Two UW–Madison faculty among 2023 Sloan Research Fellows

Two University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty are among 125 researchers across the United States and Canada to be named 2023 Sloan Research Fellows.

UW–Madison’s 2023 Sloan Fellows are Andrew Buller, assistant professor of chemistry, and Jose Israel Rodriguez, assistant professor of mathematics.

Awarded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation annually since 1955, the prestigious fellowships honor extraordinary U.S. and Canadian early-career researchers whose creativity, innovation and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of leaders.

“Sloan Research Fellows are shining examples of innovative and impactful research,” says Adam F. Falk, president of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. “We are thrilled to support their groundbreaking work and we look forward to following their continued success.”

The fellowships are awarded to scholars in seven scientific and technical fields — chemistry, computer science, Earth system science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience and physics. Candidates must be nominated by their fellow scientists, and winners are selected by independent panels of senior scholars based on a candidate’s research accomplishments, creativity and potential to become a leader in their field.

Buller’s colleagues nominated him in part for his establishment of a new research program in biocatalysis and protein engineering that straddles basic and applied sciences. Buller has also helped lead the department’s efforts to improve the experience of graduate students.

Rodriguez’s colleagues nominated him for his achievements in applied algebraic geometry, describing him as one of the field’s “young stars.” During his academic career spanning the last decade, Rodriguez has made a number of significant contributions in algebraic statistics and applied algebra, with applications in kinematics and computer vision.

“I congratulate Jose and Andrew on receiving Sloan Fellowships, and I am thrilled that the Sloan Foundation is recognizing these amazing members of our faculty” says Eric Wilcots, dean of the UW–Madison College of Letters & Science. The chemistry and mathematics departments are housed within the college. “These awards serve to recognize the importance and impact of curiosity-driven research. I would also like to congratulate and thank Jose and Andrew for their commitment to teaching and their engaging our undergraduate students in the research enterprise.”

More than 1,000 researchers are nominated each year for 125 fellowship slots. Winners receive a two-year, $75,000 fellowship which can be used flexibly to advance their research.