University of Wisconsin men’s golf assistant coach Ross Thomson set the pace of the 104th Wisconsin State Open on Monday at Minocqua Country Club in Minocqua, making 10 birdies against two bogeys for an 8-under par 64 to take the lead after the first round.
Author: knutson4
Physical therapists talk about treating wrist fractures, and surgeons research new burn wound treatment
Photodynamic therapy, used to kill skin cancer cells, may also be effective for healing burn wounds. That’s what our guests, UW-Madison surgeon Angela Gibson and medical physics professor Brian Pogue, hope to confirm through their newly funded research.
First of its kind ‘energy dome’ storage project takes another step forward in Wisconsin
Beyond partnerships between the utilities, Alliant is also working with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison College, Shell Global Solutions U.S. and the Electric Power Research Institute.
Oliver Schmitz is a professor in nuclear engineering and engineering physics at UW-Madison and director of the university’s Clean Energy Community Initiative. He said the Clean Energy Community Initiative helped Alliant craft its proposal for federal funding, and is providing support to the community benefits portion of the plan.
‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Anthony Chergosky, Bob Atwell
The Universities of Wisconsin have continued cost-cutting measures that includes lay-offs and the closure of two-year campuses, and former UW Regent Bob Atwell said the system should stop closures without a clear plan.
Craig Thompson stepping down as DOT secretary for UW-Madison position
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson is leaving his position next month for a position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, marking the end of nearly five years as the head of the agency.
After RNC spotlight, Milwaukee Democrats Cavalier Johnson and David Crowley head to DNC
For those who are able to seize the moment, the attention can serve as a type of political currency to open doors and build credibility within the Democratic Party, according to University of Wisconsin-Madison journalism professor Michael Wagner.
“Politicians are ambitious. Politicians who are local leaders in places where there’s a national convention have an opportunity to parlay that ambition into some dollars, into some connections. But it’s not a silver bullet to the next step up the political rung,” Wagner said.
Indigenous or pretender? UW-Milwaukee flip-flops in investigation after professor disputes findings
A University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee investigation into Margaret Noodin, a professor accused of misleading people about her Indigenous identity, eventually cleared her of wrongdoing after she objected to the investigation’s initial findings, according to newly released records.
Monkey business: Wisconsin primate sanctuary running out of space
In the 1990s, Kerwin worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Harlow Center for Biological Psychology and cared for 97 rhesus monkeys, the same species she cares for today.
The center was named after Harry Harlow, a scientist who used methods of isolation and maternal deprivation on infant monkeys to show the impact of contact and comfort on primate development in the 1960s and 1970s.
70-foot-long soil pit dug by Wisconsin scientists teaches lessons of conservation
In 1983, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Francis Hole petitioned the state of Wisconsin for Antigo Silt Loam. It is a very fine soil from the Antigo area. We actually have a roadside information sign there that talks about it. We even have a soil song.
Wisconsin businesses say high interest rates have slowed expansion plans
Steven Deller, a professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the Fed increased interest rates to slow the economy and bring inflation down — and it looks like it’s working.
“They wanted to put the brakes on the economy,” Deller said. “They didn’t want to slam the brakes. That’s what happened in the early 1980s (when) inflation was so out of control.”
In photos: Citizen science at the UW-Madison Arboretum
Citizen scientists are hobbyists and passionate amateurs, and data they generate is as valuable as anything produced by professional scientists. UW-Madison Arboretum Citizen Science Coordinator, Annie Isenbarger, described citizen science as a way of “deepening the average person’s connection with the natural world.”
A decade after Wisconsin GOP bill, UW system could see mass layoffs of tenured staff
The Universities of Wisconsin’s Board of Regents will soon decide whether to lay off more than three dozen tenured professors at UW-Milwaukee.
Nearly 1K students died at federal Indian boarding schools. At least 11 of those schools were in Wisconsin.
Kasey Keeler, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, joined WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” to discuss the reports.
Keeler teaches civil society and community studies as well as American Indian and Indigenous Studies. She is also an enrolled tribal citizen of the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians and Citizen Potawatomi.
Wisconsin Badgers hockey teams to play at Wrigley Field on Jan. 4
The University of Wisconsin Badgers men’s and women’s hockey teams will play at Chicago’s Wrigley Field in January as part of “The Frozen Confines: Big Ten Hockey Series” showcase.
What to know about Ben Wikler, chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party
Barry Burden, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Elections Research Center attributed the success of donations to Wikler.
“Under Ben Wikler, the state Democratic Party has become one of the most prolific parties for fundraising in the country,” Burden said of the state party’s chairman. “During the height of the pandemic, he organized online events featuring celebrities and other notable figures to attract interest and donations from across the country. Protasiewicz is now benefitting from the national network of donors that has built up since 2020.”
Partnership between UW-Madison and GE paved way for promising new Wisconsin tech hub
Written by Jay Hill, vice president of Advanced Technologies at GE HealthCare, and Anjon Audhya, senior associate dean for basic research, biotechnology and graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
How making presumptions about rural American politics can be harmful
Kansas author and journalist Sarah Smarsh comes to Wisconsin to talk about issues facing rural America in the upcoming presidential election. As an upcoming guest of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Morrill Lecture Series, Smarsh will talk about how class and rural issues intersect with the upcoming presidential election.
With available housing at an all-time low, Madison city planners look to increase density to accommodate rising population
Kurt Paulsen said he can understand that perspective, because for current residents, the market seems to be in good shape.
“We’ve lived in our house for a long period of time, it’s gone up in value,” said Paulsen, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of urban planning. “And we refinanced our mortgages at less than 3%. So for the majority of people who are already here, it does not look like there’s a housing crisis, right?”
But Paulsen, who researches housing policy and has written two of Dane County’s housing needs assessments, has many data points ready to illustrate the extent of the housing problem.
Tribal Elder Food Box program plans to increase production
In 2021, the Tribal Elder Food Box program began in response to a shortage of food for Native elders, said Carolee Dodge Francis, who chairs the department of civil society community studies in the school of human ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Here’s how much it’ll cost you to attend the Wisconsin vs Alabama football game next month
Wisconsin Badger football fans probably already have the Sept. 14 matchup with SEC powerhouse Alabama circled.
And if you’re interested in seeing that game in person, you’ll be paying a premium for it. The cheapest available tickets, according to online resalers, are about double the usual price.
Legendary actress Gena Rowlands was one of the most famous people to come from Wisconsin
Rowlands grew up in Wisconsin and later attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here’s a look at her ties to the Badger State, and the career that paved her legacy as one of Hollywood’s legendary actors.
The U.S. has plummeted in happiness rankings, raising the question: Do we know what real joy is?
For more than a decade, Christine Whelan was known around the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus as the “happiness professor.”
Now, “happiness” is one of Whelan’s least favorite words.
Here’s when UW-Milwaukee, Marquette, MATC and other local colleges start this fall semester
Summer is wrapping up in Milwaukee, and tens of thousands of students will soon return to the area’s numerous colleges and universities for the fall 2024 semester.
Microplastic pollution in the Great Lakes, and innovation to end climate change
With 22 million pounds of microplastics finds its way into the Great Lakes every year, two UW-Madison projects seek to detect and stop the pollution. We’re joined by assistant professor Haoran Wei and Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Ginny Carlton to talk about their efforts to address the problem.
Wisconsin voters reject ballot questions restricting governor’s power over federal funds
“Either the messaging from Republican and conservative leaders did not fully penetrate or the confusing legal language led some Republicans to vote ‘no’ rather than enact something they were unsure about,” said Barry Burden, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and director of the university’s Elections Research Center. “Democrats did put some money into the campaign to defeat the amendments and their message appears to have reached their primary voters.”
This annual summer camp in Madison empowers and celebrates LGBTQ teenagers
This year’s camp, known as the Leadership Training Institute, took place at the end of July at a residence hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A Journal Sentinel reporter visited midway through the camp to experience the safe space firsthand.
Despite drop in production, Wisconsin still expected to produce 61% of U.S. cranberry crop
According to the University of Wisconsin Division of Extension, cranberry marshes cover 21,000 acres in 20 of Wisconsin’s central and northern counties where more than 250 cranberry farms produce nearly 61 percent of the nation’s supply.
Now a Notre Dame sculpture teacher, Keith Kaziak returns to Wausau to install new work
Kaziak, a 1998 graduate of Wausau East High School, earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Minnesota and a master’s of fine arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He takes part in exhibitions across the Midwest and has won numerous awards, including Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture in 2021, bestowed by the International Sculpture Center.
How Google’s court losses could benefit consumers, and a big quilt expo turns 20
Federal regulators have convinced a jury and a judge that Google illegally quashes competing browsers and apps. Could consumers benefit if Google is forced to give up its monopoly power? UW-Madison IT Specialist Beth D’Angelo joins us to talk about this and more in our tech update.
Author Joyce Carol Oates describes moment at UW-Madison that could have ‘sabotaged’ her life
Acclaimed author Joyce Carol Oates loved much of her time as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She loved the city, the water and the student union.
But she has written that her campus years in Wisconsin were in some ways a “lost time” for her. She found much of the older, male-dominated faculty — and their old-school teaching methods — to be dull. And her time featured a turning point that could have led her down a path away from her future accolades, which include a National Book Award, the National Humanities Medal and several Pulitzer Prize nominations.
How Wisconsin groups are mobilizing voters on Aug. 13 constitutional referendum questions
“Turnout is going to be quite uneven across the state, just depending on whether there’s something of interest that’s really got voters’ attention or not. That unevenness is probably going to determine whether these issues end up passing or not,” said Barry Buden, a political science professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison and director of the university’s Elections Research Center. “These are big choices made by a relatively small number of folks.”
Her 15-year-old son was arrested. Brookfield police won’t give her the body camera footage.
Cary Bloodworth, a University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School professor, told Public Investigator that she hasn’t seen a blanket policy for juvenile records like this one before.
However, she said there are some advantages to such policies, like maintaining a minor’s privacy. The goal of the juvenile justice system is focused on rehabilitation, she said, rather than punishment.
State law provides an exception for news organizations that request law enforcement records about children and youth for “the purpose of reporting the news,” as long as they do not publish their identities.
Long-term care caught up in Wisconsin government’s battle over spending power
While the amendments are most clearly aimed at power over undesignated and unanticipated federal dollars, they could impact other types of funding, said Bryna Godar, a staff attorney at University of Wisconsin Law School’s State Democracy Research Initiative.
2 Republicans compete for chance to take on Pocan in 2nd Congressional District
“It’s been a very quiet contest in a district that is not likely to elect a Republican anytime soon,” University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor Barry Burden said of the GOP primary race. “But this is at least an opportunity for the party to pick a favorite and try to make a stab at winning a difficult seat.”
Here’s a look at the Wisconsinites who’ve won the most Olympic medals
Since nearly the start of Olympics more than a century ago, Wisconsin has been sending off its best athletes to compete on the world’s most competitive stage.
Kamala Harris campaign leans into celebrity influence with Bon Iver, Megan Thee Stallion
Almost no one will cast a vote because of a celebrity endorsement alone, according to Michael Wagner, a professor of journalism and mass communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But he said endorsements serve other purposes, like energizing blocks of voters, earning free media attention and shaping a narrative about the campaign.
“When the stories are about Kamala Harris being Brat and Tim Walz Midwestern dad memes, they aren’t about the things that candidates would rather not answer questions about on the campaign trail,” Wagner said.
Wisconsin seeing record high employment, wage growth. Let’s break down what that means.
In February, March, and May of this year, Wisconsin led the nation in “inflation adjusted hourly earnings growth,” the release said, citing data from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That means “wages are going up faster than prices” — a very good thing, said Ross Milton, an assistant professor of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who specializes in state and local finance.
What health impacts did last year’s wildfire smoke have on Wisconsin? New data tell the story
“From the birth outcomes to respiratory and cardiovascular issues, wildfire smoke is a big problem in public health,” said Dr. Jonathan Patz, a professor and former director of the Global Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Wisconsin’s largest cities have synergies to make tech hub flourish with new partnership
Madison serves as the innovator – home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where research is king. The school ranks eighth in nation for research expenditures among public and private universities according to the National Science Foundation with more than $1.5 billion invested annually. UW also ranks high in patents granted – 12th in 2023. Additionally, the city’s startup scene is consistently ranked within the top-150 ecosystems globally. This innovation leads to products that need to be manufactured. Enter Milwaukee.
Fewer Wisconsin high school seniors seek financial aid, raising concerns about college plans
The disastrous rollout of a new federal financial aid form has led to fewer Wisconsin high school students filling it out, causing concern about some students potentially forgoing higher education and creating enrollment uncertainty for colleges.
In symbolic vote, UW-Milwaukee professors reject plan to lay off Waukesha, West Bend faculty
In a vote that puts University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee faculty at odds with their chancellor, the Faculty Senate rejected a proposal to lay off nearly three dozen tenured professors from the institution’s two branch campuses next year.
$35 million residential substance abuse treatment center planned for Piggsville gets key loan
The development’s financing includes $4.9 million Meta House received from the state’s share of a 2022 opioid lawsuit settlement; a $775,000 grant from University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and Public Health via federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, and private philanthropy.
Layla Merrifield named new president of Wisconsin Technical College System
Layla Merrifield, the executive director of the Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association, is leveling up to become president of the state’s largest public higher education system. Her appointment was announced Thursday.
Wisconsin’s opioid crisis complicates an already troubled health care system
Written by Christine Durrance ,a professor in the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison who studies health economics and policy, with particular interests in risky behavior, including substance use and the opioid crisis; maternal, infant, and reproductive health; child maltreatment and domestic violence; and competition in health care markets.
Tammy Baldwin says Eric Hovde wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Does he?
On the health care page, Hovde doesn’t explicitly say he wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, rather that the health care system is “deeply flawed and in need of reform.”
The webpage “has many inaccurate statements and misrepresentations of data,” said Donna Friedsam, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studies health care policy and reform.
Gaza ceasefire negotiations in peril after assassinations
Jennifer Loewenstein joins 8 O’Clock Buzz host Tony Castañeda to discuss the assassination of two of Hamas’ senior leaders in recent days, and how the killings may affect the ceasefire negotiations underway in the 10 month Israel-Gaza war. Loewenstein is a human rights activist and freelance journalist. She was formerly (now retired) Associate Director of Middle Eastern Studies and Senior Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
UW Health’s MedFlight opens Rock County satellite base
After nearly forty years of serving southern Wisconsin, UW Health’s MedFlight has expanded its services by creating a third satellite base in Janesville.
Exploring parental leave at UW-Madison
As of July 1, 2024, UW-Madison has implemented a new policy granting eligible employees up to six weeks of paid parental leave. However, nurses, including those who assist in childbirth, still only receive two weeks. Jonathan explored the broader implications of these policies, emphasizing the need for better benefits across different professions. The segment underscored the ongoing efforts to achieve fair parental leave for all workers.
UW-River Falls chancellor announces retirement
Maria Gallo, the chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, announced Thursday she will retire after three years in the role. Her last day as chancellor will be Sept. 6, 2024.
New broadband report, Butterfly decline, Disability pride
We talk with a member of the Governor’s broadband task force about hurdles to more people adopting the service. Then we discuss the tricky balance between managing pests and promoting pollinators. And a disabled UW student and advocate reflects on Disability Pride Month coming to a close.
Should Wisconsin hold a sandhill crane hunt? A committee will study that and more.
In Wisconsin, only 17 percent of 2,769 people surveyed last December support a hunting season on sandhill cranes. That’s according to a study led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and funded by the International Crane Foundation. The organization has said crop damage by cranes should be solved by other means, saying a hunt wouldn’t have any significant benefit for farmers.
How many manure spills is too many? St. Croix County residents scrutinize big farm’s new owner
Wisconsin researchers are among a select few to document manure spill trends.
In 15 years, reported incidents statewide jumped from about 40 to roughly 200 annually, but Department of Natural Resources and University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension staff don’t believe their frequency actually increased.
Evers’ broadband task force says ‘internet for all’ requires affordability, digital literacy
In addition to the cost of a monthly internet subscription, other barriers exist for households that have the internet infrastructure but don’t connect. Task force member Gail Huycke said barriers include a lack of digital literacy, not knowing how to use the technology, poor reliability and fear.
Huycke is a professor of practice and broadband specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension. As part of the Connected Aging Communities initiative, she worked with seniors on using the internet and found people over age 65 are the most likely to be disconnected.
Celebrating Disability Pride Month in Wisconsin
Brelynn Bille of Waupun started using a wheelchair as a support for her disability during her sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. That’s when she really began to notice the accessibility obstacles on campus.
‘It’s just not true’: Why it’s time to stop calling Wisconsin a ‘Rust Belt’ state
Though Rust Belt states can be mapped out, Simeon Alder, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said it’s not all about geography.
“It’s a set of industries that happened to be concentrated around the Great Lakes,” Alder said.
Four UW-Madison Women’s Rowing alumnae competing in Olympics
For the first time in over 30 years, four University of Wisconsin-Madison Women’s Rowing alumnae are competing in the Olympics.
Inside UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee’s responses to student encampments
Students at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee joined the tidal wave of pro-Palestinian protests this spring. The demonstrators on both campuses followed similar formulas, pitching tents and demanding that their schools divest from Israeli companies.
UW-Milwaukee police chief resigns through explosive letter critical of employer
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee police chief resigned Thursday in an explosive letter that lobbed multiple criticisms at his former employer.
More 3K-12 students in Wisconsin are going without routine vaccines to protect against measles, other diseases
“Every time the numbers drift a little bit further down, it does worry me,” said Dr. James Conway, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the medical director of UW Health’s immunization program. “That means there’s that many more kids that are vulnerable.”
Biden calls for ethics overhaul at SCOTUS. In Wisconsin, the rules are different.
Howard Schweber, who for years taught political science and law at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told WPR that Wisconsin once had a reputation for having “mostly apolitical courts, but that fell apart in the 2000s.” He said he believes the politicization of state Supreme Court elections started in 2007 with the election of conservative Chief Justice Annette Ziegler.
“It really took the Democrats Wisconsin a long while to realize that these were not your father’s judicial elections anymore, and they have indeed become highly politicized,” Schweber said. “Because, just as with the Supreme Court, people realize that if you can capture the court, you can promote your ideology in a very effective way.”