Category Employee News
Heat waves hit heat islands hardest
Extreme summers like that of 2012 - which saw record temperatures in cities across the U.S. - may be atypical, but experts say they will return, especially as the planet warms under climate change. And as they do, cities will be especially vulnerable. Read More
‘Garage Physics’ is a makerspace for undergraduate brainstorms
To physics professor Duncan Carlsmith, a student's proposal to make a four-rotor helicopter drone was fine fodder for what he calls "garage physics." But why stop at a quadcopter, he told the University of Wisconsin–Madison undergraduate. Make one that is mind-controlled, so a person with severe movement impairment could think: "Go open the fridge and show me what's inside," and that would actually happen. Read More
Designed defects in liquid crystals can guide construction of nanomaterials
Imperfections running through liquid crystals can be used as miniscule tubing, channeling molecules into specific positions to form new materials and nanoscale structures, according to engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The discovery could have applications in fields as diverse as electronics and medicine. Read More
Pharmacy garden exhibits the roots, shoots and leaves of medicine
The garden of traditional medicinal plants at the entrance of Rennebohm Hall on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus shows the deep plant roots of pharmaceuticals, says former Dean Jeanette Roberts, a professor of pharmacy. Read More
Time to get your annual flu shot — clinics start next week
Each year, influenza strikes many faculty, staff and students, causing them to miss up to five days of work and class. To limit the effects of the flu on the campus community, University Health Services (UHS) is coordinating employee flu shot clinics around campus beginning Sept. 29. Read More
Heavy-duty neutron accelerators paint promising future for UW–Madison spinoff
A Madison manufacturer of the world's most powerful commercial neutron generators is awaiting final regulatory approval for its first sale outside the research market. The device will be used to calibrate safety detectors at nuclear reactors in the United Kingdom. Read More
WARF board speaks out on proposed fetal tissue ban
The Board of Trustees of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) today announced unanimous opposition to a state legislative proposal to ban the use of fetal tissue in scientific research. Read More
Q&A on tenure protection proposal
An ad hoc committee of faculty members charged with recommending policies to continue strong tenure protections in response to legislative changes made in the 2015-17 state budget has released a report with recommendations. The answers below were written by Professor Dorothy Farrar Edwards, a member of the University Committee who chaired the ad hoc committee on tenure and termination, Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff Programs Michael Bernard-Donals, and Secretary of the Faculty Steven Smith. Read More
UW-Madison launches fifth MOOC of 2015, focused on forests and humans
If you aren’t in Wisconsin to see the colors change, don’t fear. Beginning Sept. 30 through Oct. 28, UW–Madison will launch its second-to-last Massive Open Online Course of the year, “Forests and Humans: From the Midwest to Madagascar.” Read More
Stem cell-derived ‘organoids’ help predict neural toxicity
A new system developed by scientists at the Morgridge Institute for Research and the University of Wisconsin–Madison may provide a faster, cheaper and more biologically relevant way to screen drugs and chemicals that could harm the developing brain. Read More
UW-Madison uses new survey data to enhance efforts against sexual assault
Officials at the University of Wisconsin–Madison shared the results today of a campus survey that is being used to enhance ongoing efforts toward preventing and responding to sexual assault and misconduct. Read More
Computer Sciences Job Fair connects students with local tech scene
Madison's information-technology sector is growing rapidly. Just last year, Forbes ranked the area fifth on its list of cities with the fastest-growing tech industries and called Madison one of the places "winning the battle for information jobs." Read More
Experts help Green Bay establish new island chain to benefit shipping and wildlife
A partnership between the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the shipping industry and other organizations to restore a chain of islands in Green Bay is, literally, for the birds. Read More
Major commitment to elevate UW–Madison undergraduate engineering education
A $22 million commitment over four years from The Grainger Foundation of Lake Forest, Illinois, will establish the Grainger Fund for Undergraduate Education in the College of Engineering, providing undergraduate students an unparalleled environment that will position them for success, not only academically, but in their future careers. Read More
UW–Madison to open Federal Statistical Research Data Center
Interdisciplinary research with the potential to inform policymaking will receive a huge boost Sept. 21 with the dedication of a new University of Wisconsin–Madison Federal Statistical Research Data Center, or FSRDC (http://rdc.wisc.edu), on the UW campus. Read More
Faculty, staff can have positive influence on students’ alcohol behaviors
Alcohol is often a major reason students struggle academically at UW–Madison. One-third of students report that alcohol is the reason they perform poorly on assignments, and research suggests there is a relationship between grade point average and number of drinks per week. The good news: Faculty and instructors can have a positive effect on students’ choices outside the classroom in a number of ways. Read More