Giant optical telescope in South Africa comes online
Five years after breaking ground on a South African mountaintop near the edge of the Kalahari desert, astronomers today released the first images captured by the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), now the equal of the world's largest optical telescope and a prized window to the night skies of the southern hemisphere. Read More
Dickey named chair of UW–Madison Athletic Board
Walter Dickey, a professor in the UW Law School, has been appointed as 2005-06 chair of the university's Athletic Board. Read More
New assistant dean for master’s programs named
Gary Lessuise, a School of Business alumnus and long-time Ford executive, is the new assistant dean for master's programs, starting Sept. 6. A national search was conducted this summer for the position. Read More
Pedestrians, motorists urged to avoid construction zones
An ongoing upgrade of central campus utilities has prompted UW–Madison officials to ask pedestrians and motorists to avoid congested campus construction zones when possible. Read More
A single gene controls a key difference between maize and its wild ancestor
One of the greatest agricultural and evolutionary puzzles is the origin of maize - and part of the answer may lie in a plot of corn on the western edge of Madison, where a hybrid crop gives new life to ancient genetic material. A UW–Madison genetics team has demonstrated that a single gene, called tga1, controls kernel casing in maize — evidence that modest alterations in single genes can cause dramatic changes in the way traits are expressed. Read More
Study examines public attitudes on nanotechnology
Scientists have a rare opportunity to define public discourse over nanotechnology, if they provide citizens with easily digestible information about the emerging technology, a UW–Madison journalism professor says. Read More
Camp Randall ‘Red Carpet’ rolling for a second season
After a highly successful inaugural campaign, UW–Madison will be "Rolling Out the Red Carpet" for a second time for fans and visitors to Camp Randall Stadium. Read More
UW embattled by personnel controversies over summer
A series of personnel issues put UW–Madison and the UW System under harsh public criticism over the summer, spurring statewide policy reviews that may prompt changes in the months ahead. Read More
New criminal justice commission formed for Wisconsin
In an effort to improve Wisconsin's criminal justice system by identifying and remedying problems that have led to wrongful convictions, legal officials from around the state have formed a new Wisconsin Criminal Justice Study Commission. Read More
The World’s Tiniest Badger?
A team of chemistry researchers at UW–Madison has put a new twist on an old philosophical riddle: How many Bucky Badger mascots can you fit on the head of a pin? The answer: 9,000, with a little help from nanotechnology. Read More
Study: Brain structures contribute to asthma attack severity
The mere mention of a stressful word like "wheeze" can activate two brain regions in asthmatics during an attack, and this brain activity may be associated with more severe asthma symptoms, according to a study by UW–Madison researchers and collaborators. Read More
Gernsbacher named APS President-elect
Morton Ann Gernsbacher, the Vilas Research Professor and Sir Frederic C. Bartlett Professor of Psychology at UW–Madison, is president-elect of the American Psychological Society, an international organization dedicated to the advancement of scientific psychology. Read More
Scientist wins major grant to study immune cells
An immunologist at UW–Madison is one of 15 U.S. researchers this summer who were named 2005 Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences. Jenny Gumperz, an assistant professor of medical microbiology and immunology, will receive $60,000 per year for the next four years from the Pew Charitable Trusts, an independent nonprofit organization that annually funds innovative research projects in the fields of science and technology. Read More
Advance planning may ease move-in day challenges
Construction projects around campus will make the move of some 6,700 students into residence halls this month more challenging than usual, say housing officials at UW–Madison. University employees and visitors are likely to experience additional traffic congestion and delays during the biggest days of the move-in. Read More
Sociologist Palloni receives coveted NIH MERIT award
UW-Madison sociologist and demographer Alberto Palloni has received a highly selective MERIT award (or Method to Extend Research in Time) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an award that promises continued research funding for up to 10 years. Read More
Partnership to boost students’ financial survival skills
Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation (Great Lakes) is partnering with the School of Human Ecology at UW–Madison to meet the growing demand for resources to help college students boost their financial survival skills. The two organizations have entered into an agreement to develop a course to prepare students to make wise financial choices in college and beyond. Read More
Gender hormones may lend to social disorder therapies
Researchers at UW–Madison have made the surprising finding that estrogen-and even dopamine, a neurotransmitter-also play critical roles in the development of aggressive social play behaviors. The work may one day help diagnose new autism cases and potentially pave the way for new hormone-based therapeutic approaches that counteract the social difficulties of autism. Read More