Tag College of Letters & Science

World’s largest computing grid ready for data

October 3, 2008

The technological advancements surrounding the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - the new particle accelerator near Geneva, Switzerland - are not just about the physics.

Anthropology professor honored by Librarian of Congress

October 2, 2008

University of Wisconsin–Madison William F. Vilas Professor of Anthropology Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney has been named John W. Kluge Distinguished Chair of Modern Culture by the Librarian of Congress.

More experiments needed to advance environmental restoration

October 1, 2008

Across Wisconsin and the nation, scientists, land managers and conservationists are trying to restore large tracts of wetlands degraded by pollution, sedimentation and invasive plants to a more natural state. Yet while these efforts are laudable, Joy Zedler sees in most of them a missed opportunity.

Lava flows reveal clues to magnetic field reversals

September 25, 2008

Ancient lava flows are guiding a better understanding of what generates and controls the Earth's magnetic field - and what may drive it to occasionally reverse direction.

Madison, Milwaukee UW collaboration offers variety, model for future

September 24, 2008

A new doctoral initiative that explores buildings, landscapes and cultures may make the distance between Madison and Milwaukee just a little bit smaller, at least figuratively speaking.

Comet dust reveals unexpected mixing of solar system

September 18, 2008

Chemical clues from a comet's halo are challenging common views about the history and evolution of the solar system and showing it may be more mixed-up than previously thought.

Performance Center to get $20 million boost

September 16, 2008

Two anonymous donors have made a commitment of $20 million in support of the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Music's future Performance Center on the northwest corner of University Avenue and Lake Street.

Inaugural Big Ten Battleground Poll rolls out results on Big Ten Network

September 16, 2008

Results of the Big Ten Battleground Poll, an innovative new project that tests voter sentiment in the eight Big Ten states that are key to this closely fought presidential campaign, will be presented Thursday, Sept. 18, on the Big Ten Network.

Heinrich takes over as La Follette School head

September 10, 2008

Providing more support for graduate students, continuing to build a strong international program and preserving the vitality of the Wisconsin Idea are all high on Carolyn Heinrich’s list as she takes over as the new director of the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs.

World’s biggest particle accelerator begins operation

September 10, 2008

After more than 15 years of planning and preparation, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's most powerful particle accelerator, started operating this morning (Sept. 10).

Can love change your mind? New project explores neuroscience of ‘positive qualities’

September 10, 2008

What is happening in the minds of people who have developed a greater capacity for forgiveness and compassion? Can a quality like love — whether it’s shown toward a family member or a friend — be neurologically measured in the brain? A new research project at UW–Madison offers the opportunity to apply hard science to these seemingly ethereal questions.

Upcoming diversity forum to focus on First Nations, Plan 2008

September 10, 2008

The culture and experiences of the First Nations community will be the focus of the ninth annual Campus Diversity Forum.

Experts discuss Georgia conflict

September 8, 2008

On Tuesday, Sept. 9, a panel of University of Wisconsin–Madison experts will address the historical and geopolitical roots of the Georgia and Russia conflict, discuss issues of national sovereignty within the post-Soviet republics, and analyze the potential emergence of a new cold war.

Baby’s smell tamps down dad’s testosterone levels

September 3, 2008

Does eau de infant make dad a better parent? It does, it seems, if you are a common marmoset, a New World monkey known for its collaborative approach to rearing offspring.

Ice Age lesson predicts a faster rise in sea level

September 2, 2008

If the lessons being learned by scientists about the demise of the last great North American ice sheet are correct, estimates of global sea level rise from a melting Greenland ice sheet may be seriously underestimated.

Services scheduled for students killed in Midvale accident

August 29, 2008

Memorial services have been scheduled for two of the UW–Madison students killed in a car accident during the early morning hours of Aug. 27.

Patterns in changing ecological landscapes inspire professor

August 27, 2008

Thirty years after visiting Yellowstone National Park for the first time, Monica Turner has established herself as a leader in the field of ecology and made Yellowstone one of the most well-studied ecological landscapes in the country.

UW-Madison responds to student deaths

August 27, 2008

The University of Wisconsin–Madison campus community is mourning the deaths of three of its students in a Midvale Boulevard car accident early today (Aug. 27).

First-year Interest Groups take off at UW–Madison

August 20, 2008

Beginning as a pilot program in 2001, First-Year Interest Groups (FIGs) set out to provide diversity education, connect academic pursuits with residence life and offer integrated learning across a cohort of courses. In its first year, FIGs supported 75 students within four FIGs. Since then, the program has blossomed to more than 580 students and 31 FIGs.

Curiosities: What’s behind the claims that the new particle accelerator in Europe may create black holes that could destroy the Earth? Should we be worried?

August 18, 2008

When the Large Hadron Collider starts running this summer near Geneva, Switzerland, some physicists have predicted that some of its high-energy proton collisions could…