Molecular fuel cell catalysts hold promise for efficient energy storage
In the quest for better, less expensive ways to store and use energy, platinum and other precious metals play an important role. They serve as catalysts to propel the most efficient fuel cells, but they are costly and rare. Read More
Election turnout research wins national award
An article by four University of Wisconsin–Madison professors on the effects of election laws to make voting more convenient and increase turnout has received a national award. Read More
More complex Atticus Finch can lead to important discussions, says UW English professor
When readers think of Atticus Finch, they think of the virtuous lawyer from “To Kill a Mockingbird,” brought to life in the movie by Gregory Peck. But in “Go Set a Watchman,” Harper Lee’s just-released sequel, Atticus is depicted as an aging racist who has attended a Ku Klux Klan meeting and denounces desegregation — a far cry from the hero his daughter Scout looked up to — not to mention the more than 40 million people who bought the book. Read More
Advisor who remembers what it was like helps new students SOAR
Nearly 5,000 first-year and transfer students will arrive on campus this summer. For some, Zoe Hurley’s face will be one of the first they see. Read More
Catalyzing materials research across Wisconsin
Throughout the University of Wisconsin System, there is a wealth of materials expertise, equipment and research facilities - but connecting those resources across campuses and between academia and industry often depends on serendipity and informally built connections. Read More
As giant physics machine restarts, essential role for UW continues
University of Wisconsin–Madison takes pride in the process of "sifting and winnowing, by which alone the truth can be found." So it makes poetic sense, says Wesley Smith, that he, as a UW–Madison physicist, is overseeing the ultrafast sifting and winnowing procedure for the CMS (compact muon solenoid) experiment, one of two general purpose detectors at history's largest scientific project, the Large Hadron Collider. Read More
UW-Madison Agricultural Research Station field days for 2015 season
Each year, UW–Madison's Agricultural Research Stations host more than a dozen public field days throughout the growing season to share research updates and educational information with agricultural professionals, home gardeners and other interested people. Below is a list of this season's field days. Events are free unless noted otherwise. Read More
Study finds violent video games provide quick stress relief, but at a price
A study authored by two University of Wisconsin–Madison graduate students indicates that while playing video games can improve mood, violent games may increase aggressive outcomes. Read More
Gift to Morgridge Institute ‘Fab Lab’ to boost medical device innovations
A gift to the Morgridge Institute for Research will help spur medical device innovations coming directly from doctors - the people who know firsthand where the advances are needed. Read More
Limited health plans could improve care, reduce costs
Insurance plans that include only a subset of all hospitals and physicians in a geographic area can be tools for improving health care and controlling costs, La Follette School of Public Affairs Professor David Weimer and two co-authors suggest in an essay published in June in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read More
Chadbourne director Zumbrunnen celebrates student-centered, active learning
Political Science Professor John Zumbrunnen has always embraced a down-to-earth, familiar approach. Students in several classes have seen photos of his kids and dogs used to explain principles of political thought such as freedom and power. Read More
New curators dig in at UW–Madison’s public gardens
Plants brought new curators to a pair of public gardens at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, but it’s people that Ben Futa and David Stevens are hoping to see more of. Read More
Recent sightings: Old school
Sarah Krause writes on a manual typewriter on Library Mall on July 1, 2015. Krause was modeling for a Life Drawing 232 class… Read More
UW-Madison collaboration promotes well-being in the workplace
Standing in front of a room of business professionals, Jill McDermott shares a number: two quadrillion - the number of megabytes of information broadcast daily. She pauses to let the audience reflect on how this inundation of information contributes to distractions in the workplace that can chip away at a person's well-being and ability to respond to daily challenges, whether it's giving projects the attention they deserve or shaking off a setback or conflict with a colleague. Read More
Protein Suggests a New Strategy to Thwart Infection
The newfound ability of a protein of the intestines and lungs to distinguish between human cells and the cells of bacterial invaders could underpin new strategies to fight infections. Read More
Expert: Editing stem cell genes will “revolutionize” biomedical research
Applying a dramatically improved method for "editing" genes to human stem cells, University of Wisconsin–Madison neuroscientist Su-Chun Zhang has shown a new way to silence genes in stem cells and their progeny at any stage of development. Read More