. Click here for full story.
Ph.D. Student Gretchen Hansen wins Young Student Award from the International Association for Great Lakes Research
Hansen received the award for her work on the management of sea lamprey, a primitive, parasitic fish that has infested the Great Lakes. Click here for story.
Incidence of malaria jumps when Amazon forests are cut
Sarah Olson is the lead author of the new report in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, presenting the most enumerated case to date linking increased incidence of malaria to land-use practices in the Amazon. Dr. Olson is a postdoctoral fellow at the Nelson Institute, Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment. See Press release.
Nancy Mathews named director of the Morgridge Center
Dr. Nancy Mathews, a professor of environmental studies and chair of Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been named faculty director of the university's Morgridge Center for Public Service. For more information, click here.
De-Ann Pillers receives Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Award
Dr. De-Ann Pillers, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, recently received a Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Award from The Hartwell Foundation, based in Memphis, Tenn. She won her award for her study of "Genetics of the Innate Response of the Infant as a Potential Biomarker for Premature Birth." See the UW–Madison press release for more information.
Cora Marrett named Acting Director of the National Science Foundation
Cora Marrett, an emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been named acting director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). Marrett assumes her new duties June 1. See the UW–Madison press release for more information.
Kreeger receives NSF CAREER award to study endocrine disrupters
Pam Kreeger, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, was granted a prestigious NSF CAREER award to help develop her research into endocrine disrupters. Her current research focuses on how the signals cells send out are affected by estrogen-like compounds. See the press release for additional details.
Palmenberg receives Hilldale Award
Ann Palmenberg, professor of biochemistry and molecular virology, received the 2010 biological sciences Hilldale Award. The award is the highest faculty honor at UW-Madison and is awarded annually to one professor in each of four divisions. The award recognizes Palmenberg's groundbreaking research in RNA replication and her commitment to teaching excellence. Read the full story here.
Emeritus professor wins lifetime achievement award
The Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation recognized Dr. Gloria Sarto, emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynecology, with its 2010 lifetime achievement award. In her long career at UW-Madison, Sarto defied many gender barriers eventually taking on many leadership positions in the field. Sarto also and worked relentlessly to promote women's health issues. Read more about Sarto's achievements here.
Ogle using CAREER award to develop technology for studying cells
Brenda Ogle, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and 2009 NSF CAREER award recipient, is working to develop new technologies to enable researchers to study how cells interact and behave in groups. Current technology allows scientists to measure and observe single cells; Ogle's work seeks to extend this technology to accommodate groups of cells and their interactions. Read more here.
Kreeger studies cell signaling to understand cancer
Pam Kreeger, a new assistant professor of biomedical engineering, is studying the chemical mechanisms that cells use to communicate with one another in hopes of better understanding and treating cancers. Kreeger has an interest in women's health issues and is currently focusing on breast and ovarian cancers. See the full story here.
Kristyn Masters wins teaching award
Kristyn Masters, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, was awarded the 2010 Emil H. Steiger teaching award at a reception held by the Wisconsin Alumni Association on April 21st. The honor recognizes Masters' exceptional dedication to both teaching and advancing science education. Read more about her many teaching efforts here.
Understanding cell fusion may help repair the damage of a heart attack
Together with an interdisciplinary team of researchers, Brenda Ogle, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering, is seeking to understand the mechanisms of cell fusion. In particular, Ogle is researching how stem cells fuse with heart muscle cells. While the research is in its early stages, Ogle and her colleagues hope that their work will some day enable doctors to use stem cells to repair the damaged heart muscle cells left after a heart attack. See the full press release for more details.
Stanimirovic studies the 'stuff' of outer space
Snezana Stanimirovic, an assistant professor of astronomy, is working to understand the mix of gasses and dust that fill-in the spaces between galaxies and stars. Her work on the interstellar medium aims to discover the processes by which this mix becomes a star. This research interest was for Stanimirovic inspired by a childhood fascination with the cosmos. Read the full story here.
New report identifies opportunities and challenges in bringing local food to market
Michelle Miller, associate director of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at UW-Madison, and colleagues have published a new report examining how local food products are distributed to consumers. The report identifies several key challenges that producers and distributors face in getting their products to market and highlights ways that several businesses have addressed these challenges. Read the press release or the full report.
Ferrier teaches machines to process visual information
Nicola Ferrier, associate professor of mechanical engineering, is working to develop technologies in computational image analysis, which allows machines to "see" by processing visual information. These technologies could be used in a wide variety of applications, from manufacturing to medicine. Read more about Ferrier's work here.
Millar among leaders at the new Morgridge Institute
Susan Millar, senior scientist with the Wisconsin Center for Educational Research (WCER), was selected to lead the biology education initiative of the new Morgridge Institute for Research. The private, non-profit arm of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, the Morgridge Institute seeks to foster collaboration and the translation of research into tangible ways to improve health care. Read the press release here.
Math graduate students models behavior of bacteria
Julie Simons, a graduate student in mathematics, has been working to better understand how populations of bacteria interact with their environment. In collaboration with a team of biologists, Simons has been studying the chemotaxis patterns of the Rhodobacter. Using mathematical modeling techniques, Simons has shed new light on how populations of these bacteria behave in a given environment, which may contribute to a growing interest in using the Rhodobacter to abate pollution. Read more here.
Researchers re-evaluate the value of combating global warming
A team of UW-Madison researchers including Tracey Holloway, associate professor of environmental studies and director of the Center for Sustainability in the Global Environment, has re-evaluated the way that costs and benefits of combating global warming are considered. The team argues that the social benefits - including cleaner air and healthier lungs - should be weighed against the cost of implementing programs to minimize climate change. Current practice does not factor in these social benefits, which the team argues understates the value of abatement programs. Read more about the story here.
McFall-Ngai documents symbiotic cycles in squid
Margaret McFall-Ngai, professor of medical microbiology and immunology, and her team studied the daily cyclces of Hawaiian bobtail squid and bacteria they host on a molecular level. They found that the daily biochemical processes in the squid and hosted bacteria follow complimentary patterns. The research suggests that symbiotic relationships in nature may involve a much deeper level of interaction than previously thought. Read the full press release.
Valdez wins dissertation grant
Ruth Valdez, a PhD candidate with the department of industrial and systems engineering, was awarded a dissertation grant by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The federal grant will support Valdez's efforts to improve under-represented groups' access to new healthcare technologies.
Research finds birds affected by climate change
A team of UW-Madison scientists led by Anna Pidgeon, assistant professor of forest and wildlife ecology, has closely examined populations of North American migratory birds and their response to drought and hurricanes. The research revealed negative impacts on bird populations as a result of these climate change related environmental stressors. Read the full story here.
Litovsky uncovers benefits of dual cochlear implants
Ruth Litovsky, associate professor of communicative disorders, and colleagues have found that dual cochlear implants can help the deaf to regain some binaural hearing, which is crucial to understanding and interpreting everyday communication. Litovsky's research suggests ways to make communication with the hearing world more accessible to those with profound hearing impairments. Read the press release.
Kimble team finds regulatory system governs stem cells
A group of researchers led by Judith Kimble, professor of biochemistry and an HHMI investigator, has identified a regulatory system that appears to govern the development of stem cells. The research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science suggests that this system that induces some stem cells to differentiate while others do not. Understanding this regulatory system is critical for future cell engineering work. Read the full story here.
Carnes' profile featured in local magazine
The most recent edition of Wisconsin Woman magazine prominently highlights the accomplishments of Molly Carnes, a professor with the School of Medicine and Public Health. In addition to her work as a physician, Carnes also acts as a co-PI for WISELI and as director of the UW Center for Women's Health Research. Both organizations are concrete manifestations of Carnes' efforts to increase the participation of women in science, engineering, and medicine. Read the full profile here.
News – 2009
Sea urchins help reveal biomineralization processes
A team of UW-Madison researchers including Pupa Gilbert and Susan Coppersmith, both professors of physics, have identified the process by which sea urchins are able to transform ordinary calcium carbonate into their tough exteriors. Gilbert and Coppersmith suggest that the biomineralization process they observed in the urchin is likely to be found in other creatures. Read the full press release.
Two UW women scientists elected fellows of the AAAS
Caitilyn Allen, professor of plant pathology, and Judith Burstyn, professor of chemistry, were among the ten UW-Madison faculty elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The honor recognizes their contributions to the advancement of science. Read the press release here.
Sarto receives lifetime achievement award
Gloria Sarto, emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynecology, received a life-time achievement award from the Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation.
Carayon elected to influential National Academies committee
Pascale Carayon, professor of industrial and systems engineering, has been elected to the Committee on Human-Systems Integration. The Committee is organized under the aegis of the National Academies and is partially sponsored by the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force. The group advises these organizations, as well as the public, on issues such as ergonomics and human subjects engineering.
Middlecamp engages students with a practical approach
Cathy Middlecamp, distinguished faculty associate in the department of chemistry, brings a unique, practical perspective on chemistry and its relevance for students. Emphasizing chemistry's relevance to day-to-day life as well as important social problems, Middlecamp is able to cultivate interest in her students. Her work as an educator has earned Middlecamp a number of prestigious scientific and teaching awards. Read the full story here.
Balser honored for teaching
In recognition of her outstanding efforts in the classroom, Teresa Balser was awarded the Association of Public and Land-grant Universites' 2009 National Teaching award. Balser is an associate professor of soil science who also directs the Institute for Cross-college Biology Education. The institute's aim is to improve the teaching of biological sciences on the UW-Madison campus. Read the press release.
Wu seeks the elusive Higgs boson particle at CERN
San Lan Wu, professor of high energy physics at UW-Madison, is working to detect the Higgs boson at the newly operational Large Hadron Collider, the new particle accelerator operated by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Wu has been seeking the elusive particle for more than two decades. Her work at CERN has primarily focused on developing methods to analyze the massive amount of data being produced by the collider. Read the full story here.
Initiative puts core engineering lectures online
Wendy Crone, associate professor of engineering physics, and Naomi Chesler, associate professor of biomedical engineering, are leading a new effort to make video lectures on core engineering topics available online. The new initiative, part of the College of Engineering's Engineering Beyond Boundaries program, received high marks from students in a 2009 pilot. In addition to offering flexibility for individual learning, the new method of lecture delivery also frees-up class time for more interactive activities. Read more about the initiative here.
Ogle developing new cellular analysis technology
Brenda Ogle, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, is developing a new technology that will enable researchers to study stem cells from a new perspective. The technology, multi-photon flow cytometry, will allow researchers to study groups of stem cells or tissues in-depth. Curently technology only allows for the in-depth study of individual cells or a surface analysis of groups of cells. From this new vantage point, researchers should be able to gain new insight into dynamic processes such as stem cell fusion. Read more about Ogle's research here.
Brennan leads effort to redesign medical health records
Patricia Brennan, professor of nursing and industrial engineering at UW-Madison, is leading a massive new effort to reconceptualize how people manage, integrate, and utilize information about their own health. The goal of Project HealthDesign is to integrate various types of health information to enable patients to make more informed health choices and to assist clinicians in better managing chronic conditions. Read the press release here.
Study of Lake Superior connects warmer water to higher winds
In a study published in Nature Geoscience, a group of UW-Madison researchers found that warmer water temperatures in Lake Superior are resulting in higher winds on and around the lake. The paper included Galen McKinley, assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, as a junior author. The research suggests several important implications for environmental health. For instance, higher winds may alter the distribution of airborne pollutants or patterns of snowfall. Read more here.
50th anniversary of the Expanding Your Horizons program
The Expanding Your Horizons program at UW-Madison celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. The program, originally undertaken by the UW-Madison Graduate Women in Science, introduces young women to careers in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Now a national program, Expanding Your Horizons at UW-Madison now targets middle-school aged girls in south-central Wisconsin. Read more here.
Project HealthDesign wins media award
Project HealthDesign, led by nursing professor Patricia Brennan, was selected to receive a media award for a video production, Grantee Videos. The award is an international award given by Sigma Theta Tau, an honor society for nursing. Read more or watch the videos.
Hagness receives grant to study nanotubes and breast cancer
Susan Hagness, professor of electrical and computer engineering, was awarded a $360,000 grant from the Department of Defense's Breast Cancer Research Program. Hagness will use the award to study the use of nanotubes in the treatment and detection of breast cancer.
KamalRossa showcases assistive technology at AT Expo
Monica KamalRossa, research intern at UW-Madison and coordinator of the Spinal Cord Injury Group, is helping to raise awareness about the advances in assistive technologies for persons with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities. Through the 25th Annual AT Expo at UW-Madison, she helps to showcase technologies that improve the quality of life for and empower persons with disabilities. Read the full story.
Handlesman awarded Women's Philanthropy Council Champion Award
Jo Handlesman, professor and chair of the Department of Bacteriology, was selected as the female recipient of the 2009 Women's Philanthropy Council Champion Award. The award is presented annually by the Women's Philanthropy Council, part of the UW Foundation. Read the press release.
Bacteriologist studies crystalline protein structures
Katrina Forest, professor of bacteriology at UW-Madison, has spent much of her career studying the surfaces of bacteria. Of particular interest to her are the proteins found on those surfaces that enable microbes to move and interact with other bodies. Using x-ray crystallography, Forest is able to identify the physical structures that compose the surface proteins to better understand their function. Read more about Prof. Forest's work here.
Chemical engineering graduate student wins innovation award
I-Hsin Lin, a graduate student and research assistant in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, was awarded a 2009 Baxter Innovation Award for her research on crystal droplets.
Holden gets middle schoolers involved in research
Hazel Holden, professor of biochemistry at UW-Madison, is getting middle schoolers into the laboratory in an effort to pique interest in chemistry before high school. Funded by the National Science Foundation, Holden undertook to create ProjectCRYSTAL to bring six middle school students from Edgewood Campus School into her lab to assist with state-of-the-art research. Additionally, the project has been working to develop and disseminate innovative, hands-on teaching modules for middle school classrooms. Read more about the project here.
Glass works to keep food safe
Kathy Glass, associate scientist and associate director of the Food Research Institute, researches how food borne pathogens move through the food chain. In particular, she has been studying newer strains of e coli bacteria, for which she hopes to identify new techniques to minimize their danger. Working together with manufacturers, she aims to keep food safe. Read more about Glass' work here.
Handlesman named Wisconsin Academy Fellow
Jo Handlesman, professor of bacteriology, was named a 2009 fellow of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. Read the press release here.
Jahn accepts major post with the USDA
Molly Jahn, who served as the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences since 2006, was appointed the undersecretary of research, education and economics at the United States Department of Agriculture. In her new appointment, Jahn will oversee several research units and a multi-billion dollar budget. Read more here.
Zweibel and Forest to lead new Plasma Dynamo Facility
Ellen Zweibel, professor of astronomy and physics, and Cary Forest, professor of physics and engineering physics, are to lead a new Plasma Dynamo Facility on the UW-Madison campus. The facility, a first of its kind in the world, is funded by a $2.4 million federal grant, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Zweibel, Forest, and colleagues will use the new facility to study the origins of magnetic fields in the universe. Read more about the story here.
Nelson Institute offers $100,000 prize for climate change solutions
The Climate Leadership Challenge, overseen by Professors Tracey Holloway and Greg Nemet of the Nelson Institute, encourages UW-Madison students to come up with innovative ways to address climate change. Read the press release.
$1 million grant for nanotube research
Padma Gopolan and colleague Mark Eriksson, both members of the faculty at UW-Madison, were recently awarded a $1 million grant from the US Department of Energy to study the optical properties of nanotubes.
Team of professors awarded $4.5 million to study computer education
Naomi Chesler, associate professor of biomedical engineering, Wendy Crone, professor of engineering physics and biomedical engineering, and David Williamson Shaffer, professor of educational psychology were together awarded $4.5 million from the National Science Foundation. The grant will establish a consortium to study how students learn math and science through "epistemic" computer games. A major aim of the grant will be to develop computer-based mentoring to improve the effectiveness of these educational tools. Read more about the project here.
Stanimirovic named 2009 Cottrell Scholar
Snezana Stanimirovic, assistant professor of astronomy, was named a 2009 Cottrell Scholar by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. The scholarship, which recognizes excellence in research and teaching, includes a $100,000 research grant. Read the press release.
Knuteson reaches out to potato farmers
Through her work as a field coordinator for the Healthy Grown Potato Program, Deana Knuteson has led the dissemination of healthier, more environmentally friendly farm management practices to potato farmers in the state. The Program, a collaboration between UW-Madison, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers' Association, has also taken a leading national role in promoting sustainable potato farming with the development of its Health Grown eco-labeling program. Read more here.
Professor helps farmers battle corn pest
Eileen Cullen, associate professor of entomology, is working to help farmers state-wide address a growing crop concern: western corn rootworm. Recently, the pest has become resistant to traditional management techniques so Cullen is reaching out to farmers to help them adopt a new approach Integrated Pest Management. Read the full story here.
Saffran appears on Big 10 Network program
Jenny Saffran, a professor in the Department of Psychology, appeared on the Big Ten Networks' program Office Hours. The weekly, half hour program is produced at UW-Madison and hosted by Ken Goldstein, professor of political science. In her appearance, Saffran discussed the findings of new research into how infants acquire language. Watch the episode or read the press release.
Thompson works to manage runoff and protect streams
Anita Thompson, an associate professor of biological and systems engineering, is researching ways to better manage runoff, which is often much hotter and faster moving than sensitive coldwater streams, in an effort to protect the health of streams and the aquatic life they support. Read the full story here.
Staff member leads efforts to track birds on UW campus
Mara McDonald, an assistant administrator in the Department of Genetics, spends her weekends as an ornithologist: catching, measuring, and tagging wild birds. McDonald's work is part of a project she started eight years ago, the Biocore Prairie Bird Observatory. Along with a cadre of volunteers, the group is collecting valuable data on bird populations and their long-term health. Read the press release here.
Team awarded NSF grant for stem cell research
Padma Gopalan, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, and colleague Bill Murphy, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, were awarded $325,000 by the National Science Foundation for their work relating to stem cells. The grant will be used to develop a material upon which stem cells can be further studied.
Two women scientists receive grants under the economic stimulus plan
D&oml;rte D&oml;pfer, an assistant professor with the School of Veterinary Medicine, and Regina Murphy, professor of chemical and biological engineering, both received grants to fund their scientific work under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. D&oml;pfer and colleagues will study the O157:H7 e coli bacteria while Murphy will study the role of a brain protein in Alzheimer's disease. Read more about their research here.
Plant pathologist tackles late blight in Wisconsin
Amanda Gevens, an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, is helping Wisconsin farmers to tackle a re-emergence of so-called late blight in Southern Wisconsin. The disease, known technically as Phytophthora infestans, has been found in potato and tomato plants in the state. For more about this story or information on how to address blighted crops, read the full story.
Shi awarded NIH grant to improve radiation therapy for cancer patients
Leyuan Shi, professor of industrial and systems engineering was awarded a $1.2 million grant by the National Institutes of Health. Prof. Shi will use the funding to study the process by which radiation treatment is administered in an effort to improve its quality. The research could potentially help the majority of U.S. cancer patients who receive radiation therapy.
Ogle wins NSF CAREER award
Brenda Ogle, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, was awarded a prestigious CAREER award from the National Science Foundation. The award will enable Ogle to advance her research in system regeneration, which she hopes to translate into clinical applications.
Middlecamp elected fellow of the American Chemical Society
Cathy Middlecamp, distinguished faculty associate in the Department of Chemistry, was elected to the first class of fellows of the American Chemical Society. The honor recognizes Middlecamp's contributions to improving chemistry education. Read the press release here.
Researchers identify gene linked to cataracts
Barbara Klein, professor in the department of Opthalmology and Visual Sciences, and colleagues have identified a gene mutation that is correlated with age-related cataracts. The new findings utilized data from a longitudinal study of the eye health of residents of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in the Beaver Dam Eye Study. The findings complement previous studies, suggesting that the defective EPHA2 gene is a likely cause of cortical cataracts. Read the full story here.
Theis brings locally grown produce to campus
Monica Theis, an instructor in the Department of Food Science, has started an initiative to integrate food grown on campus into food produced by on-campus dining services. The food - including greens, radishes, and onions - is grown in a plot at Allen Centennial Gardens and served at Frank's Place, in Holt Commons, and the Babcock Dairy Store. Theis hopes that her collaboration with dining services will help foster innovation in bringing local foods to high-volume food production operations. Read more about this story here.
Interdisciplinary workshop addresses safety and food imports
Vicki Bier, a professor of industrial and systems engineering, and Lorna Zach, a scientist with the Center for Human Performance and Risk Analysis, took part in organizing a multi-disciplinary workshop on import food safety. The workshop, "Food Import Safety: Systems, Infrastructure and Governance," brought together faculty from across campus as well as leaders from industry and the European Union.
Carayon named fellow of the International Ergonomics Association
Pascale Carayon, professor of industrial and systems engineering, was named an International Ergonomics Association fellow. The fellowship recognizes Prof. Carayon's significant contributions to the field of ergonomics.
New state budget includes domestic partner benefits for UW-Madison
Under the 2010 State of Wisconsin budget, UW-Madison will be able to begin offering domestic partner benefits for the first time. The new law will take effect in January 2010. Read more about the story here.
Brennan chosen to join new Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery
Patricia Brennan, professor of nursing and industrial and systems engineering, was selected as one of five faculty members who will take a leading role in the new Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery (WID). Brennan's work at WID will focus on bringing technology to health care more quickly. Read the press release.
Research on carbohydrate chain formation sheds light on TB
Laura Kiessling, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, together with her students, has uncovered how a crucial enzyme helps the tuberculosis bacteria build carbohydrate chains. This process had previously not been described in the literature. Kiessling's team's findings should help shed light on the general process of carbohydrate chain formation, a basic but not well understood biological process. Additionally, their work suggests a novel means for attacking the TB bacteria. Read the full story here.
McFall-Ngai wins Guggenheim Fellowship
Margaret McFall-Ngai, a professor of medical microbiology and immunology, was awarded one of 180 Guggenheim Fellowships for 2009. The award will support McFall-Ngai's research into the symbiotic relationship between vertebrates and microbes, which may help to provide a more accurate picture of how animals' immune systems function. For more information, read the press release.
Graduate student identifies differences in pesky mollusks
Suzanne Peyer, a graduate student in zoology at UW-Madison, examined physiological differences between two related, invasive mussel species: the zebra and the quagga. Peyer found that differences in the way the two mussels attach themselves to surfaces may explain why the zebra and quagga mussels are often found in different places. Understanding these differences should enable waterway managers to more effectively combat the invasive mussels. Read more here.
Researchers find that culture, not biology, underpins gender differences in math ability
Janet Hyde and Janet Mertz, professors of psychology and oncology respectively, have published new findings that suggest that differences in male and female performance in mathematics is the result of culture not biology. Looking across countries of the world, they found that gendered differences in math ability varies across cultures. Furthermore, they found that in some cultures there is parity in girls' and boys' math skills. Mertz and Hyde's research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read the press release and the abstract of the published article.
Knoll awarded Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Award
Laura Knoll, associate professor of medical microbiology and immunology, was chosen as one of twelve scholars to receive 2008 Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Awards, which provide $100,000 in research funding over three years. Knoll plans to use the funds to investigate the relationship between obesity and inflammation. Read more here.
Deer ticks and lyme disease widespread across state
Research led by Susan Paskewitz, a professor of entomology who specializes in ticks, identified deer ticks in most areas of the state of Wisconsin. Fifteen years ago the deer tick population was limited to more western parts of the state. Today however the deer tick population has encroached on most of Wisconsin's most populated areas, placing more citizens at risk of contracting Lyme disease. Paskewitz's research is helping to inform public health efforts. Read the full story.
Strier elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Karen Strier, Hilldale Professor of Anthropology, was one of four UW-Madison faculty elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for 2009. Read more here.
Susan Coppersmith elected to the National Academy of Sciences
Susan Coppersmith, professor and former Chair of the Department of Physics at UW-Madison, was among the 72 scientists and engineers elected into the National Academy of Sciences on April 28th. This prestigious honor reflects Prof. Coppersmith's many scientific accomplishments. Read the full story here.
Study finds sleep helps to 'clean' synapses
A study published in the journal Science, which was authored by Associate Professor of Psychology Chiara Cirelli and colleagues, finds that sleep plays an important role in brain function by allowing the neurological system to 'clean' the extra proteins that build-up in synapses during waking hours. This study confirms other findings by the team. Read the press release.
Team receives funding from EPA for water-saving project
A team of civil and environmental engineering students, including Stephanie Bianco and Anna Bradford, was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their project, "Groundwater Depletion: The Buried Problem." The students designed a system for collecting rainwater to use for watering the grounds of the planned Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, part of the School for Medicine and Public Health. The team was awarded the grant under the EPA's People, Prosperity and the Planet Student Design Competition for Sustainability, held annually. Read more here.
Graduate student leads study on malaria patterns
Sarah Olson, together with Prof. Jonathan Patz and others, has found that the pattern of malaria infection following rainfall varies based upon landscape features. The study, published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, shows that malarial infections in wet areas of the Amazon decrease following rainfall while they increase following rainfall in drier areas. Read the full story.
Ney identifies natural protein safe for phenylketonurics
A team led by Professor of Nutritional Sciences Denise Ney has identified a natural protein which can be safely digested by people with phenylketonuria (PKU), an enzyme deficiency. Prior to this discovery, there were no known natural proteins that were considered safe for those with PKU. The finding is being used to develop special food products for phenylketonurics. View the press release here.
Research finds hurricanes have limited long-term impact on global warming
Galen McKinley, an assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and colleagues studied the long-term impact of hurricanes on the ocean's ability to capture carbon dioxide and found that the effect was much less significant than previously thought. The team's research was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Read the journal article and the press release.
Zoologist finds that all runs are not created equal
Research conducted by Karen Steudel, Professor of Zoology, and colleague has found that the optimal pace for a mammalian runner varies across individuals. This finding is in contrast to previous thinking, which held that running a given distance at any speed required the same amount of energy. Read more here.
Ogle receives funding from National Hearth, Lung and Blood Institute
Brenda Ogle, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, was awarded more than $400,000 to support her research that aims to use tissue regeneration techniques to treat heart attacks. The grant was awarded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Funding renewed for Project HealthDesign
Funding for Project HealthDesign, led by Prof. Patti Brennan, received more than $5 million in continued funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Project, which aims to improve the design and functioning of the medical health record system, founded in 2006 will continue its work through 2012. Read the press release.
Biologist collaborates to identify the chemistry of genetically altered fungi
Nancy Keller, a professor who studies the genetics of fungi, is collaborating with researchers at the Small-Molecule Screening Facility to help understand the chemical properties of specially altered fungi. Read the full story here.
Assistant professor studies genetic variation in yeast
Audrey Gasch, assistant professor of genetics, is studying genetic variation in wild yeast collected around the world. Her research has helped to identify strains of yeast with desirable properties. Gasch forsees that her research could be utilized in various industrial contexts, including biofuel production. Read the interview with Prof. Gasch.
Szlufarska team uncovers properties of nanoscale friction
A team lead by Izabela Szlufarska, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, has shed new light on how friction acts on a nanoscale. As compared to the smooth interaction previously envisioned by scientists, the Szlufarska team used computer simulations to show that at the nanoscale atoms generate much friction because of their uneven surface. The findings were published in the journal Nature. Read the Nature article and the press release.
Geochemist wins Romnes Faculty Fellowship
Nita Sahai, an associate professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, was awarded one of nine Romnes Faculty Fellowships. The fellowship provides $50,000 in research funds for early-career, tenured faculty. Read more here.
Palmenberg elected fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
Ann Palmenberg, professor in the Department of Biochemistry and chair of the Institute for Molecular Virology, was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. View the press release.
Assistant professor wins Sloan Fellowship
Suchi Chawla, an assistant professor in the Department of Comupter Sciece, was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship. The two-year, $50,000 award will support Prof. Chawla's research into algorithms. Read the press release.
Academic staff member prepares veterinary students for real-life encounters
Patricia Sharp, a senior instructor with the School of Veterinary medicine, utilizes hands-on techniques to help prepare veterinary students for the types of pathobiological issues they will encounter in the field. Continually updating her instructional materials, Sharpe is able to keep her courses relevant. Read the full story here.
Team led by UW professor unravels the structure of the common cold
Ann Palmenberg, professor of biochemistry, has together with colleagues mapped the genetic code for each of the 99 known strains of the common cold. The research, published in the February 13 issue of Science, provides a comprehensive baseline for future work on the virus. Read the press release here.
Research finds evidence of an 'Obama effect'
Work conducted by Patricia Devine, professor of psychology, and her colleague, E. Ashby Plant, found a reduction in implicit racial bias during Barak Obama's presidential campaign. Their work further suggested that people had also developed a stronger association between the concepts of 'blackness' and government during the campaign. Read more about this story here.
Adams nominated fellow of American Society of Civil Engineers
Teresa Adams, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was nominated as a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. This honor recognizes Adams' research in the field of infrastructure asset management.
New faculty member investigates E. coli
Dorte Dopfer, an assistant professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, is taking a novel, interdisciplinary approach to studying E. coli. Together with colleagues, Dopfer will combine mathematical modeling with applied microbiology and epidemiology. The team's aim is to better understand the factors contributing E. coli outbreaks. Read the full story here.
Emeritus professor named acting deputy director of the NSF
Cora Marrett, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, was named as the acting deputy director for the National Science Foundation (NSF). Marrett, who has also served as the UW System's senior vice president, took up her new post on January 18. Read the press release here.
News – 2008
Assistant professor's paper named most influential
A paper authored by Pam Kreeger, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and colleagues was identified as one of the most influential pieces of reproductive research published between 2004 and 2008. Campus users can read the full Nature Medicine article here.
Hagness named fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Susan Hagness, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was named a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The highest membership status in the IEEE, the fellowship acknowledges Hagness' research in computational and applied electromagnetics.
Teaching Fellows Program featured in Science
A program funded through a grant from the Howard Huges Medical Institute, UW-Madison's Teaching Fellows Program helps to train graduate students and postdocs to incorporate more effective teaching strategies into biology education. The program, led by Jo Handlesman, was featured in the November 28 issue of Science magazine.
Innovative engineering course receives national attention
A new, integrative engineering course aimed at pre-engineering and undecided majors was featured in the November 2008 issue of the Society of Women Engineers Magazine. The course, "Introduction to Society's Engineering Grand Challenges," was designed by Susan Hagness and highlights the interface between humanity and engineering. Read the SWE article on page 34.
Paskewitz team tracks deer ticks to help understand spread of Lyme disease
Susan Paskewitz, professor of Entomology, led a team that collected ticks from deer carcasses brought in by hunters through out the state. The survey aims to provide a clearer picture of the spread of deer ticks in Wisconsin, which in turn will help to inform public health education efforts. Read the press release here.
Professor of Psychology changes thinking about prejudice
Patricia Devine, Professor of Psychology, has conducted groundbreaking research on prejudice since the 1980's. Her work has helped to clarify how biases and prejudices operate and has also suggested new approaches for educating people about prejudice. More information about Prof. Devine's work can be found here.
Knezevic wins Air Force Young Investigator award
Assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Irena Knezevic, was awarded a 2009 Air Force Young Investigator Research Program grant to study the thermoelectric properties of nanowires and nanoribbons.
Professor unlocks secrets of biomineralization
Pupa Gilbert, professor of physics at UW-Madison, together with colleagues have recently identified a key transition in the biominerailzation process, in which living organisms transform minerals into a unique structure. Studying sea urchins, the team found that the process of crystallization occurs in a random fashion. Gilbert and colleagues hope that their findings will aid in the development of biomineralization technologies. Read the full story here.
Graduate student takes second prize in the 2008 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge
Jenna Eun, a biochemistry graduate student, won second place in the National Science Foundation and Science magazine sponsored contest for her photo "Polymazing." The bending and twisting captured in the photo is a common phenomenon, one which also causes fingertips to wrinkle when wet.
Soil science professor named director of Institute for Cross-College Biology Education
Teri Balser, associate professor of Soil Science at UW-Madison, took over as director of the Institute for Cross-College Biology Education (ICBE) in fall 2008. The institute aims to improve life-sciences education across campus. Read the full press release here.
Geologist changes thinking on the formation of the solar system
Noriko Kita, a senior scientist in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, and collaborators studying comet dust collected by NASA's 2004 Stardust mission have come to surprising conclusions. Contrary to expectations, the dust was found to contain isotopes of oxygen indicating that the dust was composed of materials from both the inner and outer reaches of the solar system. This finding suggests that previous theories on the formation of the universe may be incomplete. Read the full story here.
Veterinary researcher finds success in trials of new pet pain-killer
Lesley Smith, clinical professor in the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, has found early success in her clinical trials of a new, injectible pain reliever for dogs. If these preliminary results hold up, the new drug may help avoid long vet hospital stays for animals following surgery. Read the full story here.
Infant's sent lowers testosterone in male marmosets
Toni Ziegler, Senior Scientist at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and colleagues have identified a previously unknown physiological response to offspring in male marmoset monkeys. Ziegler and colleagues found that experienced marmoset fathers exhibited a decrease in testosterone levels when exposed to the scent of their own infant. Read the full story here.
Prof. Susan Paskewitz monitors mosquitoes to protect public health
Susan Paskewitz, professor of Entomology at UW-Madison, along with her graduate student, has been working to monitor the presence of West Nile Virus carrying mosquitoes in the state. Read the full story here.
Engelstad lab receives major donation of technology
SEMATECH, a consortium of semiconductor manufacturers, donated highly specialized equipment to Prof. Roxann Engelstad's lab. The machine, a Zygo frequency-shifting interferometer, will help the lab research the micro-scale lithographic substrates used in manufacturing computer chips.
Biomedical Engineering professor awarded a Fulbright scholarship
Prof. Naomi Chesler was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to conduct research on pulmonary hypertension at the University of Ghent, in Belgium. Chesler will conduct her work between February and June 2009.
Monica Turner recognized for contributions to ecology
Monica Turner, Eugene P. Odum Professor of Ecology, was awarded the 2008 Robert H. MacArthur award. The prize, awarded by the Ecological Society of America, honors mid-career scholars for their contributions to the field of ecology. Prof. Turner's work at Yellowstone National Park, begun in 1988, helped to establish the field of landscape ecology. Read more about Turner's research here.
Prof. Leslie Smith inducted as American Physical Society fellow
Leslie Smith, professor and former chair of the Department of Mathematics at UW-Madison, was inducted as one of 226 American Physical Society fellows for 2008.
Researchers question the expansion of bio fuels in the tropics
Holly Gibbs, a graduate student with the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, led a study examining the effects of replacing tropical forests with bio fuel crops. Together with her co-authors, she finds that such behavior may actually exacerbate the global warming bio fuels are meant to alleviate. Read the full story here.
Program seeks to expose diverse high school students to medicine
The Research Apprenticeship Program, directed by Gloria Hawkins, assistant dean for multicultural affairs, offers high school students from under-represented groups the opportunity to immerse themselves in academic medicine for seven weeks each summer. Read more about the program here.
Research examines the interplay between microbes and host
In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team led by Prof. Margaret McFall-Ngai examines the relationship between animals and microbes. Their findings suggest that microbes can affect gene expression in animals and also highlights the importance of the interaction between microbe and host. Read more about this story here.
Engineering professor's op-ed piece calls for female engineers on TV
Wendy Crone, Associate Professor of Engineering Physics, recently published an op-ed piece that was featured on the Discovery Channel's web site. Prof. Crone suggests that a multidimensional, lead woman engineer in popular television would do much to help attract girls to engineering. Read the full op-ed here.
Biomedical engineering professor wins Denise Denton Emerging Leader Award
Naomi Chesler, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, was named the Denise Denton Emerging Leader for 2008. The award, which aims to recognize young scholars who exhibit excellence in both research and efforts to promote diversity, is given by the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. Read the full story here.
New research examines girls in mathematics
Janet Mertz, Professor of Oncology at UW-Madison, along with colleagues, studied the demographic compositions of various programs for profoundly gifted math students. In particular, the study looks to international math competitions to examine how boys and girls fare across cultures. Prof. Mertz and colleagues conclude that cultural factors tend to push U.S. citizens away from math and that this effect is more pronounced for girls as compared to boys. The study provides more evidence to suggest that nurture, not nature, accounts for women's under-representation in math and science. Read the full study, published in the Notices of the American Mathematical Society. See also the UW-Madison press release and a related LA Times article.
Szlufarska wins NSF CAREER award
Izabela Szlufarska, assistant professor of Materials Science and Engineering, was among several UW-Madison faculty to win 2008 Faculty Early Career Development Awards (CAREER) from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Prof. Szlufarska will use the award to work on researching new biosensor technologies. She also plans to develop an outreach program to help bridge the gap between public perceptions of bioscience and the research being done at the UW. Read the press release here.
Post doc receives two-year fellowship to study asthma
Lisa Lenertz, a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, won a two-year fellowship from the Hartwell Foundation. The award will allow Lenertz to continue her research on the connection between the P2X7 protein and childhood asthma. Read the whole story here.
WISELI affiliate releases book on women's participation in meetings
A new book, "Women Speaking Up: Getting and Using Turns in Workplace Meetings," authored by Prof. Ceci Ford, a WISELI affiliate, was recently published. The book, which draws upon observational studies of women in academic science, engineering, and medicine, highlights differences in how men and women communicate in meetings. Prof. Ford's findings suggest several strategies that women use to successfully participate in meetings. Read the full story here.
Prof. Janet Hyde debunks myth of gender differences in math ability
A new study led by UW-Madison psychology professor Janet Hyde finds no significant gender differences in math performance among American children in grades 2 through 11, providing new evidence against the notion that males have an advantage in mathematics. The research compared boys' and girls' performance – both on average and in the highest ranks – and found only negligible differences. The study, published in the journal Science on July 25th, has garnered extensive media attention. Time magazine and the New York Times among others have run recent stories covering the study. Read the full press release here.
College of Engineering recognizes two women academic staff
Kelly Burton, coordinator for the Graduate Engineering Research Scholars program, and Traci Nathans-Kelly, faculty associate in Engineering Professional Development, were both recognized for their outstanding contributions at the College of Engineering's annual Appreciation Day held May 8, 2008. Burton received the Bollinger Academic Staff Distinguished Achievement Award and Nathan-Kelly received a Polygon Teaching Award. Read more here.
Post-doc leads research on synaptic growth
Kate O'Connor-Giles, a postdoctoral fellow in the Neuroscience Training Program, is leading research on synaptic growth that may provide insight into a variety of neurological disorders. The team's work was recently published in the journal Neuron. See the press release for more details.
Breast cancer researcher wins Shaw Award
Wei Xu, an assistant professor of oncology at UW-Madison, was awarded the Shaw prize to recognize and support her groundbreaking research on estrogen receptors and breast cancer tumors. The prize, awarded by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, will provide $200,000 in funds for Xu's work. Read more here.
Prof. Nancy Langston: Environmental historian
Initially trained as an ecologist, environmental studies and forest ecology professor Nancy Langston completed a path-breaking PhD in environmental history in the early 1990's. As a UW-Madison professor, she has continued to pursue interdisciplinary research on critical environmental issues that bring together the social and scientific. Read the full press release.
Innovative new engineering course brings real-world to the forefront
A new freshman engineering course, Introduction to Society's Engineering Grand Challenges, brings engineering disciplines and real-world problems together for students. Designed by Prof. Susan Hagness, the course received funding from the College of Engineering 2010 Initiative. Read the full story here.
Martin named Chancellor-designate
The Board of Regents has confirmed that Biddy (Carolyn A.) Martin will be the next UW-Madison Chancellor. Martin will take up the position from the outgoing Chancellor, John Wiley, in September 2008. Martin's long list of accomplishments include her work as Principal Investigator on Cornell University's ADVANCE grant, which was awarded in 2006. Additional details about Prof. Martin's experience can be found here.
Linda Greene awarded Outstanding Woman of Color Award
Linda Greene, Evjue-Bascom Professor of Law and WISELI Leadership Team member, has been awarded the UW System's 13th Annual Outstanding Woman of Color Award. Prof. Greene's accomplishments were celebrated with a reception held in the Memorial Union on Monday April 7th. Additional information about Prof. Greene's numerous contributions to academic and public life can be found here.
Kiessling, Wolfe named 2008 Guggenheim Fellows
Two female professors in the sciences, Laura Kiessling (Chemistry and Biochemistry) and Barbara Wolfe (Economics, Population Health Sciences and Public Affairs), were among those named 2008 Guggenheim Fellows. Prof. Kiessling will use the fellowship to further her research into alkene metathesis, a line of work that might have valuable biological applications. Prof. Wolfe will use her fellowship to study connections between income, socioeconomic status, and health. Her work aims to inform and improve social policy.
New Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate named
Damon A. Williams, PhD has been named the new Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate. Dr. Williams comes to UW-Madison from the University of Connecticut, where he has held an appointment as Assistant Vice Provost for Multicultural & International Affairs since 2002.
WISELI co-director chosen as a 2008 Association for Women in Science Fellow
Dr. Molly Carnes, professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, and Industrial & Systems Engineering and WISELI co-director, has been named an Association for Women in Science (AWIS) 2008 Fellow. The fellowship recognizes Dr. Carnes' outstanding commitment and contribution to the cause of gender equity in STEM fields.
Prof. Emily Stanley wins Romnes Award for research on inland water management
Emily Stanley, associate professor of Zoology and member of UW-Madison's Center for Limnology, received one of seven Romnes Awards given on the UW-Madison campus. The award, which carries a $50,000 prize, recognizes the outstanding potential of recently tenured UW-Madison faculty.
Biochemistry professor elected to National Academy of Sciences Council
Judith Kimble, Vilas Professor of Biochemistry, was elected to join the National Academy's governing body, the Council. Prof. Kimble will assume this major leadership role, as one of 12 elected Councilors, in July.
Assistant professor in Civil & Environmental Engineering wins best paper award
Prof. Jessica Y. Guo, along with her co-authors, was awarded the Pyke Johnson Award for their outstanding paper in the field of transportation systems planning and administration.
News – 2007
December 2007
- Prof guides future generations of female students
- Stem cells show power to predict disease, drug toxicity
- Chancellor Wiley to step down in September 2008
- UW-Madison hydrogeologist, Madeline Gotkowitz, finds disinfecting wells can help control arsenic contamination
- Nelson Center team identifies effect of foreign air pollution on U.S. pollutant levels
November 2007
- Ahna Skop wins White House science award
- Engineer featured in DoIT academic technology video
- CoE SWE section recognized at national conference
- CEE graduate student, Andrea Bill, receives prestigious fellowship
- WISELI executive and research director, Dr. Jennifer Sheridan, receives Women's Philanthropy Council Champion Award
- Behan appointed associate dean at School of Veterinary Medicine
- New Antarctica research season kicks off
- Two young researchers win White House science award
October 2007
- Jane Mahoney: Reducing risk of falls among the elderly
- AAAS honors five UW-Madison members
- Center offers care option when kids are sick
- College honors 16 at Oct. 26 Engineers' Day festivities
- Team launches advanced-reactor materials study
- ECE student, Xujiao (Suzey) Gao receives best paper award
- CEE alumna, Lindsey Bergsven, wins student paper competition
- University group receives nearly $1M for undergrad mentoring
- Study of bacterial communities may provide climate-change clues
- Primate study shows excess vitamin A can be stored during fetal development
September 2007
- 'Jumping genes' could make for safer gene delivery system
- Hormone-driven effects on eating, stress mediated by same brain region
- Study reveals possible genetic risk for fetal alcohol disorders
August 2007
- Building green for less green: Design team plans lower-cost, energy-efficient housing
- ECE student, Mariya Lazebnik, awarded fellowship
- Hagness wins most-cited paper and early career teaching awards
- NIH MERIT award advances fetal alcohol research
July 2007
- Phosphorus management system balances farms, water quality
- Carla Alvarado receives best abstract award
- Team to study how people learn engineering
- Mother-of-pearl: Classic beauty and remarkable strength
June 2007
- WISELI Documentary Part 3 premiering June 13 on ResearchChannel
- On the June 24th anniversary of the death of Denice D. Denton, the women in science & engineering community remembers and celebrates her achievements
- Research may yield improved treatment for diseased lungs
- Midwest transportation coalition addresses regional freight challenges
May 2007
- Two faculty elected to National Academy of Sciences
- NSF CAREER award: Resident bacteria may help clean phosphorus from atrophied lakes
- Mutant parasites unable to infect hosts, highlight virulence genes
- New technique dissects stem cells' picky likes, dislikes
April 2007
- Gene that governs toxin production in deadly mold found
- UW-Madison announces 2007 Distinguished Teaching Award winners
- Arming the fight against resistant bacteria
- Bier and Okpara earn best paper award from Risk Analysis
- Project to study nurses' role in medication management
- Study finds microwaves are sensitive to different types of breast tissue
- Crone touts nano outreach to materials meeting attendees
- DARPA gives $1.1 million for quantum-box semiconductor lasers
- Shi receives Air Force award for large-scale optimization
March 2007
- Targeting tumors the natural way
- Abrupt climate change more common than believed
- Campus leader on climate, diversity issues to retire
- Incentives for security investment featured in IE magazine
- Romnes Awards support UW-Madison's emerging stars
- Nelson Institute director announces resignation
February 2007
- Study profiles rate of autism in Wisconsin
- Study looks at benefits of two cochlear implants in deaf children
- Researcher seeks 'missing piece' in climate change models
- Berquam named UW-Madison dean of students
- Geography professor honored with lifetime achievement award
- IEEE Robot Team places in competition
- Six faculty receive Kellett Mid-Career Awards for research
January 2007
- Study helps nanotech researchers hone outreach skills
- Nutrition researchers provide the skinny on trans fats
- Tracey Holloway awarded EPA grant
News – 2006
December 2006
- Professor leads national effort to improve medical records
- New research program tackles Parkinson's Disease
- Amy Barger is recipient of 2007 Maria Goeppert-Mayer Award
- Five UW faculty inducted into National Academies
- Wisconsin scientists land major infectious disease awards
November 2006
- Five UW-Madison faculty named AAAS fellows
- New maps emphasize the human factor in wildfire management
- The Gerontological Society of America Confers 2006 Joseph T. Freeman Award to University of Wisconsin's Carnes
- Plant gene imaging team receives NSF grant
- Researchers Pascale Carayon and Raj Veeramani to study computer and information security
- Veterinary Medicine student establishes animal rescue organization
- Laura Kiessling receives prestigious Harrison Howe Award
- National Academy of Sciences: Broad national effort urgently needed to maximize potential of women scientists and engineers in academia
- Shi, Duffie explore new paradigm of production planning with funds from NSF
- Pfatteicher and El-Guebaly named research professors
October 2006
- Grant offers child care help to classified employees
- New drug blocks influenza, including bird flu virus
- Microbial "blueprint" may unlock mysteries of wastewater treatment
- Szlufarska receives Air Force funds
- Professor receives prestigious award for contributions to chemistry
- IPM program now includes berry growers, covers more parts of state
- Informatics education team receives NSF grant
- MRSEC outreach event draws middle-schoolers to campus (see photos)
September 2006
- Most widely used organic pesticide requires help to kill
- Five research universities awarded $250,000 grants to demonstrate innovative faculty career flexibility programs
- Women in Engineering Exhibit entitled "Petticoats and Slide Rules" to open in Wendt Library
- Forum to focus on 'moving forward together'
- NSF funds Susan Hagness and colleagues in development of 3-D sensing system
- Conference to advise businesses on pandemic preparation
- BME assistant professor Kristyn Masters receives NIH funding
- Campus leaders reflect on Denice Denton's life, career
August 2006
- Astronomers provide fresh peek at nearby galaxy
- Young chemist wins hefty corporate award
- Seltzer named interim director of Wisconsin Institute for Discovery
- Gariela Cezar's stem cell research targets birth defects and cancer
July 2006
April 2006
March 2006
- UW-Madison tops nation in number of 2006 Sloan Research Fellowships
- Patrick Farrell to become UW-Madison's next provost
- Educators win national recognition for teaching and mentorship
February 2006
- Experts question prevalent stereotypes about autism
- Scientists discuss evolutionary roots of social behavior
- National Academy of Engineering elects UW Geologist
- Scientist tracks behavior's neural roots in tiny brains
- Virologist Kenney to join UW School of Medicine and Public Health
- Concentrating solar collector earns first place in creativity, prototype competitions
- Study explains unexpected conductivity of nanoscale silicon
- UW-Madison Midwest Regional University Transportation Center (MRUTC) sponsors award-winning scout project
- Brennan receives grant to create tools for managing personal health information
- World's fastest image processor to aid search for long-sought form of matter
- UW professor Vicki Bier helps analyze terror risks as part of project funded by U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Like their pregnant mates, primate dads-to-be pack on pounds
January 2006
- Study: Mentors make or break student success
- Canine cancer vaccine shows early promise
- Mining for gems in the fungal genome
- Wisconsin athletic program earns diversity award
- Scientists link another gene to degenerative blindness
- Fellowship Program led by Wendy Crone and Terry Devitt to Help Public Understand Nanotech
- Advance points way to noninvasive brain cancer treatment
News – 2005
December 2005
- Three candidates recommended for UW-Madison provost
- Brennan appointed to national advisory council on healthcare research and quality
- Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate student Andrea Bill receives Outstanding Student of the Year honor from Midwest Regional University Transportation Center
- Engineering students Nicole Rybeck and Amy Nagengast recognized by UW-Madison Student Organization Office with student leadership awards
- Vet school faculty, staff help Katrina's lost pets
- AWIS Membership Chair Middlecamp Named 2006 ACS National Winner
November 2005
- Two receive Women's Philanthropy Council 'Champion' awards
- Scientists map one of biology's critical light-sensing structures
- Six UW-Madison faculty elected AAAS fellows
- Jahn chosen to lead College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
- IE professor Pascale Carayon to serve as reviewer of British and Canadian Research Councils
- ME professor Roxanne Engelstad gives plenary talk at International Conference on Micro- and Nano-Engineering
October 2005
- UW-Madison Establishes Center for Global Health
- UW study shows deer in CWD zone stick to home
- Professor makes an impact in Sudan human rights
- Mellon, Paulnock named to Graduate School posts
- Counseling psychology honored for minority achievement
September 2005
- UW-Madison, Medical College of Wisconsin to lead a $16 million children's health initiative
- Analysis: Differences between the sexes largely exaggerated
- Key neural system at risk from fetal alcohol exposure
August 2005
- Scientist wins major grant to study little-known immune cells
- UW-Madison's Morton Ann Gernsbacher named APS president-elect
- Ethanol treatment may be instrumental in fighting IV-based infections
- Despite gains, women still face bias in science careers
June 2005
- New vet school oncologist offers innovative cancer treatment options
- Bier named to Homeland Security Committee
- BME assistant professor Kristyn Masters to begin cardiac study
- $4.9 million Muri Grant funds mismatched materials research
- Two scientists land leadership roles with national psychology group
- Assistant professor in Chemistry, Helen Blackwell, receives Cottrell Scholars Award
- Professor Teresa Adams named director of Midwest Regional University Transportation Center
May 2005
- UW-Madison selects Underwood as School of Education dean
- Counseling Psychology assistant professor Angela Byars-Winston receives Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant
- Engineer tapped for national mentoring award
- Wendt and Ramanujam Win Vilas Associate Awards
- CEE student Andrea Bill receives Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship
- Ladson-Billings elected to National Academy of Education
- School of Veterinary Medicine personnel receive awards
- Kiessling to lead new chemical biology initiative
- Compounds in cranberries may have heart healthy effects
- UW primate authority elected to national academy
- Hagness team receives $1.25 million NIH grant
- BME graduate student Amy Beth Silder awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Award
- IE undergraduate student Naraphorn Haphuriwat wins University Book Store academic award
- Society of Women Engineers receives Most Outstanding Contribution to Membership award
- The Boston Globe covers WISELI and the NSF ADVANCE Program: "A woman's place in the lab: Harvard studies efforts to boost women faculty at U-Wisconsin"
April 2005
- Women in science and engineering fields honored with Academic Staff Awards for research, teaching, and leadership
- Wisconsin researchers identify sleep gene
- CEE scientist receives UW-Madison academic staff award
- Engineering student Joanna Storm chosen for Iron Cross Society
- Transportation grad student Janille Smith attends Eno Leadership Development conference
- Nelson Institute head is a master at merging worlds
- Hirsch and Fowler receive classified staff awards
- Cecilia Ford receives Chancellor's Award for teaching excellence
- Strong link seen between Chlamydia and heart attack in young men
- Supersizing is no bargain, UW-Madison study shows
March 2005
- An open letter on campus diversity
- A scientific (teaching) revolution
- Study: Marmoset Dads Don't Stray
- To control germs, scientists deploy tiny agents provocateurs
- In solution, tiny magnetic wires scatter light
- Baldwin grants fund seven innovative projects
- Study: Eye contact triggers threat signals in autistic children's brains
- MIT groups honors NimbleGen, Ramanujam
February 2005
- Women's health expert to address state issues
- Muetze and Gopalan receives NSF CAREER awards
- Two prominent women scientists among eight at UW-Madison elected AAAS Fellows
- Carayon named P&G Professor in Total Quality
- Vet tech's knowledge helps malamutes embark on show careers
- Two honored with Outstanding Women of Color award
- Ramanujam receives $2 million for breast cancer studies
January 2005
News – 2004
November 2004
- WAA honors Molly Carnes with Cabinet 99 recognition award
- In a tiny squid, bacterial toxin governs organ development
- Symposium encourages American Indians to enter health, science
September 2004
August 2004
- MRSEC internship program funding renewed
- IE student Ayse Gurses receives dissertation grant
- IE student Sara Kraemer selected to participate in Academy of Management workshop
- Sandefur to lead Letters and Science
- ACE Mentor Mary Behan Sees Mentoring as Critical to Success in Academia
- UW veterinarians try new drug for equine heart fibrillations
- A changing landscape may have dire implications for birds
July 2004
- Study: Too few doctors ask teens about smoking
- Hagness honored for biomedical achievements
- Health Systems researchers Jenna Marguard and Anne Moen win poster award
- Viewing breast biopsy in a new light
June 2004
- New 'Research Channel' to reach and teach larger audiences
- Leyuan Shi receives $100,000 award from NSF for her research on large-scale practical scheduling and sequencing problems
- New Materials Science and Engineering Department Chair, Susan Babcock, begins term July 1
- UW-Madison scientists find a key to cell division
May 2004
- Women scientists among four UW-Madison faculty members to win Hilldale Awards
- Women scientists among eight faculty honored with named professorships
- Two faculty win Shaw Scientist awards
- Population Health Professor Mari Palta elected 2004 ASA Fellow
- Chemists find a new chink in TB's armor
- McMahon and Benson to study prion fate in wastewater
- Brennan to lead health-care computer effort
- BME student Erin Gill receives CoE fellowship
- Elizabeth Schmerr Chumanov awarded NSF graduate fellowship
- Jackie Gerhart named one of three UW-Madison outstanding undergraduate student leaders of the year
April 2004
- Bye-Bye Bio 101: Teach science the way you do science
- Zoologist elected to National Academy of Sciences
- Evelyn Howell receives the Chancellor's Award
- Susan Hagness named fellow of University of Wisconsin-Madison Teaching Academy
- Wendy Crone receives a $333,000 grant from Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- NIH awards Nimmi Ramanujam $940,359 R01 grant
- Kathleen Schell receives Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research
March 2004
- Westley to lead Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
- Microbe's trick provides a template for willowy crystals
February 2004
- Bacteria and environmental factors linked to cranberry stem gall
- BME senior Jacqueline Gerhart in USA Today top-20 academics
January 2004
- Leavitt, Hyde receive feminist scholars fellowship awards
- Bier to lead UW portion of new homeland security grant
- BME students Carmalyn Lubawy and Melissa Skala receive DOD breast cancer fellowships
News – 2003
December 2003
November 2003
- Lecture to address girders under glass ceiling
- Device may help keep dog knees limber
- 29 UW-Madison faculty among most cited
- Carayon and Wetterneck to study medication error reduction
- Sex a necessary evolutionary commodity, new study shows
- Discovery provides reminder of bacteriology professor
- Educators ponder teaching biology as a scientific enterprise
- Eleven UW-Madison Faculty Named AAAS Fellows
- Carayon Nominated To IEA Executive Committee
October 2003
September 2003
- Nimmi Ramanujam named one of 100 Top Young Innovators by Technology Review magazine
- Study to focus on Upper Midwest freight transportation needs
- Open communication: Shared code could facilitate health-care information transfer
- Martha Casey, PhD, retires from her position as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Planning and Analysis
- NSF Releases Report on Girls in Science and Engineering
- Katherine Compton (ECE), Padma Gopalan (MSE), Kristyn Masters (BME), and Heidi-Lynn Ploeg (ME) are among 11 new faculty hired for 2004
August 2003
- New ombuds office created to help resolve conflicts
- Whitaker Foundation funds hypertension research
- ECE student Mariya Lazebnik wins NSF graduate fellowship
- Bier co-chairs NAE meeting
July 2003
- Professor of Plant Pathology Caitilyn Allen's research highlighted in the Wisconsin State Journal: "Tracking Down An Evil And Costly Plant Killer"
June 2003
- UW-Madison School of Pharmacy dean selected
- Wendy Crone and colleagues awarded a $100,000 NSF grant
May 2003
- CQPI'S Alvarado honored for health efforts
- Handelsman elected to American Academy of Microbiology
- Laura Kiessling elected Fellow of AAAS
April 2003
- Women in science receive three of the four Hilldale Awards
- Pamela Douglas inducted as vice president of the American College of Cardiology
March 2003
February 2003
- Theresa Adams, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, spearheads and chairs new interdisciplinary graduate-level certificate: The Transportation Management and Policy Program
- Hagness to receive UW-Madison Teaching Award
- Bier receives NSF Grant, has book published
- Demont named Chair of National ASEE Division
- Farrell elected SAE fellow
January 2003
- Provost Peter Spear recently fielded questions from Wisconsin Week staff on climate improvement effort, and announced new Campus Climate Network website
- Durand to help lead diversity, climate efforts
- Sparke elected APS fellow
News – 2002
December 2002
November 2002
October 2002
- Wolfe elected to National Institute of Medicine
- Laura L. Kiessling named AAAS fellow
- Dean Paul Peercy has named Deanna Dietrich Associate Dean for Research and Policy Administration for the College of Engineering
- Johns Hopkins asks itself, why so few women?
- UW News profiles Nita Sahai, Assistant Professor in Geochemistry
- Caitilyn Allen, Professor, Plant Pathology and Women's Studies, is named Faculty Science Adviser for the Office of International Studies and Programs
- Janet Hyde, Professor, Psychology and Women's Studies, receives three-year grant from NSF
- Shaima Nasiri, doctoral student, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, has receives first Suomi-Simpson Graduate Fellowship, sponsored by UW-Madison and NASA
- Leyuan Shi, Professor, Industrial Engineering, and Harriet Nembhard, Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering, have received a grant from the National Science Foundation to support their project, "An Evaluation Approach for Flexibility in Manufacturing Enterprises"
- Amy Stambach, Assistant Professor, Educational Policy Studies and Anthropology, receives Spencer Small Research Grant
- Barbara Wolfe, Thomas Kaplan and Robert Haveman, Institute for Research on Poverty, are co-principal investigators on a study of the implications of BadgerCare for work and earnings
- Gary Sandefur, a WISELI Leadership Team member, is co-organizer of the "Many Wisdoms in Higher Education: Communicating Our Changing Cultures, Communities and Challenges" symposium
September 2002
- Grant aids biologist's teaching
- Engineering Physics Assistant Professor and WISELI affiliate Wendy Crone Wins Teaching-Strategy Paper Award
- Marsha Mailick Seltzer named director of Waisman Center
August 2002
- Laura Knoll receives Greater Milwaukee Foundation's Shaw Scientist Award
- WISELI announces "Celebrating Women in Science & Engineering Grant Program"
May 2002
- Report finds disparities in hiring at U.S. labs
- NSF Division of Science Resources Statistics releases "Science and Engineering Indicators 2002"