New analysis links tree height to climate
What limits the height of trees? Is it the fraction of their photosynthetic energy they devote to productive new leaves? Or is it their ability to hoist water hundreds of feet into the air, supplying the green, solar-powered sugar factories in those leaves? Read More
SLIDE SHOW: Terrace Downtime
Now, this is more like it. Shaking off responsibilities and welcoming the extended daylight of summer, people made their way to the Memorial Union Terrace during many recent evenings, eager to take in the sights, sounds and smells of this beloved campus spot. Read More
Fall Competition aims to set standard for research excellence
UW–Madison researchers are being encouraged to apply for competitive funding through the Fall Competition sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education (VCRGE). Read More
Two faculty members named Steenbock Professors
University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty members Jin-Yi Cai and Robert Hamers have been named Steenbock Professors. Read More
Climate conundrum: Conflicting indicators on what preceded human-driven warming
When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently requested a figure for its annual report, to show global temperature trends over the last 10,000 years, the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Zhengyu Liu knew that was going to be a problem. Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science today, Liu and colleagues describe a consistent global warming trend over the course of the Holocene, our current geological epoch, counter to a study published last year that described a period of global cooling before human influence. Read More
Recent sightings: On the grill
Fresh corn-on-the cob, chicken, hamburger patties, hot dogs and other food cooks on the grill at the Memorial Union Terrace's Brat Stand at the University of Wisconsin–Madison during a summer evening on Aug. 7, 2014. Read More
Science in the Northwoods: Trout Lake Station open house
The first of August was a gorgeous day in northern Wisconsin: temperatures were in the mid-70s, the waters of Trout Lake were remarkably calm and clear, and the mosquitoes, for the first time this summer, were nowhere to be found. It was the perfect day for Trout Lake Station's 4th annual open house. Read More
Water’s reaction with metal oxides opens doors for researchers
A multi-institutional team has resolved a long-unanswered question about how two of the world’s most common substances interact. In a paper published recently in the journal Nature Communications, Manos Mavrikakis, professor of chemical and biological engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and his collaborators report fundamental discoveries about how water reacts with metal oxides Read More
McKenna to retire from Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
They say blood is thicker than water. So much so, that even the volume of water in all of Madison's lakes is still too thin for Thomas McKenna, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL). After seven years in the role, he is officially retiring from the lab and moving to Massachusetts to be closer to his grown daughters. Read More
UW-Madison breaks record for collecting school supplies at state fair
Going back to school after summer vacation can be rough. It's even harder for students who don't have the necessary school supplies. Read More
Fundamental plant chemicals trace back to bacteria
A fundamental chemical pathway that all plants use to create an essential amino acid needed by all animals to make proteins has now been traced to two groups of ancient bacteria. The pathway is also known for making hundreds of chemicals, including a compound that makes wood strong and the pigments that make red wine red. Read More
Summer Collegiate Experience eases students into UW
Around the office, it's referred to as "The Foundation." For outsiders, it's known as the Summer Collegiate Experience, or SCE. Read More
Movers encouraged to donate and recycle to reduce waste and mess
As the mid-August downtown leases turn over, overflowing dumpsters and buried curbs contain many items that can be reused or recycled. In an effort to reduce landfill waste and increase community benefit, the UW–Madison WE CONSERVE program and Office of Sustainability are partnering with the City of Madison, Goodwill Industries, Society of St. Vincent de Paul and student organization REthink Wisconsin to collect and donate reusable items. Read More
UW-Madison continues trend of large entering class from Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin–Madison will likely welcome its second largest class of Wisconsin-resident freshmen since 2005 this fall, with enrollment of state residents expected to be near 3,700. Read More
Mangelsdorf looks forward to listening, leading
Sarah Mangelsdorf has been told about “Jump Around.” She’s enjoyed time on the Terrace for cheese curds and a view of Lake Mendota. And she’s run to Picnic Point a few times. “I consider myself doing an ethnography,” Mangelsdorf says. “You really can’t come in from the outside and have a vision for a place you don’t yet truly understand.” Read More
Turnout for first-ever classified congressional election surpasses expectations
The results are in from the first-ever classified staff congressional election. Voting took place July 7 through July 21. Read More