“A climate haven is the idea of a place that’s a refuge or a safe spot from the impacts of climate change,” said Steve Vavrus, the state climatologist and co-director of the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts.
May 20, 2024
Research
‘Climate Trackers: Superpowered by Ecometeorology’ shows the power of combinations and collaborations
University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences professor Ankur Desai and his lab conduct ecometeorological research, a cross-pollination of meteorology and ecology. At Seven Seeds Farm, they investigate how cattle farming on silvopastures impacts climate.
Higher Education/System
‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Brian Schimming, Jay Heck, Ian Robertson
Ian Robertson, the outgoing dean of the UW-Madison School of Engineering, offered his thoughts on the future of the program with its new building on track after political wrangling over DEI programs at the university.
UW-Milwaukee must reverse course on concessions to pro-Palestinian demonstrators
I feel the need to express my extreme disappointment with UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone’s decisions relating to his “negotiations” with the pro-Palestinian demonstrators whose protests so disrupted UWM campus life and the safety of its Jewish students. Their actions went far beyond “free speech” and their demands are simply outrageous.
Bill allows WI universities to offer guaranteed admission to top high schoolers
Through a bill signed by the governor in February, top students at high schools across Wisconsin will be guaranteed to get into a Wisconsin university. Through Senate Bill 367, now Wisconsin Act 95, Universities of Wisconsin is offering certain high schoolers in the state some assurance.
What Some Colleges Promised Pro-Palestinian Protesters Over Israel-Hamas War
The University of Wisconsin-Madison said it would “facilitate access to relevant decision makers” by July. The University of Washington said on Friday that the president and other officials “will meet in person with no more than five student representatives on the divestment request.”
State news
We know Trump will be the RNC nominee, but here’s why conventions are still important
Conventions as we know them today — major events held in large cities attended by party insiders — began in the early- to mid-1800s. State parties needed to coordinate their activities and nominate someone who would appear on the ballot across the country, explained University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor Barry Burden.
“All that changed 50 years ago, when the parties changed their nomination systems to emphasize primaries and caucuses as the ways that delegates would be selected,” Burden said.
Community
Kendi, a Milwaukee County Zoo giraffe, required surgery for a unique breeding injury
Ultimately, a team of specialists came together to help Kendi, from the zoo’s animal care staff to veterinary professionals from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, the Kettle Moraine Equine Hospital and Regional Equine Dental Center and the Henry Vilas Zoo. Also, the zoo’s grounds, forestry and maintenance departments modified the giraffe barn with extra padding to set it up for the procedure.
Inaugural college sendoff event celebrates Black high school graduates
“We’re here to give away scholarships to acknowledge their success on, you know, graduating high school and going to college,” UW-Madison Divine 9 Chairperson Alexander Ricketts said. “It is the first time we ever came together and done something like this in Madison.”
Health
Staff at UW Health urgent care clinic deserve a tip of the hat — John W. Cipperly
Letter to the editor: Sometimes people may feel a certain apprehension about attending an unfamiliar place. I want to tip my hat to the exceptionally talented caring group at this location.
Athletics
UW hosts rowing championships at Devil’s Lake State Park
Michigan took first place and their second consecutive title while Wisconsin finished sixth in the championship.
Opinion
Letter | UW fosters volunteerism with Peace Corps
Letter to the editor: Standing in stark contrast to this academic wasteland is the announcement that UW Madison has, over several years now, produced more Peace Corps volunteers than any other campus in the country. This accomplishment does not happen by chance but is the product of vision and hard work by the International Division of the University, our campus recruiter, and the tireless work of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Wisconsin–Madison in volunteer recruitment. Congratulations to them. They are still able to find students with hearts to serve and to inspire them to follow their dreams.
Opinion | Madison Metro redesign highlights equity problems
Guest column by Anusha Talwalkar, a recent graduate of the master of public health program at UW Madison.
Memories from behind a police line on UW-Madison campus in 1967 — Andy Anderson
Letter to the editor: I was behind the police line at the Commerce Building riot at UW-Madison in 1967. Crossing Bascom Hill, I had encountered small clusters of young people helping bloodied demonstrators away from the packed crowd. The police had just cleared the building of sit-in demonstrators, and around 15 officers had formed a defensive semi-circle outside the main doors.
Business/Technology
No credit check loans guide
“These loans can be appealing to those with poor or limited credit histories, yet they carry inherent risks,” says Anita Mukherjee, a professor at the Wisconsin School of Business. “Specifically, they often come with significantly higher interest rates and fees due to the increased risk lenders assume by not checking credit. The allure of accessibility should be carefully weighed against these loans’ short repayment terms, which can make monthly payments more challenging.”
Innovation Districts May Hold Key To Revitalizing Rustbelt Cities
But its greatest strength may be its giant universities, such as The Ohio State University in Columbus, the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin in Madison and a number of others.
UW Experts in the News
Workers discover cannabis plants amid the tulips outside the state Capitol
Shelby Ellison, an assistant professor in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences at UW-Madison, said the plants looked purposefully planted in the flower beds that contained mostly tulips but that it was unclear whether the plants could be used as marijuana without further testing.
“It is impossible to determine if they were hemp or marijuana without testing for THC content. I do think they were likely intentionally planted just because there were so many of them,” she said.
Workers remove dozens of apparent marijuana plants from Wisconsin Capitol tulip garden
UW-Madison botanist Shelby Ellison, who examined the plants for WMTV before they were removed, told the station that they were cannabis plants. But she told The Associated Press on Friday that she couldn’t say for certain whether they were marijuana or hemp.
They’re here: First report of cicadas emerging in Wisconsin this year confirmed by experts
Terrie Mess of Lake Geneva sent TMJ4 photos of several cicadas hatching in her yard on Friday. PJ Liesch, with UW’s Department of Entomology, along with the DNR, confirmed that this represents the first report they are aware of in Wisconsin this year.
Expect more aurora borealis, especially in 2025, UW-Madison expert says
There has been a general rise in solar activity on the sun in recent years, said Mayra Oyola-Merced, UW-Madison assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.
How community colleges kept students engaged during and after the pandemic
rofessor of higher education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Is Biodegradable Plastic Really a Thing?
“It’s complicated, because biodegradability changes depending on where you’re at and what happens to your plastic,” said George W. Huber, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who works on solutions for plastic waste. “And there are companies who make claims about biodegradable plastic that aren’t backed up.”
Obituaries
David Lee Wilson
For several decades, he worked happily in two half-time jobs at UW-Madison, the first as a technical writer at Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE), an academic unit that he first joined in 1966. In 1974, he began concurrent employment as a computer programmer at the Waisman Center, a UW research hub on developmental disabilities and neurodegenerative diseases.
UW-Madison Related
Ballots and passports: Overseas Wisconsinites fight challenges to vote
Wisconsin students study abroad at dozens of universities globally every year, while the University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the top producers of Peace Corps volunteers. Other eligible voters might be temporarily in another country for their job.
Job Market for College Grads Looks Tougher This Year. Try Healthcare, Sales.
Ben Brussat, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on May 11, is one of those feeling confident about his job prospects. After narrowing down his focus to business-development and sales-development roles, he sent out about 30 applications and received six positive responses so far. He said he is currently in the final round of interviews with one employer, about a month after submitting his initial application